This makes me sick......

[andromedaslove]

I wonder if those folks know "Brokeback" wasn't even her first homesexual role

http://imdb.com/title/tt0206036/

That's right... I forgot all about that one HBO movie she did, in which she was the homosexual.

 

[boomhauer]

ITA!! As I sat here reading this thread I was wondering, why this school feels it needed to make this statement to begin with. I raise my children in the belief that if you don't have something nice to say then to keep their mouths shut. Just because you feel a certain way doesn't mean it actually needs to be said.

EXACTLY, EXACTLY, EXACTLY!

And oh yeah - EXACTLY!

 

[boomhauer]

That's fine and you should. But, you also have to take into consideration the person who's saying the discriminating remark. Do you really care what they think? Are they worth anything to you?

True. As my father is fond of saying, "Consider the source."

Like the above poster said, why can't people keep their predjudice and hatred to themselves? I guess I'm just as guilty for not keeping my disgust with predjudice to myself.

 

[eclectics]

ITA!! As I sat here reading this thread I was wondering, why this school feels it needed to make this statement to begin with. I raise my children in the belief that if you don't have something nice to say then to keep their mouths shut. Just because you feel a certain way doesn't mean it actually needs to be said.

I always wonder why these groups love all this publicity they get, even though most of it is derogatory. That nut job family from Kansas? springs to mind. What do they really think it accomplishes? Donations? Do they feel some sort of gut urge to proselytize, or is is simply the pleasure of getting any attention, even bad? I'm sure she was already on their "disapproval" list by merely being a Hollywood actress. Why the need to issue a public statement?

 

[Kimberly815]

I read that this morning. . .and while it is just sad. . . I am not very surprised.

 

[LukenDC]

The school's position is so silly. Does the headmaster expect alums to always keep the same values they had when they were teens (or values that were established by parents) and not to grow as adults? There are a lot of things in this world that seem "un Christian" to me, including the actions of televangelists and people who wear their religion on their sleeve. Are they disowned and shunned for their actions? Would Jesus lie? Who would Jesus torture? Who would Jesus assassinate?

Having read the Bible, I maintain that the Christian right's over the top, hysterical response to homosexuality is a money making and political ploy. Any skilled politician, from the left or right, knows that having a boogeyman is an effective way to stir the base. It's a shame that innocent people are being targeted simply for acting on natural feelings and falling in love with someone of the same gender. Heterosexual divorce destroys familes and evangelical Christians have a divorce rate that is slightly higher than that of the general population. The right wing certainly has not focused on that, not with Rush Limbaughs four marriages, Newt Gingrich's divorce, Bob Barr's three marriages, and so on. Curious, isn't it?

 

[Tigger_Magic]

I always wonder why these groups love all this publicity they get, even though most of it is derogatory. That nut job family from Kansas? springs to mind. What do they really think it accomplishes? Donations? Do they feel some sort of gut urge to proselytize, or is is simply the pleasure of getting any attention, even bad? I'm sure she was already on their "disapproval" list by merely being a Hollywood actress. Why the need to issue a public statement?

Granted that some people are attention junkies. However, in this case, my suspicion is that Mr. Hopson is trying to piggy-back onto the Oscars where Brokeback is expected to garner several Oscars this year. Maybe he follows the school of thought that any publicity is good publicity. Maybe his school is experiencing some enrollment issues and he figures this is a good way to reach out to one segment of society, identify with them on this issue and market their school's agenda? The anticipated result is more enrollments leading to more money...

Like this has never happened before...

 

[eclectics]

Granted that some people are attention junkies. However, in this case, my suspicion is that Mr. Hopson is trying to piggy-back onto the Oscars where Brokeback is expected to garner several Oscars this year. Maybe he follows the school of thought that any publicity is good publicity. Maybe his school is experiencing some enrollment issues and he figures this is a good way to reach out to one segment of society, identify with them on this issue and market their school's agenda? The anticipated result is more enrollments leading to more money...

Like this has never happened before...

I always think that sort of reasoning does more harm than good, but then again, I don't have a marketing degree, however, I seriously doubt Mr. Hopson has one either. The niche that would support this type of school hopefully is quite small.

 

[boomhauer]

The niche that would support this type of school hopefully is quite small.

One can only hope.

 

[Tigger_Magic]

I always think that sort of reasoning does more harm than good, but then again, I don't have a marketing degree, however, I seriously doubt Mr. Hopson has one either. The niche that would support this type of school hopefully is quite small.

I think he is playing to his base and he must have one to be able to maintain a private religious school. His comments are not that far afield from many evangelical Christian churches. You may be surprised at how big that "niche" is.

 

[beachblanket]

It's predjudice against homosexuals. The most blatant reason for violence is predjudice.

Prejudice? What the school said was "Brokeback Mountain basically promotes a lifestyle we don't promote." I guess this means the only way to avoid being called "prejudiced," is actively promote homosexuality.

In other words, tolerance is no longer sufficient. Everyone is now being told "endorse and recommend...or be labeled a bigot"

 

[LindsayDunn228]

Of course not. Not yet - He just made the statement.

Ever see the movie "Boys Don't Cry"? Why don't you ask that poor kid's parents how they felt about their son being beaten to death because he was gay, and then try telling me that predjudice doesn't lead to violence.

Have YOU seen "Boys Don't Cry"? The parents didn't have a son, they had a daughter who lived as a man. SHE was beaten, raped, and eventually shot. Her name was Teena Brandon, but lived as Brandon Teena. Please get your stories correct.

 

[andromedaslove]

Or they could just keep their mouth shut!! Michelle Williams role in BrokeBack Mountain or the HBO show has absolutely NOTHING to do with that school. They have taken advantage of this movie being up for an award as a way to get themselves noticed. They aren't being asked to agree with it, or even be tolerant of it, I just don't see why they felt the need to make a public statement disowning her because of a role she played in a movie.

 

[Tigger_Magic]

I just don't see why they felt the need to make a public statement disowning her because of a role she played in a movie.

Free publicity for an unknown school seeking some media attention.

 

[boomhauer]

Have YOU seen "Boys Don't Cry"? The parents didn't have a son, they had a daughter who lived as a man. SHE was beaten, raped, and eventually shot. Her name was Teena Brandon, but lived as Brandon Teena. Please get your stories correct.

Sorry - You are correct. Yes, I have seen it. It's been a while, and I should have remembered that. I was confusing that with a story I saw on Inside Edition.

Nevertheless, what happened to her was due to hatred and predjudice. That is my point.

 

[boomhauer]

Prejudice? What the school said was "Brokeback Mountain basically promotes a lifestyle we don't promote." I guess this means the only way to avoid being called "prejudiced," is actively promote homosexuality.

In other words, tolerance is no longer sufficient. Everyone is now being told "endorse and recommend...or be labeled a bigot"

Of course, he could always have kept his trap shut as opposed to trying to get attention for his school by degrading homosexuals.

Tolerance sufficient? of course it is. Why would you even ask that? Tolerance to me doesn't include issuing a public statement denouncing homosexuality.

 

[Tigger_Magic]

Prejudice? What the school said was "Brokeback Mountain basically promotes a lifestyle we don't promote." I guess this means the only way to avoid being called "prejudiced," is actively promote homosexuality.

In other words, tolerance is no longer sufficient. Everyone is now being told "endorse and recommend...or be labeled a bigot"

Very good point!

 

[Tigger_Magic]

Of course, he could always have kept his trap shut as opposed to trying to get attention for his school by degrading homosexuals.

He could, but he certainly is not required to. If free speech started to be limited only to that which everyone would agree to and not be offended by, this country would be cloaked in silence.

Tolerance sufficient? of course it is. Why would you even ask that? Tolerance to me doesn't include issuing a public statement denouncing homosexuality.

Again, you are distorting the message, which is certainly your prerogative, but it damages your credibility. Mr. Hopson's statement did not denounce homosexuality. He said Williams role or acting was offensive. He said Williams was a poor role model. He said the film promoted a lifestyle that the school does not promote.

So again unless one is actively promoting the homosexual lifestyle, one is not tolerant and further one is actually denouncing the homosexual lifestyle. Where do you come up with this?

 

[Bob Slydell]

If free speech started to be limited only to that which everyone would agree to and not be offended by, this country would be cloaked in silence.

And where would radio and TV talk show hosts be without stupid people opening their mouths?

 

[boomhauer]

So again unless one is actively promoting the homosexual lifestyle, one is not tolerant and further one is actually denouncing the homosexual lifestyle. Where do you come up with this?

I didn't say that - Where did YOU come up with that?

Noone said he HAS to promote a homosexual lifestyle but to say "We don't want to have anything to do with her in relation to that movie. Michelle doesn't represent the values of this institution. Brokeback Mountain basically promotes a lifestyle we don't promote." - You don't take that as denouncing homosexuality?

To me, tolerance would be saying nothing at all. Going out of your way to say that you don't "promote a lifestyle", is not. If you think it is, that's your opinion.