No amount of protesting, letter-writing or door-to-door arguing will have changed as many hearts of average American people than seeing -- and liking (see Hewene's response above *grin*) this film. Very true! But that "liking" can be translated into so much more valuable results than writing slashy fanfic or designing funny photomanips *grin*
LOTR was a magnificent set of films, but it did not leave me with a call to action. What agonized me the most about Jack and Ennis's relationship is that they were forced by society to live a life that was so completely alien to their natures, and the anguish and desperation of that life caused so much heartache for those around them. Why should it matter to others whom, or how, we choose to love? Why should a certain kind of love be "wrong" if it does no harm to others? What gives other people the right to judge love as "wrong" or "right'?
hearts are being touched, minds being changed
This is a wonderful, wonderful thing. In one of the interviews I read, the producer, I think it was, describes telling Ang Lee that the audience for this film was not gays, but women. This is so true; it is women who will initiate the sea-change leading, at long last, to acceptance and full civil rights. But as long as we live within a context of democracy, then political action and activism will also be necessary.
I have lots more years previous experience as a religious person than as a recently-converted- to-non-religious person (I know your quote above wasn't aimed at me, but I took it to heart anyway, *g*) so I've still got a collection of useful biblical quotes in my head. The one I'm thinking of right now is, "Faith without works is dead."
Re: My two (or more) cents again: Political activism
Very true! But that "liking" can be translated into so much more valuable results than writing slashy fanfic or designing funny photomanips *grin*
LOTR was a magnificent set of films, but it did not leave me with a call to action. What agonized me the most about Jack and Ennis's relationship is that they were forced by society to live a life that was so completely alien to their natures, and the anguish and desperation of that life caused so much heartache for those around them. Why should it matter to others whom, or how, we choose to love? Why should a certain kind of love be "wrong" if it does no harm to others? What gives other people the right to judge love as "wrong" or "right'?
hearts are being touched, minds being changed
This is a wonderful, wonderful thing. In one of the interviews I read, the producer, I think it was, describes telling Ang Lee that the audience for this film was not gays, but women. This is so true; it is women who will initiate the sea-change leading, at long last, to acceptance and full civil rights. But as long as we live within a context of democracy, then political action and activism will also be necessary.
I have lots more years previous experience as a religious person than as a recently-converted- to-non-religious person (I know your quote above wasn't aimed at me, but I took it to heart anyway, *g*) so I've still got a collection of useful biblical quotes in my head. The one I'm thinking of right now is, "Faith without works is dead."