Why are celebrities so anti-gun?

[Golden Hound]

This is something I've been wondering about for a long time. It seems like when you read the list of anti-gun celebrities, nearly every single popular actor and singer is on there. When we have threads trying to come up with pro-gun celebrities, people have to really try hard to find people besides Selleck, Heston and Bruce Willis.

What I'm wanting to get at is something deeper - why is it that so many of these celebrities are anti-gun? Actors and musicians come from all walks of life, all different backgrounds, from all over the country and all over the world - yet they all come down on the left-wing side of things, and especially when it comes to guns.

Were these people always like this, or did they only adopt their anti-gun views after becoming rich and famous?

I have some theories.

1. They're anti-gun out of self-interest; they're afraid of people stalking them and are afraid of some lunatic "fan" killing them, as happened to John Lennon. So they think that taking guns out of the hands of the population will save their own hides. (Of course, their bodyguards are exempt from this.)

2. There is some organization that actively tries to recruit celebrities and push an anti-gun agenda on them. (Does the Brady Campaign do this?) These people try to aggressively brainwash celebrities with their propaganda in the hopes of gaining them as spokespeople or something, or getting their donations.

3. Simple elitism - once people become very rich and very famous, they start to view themselves as above everyone else, and therefore think that the average American is inferior and should have his rights limited.

What do you think? Is it one of those, or is it something else? What is it that draws celebrities to the anti-gun cause?

 

[Mannlicher]

the bulk of "celebrities" are liberals. The Artsy types tend to lean in that direction. All liberals are anti gun, and pro nanny state. The vast majority of them are too stupid to know why, they just go along with the trend.

 

[highorder]

yes to 1 and 3.

I don't know about #2, but I wouldn't be shocked.

Also don't forget that artsy-fartsy folks escape from reality into their craft. No one needs (or wants) a gun to spin pottery, paint happy trees, or write a song.

 

[Janitor]

All liberals are anti gun,

Just as true as the fact that all gunnies are drunken rednecks.

 

[AZAndy]

Myself, I'm a drunken redneck liberal.

 

[MinnMooney]

3. Simple elitism - once people become very rich and very famous, they start to view themselves as above everyone else, and therefore think that the average American is inferior and should have his rights limited.

I believe that you hit the correct path with #3.

I, also believe that the pro-gun celebs don't speak out like the strange, noteriety-hungry B-List'rs like Rosie O'Donald. That fat, ugly cow pushes every headline grabbing cause that she can.

Most vocal celebrities seem to be Democrats and they (Dems) are notorious for being anti-guns. Just look at the guest/entertainer list for any Democrat gathering and it's packed with Hollywierd celebs. The Republicans seem to have a much more difficult time attracting the entertainment industry.

 

[SSN Vet]

Because they don't live in the "real world"

They live in gated communities, with security and cooks and maides and nannies...

They enjoy their life in the lap of luxury, but have a haunting sense that they are really just a tick on the neck of society and are really living a banal, non-significant existence. So they get "socially active" in an attempt to feel like their life has some meaning beyond their own self gratification and consumption. They're used to other people doing for them....so they assume that their adoring fans should all have the gov't do for them as well. Hence their "activism" usually has a socialist theme (and they don't have to pay for any of the solutions out of their personal fortunes).

Don't make the mistake of infering that stardom implies intelligence. I think a lot of these types wind up in Hollywood because they can't get a real job.

 

[beaucoup ammo]

All liberals are Not anti-gun. The vast majority are. However, there are many liberals who support the 2nd and to paint with such a broad stroke is a critical mistake, IMO.

I can speak with a degree of first hand knowledge and think #1 is quite valid. #2 somewhat, #3 only in isolated cases. 35 years in broadcasting put me in contact with people from Joe Lewis, Robert Mitcham, Hank Aaron, Pat O'Brian and Chuck Yeager to Ron Howard, Louis Lamour, Sharon Stone, Willie Nelson and 100's more. The General is seated. I'm standing on the right. See Thread :Man With "All The Right Stuff."

Quite often, the ones you think are anti 2nd are, indeed, just that. Other times, you'd be dead wrong.

 

[Eric F]

Lets See ...............celebrities=California=liberal=antigun that about sums it up I think.

 

[Janitor]

Lets See ...............celebrities=California=liberal=antigun that about sums it up I think.

Then you think wrong.

anti=lib<>lib=anti.

 

[charon]

My wife showed me a blurb in one of the recent celebrity magazines she reads on occasion where Angelina Jolie purchased the same handgun she used in the Tomb Raider film and she stated, basically, that self defense was very important to protect herself and her children.

A bit surprised -- not that she believes that but that she was willing to go on record.

 

[IndianaBoy]

They live in a fantasy world.

Most of them genuinely believe that banning legal gun ownership would be a net gain to the overall welfare of society. They believe this because, for the most part, they aren't familiar with the historical precedent of gun confiscations.






They 'don't think it can happen here.'

 

[jackmead]

#3 Most of the time, and they don't see anything wrong with minding everyone else's business and that's just what most gun laws end up doing.

 

[mister2]

Perception

...has everything to do with it. The OP has mostly limited "celebrities" to the Hollywood actors. There are celebrities in other fields, too, but let's for argument's sake stick to his field.

Perception and image. What these folks say in public may be very different from what they say (or do not say) in private. They need to succeed in an industry that, realistically speaking, is anti-gun. They must be percieved as being on the same page. As an analogy, proclaiming one is a Communist is NOT the way to a Federal government job!

For better or worse, the truth is that "society" in general perceives gun-rights people as less comfortable to be around than unarmed lefties. Sure, sheeple, and yes, we are a minority, but there you have it. It's basically "safer" to be perceived as anti-gun than pro-gun, in the film industry and in most of society. Never mind what people privately feel in their hearts.

Angelina Jolie has balls. From my superficial knowledge of her personality, it seems consistent, though.

MR2

 

[Deanimator]

All liberals are anti gun, and pro nanny state.

So then either I'm lying when I say I'm liberal or when I say I'm pro-gun. Which one is it?

 

[Cannonball888]

A few self-claimed liberals are actually libertarians

 

[highorder]

Some self-claimed liberals are actually libertarians

+1000

Many people dont yet realize that "anti-republican" does NOT equal liberal Democrat!

as to Libertarianism, most people are probably libertarians that have been forcefully extruded thru the die of the 2-party system, exchanging their beliefs for those that benefit the ruling elite.

 

[Walkalong]

Because they live in a make believe sheltered world.

 

[Colt46]

IndianaBoy

I sure hope to hell that is a clip from a movie.

PS-I somehow know it isn't....

 

[kevindsingleton]

Actually, the "pro-gun" stance is quite liberal. It's the "anti-gun" position that borders on fascism.

That's why it's inaccurate to generalize. Liberals don't realize they're fascists, any more than conservatives realize they're communists, in some positions.

Still, "celebrities" are overwhelmingly anti-gun because that's what their peers want them to be. It's socially acceptable, and social acceptance (after big money) is the one thing most celebrities crave above all else.

There are plenty of pro-gun celebrities; they just aren't usually found in Hollywood. Try searching for a few in Nashville.

 

[bogie]

I'm guessing that a LOT of folks do it because they see it as a "fashionable cause."

Nothing more.

 

[James T Thomas]

Go along to get along

Your assumptions are correct.

Self interest; most are members of the Association of Actors and Artistes of America / Screen Actors Guild / AFL-CIO. This brotherhood gives to the members the mindset of your second premise.

-That is an organization, recruitment, agenda, brainwashing, propaganda, and finally donations!

And the elitism. They have become; therefore they are.
This is the high viewpoint whereby they will not consider, nor even hear any arguments of logic or truth even. Their stance or position gives them superiority over it all.

To know examples of this phenomenon and those who espouse it, three actors come to mind.
Alan Alda. I might add his cohort, Mike Farrell, the second is Edward Asner and the third example is Robin Williams.

 

[hso]

Why are celebrities so anti-gun?

This isn't the case. There are some that are and some that aren't. If you look for the ones that are openly anti and put it in a list by itself it looks like a lot, but then think about the thousands of celebrities that aren't on that list and it's not a great percentage. Squeaky wheel and all.

By the way, "liberal" and anti do not automatically mean one and the same thing. And please don't have the effrontery to tell another adult on this board who proclaims "I'm pro-RKBA and I'm a liberal" "no you're misguided/ignorant/too stupid to know the difference" just because it doesn't fit your world view.

 

[HGUNHNTR]

Thank You HSO, you just saved me 5 minutes of typing.

 

[beaucoup ammo]

HSO get a "hats off" on that one.