We knew it would happen. Sean Penn’s very political Oscar acceptance speech has brought some pro-Prop 8 (anti-gay) sentiments to the main stage. Personally, I was offended that Sean Penn didn’t thank his wife, Robin Wright Penn, but Sean explained on Monday’s Oprah that he felt like only thanking people he has a professional relationship with, not his family. Sean even said that certain members of his family would be pissed if he had mentioned them on the Oscar stage. I imagine a “Jesus, Daaa-aaddd!!” would have been in his future.
Anyway, Ron Prentice, the director of the California Family Council, has spoken out about Penn and his pro-gay (and seemingly pre-Communist) speech. Prentice makes reference to the “research” that has been done to promote the one-dad/one-mom heterosexual marriage, the same “research” that not only finds that gay couples are somehow less than perfect parents (gasp!), but also draws correlations to bad parenting and single parents, couples who aren’t married, widows and widowers, et cetera. Radar Online has the exclusive statement:
While gay activists are praising Sean Penn’s win as Best Actor for portraying Harvey Milk, the slain San Francisco commissioner, not everyone is pleased with his acceptance speech.
Ron Prentice, director of California Family Council, which participated in the Yes on 8 coalition tells RadarOnline.com exclusively:
“Sean Penn deserves congratulations for his excellent portrayal of Harvey Milk. In “Milk,” Mr. Penn’s depiction of the main character displayed an inexhaustible commitment to perfection. Still, Mr. Penn’s reference to the majority of California’s voters as “shameful” is as silly as his tongue-in-cheek reference to the Academy Awards’ audience as ‘communists.'”
“Mr. Penn would do well to take his study to research regarding the benefits of both a mom and a dad to children, to the societal purpose for marriage, and the stripping away of the first amendment rights of employers, parents, clergy, and children by redefining marriage.”
Voters in California passed “Yes on 8” last November… thereby banning
gay marriage in the state.
From Radar Online
I think if you want to raise your kids in a “traditional” marriage/family situation, that’s great. If not, fine. God bless. It pisses me off when various conservative think-tanks hide behind “research” where the results are bought and paid for by various “family counsels” and “Americans for Family Truth” or some such nonsense. I don’t know why people think hiding their bigotry behind ham-fisted “research” somehow makes their ideas more palatable. As a wise woman (my mother) once said, “They’re just gay – it’s not contagious.”
Oh, and I really think Penn was joking about the communist thing. It was a great laugh line, and it speaks volumes that Ron Prentice didn’t get the joke.
Sean Penn is shown at the Vanity Fair Oscar party and in the Oscars press room. Credit: WENN
I think this is one of the main reasons Sean Penn won over the much more deserving Mickey Rourke. His win stokes the fires of the gay rights movement, and gets the issue back in the public eye…which is a very good thing. I just wish it could’ve been brought back to the public consciousness by someone other than Sean Penn…his self-aggrandizing pomposity knows no bounds.
And I don’t care what his excuse is, THANK YOUR DAMN WIFE. Asshat.
I’m no fan of Sean Penn, but his performance in Milk is why he won the award, end of. It was amazing. I’m not even sure Mickey Rourke WAS acting.
@Jen – could not agree more re wishing Prop 8’s raised profile was down to a more balanced, likeable and less confrontational and self-satisfied individual than Penn. He’s a fine actor but a pissy, grudge-holding, unpleasantly self-righteous man with little respect for other people’s views. What he will likely do is bring out the very worst in those on either side of the argument.
unmod me please.
Loved his speech, loved his self deprecating remarks, love his total commitment to his roles. 🙂
I feel so grateful to Penn for sharing his spotlight with such a worthy cause. I will never forget what he did on Oscar night.
I think the California Family Council would be better served to take a close look at OctoMom and her family situation, rather than scrutinizing a gay couple who has the MEANS to raise a child, and love enough to share.
A wise person? Eh. Saying it’s not contagious sounds like it is something bad.
I agree, it’s not contagious?? Wth? Not it isn’t, it is they way someone was born. No more than having Blue eyes, being Jewish, hispanic or anything else is contagious. It is so amazing to me how people can spew hate and wrap it up in a religious package and think it is ok. These people need help and feel like they are losing control over the ever changing world. I am proud of Sean Penn, and feel like religious bible thumping bigots are wierdos, shameful and disgusting human beings. TRULY !!
You can go straight to hell, Prentice. Asswipe homophobe.
I just read on Lainey that Penn told Access his wife had expressly forbidden him from mentioning her.
@ Jane – that’s not what she meant at all. I took it more as a comment that people should live and let live because who someone chooses to love doesn’t affect anyone other than the people in that relationship.
And can someone tell me how allowing people to marry whomever they choose affects first amendment rights? I won’t argue someone’s right to voice their opinion, but when you pass a law that says that a certain class of people is not allowed to partake of the benefits of marriage, that’s an equal protection violation at that point. It has nothing to do with the free speech.
Time is the only solution for this unfairness toward tax paying citizens. Thankfully, when the current generation dies, the next one is going to be much more tolerant to people of the world. It will be out with the homophobic redneck haters and in with a kinder, more modern and accepting generation…50 years? Hopefully sooner as they die off.
One man, one woman. That’s all it takes to make it right and better? Perhaps Mr Prentice should take a look at domestic violence research. Your sex or sex life, have absolutely nothing to do with how good your marriage is or how you will do as a parent. My parents were married for 14 years during which my delightful straight as an arrow father beat the living hell out of us. It took amazing courage for my Mom to leave and get us the hell out of that nightmare. And the church was no f-ing help. I would have loved another Mom instead. And since we are on the argument, since Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell are not married, does that make them less of a parent? Does that undermine society? In additon, gay marriage in no way would take away your first ammendment right. You could still bitch until you are blue in the face about how you don’t agree with it. In this economic climate with so many things teetering, this should be a non issue. The money these supposed “chuches” spend on this is shameful. There are thousands in this country who need help right now and if you were a christian, you would put this money and energy towards them.
Liz, that makes sense given the moment they shared before he started his speech. As I commented elsewhere, the Penns locked eyes and gave each other a lingering, emotional look before he began speaking. I thought it was endearing and meaningful. I also thought his speech was not that hard-hitting, but then again I’m a San Francisco values liberal on my way to hell.
Great message, but he’s still a assh*le.
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