It's that time of the year again: The Oscars.
Sure, we'll have fun as always watching the show this Sunday night, but it will also be a great time to take note of the many celebrities who have spoken out for the freedom to marry.
America's most high-profile entertainers will be front-and-center, and even if we don't see a speech as inspirational as Dustin Lance Black's call for full LGBT equality was last year, many of these voices for equality are speaking out and helping us build a majority for marriage every single day.
Colin Firth, nominated for Lead Actor for his role as a gay college professor in the 60s in A Single Man, made it clear where he stands on marriage:
When Proposition 8 passed, I thought, 'If that can happen now, if something so retrograde can occur in 2008, maybe we haven't made much progress at all," Firth, 49, says. "To me, it was this triumphant day - when America made a very progressive change - and it had this bitter twist. I'm playing a man who is gay and being denied basic human rights in 1962, when a law is being passed to deny the same rights today.
George Clooney -- also nominated for Lead Actor, for Up In The Air-- has used even more powerful language:
At some point in our lifetime, gay marriage won't be an issue, and everyone who stood against this civil right will look as outdated as George Wallace standing on the school steps keeping James Hood from entering the University of Alabama because he was black.
Other acting-category nominees Meryl Streep and Anna Kendrick have told us they stand with us on the freedom to marry. But what about Maggie Gyllenhaal, Mo' Nique, Jeff Bridges, Penelope Cruz, newcomer Gaborey Sidibe and the rest of the nominees?
It's likely that many -- if not all -- of this year's nominees support ending the exclusion of same-sex couples from marriage. With your help we can find which Oscar nominees support marriage for all Americans.
Post links to any marriage statements made by other nominees supporting marriage in the blog comments and share it with everyone.
We may not be on the red carpet this weekend, but we can definitely join in the fun.
Cross-posted at Freedom to Marry
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But, I am sure they are for the freedom to marry, since so many of them have done it so many times.
As for speaking out at the Oscars, not the time nor the place to start pontificating. These people know much, much less than they would lead us to believe.
All you have to do is look at past Academy Award shows to see that those actors and actresses who have spoken out on issues are in fact very well informed---deeply so. .
I enjoy going to the movies and watching actors do their thing ~ act. They are certainly paid enough money and for the most part live a life of luxury. If they want to speak out about pet issues, there are plenty of forums ~~such as HuffPo~~ to do so.
To use the Academy Awards broadcast invites ridicule (e.g. Michael Moore). I really don't care what Sean Penn has to say about anything ... or James Cameron, or anyone else. They are no smarter than the average American. They've been told how wonderful they are by legions of fans, and they believe their own press.
Just say "Thank you" and get off stage.
“Now, I know a lot of folks that go to church and are gay. I tell them, “God don’t make no mistakes, baby, and we keep using it when it’s convenient.” If we are all made in his image, there are no mistakes. I think it’s absolute foolishness, just in my humble opinion, when people make statements like, “It’s blasphemy and you’re going to hell!” Really? And I’m a child of God — do you think God set me up? I’ve never bought in to it. With gays and church, I think there are so many of our brothers and sisters that’s in pain because they go to a place to receive nurturing, the love of God, and you start hearing that you’re going to hell because of who you were made to be. I just don’t buy that!”