[NEohioPAL]Lights out

[Alison Hernan]

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An open letter...
 
Having just completed a production at CPT that drew parallels between the Bush administration and the fall of the Weimar Republic in Germany (the research for which was horrifying on many levels, mostly because the parallels are THERE), I found this election even MORE devastating than I thought I would.
 
I am not originally from Ohio, as some of you may know.  I have come to consider myself to be an Ohioan, after the many years I have lived and worked here.  Now, after the passing of Issue 1, I am uncomfortable calling myself an Ohioan.  The people that I admire and respect are still dear to me, as are the physical and artistic surroundings of my current life, but now I look over my shoulder wherever I go, wondering who the people are that I am standing next to in any given place who feel that they can be so judgmental over someone else's life that they have the right to control it and be superior.  These people have always been there, obviously, but now it has been thrown into sharp and painful relief.
 
As an openly bisexual woman, I have been in long-term relationships with people of both genders.  Each relationship has been unique due to the person involved, not due to the gender of my partner. I have never felt that my relationships with men were more valid or more "right" than those with women.  I guess, somewhere along the line, I missed the little markers that should have told me that my relationships with women were ruining the lives of the religious, moral "majority."  In fact, I guess I missed, somewhere along the way, the fact that my relationships with women were affecting anyone else's lives at all.
 
Ron Reagan put it out there the best, for me, during coverage, when he said (and I  misquote, but it is the gist of the statement that is important):
 
"I want to ask an open question to the American people:  how does Bob and Jim down the block getting married actually hurt you?  How does it even affect your own life?  How does it defile your sanctity of marriage, when it has nothing to do with you and asks nothing of you?"
 
I feel blessed to be a part of the artistic community in Cleveland--for me, that never changes.  I respect, admire and support every artist that I work with, go to see, and come in contact with--I am over-joyed that we can create what is beautiful and meaningful to us, working together in harmony regardless of race, creed, religion, or sexual orientation.  
 
I am proud to know all of you.  I am proud of what I am.  I am only sad and outraged that Ohio has now become ANIMAL FARM, where the creed is:  "All animals are created equal.  Some are just more equal than others." 
 
It embarasses me to be lumped together in the eyes of the rest of the nation (and the world) with those who would attempt to take control of another person's--or collective peoples'--lives and tell them how they can live and love, stripping them of their basic, human rights.  I will get past this, but only because I know, and am not afraid to make known, how strongly I oppose this, and how thoroughly it disgusts me.  We must all make our voices heard, we must let it be known that we will not "go gently into that good night", that we will fight for and support what should be ours by dint of simple, basic human rights.
 
Namaste,
Ali Hernan

George Roth <george.roth at case.edu> wrote:
Dear All:

(Thank you for the forum, Fred.)

I feel a deep sadness regarding the election of this past Tuesday. I try
not to be a bitter or angry person, but I am having a hard time hanging onto
my equilibrium after the re-election of our current commander-in-chief and
the passage of Issue 1. The country has devolved into "us" and "them", and
this election has frightened me, because I now fear that the religious
fringe is not a fringe at all. It is comprised of a huge number, possibly
even a majority of Americans. It is a mainstream that eschews science in
favor of doctrine, marginalizes and demonizes those who do not ascribe to
their belief system, and seeks to recreate the country in their own image.
And it does this all with a sanctimonious smile and a deep faith in a God
that only they can know.

What makes me saddest is that the 51% will now rule for the 100%, and we can
look forward to a continuing ideological attack against the homosexual
"threat." Africans, from the earliest moments of the European colonization
of the Americas, Jews in the 1930's of Nazi Germany, and now homosexuals in
21st century America - each of these groups has been the subject of
legislation that would designate them as less than fully deserving of the
rights of man. Ohio's constitution will now treat gay people as something
akin to sub-human, and I hang my head in shame.

I am frightened by people who would legislate that fellow humans are to be
considered and treated as lesser beings, in their nature and in their
rights. In the third presidential debate, Bob Schieffer asked President
Bush if he thought that homosexuality was a choice. Bush waffled, saying
"You know, Bob, I don't know. I just don't know." It would seem to me that
it would require a sureness beyond "I don't know", beyond biblical
interpretation, to seek a constitutional amendment that formally relegates
gays and lesbians to the fate of second-class citizens. Seeking an
amendment that causes such pain and harm to people who love and show
commitment equal to that of "normal" people should require some kind of
sureness, shouldn't it? The purveyors of Issue 1 do not desire or seek
understanding of those who are different, and neither does our President.
What a sad state for America to have reached.

Meanwhile, we persevere. I am proud to be a member of the artistic
community of Cleveland. I have been blessed to meet and work with many fine
individuals, gay, straight and indeterminate, during my time here in
Cleveland. Theater artists seek to understand behavior in the gray margins
of human existence - why people who may be dissimilar to ourselves choose to
live their lives as they do. I value the inquisitive minds, the empathetic
souls, and the strong desire to make this world a better place that I see in
this community.

George Roth


_______________________________________
RAGTIME, THE MUSICAL, directed by Fred Sternfeld - 10/28-11/14 / 216-382-4000x274 for tickets!_______________________________________
Disclaimer: The facts and/or opinions expressed in this message are solely those of the person in the "from" or "reply-to" header.

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http://lists.fredsternfeld.com/mailman/listinfo/neohiopal
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"It is better to be talked about than ignored..."
Oscar Wilde
 
 


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<DIV>An open letter...</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Having just completed a production at CPT that drew parallels between the Bush administration and the fall of the Weimar Republic in Germany (the research for which was horrifying on many levels, mostly because the parallels are THERE), I found this election even MORE devastating than I thought I would.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I am not originally from Ohio, as some of you may know.  I have come to consider myself to be an Ohioan, after the many years I have lived and worked here.  Now, after the passing of Issue 1, I am uncomfortable calling myself an Ohioan.  The people that I admire and respect are still dear to me, as are the physical and artistic surroundings of my current life, but now I look over my shoulder wherever I go, wondering who the people are that I am standing next to in any given place who feel that they can be so judgmental over someone else's life that they have the right to control it and be superior.  These people have always been there, obviously, but now it has been thrown into sharp and painful relief.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>As an openly bisexual woman, I have been in long-term relationships with people of both genders.  Each relationship has been unique due to the person involved, not due to the gender of my partner. I have never felt that my relationships with men were more valid or more "right" than those with women.  I guess, somewhere along the line, I missed the little markers that should have told me that my relationships with women were ruining the lives of the religious, moral "majority."  In fact, I guess I missed, somewhere along the way, the fact that my relationships with women were affecting anyone else's lives at all.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Ron Reagan put it out there the best, for me, during coverage, when he said (and I  misquote, but it is the gist of the statement that is important):</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>"I want to ask an open question to the American people:  how does Bob and Jim down the block getting married actually hurt you?  How does it even affect your own life?  How does it defile your sanctity of marriage, when it has nothing to do with you and asks nothing of you?"</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I feel blessed to be a part of the artistic community in Cleveland--for me, that never changes.  I respect, admire and support every artist that I work with, go to see, and come in contact with--I am over-joyed that we can create what is beautiful and meaningful to us, working together in harmony regardless of race, creed, religion, or sexual orientation.  </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I am proud to know all of you.  I am proud of what I am.  I am only sad and outraged that Ohio has now become ANIMAL FARM, where the creed is:  "All animals are created equal.  Some are just more equal than others." </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>It embarasses me to be lumped together in the eyes of the rest of the nation (and the world) with those who would attempt to take control of another person's--or collective peoples'--lives and tell them how they can live and love, stripping them of their basic, human rights.  I will get past this, but only because I know, and am not afraid to make known, how strongly I oppose this, and how thoroughly it disgusts me.  We must all make our voices heard, we must let it be known that we will not "go gently into that good night", that we will fight for and support what should be ours by dint of simple, basic human rights.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Namaste,</DIV>
<DIV>Ali Hernan</DIV>
<DIV><BR><B><I>George Roth <george.roth at case.edu></I></B> wrote:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=replbq style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid">Dear All:<BR><BR>(Thank you for the forum, Fred.)<BR><BR>I feel a deep sadness regarding the election of this past Tuesday. I try<BR>not to be a bitter or angry person, but I am having a hard time hanging onto<BR>my equilibrium after the re-election of our current commander-in-chief and<BR>the passage of Issue 1. The country has devolved into "us" and "them", and<BR>this election has frightened me, because I now fear that the religious<BR>fringe is not a fringe at all. It is comprised of a huge number, possibly<BR>even a majority of Americans. It is a mainstream that eschews science in<BR>favor of doctrine, marginalizes and demonizes those who do not ascribe to<BR>their belief system, and seeks to recreate the country in their own image.<BR>And it does this all with a sanctimonious smile and a deep faith in a God<BR>that only they can know.<BR><BR>What makes me saddest is that the 51%
 will now rule for the 100%, and we can<BR>look forward to a continuing ideological attack against the homosexual<BR>"threat." Africans, from the earliest moments of the European colonization<BR>of the Americas, Jews in the 1930's of Nazi Germany, and now homosexuals in<BR>21st century America - each of these groups has been the subject of<BR>legislation that would designate them as less than fully deserving of the<BR>rights of man. Ohio's constitution will now treat gay people as something<BR>akin to sub-human, and I hang my head in shame.<BR><BR>I am frightened by people who would legislate that fellow humans are to be<BR>considered and treated as lesser beings, in their nature and in their<BR>rights. In the third presidential debate, Bob Schieffer asked President<BR>Bush if he thought that homosexuality was a choice. Bush waffled, saying<BR>"You know, Bob, I don't know. I just don't know." It would seem to me that<BR>it would require a sureness beyond "I don't know", beyond
 biblical<BR>interpretation, to seek a constitutional amendment that formally relegates<BR>gays and lesbians to the fate of second-class citizens. Seeking an<BR>amendment that causes such pain and harm to people who love and show<BR>commitment equal to that of "normal" people should require some kind of<BR>sureness, shouldn't it? The purveyors of Issue 1 do not desire or seek<BR>understanding of those who are different, and neither does our President.<BR>What a sad state for America to have reached.<BR><BR>Meanwhile, we persevere. I am proud to be a member of the artistic<BR>community of Cleveland. I have been blessed to meet and work with many fine<BR>individuals, gay, straight and indeterminate, during my time here in<BR>Cleveland. Theater artists seek to understand behavior in the gray margins<BR>of human existence - why people who may be dissimilar to ourselves choose to<BR>live their lives as they do. I value the inquisitive minds, the empathetic<BR>souls, and the strong desire
 to make this world a better place that I see in<BR>this community.<BR><BR>George Roth<BR><BR><BR>_______________________________________<BR>RAGTIME, THE MUSICAL, directed by Fred Sternfeld - 10/28-11/14 / 216-382-4000x274 for tickets!_______________________________________<BR>Disclaimer: The facts and/or opinions expressed in this message are solely those of the person in the "from" or "reply-to" header.<BR><BR>NEohioPAL mailing list<BR>NEohioPAL at lists.fredsternfeld.com<BR>http://lists.fredsternfeld.com/mailman/listinfo/neohiopal<BR>http://www.fredsternfeld.com<BR></BLOCKQUOTE><BR><BR><DIV>
<DIV align=center><FONT face="comic sans ms" color=#bf005f>"It is better to be talked about than ignored..."</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=center><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#bf005f><EM>Oscar Wilde</EM></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=center><EM><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#bf005f></FONT></EM> </DIV>
<DIV align=center><EM><FONT face="Comic Sans MS" color=#bf005f></FONT></EM> </DIV></DIV>
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