Deborah Brasket/Looking Forward | Posted: Friday, December 12, 2008 12:00 am
There?s nothing like a good movie for raising a powerful issue. Last year SB CAN and SB CORE launched its SB CANNES film series 8 special screenings of feature films with a social or environmental justice edge, followed by panel discussions highlighting pressing local issues.
Our most recent film in this series, shown in Santa Barbara earlier this week, was BMilk,C the critically acclaimed Gus Van Sant film starring Sean Penn as gay activist Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man in America to be voted into public office.
His election in 1977 to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors was not just a victory for gay rights. From senior citizens to union workers, he forged coalitions across the political spectrum, changing the very nature of what it means to be a fighter for human rights. And his assassination made headlines across the world.
The film sheds unexpected light on the recent controversy over the passage of Proposition 8, as critic Matt Budd points out:
BIn the film, Harvey Milk is battling against Proposition 6, which was intended to discriminate against the hiring of gays and lesbians. It played upon people?s fears of having their children taught by gay people. It was backed by religious leaders including the very outspoken Anita Bryant. Sound familiar? Harvey was able to organize people and defeat it. If only we had him now.C
Since the passage of Prop. 8, several major civil rights groups have filed a petition urging the California Supreme Court to stop the enactment of measure. The petition argues that Proposition 8 circumvented the legal process for revising a state Constitution, and by eliminating the right of marriage for a particular minority group, mandates discrimination.
A lively panel discussion exploring BWhen Laws Become DiscriminationC followed the film showing. Participating were David Selberg, executive director of Pacific Pride Foundation, Jennifer Drury of the law firm Drury Pullen, and former state Assemblywoman Hannah-Beth Jackson. Geoff Green, executive director of the Fund for Santa Barbara, was the moderator. The Fund co-sponsored this presentation.
Among the points raised in the discussion were these: Enforcement of Proposition 8 would have an effect well beyond the gay and lesbian community; indeed it would threaten the rights of people of color and minorities.
Only since 1967 has marriage between people of different races been legal throughout the United States. People should not be stripped of their rights by bare majority rule. The essence of the Constitution is to protect the rights of minorities as well as majorities of the population.
If you missed this special film presentation and panel discussion, we hope you will be able to join us for future SB CANNES film events.
Our first film was the Santa Barbara premier of Mia Goldman?s BOpen Window,C dramatizing the trauma and recovery process associated with a rape. This film was co-sponsored by the Santa Barbara?s Rape Crisis Center, which also participated in the panel discussion, along with producer Mia Goldman, who herself had been a rape victim.
Our second film was BResurrecting the Champ,C starring Samuel L. Jackson as a homeless ex-boxer.
Santa Barbara Community Housing Corporation co-sponsored this film and participated in a panel discussion BHomelessness is not hopelessC that included county Sheriff Bill Brown, John Buttney, director of the county?s 10-year plan to end homelessness, and several homeless advocates.
While so far the film series has been held in Santa Barbara, we would like to bring future films to the North County. Let us know if you?d be interested in attending or co-sponsoring a movie and discussion highlighting current local issues in your community.
Deborah Brasket is the executive director for the Santa Barbara County Action Network (SB CAN). She can be reached at 722-5094 or Deborah@sbcan.org. Looking Forward runs every Friday, providing a progressive viewpoint on local issues.
December 12, 2008