<p>
<a href=“http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=070427131830.fvijn06c&show_article=1[/url]”>http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=070427131830.fvijn06c&show_article=1</a>
Strange, very strange. Gere was there to do good work, yet he comes away a criminal.</p>
<p>Perhaps this will be an eye-opener for Gere that maybe America is not such a bad place after all. At his age, it’s about time his eyes were opened. :)</p>
<p>[India</a> has a backlog of nuisance lawsuits clogging their legal system.](<a href=“http://writ.news.findlaw.com/ramasastry/20070425.html]India”>http://writ.news.findlaw.com/ramasastry/20070425.html)</p>
<p>I wonder why that sounds familiar?</p>
<p>[Lawsuit Abuse Impact</p>
<p>America’s runaway legal system imposes burdensome costs on workers, consumers, small businesses, and healthcare. The cost of America’s lawsuit-happy culture totals $261 billion a year, or $880 per person, according to seminal research by Tillinghast-Towers Perrin (2006). According to a 2004 study commissioned by the Institute for Legal Reform, small businesses alone pay $88 billion a year to cover the cost of America’s tort system – money that could be used to hire additional workers, expand productivity, and improve employee benefits.](<a href=“http://www.instituteforlegalreform.com/issues/issue.cfm?issue=LAI”>http://www.instituteforlegalreform.com/issues/issue.cfm?issue=LAI</a>)</p>
<p>When has Gere ever said that America is a bad place? I just checked the wikipedia on him, and there’s nothing like that whatsoever.</p>
<p>If you mean his opposition to the war–turns out he was right, Saddam wasn’t an immediate threat to us and deposing him was not in our best interests. </p>
<p>Time to set aside that old, tired meme that the only acceptable course for an American is unquestioning agreement with every random idea that Kagan and Kristol get in their heads.</p>
<p>
This is precisely why it pays to be aware and respectful of different cultural practices and mores.</p>
<p>My brother is a foreign service officer who has served posts in Beijing and Moscow. He also worked a peacekeeping mission in Cambodia. He always takes special care to be respectful of the cultural practices of each country that he visits. That one considers a practice “odd” or “not right” or “not American” is not sufficient reason to discard it in one’s own actions. </p>
<p>If anything, Mr. Gere is “guilty” of not respecting these cultural differences. He should have studied up on them, IMHO.</p>
<p>~berurah</p>
<p>Let’s lighten up, shall we? Gere has always been an avowed liberal–never heard him say much good about the US. He and I were one of the twelve people who voted for Dukakis in '88. 
</p>
<p>My present political allegiance does not, however, in any way detract from my sincere appreciation of his “acting” ability ever since American Gigolo, and even prior to that in Looking for Mr. Goodbar. ;)</p>
<p>Gere did look ridiculous in his mobbing of the actress. I’m not saying he should be sued over it but he should take some time to understand the culture of the country he’s appearing in if he’s going to act-up like he did there. Not everyplace is like the US but I think he would have looked just as foolish had he done that here.</p>
<p>It’s okay. Gere has apologized to Al Sharpton and everything is fine now.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>This country was conceived in liberty, not neoconservatism or theocracy. </p>
<p>Yes, Gere was wrong–and dreadfully so–in India. </p>
<p>But to question his patriotism simply because he doesn’t sing in the neocon choir–and endorse their innumerable trainwrecks–is pathetic. Supposedly even the White House isn’t going to go there anymore.</p>
<p>It isn’t that Gere is a “ugly American”, Bollywood stars have been targeted as well.</p>
<p>from my above link
*This is not the first time that actors have become the target of lawsuits for kissing. In 2004 Kareena Kapoor, another Bollywood actress, sued a Bombay tabloid after it published pictures of her allegedly kissing her boyfriend in a restaurant. And in 2006, when Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai kissed her leading man, Hrithik Roshan, in the Bollywood feature film “Dhoom 2,” a lawyer from the state of Madhya Pradesh filed a criminal lawsuit against the actors. The lawyer had been irked by the kissing scene and his suit accused the two of “lowering the dignity of women” and conveying an improper message to Indian youth.</p>
<p>Only a few days before, another public scandal erupted when a photograph was published of Vasundhara Raje, the female Chief Minister of Rajasthan, air-kissing a woman at a World Economic Forum meeting. The photograph was shot at an angle, which reportedly made it appear as if the two women were kissing on the lips. Several Indian media outlets showed the picture despite protests from commentators who called the photo obscene.*</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.gerefoundation.org/foreword.html[/url]”>http://www.gerefoundation.org/foreword.html</a>
I don’t see anything there that Gere should be ashamed of.</p>
<p>its a cultural issue. Ms. Janet Jackson’s bared breast was deemed illegal a few years back and the broadcasting network was heavily fined. In many parts of the world this would have created nary a stir.</p>
<p>Disclaimer: this is not in defense of Richard Gere.</p>
<p>
India may seem progressive as far as being one of a handful of nations that had a female prime minister 30 years ago. However, of the many countries that I have visited, India stands out as one where women are given very little respect. Lowering the dignity of women!!! Puhleeze!!! Young females are routinely “frisked” by men in crowded public transportation, deliberately bumped into on crowded streets, and only recently was the dowry system outlawed (where brides were murdered by their in-laws for an inadequate dowry). No doubt the mores and customs may dictate all sorts of ‘niceties’ but real life is quite different.</p>
<p>*I will go hide now *</p>
<p>Most of these lawsuits (and this Gere incident) are played up by the media where the media literally makes it an uproar. Also most of the people who object to this are religious extremists. I doubt the common man would have a problem with it. Just last year a Muslim Cleric issued an order for Sania Mirza (femlae Indian tennis star) not to wear a skirt while playing.</p>
<p>
Thanks for the perspective, choc. Actually, I’d charge that every culture demonstrates similar hypocrisy, though it’s certainly a matter of degree. Even so, I do think that a foreign visitor should be especially respectful of a different culture. Your commentary is most interesting…thanks!</p>
<p>~b.</p>
<p>The suit is being pressed by what could be termed a “Moral Majority” whose name overimplies both their concerns and size. Sounds a bit familiar doesn’t it?</p>
<p>;)</p>
<p>Gere was at a condoms awareness festival, come on. It’s not like he’s in the Tai Mahal. Sometimes stuff happens so people can attempt to draw themselves into the spotlight. This is one of those times. Gere was goofy, yes, but he’s an actor and most actors are goofy to begin with…[* except of course ole Moses himself… chuck heston , and let’s not forget…Ronnie] :)</p>
<p>Hey is there any truth to the rumour that the GOP is going to dominate Chuck Norris?</p>