Patrick Stewart, aka Captain Picard, has just given us yet another reason to love him:
I grew up in a home darkened by domestic violence – which I wrote about two years ago. My father was an angry and unhappy man who was not able to control his emotions, or his hands. I witnessed violence against my mother and felt powerless to stop it. When Refuge, the national domestic violence charity, asked me to become a patron, I accepted without hesitation. I accepted for my mother. As a child, there was little I could do to help her. But now I can give support and encouragement to women who live in the same sort of fear that she did.
….
Refuge – along with other women’s charities – is facing its toughest year to date. The gradual erosion of statutory funding has made Refuge even more reliant on voluntary income, but fundraising is an uphill battle. Domestic violence is still shrouded in myth, and too few people truly grasp its prevalence in this country. More money is given to the Donkey Sanctuary than to the UK’s two largest domestic violence charities.
It saddens me beyond description that women and children experiencing domestic violence today are being left to deal with fear and abuse on their own – just as my mother was, more than 60 years ago. The government says that its ambition is “nothing less than ending violence against women and girls”, but there is nothing ambitious about its relentless demolition of a sector that protects the most vulnerable members of our society. (To show your support visit www.refuge.org.uk or www.justgiving.com/PatrickStewartforRefuge)
To read the entire piece at The Guardian, click here: “Domestic violence blighted my home. That’s why I support Refuge.”
(And yes, I am aware that in the title to this post, I mixed my geek references. Sue me).
Crossposted on Emily L. Hauser In My Head.
Other than the fact that he played two of the coolest leaders in all of sci-fi, Patrick Stewart is a class act as an actor and a human being.
And, for all the haters – Screw Kirk, Jean Luc Picard is and always will be the greatest Star Trek Captain ever!!!
Sisko>Picard>Archer>Kirk>Janeway
Sorry, but ST:Voyager was annoying.
Mixed-universe metaphor? Geek foul! Five parsec penalty, repeat first down.
I protest! That’s only after the third strike in the Tetris!
Matt – its only a geek foul if the you confuse the two. Nerd stream of consciousness is an Art form for only true master, young Padawan. But, the Force is Strong within you, Youngling. ;-)
This post needs this clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyDbfCbQnH8&feature=colike
O Captain, my Captain!
I did not know this about him, but having learned it, and learned what he is doing to help those in domestic violence situations, I do love him even more!
Not that its fully relevant, but something tells me this post was written by a fat person. What is relevant is that near death experiences involve white light, but hey, can’t say white on this site. OMG that would be the end of the world.
Really. You’re going to have to do better than that if you want to fool our savvy and smart commentariat, but, oh wait. You can’t because you’ve been banned. Buh-bye, jackhole. – asiangrrlMN, for real
Something tells me someone isn’t who they’re pretending to be…
Wonder if it’s the wisest of decisions to impersonate someone who carries a rusty pitchfork at all times. I guess we’ll soon find out.
The penultimate sexy bald captain. While others are trying (and failing) to hide the years, Patrick Stewart wears his years like a favoured suit, showing pride in every stitch and fold. Oh, Avery Brooks is cool, but he needs to lay off the jungle juice, that what’s getting him into trouble.
Ch*ck N*rr*s may be able to push the world by himself, but Patrick Stewart can merely say ‘Make it so’ and umpteen millions will jump and do it for him!!
Ch*ck N*rr*s can fight the zombie Bruce Lee, and get his ass kicked, AGAIN, while Patrick Stewart offer ZBL a cup of his best tea, brings him back to life, and have him as his new wingman!!!
The league of Extra Ordinary Gentlmen:
1: Patrick Stewart (with ZBL and Lt. Worf as wingmen)
2: Neil Gailman
3: that Dos Equis guy
I had the pleasure of seeing Patrick Stewart, along with the equally amazing Mercedes Ruehl, at the Guthrie when they toured in “Virginia Woolf” some years back.
Easily the single best live theater experience of my life, and probably the best I’m ever going to see.
That he’s as much or more a class act off the screen or boards is a serious bonus.