There appears to be bipartisan support in Congress for a private screening of “The Interview” in the nation’s capital.
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Both Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) and Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) have separately called for screenings of the Sony Pictures film on Capitol Hill.
While Vitter appealed to President Obama last week about a screening at the White House, Sherman sent a letter directly to Sony CEO Michael Lynton asking that the movie studio show the film for members of Congress, according to The Hill.
“I think it’s important for Congress to know, and see, what we are talking about,” wrote Sherman in the letter. “Screening ‘The Interview’ will demonstrate the U.S. Congress’s support of the freedom of speech.”
He said that it is the “responsibility” of the government to both protect Americans from threats and also stand up for their First Amendment rights.
“It is now the responsibility of the U.S. government to allocate the necessary resources to ensure moviegoers’ safety,” explained Sherman. “This is about our right to live without fear, and knowing that our values will not be compromised by the idle threats of a despotic regime.”
In an interview with The Hill, Sherman also emphasized the need for more funding to go to Voice of America, the government’s external broadcast company that delivers news to other countries like North Korea.
He said such funding would help the U.S. accomplish the “proper response” to the threats coming from North Korea about “The Interview.”
“The proper response to their terror against our free speech is to give them a double dose of free speech,” affirmed Sherman.
Currently, Voice of America broadcasts 11 hours of radio into the country from a South Korean tower, but Sherman said this should be increased.
“We’ve got to go to 24 hours a day,” the California lawmaker explained. “What we need to do is build our own tower and aim it right at North Korea.”
