About Me

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Matthew Freeman is a Brooklyn based playwright with a BFA from Emerson College. His plays include THE DEATH OF KING ARTHUR, REASONS FOR MOVING, THE GREAT ESCAPE, THE AMERICANS, THE WHITE SWALLOW, AN INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR, THE MOST WONDERFUL LOVE, WHEN IS A CLOCK, GLEE CLUB, THAT OLD SOFT SHOE and BRANDYWINE DISTILLERY FIRE. He served as Assistant Producer and Senior Writer for the live webcast from Times Square on New Year's Eve 2010-2012. As a freelance writer, he has contributed to Gamespy, Premiere, Complex Magazine, Maxim Online, and MTV Magazine. His plays have been published by Playscripts, Inc., New York Theatre Experience, and Samuel French.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Question

Would it be fair to call those who opposed Jim Crow laws "intolerant" of white racists?

It's a strange world where those who oppose the codifying of bigotry are called McCarthy-ists.

Is marriage a complex question? No, actually, it isn't. Those who try to parse civil unions and marriages are simply engaging in sleight of hand - the end result of that argument is always the same. The truth is, marriage is a right, same-sex couples should have it, and anything less is prejudicial.

If you disagree with that view...well, you're wrong, but you're welcome to disagree. If you publicly support the financing of a Proposition that would force your prejudicial views on others, you have opened yourself up for public scrutiny.

If you feel persecuted: good. Maybe that will teach you not to take the persecution of others so lightly.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

This whole sad episode leaves me with a decidedly icky feeling.

I am troubled a bit by the idea that someone can contribute money to a cause, no matter how bass-ackwards that cause may be, and as a result be run out of his/her job.

I am also troubled that this guy thought it was a-OK to publicly and with his name attached bankroll a campaign to discriminate against his own employees (dude works in Musical Theatre, for the love of Mike) and then act all offended and persecuted when news "gets out" (of course it did, sunshine - you put your name on it!) and cry out that his rights of free expression are being violated when the employees he just spent a grand to take a dump on start publicly wondering whether in fact they want to work with the guy anymore.

I think that McCarthyite comparisons are a bit overblown. That was about a small group of people crushing opposition by invoking fear of a bogeyman. Peaple are pissed at Scott Eckern for something he clearly and publicly did with his money.

Now, if Eckern had not made a donation, and people were pissed at the Mormon Church for bankrolling Prop 8, and someone said, "Hey, Eckern is a Mormon. He shouldn't be allowed to work on musicals!" and then the board demanded Eckern renounce his Mormonism or be fired, that would be McCarthyism.

Again, I'm a bit bothered by the way this shook out, because at the end of the day it comes down to support a proposition = lose your private-sector job. But honestly, what other result did Eckern think was coming? Did he really think the no doubt dozens of gay men and women he works with every day were gonna say, "Gee, I'm sorry you don't think I'm worthy of equal protection under the law, but heck, I respect your personal beliefs!"?

Man I need a shower...