Bartlet4America News Archive

Hollywood unions raise 'blacklist' specter

By Pat Nason
UPI Hollywood Reporter

United Press International

Published 3/3/2003 10:44 PM

LOS ANGELES, March 3 (UPI) -- Two leading Hollywood unions issued statements in Los Angeles Monday deploring suggestions that celebrities be punished for speaking up about war.

In separate statements, the Screen Actors Guild and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees raised the specter of the Hollywood blacklist -- the name associated with the House Committee on Un-American Activities investigation of communism in the movie industry in the 1950s.

The statements come at a time when "The West Wing" star Martin Sheen has spoken publicly of receiving hate mail for his high-profile opposition to war in Iraq. However, the statements are not a direct response to Sheen's revelation -- the SAG statement has been in the works for some weeks.

"As our country again considers the possibility of war," said the actors' union Board of Directors, "it is the fundamental right of citizens to express their support or their fears and concerns. While passionate disagreement is to be expected in such a debate, a disturbing trend has arisen in the dialogue. Some have recently suggested that well-known individuals who express 'unacceptable' views should be punished by losing their right to work. This shocking development suggests that the lessons of history have, for some, fallen on deaf ears."

The statement said SAG supports the right of Americans to speak freely, whether in support of or against war.

"In the same vein -- and with a painfully clear appreciation of history -- we deplore the idea that those in the public eye should suffer professionally for having the courage to give voice to their views," said the union. "Even a hint of the blacklist must never again be tolerated in this nation."

The SAG Board said it hoped the nation would not experience a repeat of the experience of the 1950s, when it said Hollywood "prostrated itself before smear campaigns and witch hunters" rather than make a stand for constitutional principles.

"Most of America failed that test, averting its eyes as the House Committee on Un-American Activities persecuted citizens, destroyed careers, ruined lives and gave rise to the notorious 'blacklist,'" said the statement.

IATSE issued a statement supporting the SAG position and condemning "any hint of blacklisting that is being threatened as a result of any public statements that disagree with the current administration's dictates."

Sheen told the Los Angeles Times that NBC executives were afraid that his opposition to an invasion of Iraq would hurt the ratings for the Emmy-winning White House drama in which he plays the fictional U.S. President Josiah Bartlet. He said some critics have demanded that the network fire him from the show.

Sheen was a main spokesman for last week's "Virtual March on Washington," a campaign that had large numbers of Americans flood the White House and U.S. Senate offices with e-mail, telephone calls and faxes in opposition to a war.

A spokeswoman for NBC told United Press International that as far as she knew, no executives at the network are concerned that Sheen's political activities are hurting the show.

"We respect Martin's right to free speech," said spokeswoman Rebecca Marks. "We respect his opinions. I'm not personally aware of any concern about Martin's activities."

Marks pointed out that Sheen had been a political activist for years before joining "The West Wing" and it was never an issue regarding the popularity of the show. She also said that no one at the network is concerned that public reaction to Sheen's activism could affect "The West Wing's" popularity at some point in the future.

"There's been no concern expressed to me about fear over a potential fallout from Martin's position on the war," said Marks.

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