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Of course, Sundance is in UTAH because of Robert Redford. I would love to see a movement to get it out of there.
as cowboyneok and i both are acutely aware, as of Tuesday, Oklahoma is the most right-wing state in the Union. McCain got a bigger percentage of the vote here than anywhere, even more than Utah. Sally kern got re-elected. the GOP took governing majorities in both houses of the state leg for the first time.
while the rest of the nation is moving toward progress, we are regressing.
No noise, no action. Of course with reservations ongoing, etc, etc, it may boil down to a $ issue. If that is the case then there should be at least a sizeable protest during the festival, again, to make noise. And yes, boycott Marriott Hotels.
They award grants to new film makers, partner them with mentors, and provide a supportive work environment to shepherd a work through to completion.
They have been the most prominent venue to get gay and lesbian issues to a main stream audience.
If it weren't for the festival, a lot of these films would never get sold, and thereby, never seen.
They also fund documentary film makers who can affect a lot of change in our world.
I think it's great that a institute that does that much good, is working from a place that needs the message most.
Has a nice ring...I can imagine "Utah is for Haters" license plates and maybe this for a state flower?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oi8BORwaGCk
Leave Summit County and Park City out of this, they can't control what Provo and Sandy do...
We are Americans, we can't punished American because how they think or act...
If you look at county tallies, Summit County is pretty much a Democratic County...
I am fine for a boycott of corporations like Marriot and the LDS, but events like Sundance and Redford, leave them alone.
It is better to use a scalpel than a sledgehammer on this...
Did Utah money and Mormon money help push Prop 8 through? YES. And it is desgusting. Should there be accountability for that? YES, and boycotts like you are suggesting might send the message (although we usually laugh at how ridiculous it is when conservative groups do it to protest companies that support gay rights) .
Let's not forget that millions of Californians voted on this. What are we going to do beyond punishing Marriott? How do we get the black and latino communities, who overwhelmingly supported Prop 8 to see the struggle for gay rights as a continuation of the civil rights movement?
I'm angry too, but there's more to be done than try to punish the Mormons. The best thing to do with them (trust me, I live amongst them) and the rest of the American public is take the high road - they aren't going to change their minds because we throw tantrums.
My question is, are the Marriott Hotels taxed as a business or are they tax exempt since they are owned by the Mormon church? This question applies to other businesses that they and other churches own.
You have gone off the rails today. First, you decide to slime African-Americans and now the entire state of Utah.
First, your attack on African-Americans, blaming them for the success of Prop * showed an utter lack of respect for statistics, and a total disregard for the fact that FIFTY-PERCENT of eligible gay voters did not vote. The number of ELIGIBLE GAY VOTERS = ELIGIBLE AFRICAN AMERICAN VOTERS.
Moreover, you totally ignored the wretchedly pathetic outreach program that the coordinators of the No on 8 leaders had, not to mention the utter lack of coordination between them and the Democratic Party and the Obama Campaign.
The Obama campaign showed how a grassroots campaign could be a David to a Goliath (Hillary Clinton). Did the No on 8 leaders pick up the phone and ask for advice from the Obama campaign?
Second, now you are attacking the entire state of Utah and the Sundance Foundation. Great. How do you think that will work? The LDS may be based in Utah but not all people who live in Utah are Mormon or supported 8.
Third, over this campaign I have watched you oscillate from controlled, reasonable to hysterical. The kind of hysteria that is normally found on the psycho Republican websites. Well, here you go again.
If you want to blame someone, blame the individuals and institutions. Did you bother to run the report from Max Blumenthal that points out the leader of the campaign of the Prop8 is an Evangelical?
http://maxblumenthal.com/2008/11/the-mystery-ma...
John,
Nowhere on your site today do I recall you writing about the anti-Affirmative Action initiatives on the ballot in Nebraska and Colorado. How did they turn out? Those decisions adversely impact white women and women and men of color.
http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/paperchase/2008/11/a...
Position Support
Amount $15,000.00
----------------------
Company Profile: Andco Leasing Lc
Year Started:1995
Location Type:Single Location
Contact Name:Douglas Andrus
4530 ANDRO DRIVE
IDAHO FALLS, ID 83401
Phone: (208) 523-1034
Key Facts
Location Type: Single Location
Industry: Motor Vehicle Dealers (New and Used)
Year Founded: 2000
Sales Range: $500,000 to $999,999
Employees: 1 to 5
Full Service Lodging
* Marriott Hotels & Resorts
* JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts
* Renaissance Hotels & Resorts
* Marriott Conference Centers
* Ritz-Carlton
* BVLGARI Hotels & Resorts
[edit] Select Service Lodging
* Courtyard by Marriott
* Fairfield Inn by Marriott
* SpringHill Suites by Marriott
[edit] Extended Stay Lodging
* Residence Inn by Marriott
* TownePlace Suites by Marriott
* Marriott ExecuStay
* Marriott Executive Apartments
[edit] Timeshare
* Marriott Vacation Club International (MVCI)
* Horizons by Marriott Vacation Club
* Marriott Grand Residence Club
But "real" marriage transcends state recognition of it. And that's another reason why this debate will continue. Because it's not just about what California should or should not legally recognize. It's also about what sort of relationships are morally valuable, and why. And that's a debate that, slowly but surely, gay-rights advocates are winning.
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/opinio...
gawd I hate to be proven right
The religious right promises more amendments, do we have a plan?
by: Pam Spaulding
Boycotts, law suits and example making -- hit back hard
Second. Boycotting Utah will do nothing to harm the Mormon Church...in fact they will welcome it...trust me I live here!
They DON'T want liberal outsiders coming here or moving here so the boycott would be just fine and not hurt the church financially one bit. Salt Lake City itself is becoming more NON Mormon and always has had a Democrat for Mayor. That's a fact that is a thorn in their side or crown as the case may be. So, the Knights of Columbus donated even more money...are you going to boycott Rome too? IT'S THE SAME THING. Trust me, I'm pissed and I absolutely HATE the LDS church but, what you're trying to do WON'T WORK. Mormons love being persecuted it's a sign from God that they are the chosen people. You want to hurt them? Make their shady past history public. The one thing they DO NOT WANT is their past to come back to haunt them (as this issue will down the road). The sordid past becoming public knowledge would mean less converts and members are REQUIRED to pay 10% of their income to the church. If you want to hurt them, cut the flow of tithing money. There is already dissension among church members because of this. Mormon members of PFLAG had a rally in downtown SLC to appose prop 8. Keep that ball rolling if you want to do some damage to the church. Boycotting Utah will do squat! Haven't they violated IRS laws on this? Can they be taken to court or fined? John, you're a lawyer...is there anything legally that can be done to shame them?
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?x...
Granted, the film festival (and Park city) itself is very pro-gay.
However, Utah as a state receives because of the festival: Hotel taxes, sales taxes, income taxes from those who are temporarily hired to work at the festival and since the state owns every liquor store, any bottles bought support the state. All the events have to pay fees to the state to set up there.
Maybe it's time to boycott the Sundance Film Festival. This could be done like the Sun City, Africa boycotts in the late 80s.
That will be sweet justice. I read something a while back on this connection still to this day. Will try and look for it.
I personally know of dozens of devout Mormons, including my own in-laws, who publicly stood up against Prop 8's bigotry with protests, voice, money and more.
I am not going to boycott their businesses just because they are Mormon, they SUPPORTED me and my partner.
I refuse to fight bigotry with more bigotry.
Yes, boycott the supporters of Prop 8, just make sure it's because they are supporters, not just because they are Mormon.
Staff Reports
Article Launched: 11/06/2008 12:00:00 AM PST
Click photo to enlarge
Butte County Clerk Candace Grubbs (at counter) explainsto volunteers from the Charlie Brown...
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CHICO -- The four winners of Tuesday's Chico City Council race and other close elections might not be known for weeks, due to thousands of uncounted ballots in the Elections Office in Oroville.
Provisional ballots and vote-by-mail ballots turned in on Election Day remain to be counted, and Julie Merrell, assistant to county Clerk-Recorder Candace Grubbs, said it will be days before officials even know how many they have to count, let alone count them.
http://www.chicoer.com/ci_10911916?source=rss
Proposition 8 was a STATEWIDE initiative. There are uncounted ballots up and down the state...
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-uncount...
1.6 million ballots are uncounted in California
In L.A. County, an estimated 566,000 votes have yet to be tallied.
In Orange County, about 239,000 await counting. All must be counted by Dec. 2.
Just WHO is making sure that these are counted???
Or are we going to ESTIMATE the results???????????
The Mormon-owned Lassens Natural Foods Markets in California donated over $27,500 to Prop. 8.
http://politicalwatchcentralcoast.org/uncategor...
I know of numerous people that have stopped shopping there.
Some (or maybe all, but I'm not sure) Raleys supermarkets have recently been bought by Albertsons.
Here's the problem with reactionary boycotts - if we don't know what we're boycotting we look like idiots. Can we at least get our shit together first?
As for Sundance, Redford isn't about to change anything. As a young man, he was a bittersweet tease to the gay community; as a Hollywood elder, he's just another enterpreneur. Handsomely rugged, blonde and buff, I grant you, but still just another enterpreneur.
John Wildermuth, SFChronicle Staff Writer
Thursday, November 6, 2008
With 100 percent of the state's precincts reporting, Prop. 8 leads by more than half a million votes, 52.5 percent to 47.5 percent. Experts don't expect an estimated 3 million uncounted mail and provisional ballots to alter the outcome.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/...
Mormon experts??
Here we are talking about a successful Utah boycott as I'm sitting here in Tulsa, OK and LO and BEHOLD a commercial pops on my teevee asking me to travel to Utah and gives me this internet address to go to to plan my travel there:
http://www.utah.travel/
Okay, we can start there, right?
I'm going to waste their resources by calling and telling them NO WAY would I travel to their hateful state!
Here we go:
http://www.utah.travel/contact-us/
Utah Office of Tourism
I have no problem staying in Park City or going to Alta, because I know that not everyone in Utah is a rabid conservative. The worse places are in Utah County, around Provo, which vote Republican something like 90/10...
If there is going to be action, it should be precise, long lasting and nuance. Boycotting Sundance or boycotting Utah skiing, also hurts people who didn't contribute to Prop 8....
http://festival.sundance.org/2009/festival_info...
"View 1000's of Pictures & Videos of Beautiful LDS Singles-Join Free Now "
LDSPlanet.com
http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/flash/pol...
It allows you to see on a county x county basis the movement toward or away from voting democratic. Ironically all of Utah voted more democratic. But they were so right to begin with that it would have been hard not too. Even with the leftward trend, Utah still went 63% for McCain this time.
As for states that voted blue (this time) but are still in the mountain west, Colorado and New Mexico fit the bill. (I guess Nevada works too, but they already get enough California attention at Tahoe, right?)
Hyatt is owned largely by the Pritzker Family, who are big Democratic funders. They did have a bit of a family civil war during the primaries, as some Pritzkers supported Clinton. But the family was one of Obama's biggest supporters overall.
http://www.hyatt.com/
http://www.newsmeat.com/fec/bystate_detail.php?...
I know that Holiday Inn is based in Atlanta, so there's a high probability of wingnut there. And Hilton...well...Paris.
Let's get a few facts together before going too far, at least.
I'm sick and tired of being on the DEFENSIVE with them. What other ways can we get back at them? We need to take the lead from the Dems recent strategies - go on the OFFENSIVE. I think the most viable proposal yet has been to pursue legal action against them to revoke their tax exempt status. Other ideas?
By the way, one BIG Mormon "front" operation is Melaleuca, Inc., which produces and directly markets some (I hate to say it) very good cosmetic and personal health products. They sell through networks similar to Avon, rather than in stores. Big bunch of Mormon crooks run the thing, too; may be worth a little investigative reporting to see if they've exposed themselves legally in some way.
Sundance is on OUR side! They are completely pro-gay.
Very little, if any, money from Sundance makes it to the Mormon church leaders.
Mormon church leaders would be delighted if Sundance left Utah.
If you want to boycott it for that reason then fine go for it but it won't affect the Mormon CHURCH one bit! Many MANY Mormons went to bat for us on this issue. Steve Young's wife for one and countless others who are now ostracized in their congregations but stood with us. If you want to get back at the CHURCH then great. I'm in. If you want to shoot blindly at every Mormon with whom you come in contact with, then you will only end up shooting yourself in the foot.
I just sent off my grievance to the IRS because of this website. http://www.mormonsstoleourrights.com/
Hit them in the pocket book. The ONLY reason blacks finally were allowed full membership in the LDS church in 1978 was because LDS church was going to lose their tax exempt status due to a Supreme Court case involving Bob Jones University. When they saw that they were going to lose money, SUDDENLY, the heavens opened and voila...."god" told them that it was ok for Blacks to have the priesthood.
Learn from the past.
Utah is 58% Mormon, leaving 1.5 Million people just like you. Many of us vote democratic, supported no on prop 8, and are trying to make changes in Utah - check out the NYT map on how much bluer this state is becoming.
The Utah ski industry -- and its resulting hospitality industry -- is VERY gay friendly; if anything, it's a rare bastion of open-mindedness within the state. They're our allies, and we'd be foolish to punish them.
Our enemy here is the LDS church, not the state of Utah, not other Utahns. We should make it plain that LDS is an anti-gay religion, and seek to woo young people away from the church. I guarantee that they're conflicted and discouraged by what their elders have done, and are ready to leave the church in record numbers.
--------
Worse, The Mormon church, and it's associated businesses, are TAX free to forment discrimination.
Enjoy.
What people need to do: Boycott playing BYU in collegiate games. Take the case to the fair-minded colleges and universities and demand they cancel or suggest their fans not show up the games. It will certainly have an immediate impact. The protests in the late 60s and the 70s at BYU away games brought about the big change in their dogma about Blacks the their Priesthood.
Gee ever thought of writing those 3 openly gay state legistlators if they are still in office to maybe get an idea WTF you're talking about before you stir up people and start boycotting the whole state.
When a morman's business or own income goes down his/her tithing to the LDS church goes down, and the LDS church WILL notice the tithing going down.
Increases the change that there may be a revelation of the LDS church.
http://www.bonneville.com/?nid=3
Other sources of Mormon wealth are the insurance companies, retail stores, office buildings, and other business properties in Utah and elsewhere. The Beneficial Life Insurance company, founded to provide life insurance to church members, has expanded into a major subsidiary with holdings in the Deseret Mutual Benefit Association, Continental Western Life Insurance Company, the Pacific Heritage Assurance Life Insurance Company, and the Western American Life Insurance Company, which, according to Utah state government records, have a combined value of $94 million.
Shearson-Lehman-Hutton is the broker for the LDS church. They handle almost all of the church's investments apart from charity, administration, and construction -- close to $200 million every year.
http://www.bonneville.com/?nid=3
Other sources of Mormon wealth are the insurance companies, retail stores, office buildings, and other business properties in Utah and elsewhere. The Beneficial Life Insurance company, founded to provide life insurance to church members, has expanded into a major subsidiary with holdings in the Deseret Mutual Benefit Association, Continental Western Life Insurance Company, the Pacific Heritage Assurance Life Insurance Company, and the Western American Life Insurance Company, which, according to Utah state government records, have a combined value of $94 million.
Shearson-Lehman-Hutton is the broker for the LDS church. They handle almost all of the church's investments apart from charity, administration, and construction -- close to $200 million every year. If you are lucky enough to still have a brokerage account, find another broker!
Maybe people should also boycott their TV Show and their website. Might help to change or mellow out their ideas toward the discrimination of gay people.
The perpetrators of hate were the Mormon Church leaders - it is the Church that should and must be punished, not innocent victims who happen to live in Utah or who have been brainwashed into their faith. Nor is it Robert Redford and his Sundance Group. They should be rewarded for their courage to stand up for their beliefs against those Mormon hypocrites. It is not easy to live in Utah and disagree with the powerful Mormon contingent.
We must remember that not only the Mormons were pushing the "Yes on 8" effort.
We must now start a very fast moving effort to convince the IRS to revoke the Mormon Church's tax exempt status. The same should be the fate of any "church" that commanded its members to contribute to the "Yes on 8" effort.
We should also investigate and publish the names of all the big contributors to the "Yes on 8" campaign and their businesses, not just Mormon, and then actively as a community boycott these perpetrators of hate and bigotry.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/deta...
$1,395,000
During a 1985 interview with the Orange County Register, summarized his political agenda: “My goal is the total integration of biblical law into our lives.”
Elsa Prince
$450000.00
Her son, Erik Prince, is the head of Blackwater Worldwide.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/...
During the LDS conferences in SLC the bar and clubs were VERY busy, drinking and smoking them up.
Hypocrisy from the first go.
Boycotting helped Parks in AL, can work for us..
Your utter lack of comprehension of the rights of citizens to vote their conscience is so reminiscent of the days during the civil rights movement as to be contemptible. You would take away the rights of free exercise of religion, free expression, and free association.
There are about 800,000 members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the entire state of California. If every one had voted on Proposition 8, they would have made up less than 9% of the voters. If every one had voted in favor, they would have made up less than 15% of the vote. But they did not all vote in favor of the amendment. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are also free to vote their own conscience regardless of the stand taken by the leadership of the church. In truth, the impact of the Mormon Church on the passage of Proposition 8 is minor and was in no way decisive.
Exit polls show that in California, 70% of African-Americans voted in favor of Proposition 8. Will you also advocate the boycotting of businesses owned by African-Americans? The demographic of African-American voters fully understands the value of having both a father and a mother at the head of the household and probably knows more than any other demographic the detrimental effect of the erosion of institution of marriage and they voted overwhelmingly in favor of the proposition. Their vote was decisive.
You also seem to have forgotten that the residents of the State of California have spoken twice on this issue and both times have voted in favor of a traditional definition of marriage.
Finally, I am very disturbed by your characterization of the State of Utah. Neither the State itself, nor the citizens of the State, nor the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who live in that State are hateful. The state was first populated by people who fully understand the consequences of bigotry and hate. However, you tar yourself with the same brush that you would tar the people of the State of Utah. You are the bigoted, the hater, the one who would curtail the rights and privileges of others. I can easily see you in the white robes and peaked hats characteristic of the Ku Klux Clan. You fit the profile of those who kidnap, beat, and tie folks to fences to die because of their beliefs and lifestyles.
On the other hand, as long as you continue to propagate falsehoods, deal in untruths and half truths, and foment bigotry and hatred, you will have no credibility and will, in the end, accomplish nothing.
It accomplished the passage of Prop 8
Didn't the south "vote" decisively and with their conscience to uphold slavery?
( John - you must be having some effect already - they sent rolandksmith out to talk to you.)
http://potentialisamuscle.blogspot.com/
in support.
John, you rock!
Why is the Sundance Film Festival being held in Hater-ville, UTAH?
John over at Americablog has a good point: after the millions of dollars Utah business leaders spent to influence and interfere in our lives, why are we having our parties there?
Without the Sundance Institute and its film festival/market, Sundance, Utah would be just another ski town. A few cowboys, a few mountains. Can't we get those somewhere else?
This would be a great, GREAT time for towns like Newport Beach and Seattle to step up with offers to host the new, big film festival to replace Sundance.
Is there really any compelling reason why Robert Redford can't move his operation? Is Utah that beautiful? I've been there. It was nice, but...knowing that you're being hosted by people who hate the people you love? Not so great.
I'll go back. I have friends there. I don't think I'll be able to keep a civil tongue, though.
You need to find business that are owned _by the Church_ not Mormon individuals, or owned by individuals who donated proposition 8.
_Just because they are Mormon_ is just bigotry.
That's right. Paint the whole state with the same brush because a bunch of religious wing nuts do something you don't like. Don't get me wrong, I think Prop 8 stinks. But it's called DEMOCRACY. They are allowed to do whatever the hell they want with their money. And as for hatred and bigotry, Utah hasn't cornered the market. If recent history hasn't convinced you of the danger in blaming the masses for the actions of a few individuals, you are blinded by your own hate and bigotry. Utah does not equal Moron Church. It's got some of the most beautiful scenery in the country. It's got some of the most flaming liberals I have ever met. You do the entire state a disservice with your outrageous accusations. Pick on the responsible parties if you must, but leave the rest of that wonderful state out of it.
And most importantly (to me at least) my partner of 7 years, Michael, gets the same high quality health insurance that I receive - at no cost to either of us - as part of Marriott's domestic partner coverage. I wear a combo American and rainbow flag pin at work and don't feel conflicted about it.
I want full marriage rights and equality as much as anyone. I also think what the Mormon church did in California was abhorrent and part and parcel of their creepy homophobic obsession. I can say from the 'inside' however, there is a disconnect between the religion of the founder and his corporation. People will have to make up their own minds about this, of course, I just wanted to add a bit to the discussion.
- Mark Thompson nymarriott@gmail.com
(originally posted on http://iamatvjunkie.typepad.com)
Calling for a boycott of Utah is, as other readers have pointed out, fighting bigotry with bigotry. Furthermore, consider the impact of such a boycott: It would likely have very little impact on the LDS church or it’s members, but instead hurt the tens of thousands of Utahns who work in the various service industries in Utah. Have you been to a nice restaurant in Park City? Have you walked the streets during Sundance? Have you stayed at one of the Utah Marriotts? Have you been to one of the ski resorts in Utah? If you had done any of these things, you would quickly realize that the LGBT population in Utah is alive and well and that many of these people (along with many straight, but gay-friendly folks) depend on these service industries to make a living. By all means, exercise your Constitutional 1st Amendment right and speak out about your outrage with the Church, but please make a distinction between the Mormon Church and the state of Utah.
In fact, in an article published by Salt Lake’s Deseret News exactly three years ago, Gregory A. Kompes, author of "50 Fabulous Gay-friendly Places to Live" was quoted as saying, "It's not what people expect. Many of us have this preconceived notion of what it's like to live in Salt Lake because of the church, but when you start meeting people and talking to people it's just this big umbrella that isn't reality."
The article continued to say that, “Kompes was so impressed by Salt Lake City's gay community that he fought to keep the city on the list, finally compromising with his publisher to include Utah's capital city as a bonus 51st entry. His publisher simply could not reconcile the idea of Salt Lake City as a gay-friendly community because of the predominant Latter-day Saint religion and Utah's reputation as a Republican state, he said.
"This may be a shock to many, but when big city cosmopolitan meets rugged adventure in this clean, safe and beautiful city, Salt Lake City has become home to a large, organized and politically supported gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered community," Kompes writes in the book, published by Career Press.
Kompes based his criteria for the 51 cities on factors including nightlife, employment opportunities, local politics and gay-owned business. Salt Lake City, he said, impressed him with its support of the gay community with an active Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgendered Community Center and an annual Utah Pride parade in downtown Salt Lake City.”
Additionally, although you cited (somewhat) correctly Utah’s LDS percentage as 62%, this is a reflection of many of the rural areas of the state (areas not likely to be impacted by a boycott), and even by a BYU Professor’s admission, it is a rather high estimate. “Professor Tim Heaton, who studies LDS demographics for church-owned Brigham Young University, says the county numbers probably come from church membership rolls, and that between half and one-third of those people are not active in the faith. If that's true, then, at most, 41.6 percent of Utahns are church-going Mormons” (Matt Canham (2005-06-22). "Mormon portion of Utah population steadily shrinking", Salt Lake Tribune). The areas which would suffer most from a boycott are the urban and resort areas closer to Salt Lake City where the LDS population is less than 50% (Canham 2005-06-22).
I think you do a great injustice to all the non-LDS Utahns as well as the many LDS Utahns that bravely spoke out against Prop 8 if you continue to call for a boycott of Utah. I hope that you will see that the politically responsible choice to admit that you responded while in the heat of the moment and exercised poor judgment in this case.
Beth Fisher
There are many Mormons who were against Prop 8.
There are many people in Utah who were against prop 8. Many of them marched in protest last Friday.
There are lots of gay people living in Utah.
The majority of the people in Park city are NOT Mormon, and ARE pro-gay.
The Sundance film festival has always been pro-gay, even when it wasn't in their best interest.
The hard core conservative Utah Mormons would want nothing more than to see the film festival leave.
In your blind rage you are devouring your own. In that, you have already lost the battle.
I'd like to see what the Mormons would say if there was an out of state funded and organized amendment in Utah to ban Mormon marriage. If it passed 52 percent. Something tells me they wouldn't just accept the verdict of the "America's majority" quietly. Something tells me they wouldn't just "get over it" The proponents of Prop 8 are either breathtakingly ignorant or callous or both. What do you expect me to do after I have been designated a second class citizen. To shut up so I won't offend your "sensibilities ? " The hypocrisy knows no bounds.
Congrats, you are the only one here using your head. I disagree with the boycott...but I agree with you on how dumb it is to vote away each other's liberties. This is where your fight is...not against mormons in general, but against the actual people themselves that funded to take away your liberties. We all need to help each other understand that just because something is a liberty that you don't agree with morally...it needs to be protected because it might be your own on the chopping block at one point. Liberty is what matters. Personal views on morality can be expressed with free speech. It doesn't need to be legislated and/or voted upon to restrict someone else. Thanks for using your brain...tell everyone else to start thinking in these terms...and not just "lets hate on the mormons"
In the meantime you are doing a great job keeping Global educated indignation HIGH over how much Mormon Mafia Money, Catholic Mafia Money, etc., was pumped into Pro Prop 8 advertising in CA. Thanks for all you do. Keep it up.
The entire world was following Decision 2008. They are still watching to see how Prop 8 is dealt with, American style Democracy.
CA exit poles show Black vote @75% for Prop 8. Still lots of homophobia in the CA Black community.
BRING your demonstrations and your educated opinions re civil rights into Utah en-mass, both to SLC and Park City, during Sundance. GREAT IDEA. Join demonstrations in SLC. The gay community in SLC needs your support. Demonstrate all over Park City. STAY a while.
I am not Gay. I do live in Ogden Utah, which has a secondary Sundance Venue. Bring your opinions and demonstrations into all of Utah.
The national/global media has you covered. NON MORMONS in UTAH are COUNTING ON YOU.
On local Utah blogs, non Mormons are voicing their opinions too:
Topix: South Ogden
Why are Mormons so racist and judgmental??
http://www.topix.com/forum/city/south-ogden-ut/...
*deep breath*
This is so unbelievably stupid it makes me want to explode. I am from Park City, Utah (I have also lived in Sandy, Utah) and I am both non-Mormon and very pro-gay rights. I am so sick of being stereotyped and lumped in with a religion I want nothing to do with. How dare you suggest punishing an entire state when a good number of us do not agree with the Mormon church. Do people like me just not matter to you? What about all the small non-corporate business that rely on tourism (especially from Sundance) that will likely go out of business because of this nonsense? Do they not matter either? This is so hypocritical it absolutely baffles the mind.
How about boycotting California? Hm? That's who voted the measure down, just in case you've forgotten. Who the hell cares who funded it? Take some God damn responsibility and stop blaming everyone else for what happened. Clearly California is not as "open minded" and "free spirited" as it likes to believe and I highly doubt Utah, a state with a population less then LA, is the culprit.
I would like to quote South Park (I know that seems childish, but this verbalized exactly how I feel):
"Half the kids in the class didn't vote
for your nephew, so what about them?
You don't give a crap about them because
they're not on your side! People like
you preach tolerance and open-mindedness
all the time, but when it comes to Middle
America, you think we're all evil and
stupid country yokels who need your
political enlightenment!!"
This leads me to my next point, I would like to point out that being "open-minded" is about respecting ALL opinions, NOT just your own. I will never understand being against equal rights, but I at least respect the fact that someone may disagree. I simply for sorry anyone that hateful and move on with my life. You are hating people for their opinion and stance on something. But wait...isn't that exactly what you were against in the first place?
Maybe we need to accept that there are some people who's minds can simply not be changed. I don't think they're bad people necessarily, they were just (unfortunately) raised very narrow-mindedly. But guess what? We are exponentially closer to equality then we were even 10 years ago. America is headed in the right direction, we just need to be patient. This is not the way to change minds. This is just making people defensive and more stubborn, which is a bit of step backwards. Bigoted generations are dying off (as morbid as that may be) and soon, people in my generation that were raised to be accepting will take over.
http://apps.facebook.com/causes/158670?m=7863af...
I am looking for a comprehensive list of Utah businesses who financially supported Prop 8. Anyone who knows of one, email me on Facebook.
That is the true definition of being judgmental. I'm not even for Prop 8...but I am Mormon. I respect it when people fight for their values, but not when they are judgmental to the innocent because they are part of a group that has some people that donated. You don't even know if Marriott donated...and you judge him. You tell people not to stay at any Marriott...and you have no idea whether he donated to prop 8 or not. Plus, I'll have you know the hotel industry creates a very sizable amount of jobs for people who happen to be gay. If you are going to join in the hatred...how about you hate on people who are actually the perpetrators...not just "Mormons." Hypocrite...
I am gay and I will not say anything to fuel your negative energy other than you can't spell. I am American and I CARE ABOUT GAY RIGHTS!
As many of you have said, boycotting/avoiding/whatever you want to call it everything Mormon is not going to do anything. Fire added to fire just makes a bigger fire and more hate is spread around everywhere. I used to be active in the LDS church and you have to understand a few things. I have recently accepted myself to be bisexual, if not a lesbian. That was one of the main reasons i stopped going to church. I am not saying that any sort of slander or insult towards gays is right, that would be very stupid of me, wouldn't it? But you have to understand a few things about the church.
From a young age we are taught that marriage should only exist between a man and a woman and every home should have a mother and a father. As we get older and learned about homosexuality we are taught that it is wrong. it is never outright said but it is implied that you will go to hell. I can understand the viewpoint. however...
I completely 100% disagree with this. My personal belief is that love of any kind is wonderful and everyone deserves to be loved whether it is by someone of the opposite or their own gender. It is hard for me to believe that God would want a man to be in an unhappy, loveless marriage with a woman than be truly happy with another man.
This is not the belief of the church. My parents are very religious and i can't tell them the truth because of the church's beliefs. I am in a relationship with an amazing woman but i just can't tell them.
This whole situation is just so very complicated and very very touchy but you have to understand that hating and boycotting gets you nowhere. People's hearts can only be opened and softened if they want them to be. You just have to be patient.
Stop hate by not hating. It's all that you can really do.