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January 10, 2006
Ignorance Speaks For Itself
Here is a letter to the editor posted today about the Brokeback Mountain debacle:
I am appalled by the decision of MegaPlex Theaters and its corporate owner, Larry H. Miller, not to allow the movie “Brokeback Mountain” to be shown.
I believe it to be another reminder of the encroachment into American citizens' rights to civil liberties. It should be a wake-up call to anyone. Regulating movies that may educate, enlighten and bring down walls, which can promote tolerance and acceptance of any lifestyle, is forcing a set of morals which denies us our basic civil liberties.
I moved to Utah four years ago and have steadily been encouraged by the leaps made in trying to be an inclusive state. The mere fact its own inception was brought on by its own controversy is a compelling marker for the willingness of this state to lean toward acceptance and tolerance of all who live here.
I will no longer support entities that choose to tell me what I can or cannot see, hear, experience, or that deny me my right to decide for myself what is acceptable and what is not.
I live in the United States of America and have the inalienable right for freedom of expression, whether spoken or viewed. I take that right very seriously and will vehemently oppose any aggressive measures to take it away.
Karla G. McGuigan
Clearfield
Update*
Here is a copy of the letter to the editor that I wrote in response:
Dear Editor,
I can only assume that your publishing of the letter today by Karla McGuigan (re: Denial of civil liberties) was intended to give her an opportunity to embarrass herself, because nothing else makes sense. To imply that a private theater owner is infringing upon someone’s rights and thereby denying their civil liberties by not showing a film is absurd on it’s face and shows a sophomoric view of civil liberties. Mrs. McGuigan seems to feel that her rights supersede the rights of a private theater owner, and because a film has been produced and she wants to see it, Mr. Miller is obligated to have it waiting for her to watch at her leisure. Whether the movie would educate, enlighten or break down walls, which it very well could, is nothing more than an opinion: an opinion which many, many citizens of Utah, exercising their own right to expression, do not share with Mrs. McGuigan.
The stark truth is Mr. Miller has every right as a private theater owner to play any movie he chooses. If Mrs. McGuigan doesn’t like what he shows, or doesn’t show, she has every right not to frequent his establishment and seek her entertainment elsewhere, but under no circumstances is there an infringement on anyone’s civil liberties.
Jonathan Sabin
Cottonwood Heights, UT
Posted by Jonathan at January 10, 2006 8:24 AM
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Comments
Well-said. An excellent response to shallow & narrow liberal thinking. Where is her tolerance for the decisions of theater owners? Further proof of the illogic of "tolerance" as the ultimate ethic.
Posted by: Ben at January 10, 2006 1:01 PM