Wednesday, 15 November, 2000, 02:09 GMT
Heston attacks British gun
laws
Actor Charlton Heston surprised some by reading from an
autocue
Hollywood actor Charlton Heston has attacked the UK's
anti-gun laws in a speech to students at Oxford
University.
The Oscar-winning actor, and president of the influential
National Rifle Association (NRA) in the US, said British
anti-gun laws had led to an increase in gun-related
crime.
In an address to the Oxford Union, he said the right to
carry arms, enshrined in the US Constitution,
maintained freedom and actually saved lives.
He described the UK's anti-gun laws as nothing but
"cultural cowardice and a subtle form of surrender to the
criminals".
The actor said those UK laws
were the result of an
unwritten constitution which
gave politicians too much
power.
He said: "I have spent my
life in service to these two
sacred sets of work. The gift
of human passion in William
Shakespeare and the gift of human freedom enshrined
in the American bill of human rights."
The staunch Republican supporter, and a campaigner
for Governor George W Bush, also described the
cliff-hanger US elections as a mess.
Mr Heston said: "I think Mr Gore is filing these lawsuits
and it is inappropriate."
"It certainly is making a mess of things as they stand."
He added: "Whichever man is installed in the Oval
Office will have his tenure in question. He will not have
an easy time."
The NRA vociferously opposed Al Gore in the build-up to
the recent US election.
The76-year-old actor
surprised some by reading
from an autocue at the
Oxford Union, which has
witnessed speeches from
political leaders and
celebrities.
In a well-researched,
carefully-argued speech he
spoke little of his cinematic
career and instead spoke
about his fight to retain the
right to bear arms.
He said: "I submit that the
freedom I advance saves
lives and the freedoms
denied in this country do
not only cost lives but cheapen lives."
He told the assembled students: "Since the Labour
Government banned hand guns in 1997 firearms crimes
have risen."
Mr Heston said he would be "safer stepping off the
plane in Los Angeles... than walking the streets of
London."
The NRA has five million members and is widely
regarded as one of the most powerful private interests
lobby groups in the US.
"Before you look fretfully down your noses, ask
yourselves why crime is on the rise because we need
more gun laws or because we need to enforce the laws
you have."
'Unfashionable cause'
The actor said that defending firearms freedom was not
fashionable in Hollywood and denied that the NRA was a
gun lobby.
"Possession of a gun does not make a man a criminal
or more likely to commit a crime," he argued.
Some questions from students about the role of the
NRA and the nature of gun violence in the US were
ignored.
Mr Heston described the American Constitution as an
"almost flawless" document and said the bill of human
rights "deepened and expanded" the place of the US in
the world.
Mr Heston has starred in some of the greatest movies
ever to have come out of Hollywood.
He took lead roles in epics Ben Hur, El Cid and The Ten
Commandments.
One of his favourite films,
he said, was Planet of the
Apes, which is being
re-made by Batman director
Tim Burton.
The veteran said he was in
discussions with the
producers to take a cameo
role in the film.
But he said he doubted the
original could be bettered.
"It has got the best ending
of any film", referring to the
scene when his character
confronts a broken Statue
of Liberty embedded in the
sand.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/entertainment/newsid_1024000/1024076.stm
see also: http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/scotland/newsid_1025000/1025065.stm
Heston attacks British gun
laws
Actor Charlton Heston surprised some by reading from an
autocue
Hollywood actor Charlton Heston has attacked the UK's
anti-gun laws in a speech to students at Oxford
University.
The Oscar-winning actor, and president of the influential
National Rifle Association (NRA) in the US, said British
anti-gun laws had led to an increase in gun-related
crime.
In an address to the Oxford Union, he said the right to
carry arms, enshrined in the US Constitution,
maintained freedom and actually saved lives.
He described the UK's anti-gun laws as nothing but
"cultural cowardice and a subtle form of surrender to the
criminals".
The actor said those UK laws
were the result of an
unwritten constitution which
gave politicians too much
power.
He said: "I have spent my
life in service to these two
sacred sets of work. The gift
of human passion in William
Shakespeare and the gift of human freedom enshrined
in the American bill of human rights."
The staunch Republican supporter, and a campaigner
for Governor George W Bush, also described the
cliff-hanger US elections as a mess.
Mr Heston said: "I think Mr Gore is filing these lawsuits
and it is inappropriate."
"It certainly is making a mess of things as they stand."
He added: "Whichever man is installed in the Oval
Office will have his tenure in question. He will not have
an easy time."
The NRA vociferously opposed Al Gore in the build-up to
the recent US election.
The76-year-old actor
surprised some by reading
from an autocue at the
Oxford Union, which has
witnessed speeches from
political leaders and
celebrities.
In a well-researched,
carefully-argued speech he
spoke little of his cinematic
career and instead spoke
about his fight to retain the
right to bear arms.
He said: "I submit that the
freedom I advance saves
lives and the freedoms
denied in this country do
not only cost lives but cheapen lives."
He told the assembled students: "Since the Labour
Government banned hand guns in 1997 firearms crimes
have risen."
Mr Heston said he would be "safer stepping off the
plane in Los Angeles... than walking the streets of
London."
The NRA has five million members and is widely
regarded as one of the most powerful private interests
lobby groups in the US.
"Before you look fretfully down your noses, ask
yourselves why crime is on the rise because we need
more gun laws or because we need to enforce the laws
you have."
'Unfashionable cause'
The actor said that defending firearms freedom was not
fashionable in Hollywood and denied that the NRA was a
gun lobby.
"Possession of a gun does not make a man a criminal
or more likely to commit a crime," he argued.
Some questions from students about the role of the
NRA and the nature of gun violence in the US were
ignored.
Mr Heston described the American Constitution as an
"almost flawless" document and said the bill of human
rights "deepened and expanded" the place of the US in
the world.
Mr Heston has starred in some of the greatest movies
ever to have come out of Hollywood.
He took lead roles in epics Ben Hur, El Cid and The Ten
Commandments.
One of his favourite films,
he said, was Planet of the
Apes, which is being
re-made by Batman director
Tim Burton.
The veteran said he was in
discussions with the
producers to take a cameo
role in the film.
But he said he doubted the
original could be bettered.
"It has got the best ending
of any film", referring to the
scene when his character
confronts a broken Statue
of Liberty embedded in the
sand.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/entertainment/newsid_1024000/1024076.stm
see also: http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/scotland/newsid_1025000/1025065.stm