by Linda Burleson

Created on: July 28, 2008

If celebrities are citizens of the United States they are entitled to the same rights as any other citizen. If they have been threatened or have any reason to believe that they are in danger, then perhaps in some instances they should receive an occasional police escort. Jodi Foster and other female celebrities have been stalked, and because this is a crime no matter who is on the receiving end, they deserve protection.

There are consequences for the choices we make in life. Rarely does anyone become a celebrity without having chosen a profession and//or lifestyle that could possibly lead to that end. Tax payers should not have to bear the responsibility of providing police escorts to such people possibly excepting politicians. If they choose to pay off-duty policemen or private "cops" for protection, then I have no problem with it. Most celebrities would have no trouble affording it.

If foreigners who also happen to be celebrities come to this country for concerts, movie premiers, or just to visit and they feel as though they need a police escort, my suggestion would be that they bring them along as part of their paid entourage.

Granted, there are some deranged people out there who want their fifteen minutes of fame, even if it results in prison, and will do harm to a celebrity if they think it will put them in the news. This still does not warrant adding to taxpayers financial onus to protect them.

How often have we known of someone who had been received legitimate threats from someone and called for protection, only to be told that the police could do nothing unless actual violence had occurred? If Joe Q. Citizen receives this kind of response, then so should a celebrity.

From what I read and hear in the news, celebrities are not targeted any more often than others. Every day there are drive by shootings, domestic violence, robberies and random shootings. These crimes almost never involve celebrities. Police have all they can do to cover the danger out there for actual crime. Most police forces are understaffed as it is. To thin them out further by having them escort celebrities is nothing short of foolish.

In pondering those who might actually expect protection from an escort, it occurs to me that they are the Madonnas, the gangsta' rappers, the politically outspoken celebrities who intentionally antagonize certain segments of the population. This does not deserve a police escort. This should not be a part of what made them celebrities, and it is a concious choice to behave in a way that puts them in potential danger, and they should not be protected at my expense. We have free speech in this country, but, I repeat, there are sometimes consequences for our life choices.

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