TOWN OF CHESHIRE SPONSORS ANTI-CHRISTIAN PLAY; CONCERNED CITIZENS PROTEST

Family Institute of Connecticut ^ | July 22, 2004

[George from New England]

The Town of Cheshire is sponsoring a play which is an open attack upon the Christian faith. Joe Calarco's Shakespeare's R & J begins performances tonight and plays through Saturday evening.

The homoerotic and anti-religious adaptation of Shakespeare's classic will have four young women dressed up as Catholic school girls who break free from the oppression of their Catholic boarding school through homosexual experimentation. Christianity plays the part of the villain in the play and no opportunity is lost to attack the "repressiveness" of the Christian faith.

Concerned citizens will be staging a protest at 7:00 pm on Saturday evening outside of Cheshire Park on Route 10 (across from the prison). If you are interested in taking part in the protest please contact Lynne O'Luanaigh (203)250-7329 or LYNNEOL@COX.NET.

Even if you are not a Cheshire resident, the town council needs to hear from you!

We are receiving more and more reports of towns supporting these sort of attacks on people of faith and we need to stand together to let them know that this not what our tax dollars should be used for! E-MAIL AND CALL THESE TOWN OFFICIALS AND LET THEM KNOW THAT OUR GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT ENDORSE ANTI-RELIGIOUS BIGOTRY!

Sylvia Abate, Executive Producer, Vice-Chair, Cheshire Performing and Fine Arts Committee (203) 272-6356

Mike Milone Town Manager (203) 271-6660 mmilone@cheshirect.org

Dave Orsini Mayor (at large) 203-250-0331 david.e.orsini@cingular.com

David Schrumm (at large) 203-272-2689 dschrumm@prodigy.net

Diane Visconti (2nd District) 203-272-7719 vis1795@aol.com

Justin Adinolfi (3rd District) 203-271-3848 justinadinolfi@cox.net

Matt Hall (at large) 203-272-5717 mhall@bhhlegal.com

Michael Ecke (at large) 203-272-1351 michaele584@aol.com

Sheldon Dill (1st District) 203-272-9481 sheldond@snet.net

Stephen Carroll (at large) 203-272-9503 steve.carroll@att.net

Tim White (4th district) 203-439-4394 timwhite98@yahoo.com

[allforlove]

It saddens, frightens and disgusts me to read what you righteous "Christians" have written here.

Clearly not one of you took the time to actually READ the play that you so vehemently oppose. Nor did you even put forth the effort to try and ascertain what the playwright's intent was.

How many of you have ever even read Shakespeare's play?

If you had done any of these things, you would have realized that what this adaptation is about is (to use the playwright's words) "the transformative power of love".

This piece has nothing at all to do with religion, politics or sexual orientation! It is simply about love.

And isn't that what Christianity is supposed to be based upon?

So what's the issue? What is so objectionable? Where is the "Anti-Christian" message.

Perhaps as you read the thread of replies to the original posting here, you will find what you are looking for...lots of Anti-Christian sentiment to be sure. One respondent compares Mr. Calarco to Hitler. Another suggests he be tarred and feathered or perhaps lynched. All very loving ideas, indeed.

Perhaps next time, before depriving four young ladies the joy of being in a dramatic production by chasing away their audience; before you start haranguing your local government to start censoring anyone with views that may be slightly less narrow than your own, you will at least take the time to learn a little bit about what it is that you are protesting. Perhaps you'll realize you nearly jumped to a most inappropriate conclusion.

Perhaps you'll remember that the First Amendment applies to all of us, not just the Christian Right.

[Americanwolf]

I have read shakespeare. What is your point? Are you implying that we are uncultured? Please respond.

[allforlove]

Perhaps you, like George from New England are a bit quick to jump to conclusions.

Nowhere in my post did I accuse anyone of being uncultured.

My point is that somewhere, some one heard "four girls", "catholic school", and "Romeo and Juliet" and hysteria ensued.

My point was very clearly stated in my original post. The fact in this case, is that this play is not the threatening, homo-erotic, anti-Christian propaganda that George from New England claimed it was.

And even if it WAS (which again, it is NOT), so what? It is still a FICTIONAL work. Set in a FICTIONAL place. It is art...a variation on Shakespeare's theme, using Shakespeare's words.

If it happens to be an art form you don't care for, or a production you are not interested in, you have the freedom in this great country of ours to NOT GO SEE IT.

But another great thing about America, is that the same freedom of choice exists for those people who might actually enjoy seeing the production. Or those who simply want to see for themselves what it is about.


Uncultured? Not necessarily. Misinformed? Perhaps.

[Americanwolf]

If I disagree with the content whether it is offensive to few or many... Do I still not have the right to voice my disagreement, and to tell others how I fell about it?

If you ask me to silence my disagreement does that not constitute censorship?

Art can be interpreted many ways by many people, that is what makes it great, but so is the right to free speech, and to call someone mis informed and ask them to couch there objection whether the be made in a public forum or private, once again is censorship. You have your opinion of the play others have theres... Think before you state that someone is misinformed I am not a koolaid drinker.. I tend to like to use my brain and don't take what the media or any group feeds me on anything. Because everyone serves their views with a political agenda. You do not know me so you have no basis to say that I am misinformed. Also as much right as these people have to put on the play. George has his right to protest it and peacefully assembly to protested is he so chooses. To suggest anything else asks him to forgo his rights as an American citizen.

[stacy_donovanrnj]

In my opinion, allforlove was not asking you to silence your disagreement. He/she was simply pointing out that you had not been responsible in stating your disagreement. You clearly did not see the play and it is doubtful that you read the play. This particular website was clearly reinforcing an agenda by printing only some parts of the play that would further an agenda of FEAR! Thus, this website has misrepresented the play completely. So, you absolutely have a right to your opinion, all be it an uneducated one. Theatre is not merely a written form. Plays are meant to be performed. Since you did not bother to see the play, you have NOT seen the art. Therefore, even though you are totally free to comment, I for one, could not possibly take your comments seriously because you have not done your homework. So, allforlove has every right to say that you are misinformed. Perhaps next time you will put away your fear and your own bigotry and come and see a work of art before you seek to destroy it.
In addition, so many other comments here are inaccurate that it is clear that many who wrote in also did not bother to do their homework. This entire posting makes me incredibly sad to be an American. "Tar and feathering," "theatre losers," "homos,"Hitler and Stalin," and my personal favorite from Billthedrill, "I think the guy's just got a thing for schoolgirls in uniform. Pervert. (Not that that's a bad thing...)" Clearly, he is misinformed as the play was originally written for FOUR MEN, not four women, and the director is a woman - ME!

Now, if any of you would like to discuss this play (which you clearly have not read or seen) read it, see it and then you can e-mail me at this address stacy_donovanrnj@yahoo.com
but don't bother unless you have something intelligent to say and you won't have anything intelligent to say unless you know about what you are talking and you cannot know anything about a play until you see it. What are you afraid of? Won't your God protect you from one little play?

[Americanwolf]

I will post the same to you that I posted to allforlove. You have no knowledge of my background or who I am so how can you judge whether I am mis informed or not? It arrogant of you without knowledge of my background to say that I have an uneducated opinion. As far as I know in any of my post (which maybe you should go back and reread.) I did not attack the play directly. I pointed out areas that might be considered possible as offensive, but more to the point.(Which I think if you read my post clearly, would have been obvious.) I was defending the right of this group to protest the displeasure or what they felt was wrong with the play.

I really could care less about the play, but I was mearly trying to state that as passionate as you can be about the play, others can be just as passionate in defending their views and exercising their first amendment rights while doing it.

So why don't you take a second step off your soapbox and reread what I had written. And try not to make to much of an A** of yourself by making comments and judgments about people that you don't know.

Ignorance is a form of Bigotry.

You are ignorant in you knowledge of my background.

You comment on me having an uneducated opinion.

You have no knowledge of my Educational background, hence can not logically decide whether or not my opinion is educated or not.

Comment on uneducated opinion found to false, due to ignorant opinion on my education status.

Ignorance=Bigotry

Welcome you are a bigot now!

Care to take the debate further?

[Americanwolf]

If you are refereing to my first post to all forlove. I was simply question whether or not she was being a cultural elitist. Nothing more nothing less. Go reread both my post with out reading your own politics into it, or trying to read my politics into. It was only a simple question?

[ItsOurTimeNow]

Won't your God protect you...

You just showed us where you're coming from. Thank you for playing. Next!

BTW - the word is "albeit", not "all be it".

[Americanwolf]

what were the two posts after mine?

[Americanwolf]

Awaiting your response.

[ItsOurTimeNow]

nutmeg - can you PING your CT list please? FREEP AWAY!

- Homosexual Agenda PING -

While Godless people are free to put on whatever play they choose, people in opposition have an obligation to speak their minds and voice their objections. Especially since the town of Cheshire appears to be sponsoring such nonsensical blashphemy.

Didn't you get the memo? It's perfectly ok to make fun of Christians and white folks. Everyone else is OFF LIMITS!

(If you want on or off this ping list, please FReepmail me.)

*Warning* - Side effects include knowledge, information, and ability to discuss topics in a clear and lucid manner. Discontinue use if ignorance persists

[ItsOurTimeNow]

No idea...I "refreshed" the page, and they were already removed. Lightning-fast Mods we've got here, eh?!

Both newbies are still active, so they haven't been ZOTted yet...

Curious indeed...

[Americanwolf]

Yeah and it appears both Newbies are all about attacking the Christain right. I don't see in either of my posts where I was espousing an overly christian right view. I was just asking simple questions and get termed a bigot... Ah the joys of debating with college kids that should be on rittilan. :) Well if there are in line to get Zotted we shall know soon.

[ItsOurTimeNow]

Proud Right-Wing Fanatical Christian Religious Infidel Bigot Hater!

I need to start making some bumperstickers....

[Americanwolf]

that works!

he he he...

you might be able to make a small fortune here with that.... and I notice how our friends have not responded yet.

[Americanwolf]

Now I have been waiting patiently to further engage you in regards to the topic of debate. You have yet to respond.
Here a few helpful suggestions:

1.) Admit you made the mistake in reading my posts and we can be happy. (I admit I have done it before.)
2.) Next time you post, I suggest that you throughly read what you are responding, and then post a comprehensive response that is fact based and logical.
3.) Understand that what you may be defending is your idea of what is right and wrong, and cannot and should not be applied to other people, that being said, others have the right to protest it as well as your right to defend it.
4.) Remember that free speech is not free. The price of free speech is that fact that someone may disagree with you and oppose that idea, and As long as the follow the legal means they have every right to protest it as well as you have to defend it by legal means.
5.) There is a difference between protesting and personal attacks. Both of you have post comments to this site that can be construed as personal attacks on posters on this site and commentary about right wing conservatives in general. I go back to my previous post. Unless you know these people personally, to call them a bigot or someone filled with hate, I would consider that to be pretty arrogant. If you can determine someones mindset just by reading a couple of posts on a web page, you must have some super ESP power. No since I know from studying science that there is no conclusive proof of ESP actually working or being an ability that humans have, I doubt this is the case.
6.) Calm down put down the kool-aid sippy cups, if you want people that are going to agree with you go to the Democratic Underground. If not expect vigorous debate, expect people to defend their opinions, and defend yours, just realize the cost of it.

Thanks have a nice day respond if you want, but I kinda doubt you will now.

[George from New England]

If anyone wants to read the deleted comments, I have them because they were directed at me. We'll use freeper mail.