Justine Bateman: Trump Win a Victory for Free Speech
'Family Times' alum-turned-activist reacts to Trump's landslide victory
We haven’t seen much of Justine Bateman of late.
The “Family Ties” star worked consistently in the 1980s and 1990s, but in recent years she’s stayed mostly away from the spotlight. She turned to writing and directing, using her celebrity to battle A.I.’s deleterious effect on artists.
Agree or disagree, the 58-year-old is more thoughtful than your average star. She weighs in on tough issues without falling back on sound bites.
It turns out she’s been holding her tongue for the past four years. The election of Donald Trump let her speak freely once more.
Or, as she puts it, she no longer feels the need to “walk on eggshells.”
Decompressing from walking on eggshells for the past four years.
— Justine Bateman (@JustineBateman) November 8, 2024
I have found the last four years to be an almost intolerable period. A very un-American period in that any questioning, any opinions, any likes or dislikes were held up to a very limited list of “permitted positions” in order to assess acceptability.
The period in question stretches back beyond just four years, but her framing of the issue is … noteworthy. She’s neither Left or Right but suggests a second Trump term will cripple the “thought police.”
You won’t find words like “woke” or “cancel culture” in her essay, but everyone knows it’s her target. Most of her celebrity peers have stayed whisper-quiet on the subject both pre- and post-election.
Not Bateman.
Only “permitted position” behavior and speech was “allowed.” Complete intolerance became almost a religion and one’s professional and social life was threatened almost constantly. Those that spoke otherwise were ruined as a warning to others.
Yup. Cancel Culture. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better definition. It’s like she binge-watched MSNBC’s unhinged election coverage and had to fire back.
Those that tried to impose that control maintained a kind of “hall monitor” position by threatening others with damning labels like “Sexist,” “racist,” “homophobic,” etc, when the free-thinking and questioning was nothing of the sort. However, the mob mentality that followed caused these social convictions when there was often no evidence to support them.
The American voter, fed up with this way of thinking, voted for Trump in resounding numbers. Criticize the real estate mogul all day long. Just understand his brand of speech is both free and unfettered.
Americans missed that, apparently, according to the vote totals.
So did Bateman.
I hope free speech gets reinstated on this website and Mel Gibson’s Monster Summer gets a proper review. Hopefully, Daily Wire will lift the ban that forbids any review of this film.
No ban of that film here. I cover as many films as I can and I miss some. It’s that simple. Love Gibson as an artist and this genre appeals to me. I’ll catch up with it ASAP (but this time of year I have to watch as many Oscar-bait films as possible…)
Any chance of a review for Christian Ditter’s The Present starring Isla Fisher and Greg Kinnear? It’s a beautiful kiddie flick overlooked by Woke critics.
They were probably triggered by Greg Kinnear’s Christian credentials in cinema.
Maybe you mean she doesn’t look like Donatella Versace, Jocelyn Wildenstein, Joan Van Ark, Courtney Cox, Madonna, and…shall I go on? Nah, I’ll stop there. It seems to me she’s aged rather nicely—and naturally. I’m sure Carrot Top and Melanie Griffith would agree…
Now that Trump won and freedom of speech is reinstated I hope Daily Wire will let you review Mel Gibson’s Monster House and stop their vendetta against that film’s producers.
So, let’s see if freedom of speech extends to Hollywood in Toto.
Walking on eggshells. And she survived Hollywood’s cancel culture (or so it seems). Good for her. I did not. Too Christian. Too White. Too Male. Too Rightwing. Too Republican (although I’m registered Democrat Party…that didn’t matter). Too Boomer. Too Old. It was either quit, retire or get fired. I was a living, breathing Hostile Work Environment.
Those who disagree with her are likely the people that she was referencing in her criticism. The real fascists voted for Kamala. They’re like the fan club president who will turn on you when they disagree with you.
Wasn’t Justine one of the celebs who publicly denounced Trump in his first term over so called kids in cages at the border? I seem to remember her along with the likes of Mira Sorvino getting face time on news media. Perhaps Justine has seen the light, unlike her brother Jason. She (rightfully) denounces our Gov. here in CA on a regular basis as well. Good on her if so. We could all use a bit more enlightenment.
Oh, I love exercising my free speech!
Justine Bateman has aged like raw milk.
You mean she doesn’t look like Donatella Versace, Jocelyn Wildenstein, Joan Van Ark, Courtney Cox, Madonna, and…shall I go on? Nah, I’ll stop there. It seems to me she’s aged rather nicely—and naturally. I’m sure Carrot Top and Melanie Griffith would agree…
Agreed. She’s still a beautiful woman. I had a major crush on her as a kid. She was the main reason I watched Family Ties.
Only a misogynist feels the need to go online and criticize a woman’s looks. I suppose you would prefer she spend tens of thousands of dollars on plastic surgery to make her look more acceptable to you? Like the vast majority of Hollywood? How very shallow of you!
Would you prefer her to age like Benjamin Button? She looks good for her age, especially with no artificial enhancements. Having the discipline and good sense to not endlessly chase youth and vanity with plastic surgery and having good common sense are attractive traits. Sounds like a rare down to earth celebrity.