G'day Everyone.
My God.. I can't believe it. A reader of mine alerted me to an article that was being published in the Washington Post: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/college-inc/2010/04/gallaudet_play_under_protest.html
and the TFP Student action link: http://www.tfpstudentaction.org/get-involved/online-petitions/new-attack-on-our-lord.html
But a look at http://www.gallaudet.edu/ doesn't reveal the info about this "play". So I went back to the original article. Dug through it. Here for your info about where this play is:
http://theatrearts.gallaudet.edu/Theatre_Arts/Beyond_the_Classroom/2009-10_Season.html
When I heard previously about a college at Tarleton State University in Texas that attempted to show the play called "Corpus Christi" as Jesus Christ and the Apostles being GAY, I had to draw the line. (Note: The play at TSU in Texas was canceled as a result of DEATH THREATS, not as the LARGE PEACEFUL protests as some say to be. As according to the previous CNN.com posts a few days ago. A quick search of the CNN.com site and the TSU site has removed references to the "Corpus Christi" play.).
When I found about this play coming to Gallaudet University, I'm more concerned for the Gay Deaf Community and the Deaf Straight Community than I am for the fired up religious community (hearing and deaf alike). I, myself, am a deaf gay man. Yet, I have a faith of a Deaf christian Bible believer. The one thing I never wanted the college theaters (especially on a deaf college campus) to do a show that was to portray Jesus and his apostles as Gay Men.
I must draw the line: I consider Jesus Christ and his Apostles as HOLY MEN OF GOD as written in the Bible (KJV). But to do a play about Jesus being GAY ? UNTHINKABLE! The TFP Student Action link statement that says that this play would destroy the faith of 68 million catholics, but I say it goes BEYOND that number because it would spread to different faith that people believe about Jesus Christ.
No matter what happens, I just don't think it justifies any one's decision to write a play and casting Jesus and his Apostles as being gay. So let me say this: He that tries to portray Jesus as gay must be without sin to do it.
Nobody is going to be able to do that. No one with out a sense of morals or religious creed of an actor would want to portray Jesus as gay. If those actors in this play are able to do to this portrayal without a sense of morals, then they'd have to be all atheists. Something of which I would be concerned for their very souls.
However, I would call upon Gallaudet President Dr. Alan Hurwitz and Gallaudet Board of Trustees to please cancel this play in the name of SAFETY and welfare for the GUstudents and the Deaf Gay Students. We need a peaceful protest, yes. But if there's an attacking nature that happens on campus, I wouldn't feel confident of the security of the students and the patrons that come to watch this play in that particular building on campus.
So, please Dr. Hurwitz, I know you read my blog often as you told me. Do me this favor, on behalf of the safety and welfare of the Student and ALUMNI: CANCEL THE CORPUS CHRISTI play in the Andrews Foster Auditorium! RIGHT NOW! TODAY!
SEMPER FI!
6 comments:
I respect your freedom to express your opinion about the play but I could encourage you to also respect, or at least allow, the producers of play to express their view even though some of us don't agree with them.
You have a valid concern about safety but unless there is a real, not fictional or imagined, threat to the safety, there is absolutely no reason to cancel the play.
Joseph Pietro Riolo
josephpietrojeungriolo@gmail.com
Public domain notice: I put all of my expressions in this post in the public domain.
Joe, if you haven't read of what happened to one college in Texas that attempted to put on this play, then you missed that. The college in Texas cancelled the play due to death threats. They downplayed the incident as to say it was just to the large numerous protesters. Word has it, it was too much of a chance of random act of violence to happen.
So I get the feeling of how controversal this play is. Why should it come to GU? Would the protests there be massive as it was in Texas? Possible. I would be concerned for our campus and for the safety of all. I would rather have Hurwitz cancel the play to protect the campus as much as possible.
I'm disappointed with your perspective. I think it's closeminded and limiting.
I have no problem with Christ and the apostles being portrayed as gay men. In case you forgot, people who shared closeminded opinions also crucified Matthew Shephard. The parallel should be clear.
And as for the death threats... Christ also received death threats. He did not, as I remember, give any.
If Jesus really lived a life of celibacy, would it matter what his sexual orientation was?
It is right to be cautious about the controversial play that will be held at Gallaudet University. All serious threats must be taken seriously by the people at the university and police. I trust that President Hurwitz and his people will know what to do if they receive any real, serious threats. They can cancel the play at the last minute if they feel that the threats can’t be ignored safely. I am sure that they are in constant communication with police.
But, too much cautious, that is, overcautious, can only lead to paranoia and cowardice. If President Hurwitz or the person in charge of the play decides to cancel the play without any evidence of the real, serious threats, it is a cowardly act. We can't afford to chicken out every time we imagine that there is a threat when it never materializes.
I can understand how you feel about the possibility of random act of violence. This is a serious area to think about. I prefer to leave the decision to President Hurwitz and his people who are in the best position to evaluate the situation constantly.
Joseph Pietro Riolo
josephpietrojeungriolo@gmail.com
Public domain notice: I put all of my expressions in this post in the public domain.
As a actor involved in this production, I can tell you that Jesus was not portrayed in this play as Gay. the playwright himself wrote the character as Joshua as a Gay man who was born in texas. tHE PLAY ITSELF IS A WHAT IF. McNally wrote the play as a strong catholic, the play itself is sort of autobiographical. As both Gay and Christian, I am struck by the play and it helped to prokove my thoughts. I myself view McNally's work as Art. It is not a HISTORICAL play. I must emphasize that this work is fictional.
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