Quentin Tarantino: boycotting my movie over my stupid comments violates my 1st Amendment rights

As you're probably aware, filmmaker Quentin Tarantino attended an October 24 rally against police brutality. There, he declared “I’m a human being with a conscience. And when I see murder I cannot stand by. And I have to call the murdered the murdered and I have to call the murderers the murderers.” After his comments ignited a firestorm of controversy, Tarantino indicated that he was only speaking about specific cases, saying: “in those cases in particular that we’re talking about, I actually do believe that they were murder. Now, in the case of Walter Scott, who was the man running in the park and was shot in the back, and the case of Sam DuBose, I believe those were murder, and they were deemed murder. And the reason — and the only reason they were deemed murder is because the incidences were caught on video."

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Of course, implicit in his clarification is the concept that there's a widespread "police murder problem" that isn't being addressed because the cameras aren't rolling - something that's simply not the case. Now, the calls for a boycott of his upcoming film, The Hateful 8 are growing, and Tarantino is shocked. He seems to think that such a backlash violates his 1st Amendment rights.

"Yeah. I was surprised. I was under the impression I was an american and that I had 1st Amendment rights, and there was no problem with me going to an anti-police brutality protest, and speaking my mind. And just because I was at an anti-police brutality protest doesn’t mean I’m anti-police."

This, obviously, proves that you don't have to be a genius to make great movies. No, Mr. Tarantino. A boycott doesn't violate your rights. Your free speech is safe and sound, as indicated by your initial comments, your multiple TV interviews, and the film which will be opening on thousands of screens this Christmas.

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You are an American, and as such you have the right to say whatever you want, no matter how wrong-headed it may be. You did that. Now, it's everyone else’s turn to do the same. Liberals like Tarantino love to believe that, somehow, the 1st Amendment guarantees that their speech will be heard, respected, and agreed with. It doesn't. You have the right to say what you want, but everyone who hears it has the right to despise you for saying it. If you shoot your mouth off and the people reject you, you'd better be prepared to deal with the fallout. In this case, they don't feel like putting money in your pocket. Too damn bad. Allow us to disabuse you of the notion that the 1st Amendment protects some mythical right to be applauded. Free speech is a two-way street. A boycott of your latest opus is a way for the people you've offended to make their speech heard.

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