The Resounding Approval for Same-sex Marriage on Oscar Night
February 24th 2009 11:01
Dustin Lance Black says, in accepting his Oscar for 'Best Original Screenplay' for Milk:
[...] When I was 13 years old, my beautiful mother and my father moved me from a conservative Mormon home in San Antonio, Texas to California, and I heard the story of Harvey Milk. And it gave me hope. It gave me the hope to live my life. It gave me the hope one day I could live my life openly as who I am and then maybe even I could even fall in love and one day get married.
I wanna thank my mom, who has always loved me for who I am even when there was pressure not to. But most of all, if Harvey had not been taken from us 30 years ago, I think he'd want me to say to all of the gay and lesbian kids out there tonight who have been told that they are less than by their churches, by the government or by their families, that you are beautiful, wonderful creatures of value and that no matter what anyone tells you, God does love you and that very soon, I promise you, you will have equal rights federally, across this great nation of ours. Thank you. [...]
Dustin says, backstage at his official interview with the press:
"For me, the whole thing was always to... pay it forward. You know, Harvey gave me his story... Oh, I'm going to cry [pauses to compose himself]... Harvey gave me his story and it saved my life. And I just thought it's time to pass it on... The only thing I really knew I wanted to say was to tell those kids out there that they're going to be alright."
Sean Penn says, accepting his Oscar for 'Best Actor' in Milk:
… For those who saw the signs of hatred as our cars drove in tonight, I think that it is a good time for those who voted for the ban against gay marriage to sit and reflect and anticipate their great shame and the shame in their grandchildren's eyes if they continue that way of support.
We've got to have equal rights for everyone. And there are, and there are, these last two things. I'm very, very proud to live in a country that is willing to elect an elegant man president and a country who, for all its toughness, creates courageous artists.
Sean says, in his subsequent official interview with the press:
Q. Hi, Sean. Congratulations. You certainly deserve the award. I wanted to ask you, what did you say to those people who were holding those signs tonight, if you happen to go back past Sunset and Highland and see some of those signs and what they're saying?
A. I'd tell them to turn in their hate card and find their better self, you know. I think that these are largely taught limitations and ignorances, this kind of thing, and it's a really it's very sad in a way, because it's a demonstration of such emotional cowardice to be so afraid to be extending the same rights to a fellow man as you would want for yourself. I would ask them not to tempt those of us who see something more deeply than they are looking at it, as angry as they tend to be in a void.
Q. Tonight, in your acceptance speech, you mentioned President Barack Obama. I'm wondering what you would like to see the president do in relation to gay rights.
A. We know his public position as far as the specific issue of gay marriage has not been, let's say, officially supportive of that. I would like to believe that that's a political stand right now and not necessarily a future one or a felt one. I don't think that he or that any of us, and in particular our president, will long be able to take that position. It's inevitable that this is not because it's not a human luxury; these are human needs and they will be gotten. So he's going to have to he'll adapt. Right now I think it's more focused on, more interested in what we're going to do to tell him that we will support him in making those kinds of taking those kinds of initiatives. He's got people dying right now en masse, and people are desperately poor en masse, and I think those two emergencies need to be taken care of, without him taking too much time about the details of how he approached civil rights. But the day is going to come and it's going to come quickly.
I say:
What inspiring words from two very brave, courageous men! Why not take into account the resounding acceptance on behalf of the sector of Hollywood present in the Kodak Theatre of same-sex marriage, and let it speak to you? Why should you be afraid of granting a minority group the basic human right we allow the heterosexual majority - to get married? Why is this threatening? Why not open your eyes to opening your heart and mind? What do you have to lose if we are all equal in love, rights and marriage? It's time to take a more proactive stance, and tune into your inner instincts, where you know that same-sex marriage is a beautiful, affirmative thing which will strengthen the institution of marriage and our entire community.
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Comment by Morgan Bell
Science News
Deep Pencil
Business News
Movie Train
Artist Quirk
what a powerful statement for Dustin Lance Black to make at such a publicised event
i hope lots of queer kids heard it and felt a bit of hope
Comment by Postmodern Critic
Postmodern Critic
Relativity Watch
Padsoc
I just teared up again whilst watching it... very moving, personal and heartfelt.