Open Letter from 'The Book of Daniels' creator to the LGBT community

[jonolover]

http://www.advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ektid25531.asp

It's kinda true. Just putting it out there.

[bigscott]

1. well he has a point

if he was a jew or muslim or african-american, all sorts of groups would have rallied to his side
mea culpa

[Meldread]

2. It's because the LGBT community lack leaders.

It's true. We don't have organizers, people to kick everyone in the ass. We don't have a Martin Luther King Jr. We don't even have a Malcolm X. We've got a handful of espresso and latte sipping queers in Washington who pretty much say, "Oh, yeah... you guys need to chill. We've got everything under control." Whenever something goes wrong, or we need to stand up and start pushing back.

In a nutshell we have no leaders, and those that currently hold the position have pretty much sold us out.

[Not Me]

3. I agree with what he says, except..

I DID write to NBC--for what it was worth.

As Kenny says, it was a program where a gay guy could live pretty much openly without it being the central theme of the show.

And now, especially after watching some of the episodes that were never aired (on nbc.com) I feel somewhat violated, as though someone took something from me...every bit as much as if they broke into my house and physically removed something. They took my enjoyment of something that spoke to me.

[kweerwolf]

4. Talk about a friggin' ego!

The LGBT community is fighting anti-gay marriage amendments right and left. We're fighting for adoption rights, hospital visitation rights, the sophomoric "don''t ask, don't tell" policy, cuts in funding for programs that assist persons with AIDS ... and a whole lot more issues that affect LGBT lives one hell of a lot more than a TV show.

Sorry we weren't there behind you, Jack, but we were fighting for issues that really matter. I can't speak for the rest of the community, but you really come across as just another whiney fag who runs around crying because the rest of the community won't rush out and throw ourselves on swords because you feel your pet project wasn't treated fairly.

Grow the fuck up.

[Smarmie Doofus]

8. Media depictions of gays are important also....

>>>>The LGBT community is fighting anti-gay marriage amendments right and left. We're fighting for adoption rights, hospital visitation rights, the sophomoric "don''t ask, don't tell" policy, cuts in funding for programs that assist persons with AIDS ... and a whole lot more issues that affect LGBT lives one hell of a lot more than a TV show.>>>>


... and in some ways THE most important venue.


No gay teenagers are going to throw themselves off a bridge because we don't have marriage rights or because of don't ask/don't tell.

OTOH, plenty *will* because they are locked into social environments where the central message is relentlessly anti-gay. "Daniel" , broadcast nationwide, could have penetrated this toxic social atmosphere for lots of kids... and adults, for that matter.

[Boomer]

5. Oh please

I'm willing to fight for many gay causes, but I'm not willing to fight for a badly written show just because it has a gay character. I tried to watch The Book of Daniel, but never made it past the first hour because it was boring and the characters were obnoxious. On some theoretical level involving principle, this fight has some merit, but it's not high enough on my list of priorities to bump other issues. I'll worry about mediocre TV shows AFTER my partner has medical benefits.

[Smarmie Doofus]

9. Unless I misunderstood....

>>>>I'm willing to fight for many gay causes, but I'm not willing to fight for a badly written show just because it has a gay character. I tried to watch The Book of Daniel, but never made it past the first hour because it was boring and the characters were obnoxious.>>>>


he doesn't want people to fight for it because it was a great show or because it was well written, he wants people to fight for it because it was scuttled because the opposition to it objected to the gay content (*specifically*) and to the fact that the author was a " practicing homosexual".

[kevinbgoode]

6. It isn't that much of an ordeal to write a letter

supporting the program. . .to me, the issue was allowing the American "Family" Association to railroad a network into cancelling a program they really had no interest in viewing anyway. . .much like the "Will and Grace" episode they started to campaign about. To me, that is worth ten minutes to send an email to NBC and/or, a local affiliate.

[xchrom]

7. i wrote a letter too.

i just don't want the right having control over what people see and hear on the telley.

no, it's not partner benefits -- but it is about visible gay characters in a very important medium.

i think the thing that's sad about 2006 is that i have to fight the right for every damn inch in every area.

[NMMNG]

10. I wrote to NBC

As well as several of the advertisers. I didn't sit back blithely and let it all happen. Unfortunately the powers that be chose to listen to the fundie whackjobs. :shrug:

[Democrats_win]

11. Appreciate his feelings. Who says there's economic freedom in America?

Are Jack Kenny's comments directed at the wrong people? The American people no longer stand for anything so they're standing for everything even censorship and breaking the 4th amendment.

His letter should be directed to every American, because the writing is on the wall: YOU'RE NEXT.