It's not just Trump, but system, says Oliver Stone

Filmmaker Oliver Stone, who was at the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW), ceremony to accept the Laurel Award, said its "fashionable" now to take shots at US President Donald Trump. But he strongly feels the issue is not just about one leader.

Like at most of the awards ceremonies this year, the Writers Guild Awards (WGA) ceremony on February 19 was being fairly Trump-heavy, including several shots at the President.

Stone reminded filmmakers that "you can be critical of your government and your society", reports variety.com, "you don't have to fit in."

"It's fashionable now to take shots at Republicans and Trump and avoid the Obamas and Clintons. But remember this: In the 13 wars we have started over the last 30 years and the $14 trillion we've spent, and the hundreds of thousands of lives that have perished from this earth, remember that it wasn't one leader, but a system, both Republican and Democrat."

Stone said, "Call it what you will: the military industrial money media security complex. It's a system that has been perpetuated under the guise that these are just wars justifiable in the name of our flag that flies so proudly."

Stone said: "(The) country has become more prosperous for many but in the name of that wealth we cannot justify our system as a center for the world's values. But we continue to create such chaos and wars. No need to go through the victims, but we know we've intervened in more than 100 countries with invasion, regime change, economic chaos. Or hired war. It's war of some kind."

"In the end, it's become a system leading to the death of this planet and the extinction of us all."

Stone has never shied away from politics. During a speech at the Gotham Independent Film Awards in November last year, the "Snowden" director made a point to make a reference to the national security under a Trump administration.

--IANS

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