"You Commie Homo Loving Sons Of Gun"

The Oscars this year proved a big achievement for the film Milk--the story of the life and struggles of gay rights activist Harvey Milk--with two Oscar wins in the categories of Best Original Screenplay (by Dustin Lance Black) and Best Actor in a Leading Role (by Sean Penn). Both Dustin and Sean's acceptance speeches were highly inspiration for the GLBTQ community and every word mattered (despite the feeble homophobic protest outside the Oscars).


An excerpt from Sean Penn's Acceptance Speech:

You Commie homo-loving sons of guns! I did not expect this, but I — and I want to be very clear that I do know how hard I make it to appreciate me. Often. But I — I am touched by the appreciation and I hoped for it enough that I scribbled down — so I have the names in case you were Commie homo-loving sons of guns.

For those who saw the signs of hatred as our cars drove in tonight, and, 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.




An excerpt from Dustin Lance Black's Acceptance Speech:


I want to 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 or 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, thank you, and thank you God for giving us Harvey Milk.


Now imagine both speeches without the words "gay" or "lesbian" in them. It wouldn't make much sense now would it? Tell that to the 53 Asian nations that censored such words that mentioned equal rights for homosexuals. The STARS satellite network, owned by Rupert Murdoch (big surprise there), felt the need to take it upon themselves to censure such words in the Asian nations, as well as current speculations that same thing was done in India. Public outcry against this censorship has sprung up all over Asian forums.

The only response from the company came from Jannie Poon, STAR's Hong Kong-based spokeswoman, who said that the company had no intention of upsetting any viewers, but said it had "a responsibility to take the sensitivities and guidelines of all our markets into consideration." I wonder what other things such networks feel the "responsibility" to censure from us.