U.S. Congressman Fred Keller (R-PA) issued this statement in response to Joaquin Phoenix’s Oscar acceptance speech:
“Congressman Fred Keller Slams Joaquin Phoenix’s Anti-Dairy Oscar Acceptance Speech.”
“Joaquin Phoenix winning Best Actor for playing the Joker fits him to a T because his comments would have been laughable were they not so offensive. Phoenix’s rambling remarks about America’s dairy industry prove how out-of-touch he is with the hardworking Americans who grow our food and create healthy communities. Phoenix’s Hollywood-elite world view has clearly blinded him to the sacrifice and struggles of America’s dairy farmers. When I travel Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional District and meet with farmers, I am always impressed with their work-ethic, thoughtfulness, and desire to help others despite facing generational industrial hardships and a libelous onslaught from anti-dairy activists. The callousness he showed in his speech last night proves he needs to get out of his Hollywood bubble to see how real Americans make a living. His remarks were detestable not just to me, but to the many hardworking family farmers across Pennsylvania’s 12th Congressional District with whom I speak with on a regular basis.”
Here’s my response to Congressman Keller:
Dear Congressman Keller,
I found your statement on Joaquin Phoenix’s speech disturbing, misguided, inaccurate, and divisive. You stated Joaquin’s comments were “offensive.” Taking a stand against cruelty and injustice isn’t offensive; it’s courageous and compassionate. You conflated “hardworking Americans” and dairy industry brutality. Joaquin never said farmers aren’t hardworking, but that’s a moot point because nobody deserves praise for working hard at exploitation. Abusing animals is inhumane, whether it happens at a family farm or factory farm. Also, 99% of dairy, meat, and eggs in the U.S. come from factory farms, not family farms, so it’s disingenuous to imply otherwise. You stated that dairy farmers are creating “healthy communities.” Dairy is unhealthy. It’s the reason why the healthier, kinder, and more sustainable plant-based milk industry is booming.
Rather than solely defending dairy farmers–a dying industry, it would help if you spoke for everyone in your district. Joaquin’s views, which he has lived for 40 years, represent the values of many of your constituents, too. And Joaquin doesn’t live in a Hollywood bubble. On the contrary, he’s on the front lines with other brave advocates fighting for social justice causes more significant than his self-interest. As a member of the U.S. Congress, instead of pandering and grandstanding, you should applaud him for using his fame for that purpose.
Joaquin’s remarks weren’t “detestable”–claiming dominion over animals for their milk is detestable. Gaslighting your constituents doesn’t change that reality. The dairy industry is, by definition, horrifying and indefensible. Sadly, Joaquin Phoenix wasn’t joking.
Would you like to share your thoughts with Congressman Keller? You can reach his Washington, D.C. office at (202) 225-3731.
Kirschner's Korner 
So well said as always…
Well said. Thank you.
Hollywood has much bigger problems than the dairy industry like sexual assaults, rape, casting couch, drugs, and paedophiles it’s a cesspool
It may seem that those are “bigger problems,” Robert, but everything is connected. As it turns out the root cause of all those horrid issues and many more is using our fellow animals for human purposes without regard to their needs or desires! To clearly understand the connections (and the solution), please read The World Peace Diet by Dr. Will Tuttle. No one explains it all better. Let’s create a kinder, healthier, more loving world for all living beings.
Makes it no less relevant to expose. Funny when others can’t relate, we deflect to other topics. He is opposed to all oppression
Robert. The much bigger problems than you just mentioned like sexual assaults, rape, drugs, and paedophiles already are happening in the dayri industry.
Please I recommend to watch a 5 minutes video on you tube “DAIRY IS SCARY” By Erin Janud. You will be able to see with your own eyes what is happening in factory farms behind close doors.
These issues along with the mass abuse from the animal ag industry are not exclusive issues and can all be focused on simultaneously.
Of course since nothing else matters but what happens to humans…
They destroy everything else. That’s what happens to humans. No I am not a tree hugging vegan 🙄
You should be! Might help the planet!
AGAIN quit turning spotlight away from the RAPE, KIDNAPPING, MURDER, MENTAL & PHYSICAL PAIN, IMPRISONMENT going on in Dairy farms!!
I thought sexual abuse, rape , casting couch stopped after Harvey Weinstein?
Well said. Let’s keep responding with the facts, and reasons why animals deserve respect, compassion, and not to be exploited and killed by us.
Lol what? Eating ribeyes tonight 🙂
All I can say to that Brett, is I wonder which of the following will be in your future? Heart disease, diabetes, obesity, various cancers, MS, Parkinsons, Alzheimers, Rheumatoid Arthritis…..all of which you are more at risk for, than any of us. Hugely at risk.
Thata not how it works. I am using a healthy diet of meat and animal products to reverse years on the recommended american diet. Look around, it’s not healthy!
Cut out the processed foods, carbs, sugars, soy it is literally killing us and giving many many people mental illnesses due to all the estrogen and other hormones being messed with.
Read up.
You must be reading propaganda from the meat and dairy industries. It’s not your fault. We all grew up believing that animal foods are healthy for us, but it’s not true. Read The China Study by Campbell, Watch “Make Yourself Heart Attack Proof” on YouTube, check out pcrm.org, nutritionfacts.org and vegsource.com on the web and research the info coming from sources that actually care whether we live or die!
Bret, yes, read up is right. Soy is fed to our animals on the daily. Animal products or protein, processed or not feeds our cancer cells. Look around yes to the highest rate of obesity, sluggishness, slow workout recovery, gut issues, not to mention 70% being lactose intolerant that we ignore by not even acknowledging dairy free alternatives but give pills to people so they can continue consuming dairy. They don’t want to start the trend so they skip dairy and eggs and animal proteins in products that don’t require or you’d even think would be in them. All boxed foods have milk in them and that’s by sneaky marketing to keep demand when we don’t even know it. Look it up, yes
Brett, please watch “The Game Changers” documentary on Netflix. We’ll talk later!
It amazes me that you rejoice in the fact that you are morally and ethically depraved. It’s all about you isn’t it.
“The idea that some lives matter less,
is the root of all that is wrong with the world”. – Paul Farmer
You are what is wrong with this world.
Ha ha, really not relevant. Sorry you’re not comprehending.
DIE !!
Brett, you’re sooo funny…! Omg…
Great response. Thank you for posting and I am sharing wherever I can
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Absolutely, Courage & Compassion fired Joaquin’s heartfelt acceptance speech…
They are soooo scared to loose their money. Yes he is an amazing actor and a good person. Yes anymals need defenceless from the hell they are in. And selfish just swallow your pride and stop eating dead bodies. And everybody who criticizes anymal freedom fighters need to be slammed
It’s time the public opened their eyes to see the horror’s of the animal agriculture industry.
Lol I loved that he left us the congressman’s number…. *(thinks to myself…am I too old to prank dial???….nah;)
Sounds like this congressman needs to step out of his elitist political bubble- as it seems that Joaquin’s speech were about many injustices that plague our lives (including sexism, racism, indiginious rights, AND speciesism) and politicians who thumb their nose at. Let me take a guess at his racial demographic (white, 50-60’s, male…?) I’m going to look him up after I make a quick prank call;)
Wow it’s a perfect response.
This was a funny incorrect blog post. I hope your don’t consider yourself a journalist.
Brett, Why are you on this comment board? You’re clearly either a troll or work for the dairy/meat industry. If you’re not interested in opening your eyes to the ethical, health and environmental issues with the dairy and meat industries, then take your trolling elsewhere.
Thank you and perfect reply to a person denying facts in the dairy industry.
Thank you for your wonderful acceptence speech. Well done.
Keller gets his money from the dairy farmers he mentions on Pennsylvania Ave district. He is bought and paid for to say this very thing. There is nothing honorable with owning slaves no matter what species they are. There is nothing honorable in taking away a baby after birth to steal its milk. There is honor in realizing these outdated practices are wrong and using your well earned platform to speak out against them.
Thank God for people like Joaquin who have the guts to say out and loud what so many people think but do not have a platform or the courage to say. You are just hypocrite obviously talking in a very planned manner hoping to please your potential voters. Disgraceful to refuse to acknowledge reality and act on it to change or improve it. Disgraceful to pretend everything is perfect and that only humans have rights.
There are hard working men and women who support compassion and respect for animals as well. You ‘d better stop pretending they don’t exist. Blind and shortsighted.
I drive past hundreds of Dairy farms and 90 percent of them operate like mini-factory farms where animals dont see the light of day !! When I drive past them ALL I SEE IS SCHINDLER’S LIST & ROOTS where people were transportedvia rail or ship to their death or slavery…They are nothing but CONCENTRATION CAMPS, NOTDAIRY FARMS !!!
He’s not forcing his beliefs down anyone’s throat. he’s very politely asking us to maybe rethink our cruel food choices. He didn’t go on adnauseum about his very first OSCAR win now did he? the highest honor for an art form – which he is genius at. He said nothing untrue. Everything he said is backed by thousands of hours of legitimate, undoctored, unedited footage taken by trustworthy registered 501 3C rescues. It’s LARGE SCALE industrial factory dairy farming that’s putting the small rural farmer out of business. And that’s the problem here. its not the small town diary farmer he is speaking of. i feel sorry for any of them that DO practice humanely. but i do not feel sorry for the dairy industry as a whole. with so many alternatives out there, that science has shown are FAR more sustainable than cattle and dairy – and less harmful to the planet; that line every grocery store shelf on the planet now – we don’t need cow products any more. We can obtain protein from many other sources from food. Leave defenseless loving animals alone. Calves need it – we don’t. Moms and their calves want to live as much as you do. written by Lynn Rosa
Thank you! You answered Keller perfectly! Joaquin Phoenix is a Godsend to all people who have hearts for all living beings — actually to everyone who cares about this planet and the future of their offspring. He uses his celebrity status to speak the Truth, no matter what — a noble human being. I guess, in his travels and visits to dairy farms, Keller missed the part where the farmer drags away the bewildered newborn, while the mother cries and cries for her stolen calf. So many ignorant, hard-hearted, greedy legislators in power. Vote them OUT!