Sean Stone, son of famous director Oliver and a budding filmmaker himself, recently arrived at the Toronto Film Festival from Tehran, where he was launching a production company to make movies based in Iranian history and culture. Well-known for such films as Platoon, Wall Street, Natural Born Killers, and World Trade Center, Sean’s father is also notorious for befriending such standard bearers of anti-Americanism and anti-capitalism as Cuba’s Fidel Castro and Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez. In an exclusive interview with the entertainment industry website The Wrap, Sean Stone proved that the nut doesn’t fall far from the tree.
Carrying on his father’s legacy of excusing totalitarians, Stone the Younger defended the Iranian President, apocalyptic madman Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, and supported Iran’s right to arm itself with the ultimate weapon. “Israel has nuclear weapons, Iran has the right to them,” he pointed out. “Every nation has the right to self determination for defense.” Defense? Against threats from Israel? Sean has it exactly backwards. The theocratic regime in Iran, the world’s foremost state sponsor of international terrorism, has been racing to acquire the nuclear weapons that will dangerously alter the balance of power in the Middle East and put Iran in a position to wipe Israel from the map, as Ahmadinejad has pledged to do so many times.
Or has he? Stone claims that Ahmadinejad, a Holocaust denier who suggests that the 9/11 attacks were orchestrated by the U.S. and Israel, and that World Wars I and II were started by Zionists, is merely “misunderstood”:
He did come to America to extend a hand. And there’s a lot of mistranslation, literally, I’ve seen it. Ahmadinejad will say something and it will be mistranslated. A lot of this is bullshit, mistranslation. It’s an aggressive attitude on both parts, mostly on the American side.
America is the real aggressor, and genocidal dictators are just misunderstood. Father Oliver couldn’t have said it better.
Sean Stone, who wants to make films in Iran because “I’m very international-minded,” bristled at criticism of the Iranian regime. It’s “like someone coming to your house and saying the father shouldn’t hit the kids. Who are we to tell them how to rule their country?” A closer analogy would be if the father were not only hitting his own kids, but killing the more rebellious ones and then running all over the neighborhood killing other people’s kids as well, especially the Jewish ones. In which case one would be well within one’s rights to tell him he shouldn’t, and then to force him to stop if he persists.
But “Iran is ruled by law,” Stone protests in the interview. Indeed it is – sharia law. The Iranian morality police patrol the streets enforcing Islamic modesty on anyone sporting Western-style haircuts or dress. Adulterers are stoned there. Gays – even teenagers – are hanged – enabling Ahmadinejad to claim this about homosexuality: “In Iran, we do not have this phenomenon.” But perhaps sharia, like Ahmadinejad, is just misunderstood. And hey, who are we to tell the mullahs how to rule their country?
When the Iranian people themselves tried to have a say in how their country was being run, during the Green Revolution of 2009, the regime brutally suppressed them, killing its own people and raping imprisoned protesters. Sean Stone’s take on this? “People don’t like Ahmadinejad, but that doesn’t warrant a war or an uprising.” He urges patience instead:
Time evolves everything. Time will bring revolution. Iran will change, but never by military force or being pushed.
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My God. The inexplicable mindset of a Hollywood Leftist…embracing a regime that persecutes women, gays and religious minorities as a matter of course. And why?
For one reason: Because it is anti-American.
It not anti american, it because the truth behind this, u know about islam from what u saw on television. How can u become christian even u dont know about jesus. Jesus is a muslim. More than that, Jesus never say that he is christian. Even word "christian" never mention in any bible. so sad u dont know about your religion but easy to condemn other religion…
Hoping it is Juan Lopez, my brother in islam. May Almighty bless you for the endeavour of standing up for the truth! Way to go, bother. Amen!
The world would be a better place without Mullah’s,The revolutionary guards,The Basij creeps,Supreme loser Kahmenei,Ahmedinejad,the Iranian intelligence service(and especially that in the closet gay head of intelligence guy),the moral police and most if the Iranian governement. It’s a big task to get rid of these creepy,sneaky losers,but it is nessesary if we want a safer and more harmonic world with real peace,modern lifestyles and progression towards a more stable and peacefull, safe and positive creative society with the outcome of survival of the human species!!!
FYI, just returning the "courtesy".
The World at large would be better off without the "hollywoodian" hypocrisy, immorality, prostitution (to the highest paying job), corruption, lack of talent (except for the very few), greediness, lack of generosity, cut throats. The opposite is also true and you find it : Q: guess where?, A: in the muslim world!
Boycott Hollywood. What is wrong with these people. Stick political correctness, and lets go for moral correctness!
There are other things to do beside go to movies. These people will all fall in the end, just give it time. Most people reap what they sow.
Why would FPM bother posting this article? What makes you think anyone here cares one iota about the mindset of Oliver “twisted” Stone and his spawn? This took up space that could have otherwise been used for a worthwhile endeavor. Nothing against the Author Mr. Mark Tapson because he does great work. It's just that his talents are wasted, it seems, on such projects. I could have watched my fingernails grow in the time it took me to read this and it would have been as productive!!
StephenD, you raise a great point. It's true that FrontPage readers like you already know that Hollywood is full of Useful Idiots like Stone or Matt Damon, etc., and they're easy for us to dismiss as such. But I write about pop culture a lot (like a Katy Perry piece I did recently) partly because I have one foot in Hollywood but mostly because I think those of us on the Right dismiss them TOO quickly and forget what a powerful, widespread impact pop culture has on people not just in the US but around the world. People like Perry and Oliver Stone and Damon and their work are influential especially with younger generations – if they weren't, dictators like Castro and Chavez wouldn't make a big deal of embracing them publicly. That's the "useful" part of Useful Idiots. Meanwhile filmmakers like Jafar Panahi are imprisoned or otherwise suppressed.
Our enemies "get" that filmmakers shape perceptions. Sean Stone may be just a wannabe filmmaker now, but he's following in his father's footsteps and, thanks to that connection, has a shot at being a real Hollywood player. Even if all he ever does is make marginal documentaries about Iranian culture, he's serving a purpose for the enemy – and we let them get away with it at our peril.
Thanks for the compliment, by the way.
Point well made Mr. Tapson. I appreciate your not taking me to the woodshed on this. Keep up the good work.
Perhaps your having one foot in Hollywood as it were, you can apply some pressure to a few of the "good guys" and get some projects leaning in our direction. They should know there are the silent majority that would support such efforts still alive here in America.
Trust me, there's a rapidly growing conservative movement in Hollywood who are well aware that there's a vast underserved audience out there hungry for entertainment that reflects their values. So we're working on it!
one could wonder how sean stone would feel if iran's present rulers decided to grow a mushroom cloud in his backyard.
True,
Sellek, Roger Simon, Klaven, Angie Harmon, the Fraser star, I forgot his name, Bruckheimer. Here is a list I Googled:
Trace Adkins: Country Music Singer & TV Personality
Danny Aiello: Film Actor
Stephen Baldwin: Actor, Radio Personality
Pat Boone: Singer, Songwriter
Wilfred Brimley: Commercial Actor & Star of Cocoon
Jerry Bruckheimer: TV & Film Producer
James Caan: Legendary Film Actor
Drew Carey: Game Show Host & Former TV Star
Adam Carolla: Former Host of The Man's Show
Tom Clancy: Espionage and Military Science Author
Jon Cryer: Notable Film & TV Actor
Robert Davi: TV & Film Actor
Bo Derek: Model, Film & Television Actress
Dale Earnhardt Jr.: American Race Car Driver
Clint Eastwood: Academy Award Winning Film Actor & Director
John Elway: Hall of Fame Quarterback & Super Bowl MVP with the Denver Broncos
Sara Evans: Country Music Singer
Lou Ferrigno: TV Actor (Star of The Incredible Hulk & King of Queens Guest Star)
Mel Gibson: Film Actor & Academy Award-Winning Director
Kelsey Grammer: TV & Film Actor, Star of TV's Long-Running Series, Frasier
Angie Harmon: TV & Film Actor, Star of TV's Law & Order
Elizabeth Hasslebeck: Former "Survivor" Contestant & Co-Host of The View
Dennis Hopper: Actor, Director & Two-Time Academy Award Nominee
Patricia Heaton: TV Actor, Female Lead in TV's Everybody Loves Raymond
Naomi Judd: Country Music Singer, Actress & Author
Lorenzo Lamas: TV Actor
Heather Locklear: TV & Film Actress
Susan Lucci: Emmy Award-Winning Actress & Soap Star
Dennis Miller: Actor, Stand-Up Comedian & Political Commentator
Chuck Norris: Legendary TV Actor
Ted Nugent: Legendary Musician, Speaker
Richard Petty: Seven-time NASCAR Champion
Johnny Ramone (John Cummings), Legenday Musician, Founder of The Ramones
John Ratzenberger: TV Actor, Voice-Over Personality
Robert James "Kid Rock" Ritchie: Singer, Song Writer & Rapper
Adam Sandler: Legendary Stand-Up Comedian, "Saturday Night Live" Alum & Hollywood Film Star
Pat Sajak: Wheel of Fortune Game Show Host & Political Columnist
Curt Schilling: World Series Champion & Former Phillies, Diamondbacks & Red Sox Pitcher
Tom Selleck: TV & Film Actor
Ron Silver: TV & Film Actor
Jessica Simpson: Singer, Actress & TV Personality
Gary Sinise: Academy Award Nominated Film Actor & TV Star
Sylvester Stallone: Producer, Director, Writer & Legendary Film Actor, Star of Rocky & Rambo Films
Ben Stein: Film Actor, Game Show Host & Political Commentator
John Stossel: Investigative Reporter, Speaker
Janine Turner: Film & TV Actor
Jon Voight: Academy Award-winning Film Actor and Political Activist
Bruce Willis: Legendary Film Actor & Two-Time Emmy Award Winner
Lee Ann Womack: Country Music Singer
James Woods: Noteable Film Actor
David Zucker: Director of Airplane & Naked Gun Films
good luck !:)
I have been concerned by the current administration’s policies towards the Middle East. Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann on Friday expressed regret over the fall of US ally Hosni Mubarak “while President Obama sat on his hands." This sitting on his hands, as I have mentioned several times, goes back to the Iranian uprising in 2009.
Earlier this year Obama attempted to put Israel on the US State Department’s list of State Sponsors of Terror; however, pro-Hamas Turkey is to chair an Obama backed counter-terrorism body. This panel is not to include Israel and is being done quietly, in the shadows of the UN General Assembly this week. Hillary Clinton calls this “smart power approach to counterterrorism,” and described the founding group as “traditional allies, emerging powers and Muslim-majority countries.” I call it another attempt to subjugate the power and strength of America to its enemies.
There is also that little and far too under-reported “want” from the administration to put in a direct phone line to Tehran.
http://msmignoresit.blogspot.com/2011/09/obama-ge…
Why should this surprise us? His old man had his tongue up the A$$ of Ho Chi Minh when he made his anti american films.
Just like his dad, dumber than a box of rocks.
u know about islam from what u saw on television. How can u become christian even u dont know about jesus. Jesus is a muslim. More than that, Jesus never say that he is christian. Even word "christian" never mention in any bible. so sad u dont know about your religion but easy to condemn other religion…
And this just goes to show what happens when you make idiotic assumptions. Basically, I'm a-religious, so, I feel I can be an equal opportunity pain in the butt to any religion. It's just right now Islam is trying to reestablish its last attempt to conquer Europe; you know, the events that led to the Crusades as a means to slow if not stop the idiocy of Islam.
I really do appreciate you doing the Capt. Obvious bit… of course Christian isn't mentioned in the Bible. The formal naming of the religion following the teachings of Christ did not happen until after events described in the Bible.
And just to clarify another bit of misinformation from you Jesus was a Jew.
If he hates america so much and loves Iran so much, why doesn't he move there?
These Ultra Left Hollywood LIberals can afford to attack America and its people. They don't suffer 1 iota for their hatred, but the rest of us suffer economically and our children will pay for their hatred. Can you imagine hating America so much that you would enable a Nuclear Iran..This is total insanity! I will never go to any of Stones movies again.
The old saying is true here:"Like father,like son." In this case,Sean is as much as dipstick as his father ever was.
I admit to being confused when I read the headline. Support Iran's Nuclear ambitions? No way that Oliver Stone is old enough to be Ron Paul's dad. No way!
Ahmadinejad claims that the GOOD AMERICANS love him,
Ahmadinejad Claims that he is the most popular leader of the world,
A big part of the oil income is spent to white washing the Mullahs regime from the daily crimes in the daylight.
This Mullahs regime even do not hidden his crimes, because he claims that the greatest Hollywood Filmmakers approve all his work.
The regime shows stone's support several times in the Prisons to smash the resistance of the prisoners.
The Iranian Filmmaker Jaffar Panahi never criticized the regime, he just showed the miser and injustice of the poor girls and women who are smashed under the this regime, he was arrested and condemned for ten years of jail.
Our 30 years of experience shows us that nobody supports this regime for free, lefty or righty, they are all paid.
Thanks and many thanks to the writer of this article "MARK TAPSON",
I have my family murdered by this regime.
I'm not the only one.
Iran is an extermination CAMP.
Mister Tapson you are doing an human job, please continue.
embarrassing. spoiled schmuck from an ivy league who didn't understand a thing.
He and his father are officially oppressor fan, aka enemy of human dignity.
I am an Iranian. Just can say shame on him closing his eyes on what ahmadinegad and Iranian government do every day on their own country people. It's like instead of sentencing serial killer, saying he has the right to make a gun for himself. …USA should be happy having such a naive critics.