Actress sidelined after anti-war appearance with Tutu
-29/3/2003
The actress Susan Sarandon who recently shared a platform with Archbishop Desmond Tutu has b
Actress sidelined after anti-war appearance with Tutu
-29/3/2003
The actress Susan Sarandon who recently shared a platform with Archbishop Desmond Tutu has been sidelined by a US charity because of her views on the Iraq crisis.
Following her attendance last month at a 100,000-strong anti-war rally in New York where she appeared with the South African Bishop, the actress also made a peace sign from the platform at last weeks Oscars.
Although Sarandon did not use her position as an award presenter to say anything about the war, the United Way group in Tampa Bay, Florida says that it has received complaints about her involvement with the anti-war movement.
The charity, which promotes community action and volunteering schemes, had invited the actress to an event on women and volunteering to be held on 11 April.
The group’s chairwoman Robin Carson said the event now had the potential to become “divisive” and so was being cancelled.
“The focus of our whole meeting had shifted to whether or not we were creating a political platform for Susan Sarandon,” she said.
“That is not our purpose. That’s not what we’re about.”
A statement from the group added: “We have enormous respect for the diversity of ideas and the principles of free speech, but United Way of Tampa Bay’s intent is to unify the diversity of thought that brings the community together.”
Actress sidelined after anti-war appearance with Tutu
-29/3/2003
The actress Susan Sarandon who recently shared a platform with Archbishop Desmond Tutu has been sidelined by a US charity because of her views on the Iraq crisis.
Following her attendance last month at a 100,000-strong anti-war rally in New York where she appeared with the South African Bishop, the actress also made a peace sign from the platform at last weeks Oscars.
Although Sarandon did not use her position as an award presenter to say anything about the war, the United Way group in Tampa Bay, Florida says that it has received complaints about her involvement with the anti-war movement.
The charity, which promotes community action and volunteering schemes, had invited the actress to an event on women and volunteering to be held on 11 April.
The group’s chairwoman Robin Carson said the event now had the potential to become “divisive” and so was being cancelled.
“The focus of our whole meeting had shifted to whether or not we were creating a political platform for Susan Sarandon,” she said.
“That is not our purpose. That’s not what we’re about.”
A statement from the group added: “We have enormous respect for the diversity of ideas and the principles of free speech, but United Way of Tampa Bay’s intent is to unify the diversity of thought that brings the community together.”