In America we all have the right to freedom of speech and self expression, yet when we use this right in uncommon ways we are labeled as crazy or abnormal. How can we truly enjoy this right if we have to simultaneously live in fear of its negative consequences? If we constantly label unusual behavior as being out of the norm we are limiting our creativity and self expression. When world famous actor/producer/director Tom Cruise went on the Oprah Winfrey show and expressed his love for Katie Holmes he was widely criticized by those in the media for his irrational behavior (Oprah). Even newspapers such as “The Onion” have this to say about Tom, “Item! After I reported last time that Dawson’s cutie Katie Holmes called it quits with her fiancé, I figured we wouldn’t hear from her for a while. Color me wrong! The cutie has been snatched up by none other than Tom Cruise. Wow! Tom certainly did well for himself. Although some would say he’s dating someone half his age, I wish them both a long and prosperous relationship. Let’s hope there are kids in their future” (Harvey). This is anoher example even something as small as who he is dating matters to the American public. In other words, we are so obsessed with Tom that we are interested in anything that is said about him no matter the content refers to. Additionally, when Tom makes dumb statements such as “Psychiatry is a psuedo-science” and “Ritalin is a street-drug” industry profeesionals worry that people will listen to whatever he says although he is not qualified. Organizations such as the American Psychiatric Association publically criticizes Tom and refutes his statements. Why? If these statements are just the spoutings of a famous idiot why does the Psychiatric Assiociation get involved. Because Tom, like it or not, influences the American public. Dr. Harold Koplewicz, M.D. published an article in the Journal of Child and Adolescent Pyschopharmacology saying that he believes that people such as Tom Cruise are very damaging to people in need because his statements, “make people feel uncomfortable about seeking help” (Koplewicz). Although I could not agree more, I also believe that without Tom’s comments these important issues would never be brought up for discussion in the first place. So even though what he said may seem extremely odd to us, it is a perfect example of the amount of freedom we really have here in America. Without people like Tom Cruise who have to guts to show off erratic behavior, we as a society would have no concept as to how far our freedoms really stretch. So here’s to Tom Cruise; thanks for breaking out of the social norms and keeping our individual freedoms alive.
M.L.A.
