For example, in September 2002, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., upon returning from a European trip, said, "As an American I've always been proud. I have a (U.S. flag) pin. I was embarrassed to wear it."
At a Berlin film festival, actor Dustin Hoffman said, "For me as an American, the most painful aspect of this is that I believe that (the Bush) administration has taken the events of 9-11 and has manipulated the grief of the country, and I think that's reprehensible."
In London, American director Robert Altman said, "The present government in America I just find disgusting, the idea that George Bush could run a baseball team successfully -- he can't even speak! I just find him an embarrassment. I was over here when the election was on, and I couldn't believe it -- and I'm 76 years old. Then when the Supreme Court came in and turned out to be a totally political animal, the last shred of any naivete that was left in me has gone. When I see an American flag flying, it's a joke."
In Brazil, actor Danny Glover said, "Yes, (Bush) is racist. We all knew that, but the world is only finding it out now."
Actor Sean Penn, on his infamous "fact-finding" mission in Iraq, said, "If there is a war or continued sanctions against Iraq, the blood of Americans and Iraqis alike will be on our hands."
Also in Berlin, director Spike Lee said, " . . . It's ludicrous to expect the whole world to follow what (George W. Bush and Tony Blair) want. . . . America doesn't have the right to tell other people what to do. To say the whole world has to fall into line is you-know-what. I hope more people will rise up."
Call it the "Stockholm Syndrome," a coping mechanism also known as the Survival Identification Syndrome, the Common Sense Syndrome, or, simply, transference -- usually consisting of three components that may occur separately or in combination with one another: negative feelings on the part of the hostage toward authorities, positive feelings on the part of the hostage toward the hostage taker, and positive feelings reciprocated by the hostage taker toward the hostage. (FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin)
Until scientists come up with a vaccine for the Stockholm Syndrome, a copy of Frederick Douglass' speech perhaps serves as a temporary treatment.