[Mb-civic] CBC Arts - ACTRESS CRITICIZED FOR QUESTIONING SEPT. 11 ATTACKS

Wed Apr 27 05:53:14 PDT 2005

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The following is a news item posted on CBC ARTS
at http://www.cbc.ca/arts
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ACTRESS CRITICIZED FOR QUESTIONING SEPT. 11 ATTACKS
WebPosted Tue Apr 26 18:42:12 2005

NEW YORK---The website of actress Maggie Gyllenhaal has been flooded with
negative posts after she suggested the U.S. is partly to blame for the
Sept. 11 attacks.

Gyllenhaal, 27, said in an interview last week that America "is
responsible in some way" for the suicide skyjackings.

Her comments came prior to the debut of The Great New Wonderful , a film
about New Yorkers coping with the aftermath of the destruction of the
World Trade Center in 2001.

Her official site was choked with critical posts, prompting the editor to
turn off the electronic forum.

"I have taken away the comments system, because it's gotten too outta
hand," the editor wrote.

In a statement, the star of such films as Secretary and Donnie Darko said
Sept. 11 was "an occasion to be brave enough to ask some serious
questions about America's role in the world. Because it is always useful
as individuals or nations to ask how we may have knowingly or unknowingly
contributed to this conflict."

"Not to have the courage to ask these questions of ourselves is to betray
the victims of 9/11," she added, saying she grieves for "everyone who
suffered and everyone who died in the catastrophe."

In another message, the site's editor stressed that the young performer
did not say the U.S. deserved the attacks.

Gyllenhaal plays Emma in The Great New Wonderful , one of a number of
movies soon to land in theatres or currently in production that touch
on Sept. 11.

It had its debut at the Tribeca Film Festival, which was established by
actor Robert De Niro to help boost the economy of Manhattan after the
attacks. The event runs until May 1.

Gyllenhaal is the older sister of actor Jake Gyllenhaal, who was in
Iqaluit for last week's Earth Day protest.