Hollywood Star Dennis Quaid Takes Bold Stand for Free Speech in 'No Safe Spaces'
While it may seem at times that the whole of the entertainment industry has been lost to progressives, it is important to remember that not all entertainers are anti-American leftists, and some actually cherish the fundamental freedoms of this great nation.
Hollywood actor Dennis Quaid — who has starred in numerous films and TV series — falls into the freedom-loving category of entertainers, and he has just put his talents to work in support of the foundational ideal of free speech.
The New York Post reported that 64-year-old Quaid — when he isn’t acting in movies, TV shows or commercials — also writes and performs rock music with his band The Sharks, and one of the band’s songs off their recently released debut album will be used in an upcoming documentary that takes on political censorship.
That documentary is titled “No Safe Spaces,” and was created by comedian Adam Carolla and conservative talk radio host Dennis Prager. The song from Quaid’s band is titled “Out of the Box,” which, according to Quaid, is about “being open to other points of view and not mindlessly giving yourself over to an ‘ism.’”
Quaid lamented that too many Americans these days have essentially closed themselves off to opinions and points of view that differ from their own, and said, “It’s not just Hollywood. Our whole culture has become intolerant.”
The producer of “No Safe Spaces,” Mark Joseph, heard Quaid’s song and approached the actor about lending it to the film, as he believed it perfectly encapsulated the overall message of open-mindedness to differing points of view.
“When I heard ‘Out of The Box,’ it was so obvious that this belonged in the film,” Joseph told the Post.
Quaid agreed, and has allowed the film to make use of the song.
Quaid, a Houston native, considers himself an independent who isn’t beholden to either major political party or ideology, and while he typically tries to avoid delving into political issues, he finds the silencing of different opinions and points of view to be quite troubling.
“I don’t give myself to any party or ism,” Quaid told the Post. “I don’t march lock step with anything or anybody except for God and the values my mom taught me back in Texas.”
“So if a president does great things I can acknowledge that no matter his party. I’ve voted for candidates from both parties and I’m a registered independent,” he added.
Interestingly, Quaid is currently working on a film in which he plays former President Ronald Reagan, the man Quaid considers to be the best president of his lifetime.
It remains unclear at this time when Carolla and Prager’s “No Safe Spaces” film about free speech and unnecessary censorship of certain political voices will be released, but it promises to be quite interesting and tackle the free speech issue — particularly on college campuses — in a manner that takes into account the views of all sides of the debate.
Indeed, those featured in the upcoming film include voices from all parts of the ideological spectrum, from conservative comedians and commentators like Tim Allen and Ben Shapiro and independent thought leaders like Jordan Peterson and Dave Rubin, to left-leaning commentators like Van Jones and Cornel West, among others.
Quaid deserves a bit of recognition for not acquiescing to the norms of predominantly liberal Hollywood and instead standing proud in his beliefs, even if that makes him unpopular with some of his colleagues and peers.
To be sure, Quaid publicly speaking out against the left’s growing tendency to silence voices of dissent may very well have an adverse impact on his career, but he quite obviously views protecting the fundamental freedoms of speech and expression as being of greater importance than his next potential movie or TV role.
Hopefully, the brave actions of Quaid and others in stepping out against political censorship and the silencing of dissenting views will inspire other entertainers to speak out as well, and the seemingly constant battle by the center and right to protect the foundational freedoms of this great nation will receive the support needed to survive the left’s incessant assaults.
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