Wow, What a great post by Sean Penn, over at HuffPo...

[No DUplicitous DUpe]

It is Brilliant:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sean-penn/country-first-or-how-the_b_126965.html

<snip>
John McCain claims the surge as a "victory." Well, it's no victory for the nearly 5,000 American dead. For the hundreds of thousands of civilian dead. It's no victory for the veterans who under this Republican administration, it has already been demonstrated, will not be served upon their return. It's no victory for our country to have a broken and depleted military, a broken and depleted economy, with so much work to be done at home on issues of healthcare, poverty, infrastructure, education, environment, and perhaps, most of all, security. And it's no victory, that in attacking the wrong country, we boosted Al Qaeda recruitment worldwide 300% (as we stop-loss our own.) Finally, it is no victory for our children, reared in an America of such divisive loathing, enormous debt, and tarnished standing.
<snip>

<snip>
This is simply the worst ticket in modern times. And the victory for this country begins with a unified refusal to accept, not only the McCain/Palin ticket, but also the static and shallow conscience of the Republican base. If we are to support hope, in a cycle of history that may be its last, then a vote for McCain/Palin is a vote for cowardice. A vote not backed up by demand and participation, is an impotent one. A vote for hope followed by demand and action to realize it -- is an American vote. This November, vote American. Vote imagination. Vote hope. Vote your conscience. Vote for the troops. Vote to make me pay higher taxes. (I owe it to your children and my own.) Vote to put your country first.
<snip>

----------------

Wonderful, Sean.

[LooseWilly]

1. Nicely ended, especially.

"Vote to make me pay higher taxes. (I owe it to your children and my own.)"

[Cha]

2. So brilliant and I hope these

fellow actors of Sean Penn read this, too.

Stephen Baldwin
Pat Boone
Wilford Brimley
Dean Cain
Jon Cryer
Robert Duvall
Angie Harmon
Patricia Heaton
Lorenzo Lamas
Craig T. Nelson
Gail O’Grady
Jason Sehorn
Gary Sinise
Jon Voight

[damndude]

7. how many of those people have a real career

they can't currently be proud of?
at least leni reifenstahl(?) had real talent. poor gary senise. liked lt dan but gary is soooo misguided.

[Cha]

21. Totally misguided and that list was

at the fundraiser for john mccain.

[msallied]

25. You forgot Chuck Norris, and I'm sure Clint Eastwood. lol

[Kalyke]

28. And Ted Nugent...

Or is he so washed up, he doesn't count?

[Sebastian Doyle]

29. I doubt Stephen Baldwin can read at all.

He's at least as dumb as Chimpy. Possibly dumber.

[chatnoir]

36. Jon Cryer - Duckie from "Pretty in Pink"??

You've gotta be kidding me...

[AwakeAtLast]

3. I can kick and rec this

That's definitely not Spicoli talking! ;)

[codjh9]

4. It's also a great example/refutation of that whadda-those-dumb-actors-know crap

that we always hear from the Right! As if occupation decrees whether you're smart or can have knowledge of another subject. I'd like to yell at them 'oh yeah? - so why are YOU such a f-ing expert? you're just a real estate agent or accountant or whatever'... reading is not limited to any profession.

[msallied]

27. And here's the thing -- Celebrities using their wide recognition to bring people's attention

to important issues is a great use of one's fame.

People complain that celebrities are detached and do do enough. Then they complain when they become active. Can't have it both ways. If I were famous, you could damn well bet I'd try to use it to help a cause.

[RagAss]

5. To the Greatest page !

[RxnMan1337]

6. Beautifully said.

[No DUplicitous DUpe]

10. Welcome to DU, RxnMan!

:hi:

[RxnMan1337]

34. Thank you!

Have been lurking for a while now, finally decided to make an account. Love it here.

[Clio the Leo]

8. Hopefully this mutual loathing of the McCain camp.....

... will be the spark that FINALLY brings Sean and Madonna back into one another's arms. :-)

[Stand and Fight]

9. This is the sort of thing that TRULY should be on the Greatest Page.

Not some stupid crap about six Brazilian Obamas. I happily recommend this and intend to email it to folks tomorrow first thing!

[No DUplicitous DUpe]

11. I thought so too....

That's why I posted it over here.

Truly great writing, and thinking.

Good evening.

[SeattleGirl]

12. Wow, very well stated by Sean!

Thanks for the link, NDD!

[No DUplicitous DUpe]

14. You are most welcome, SG!

Good evening.

:)

[Left Is Write]

13. That made me tear up.

This will be sent out via many emails tonight and tomorrow, I have no doubt.

[sonias]

15. Amazingly good!

He got so much of what's wrong with this country into that article. It's a long read but well worth it.

Thanks for the link, DUplicitous DUpe!

Sonia

[No DUplicitous DUpe]

16. I'm just happy I stumbled upon it, it's well worth sharing...

Good evening, Sonia.

[joop]

17. wow, wow, wow.

This is such a powerful piece because it's coming from someone who doesn't necessarily agree with the platform.

I love the dead-on analysis of RNC vs DNC. Huge piece. Thanks so much for bringing it up. recs.

[No DUplicitous DUpe]

18. Kick for the morning crowd...nt

[mtnsnake]

19. "Vote American. Vote to make me pay higher taxes."

Awesome! K&R

[me b zola]

20. K&R

:kick:

[ailsagirl]

22. KICK

[RiverStone]

23. Excellent and right on target!

Thanks!

Sean :yourock:

K&R

[LibraLiz1973]

24. I <3 him

He IS the balls

[msallied]

26. Sean Penn talks the talk AND walks the walk. I remember him after Katrina.

He was down there in his own boat rescuing people from the water. He kicks all kinds of ass.

[No DUplicitous DUpe]

30. It is great!

Thank you Sean.

[polichick]

31. Plus, he can act! BRAVO

[Imagevision]

32. Gratsi Sean Penn.

[TexasObserver]

33. The Wall Street guy he played in an SNL skit after the 1987 stock market collapse ...

... was most excellent!

He played the typical yuppie shithead.

[BlooInBloo]

35. Silver lining to these shitty times: We become aware of good people like him and Matt Damon.