Clint Eastwood, "Total Libertarian…Everyone Leave Everyone Alone"

Clint Eastwood's actor son Scott talks to The Gaily Grind about his father's politics:

I think everybody should be able to be with who they want to be with. My dad is the same way. He's a total Libertarian – everyone leave everyone alone. Everyone live their own private life.

The article quotes Clint the Squint on one of the topics du jour:

"I don't give a fuck about who wants to get married to anybody else! Why not?!"

FWIW, Dirty Harry has been married (traditional and common-law) four times and has children by five different women.

Related: A Refresher on Clint Eastwood's Libertarian Politics and "Feeling Clint Eastwood's Disgust: American Sniper is not a pro-war movie."

More still.

Comments

[UnCivilServant]

FWIW, Dirty Harry has been married (traditional and common-law) four times and has children by five different women.

How does he have any money left?

[Lady Bertrum]

I'm guessing pre-nups.

[Episiarch]

Well, he's also constantly working and I'm sure his paycheck each time is...formidable.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

Yeah, but I doubt it can be considered "his" paycheck any more, except in the most formal sense.

[John]

No. The kids are all grown. And my guess is he had good lawyers and has long since paid off all but maybe the last ex wife.

[Enough About Palin]

And how much money did his film American Sniper just oon its own make the guy? Clint has had some huge financial -- and critical -- successes.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

OK, then, I stand corrected.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

A rich guy is someone who can afford to pay off his ex-wives.

A *wealthy* guy is someone who says, "remind me how many ex-wives I have, again?"

[Lady Bertrum]

The dude is seriously old. He can't take it with him, can he?

[SQRLSY One]

Probably not... But there are many religions that will tell you whatever you want to hear, if you pay them enough. In Scientology and in Scienfoology, you are promised that you ***CAN*** take it with you! But it will take up half of what you are trying to take with you! So pay up!

(To learn more about Scienfoology, see http://www.churchofSQRLS.com )

[Pro Libertate]

Yeah, he's got to be richer than Croesus. Actor, director, etc. He's probably grabbed percentages of some of his movies that are still making money decades later.

[Warty]

I would not be shocked if he's a billionaire.

[Pro Libertate]

I looked it up. The Internet says $375 million. But since he's not a publicly traded company, I figure a billion or so is more likely, if that's what's publicly known.

[Drake]

A man's got to know his limitations.

[Harold Falcon]

Nobody, and I mean nobody puts ketchup on a hot dog.

[Sevo]

Unless you're feeling lucky.

[gaoxiaen]

It's even better on chocolate cake.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

FWIW, Dirty Harry has been married (traditional and common-law) four times and has children by five different women.

It's a helluva thing divorcing a man. You take away all he's got and all he'll ever have.

[Dances-with-Trolls]

heh.

[Curtisls87]

lol!

[Eggs Benedict Cumberbund]

+1 Unforgiven

[Tman]

FWIW, who the fuck cares how many times he's been married?

Jesus Nick, the guy is an unabashed libertarian who wants "everyone leave everyone alone" and you proceed to dish out some of his dirty laundry.

What the fuck is wrong with you?

THIS IS WHY WE CAN'T HAVE NICE THINGS.

[Mike M.]

Just pandering to all his SJW friends in the lefty media once again.

And it's increasingly becoming a bigger and bigger part of his schtick all the time.

[Jerry on the sea]

Pretty soon this place here will be called Hit & Grind.

[Catatafish]

I think you mean Hit & Grindr, Jerry.

[Jerry on the sea]

They will make you head decorator in no time!

[Dweebston]

Hit & Miss.

[Zunalter]

this.

[Hey Nikki!]

Mentioning how many times he's been married and how many kids he has is pandering to SJWs? What are you smoking, and can I have some?

[John]

It is a gratuitous shot. Why do it other than to be a dick?

[Hey Nikki!]

It's only a shot if you think there's something wrong with getting divorced. Seriously, I did not read it remotely as a shot until I came to the comments and saw others did.

[Viscount Irish, Slayer of Huns]

Don't worry Nicole - some people need to shake their fists angrily at SJWs no matter how innocuous a particular statement is.

It's especially bizarre in this instance given that it's hardly a non-sequitor to mention his adventurous marital history when he just got quoted talking about marriage.

[Francisco d'Anconia]

I don't even know who the SJWs are anymore.

Are they the ones fighting for liberty or against it?

[R C Dean]

Freedom? They're agin' it.

[Lady Bertrum]

Actually, it is a bit of a non sequitur because Nick's moving from Eastwood's general attitude on life, libertarianism and marriage to his specific personal situation, and the personal isn't always political - for normal people, anyways.

[HazelMeade]

I agree. He's been married four times. So what? He's had a long and varied life.

Maybe we should all aspire to change wives and husbands every 5-7 years when we get bored of them or want to explore some different experiences.

[kilroy]

In the right room you can change every 5-7 minutes.

[Citizen Nothing]

Five year contracts with options for renewal (if both agree). I'm down with that.

[Loki]

What part of "'till death do us part" do you not understand!" /sarc

[Agammamon]

Well, the weeks leading up to the 5 year anniversary will be interesting.

[Citizen Nothing]

That is the beauty of the system

[Francisco d'Anconia]

Maybe we should all aspire to change wives and husbands every 5-7 years

What's half of half of half of half of half of half?

[Dweebston]

You see? This is exactly why we can't have gay marriage. First the gays get married, and then people start talking about expiration-dated marriages, and next thing you know dogs and cats will be living together in the streets. IT'S NOT RIGHT.

[Zeb]

I didn't read it as a shot at all. Why would I give a fuck how many times he's been married?

[Eggs Benedict Cumberbund]

Sometimes being a dick is an end unto itself.

[Loki]

If he's pandering to anyone I would think mentioning how many times he's been married and how many women he's had children with would be pandering to SOCONZ to let them know they can get their rage on.

"Married 4 times with children by 5 different women! Harumph! Harumph!"

[Mainer2]

You didn't get a harumph out of that guy in the back.

[HeteroPatriarch]

Give Loki a harumph!

[Loki]

Heh, I was hoping for someone to pick up the Blazing Saddles reference and go with it. Thanks for not letting me down.

[Zeb]

No, see Reason always panders to lefty SJWs. Therefore, that must be what happened here. The whole libertarian thing is just a ruse.

[John Titor]

So we've got 'lefty SJWs' who complain about everything pandering to people they don't like, and then we have conservatives/reactionaries who complain about everything pandering to people they don't like. These groups consistently feed off each other's complaining and form a cyclical endless ecosystem of whining.

...holy shit guys I think I just solved the 'energy crisis'.

[kevrob]

Strap an SJW back to back with a SOCON. It'd be like a cat and a piece of buttered toast. Whiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

Kevin R

[John]

I totally agree. Nick acts like he is up there preaching about the purity of virginity and the sanctity of marriage or something. Nick is getting increasingly ridiculous. I wish someone would just give him a fucking job in the MSM already. It is pretty clear that is what he wants and he is willing to sell out whatever amount of intellectual integrity is necessary to get it.

[Zeb]

I think you are reading a bit too much into one sentence. I don't see any reason to assume that the mention of his marital history is disapproving.

[HeteroPatriarch]

Forget it, he's rolling.

[VicRattlehead]

+1 when the germans bombed pearl harbor

[Hugh Akston]

Nick is just casting Eastwood as a marriage enthusiast and subject matter expert.

[Lady Bertrum]

^This. Nick's comment is a bit of a non sequitur that could seem unnecessarily bitchy.

How many times has Nick been divorced?

[John]

Beyond the Nick is just kissing SJW ass angle, the better question is why is Nick such an asshole? Seriously, Eastwood was nice enough to talk to him and said good things about Libertarianism, why mention that other than Nick is just an asshole and that is the kind of prickish thing he does?

[Hey Nikki!]

In what world is this "kissing SJW ass"? If anyone here thinks SJWs give the remotest fuck about divorce...well, maybe you should check your idiocy.

[John]

Maybe it is not. Even if it isn't, that doesn't make Nick any less of an asshole.

[Episiarch]

So in other words, you already think Nick is an asshole and you didn't really care what he said here, you were going to find a way to KULTUR WAR it regardless. Thanks for at least admitting it.

[John]

No Episiarch. I think Nick is an asshole and his doing this further confirmed it. Sometimes the facts really do fir the narrative. Nick's side in the culture war doesn't make him any less of an asshole for doing this.

[Dances-with-Trolls]

Is it the RFRA thing that has peoples' pink panties in a bunch? Everyone please reach into your bottom desk drawer pull out the bottle of whisky that should be there and start drinking until the bitchiness passes. FFS

[John]

Quit whining trolls. Jesus, you guys are so defensive about Nick. Why do you want to be such a fan boy?

[jay_dubya]

some of us enjoy the magazine and the people who right for it. its why we come here to read it. why do you come here?

[Eggs Benedict Cumberbund]

Technically its fan boi

[Zeb]

If it's kissing anyone's ass it is Socons'. They are the ones who have a problem with serial divorce.

[Azathoth!!]

In what world is this "kissing SJW ass"? If anyone here thinks SJWs give the remotest fuck about divorce...well, maybe you should check your idiocy.

In the world where celebrity divorce rates were routinely used to show heteros disdain for traditional marriage?

This one was married for a day, that one was married seven times.

Or have we memory-holed that?

[Zeb]

I don't think I'd call the people doing that "SJWs".

[VicRattlehead]

yes but they were never going to argue in good faith on that anyways, shit look at UVA even if the statistic didnt exist they would make one up and then when called on it they would say well its just the context that matters not the substance

[Episiarch]

Uh, dude, he's saying that Eastwood is probably practicing what he preaches, in that he's not some hypocrite who cares about other people's marriages but then has five of his own. It's not complicated. This desire to find something to bitch about in every single post by almost every single writer here (not saying that you do this, it's just absurdly common) is fucking idiotic and annoying as shit. It's like there's an endless attempt to turn every single fucking sentence by every single fucking H&R writer into a fucking KULTUR WAR bullshit battle.

I want away from endless KULTUR WAR, not MORE OF IT.

[JW]

I want away from endless KULTUR WAR, not MORE OF IT.

No way, dude. It's here to stay.

FOREVER KULTUR WAR.

[Episiarch]

I just find it disgusting how so many people, people who will often decry KULTUR WAR, still want to engage in it on a regular basis. It's fucking repulsive. There is literally nothing to KULTUR WAR other than having an "other" to hate and be opposed to. And people willingly and enthusiastically dive into it like fucking sheep, which is exactly what the politicians want.

[JW]

HIT & WHINE.

[Warty]

KULTUR WAR THREAD!!!!!!!

[Bill Dalasio]

dive into it like fucking sheep

People dive into fucking sheep? You must travel in different circles than I do...

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

I think Epi must be in Christchurch, New Zealand and not in Seattle?!

[Loki]

He's Scottish, so he thinks everyone's into fucking sheep. Cut him some slack.

[waffles]

We have always been at war with KULTUR.

[jesse.in.mb]

Wait, I thought we were at war with EASTKULTUR

[Dances-with-Trolls]

/reports jesse to miniluv

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

*attempts to give Eastwood narrowed gaze*

[Loki]

When you narrow gaze Eastwood long enough, Eastwood narrow gazes you back.

[John Titor]

Swiss I believe that Eastwood may be able to out-narrow gaze you. He's built a career on it.

[Beautiful Bean Footage]

Wait, I thought we were at war with EASTKULTUR

Well, in Gran Torino, Clint Eastwood was at war with EASTKULTUR...

[Whole Card]

Crap, I thought we were at war with KAOS

[notJoe]

This is REASON Schtarker! WE DO NOT MENTION THAT ORGANIZATION HERE!

[blcartwright]

well I'm fine coexisting with someone else's KULTUR, as long as they don't try to destroy mine

[John]

Forget the culture war, I think it just makes Nick look like an asshole. I am sorry, there is nothing polite or nice about running down someone's marriages and kids and various pitfalls they have had for no apparent reason. I don't see how that line served any purpose other than just to be a dick and mention that Eastwood hasn't exactly been the best and most stable family man in his life.

[JW]

I am sorry, there is nothing polite or nice about running down someone's marriages and kids and various pitfalls they have had for no apparent reason.

Holy fuck, John. Give the whining a fucking break.

I didn't read that as a running down of Eastwood. At all.

[Eggs Benedict Cumberbund]

You guys are meta-whining which maybe be worse.

[Episiarch]

Or, John, you've decide that Nick is the "other" and you're going to find a reason to give him shit no matter what. Oh wait, that's exactly what you do now. Can't you see that?

[John]

No. I only give him shit when I don't like what he does. How is this not a dick move? You tell me what the point of mentioning it is? I don't see it as showing he is liberal about marriage. Since when does getting divorced necessarily make you liberal about marriage? He could feel the same way and just been happy staying with his first wife.

And I don't think Nick is the other. I just think he is a phony and generally a pretty unimpressive writer and thinker. If Nick is an "other" to me, it is because he is the one thing I can't stand more than anything, a fucking poser. I hate posers and fakes more than I hate people who honestly and openly hold even appalling views.

[Bo Cara Esq.]

Sheesh, it's just an unusual factoid about the subject in question. It's only an insult if you think Nick thought libertarians would judge Clint negatively for being married and divorced a lot. And the only people who do are conservatives or liberals afraid of being labeled libertines.

[Old Man With Candy]

DONDERRRRRROOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

[Hey Nikki!]

Like JW, I don't read it as a running down. I read it as an example that Eastwood is generally liberal about marriage.

[Lady Bertrum]

I didn't see it as a shot at Eastwood, but it was a bit bitchy. I'm guessing Nick is going through manopause now.

[Citizen Nothing]

Nick's writing always has a bitchy edge. I like it.

[Lady Bertrum]

He tries too hard sometimes.

[Citizen Nothing]

Better that than too cautious.

[John]

I can't stand it. Even when I agree with it, I can't stand it. What you call "bitchy edge", I see as a fake too cool for school cynicism. Earnestness can be a very annoying thing. The complete lack of it, however, is even more annoying than having too much. And that is Nick's problem. Nick is forever posing. He is forever cooler than his subject. No one but him is ever really right. Every story he writes is the same "but on the other hand this side has it wrong too" cynical bullshit. It gets very boring and tiresome after a while.

[Citizen Nothing]

You could always stop reading him. But you can't, can you?

[Lady Bertrum]

He just can't quit him.

[John]

he is the editor. And the fact that he is not just a part time writer but the editor, makes him hard to ignore. It is also just enjoyable to kick him in front of his fan boys.

As I tell Warty below. Nick is not the worst. I have stopped reading or commenting on Richman and Chapman's writing. There is just no point. So Nick is still worthy of being found annoying. And that is mostly because unlike those two he actually is capable of better but refuses to do it. I guess I am just an optimist who thinks he might some day do it.

[Bo Cara Esq.]

So you've got a list...,

[John]

No Bo. I have a brain. But you wouldn't know about that since you don't use yours.

[Zeb]

Haven't you noticed that almost everyone who writes regularly for Reason is an editor?

[Zeb]

Here's a suggestion. If everything he writes offends you, don't read past the byline in Nick's posts. Problem solved.

[Tman]

I understand what you mean and you're not wrong about the Kultur war BS, but there was no reason whatsoever to bring up his divorces in this post -especially since Clint was arguing not to do this sort of shit!- unless you were trying to be a asshole.

Mission accomplished.

[Zeb]

You can read minds?

[Slammer]

It's Bo-bo like, isn't?

BTW how many times have you been married?

[Episiarch]

Overall, or just to your mom?

[Hey Nikki!]

How about to my mom?

[Episiarch]

You know I would never marry your mom. Why would I buy the cow when I get the milk for free?

Besides, then you might suspect that I'm actually your father. Which I'm totally not. Really. I swear. Ask her!

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

THAT WOULD BE THE WORST-WORST.

[WTF]

The worst wurst?

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

That is what they would have for dinner.

[Francisco d'Anconia]

Liver WORST?

[Lady Bertrum]

So, Slammer get's to call you 'Daddy'?

[Episiarch]

Yes. You all do.

(wink wink)

[Lady Bertrum]

Just so you know, my mother's dead. Not that there's anything with with necrophilia if you're into it.

[Slammer]

Dead girls don't say no.

[John Titor]

One thing, I miss, is Lady Bertrum's mom and her skeleton kiss...

[Dances-with-Trolls]

Or this.

[Old Man With Candy]

I want away from endless KULTUR WAR, not MORE OF IT.

We need Kultur War to give us an opportunity for moral preening, to signal our superiority, and to show that we're truly part of the Team.

[Warty]

If the TEAM RED fools hate Nick so much, they could, you know, leave. Or at least stop reading his articles. Though by the sound of it, not many of them bother with that now, they just skip directly to the bitching.

[John]

What would be the fun of that? It could be worse for Nick, he could be such a buffoon he isn't even worth bitching about anymore. I mean he could be Richman or Chapman.

[John Titor]

Can we please get some horrible hippie dipshits to write some awful songs about ending the needless culture war? I mean, it didn't work for actual war, but culture war's stupid enough that it just might work.

[HeteroPatriarch]

Why are you not saying john does this?

[Pro Libertate]

I found that comment odd, too. Seems pretty irrelevant to both Eastwood's libertarianism and his stance on gay marriage.

The left sure hates him now, after the speech, which makes them even more distasteful. I mean, come on, he's Clint Eastwood.

[Hey Nikki!]

Why do you even think it's "dirty laundry"? Did Nick imply that in some hidden alt-text?

[JW]

At this point, any pretext is good enough for the warriors.

[Tman]

In the context of the post, where Nick is reporting on Clint talking about being a libertarian who wants everyone to leave everyone alone, Nick proceeds to talk about Clints personal life as if this is somehow relevant to the point that Clint is a libertarian.

This is just being an asshole.

It's like writing a post about how Thomas Sowell despises the welfare system and then you add "DID YOU KNOW SOWELL IS A BLACK GUY???" as if this is somehow relevant to his point.

[Hey Nikki!]

Um...he was writing about Eastwood's opinions about marriage. And then gave examples of Eastwood's own behaviors around marriage.

[Tman]

He also wrote how Eastwood WANTS EVERYONE TO LEAVE EVERYONE THE FUCK ALONE and then proceeds to tell people about Clints personal life.

Sorry, it's a dick move IMO.

[JW]

Wait, you saw the invisible writing about how we should condemn for it, too?

I thought it was just me.

[Hey Nikki!]

Well, I guess if Nick really believed in leaving people the fuck alone, he wouldn't have written this post at all.

[Pro Libertate]

Look, Nikki, endeavor to persevere.

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

Pro L', you want her to declare war on the Union?!

[Pro Libertate]

Why, yes, yes I do.

[JW]

Whoa, WHOA!

Hold on there with all your fancy logic, Nikki. You lost me.

[Bo Cara Esq.]

If being married and divorced were somehow conceptually difficult for a libertarian you'd have a point maybe.

[Sudden]

you proceed to dish out some of his dirty laundry.

How is that dishing out dirty laundry? To me it shows that the man is hero four times over.

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

Wait;

Second marriage is the triumph of hope over experience,

Third marriage is ......... ?

Fourth marriage is heroic?

[Sudden]

The first divorce is a shattering of illusions
The second divorce is realizing that they were actually illusions
The third divorce is when you realize how pointless it was to marry hot younger strange just to piss off the previous two wives
The fourth divorce is just trolling.

[pogi]

So you're saying that I married #2 and #3 in the wrong order?

[Roger the Shrubber]

It shows me a man unable to learn from his mistakes.

[Stormy Dragon]

FWIW, who the fuck cares how many times he's been married?

You, apparently. You're the one declaring that being divorced constitutes "dirty laundry". Stop projecting your hangups onto Nick.

[Hey Nikki!]

Word.

[Bo Cara Esq.]

+1

[Dances-with-Trolls]

For realz. My reaction to the divorce thing was zero. NBD. Not a thing. Not sure why Nick felt the need to throw it in there, but who gives a fuck how many times a gazillionare actor-director has been married? I mean, I would kind of expect it.

[Viscount Irish, Slayer of Huns]

The H & Republicans can't just NOT freak out about an innocuous sentence in a Nick Gillespie post. How would they call him a cosmotarian then?

[Tman]

This has nothing to do with TEAM RED or any of that bullshit.

My whole point above was that it's great that we have Clint Eastwood telling people he's a libertarian who wants "EVERYONE TO LEAVE EVERYONE ALONE" -and we should be psyched about that!- and then Nick, who is probably one of the more well known libertarians in the media proceeds to do the exact opposite of what Eastwood is saying.

"Leave everyone alone" does not mean "make sure you bring up their divorces if they say anything about marriage!".

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

Fair point.

I took it as bit "bitchy" but not some KULTURKAMPF thing.

[Timon 19]

What the fuck just happened here?

[JW]

Yeah....There's a lot of that going around/

C'mon Timon. Let's go get some ice cream.

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

I WANT CAKE!

[Timon 19]

They all want cake.

[Timon 19]

Is there a front to be opened in the KULTURKAMPF regarding creamed ice?

[gaoxiaen]

Yes. Durian ice cream.

[Timon 19]

Just...no.

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

EVERYONE IS ANGRIFIED!!!!

[bacon-magic]

He can't stand the fact that Clint is even a better Libertarian than he is.

[Catatafish]

"...everyone leave everyone alone. Everyone live their own private life."

One would think such a message would have broad appeal. Until people start realizing it forecloses their opportunities to boss complete strangers around over their pet issues.

[Lady Bertrum]

How will people learn to be tolerant if they're not forced to under treat of imprisonment or violence?

[Dances-with-Trolls]

Is the imprisonment at a spa or something?

[Lady Bertrum]

Okay, smarty...under threat

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

How about "under thread"?

*ducks*

[Loki]

Is the imprisonment at a spa or something?

If by "spa" you mean "Warty's basement" then yes.

[Warty]

This is not news to anyone who's watched his movies. "It's sad that governments are chiefed by the double tongues."

[Pro Libertate]

"Endeavor to persevere" could be the slogan of this government.

[Warty]

"Americans vow to endeavor to persevere"

And when we had thought about it long enough, we declared war on the Union.

[Pro Libertate]

What a lovely thought. Thanks for your words of iron, Warty.

[John]

But a good number of people convinced themselves that the guy who made that movie and a lot of others that condemned the price of violence made a kill all of the Muslims pro war movie. Most people are not big on thinking.

[Pro Libertate]

Pretty much all of the movies he's directed have an anti-war message, if relevant to the film.

[Warty]

What's the saying? Art is a mirror, not a window, something like that? People see what they want to see.

[Notorious G.K.C.]

Wait, Eastwood isn't a Millennial! Who cares what he thinks?

[ubik]

From Bronco Billy (great under-rated Eastwood movie):

Quotes
Antoinette Lilly: Have you ever been married?
Bronco Billy McCoy: Sure. A long time ago.
Antoinette Lilly: Did you love her?
Bronco Billy McCoy: With all my heart. Sometimes that just isn't enough.
Antoinette Lilly: What happened?
Bronco Billy McCoy: I caught her in bed with my best friend.
Antoinette Lilly: What did you do to him?
Bronco Billy McCoy: I shot her.
Antoinette Lilly: What! What about him?
Bronco Billy McCoy: He was my best friend!

[Notorious G.K.C.]

And she said it was either her or my old hound dog. I sure do miss her.

[LynchPin1477]

everyone leave everyone alone. Everyone live their own private life

I know this makes for a better sound bite but it just reinforces the whole "libertarians are anti-social" thing. Libertarians love cooperation.

[Pro Libertate]

It's the fact that we understand that a society can (and should) function entirely or almost entirely on cooperation alone that makes many of us libertarians in the first place. We believe in cooperation and oppose compulsion.

[John]

No. Privacy is under more threat today than at any time. And the Progs are fanatically determined to completely destroy private life and make all that is personal the political. We need that message now more than any other time. We have got to try and re-establish the principle that it doesn't matter what someone thinks or does in their private life as long as they don't expect anyone else to pay for it or harm anyone by doing it.

[Bill Dalasio]

Well, I love voluntary co-operation. But, until people can learn the voluntary part, I'll settle for everyone leave everyone alone.

[Catatafish]

^THIS^

[grrizzly]

In other news:
http://www.bostonglobe.com/met.....story.html

The advertising giant Clear Channel took down the billboards it donated to a campaign against gun violence, a decision the company said it made because the messages in support of firearms laws had become "politicized."

The new ads, which went up Tuesday, drew an immediate backlash from gun rights advocates.

Clear Channel was the largest contributor to the billboard campaign, donating 25 of the 36 posted statewide. Stop Handgun Violence, which organized the effort, will soon have to remove its iconic, 252-foot billboard from the side of the Massachusetts Turnpike near Fenway Park.

The new billboards said, "We're Not Anti-Gun. We're Pro-Life. Massachusetts Gun Laws Save Lives," and featured a Bushmaster XM-15 assault rifle with a white surrender flag in the barrel.

"This campaign has become politicized and misconstrued as a political position by our company, so we have taken it down," said Clear Channel Outdoor spokesman David Grabert in a statement.

Grabert said the company had received "a number of messages expressing concern" about the signs.

[tarran]

It will be nice not to have to see that fucking eyesore put up by those smug little savages the next time I take the Pike into town.

[Episiarch]

That thing has been up for YEARS. It was up when I went into Boston in 2007 and 2008. Fucking obnoxious shit.

[A Frayed Knot]

How many accidents or near accidents has that one near Fenway caused because it's so damn complicated, it takes too much attention to read?

[tarran]

None, I would think. People like me try to ignore it because its so infuriatingly wrong. I suppose the hoplophobes feel no desire to look at something that they agree with.

Except that one time I narrowed my gaze so much that the tarp on the truck in front of me started to smolder. But I managed to defocus before it actually caught fire so no harm.

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

YEESSSSSS. Turn to the Narrowed Gaze side!

[Slammer]

"Grabert" LOL you can't make it up.

[Lady Bertrum]

Businesses are always trying to co-opt what the presume is an obvious public good - trying to get positive public relation points. It's wonderful that this strategy has become such a minefield.

One thing I hate, nearly as much as I hate Hillary Clinton, is the lazy do-gooderism of many Americans.

Once, I had a Sierra Club guy come door-to-door looking for signatures on some petition. I declined to sign because I disagree with a great deal of what the Sierra Club does. When I refused, the kid said something like..."so you hate the Earth?"

Yeah, that's right, I hate the Earth. Moralizing little turd.

[Derpetologist]

A person who lives in a cabin in the woods is a naturalist.
A person who wants to build a cabin in the woods is a developer.

Double the think, double the fun!

[Bo Cara Esq.]

Real naturalists live in trees.

[Roger the Shrubber]

I had a fundraising call from a breast cancer charity. I explained that I was driving and perhaps she could call back at a latter time. She continued her pitch as I held the phone away from my ear. When she stopped talking, I explained again that this wasn't an appropriate time. She still continued explaining that breast cancer can effect my mother or daughter, citing the death statistics, concluding with 'don't you want to help these women?' After trying to politely end our conservation twice already, I hold her to shove her manipulative moralizing up her ass.

[Warty]

a decision the company said it made because the messages in support of firearms laws had become "politicized."

wut

[Derpetologist]

In NYC, some hoplophobes set up a fake gun store. When people came in to look, they told them about all the crimes that had been committed with the various guns.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FhhiZ22o3k

http://www.thenewamerican.com/.....un-control

[Puddin' Stick]

They should be reported for dealing in guns without a license. 😀

[OldMexican]

"This campaign has become politicized and misconstrued as a political position by our company..."

"And we are - understandably - completely dismayed and shocked by this. The news that Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny don't exist also took us very hard."

[Antilles]

I truly believe most people feel this way. It's only a tiny minority (across the entire political spectrum) who insist on imposing their personal values and politics onto everyone else. Unfortunately, it's the extremists who scream the loudest and throw tantrums when they don't get their way. A sane society would ignore people like that.

[Drake]

I wish I could agree.

[mad.casual]

A sane society would ignore people like that.

Almost as if they walked into your pizzeria, you'd serve them relatively without question, but if they asked you to come to their house and serve pizza, you'd decline...

[Bo Cara Esq.]

I guess you could say he's libertarian but I've always thought of him as The Man whose politics has No Name.

[Citizen Nothing]

Not bad.

[Bo Cara Esq.]

The anti-Nick meltdown by the Hit and Runpublocans up thread is priceless.

Bunch of CJWs

[mfckr]

What's a CJW?

[Warty]

Something very clever that the child made up. Ignore him and he'll be slightly less annoying.

[Derpetologist]

conservative justice warriors?

[Dances-with-Trolls]

Constant Jacket Wearer?

[Citizen Nothing]

Contra-Jacket Whiners?

[Slammer]

Caucasian Jewish Weirdos?

[Derpetologist]

clearly just whining?

[Bo Cara Esq.]

Conservative Justice Warrior.

And look how it bothers Warty so!

[Hugh Akston]

Conservative Justice Warrior? That doesn't even make sense. Do they even talk about justice, like the way SJWs actually use the term 'social justice' as a goal toward which they are working?

[Bo Cara Esq.]

Everyone has some concept of the just.

[Hugh Akston]

Okay, but if the people you're casting aspersions on aren't framing their complaints in the language of justice then your term is just an obtuse attempt to leech off the popularity of an existing idea, like changing the name of your town from Springfield to Seinfeld.

[Bo Cara Esq.]

Again, every political side uses the 'language of justice' to frame their complaints. Are you saying they have to use the exact word?

[Hugh Akston]

It would help if you're going to hang that word on them as a means of mocking them.

[Harold Falcon]

Bullshit. Who else uses the "language of justice" to frame their complaints?

[Sudden]

We do have a concept of what is just....

just leave people the fuck alone.

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

What is just in life?

To not crush anyone, see no one driven before you and hear the lamentations of the statists!

[Warty]

I wouldn't try too hard to follow his thought processes, Hugh. I mean, he thinks I'm a crypto-Republican, for fuck's sake.

[Hugh Akston]

So you're saying we should definitely oil him and GKC and let them decide once and for all whether you're a Team Red hatemonger or a fey cosmotarian?

[Warty]

No, no, not at all. I mean we should Jello them up.

[John Titor]

I got five bucks on GKC. He seems like a biter.

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

Anyone eye-gouge?

[Dances-with-Trolls]

You know under that pleasant Catholic exterior there is a brutal auto-da-f? just waiting to happen.

[Warty]

It's not far under there. Get him wound up sometime and you'll see.

[John Titor]

I'm now imagining this as some kind of fantastic wresting match where GKC is dressed like the Pope and Bo is the Shockmaster. After someone throws a cross into the ring, GKC has Bo on the ropes. The crowd starts chanting 'AUTO-DA-FE, AUTO-DA-FE' and GKC performs something like a spinning headlock elbow drop.

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

"fey cosmotarian"

Sounds like the Scarlet Pimpernel of Libertariansism...

[Bo Cara Esq.]

I don't think you're a crypto Republican. You're the epitome of the juvenile Gamergate psychopaths here, though your membership in the Offended White Guy Brigade means a fair amount of crossover with out CJWs. You want someone to curse, and you're threatened by SJWs especially, and so viola.

[Viscount Irish, Slayer of Huns]

GAMURGATE PSYCHOPATH

GAMUUUUURRRRRGAAAAAAATE!

Your bizarre obsession with Gamergate never gets old. It's like watching WWI vet in the depths of senility angrily attacking his doctors because he's almost positive they're working for the Kaiser.

[Warty]

Were you around for when Tulpa would call us the Axis of Glib? It was a devastating insult in his mind, but sadly it didn't translate well to human language. The same thing is happening here.

[John Titor]

I can at least get the Axis of Glib. It's stupid and obviously meant to invoke the Bush quote, but at least it's an attempt at being clever. Bo just constructs out groups, tries to 'other' people into them, and attempts to make them sound more scary by throwing term like 'psychopath' around until it has no meaning. For someone declaring everyone else juvenile, it's, well, massively juvenile.

[tarran]

Don't be so mean to Bo.

She coined the name of the band of Boston reasonoids that meets semiannually.

My GF was pretty bemused to see "The Offended White Guy Brigade" on my calendar last Friday.

[John Titor]

But that's exactly it. He's clearly capable of superior attempts at insults (which will then immediately be turned into terms of mocking endearment) and I expect better. It's like if Kubrick suddenly turned into Ed Wood.

[Xeones]

It's like watching Orson Welles's career trajectory a couple times a week.

[Warty]

Wait a minute. You're white??? I thought for sure you were some kind of Swarthy.

[tarran]

Dude, half my ancestors come from the Caucasus mountains. Literally! I am the caucasianist caucasian since caucasians came to caucasiantown.

[tarran]

It's like watching WWI vet in the depths of senility angrily attacking his doctors because he's almost positive they're working for the Kaiser.

James Thurber had a couple of short stories about his grandfather having flashbacks to the war between the states that were hilarious.

In one of them, the police were searching Thurbers house for a burglar when they heard grandpa roll over in bed in the attic.

They rushed up the attic steps to investigate, and grandpa, mistaking them for rebel troops, shot at them, winging one.

AND NOTHING ELSE HAPPENED!

In this more civilized time, the cops would have returned fire, shooting two of their number, a baby 200 yards away and handcuffed the ventilated grandfather and let him bleed out for 20 minutes before summoning an ambulance.

[gaoxiaen]

The stringed instrument? Is that another "tow the lion"?

[Puddin' Stick]

Wouldn't National Union for Social Justice Warrior (NUSJW) work better?

[Loki]

Cunty Jerk Wanker?

[Old Man With Candy]

BOOOOOOOOOOOO CAAAAAARRRRRRRRAAAAAAA!

[Bo Cara Esq.]

When obsession's hurried stroll ends in lunacy...

[Old Man With Candy]

BOOOOOOOOOOO CAAAAAARRRRRRRAAAAAAA!!!!!!

[Citizen Nothing]

What ever happened to DONDERRROOOOOO! Is he still alive?

[Bo Cara Esq.]

Are you talking about Eric Dondero? I've met him. What's his connection here?

[Hey Nikki!]

Oh, Bo. You probably should not have said that.

[Bo Cara Esq.]

He spoke at a College Libertarian event. Bit to GOP leaning for me but seemed ok otherwise.

[Citizen Nothing]

This gets better and better.

[Warty]

Bo has given us a precious gift here. BOOOODERRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOO

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

Don't cross the streams, Warty!

[tarran]

He caught pneumonia after two nights exposed to the elements in Colorado.

He was gathering petitions in Colorado for pot legalization, got a little drunk, and got into a fight with one of the signature gathers after finding out that the other guy was a Democrat.

After the guy clocked him, Dondero staggered off into the woods. He was picked up the a couple of days later by a park ranger. His trucculence at the hospital resulted in disgruntled nurses ignoring his complaints about his difficulty breathing.

By the time anyone took things seriously he had pneumonia in both lungs and he died a week after he had been admitted. His (ex?) wife, sadly was saddled with his bills, including the $600 in pay per view porn from his hotel tab.

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

*gasps and chokes with laughter*

Help!

[Citizen Nothing]

The mind boggles.

[hamilton]

This sounds oddly like a Tuccille novella, tarran.

[hamilton]

And, as a side comment, I have now repeated the words "Tucille novella" out loud five or six times. Try it, it's like candy.

[tarran]

If it isn't what happened, it's what should have happened. Karma demands it!

[This Machine]

Is this for real? Did this guy really exist? Man, the trolls we have now are nowhere close to this good.

[Warty]

We can hope not.

[Warty]

THIS IS MY PHONE NUMBER!!!! CALL ME OR YOU'RE A FAGGOT!!!!

I miss that idiot, actually. I don't think I've ever laughed harder at a post here than when he said that.

[hamilton]

Eric was awesomesauce. Really the quality of our trolls has crashed badly.

[Episiarch]

Remember when he would show up and was clearly posting drunk and would challenge people to fights on the internet? Oh man that was great stuff.

DONDERRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[tarran]

IIRC dude was proud to have been busted down to an SKN (E-3) from an SK2 (E-5) for fighting. For the storekeeper rate that's like 5 - 8 years worth of promotions down the drain.

[Warty]

I miss Herc. 🙁 🙁 🙁 🙁

[Citizen Nothing]

'kay. That's just crazy talk.

[Mainer2]

HERC ! HERC ! HERC !

[Viscount Irish, Slayer of Huns]

Classic Dondero:

"The controversy about my name?

Simple:

Dondero = Biological Father's name

Rittberg = Adoptive parents' name.

You gotta problem with that?"

"Elam, don't tempt me. I know more about the inner workings of Ron Paul's campaign than you or your Dad will ever know.

And I know EVERYTHING about Ron Paul, and his family from the personal perspective to boot.

Let's not go down that path. Shall we agree to stay away from the personal stuff.

You wanna push it, fine. That's your choice. But let the record show, I was against such a campaign from the very beginning.

There are too many people out there who could be hurt,and 90% of them are on your side of the aisle.

You forget Elam, I go back to the Presidential Campaign days of 1987/88. I was there through the whole Nadia Hayes fiasco. I don't think we all wish to relive that one. Or the other "questionable" events within the Ron Paul organization in the last 12 years or so.

I'd advise you to lay off."

HOLD ME BACK BRO

[Warty]

I totally forgot about the Rittberg thing. Oh man, what a clown.

[Old Man With Candy]

Yeah, Herc was sui generis. Sort of a more addled version of Agile Cyborg, but without the sex or drugs.

[Xeones]

Oh my god, i miss DONDERRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO so bad.

Maybe now that joe is apparently back, Eric will grace us with his presence once more. A man can hope.

[bacon-magic]

Cara Juices Whitey?

[Slammer]

Wait. Look at Clint's squint. Eastwood may be Swiss!

[Dances-with-Trolls]

Or Swissy's father.

[Slammer]

"Get off that fucking computer and go out for some fucking sunshine!"

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

His is a bit younger than my Dad....but Dad can give a pretty good narrowed gaze too.

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

I only WISH I could narrow my gaze like that!

[Sudden]

You know who else wants to narrow the gaze? Indiana.

[Xeones]

Hitl- wait a minute.

[Chumby]

Is narrowing the gaze similar to gleaming the cube?

[Derpetologist]

The thousand-yard squint. A guy gets it after he's been in the derp for too long. It's like you've really seen...beyond.

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

I got it. All field Derpists got it. You'll have it, too

As much as you have been in the derp, you must look like that Eastwood picture, Herr Doktor Professor.

[Dances-with-Trolls]

Stare into the Derp long enough and the Derp stares back at you.

[GILMORE]

*bastard*

[Sudden]

I have met derptologist. He has one of those thousand yard stares, like he's looking right through you. He's been in the shit buddy, lemme tell you. He's seen depravities no human mind should be forced to comprehend.

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

I told him to stay out of Salon!

[GILMORE]

If you gaze long enough into the derp, so too the derp gazes into you.

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

Touch derpness and derpness touches you back.

[EDG reppin' LBC]

Derp be derpin', yo!

[This Machine]

Derpin' ain't much of a livin'...

[Viscount Irish, Slayer of Huns]

I have seen the future and the following is doubtlessly going to occur at some point:

Nick Gillespie: Incidentally, I was recently in Brooklyn...

H & Republicans: JESUS FUCKING CHRIST, NICK, WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS SHOVING YOUR HIPSTER SJW BULLSHIT DOWN OUR THROATS?!?!

[Episiarch]

Just a clarification, Irish: the proper expression is Hit&Runpublican.

[Viscount Irish, Slayer of Huns]

I do agree with you that there is a lot of whining lately and I blame the fact that gay marriage is back in the news.

This has caused the Hit&Runpublicans; (FIXED IT!) to freak out about the Gaystapo agenda and Tonio has been flying around comment sections declaring everyone to be 'clueless' and then started stalking me with copy pasted comments from two days ago.

Gay marriage brings out the culture war at H&R like nothing else.

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

"the Gaystapo"

Are they related to the suede-denim secret police?

[Episiarch]

Oh, I know it. My point above, though it was unfortunately distorted into being about Nick, is about how much so many people here actually want to engage in pointless, moronic KULTUR WAR, but if you point that out, they will spin and equivocate and do anything to pretend they don't...while simultaneously doing exactly that.

[HazelMeade]

123 comments and most of them are about whether it was mean to mention Eastwood's marriages or not.

BORING....

[Citizen Nothing]

Ok, HM. Feel free to take things in a more interesting direction.

[John Titor]

Ok, HM. Feel free to take things in a more interesting direction.

DEEP DISH PIZZA GAY WEDDING CAKES ABORTION BODY ARMOR ATHEIST MORALITY.

*Casts fishing line*

[Old Man With Candy]

You left out the foreskins.

[John Titor]

There's no way I'm using foreskins as bait.

[Xeones]

Dude, Spanish mackerel love 'em.

[Bo Cara Esq.]

CJWs gotta CJW you know

[sarcasmic]

I was thinking the same thing.

[Lady Bertrum]

It's Thursday afternoon. What we gonna talk about, something substantive and intelligent? I save all my good stuff for Sunday between 6 and 7 am.

(guff, guff, giggle, giggle)

[sarcasmic]

Isn't that when Tulpa's mom lets him out of the basement?

[sarcasmic]

Isn't that when Tulpa's mom lets him out of the basement?

[Grand Moff Serious Man]

I'm sure Clint is a social libertarian but does anyone know his positions on drug policy and criminal justice reform?

[hamilton]

Well, luckily for us Scott Eastwood is a Millennial so we should be pretty damn locked on to where he's coming from.

[Zeb]

He's apparently registered as a Libertarian. I have a hard time imagining anyone would do that if they were any kind of drug warrior.

[Anonymous Coward]

He's a total Libertarian ? everyone leave everyone alone. Everyone live their own private life.

Indulge my inner cynic for a moment, but most of the people who are like this are so not out of any principled stance, but because they lack the power to enforce their preferences on others.

Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power. - Abraham Lincoln

[John]

That is just the nature of power. Power always corrupts people at least a little bit. And no one is perfect. Everyone has blind spots and will rationalize doing something for the benefit of people or things they like even though it violates their principles and they would object to someone else doing it.

I think you have to take people at their word. You shouldn't play what ifs with people. You judge them by their words and deeds and don't assume they would act differently if only they had the power.

[Anonymous Coward]

As much as I find kinship with libertarians, I'm always leery about what would happen if The Great Cato-Libertarian Revival (or worse, the LP) ever managed, by some miracle of Aqua Buddha, to seize the levers of power.

Then again, I'm leery of power in general. Chalk it up to personal prejudice.

[Sudden]

A Lincoln quote? Are you really trying to hit on all the worst instincts of H&R right now? Might as well make it a Lincoln quote about buttsecksing Messicens eating deep dish pizza with cannabis toppings at a gay wedding forcibly catered by the Mooslim fellas that built that Mosque in Manhattan.

[Dances-with-Trolls]

Or the vaccination of an aborted fetus that is being circumcised.

[Anonymous Coward]

That sounds like one heck of a party.

[Swiss Servator... Switzy!]

Yeah... that one might make a good pay-per-view.

[Bo Cara Esq.]

Wasn't it just a few years ago when SoCons were attacking h for Million Dollar Baby and the left was lauding him for same?

[GILMORE]

I confess = I was impregnated by Clint Eastwood.

I was 10. I was watching The Good, the Bad, and The Ugly. He looked at me. There was a whistling sound. And then i had his baby.

[Bo Cara Esq.]

Are you sure it wasn't Lee Van Cleef's?

[Citizen Nothing]

What I'm feeling for y'all now (Bo and John) included should really be written into a Master's thesis.

[Lady Bertrum]

Some of us forgot to take our medication today (nearly everyone), I'm guessing.

[GILMORE]

I bet Clint walked past his lawyer's office and said, "... My mistake......*4* divorces....."

[PACW]

I don't care about Eastwood's romantic endeavors. . . . . except when he kept putting that horrible whiny blonde in all his movies.

[Mike M.]

I can't believe Sondra Locke is in her 70s. Where the hell does the time go?

[Xeones]

THE FUCK THIS THREAD HAS 310 COMMENTS. HOW COME.

[GILMORE]

Sunshine in a bag

[crufus]

According to IMDB, he has 8 children:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm000.....#trademark
Has 8 children by 6 different women: Kimber Eastwood (born 17 June 1964) with Roxanne Tunis; Kyle Eastwood (born 19 May 1968) and Alison Eastwood (born 22 May 1972) with Maggie Johnson; Scott Eastwood (born 21 March 1986) and Kathryn Eastwood (born 2 February 1988) with Jacelyn Reeves; Francesca Eastwood (born 7 August 1993) with Frances Fisher; Morgan Eastwood (born 12 December 1996) with Dina Eastwood; and another child that has not been publicly identified.

[Zeb]

Good for him. As long as you can afford to pay for it, I say spread your seed as you will.

[Chumby]

Plastic baby bitches!

[R C Dean]

FWIW, Dirty Harry has been married (traditional and common-law) four times and has children by five different women.

I think Nick was just pointing out that Eastwood has a high level of expertise in the issue of marriage.

[buybuydandavis]

Or, he was pointing out that Clint's outlier marriage *behavior* might be relevant to some people's evaluation of Clint's *opinion* on marriage. (FWIW - for what it's worth.)

I considered this an exercise in full journalistic disclosure of what might be considered relevant facts.

[alinenache]

liberal countries with no idea http://waltherpragerandphiloso.....ideas.html

[meganlevitt62]

My neighbor's half-sister makes $84 an hour on the laptop . She has been laid off for five months but last month her paycheck was $14797 just working on the laptop for a few hours. you can look here
??? http://WWW.JOBS-FASHION.COM

[GILMORE]

I always liked the line from the Jim Jarmusch episode of "Fishing With John", where the narrator describes the Long Island seaside village as "a real H?sker D? kind of town"

[This Machine]

Maybe some words from the ever-prescient Fear Factory can chase out the Outrage virus now wrapping its steely prions around H&R:

THIS INFECTION HAS BEEN REMOVED
AND THE SOUL OF THIS MACHINE HAS BEEN IMPROVED

[bacon-magic]

We are the new machine...
Fear Factory is good