Morgan Freeman isn’t one to hold back in his interviews and so when he sat down with The Daily Beast, he was more than ready to share his honest thoughts on the government shutdown, “12 Years A Slave,” and gay rights.
Freeman is starring in a new film, “Last Vegas,” which hits theaters in a few days, but he had much more to say about his feelings about the Tea Party than he did the new comedy.
The 76-year-old actor said he feels as though many Republicans are going out of their way to “show their prejudices” and that’s what’s really tearing the country apart.
“You see some of these signs that say, ‘Take Our Country Back!,’” Freeman said. “What the f*** is that? Whose country are you talking about? They are being pushed to the side, which is a good thing for them to realize: you don’t have the power you think you have in this country.”
He went on to say that if they really have a problem with President Barack Obama’s election they have a few options on how to deal with that, but trying to “tear the country apart” isn’t one of them.
“Obama was legitimately elected president,” he continued. “If you don’t like that, fine, either move or make your point and get yourself elected, but don’t tear the country apart. That’s not going to get you anywhere. I think the Republicans have pretty much destroyed themselves by allowing themselves to be controlled by a small contingent of people with a lot of money.”
Apparently those people with a lot of money are pretty weird in Freeman’s eyes, as well.
“…The Rush Limbaughs of the world,” he added. “All those… strange people.”
Meanwhile, he also isn’t too much of a fan of the new film, “12 Years A Slave.” It’s not necessarily that he doesn’t support the message or the purpose of the movie, but he feels that some people are simply beating themselves over the head with the unfortunate reality of racism.
“I saw a television movie that was made a few years ago about the same character [Solomon Northup],” Freeman said. “But I don’t particularly want to see it. I don’t want my anger quotient exacerbated, you know? Things are bad enough as they are. I don’t want to keep punching myself in the face with it.”
The fearless actor also expressed his opinion on something that has been a very touchy subject in the African-American community – gay rights.
Gay rights have been labeled by many, including director Lee Daniels, as “The Civil Rights Movement of our time.”
That label has left many Black communities uncomfortable with the comparison and saying that it really isn’t valid.
Freeman, on the other hand, reminded people that marginalizing anyone, regardless of the reason, is a cause for change.
“I have an enormous number of gay friends,” he said. “Marginalizing people for that? These people who are ignorant enough to think that being gay is a ‘chosen lifestyle?’ That’s the height of ignorance.”
His last comparison was even bolder.
“It’s like saying Black is a chosen lifestyle,” he said. “Get out of here!”
Between Kanye West’s fake Jesus appearance on stage at his Yeezus concert and Freeman comparing being gay to being Black, many traditional churches and religious groups are going to have quite a few angry letters to write.
