Looks, brains, talent, and conviction: What's not to love about Viggo Mortensen? The outspokenly leftist actor and artist, now steaming up the silver screen in David Cronenberg's fascinating A History of Violence (see it, see it now!), is the subject of a new interview in The Progressive. Among other things, he discusses his visit to Cindy Sheehan's Camp Casey, the bungling of the Katrina disaster, and the phenomenon of activist actors. And yes, the anti-war Mortensen discusses Dubya:
"I'm not anti-Bush; I'm anti-Bush behavior. In other words, I'm against cheating, greed, cruelty, racism, imperialism, religious fundamentalism, treason, and the seemingly limitless capacity for hypocrisy shown by Bush and his Administration. ...
"It's too easy [to pin all of the blame on Bush], and it lets a lot of people off the hook. I think impeachment proceedings need to be started immediately but not just against him. God forbid we should have Dick Cheney as President. No. Those two need to go, and many of the others in the inner circle need to go."
Not anti-Bush, anti-Bush behavior: I like Mortensen's sense of nuance and applaud his ability to sum up the Shrub Administration's sins so neatly. And I agree: The US needs regime change. Now.
Do check out the interview in its entirety. And by all means, see A History of Violence. Viggo's performance is award-worthy (not that he cares about that sort of thing) and the points the film raises about the seemingly endless effects of violence will stay with you long after the closing credits roll.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Baronius
I increasingly understand why actors were considered low-class, barely above criminals, and buried outside town.
2 - Anthony Grande
"I'm against cheating, greed, cruelty, racism, imperialism, religious fundamentalism, treason, and the seemingly limitless capacity for hypocrisy shown by Bush and his Administration."
Show me on example of each that Bush (our greatest president) has done.
3 - Dave Nalle
Anthony, Bush may not deserve all the criticism the biased and ignorant - like Mortensen - subject him to, but he certainly isn't a saint or our greatest president.
Dave
4 - Matt
Anthony--Bush is our greatest president? Are you fucking high? You have no ability to look at this with any sense of reason. You're the equivalent of a screaming teenybopper at an NSync concert.
5 - MCH
Re comment #2;
Would DESERTION from the National Guards qualify as an example you're looking for?
www.awolbush.com
6 - Matthew T. Sussman
No. History of Violence was the worst movie I've seen since Reindeer Games.
7 - Anthony Grande
Really, it is between Bush, Jefferson, Lincoln and Reagon for the greatest President. I stand by my statement.
Please, someone tell me how he isn't the greatest.
"Would DESERTION from the National Guards qualify as an example you're looking for?"
If your source is Dan Rather, then you need to leave this thread. Bush never deserted anything. He did his time in the National Guard and trained people to fly. I am sorry MCH that not everyone has the desire make a career out of the military like you.
Would you call Clinton hiding in England desertion also???
8 - MCH
"Bush never deserted anything. He served his time in the National Guard and trained people to fly."
- Anthony (RJ) Grande
Here's what General William Turnispeed, Ret., to whom GW Bush was ordered to report at Dannelly AFB in 1972, told the Boston Globe in May, 2004, regarding GW's AWOL from Dannelly:
"To my knowledge, he (GW Bush) never showed up. Had he reported in, I would have some recall, and I do not. If we had a first lieutenant from Texas, I would've remembered."
www.guardian.co.uk/uselections2004/story/
Here's what Lt. Col. William Harris and Lt. Col. Jerry Killian wrote May 22, 1973, regarding Bush's failure to participate in Guard meetings at Ellingson AFB:
"Lt. Bush has not been observed at this unit during the period of report."
www.archive.democrats.com/display
Here's what Major Bobby W. Hodges, Ret., told the Boston Globe in May, 2004, regarding Bush's no-show at Ellingson:
"His (GW Bush) unit continued to fly the F-102 until 1974. If he had come back to Houston (Ellingson AFB), I would've had him flying the 102 until he got out. But I don't remember him coming back at all."
www.archive.democrats.com/display
9 - Natalie Davis
Biased and ignorant? He stated his opinion. Are you telling me that your bias does not appear in your opinions, Mr. Nalle? And as for ignorant, Viggo Mortensen is very well-educated and well-read. He may draw conclusions that differ from yours, but that is no reason to insult his intelligence. Should people who find any of your views abhorrent automatically label you as ignorant? I would hope not; that would not be fair or humane.
10 - Matt
Anthony, usually, I'd let misspellings slide, but since you thing Ronald REAGON was one of the greatest president's ever, thought it might help if you knew how to spell his name. It's REAGAN. Most times, people just hit the wrong key, but you missed by a mile! I mean, shit dude, the "a" and "o" are on opposite sides of the keyboard, leading me to believe that you've been thinking all this time that his name is spelled that way. No wonder you keep having trouble googling him!!
Now you should be on your way to proper research all of your fave Presidents!
11 - Anthony Grande
Matt, what you couldn't answer my arguments so you attack a "one" letter typing mistake???
ReagAn, Bush, Jefferson and Lincoln are the greatest presidents we ever had.
MCH, your sites are not credible. One is title "democrats.com" and the other is about the 04 election.
Yes or no: Were there National Guards who were sent to Vietnam???
And do you consider Clinton a deserter???
12 - Matt
What arguments? You said these are your favorite presidents. I'll spot you Jefferson and Lincoln.
How can you possibly say Bush is one of the greatest Presidents ever? 9/11 happened on his watch, he fucked up Katrina, he's hired cronies for every post possible, his main man Rove is leaking operatives to the magazines, 2% of black people like him, only 39% of all Americans like him. He fucked up the war in Iraq--no exit strategy and no plan to deal with the insurgency. Even conservatives are pissed at him right now with Miers. Except you, of course. You think Bush is perfect and has never done anything wrong.
He's practically a lame duck already, with 1,200 days left to go.
Greatest President ever? Umm, no. He might not even be in the top 30.
Good job getting that spelling right on Reagan. Proud of ya.
13 - MCH
Anthony (RJ) Grande;
Are you calling General Turnispeed, Lt. Colonels Harris and Jillian, and Major Hodges liars?
Hhmmm...must be a conspiracy.
14 - Cunning linguist
Everyone knows that Ronald Reagan was the greatest president ever.
15 - Anthony Grande
MCH, you answer my question first: Do you consider Clinton a deserter also???
Matt, you are a poster boy for liberal talking points.
How did he fuck up the Katrina disaster???
9/11 happened because of Clinton's pussy policies on terrorism. During his presidency we were attacked 5 times. The Somalia disaster, first World Trade center bombing, U.S.S. Cole bombing, Embassy bombing in Kenya and the Oklohoma City bombing let the terrorist believe that they could do 9/11 with no consequences. Bush sure proved them wrong. Have we been attacked since 9/11???
Yeah 90% of Blacks always vote Democrat but they still live in Poverty.
That number, 39%, is way off.
And where did I say that Bush was perfect??? I just said that he is one of our greatest presidents. Does that mean he is perfect???
16 - Victor Plenty
Got any evidence Clinton was ever in the military, Anthony? By definition, you can't be a deserter from an organization that you never joined in the first place. In other words, if Clinton is a deserter, so are you.
Asking somebody whether they consider Clinton a deserter is a feeble attempt to divert attention from the fact that you have not put forward any solid reasoning to support your views.
17 - Natalie Davis
I think Mr. Grande means to call Clinton a draft dodger, which, arguably, he was.
18 - Victor Plenty
Maybe so, Natalie, but I haven't seen anybody here try to claim Clinton was this country's greatest president ever.
19 - Natalie Davis
Mr. Plenty, I would not think of making that claim. I will opine, however, that the draft dodger was a helluva lot better than the deserter.
20 - MCH
I agree Ms. Davis, re comment #19;
Actually GW Bush was both...before he deserted, he actually dodged the draft by being bumped to the front of a waiting list of 500 men to get into the Texas National Guards in the first place.
And I notice Nalle refused to respond to your #9; perhaps a little more truth than our resident know-it-all cares to address...?
21 - Matthew T. Sussman
In the midst of all of you intrigued by what one comment poster thinks about President Bush, the greatest lie in history was slipped by all of you suckers in this post: that History of Violence was actually worth seeing.
22 - Dave Nalle
Sorry, MCH. I hadn't noticed this thread was still live. Just for you I'll respond to #9.
>>Biased and ignorant? He stated his opinion.<<
And opinion which assumes as fact things which are both unproven and unsupportable about Bush. That's at least biased and that kind of bias usually exists in an environment of ignorance.
>> Are you telling me that your bias does not appear in your opinions, Mr. Nalle? <<
I would assume it does - especially my bias against extremism and deception.
>>And as for ignorant, Viggo Mortensen is very well-educated and well-read. <<
I have no information on that. All I have is the statements which he has made, which clearly aren't terribly well informed.
>>He may draw conclusions that differ from yours, but that is no reason to insult his intelligence. Should people who find any of your views abhorrent automatically label you as ignorant? I would hope not; that would not be fair or humane.<<
He said what he said. Whether he's a raging genius and a saint or not, his statement quoted here is ignorant, simplistic and biased. If I made a statement like that I'd expect to be decried as a fool too.
Dave
23 - DJRadiohead
The guy can say whatever he wants. I just don't care.
So why I am I posting on the thread if I don't care?
OK, good point and you sort of have me there. I guess it's to say I don't feel threatened or diminished because an actor has a world view very different than my own (anymore than I think I would feel validated by having one espouse my views).
I am not going to criticize the actor. Hell, I am not going to criticize anyone. I guess I am just "over" the craze of celebrities championing causes or politics. it's their right to do so. It's my right to yawn and hope their next album/book/movie is worth a damn.
24 - Natalie Davis
Mr. DJRadiohead, that is probably the healthiest viewpoint. At the same time, we "little people" have the right to state our opinions. Granted, we don't have interviewers chasing us with microphones, but it seems to me that being famous isn't supposed to take people's rights away. And absolutely, a "celebrity's" is no more important than anyone else's, but it shouldn't be less important either. Meaning, you are entitled to your view, I am entitled to mine, and Viggo is entitled to his. I am just happy to find someone who is in agreement with me; dissent is a lonely road.
25 - Bob Rhubart
Celebrities are entitled to their opinions AND their biases, as are any citizens. But their celebrity doesn't afford their opinions any additional weight or importance. The celebrities aren't the problem (at least not until they run for office). The problem is a culture that values the opinions of the pretty and popular over the opinions of the informed -- of any political persuasion.
But we have a culture that can't distinguish between opinion and fact, and that's a bigger problem.
Now, regarding GWB: I'm certainly no fan, and I question the rationale for any assessment of GWB as a great president. But I'd also question any suggestion that Bill Clinton was any better.
But how does arguing about either's military service or lack thereof solve any of this country's problems? What does it accomplish?
Forget left and right, liberal and conservative. Consider solutions, weigh opinions, and question EVERYTHING -- especially the opinions and ideas of career politicians whose jobs involve little more than collecting money to finance their re-election.