Here's the back story. Last Friday, when we did the Tom Cruise stunt where he zip lined above Hollywood Boulevard, there was an abortion protest group called "The Survivors of Abortion" out on the boulevard as well. Because the stunt was taking place 4 stories above the street, we had to light it with 15k to 20k HMI flood lights. 15k and 20k stand for, you guessed it 15,000 and 20,000 watts. We're talking bright. What we're not talking is hot. Yes, they are hot if you stand in front of them, but it can be done. You won't get a sunburn, you won't get scalded and you certainly won't burst into flames.
Since I wasn't there and the video featured on this website starts when the light is already pointed at the boy, I don't know if they protester stepped into the light, or if the electricians were instructed to point the light in that direction. In any case, as you see in the video a very bright HMI lamp is pointing at someone who happens to be a protester.
I won't go into detail, you can read the article/propaganda yourself and decide if this was an "attack" as they put it, on the boy "exercising his first amendment right".
Flash forward to today, during the interview with Dakota Fanning, 4 people stood up in the audience and started demanding the Jimmy apologize for the actions of his crew and how he was responsible for the "scalding" of an innocent boy. Needless to say, they were arrested and will probably spend a night in jail for trespassing on private property, or some other minor charge. Which will probably inflame them more and cause more protests and action.
Which is fine, they can protest all they want for the next two weeks. (The show is on hiatus).
Here's my take on the whole thing, and then some. First, I believe in every one's first amendment right to free speech. You can stand up and say what ever you want. But I also believe that you should show some measure of decency or, I don't know, manners or something. Theses protesters, the "Survivors of Abortion" were standing outside the line of people waiting to get into the El Capitan Theater to see Toy Story 3. They were standing there waving signs of bloody aborted fetuses and preaching about how abortion is bad. And who is in this line? Families with young children. NOT COOL. Protest all you want, but do not subject my kids to stuff they can't see in a "G" rated movie. The children are innocents in your battle, they have no opinion on the subject your preach. How dare you subject them to something that could cause them great mental harm.
Second, I will admit, I'm a pro-choice guy. I'm not pro abortion. I believe in a woman's right to choose. I cannot force my will onto another person for any reason. And taking the option of abortion off the table because I don't believe it's right, doesn't make sense to me. It's like in Korea, where cars come in three colours, black, white or gray. If you want a red car you have to pay extra, were not saying you can't have the red car because the government only wants you to have black white or grey.
Third, I don't think that anyone pointed this light at the kid intentionally. Yes, it's not pointed in the air, and, again, since I wasn't there, I don't know if they had just turned the light on and the kid happened to be standing there, or if he walked into the bright beam and intentionally tried to stir the pot. Besides, if the light is bright and warm, take two steps to the left, your message can still be seen and heard two feet over. Anyone else standing in front of that light would have moved. And I will also offer that the electricians could have moved the light, pointed it two feet to the left. A good electrician (or any good employee really) would wait for instruction before acting. Here's a possibility, the gaffer was standing on the roof getting a light level reading and told the electricians to pan the light away so he could get level. Because HMI lamps take time to warm up and cool down, you should never douse the lamp after it's struck. The boy happened to be standing there when they panned it away and instead of moving, stood there and enjoyed the warmth it provided.
Besides I didn't see the kid complaining in the video (admittedly I didn't watch it til the end).
Finally, these "Survivors of Abortion" are extremists. It seems as if there is no grey for them. It's all black and white. Abortion is bad and anyone who thinks otherwise is wrong. It seems they have a paranoia that anyone who is around them is also and extremist and will take extreme actions. Like pointing a really bright light at an "innocent" boy. They are no better than other extremist groups because everyone of them thinks their cause is just and their actions justified. No tolerance, under any banner, is a bad thing.
People are just crazy. Especially on Hollywood Boulevard.
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