Sen. Gillibrand Joins Call to Revoke Bill Cosby's Presidential Medal of Freedom
Source: NBC News
U.S. Sen. Kristen Gillibrand on Friday threw her support behind an effort to revoke Bill Cosby's Presidential Medal of Freedom in light of recent reports and allegations of sexual assault by the actor.
A petition started by the group PAVE (Promoting Awareness/Victim Empowerment) has gained more than 94,000 signatures on the White House's website, and calls for the White House to revoke the award.
"The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the highest award bestowed on civilians for their contributions to society. Bill Cosby does not deserve to be on the list of distinguished recipients," the petition reads.
Cosby has been accused of drugging and sexually assaulting women in the past. This week, small parts of a 2005 deposition were made public in which the actor says he obtained Quaaludes with the intent of using them to have sex with women. Cosby's representatives have denied the allegations.
Read more: http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/bill-cosby-scandal/two-democratic-senators-join-call-revoke-bill-cosbys-presidential-medal-n390276
and get the Kennedy Center to rescind his Mark Twain Prize, too. It's an insult to the name of Mr. Clemens.
Though there are a lot of folks who never deserved their Medals of Freedom, besides Cosby - people like segregationist William F. Buckley (given by Poppy Bush), racist Paul Harvey (Dubya), Iraq war bungler George Tenet (Dubya again), racist, segregationist and likely rapist Strom Thurmond (Poppy again) and enemy of democracy and coup plotter Henry Kissinger (Ford), to name just a few.
Katashi_itto
(10,175 posts)Kablooie
(18,634 posts)His performances will be forgotten but he will continue to be remembered as one of the legendary monsters of the entertainment business.
It shouldn't be this way.
His comedy was worthy of being preserved for future generations but he has destroyed it all himself.
Anyone who listens to his old routines from now on won't be able to separate it from the lurking rapist that lay in wait underneath the surface.
Hydra
(14,459 posts)He became good at it so that he could feed his habit. Everything we thought he was, it was just a mask to allow him to blend in and gain more access to more women.
It's horrifying on a deep level.
SunSeeker
(51,559 posts)cmkramer
(1,639 posts)Didn't she invite Mattress Girl to the State of the Union?
Her opinions are essentially useless on this topic.
SansACause
(520 posts)One of the fundamental aspects of American freedom is a fair trial on the crimes with which you have been charged. In Cosby's case, he's neither been convicted of a crime nor even charged with a crime.
While I suspect that he is guilty of the claims brought against him, I think there is a certain ridiculous irony in revoking the American Freedom medal before Mr. Cosby is allowed the due process guaranteed to him as a free American.