So there is this actor, "Sean Penn," who currently has a popular movie out about an important gay political figure. Naturally this would make Sean Penn a friend of the gay community. But did you know that also, Sean Penn is a friend of Hugo Chavez? And that this makes Sean Penn less of a friend to the gays, somehow? Even though Chavez has no anti-gay policies? The Advocate has a very confusing commentary out this month and perhaps you can explain it to me:
- The headline refers to Chavez as an "anti-gay dictator," and goes on to talk about the gay rights situation in Cuba, (note: Cuba is a separate country.)
- The article's only subsequent reference to Venezuela mostly involves the country's (terrible) police & prison system, as described by the US State Department.
- It then concludes that Penn is "tainted" as a gay ally because of this "association."
Make sense? Not even a little bit? Well then tell it to this LA Times blog person, who reposted the whole thing, for fun. FYI once all the newspapers collapse (i.e. Tuesday) this is how all news stories are going to be "researched.," lucky us!
Comments (14)
Disgusting and asinine. It would be laughable it wasn't outrageously defamatory.
And look, Cuba and Venezuela signed the UN gay rights declaration. The US didn't. As long as that's the case, American journalists should STFU if they feel like spreading their apeshit around.
Posted by ceti_alpha
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December 19, 2008 6:38 PM
Posted on December 19, 2008 18:38
You are exactly right, Otto! It's that Penn after 30,000 diet pills.
Posted by TK
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December 16, 2008 11:03 AM
Posted on December 16, 2008 11:03
ROFL--no, they certainly weren't. Jeez, I was in my teens back then, and I knew Chile was to be boycotted on that and numerous other grounds!
Posted by QueenBina
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December 15, 2008 9:17 PM
Posted on December 15, 2008 21:17
This is the same Penn that works at Shoen Penn, roght?
right?
tell me i'm right.
Posted by otto
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December 15, 2008 7:50 PM
Posted on December 15, 2008 19:50
This is part of a general disconnect that too many sectors of the US, including many "liberals" have with the rest of the world. I remember in the mid-80s in Haymarket Boston, which used to have a Saturday market where they'd sell cheap food. Once I hears a vendor yell "scab free Chilean grapes!". For some context: this was a time when there was a boycott of grapes by the farmwokers union because they wouldn't let grape pickers unionize, and the workers worked under very unsanitary conditions. But this guy, obviously supportive of unions in the US had no clue about Chile, obviously had never heard of Pinochet ...:) I mean, Chilean grapes weren't exactly an alternative on this score.
Posted by Utpal
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December 15, 2008 4:36 PM
Posted on December 15, 2008 16:36
I wouldn't be surprised either. As it is, even Fidel has admitted that there have been "mistakes" in the Cuban revolution, and that one of them was not recognizing sooner that being gay is not a mental defect, nor is it "bourgeois". The situation is evolving, but to hear the whore media tell it (including the "guppy" pubs, which is a term I love!), it's frozen in time and only the Miami Mafia (who, as flaming machistas, are no friends of the gays) have the ice axe...
Posted by QueenBina
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December 15, 2008 11:05 AM
Posted on December 15, 2008 11:05
It is not just that it talks about the gay rights situation in a different country, but like in that different country, like, 30 years ago, as if nothing had changed since. I for one would not be surprised if Cuba were to ratify some kind of domestic partnership law for GLBT partners before the US does.
As to Venezuela, the defeated constitutional referendum would have banned discrimination based on sexual orientation. Too bad it didn't pass, but that wasn't Chavez's fault.
Guppy publications tend to be kinda silly, especially when they talk about other countries.
Posted by Utpal
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December 15, 2008 7:57 AM
Posted on December 15, 2008 07:57
Why should anyone care about an actor's politics?
I'll bet Kirchick cared when Reagan spoke.
If Mr. Penn wrote about Iraq, Cuba, or Venezuela without visiting these places he would be pilloried for being naive. Visit them and and now he is a tool for the "extreme left" of Venezuela along with nearly 60% of the population. Chavez is neither "extreme left" nor a caudillo. I applaud Penn et. al. for their interest and contributions to politics. If more US citizens showed interest in learning about history, the garbage that Kirchick writes would be lining the bird cage where it belongs.
Posted by sifrinot
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December 15, 2008 12:16 AM
Posted on December 15, 2008 00:16
BTW: Thor Halvorssen respected? Bwahahahahaha.
Posted by QueenBina
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December 14, 2008 10:29 PM
Posted on December 14, 2008 22:29
Given that Venezuela has been holding gay pride events ever since you-know-who was elected, and NOBODY from them was ever busted, this is silly on more levels than you could shake a stick at.
BTW, someone please inform these dumbshits that Raul Castro has changed his mind about gay rights since his daughter started working on behalf of transsexuals. He's now adjusting nicely.
Posted by QueenBina
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December 14, 2008 10:22 PM
Posted on December 14, 2008 22:22
Given that Venezuela has been holding gay pride events ever since you-know-who was elected, and NOBODY from them was ever busted, this is silly on more levels than you could shake a stick at.
BTW, someone please inform these dumbshits that Raul Castro has changed his mind about gay rights since his daughter started working on behalf of transsexuals. He's now adjusting nicely.
Posted by QueenBina
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December 14, 2008 10:21 PM
Posted on December 14, 2008 22:21
It is scary that someone who thinks "Human Rights Foundation" is a "respected" organization works for the LA Times.
The Advocate piece is silly on too many levels.
Posted by Utpal
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December 14, 2008 9:09 PM
Posted on December 14, 2008 21:09
Thanks for posting that. I doubt this will get any more traction than the "antisemitic" accusations. At least I hope not.
Posted by Greengeeta2
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December 14, 2008 6:59 PM
Posted on December 14, 2008 18:59
The LA Times blog entry also says: "Thor Halvorssen, president of the respected Human Rights Foundation, also takes aim at the actor in the piece...."
Ha ha ha ha.
"Respected"? By whom?
Posted by fixer123
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December 14, 2008 12:55 PM
Posted on December 14, 2008 12:55