I just called this idiot (Gerald Allen) and left a piece of my mind on his voicemail. I agree with whoever posted before that this so called "free country" is really starting to scare me. I've never, and probably never will, understand the persecution homosexuals are going through right now. I just can't believe that all these republicans can't see that this is just history repeating itself! Was it ok to persecute African americans or women?! Then why is it suddenly ok to take aim at the gays?! Ugh, I can't believe this is where I'm living.
Please tell me their joking. This is so sick. So what is their plan? They can't just get rid of shows becasuse they are considered "Pro Gay" theres a tiny thing called Freedom of Speach. Can the ACLU stop this from happing?
The towel waving reminded me of a Per?nist rally. I kept chanting "Evita!" whenever they'd pan to the crowds. - SM2
Wow... that's about all I can say right now. Notice that the fear this guy has isn't just of homosexuality, it is of knowledge, of progress. All things outside the realm of his neighborhood, of what he knows, are evil. Even the internet is bad.
It only makes me prouder of who I am. Our struggle will end up being one of the defining battles of American history.
1. To Goth- what the hell? You sound like the OT board equivalent of the morons on the main board who say you shouldn't criticize musicals if you've never written one. You take pride in America being such a powerful country? Well, you need to understand that means the what the U.S. does influences the whole world. And that means the world is allowed to have an opinion on it. No one in England is trying to dictate how you vote. They're giving an opinion, which, if they're well-informed, they're as entitled as anyone else to have.
Eventually, Bush and his cronies will have p***ed enough people off that there will have to be a revolution, right? And I totally agree with DGrant, I can't wait to hear the reactions of people like Harvey Fierstein to this news, people who are very outspoken.
Does this moron realize that theatre, in its very essence, is generally a gay friendly art form?
I think when the revolution begins, the anthem needs to be "Come on in from the outside."
Yes, let us restict some of the greatest theater this country has ever seen because Bush is a homophobe. WHY ARE PEOPLE SO HURTFUL and closed-minded? I will never understand....
If you limit your choices to what seems possible or reasonable, you disconnect yourself from what you truly want, and all that is left is a compromise."- Robert Fritz
Fortunately, I don't foresee these bans ever becoming a reality. There are enough people straddling the fence, who support some of Bush's policies but who do agree totally with his ideologies, who would not support this lunacy. I hope.
It does, however, show the administrations view of the glbt population. very sad.
"Bush is interested in Allen's opinions because Allen is an elected Republican representative in the Alabama state legislature. He is Bush's base."
Yea, right. A Republican from Alabama is no voice for the state of theatre.
The next 4 years look VERY bleak.
I'm so mad I could spit.
"TheatreDiva90016 - another good reason to frequent these boards less."<<>>
“I hesitate to give this line of discussion the validation it so desperately craves by perpetuating it, but the light from logic is getting further and further away with your every successive post.” <<>>
-whatever2
"Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing.”
~ Muhammad Ali
This is F*ing WRONG!!! Plain and simple. There are homosexual innuendos in the Bible. Should we ban that as well? We are turning into communism, plain and simple. The government is trying to teach us what we should and should not watch, read, listen to, etc. I am an English minor and a Theatre major so right now, I am so mad I feel nauseas. If they do this, I swear to God I am going to.......I don't know. I can't even think straight right now. DAMN BUSH!!!!!
"They're eating her and then they're going to eat me. OH MY GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!!!" -Troll 2
I have never read such BS!!! Some of the best plays I've ever seen on Broadway were Take Me Out, Angels in America Parts 1 & 2 (in the same day) and Love! Valour! Compassion! Uh, hello? Even Rent which I am obsessed with.
I took my older, more conservative sister to see Rent touring out in Rochester a few years back. I was afraid she wouldn't enjoy the story like I did b/c of the subject matter, but afterwards, she said it (Angel & Collins) was a love story. Didn't matter if it was men, women or what have you. People are people.
I say we all move to Canada. Or impeach Bush for just being a moron.
I have never read such BS!!! Some of the best plays I've ever seen on Broadway were Take Me Out, Angels in America Parts 1 & 2 (in the same day) and Love! Valour! Compassion! Uh, hello? Even Rent which I am obsessed with.
I took my older, more conservative sister to see Rent touring out in Rochester a few years back. I was afraid she wouldn't enjoy the story like I did b/c of the subject matter, but afterwards, she said it (Angel & Collins) was a love story. Didn't matter if it was men, women or what have you. People are people.
I say we all move to Canada. Or impeach Bush for just being a moron.
"Was it ok to persecute African americans or women?! Then why is it suddenly ok to take aim at the gays?!"
I agree! The only "cause" they have for all of this is that being gay is UNNATURAL. PLEASE! While they can say that there is no "proof"(besides the testimonies of millions of gays) that one is born a homosexual there is no deniying that blacks and women are born black or women. They just need to let people be. Let people love who they want to love.
David walked into the valley
With a stone clutched in his hand
He was only a boy
But he knew someone must take a stand
There will always be a valley
Always mountains one must scale
There will always be perilous waters
Which someone must sail
-Into the Fire
Scarlet Pimpernel
someone mentioned A Handmaids Tale. that would suck. I read that book once and really dont want to live it. why cant our society become like a good book, hop on pop, horton hears a who? Wicked? what is our brilliant president going to ban next, disney movies? banning books doesnt solve anything. you need to face homosexuality to become familar with it. anything pro-gay that alot of stuff. mr bush. Bah! most liturature and music has homosexual overtones, in example starksy and hutch will be banned
I seem to remember reading something in the newspaper just this past weekend that the state of Alabama is looking into more segregation laws, including not allowing blacks to vote. (I may be a little incorrect there, I'm not 100% sure.)
That alone is proof how much of a step back this country is making.
Uh, chealion- not allowing blacks to vote? Hon, that hasn't been Constutional for over 100 years, and hasn't been easy to do in other legal ways since the 1960's.
"I want to add that this isn't as big a worry as it might sound on the production front. Most theatre doesn't depend on government support. They depend on subscriptions, private, foundation and corporate donations, and ticket sales.
What we need to worry about is if a domino effect of this mentality affects the others. And, we need to worry that gay theatre scripts are going to be affected in libraries, etc. "
Jrbactor, most theatre may not depend on government support but don't underestimate any government especially ours and ESPECIALLY with Bush as a leader. Shows like Rent and Avenue Q etc, regardless of how much money they were to make could close at any point and Bush doesn't have to make it obvious that these shows are closing because he's a homophobic prick. People in high places with lots of money and power can do anything without any of us knowing or at first connecting it to them. Not saying these shows are going to close but this will affect the future of Broadway and other forms of media. Censorship is censorship and when you want something banned badly enough, you can and will make it happen---you named a few sources, subscriptions, private foundation and corporate donations...those all can be influenced by the government. It's terrible that freedom of speech is being violated and hopefully, somehow Bush will be stopped. You have to go back in history to like Plato, Aristotle, Homer and etc, if you want to ban homosexual innuendos. As to one person mentioning the Bible, it says many contradictory things but the one statement people cling to is that being gay is wrong and it says it in the Bible---not the best example to use in terms of books being banned.
"Then why is it suddenly ok to take aim at the gays?!" There is no "suddenly" taking aim at gays. History isn't repeating itself, this never faded out. When did America STOP being homophobic? When was homosexuality 100% accepted? I'd really like to know because I must have missed it. It's one thing to be shocked by the possible book banning which will lead to other forms of media but to be surprised that this country is trying to repress it again is not. There is this whole idea that people don't really understand discrimination until it happens to them or until it's really shown that certain groups are really hurting. This so called free country is starting to scare people NOW? I would love for someone to give me a time when this country actually upheld that idea and every group within was truly equal. Yes, for example, Blacks and Women were persecuted and things have come a long way but by no means especially for the former have they improved to where they should be.
5 more days til the anniversary of my first post! And JRB you are gonna get an earful! By the way if you have not passed this on to your friends yet I highly reccomend you do. I sent it to at least 15 or 16 different people and I know at least several of them have fired off emails to all their friends and family. Even if it is unverified it will send a strong message. Don't just email this whack job make sure to email your representatives and senators to make sure they know how you feel on this issue.
My avatar is a reminder to myself. I need lots of reminders...
jrb_actor, whether smiley face or not, I've been lurking on these boards longer than when you first signed up, so end that point, a shameless one I might add, right there. It added nothing to this conversation except a good laugh out of me. And I understood your point quite clear, you were talking about future effects, I'm talking about current ones. Theatre was mentioned, they didn't say "Broadway" but you can be sure that that's in their mind for immediate change, since it brings in tourists from all over America.