Who?

I see these as two separate issues. Rolling Stone isn't doing anything that hasn't been done before in the print media. Al Capone, Adolf Hitler, and the Ayatollah Khomeini have all been on the cover of Time Magazine. Josef Stalin was the Time Man of the Year twice. So it isn't like murderers and other criminals haven't been on the cover of magazines before. If I'm not mistaken, Usama Bin Laden was also on the cover of plenty of print publications. At least Rolling Stone includes the words, "bomber" and "monster" when describing the Boston bomber.

Stevie Wonder, on the other hand is making a business decision. It will be his loss by never working in Florida or any other stand-your-ground state. I'd be more impressed if he would refuse to work in Chicago until the murders stop there. I wasn't even aware that he still has an audience.

One of the hard things about being an American is that we have to allow free speech even when that speech is offensive to us. It is the only way to protect our own right of free speech.

Well said. I suspect many that don't like entertainers protesting against Stand Your Ground, had no trouble with Ronald Reagan running for President, or Charleton Heston being president of NRA, Gary Sinese campaigning for John McCain, etc.

We had Pete Seeger protesting in favor of international disarmament and environmental causes; Joan Baez used her celebrity to help the civil rights movement; Phil Ochs sang against the Vietnam war; Woody Guthrie's songs about the working man and the Dust Bowl are part of our American heritage.

In 1985, Stevie Wonder dedicated an Academy Award to then-imprisoned icon Nelson Mandela, who was jailed during the country's apartheid regime. Rich many times over, if Stevie chooses not to play in states that have laws he doesn't agree with, I imagine he can afford it. And if conservative Villagers don't buy or listen to his music, he could care less. He is being true to his beliefs, and I respect him for that.

Good point! I would so much rather have an entertainer who who stands up for principles than one of the usual ego maniacs who stand only for themselves!

Sent from my KFJWI using Tapatalk 2

I know, some of these entertainers seem only concerned with superficial things, their appearance, clothes, you name it. I find it refreshing to find entertainers like Wonder, Bono is another one, who deeply care about social issues and are willing to devote their time and resources to making the world a better place.

If these entertainers are so intent on making the world a better place, Florida is a great place to start teaching their gullible fans that there are two sides of the story, especially when protesting "double standards".

Personally I think Stevie Wonder is wasting a huge opportunity to instruct young people in their own front yard....

"NBC2 Investigates: Gangs in Southwest Florida

Posted: Apr 25, 2013 3:36 PM EDT
Updated: Apr 25, 2013 6:30 PM EDT
By Dave Elias, NBC2 Investigator

FORT MYERS -
The City of Fort Myers has been plagued with violence and murder. NBC2 Investigator Dave Elias dug deeper and found that drugs, crime and gangs are the common elements between those killings.

Lee County Sheriff Mike Scott says the three go hand-in-hand and all appear to be playing a big role in the city's crime problem.

"They're punks. They're criminals. And in most cases – cowards," said Sheriff Scott.

He also explained that gang members live by a much different set of rules.

"We're at a more violent time right now than at any time I recall," said Sheriff Scott. "You're talking about an area that - per capita - is on par with Detroit Michigan, in terms of homicides."

There were 25 murders in Fort Myers alone last year. And Sheriff Scott says all of the killings have those three things in common – drugs, crime and gangs.

"In most every case this is criminal killing criminal. This is bad guy on bad guy," he said.

Sheriff Scott says the killings are also drug related and happening in the Dunbar area - a section of the city unfortunately known for violence and gangs.

Abel Cuellar is a former gang leader in Lee County.

"I was known as 'the Octopus.' Don't mess with the Octopus; or if you need something, go to the Octopus," he said.

He says he knows many people killed by gang violence.

"Believe it or not, all of my friends right now are dead or in prison," Cuellar told NBC2. "It starts out simple. We click together, let's go steal cupcakes from the store at the age of nine; but it just gets more and more serious."

The Florida Attorney General reports nearly 50,000 gang members statewide.

It's estimated that about 1,400 live in Collier County. And Lee County is estimated to have about the same.

"We have members of all your bigger gangs - Latin Kings, Surf 13, Bloods and Crips. We have members of them here. They're loosely organized," said Commander Matt LeClair, with the Lee County Sheriff's Office Gang Unit."

NBC2 Investigates: Gangs in Southwest Florida - NBC-2.com WBBH News for Fort Myers, Cape Coral & Naples, Florida

Well said...thank you!

Sure......some other prisoner will "stand his ground" :doh:

Excellent points!

BB

I think Bill Maher is brilliant and his wit unparalleled. He can take everyday social issues and put such a funny, common sense spin on things, it is just hilarious.

How many people decide not to move to Florida when they read these headlines? Especially when they find out that a lot of these gang members get away with murder by claiming they were "standing their ground".

To read more about a study done by the Tampa Bay Times, go to TampaBayTimes.com/stand/your/ground

And once businesses start spouting their political beliefs, i add them to my "no buy" list as well. :sigh: