I am absolutely devastated by the death of Heath Ledger. I never met him, but I was a big fan, especially after “Brokeback Mountain.” His performance in that film was so stunning, utterly heartbreaking, just filled with a raw, naked longing and wrenching sadness. I admired him because I thought it was so brave – this very heterosexual leading man totally going for the ultimate gay realness. Seriously. When he spit in his hand I almost screamed “YOU GO GIRL!!!!” “Brokeback Mountain” was a milestone for us, and Heath’s amazing talent and willingness to play for our team earned him gay icon status forever. I’m sad because now we don’t get to see him anymore, his gorgeous, troubled face growing older and changing, going from boy to man to elder statesman. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends. What a terrible loss.
The news that the insane cult of Fred Phelps will be protesting at the funeral is certainly no surprise, but still as obnoxious as ever. These are the same crazy ‘Christians’ who protest the funerals of dead soldiers, in order to make some kind of insane and unrelated stand against tolerance for gays and lesbians. I am not sure what the tragic death of soldiers has to do with gay and lesbian issues but the Phelps clan obviously believes in their own twisted logic. I predicted that they would show up at Heath Ledger’s funeral, if only to grab more headlines for their scrapbooks, using “Brokeback Mountain” as their dumb excuse. They really don’t care who dies, they’ll spin anyone to use for their own publicity. I am sure they scan the obits daily for more press opportunities. As the years go by I realize that the Phelps family values are the best thing to happen to the gay community since Wayland Flowers & Madam. Their antics continue to annoy, disgust and infuriate not only queers but straights alike, making everyone side with the gay community, even if by default. Their loud and boisterous tactics make everyone assume all people who hate gays are like that, and the uncoolness by association swells our ranks every time they decide to protest a funeral or applaud a hate crime or whatever the hell they do in order to promote their ridiculous and incomprehensible agenda. I have long thought they were Act Up in disguise, covert queer activists who will stop at nothing to instigate change and rid the world of homophobia and hatred. They must be, because they do nothing but further our cause.
margaret,
I’m really happy to see you point out EXACTLY what I’ve been thinking about the Phelps clan since hearing their plans to protest Heath Ledger’s funeral. I believe that they must be scaring many conservative, anti-gay people, forcing them to look at themselves and realize that this kind of hatred and ignorance is ugly…and humiliating to be even remotely associated with.
yeah… depressing, isn’t it? I still find it weird, and I’m not a fan as such (in the sense that I’m not a besotted teenage girl).
When I told my boyfriend about the people wanting to picket Ledger’s funeral, he replied that he hoped someone would hit them. Someone probably would if they showed up at a funeral in Australia.
Anytime Phelps and his nutty family open their mouths they advance gay rights. You hit the nail on the head with that one. In any case they will all be dead soon. That man must be 90 years old. I fear his nutty wife will live on forever but whatever.
I totally agree with you. And furthermore, the Phelps clan are not Christians. They are rodent terrorists who crawl under the Christian umbrella in order to infest weak minds and spread their brand of hate and ignorance to an audience.
I am a Christian and I don’t get it. Jesus loved everyone. He was kind and gentle and just. But I bet he’s pissed off right about now watching so many people use him as their motivation to justify evil.
I totally agree with you. And furthermore, the Phelps clan are not Christians. They are rodent terrorists who crawl under the Christian umbrella in order to infest weak minds and spread their brand of hate and ignorance to an audience.
I am a Christian and I don’t get it. Jesus loved everyone. He was kind and gentle and just. But I bet he’s pissed off right about now watching so many people use him as their motivation to justify evil.
I can’t get the point why they protesting in the soldiers funeral? Oh well I think they just want the people to notice them, people like them are insane.
I totally agree with you on the point about Fred Phelps and his gang, and have thought as such myself for a while.. Their obnoxious, unfounded hate towards so many groups must make even the most ‘conservative’, ‘anti gay’ groups and individuals reconsider their morals and beliefs.
I mean, picketing people’s funerals? Wtf is that?
R.I.P. Heath Ledger
I totally agree with you about those horrible “godhatesfags” protesters. They are disgusting and annoying. They recently protested a Tori Amos concert on her last tour for some reason… I have come to believe they protest everything I love/enjoy.
It’s been what — a few weeks now? And I’m still weirdly wrecked about Heath Ledger’s death. I thought I was okay until I read this story about how Jake Gyllenhaal has been really depressed on the set of the movie he’s now filming after the death of his friend. That made me all sad again.
I’ll be at your show when you come to DC — can’t wait. I’ll be happy again come April!
Magaret:
First and foremost, let me start by saying that I am a HUGE fan of your work-
( can’t wait till you come to DC in April) And I would like to extend my heartfelt condolences at the tragic and untimely passing of Heath Ledger. As a Gay man, I would like to thank you for being a voice for our community. But as a gay man AND a christian- the Phelps clan and their interpetations of homosexuality and the bible are completley off base. I am baffeled that “conservative” christians constantly use one scripture in the book of Leviticus to justify their ignorance and intolerance. (Im’ getting on my soap box now and need to set the record straight on a few things- scriptually, that is) That particular passage of the bible refers to the Holiness code- written over 2000 years ago. It also says ( on the same page) that you couldn’t wear two different types of fabric on your body at the same time. Your couldn’t touch a woman on her period or you would be unclean for seven days. and for eating shellfish- you could be stoned to death! You couldn’t eat meat that had been dead for three days- and over SIX HUNDRED AND FIFTY OTHER RULES. “Man should not lie with man as man lies with woman, it is an abomination.” in 21st century english, “abomination” means- something that makes God want to vomit. BUT- 2000 years ago, the “abomination” was the pagan sex rituals where entire families would have sex with one another in order to ensure fertillity. If you historically look back at all of the pagan civillizations that the children of Isreal came into contact with, (the babalonians, assyrians, cannanites, thessolonians, egyptian* 400years) you will see that was the case. Now with the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, (which is used quite frequently to bash us) God decided to destroy the city before the angels even got there! (no kidding, it’s all there, check it out for yourself- and tell me Im’ wrong!) There are two different ways of interpeting the bible- the literal method- which is simply taking the text and interpeting it as it stands, leaving no room for study, spiritual growth, or development. The second, is the Historica-Critical method of interpetation. Taking into account the language that the people where speaking in over 2000 years ago, and researching exactly what the circumstances where at the time the text was written. The prior- (also called fundamentalism) has been responsible for NUMEREOUS attrocities during the course of human history. ( the crusades, the salem witch trials, the subjugation of women in the chruch and as property, numerous holy wars, the spanish inquisition, and let’s not forget about african enslavement.) Furthermore, the word “homosexual” was not even a part of the english language until 1935! the word in the times of the bible was “eunuch.” There is even a passage in the bible where Jesus says of the eunchs: ” There are those who where made eunuchs by men, those who chose to become eunuchs, and those who were BORN eunuchs- to best serve the glory of the Kingdom of God.” (scriptually clearing up yet another mystery- BORN GAY) and even ANOTHER passage where God speaks of the Eunuchs: “Let not the Eunuch say that I am a dry tree, for if they walk in my precepts and honor my ways, I shall give their name a place on the wall in my eternal city in a place which is higher than that of sons and daughters.” But you never would hear that from “reverend” Phelps. It’s all in the same bible. Jesus gave a STERN warning to people that use the bible to further their owns selfish and hateful ambitions: “WOE TO THE SHEPHEARD WHO SCATTERS THE FLOCK.” What did Jesus say about homosexuality? NOTHING.
Sorry to fly off on a tangent- but I feel that needed to be said.
brian1wright@yahoo.com
You are spot on about Fred Phelps and the Phelps Klan. As a recovering Kansan, I spent my teenage-hood in the extremely evangelical suburbs of Kansas City where every once in a while an event would be graced by The Phelps Klan (who at that time had not become the international Folk Singing Phenomenon behind that instant classic “God Hates The World”…check it out on Youtube…that they are today). At that time, they “strictly” stuck to gay oriented events. Tori Amos concerts, high school graduations (yes, my high school was picketed by them because we had the audacity to not ban the lesbian novel ‘Annie On My Mind’), and that oh-so-well-known Celebrity For The Gay Agenda: The Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu (cause apparently if your last name is ‘tutu’ that means you like the ballet…cause that’s ‘gay’…?). Oh yeah, and I can’t forget the time they picketed a Marilyn Manson concert where a group of my friends dressed up in plushy outfits (our highschool mascot, a cougar, which looked like a giant chipmunk, a pink bunny suit, etc.) and the Phelps’ unexplicably began singing at them forcing onlookers to wonder “what all those people were praying at them for”. Nevertheless, we Kansans learned long ago that the best remedy against the Phelps Klan is humour. They take themselves REALLY seriously and first degree and humour is like kryptonite to a Phelps. At AIDS rallies, we pledge money for every Phelps there and how long they stay. It also goes without saying that they get really, really, pissed off at people dressed in pink bunny suits…
Girl- they’re pissed off about everything.