Gabriel Byrne to Photog: Have a Seat, B*tch!

31. A few months, a few years in India and he'll be a changed man because all the rest of the world is selfish and cruel and incapable of true goodness, patience and inner peace. India, Africa, wherever...there is no place that corners the market on spirituality and understanding, forgiveness. ANYONE can resort to violence of any kind, (physical or otherwise) at any time, under any number of circumstances, and where you live or even how you live will never guarantee otherwise.

I doubt that anyone will disagree that his reaction was over the top and at the very least a lapse in judgement. Human beings fall short all the time, not a single one of us is exempt. I'm saying it's a two-way street and her being a woman was never the issue. A setup in a hotel room, same deal, his own failing and also an invasion of his personal privacy. We don't excuse it but stop to question, and attempt to understand how it happened and why. Byrne's has a track record of playing conflicted characters that say & do things they would never have imagined (both good & bad) for themselves when backed into a corner. Sometimes we respond with grace, often not. That's part of being human. Hindsight is 20/20. Easy to say now he should've hidden his face, or stayed home, or gone to a less visible restaurant. Are we to censor every thought, every action that might possibly come back to bite us? Nonsense. It's impossible to anticipate every move or control every thought or action. How do we know he felt no remorse after he calmed down? How do we know he won't make amends or learn from his mistakes? The truth is, we don't know how many countless intrusions, stalkings, & verbal abuses that he likely endured quietly, calmly without incident, before he finally unleashed what had built up over time. Constant badgering will test the most serene among us. Of course these are the incidents that make the news & the media blows them out of proportion for their own purposes. I shudder to think how the public would perceive our lives if we were placed under a microscope and relentlessly judged and dissected.

Why not suggest a trip to India for the paparazzi? Surely their filthy mouths, thoughtless actions, and greed are in need of the miraculous cleansing only a place like India can supply. Why no condemnation of a group swears allegiance to the almighty dollar and whose life's work is to bring the worst out in others in order to discredit them? The exact same thing could be said for the paparazzi, that they got what they deserved. They THINK they can BECOME superior by knocking others down. Ain't necessarily so. Philosophical proverbs can sound quite profound, but often oversimplify the practicality and reality of life. Not a single one of us is immune to perpetrating violence, no matter how centered we think we are. Committing such action is wrong for all. It's what we learn and how we try to conduct ourselves in the aftermath that will stand the test of time.

Posted at 9:41PM on May 15th 2007 by Brigid

32. So if a woman is set up to be raped or verbally harassed it must be her own fault for daring to leave her home alone. I mean if she was dressed provacatively and went out after dark, alone, in an unsafe neighborhood, she must have gotten exactly what she deserved because she took the bait. It doesn't matter if she had legitimate business to conduct or if she just needed to get some air, she should know better than to take such a risk. She must never be forgiven for acting impulsively or being spontaneous because it might possibly lead to a dangerous situation. And God forbid in the future she should flash back to the rape or the constant badgering when a stranger approaches with an innocent request for directions and she reacts violently, possibly hurting this other person.

No one has complete control over their emotions all the time. Sometimes they overpower us. Sometimes we have to suffer the consequences as a result. But don't assume that verbal abuse & mind games aren't every bit as injurious as physical battery. Karma, Dharma, schmarma, it all comes back to us, ALL of us. We simply won't know know the names of the cowards behind their cameras raking in the dough at the expense of the mistakes of others, mistakes they helped bring to the boiling point for the public's amusement.

Posted at 11:15PM on May 15th 2007 by Brigid

33. Second attempt at constructive discussion......see if TMZ will delete all my valid comments once again! (but the first copy was a MUCH better composition)
I think the Paparazzi often go too far to create a story. We are all making comments but were not there so its ALL conjecture BUT...do you notice the other patrons dont seem perturbed, perhaps this is because the incident was solely created by the female photographer and aimed at Mr Byrne. Most people can be provoked into retaliation and I dont see charges being laid, which to me supports the fact this photographer knew exactly what she was doing.
Gabriel Byrne resides in New York, where his children live! It would be hard to live in that city without encountering constant cameras and attention there should be limits, he is known to be a private man.
Gabriel Byrne is a fantastic actor and the fact he mostly stars in the quieter movies is perhaps a compromise he makes to avoid being in the constant limelight of fame.
He is a true Irishmen and seems to be quite capable of a little Irish temperament. I find it hard to imagine a man as popular as Mr Byrne could keep an unruly temper out of the papers for this many years which supports the fact this photographer obviously pushed some boundaries.
Some comments have been made regarding the fact he treated a woman in this way. Women are constantly asking to be respected and treated as equals yet we some just jump straight back to the old gender roles when it suits. We are equals and Mr Byrne treated her as such......I have to say nobody was hurt so in this case I think a point well made and perhaps someone who doesn't want their equipment damaged may respect the boundaries of a man I hope to see on screen for many years to come!!!!

Posted at 7:51AM on May 16th 2007 by garfield47

34. I reserve my homeland of India only for those I feel have hope of changing. The paparazzi has no such hope.

Anger is one thing, violence is another. Gandhi said "No one can incite you to violence unless you want to be violent. My point is that when you become that which you despise the most, than you have no maral right to complain.
So far as I'm concerned Mr. Byrne lost his moral compass, if he ever had one.
Gandhi also said "We must become the change we wish to see in the world."

Take the example of the actor I put in what was Mr. Byrne's place on my favorite actors list, (Mr. Byrne was #1 until this incident), Ed Begley Jr. (Mr. Begley was #2, I put the alway excellent Iain Glen at #2, Mr. Byrne is off my list). Mr. Begley said in an interview some years ago that you can't let yourself be provoked into such situations. I've seen the paparazzi act far worse with Mr. Begley; they've stuck their cameras in his face when he was out with his wife and child. Still Mr. Begley has been careful not to attack the paparazzi.

Mr. Byrne needs to go to Mr. Begley and learn how to act in public. My uncle is in the 'business', and he said "Gabriel knew what he was doing, he's been off the radar for some time. His new movie is doing lousy; he's not really in 'The Namesake'. He knows the only bad publicity is no publicity."

I know why Gabriel threw that chair, he was mad Aishwayra Rai married Abishek Buchchan instead of him. I hear Gabriel is secrectly in love with her.

Also Mr. Byrne went to II Sole, a well-known celebrity hangout, that means he wanted to be seen. I know L.A. pretty well, there are hundreds of, if not thousands of Indian restaurants in L.A. Most of then small eateries not frequented by celebrities. Besides Indian food being the best in the world as well as the healthiest, in an Indian restaurant Mr. Byrne would have been protected by desi cad drivers. The best protection in the world.

Posted at 11:23AM on May 16th 2007 by MissIndiaM(Sarasvati)

35. Mazel Tov

Posted at 4:53PM on May 16th 2007 by srulik

36. Mazel Tov

Posted at 9:01PM on May 16th 2007 by srulik

37.

Ahh, Aishwayra Rai, another dime-a-dozen beauty queen runner-up American-wannabe. No wonder Gabriel's so smitten. All makes sense now. Interesting how many of our cab drivers and restaurant owners run from the healthiest, most magical, peaceful place on earth, where no one has even a mean thought, to come to America and indulge in its big bad capitalism. Must have misplaced their moral compass.

Ed Begley is great. I'm a fan of intelligent, talented, environmentally-conscious people like him too. If any more than the handful of us that actually know who he is were also aware of his existence and came after him in the right set of circumstances, he could just as easily be driven to a violent outburst as well (no matter how many previous times he avoided provocation), & although I don't condone it, I wouldn't shun him and declare him a menace to society for doing so. Violent thoughts don't always lead to violent action, but it isn't possible for any human being to ensure circumvention of their aggression all of the time, no matter how careful they try to be.

We have a saying in America, "Treat others as you wish to be treated". Easier said than done under pressure. The paparazzi should heed that advice every bit as Byrne. Incidentally, exactly what kind of Karma comes back to a person who selectively crosses someone off her list for one careless mistake? Not very Zen. There is hope for all, even the paparazzi. To say there is not is to give them an excuse to justify their irresponsibility. All of us are prone to human error, and we all have the power to correct our misdeeds.

Posted at 11:31PM on May 16th 2007 by Brigid

38. Who says I don't forgive Mr. Byrne, or that he should never be forgiven? He terrifies me right now. I don't enjoy watching films where the actor scares me.

Why all the India references in my posts? Well it's because of Mr. Byrne himself. See, though Mr. Byrne is a proud Irishman he is also a professed Indo-phile. I have seen and taped many interviews of Mr. Byrne's in the past 27 years. He himself in many interviews has said things like he believes in karma and dharma. Mr. Byrne has said he thinks very highly of the peoples of South Asia. Gabriel Byrne has also mentioned many times he thinks Indian philosophy is the closest to the truth.

In other interviews he has said he think Indian women (i.e. South Asian women) are the most beautiful in the world. (B.T.W. the Aishwarya Rai remark in my last post was not meant to be taken seriously, things were just getting too heavy; I needed to put a laugh there.) Speaking of Ms Rai, Mr. Byrne said hands down she is the most beautiful woman in the world.
In working with Mira Nair, Mr. Byrne said that she posed the innate grace, class and beauty you only find in Indian women. He himself gave the line that "Indian women have the most beautiful sweet smelling hair in the world."

When asked who he thought was the greatest human being who ever lived was, Mr. Byrne answered with out hesitation, "Mahatma Gandhi."
On religion, though a professed atheist, Mr. Byrne stated that "The religions of India are the closest to the truth, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism, they are not hampered by the guilt and judgmentalism of the Abramic faiths.Except for the caste i.e. varna system."
Mr. Byrne himself has talked long and hard about ahimsa.
I'm just saying Mr. Byrne should live what he says he believes in. Mr. Begley lives what he believes.

I live in New York City. I've passed Mr. Byrne on the streets many times. I won't say where. I have never bothered him. I don't like to invade people's space. He likes one of New York City's Little India's. I won't say which one. I can tell you he likes desi women; he can't stop looking at us. I caught him sniffing the air after a beautiful young Indian woman in traditional South Asian clothes passed him by. No it wasn't me, but I have proof he does like the way our hair smells.
Mr. Byrne likes to eat in one of my favorite Indian restaurants; I've seen him there many times when I go in to eat. I'm not saying which one. The desi cab drivers love him, so I knew of what I wrote in my last post. It seems Mr. Byrne speaks Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi. Many of us desi's consider Mr. Byrne an honorary desi.

Interesting to mention the paparazzi being paid, Mr. Byrne doesn't work for free. He gets paid a lot of money for the roles he plays. All actors of Mr. Byrne's pay also swear allegiance to the almighty dollar. Mr. Byrne is a very wealthy man. Many of the films he's done in the past few years have been utter garbage. "Enemy of the state", "Stigmata", "End of Days", "Ghost ship", "Assault on precinct 13"' anyone? Interesting because Mr. Byrne has stated actors get paid too much money. He sure did for garbage like that. Mr. Byrne is as bourgeoisie as they come.

Posted at 10:09AM on May 17th 2007 by MissIndiaM(Sarasvarti)

39. The world is a beautiful place, full of mostly good people. My hero Mahatma Gandhi also saw people as mostly good. The reason I'm so angry at Mr. Byrne is what he did seemed so out of character for him, he seemed like a very nice person, but now if I were to pass him on the New York streets, I would walk the other way. Frankly Mr. Byrne terrifies me right now.
Mr. Byrne is vocally against the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. He stood up for us desis after 9-11, saying it was and is wrong and ignorant to assume that people are terrorists because of their skin color.
Mr. Byrne going to India and an ashram would be good for him. In an ashram you give up all your worldly goods and live communally. Living in India for a while, he will see all the poverty up close and personal. He will realize how good we have it in the west, and how dare we complain! I know his heart would fill up with empathy.
There is another reason I'm angry with Mr. Byrne, he hosted a $4,000 per person soirée for Hillary Clinton last month at his home. Hillary wasn't there, Bill Clinton was. They raised $5000,000 for Hillary. Do you know how obscene that is? New York has its worst homeless crises ever! How many homeless people could have been fed, clothed and housed with that money? How many Indian girls could have been educated with that money, and not have to be forced into early marriage, prostitution, or sewing clothes for $1 an hour?
I had always thought of Gabriel as a man of the proletariat. Instead he showed himself a tool of the bourgeoisie.

Posted at 10:19AM on May 17th 2007 by MissIndiaM(Sarasvarti)

40. I appreciate your comments and I get what you're saying. It's disappointing when we as human beings make mistakes and disappoint each other. My point is that we are all subject to such failings and India is hardly exempt. Its people are no better or worse. It appeared to me that you were intimating that the philosophy of India was the only acceptable one for us to follow, the sole true and honest one, and yet, none of you seem to be able to stomach actually living there on a permanent basis, giving up all worldly goods voluntarily. The sentiments of George Orwell's characters in Animal Farm ring true. "Everyone is equal, but some are more equal than others." If you want to talk about practicing what you preach, you gotta live it I agree. I mean if one can afford such restaurants in New York, you're not living the life of ashram, you're living the American dream. Nothing wrong with that. You work hard, earn money honestly in ways that do not hurt others, why not? It just strikes me as hypocritical then that very few, even India's own people can resist the supposed ill-gotten trappings of America. People decry the greed and selfishness of America, but then risk their lives to get here and remain here. Why isn't everyone flocking to India, including Mr. Byrne?

And its not just a state of mind, think it, you will become it. It is most certainly in our best efforts to try to live in peace, but it won't happen if we turn our backs on everyone who disappoints us. It's a very narrow way of thinking, not in keeping with Ghandi's ideas, who for the record was no stranger to misdeeds himself. Sounds to me like a perfect example of saying one thing and doing another, which is exactly what Mr. Byrne was being accused of. From what I've read, Byrne has rejected all religion, not just his Catholic upbringing, and does not believe in any God. It seems to me he is searching like the rest of us and ought to be given the benefit of the doubt. Certainly enough of it was reserved for the paparazzi, whose actions we were not privy to. It's unfair to expect perfection from any human being. By the way, I was aware that the reference to Ms. Rai was a joke. I responded in kind with a joke of my own. No offense intended.

The fact that you stated you would never watch his films or plays ever again, that you lost all respect for him, that you crossed him off of your list, & would behave in such a juvenile manner as to go out of your way to avoid crossing paths with him, gave me a bit of a hint that perhaps you had not forgiven him. Must have misunderstood. Sounded awfully judgmental to me, especially after knowing the viciousness of the paparazzi, & not having known what circumstances led up to his actions (might have been the last straw in a series of stalkings).

If an actor does his job and embodies a character, those who view his performance should no longer see the actor, but the person he is portraying, so the actor's personal life should have no bearing on how one feels about his performance. Alec Baldwin's actions for example were out of line, but it doesn't change the fact that he's a great actor. To me that's like saying I should boycott every actor who plays any role of an amoral person because I find such people intolerable. My point about his having played many conflicted characters was meant to show that everyone one of us are capable of good and bad, hatred and forgiveness, and that no philosophy will protect us from acting on those emotions at all times. As for labeling his films as trash, that's a matter of opinion not fact. Jindabyne, Wah-Wah, Leningrad etc got very little attention but were of excellent quality. The majority of his films are low-budget indies for which he is paid very little.

Posted at 11:30PM on May 17th 2007 by Brigid

41. Actors are overpaid, no argument there, but everyone has a right to privacy. Besides, he doesn't get paid to ruin peoples lives. He is paid to illuminate the human condition via stage & screen. He should be able to go anywhere he wants without being harassed. If he did this at a premiere, where paparazzi is an expected part of the event fine, but this is not the case.

I'm no fan of Hillary, but those who contribute to her campaign are likely hoping to enable her to be elected in an effort to enact positive change all over the world, & not just for India. Individuals can do a lot of good, but the government needs to take effective stances as well. Unfortunately it takes money to get elected. Besides, we have no indication that he hasn't contributed funds to help people in India. Byrne's concerns are not limited to India. If your loyalties are solely with India, why live here, especially if we're all so beneath your high standards? Despite my worldwide concerns, my homeland is America. Permanent residency here means primary loyalties must be to America. Otherwise why stay here? I couldn't go live elsewhere and expect them to speak my language or conform to my American ways. If I made it my home there, my fidelity would have to be to them & their customs. Gabriel's interests encompass far more than just India, as they are hardly the only people who have troubles in this world. He hosted the fundraiser at his home for private Irish-American citizens concerned about immigration, yet the tabloid journalists thought it was within their rights to leak his personal home address to the public. Should he have hosted in honor of India's poor? Is that his obligation just because he mentioned admiration for Gandhi & India in a smattering of interviews? Does he seek out desi cab drivers specifically? I wasn't aware we had a choice. And what if he just likes the atmosphere of II Sole, the particular dishes they serve (as opposed to the fact that it's Indian) & its proximity to his home? Does eating there mean one supports India necessarily, & that he must adhere to its philosophy just because he admires it? I admire the work of nurses & teachers but I don't wish to become one.

We don't even know for certain that he was indeed planning to eat at II Sole, & if he was, perhaps he was meeting someone there. What if this person chose the place not him, and suppose he was trying to discreetly avoid detection in order to protect that person's privacy? He may have politely & repeatedly requested that the paps stop & they kept egging him on, insulting him or his family. Words can be daggers in your heart. Perhaps it was an extreme measure of self-defense. He may have tried to keep his cool but failed. Ed Begley practices what he preaches only as far as we know. Byrne repeatedly admits he's often conflicted and states that is why he seeks out such roles due to those innately human qualities. Life is messy & most often out of control. Byrne's trip to Africa was reported to have raised his awareness of the difficulties there. He's seen poverty up close and personal & has tried to help them. He loved the people there too. Doesn't mean he needs to live as they do and conform to their beliefs. We all fall prey to temptations, & celebs are no exception. "Judge not lest ye be judged."

Posted at 11:34PM on May 17th 2007 by Brigid

42. No offense intended, but you sound like a bit of a stalker yourself. You caught him sniffing the air after a desi girl walked by? Just how intently do you watch him? How often do you accidentally bump into this guy, or pump cab drivers for info about him? Shouldn't he be scared of you? (joke joke joke) I'm sure working with Mira Nair was interesting, and he likely had a wonderful opportunity to speak with her at great length about India and was very impressed. It seems to me from interviews I've read that he is keenly interested in other cultures and the world around him, & so likely asks a lot of questions whenever he has the opportunity. What he says in interviews appears to reflect his experience with the people he has just worked with as much as the subject matter of the film. There is a lot of down time in between scenes where actors do a lot of research and engage in thought-provoking conversations with people of various backgrounds, faiths, opinions etc. That's probably why he finds acting so attractive. And he has no control over how a film turns out. Scripts often look great initially and come out all wrong. Besides, what appeals to one may not to another. Doesn't certify as bad just because some don't like it.

He knows his appeal and how to use it to pump up interviews by saying provocative things about what he has learned. Working with Nair prompted talk about India. Then in typical Irish fashion, he pours on the Irish charm the way my grandfather used to do, laying on the compliments, & lavishing praise along with a bit of blarney. Then future interviewers pick upon these provocative statements again & again, and he gleefully plays along, adding more accolades each time. He isn't necessarily eager to expound on the subject of India himself. He's responding to questions he is asked. I'm sure he thoroughly enjoys the effect his plaudits have on women. He's made similar comments about other types of women & they buy it hook, line & sinker. I wouldn't invest too much in his statements. I don't think he's lying, but I doubt he's obsessed with any one type of woman, food etc.

He gets to travel and learn about people in a way he couldn't being a plumber. The financial freedom of an actor is impressive, but I doubt it's the main attraction for him. The fame aspect likely is the biggest drawback. It must be endured to a certain extent, but the right to privacy does apply to him. He does have a right to complain. This is America. I just find it difficult to believe he was not provoked. He's smart, but intelligent people can lose their cool. Wasn't a smart move, but understandable at least, & possible from ANYONE. As another poster pointed out, the other patrons didn't seem put off by his actions & no assault charges that we know of were filed. TMZ got the money shot reaction they wanted & it looks as if they expected something to get broken. Very calm reaction from them. Of course they probably would've been happier if this woman had gotten hurt so they could sue. More publicity that way. Malcolm X worked just as diligently for peace as MLK, yet many viewed him as violent. He simply believed in self-defense. It did not prevent them (along with Gandhi) from coming to similar violent ends. Harmony is not achieved in only one manner. Perhaps Byrne was fighting back & got carried away.

Posted at 5:56AM on May 18th 2007 by Brigid

43. I never said India is “healthiest, most magical, peaceful place on earth”. Those are your words not mine. The reason I think Mr. Byrne should go and live in India for a while is he will be confronted with the immense poverty, the bugs, the heat, the filth, the disease, the sectarian violence, the female infanticide, the dowry murder, the subhuman treatment of the dalits (untouchables), the young girls forced into early marriage, the millions of people living on less than $1 a day. It doesn’t get more real than that. Mr. Byrne needs a big dose of reality. To get out of the false bourgeoisie life style he’s living.
What’s wrong with living communally? What’s wrong with everyone sharing, and there are no rich or poor anymore? No one owning land, no one ever going hungry, or homeless? Yes, I am anti-capitalist.

Me I’m an A.B.C.D. (American Born Confused Desi). My dad came here from India to find a better life. Unless you’re saying only some people should be allowed to come to America, and not others? I am an American; I will also always be a desi, and an N.R.I. (Non-resident Indian)
I am proud of my South Asian heritage. India will always be my homeland, America my country. There is a big difference between throwing a chair and leaving one’s country to find a better life in a country where that is possible. Not just going to the U.S., but also Western Europe, Canada, Australia or New Zealand. Mr. Byrne himself did that, first living in the U.K. for eight years, then here in the U.S. for the past twenty.

As for Indian food being the healthiest in the world, I didn’t come up with that. Health expert Garry Null says that. So does Mr. Begley. Because the Indian diet is a mostly plant based diet, as opposed to the western diet which is a mostly animal-fat based diet. Both men are vegans btw. I think Mr. Byrne should become a vegan, vegans are more peaceful. Gandhi, George Bernard Shaw, Leonardo Da Vinci and Saint Francis of Assisi were vegetarians.

I’m sorry, I saw Ms. Rai’s acting in “The bride and prejudice” and the just released “Provoked”. Her acting in both movies is exceptional. One of the finest actors I have ever seen is Indian. Actor Shashi Kapoor is as fine an actor as Peter O’Toole and Mr. Byrne, and could act rings around Al Pacino and Robert Di Nero. Kapoor’s father PritviRaj was also a fine actor, and started a premiere classic theatre company in India. Shashi Kapoor is a classically trained actor. He would be better known if he was white instead of Indian. The movie industry is very racist.

I’m disgusted that some of the posters have defended Mr. Byrne by saying he might have been drunk and has an Irish temper. Defend Mr. Byrne’s actions if you think they were right. However the view of the drunken, violent Irishman belongs in the garbage pail like all stereotypes. Also, Mr. Byrne has made a big thing about giving up drinking and smoking nine years ago. I think he would be very insulted by such references.

Just because I took Mr. Byrne off my list doesn’t mean it will always be so. Right now I think it’s best that I distance myself from him, it would be no different if I knew him in real life. I feel right now as if what I thought about him was all wrong. That is a shock to the system. Time has a way of sorting things out. We’ll just have to see in the future if my feelings change.

Posted at 1:57PM on May 18th 2007 by MissIndiaM(Sarvasvati)

44. The reason why Mr. Byrne scares me is the way he looks in the picture. Forget the one posted on T.M.Z. There’s a better one in the New York Daily News, from May 10th. Even though it’s black and white it’s much clearer. If you look closely at this one you can even see one of the newspapers he’s carrying is The Times of London. I really don’t like the way his eyes look in the photo. He makes no eye contact. That’s bad. The hate and hostility in his eyes are scary. His jaw is clenched and his face is tight. Interestingly if you look closely, he’s having an erection. It’s a very scary photo.
I know it sounds clichéd but Mr. Byrne looks like a raging bull, he’s a Taurus.

Some photos of him in the Irish Voice (May 2-8) are telling. They’re from that Hillary Clinton soirée. On the cover Mr. Byrne makes no eye contact with Bill Clinton or another man. Mr. Clinton shakes Mr. Byrne’s hand and touches his arm. Mr. Byrne makes no eye contact, is looking nowhere and is very uncomfortable with Mr. Clinton touching him. Inside in one photo, Mr. Byrne crosses his arms over his chest, showing he doesn’t want anyone to touch him. Also Mr. Byrne is looking up, and again making no eye contact with Mr. Clinton.
In another photo Mr. Byrne stands next to Mr. Clinton, they both smile, but Mr. Byrne’s smile is very insincere. In the last photo Mr. Byrne is standing with some people. He is looking at the camera; he does not look at his guests. The look on his face is one of contempt. He holds his hands in his pockets, again avoiding human contact.

Mr. Byrne seems to want to avoid touching people. This seems to have been going on for a long time.

The pictures of the soiree look bad for another reason. Most of the guests are Irish (o.k. it was an Irish event); all of the guests are white. In pluralistic America, multi-ethnic New York, Mr. Byrne should have found like-minded people of different ethnicities. The photos have the effect of making Mr. Byrne look like racist, which I know he’s not. It just looks bad, very, very bad.
Also Mr. Byrne said in an interview some years ago he was a socialist. He said, “Capitalism is a system that needs to die.” The Clinton soirée doesn’t jibe with that.

I don’t know maybe he’s having a nervous breakdown. He’s very skinny in both the Clinton soirée photos and the chair-throwing photo. Also in some photos from the Toronto film festival last September. Mr. Byrne looks like he lost 40 to 60 pounds in the past two years, and he was kind of slim before that. He’s close to looking emaciated.

Posted at 2:06PM on May 18th 2007 by MissIndiaM(Sarasvati)

45. Pride in one's heritage is to be encouraged. Passing down generations of family history, customs, traditions language etc is something that should never be allowed to die. People need to know where they come from & should be supported, no question. But if we are American citizens who make America our permanent home, our first loyalty must be to America. We speak many languages, but everyone must be required to learn English in America if they are to live here permanently, and no one should be expected to learn anyone else's language unless they want to. We assimilate. We don't break off into separate sects. No one should be discriminated against. It's a great idea to try to learn each others backgrounds & appreciate them. We must show respect for each other. But American rules and ways must be our primary focus in America. Past generations came here to become Americans, now people seem to come here to grab what they can & maintain loyalty elsewhere. If I moved to France or India, they should expect nothing less from me. I can't expect them to conform to me. I live in their country, I conform to their ways. I don't have the right to demand they speak my language or hire me because I think there needs to be more Americans in high-paying jobs in France. It's ludicrous. That is not to be tolerated and it isn't anywhere else. If we tried that elsewhere we'd be booted out or murdered. Since Gabriel is not an American citizen, he is an honorary American if anything. He feels a loyalty to Ireland because that is his homeland. If he became an American, his first loyalty would be to America, He could do everything he could to see that Ireland gets a fair shake, but Ireland could no longer take first priority.

An anti-capitalist who takes full advantage of capitalism is a contradiction in terms. Why the need to come to America for a better life if we're so racist, greedy, & violent? Why tempt oneself? Why not live the life of ashram full-time among the do-no-wrong-peace-loving people one identifies with most? If life is so full & peaceful and one has no need for worldly goods, what is the better life that people are supposedly seeking in America? Our money & opportunity seems good enough to spend in trendy restaurants & on the finer material things. It seems as though it's ok to take our filthy money and then use it to discredit us while serving one's own personal agenda. Communal living always sounds wonderful, & is fine for a time, but it is subject to numerous difficulties because of normal human weakness, and it's just not everyone's choice, and certainly not the sole solution to the world's problems. It is your IMPLICATION (I never said that you actually made the comment that India was magical) that Indians are somehow superior that I resent. Yet apparently it's not working in India or its people wouldn't be flocking here in droves. What we say & what we hear don't always come through as we intend. I honestly mean no offense. How do they afford to get here in the first place? I can barely afford to take a two day trip out of my own state. Must be nice to have a benefactor sponsoring travel back and forth between countries, & then being able to afford to take the day off work to go to peace marches & rallies etc. I'd love to be able to do that.

If we earn great sums of money, we have a moral obligation to share with others who need help, but we can choose to help anyone we see fit in any manner we choose, in any amount we choose. Africa has all the same dire conditions that India does as do innumerable other countries. Many of us do what we can to help living conditions there as well as try to help people when they decide to move here, to help them assimilate.

Posted at 12:27AM on May 19th 2007 by Brigid