The Year of Moving Forward

The Year of Moving Forward
At our 4 person wedding reception in DC

Monday, February 23, 2009

Oscars...Go Dustin! Go Sean!

Hollywood was all a-glitter last night as the 81st Academy Awards took place.

The small oscar party that Glenn Shadix attended was here in our den. His Oscar Predictions were right on the money, missing only the Foreign Language film, but that's understandable.

As expected "Slumdog Millionaire" won Best Picture along with seven other awards. If you have not seen this movie, you need to.

But I've been told I am predictable. (Isn't everyone, when it comes down to it?)

So let's talk Sean Penn and Dustin Lance Black.

First Dustin. No comment is needed, as he said exactly what needed to be said in his acceptance speech for his Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for "Milk."
"To all 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 tell 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 God for giving us Harvey Milk."




Sean Penn won Best Actor for his portrayal of Harvey Milk.

"You commie, homo-loving sons of guns. I did not expect this but I wanted to
be very clear that I do know how hard I make it to appreciate me often."


Yeah, well, this win and that performance atones for a wealth of sins, Sean.



There's a lot more I could say about last nights Academy Awards. Maybe later.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

The production of the telecast was simply awesome....great sound, and so much attention to detail.

And then there's Hugh Jackman....woof!

Anonymous said...

Well, heck yes. If Sean Penn and D.L.B. are taking up for the gays, we should ALL jump on the bandwagon. Keep in mind that Penn is a "good friend" of dictator Hugo Chavez.

Both of these comments show (1) how wacky Hollywood continues to be and (2) how nice it is to live in Alabama.

Someone should have stood up and said "To all of you gay kids, there is help for you. You don't have to struggle with this issue of immorality. There is help for you." But of course, nobody did. How would THAT go over with all of those movie Stars?

Joe said...

Randy, the acceptance speech of Dustin Lance Black probably was the most helpful thing to gay kids in years. First of all, you could see that he escaped from the torment of Mormonism, and that he still had his mother's love and support. Second, kids, you can be gay and very succesful. Third, be assured, equality is coming, from a federal standpoint, no less, so Alabama has a chance for equality as well, in spite of the bigotry here.

Penn's comments reminded us how shameful the Prop 8 supporters actions were, and encouraged us that it would be overturned.

Did you notice the applause those two got?

Anonymous said...

No Joe, what is SHAMEFUL is MEN wanting to have sex and be with MEN, and WOMEN wanting to be with and have sex with WOMEN. That is what is shameful. The only reason the SP won that award is because he was a straight man playing a gay man in a movie. This is what Hollywood continues to try to force on Americans and it is bringing this country down.

God BLESS the USA.

Joe said...

Rev Bill,
I am so glad we found some common ground the other day, but here we go again.

Nothing is shameful about doing what comes natural to one. But denying others equal rights has been shameful in the past, and is just as shameful today.
Yes, God bless America.

Anonymous said...

Bill, Randy, keep the faith guys. Joe, there is something shameful about both doing something as immoral as homosexuality, and even more shameful by trying to justify it. We should love one another, but in a Godly kind of love, trying to help each other, not in a gay boy-on-boy kind of love that is completely unnatural.

I am amused by you saying there is nothing shameful about doing what comes natural, but homosexuality is just about as unnatural as anything can get. We do need love and unity in this country, but we also need to abide by God's word. And I have read previous posts. No need using space to try to convince me that the scripture says nothing against homosexuality. That is complete ignorance of the scripture if you try to buy that.

And above all else, Penn was married to Madonna...do we really need to say anything else?

Joe said...

From the dictionary: natural...present in or produced by nature.Now, we know that same sex acts occur throughout the animal kingdom, i.e.,naturally. Same with people. Sorry, you are wrong.

That is science, by the way.

Anonymous said...

I do say. Dustin Lance Black got me misty-eyed.

Anonymous said...

How is it not natural? Bonobos, which may be tied with chimps in its closeness to humans, don't exactly stick to heterosexual missionary style:
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19225801.900-why-bonobos-make-love-not-war.html

And for thos who think Hollywood is out of the mainstream: that may be so, but it tends to show opinions on one side. but those who tend to spend time bashing Hollywood's liberal brainwashing are typically not any closer to the mainstream.
It's always funny to those who claim how extreme California and the coasts are. Well, that's half the population. In terms of the US, that means they are far from extreme.
And compare them to the rest of the world, they may not be so extreme on many issues.

Joe said...

Frankie I am not posting your comment because it breaks the rules. But for your benefit, I will respond.

I could provide many scientific articles saying that sexual orientation is natural and/or normal for homosexuals, both human and animal.

You could provide just as many unscientific, but pretending to be, articles claiming it is not. The most famous example of such could be James Holsinger's paper against homosexuality which he defended when appointed to Surgeon General under Bush.

Holsinger admitted that he basically cherry-picked data to fit a pre-defined viewpoint on homosexuality.

That's how religious right wingers regard science. Something they can cherry pick, just as they pick certain verses from the bible while ignoring the history and culture of the times.

Watch "Sexual Diversity in the Animal Kingdom; A Lecture by Dr. Joan Roughgarden." The lecture was sponsored by the Lesbian and Gay Veterinary Medical Association on July 15, 2007 during the American Veterinary Medical Association Annual Conference. In the lecture, she discusses the homosexuality that has been documented in nearly 500 vertebrate species (so far).

Become a student of science. Learn about our world. Don't just repeat the talking points of the right.

Anonymous said...

Do us all a favor Joe. If you don't have the balls to post our "Bessemer Opinions" b/c they differ from yours, please don't comment on them. Not really fair to us.

Joe said...

Frank,
I assume you are the one who called themself Frankie on the other comment.

I have the balls, trust me.

Let's see, The Western Star (under Dale Jones) wouldn't print my letter, but that's OK, I guess. Dominick Braschia on WERC 960 is rude to progressives and called a woman a bitch today (he actually said "b" word and his sidekick said "that rhymes with witch") but that's OK, I guess. Dale JOnes printed a letter that was degrading to blacks, but that's OK I guess.

The blog, Bessemer Opinions, is a progressive blog. Notice it says, as a reader pointed out, that "now there is a voice for the progressives in Bessemer." I don't claim to be a voice for all of Bessemer, just those that have some sense.

Anonymous said...

I'm not sure what Dale Jones or Dominich Brascia has to do with this. I posted a comment - you didn't allow it - but then you commented on my post that you would not show. If you letter to The Western Star was anything like the crap you post on this blog, I can't blame them for not printing it.

Joe said...

Anonymous, ie Frank, ie Frankie, I guess,

What it means is that anyone who writes a blog, an opinion column, runs a radio show or a newspaper, can control what goes in it.

Since this blog is set up to promote progressive views, I don't have allow any views counter to that. It has nothing to do with whether I have balls or not, it has to do with the message I want to promote. However I do allow most anti-view comments, but not when they make ridiculous assertions about the origins of sexuality, which is not a choice. Your post was teetering on that.
That was explained a few months ago

The letter that was not printed was the very first post on this blog, two years ago. Here it is, copy and paste the link:

http://bessemeropinions.blogspot.com/2007/02/re-western-star-editorial-about-bush.html

By the way, the very first comment on that day was from someone in Scotland who I did not even know, and who since has become a great friend and ally.