Celebrities: Kirk Douglas

Statement by Mr. Kirk Douglas Applauds Senator John McCain

My name is Kirk Douglas and I have been a Democrat my whole life. More importantly than being a democrat, I am a believer in America, human rights and freedom. It is in that spirit that I risked my career during the McCarthy era and helped break the Hollywood Black List.

Even though Senator John McCain is a Republican, I openly applaud him for being a true American -- he adheres to the principles that make America the best country in the world. Last Wednesday in Columbia, SC, Republican presidential candidate John McCain said the Senate should apologize for slavery and segregation, calling them "dark chapters in our history."

McCain said he would support a planned resolution by fellow Republican Sen. Sam Brownback, who is also seeking the presidency, to apologize for racist laws, some of which ended more than a century ago.

Why are all the other presidential candidates SILENT on the topic of an apology for slavery? I agree with McCain and Brownback: "They were federal policies. They were wrong. The only way for us to move forward ... is at the end of the day to acknowledge our mistakes, take ownership, and ask for forgiveness."

Right now ... THIS COUNTRY IS A MESS.

As a 90 year old man, I ask myself, "What happened to our country? We started off with such noble intentions." An apology for slavery mirrors the many issues that this country today needs to take inventory of as we prepare for the 2008 election.

This apology, coming at this time, will have great impact on African-Americans ... and the "morale" of the whole country. It will reinforce that as Americans we condemn egregious behavior and racism. By apologizing for slavery, the Senate will restate its mission to condemn crimes of all kinds: slavery, torture, war crimes and more.

I modestly lend my name alongside the Governor of Alabama, Senator McCain, Senator Sam Brownback and all those who have had the courage to voice their opinion on this topic. We are all Americans, we believe in this Country and this is the time for the senate to officially apologize for slavery.

Source: Kirk Douglas
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 19, 2007 /PRNewswire/ --

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2007 EMOL.org. Celebrity Entertainment Magazine. All rights reserved.

From Publishers Weekly: At 90 years old, recovered from a stroke and a near-fatal helicopter crash, acting legend Douglas is in a reflective mood: "now is the time to have an audit of my life," he writes, and he does not disappoint. Douglas recalls his childhood and his own children, 50-plus years of marriage to wife Anne and the deaths of his son and many of his famous friends. He tackles a wide range of topics, with chapter names like, "Three Thoughts About Two Races," "I Love Dogs" and "Does God Laugh?" He's also unafraid to take a few swings at the young 'uns, most notably at Mel Gibson, Michael Moore and even the whippersnappers at NASA. Douglas's assessment of his life is honest, wise and not always flattering; when he heard, in a recent documentary, what some family members had to say about him, he notes, "It's difficult to see ourselves as others see us." Nevertheless, Douglas is upbeat, engaging and full of sharp observations, such as his simple epitaph, "I tried, dammit, I tried." Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist: Douglas, an actor for six decades, has appeared in 70 films and has been nominated for an Academy Award three times: for Champion, The Bad and the Beautiful, and Lust for Life. He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1981 and the National Medal of the Arts in 2001. In this, his fourth book, Douglas writes about his love for his wife, children, grandchildren, and his two dogs. (His son, Eric, died at 45 from alcohol and drugs.) Douglas discusses dealing with death, his fans, his life as a Jew, his fellow actors, and the dangers of being a celebrity. He reminisces about his friends (all of them famous) and denounces anti-Semitism. There's not much new here, but the actor's fans won't be disappointed, and so expect demand. George Cohen. Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Wiley (March 16, 2007)
• Language: English

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Search inside Let's Face It: 90 Years of Living, Loving, and Learning by Kirk Douglas

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