Michelle Forbes, Richard Armitage’s co-star in Berlin Station has once again used him and his sway of fandom to tout her personal causes. Not all her fault, though, as he could have asked the right questions, or done a quick Google search. See here and here
Had he done so, he would have learned that Dr. Laurie Glimcher, former Dean of Cornell Medical College and soon to be President and CEO of an acclaimed cancer research and treatment center in Boston, actually resigned from her board position on The New York Blood Center in January, allegedly on account of the protests by animal rights activist relating to the abandoned chimps.
So, not only is Richard Armitage demonstrating against the wrong target, he’s using his considerable fan clout on Twitter to needlessly belittle a woman who, among other achievements, may have helped find a treatment/cure for ovarian cancer.
And he can’t delete the tweet, because it isn’t his to delete.
The previous chapter in this story was Michelle Forbe’s misleading and revealing Twitter statements that Richard Armitage was going vegan.
When is this shoot over?
Armitage Agonistes 
Perry, This was my thought exactly when reading about the issue. Having lost my mother, whom I never knew to cancer, there needs to be animals humanely used for research.
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22nd April, thanks Mahal.
I rarely disliked a person as much as I dislike Forbes. She is everything I refuse and dislike in a human being. And noooo, I am not jealous, for obvious reason.
Can’t wait for the shooting ending. Once again Richard proves he is too prone to support people. He should learn to say no. Or doing his own research. And honestly… with all the world is suffering…
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I know. As much as I love animals, and d feel the plight of these chimps, whatever their history, is very sad, at this particular point in time, and with all else he is saying and supporting, this seems like an unwise move on his part. Some fans didn’t wait two minutes before signal boosting the petition and the gofundme page.
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I’m always a little leery of petitions and funding pages that I’m not familiar with. So I’ll stick with a Humane Society donation.
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It seems almost–but not quite–comical to me how Michelle Forbes is being portrayed by some as seemingly “bewitching” Richard Armitage, because he supports some of her statements/views. Although I loved how he wryly tweeted that he was back on hamburgers! Afterall, Richard Armitage is almost 45 years old. So I would guess that the choices he makes are his own–whether we agree with his viewpoint or not. He’s got big shoulders that can handle praise or blame, I would imagine.
And besides, they both also visited the refugee camp–which most people praised. So not all of Michelle Forbes public issue forays have been viewed negatively. I’m trying to remain “neutral” about my opinion of her viewpoints–or maybe it’s “how” she shares them. So I’m reserving judgement for the moment until I learn more about her “approach” to advocacy/activism for the issues that she is passionate about.
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Yes, I agree. RA is a grown man and he’s capable of deciding what causes he wishes to support. I did some googling too and found the following statement from the Humane Society of the United States:
New York Blood Center Shirks Responsibility for Liberia Chimpanzees
After months of public pressure from individuals and animal protection groups led by The Humane Society of the United States to renew funding for the care of 66 chimpanzees in Liberia, The New York Blood Center issued a statement denying any responsibility for the care of the animals it used over decades for invasive research.
Kathleen Conlee, vice president of animal research issues at The Humane Society of the United States, issued the following response:
“It is appalling that the New York Blood Center is trying to wipe its hands of any responsibility for this colony of chimpanzees that they created and used for their own profit. The Liberian government and the animal welfare community cannot take on the financial burden of caring for these creatures, and they shouldn’t have to. The NYBC has hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue every year and is fully capable of supporting these chimpanzees. We have repeatedly reached out to the Center to find a long-term solution, but all of our requests have been ignored. The NYBC cannot simply walk away and forget about these chimpanzees.”
http://m.humanesociety.org/news/news_briefs/2015/07/ny-blood-center-liberian-chimps-071515.html
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Hi Soluna, Thanks for sharing this additional Humane Society source link and quote regarding the abandoned former research chimps’ welfare and the burden of responsibility that HSUS and others feel should reside with NYBC. And welcome to my blog and the conversation. Cheers! Grati ;->
P.S. Please note the links to and from Perry at Armitage Agonistes for additional viewpoints.
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While ultimately the choices RA makes are his own, the factors upon which he bases those choices may be unwise. I’m not sure he shoulders blame that well, by the way – I think deleted tweets and explanations prove that he may not. And the refugee visit was organized by someone else on the BS staff, not Michelle Forbes. So I ask again: did he know just who it was he was shaming when he held up that sign?
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True. Your question is a fair one regarding how RA formed his opinion and then made his decision to support the chimps’ cause. We cannot know unless he tells us. And though it would be interesting to understand his thinking, I don’t think he “owes” us an explanation–however much we might find it helpful.
And RA removing some tweets seems to happen with tweets displaying his dry/quirky sense of humor directed at supposedly sacrosanct groups (pun intended)–the golfing nuns comes to mind.
And for whomever organized their visit to the refugee camp, if we praise RA for it, should we not then extend that praise to the other Berlin Station cast or crew who also attended?
With regard to the 3 names on the sign RA was holding, my question is why those three people in particular were selected by whomever made the sign?
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I don’t know why those three. I don’t know whether a decision to fund/unfund would have to go to the Board in the first place – though the Board would vote on an annual budget and a sandstorm such as this might also result in a board meeting to discuss how to handle the issue.
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I’m with you on this, Gratiana. We know nothing about RA’s or RI’s personal opinion on animal rights and it is making uncalled for assumptions to say that they are being naive or being led by the nose. I’m not sentimental about animals but research on them has saved – according to the NY Blood Center – millions of human lives and it seems immoral to me that they have abandoned all responsibility for them. Good for RA, I say, for taking part in this little protest and for making his followers aware of this issue. Now they can do something to help – or not – as they choose. Now let him choose too.
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Thanks for your reply, jaydee09. I think when there is an absence of explanation to the contrary–regarding RA’s or RI’s thoughts/understanding about and motivations–we naturally speculate based on prior history, trends, etc,. Though until we have their own thoughts expressed on the matter, we can’t know for certain. So, we’ll have to see if that occurs.
P.S. I’m heading off to the office this morning. So, I’ll have to catch up on this discussion later, maybe at lunchtime. Cheers!
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I would have answered this sooner, but for some quirky reason I thought it was a comment on Grati’s post. It’s true – we know nothing about RAs opinion on animal rights, except that since he started championing/supporting charitable causes, he has never said one word, or supported one animal rights organization or cause and has had very little to say about animals or pets in interviews ( aside from the occasional horse comments and something about saving the dog first if there were a tornado.) He has never even spoken of any pet he ever had. It’s pretty obvious that this is Michelle Forbes’ cause, and for whatever reason, he went along for the ride. Further, the signs did not just single out the NYBC, but individuals who, I might add, have done more to improve the human condition than Michelle Forbes ever has. My question was, and still is, did he know who he was targeting when he held up that sign? Does he not see a disconnect between advocating for refugee children and soliciting donations for that one week, and feeding chimps the next?
To add to what Grati said below, I think his silence on the issue since the post, speaks volumes. He neither retweeted, nor tweeted anything about this cause. It’s my opinion that Michelle Forbes, who has fewer than 2000 Twitter followers, was/is using RA’s considerably longer reach to pump up her causes. Sure, he can let her if he chooses. And sure, I can bitch about it.
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I’m beginning to wonder, since he didn’t retweet or comment on his own twitter page, exact what/how much she told him. She may have given him only a barebones summary and said, “Hey, will you hold up this sign for me so I can take a picture & post it on Twitter?” We may never know
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I think that’s exactly what happened.
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LOL, Perry. I thought it was a comment on my post, too, when I saw it in the little pull down thingy at the top right of the window. And you make some fair points. The lack of knowing adds to our uncertainty.
I should think that whenever/whether Richard Armitage participates in another animal rights tweet–from his twitter feed or apart of Michelle Forbes’ or someone else’s Twitter feed–will be illustrative of whether animal rights is a new and continuing interest of his.
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Damn. Thanks for that info, Perry. I am doing an Armitage now (= delete my RT of that particular tweet).
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That’s how I found it. Retweeting isn’t necessarily affirming.
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And *duh* – just found that it is not possible to RT a tweet. *huffs*
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You mean delete a RT?
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Yes, you can’t delete a RT from your timeline. The ‘delete’ option is missing from the menu.
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Just hit the retweet button again and it will undo it.
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Thanks for that, Piffle – it did the trick. (Stupid of me not to realise that…)
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I’m with you all on this one. Will be so glad when this particular shoot is finished. I feel bad for him and Rhys both.
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Soon, I hope.
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I agree with you and Perry.
I’ve noticed in the recent past some have suggested RA’s a bit of a people pleaser and too sensitive to what others expect of him. Maybe that is the case?
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And Michelle Forbes comes across as such a righteous know-it-all, doesn’t she?
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Maybe she does know it all?
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Anyway, it looks like Laurie Glimcher was still on board when the decision was taken… so, she would be responsible anyway.
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But what could she do about it now?
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I really like Michelle- and Richard really seems to like her, too 😉 . Rhys as well. She is passionate about her cause, even if she sometimes might overstate her goal. I don’t understand why she is sometimes attacked like she has committed a major crime? ( There are many outside who would be really more worthwhile of a shitstorm- just saying.) Okay, maybe there has really been a mistake here with one of the names. Nobody’s perfect, everyone makes mistakes ( you just have to google/ read an article with a wrong information..). What did they do here: Holding up signs saying: Feed the chimps! That’s a request- not an accusation as such- at least in my book. I really don’t this mistake, holding a picture, asking her and collegues to feed the chimps, will damage Dr. Laurie Glimcher’s reputation in a serious manner.
Richard and Ifans are fully grown men- I think they can decide for themselves what they are doing, without being depicted as silly boys who don’t know what they’re doing and lured into something … I can only agree with Gratiana Lovelace’s comment above: ” Afterall, Richard Armitage is almost 45 years old. So I would guess that the choices he makes are his own–whether we agree with his viewpoint or not. He’s got big shoulders that can handle praise or blame, I would imagine”.
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I agree completely. I don’t understand all this bashing of MF. She is a genuinely compassionate person. I heard a lot of good things about her while she was filming a tv series in my neck of the woods. RA is old enough and mindful of making his own decisions right or wrong.
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Thanks. As you know, I also tend on the side of RA being responsible for himself. However, Perry insightfully dissects Richard Armitage’s past charitable efforts in a comment above to Jaydee09 (March 31, 4:09pm) that are worth considering–mostly people, mostly kids from what I can tell in my own less detailed perception of RA’s Just Giving pages.
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No one is saying that he did not agree to hold up that sign. The question I asked was whether he had all the facts when he did so. Also, and this is a very small point in the entire conversation, but I don’t agree that “feed your chimps,” was meant to be a request. It was a command.
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What I find amusing is how quickly Armitage co stars/crew/acquaintances realize they can ride his coat tails.
I also wish Twitter had a way of muting tweets to and from a particular person. Yes, it’s a very worthy cause, but I’m a bit tired of seeing it & her other tweets clogging up my TL. Not only are people RTing it, but they are then researching & tweeting her with articles etc.
And however much she annoys me & has done so from the days of The Killing, I do have to give her credit for tweeting about the horrible bomb blast in Pakistan. Very few people did that.
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Oh yes – The Killing! I forgot that. I forget – was she the mother of the missing girl, or the mother’s sister?
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Somebody should definitely feed those chimps. I feel like his expression is bemused in this photo. The other two look more intense.
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I agree. As I said, he seemed to be smirking a little.
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Actually, I think all 3 of them–Michelle, Richard, and Rhys–look determined/serious. I see no smirking. Though RA’s eyes look a bit to me like he is squinting. I wonder if his eyes are light sensitive? Mine are, and even in what most would consider muted natural outdoor light, I have to wear sunglasses. Ha!
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