Podunk Drive-In Boycotts BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Ah, my home state. Alabama the beautiful, they call it, and rightfully so. As lovely as the scenery is, though, and as much as there is to appreciate about it, there is a lot about sweet home Alabama to despise. It has a long history of redneckism and racism (the two are closely intertwined, despite what some would like for you to believe), and there are those who are keeping that proud tradition alive in the 21st century. The latest reminder, if I needed one, that I live in a still-backwards thinking geographic area, is the news that a local drive-in movie theater will refuse to show BEAUTY AND THE BEAST because it has a gay character in it. We here on Sand Mountain are so proud!

Call it what it is. A stunt. A chance for the owners to make an anti-gay statement and get publicity from it. (I will not report the name of the establishment, as I refuse to give them that publicity. You can click on this link if you want to.) If they were sincere in their assertion that the choice not to carry the film is based on their strong “Christian” faith, why are they not refusing to show other movies with sinners in either lead or supporting roles? Why? Because then they wouldn’t ever show ANY movie, that’s why. This isn’t about sin. This is about them not liking gay people. It’s as simple as that. Or, if they ARE making the decision based on faith, they are guilty of picking and choosing as to which sins are worthy of boycott and which ones aren’t, a practice which is not biblical. Lastly, do they think it’s gonna be a gay porno or something, just because one of the supporting characters identifies as gay? A movie can’t be “family friendly” if there is a gay character in it? I know of some “bible-thumper” movies in which one or more of the ACTORS was gay. Do those count as “unwholesome”? Or is it only a bad thing for a movie to have any kind of association with homosexuality if that reference is out in the open instead of hidden? Do those podunk drive-in owners have any concept of how many gay people worked in and on all the other “family friendly” movies they are showing?

By The Evil Cheezman

WAYNE MILLER is the owner and creative director of EVIL CHEEZ PRODUCTIONS (www.evilcheezproductions.blogspot.com, www.facebook.com/evilcheezproductions), specializing in theatrical performances and haunted attractions. He has written, produced and directed (and occasionally acted in) over a dozen plays, most of them in the Horror and Crime genres. His first novel, THE CONFESSIONS OF SAINT CHRISTOPHER: WEREWOLF, is available for purchase at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/734763 MORTUI VELOCES SUNT!

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