Proposition 8 continues to bitterly divide many parts of California, and Hollywood is not immune. The LA Times reports today that Hollywood businesses and public figuresare being targeted for their support of the same-sex marriage ban. From the Times:
Should there be boycotts, blacklists, firings or de facto shunning of those who supported Proposition 8?
That'sthe issue consuming many in liberal Hollywood who fought to defeat theinitiative banning same-sex marriage and are now reeling withrecrimination and dismay. Meanwhile, activists continue to comb donorlists and employ the Internet to expose those who donated money tosupport the ban.
Already out is Scott Eckern, director of thenonprofit California Musical Theatre in Sacramento, who resigned aftera flurry of complaints from prominent theater artists, including"Hairspray" composer Marc Shaiman, when word of his contribution to theYes on 8 campaign surfaced.
Other targets include Film Independent, the nonprofit artsorganization that puts on both the Los Angeles Film Festival and theSpirit Awards; the Cinemark theater chain; and the Sundance FilmFestival.
For many in Hollywood, the Proposition 8 backlash represents atroubling clash of free speech, religious beliefs and the right tofight intolerance. Many supporters of same-sex marriage view the stateconstitutional amendment as codified bigotry, a rollback of civilliberties for gays and lesbians.