Wait a minute, is calling for "bringing an end" to Obama protected by free speech, or is it a threat against a President, which violates law?
Voight rebuts 'hate speech' tag
Dissent, he says, isn't 'hate'
By Jennifer Harper
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Washington Times
Free speech got a loud boost from Hollywood on Wednesday. Jon Voight has responded to accusations from a critic sympathetic to the American Communist Party, who said the actor had used hate speech and threatened the well-being of President Obama during a recent appearance before Republicans in Washington.
Mr. Voight denied both charges, saying that those who speak out against the Obama administration are "demonized" and "attacked," often with hate speech.
The Academy Award winner's speech before the National Republican Congressional Committee on June 7 was both a political and cultural moment. As a paragon of a new Hollywood conservatism, Mr. Voight spoke bluntly of Republican strategies for 2012 and what he sees as the shortcomings of the Obama administration.
Yet the actor also ignited a public discussion about bitter partisan rivalries and what constitutes threatening language.
Toward the end of his speech, Mr. Voight lauded a list of 23 high-profile Republicans, saying "Let's give thanks to them for staying on course to bring an end to this false prophet, Obama."
The phrase "bring an end" was quickly caught in the echo chamber of news reports and Op-Eds in the aftermath, framed out of context.
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