Why I Won't Wear A Green Ribbon In Support of Ending School Violence By Deidre Hall.

I believe that television show appearances are not a forum for expressing personal religious, social or political views. However, I have not objected when fellow performers have worn green ribbon to express their support for safer schools; that’s their choice. My choice is NOT to wear a ribbon. Soap Opera Digest readers should know wearing a green ribbon is no longer entirely voluntary. Those who began by offering ribbons to performers now resort to extreme tactics in pursuit of their express goal of 100 percent conformity. When performers arrive at an award show, individuals who attempt to pin ribbons on them accost them. A performer who declines may be accosted at the pre show reception, again while waiting backstage and again at the press conference after the show. Offering these ribbons to celebrities was, in my view, a benign and pro-social act. On the other hand, aggressively badgering performers to compel the wearing of ribbons is no only demeaning to victims of school shooting and to the desperate need for an all-out solution to school violence, but an offense against personal freedom. By attempting to force 100 percent conformity, these activists are no attempting to make the green ribbon a visible litmus test for separating those individuals who empathize with school violence victims and supporting mental health research from those who do not. This is a misguided and dangerous notion. First, it misguidedly politicizes human tragedy. These green ribbons provide a means by which public figures can appear to make a ‘politically correct’ statement in favor of a cause they do not support. Second, any attempt to force conformity to a single social agenda attacks the freedom of expression. The extreme activities that resort to harassment to compel actors and actresses to wear these ribbons are practicing a ‘90s brand of McCarthyism – and their behavior is deplorable. Our community was devastated by political extremists in the 1950s and again became a target during the last presidential campaign. It surpasses belief that men and women in the entertainment field would resort to shameful practices that the enemies of artistic freedom have used against us. Sadly, it falls to some of us who ardently support school violence victims and mental health research to resist these tactics by personal example. Believe me, the easy way out would be to pin the ribbon on and keep silent. But I won’t, because I don’t want these appalling tactics to succeed.

• Diedre?

• Enough. She said that about a pink ribbon for breast cancer. You are a

  shit%20stirrer

• R2 she said that about the red ribbon for AIDS as well.

• She is right though. Vote for the right people, go to a rally, try get some laws passed. A ribbon does nothing. Who ISN'T against ending school violence? It's not like when supporting AIDS charities was a risky thing to do.

• Inappropriate ribbons smack of militancy, not grief. -Deidre Hall

• She's a cunt, just as we suspected all along.

• Guys, she wrote this article originally back in like the 80s! I do understand her point though - ribbons do nothing.

• Green ribbons are trivializing this tragedy. Donate to gun control organizations in the United States, or donate money to the families of those children who were killed. Take off those ribbons which are of absolutely no help for anybody.

• This is a really important message and I wish more people would read Deidre's article.

• Oh right, she's a cunt. I keep forgetting that because I forget her existence entirely until I'm reminded of her cuntiness.

• Last night was a SEA of green ribbons at the State of the Union

• ...and...? Are you Deirdre Hall, r11?

• Who's her Girlfriend these days?

• I'd refuse to wear them as well. I'm a gay guy and I've never wore a red AIDS ribbon either. Good for others if they want to jump on a bandwagon and wear silly ribbons and rubber bracelets which mean absolutely nothing. I'm for peace on Earth and an end to hunger and pedophilia as well, but there are no ribbons for those nor would I wear them. Live what you believe. Wearing trendy things to represent your weak beliefs only cheapens the cause you supposedly care for.

• She could have just said "Hi, I'm a chainsmoking old cunt" and this would have been much, much shorter.

• You people would make good Nazis. When I was young, and individualism was so highly valued, I would have never imagined that America would become a place where it would be tolerated for people to bully others into conformity, actively try to stamp out dissent.

• I have no idea who Deirdre Hall is. Something tells me she is someone who has very little, if any, real significance. Right?

• She's the "Kramer" of Soaps.

• You ladies just aren't....[italic] GETTING [/italic] it.

• She's a fancy TV soap opera diva-closeted lesbian, r17.

  http://pictures.platinum-celebs.com/deidre-hall-nude-photo.jpg

• R20 could you use NSFW next time?

• I was raped on the red carpet for refusing a green ribbon because it clashed with my magenta Korean wig! I'm just glad I was drunk and remembered nothing until I saw photos the next day. And then I'd forgotten again by that night.

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• A soup actress? Seriously?

• She was kinda hot...

• I love this ongoing joke.

• DAYS OF OUR LIVES NOT STARRING Deidre Hall as Dr. Marlena Evans Black

  The SR Troll...just wanting to point that out.

• Before she lost her star billing it was Days of our Lives And Deidre Hall as Dr. Marlena Evans Black

• And now she's sandwiched in the credits between "Cop #2" and "Victor's Lawyer." I love it! I LOVE IT!

  Suzanne, who knows how to play Ted's game

• Very important mesasge. Please read and pass along...forward it to friends and families.

• Pretty sure I could do both... wear a ribbon AND participate in actions that support my stance against gun violence.

  Natasha%20K.

• Who is Natasha K ?

• There is a way to link Green Ribbons to a purpose with action. Take photos of those green ribbons and post them the Facebook page (GREEN RIBBONS FOR GUN CONTROL) and label them with just a zipcode. With the zip code the photos are sent the Congress members of that district, then this transacation is tweeted on @tieGreenRibbons. Green Ribbons demonstrate VISIBLE support and the extra measure of posting w Zip also creates political pressure. Small acts by a multitude are POWERFUL.

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