A long list of Hollywood stars, includingMartin Sheen, Sean Penn, Richard Gere and Robert Redford, have spokenout against a new Gulf War. More than 100 celebrities have signed anopen letter urging Bush to give peace a chance.
New York film director Spike Lee led a chorus ofcriticism against President Bush at the Berlin Film FestivalWednesday, telling the president he had no moral authority to launcha war against Iraq.
Going out of his way to praise the French andGerman governments for their outspoken resistance to the U.S.government's war moves, Lee said it was an outrage that Bush wasignoring world opinion in his rush to attack Iraq.
"When you think about it, the German and Frenchgovernments should be commended," Lee said at a news conference afterhis film "25th Hour," about New York after the Sept. 11 attacks, madeits international premiere.
"Too many people are being bowled over by Bush andTony Blair in Britain. It's ludicrous to expect the whole world tofollow what they want. America doesn't have the moral right to tellother people what to do. To say the whole world has to fall into lineis you-know-what. I hope more people will rise up."
Lee, famed for his thought-provoking films aboutNew York City, was joined by the cast of "25th Hour" in denouncingBush. The anti-war comments drew thunderous applause from many of the300 journalists and followed similar remarks from other U.S.celebrities in Berlin for the annual film festival.
Dustin Hoffman and Martin Scorsese added theirvoices to a peace movement sweeping Europe, telling audiences inGermany violence would not solve the world's problems and that theywanted to speak out against Bush, without criticizingAmerica.
"I hope the world community will continue tovoice itself and apply pressure on the U.S. government," said EdwardNorton, who stars in Lee's film. "American citizens have to do ittoo. It's dismaying to see the unilateralism that the government isdoing. They're aren't enough rational steps."
"It's nice being in Europe this week," headded. "Almost everyone in Germany and France is in sync with thegovernments. I almost forgot what it's like to be proud of mygovernment."
Actress Rosario Dawson added she was frightened bythe patriotic mood sweeping the United States.
"Any dissenting opinion is consideredunpatriotic," she said. "It makes me upset. I'm embarrassed. It's myhope that Americans won't jump on anyone having a dissentingopinion."
Canadian actor Barry Pepper, who also features inLee's film, added: "We're going to send our boys and girls overseasto kill -- and that's pretty sad." Hoffman also had some sharp wordsfor Bush at a black-tie Berlinale charity dinner lateTuesday.
"I'm not anti-American but I am against thecurrent administration's policy," Hoffman said to cheers. He saidpoliticians were manipulating public opinion through themedia.
"If there is no direct threat why are weinvading?" he said.
Scorsese, a director famed for violent gangsterfilms such as "Goodfellas" and whose latest "Gangs of New York" iscompeting in Berlin for a "Golden Bear" award, hoped war could beaverted.
"It seems to me that any sensible person mustsee that violence does not change the world and if it does, then onlytemporarily," he said. "There must be people who remember World WarII and the Holocaust who can help us get out of thisrut."
A long list of Hollywood stars, including MartinSheen, Sean Penn, Richard Gere and Robert Redford, have spoken outagainst a new Gulf War. More than 100 celebrities have signed an openletter urging Bush to give peace a chance.
byMargarita Papandreou, former First Lady of Greece