Look To The Stars News: Richard Dreyfuss

Richard Dreyfuss Wants Politics Back In School Curriculum

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:00:00 -0000

Worried that the current generation of American children are on the road to passivity, Richard Dreyfuss wants to make sure that they are reminded of the values and methods that helped form America into the country that it is today.

“You can actually learn the constancy of curiosity, and the constancy of outrage,” said Dreyfuss in an interview with Bill Maher. "You can learn that it is ok to keep asking the questions and to be dissenters. If you’re not taught it, then you don’t know it. But we owe ourselves and the United States that we will pass off to our children to relearn the tools of reason, logic, clarity, dissent, civility and debate. And those things are the non-partisan basis of democracy and without them you can kiss this thing good-bye.

“The expertise needed to understand western enlightenment and civil liberties is not something you’re born with. You have to learn it. We teach our kids what we want them to know, and we don’t teach our kids what we don’t want them to know. That’s not a conspiracy, that’s human nature.… If you don’t teach it, it will go away, and in the middle of the night when the towers fall we will not say ‘What am I responsible for?’ We will say, ‘Tell us what to do,’ … and we’ll chuck these liberties the moment the next terrorist horror happens.”

Not satisfied in only speaking about his concerns, Dreyfuss has taken action. He’s created The Dreyfuus Initiative, a new curriculum that he hopes to have implemented into schools to get children asking questions and discussing civics.

“I stopped defining myself as an actor and I went to Oxford because I believe that America is a miracle,” Dreyfuss told Associated Press. “And I think that there is nothing easier in the world than for us to lose this miracle and to be reduced to words on paper.”

Waterston and Madigan Support National Parks

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 11:30:00 -0000

Sam Waterston and Amy Madigan and are the newest advocates for America’s national parks.

The actors generously donated their time and talent to record radio public service ads for the nonprofit National Parks Conservation Association. The ads, launched in late August, encourage the public to sign a petition to the next president and Congress, seeking their support for national parks.

In previous years, celebrities Morgan Freeman, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Jerry Seinfeld, Richard Dreyfuss, Walter Cronkite, and Cristina Saralegui have recorded public service announcements for the organization’s efforts to protect national parks.

Founded in 1919, the nonpartisan National Parks Conservation Association (www.npca.org) is the leading voice of the American people in protecting and enhancing our National Park System. NPCA, its 340,000 members, and partners work together to protect the park system and preserve our nation’s natural, historical, and cultural heritage for our children and grandchildren.

Affleck Tops Charity Stars in Denver

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:30:00 -0000

Written by Myrlia Purcell

Denver saw an outpouring of celebrity love during last week’s DNC, with Ben Affleck leading the philanthropic pack.

On the Tuesday night, Affleck took part in a poker tournament, along with Richard Dreyfuss and Montel Williams, which ultimately raised over $60,000 for the Paralyzed Veterans of America.

“A lot of important organizations use this environment and the people who are here, celebrities, members of Congress, to try and raise money. This is not a Democratic or Republican group, this is a group serving our veterans,” Affleck said of the charity.

Wednesday morning, the Pearl Harbor star was down at a local food bank, the Food Bank of the Rockies, to participate in a repack event for America’s Second Harvest. Also on hand for the event were members of the Senate Hunger Caucus and members of the House – all there to see who could pack the most boxes of food in five minutes. Affleck, incidentally, won both the poker and the packing events.

He was joined by wife Jennifer Garner for a book reading at the Starz Green Room. Also set to attend were Charlize Theron, Daryl Hannah, Rosario Dawson, Kerry Washington, Josh Brolin, Kal Penn, Stuart Townsend and Hill Harper.

Jennifer Lopez spoke at a reception sponsored by the Jennifer Lopez Foundation in honor of Marian Wright Edelman, founder of the Children’s Defense Fund. Fran Drescher, Ashley Judd and Joy Bryant joined Lopez in honoring Edelman.

The Black Eyed Peas performed at the Fillmore Auditorium for the Creative Coalition, and Kanye West performed at a party benefitting the ONE Campaign. Forest Whitaker, Kal Penn and Jamie Foxx were in attendance at the latter.

Moby performed at a private party for DoSomething.org, and Willie Nelson sang out for the people of Darfur at Red Rocks Amphitheatre.

Look To The Stars News: Richard Dreyfuss

Richard Dreyfuss Wants Politics Back In School Curriculum

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Waterston and Madigan Support National Parks

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Affleck Tops Charity Stars in Denver

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