Bushitler Fascism Raises Its Ugly Dying Head…’Artists’ Call For Punishing Theater Director Who Supported Proposition 8 (UPDATED: He "Resigned")

Dissent is the highest form of patriotism unless you refuse to toe the accepted liberal line. In that case, you’re going to have to pay a price for having the audacity of independent thought.

Gay and lesbian artists called Monday for an artistic and audience boycott of California Musical Theatre after learning that its artistic director donated $1,000 to a campaign that backed banning gay marriage in California.

Scott Eckern was not available for comment Monday as the revelation has gained stunning momentum on the blogosphere….

Richard Lewis, the organization's executive producer, said the board of directors will conduct an emergency meeting on the matter this afternoon. He said it was too early to tell how this would affect Eckern's 25-year employment with California Musical Theatre.

Personally, I don’t have a problem with the theater doing this. If they think keeping Eckern on will hurt their business, well, when an employee becomes a liability and not an asset there are often consequences.

What bothers me is the rank hypocrisy of the left.

Let’s play a game of “Imagine if an evvvvvilllll entertainment corporation were holding an emergency meeting to decide whether someone who donated to a lefty cause might be fired for it”.

Can you imagine the outrage that ‘the artistic community’ would unleash if one of their own were faced with losing their job for taking a political stand they agreed with? The cries of ‘artistic freedom’ and ‘fascism’ would be deafening.

BTW- I was a bit reluctant to post this after last night’s Prop 8 video thread, lest people think this is ‘bash the gays’ season. I think this story is far more about liberal group think than it is gays or Prop 8.

UPDATE: Eckern has either been properly reeducated or really likes his job.

Eckern issued an apology Tuesday, which was printed in industry periodical Playbill. Eckern said he donated $1,000 to fight for equal rights for all. He said it was not his intent to offend anyone and he was acting on his own religious convictions.

“I have now had many conversations with friends and colleagues and I now have a better idea of what the discrimination issues are, how deeply felt these issues are and I am deeply saddened that my acting upon my religious convictions has been devastating to those I love and admire… I am deeply sorry for any harm or injury I have caused,” according to the apology in Playbill.

I'm sure he won't make the mistake again anytime soon of thinking when artists talk about freedom of expression they actually mean it. Silly man.

Update x2: He quit. Thanks to theBman for the tip.

posted by DrewM. at 10:59 AM

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