Posted on 11/13/2008 5:00:37 AM PST by lightinthedarkness
The board of directors of the California Musical Theatre canceled an emergency meeting called Tuesday afternoon to respond to a boycott called against the theater by gay and lesbian artists, according to published reports.
The boycott was called by activists after bloggers revealed one of the theater company’s employees made a personal campaign contribution to the Yes on Proposition 8 Campaign.
Scott Eckern, the company’s artistic director and chief operating officer, made a $1,000 contribution to Yes on Prop. 8. Any contribution of $1,000 or more requires the donor to declare home city and occupation.
Eckern issued an apology Tuesday, which was printed in industry periodical Playbill. Eckern said he donated $1,000 to fight for equal rights for all. He said it was not his intent to offend anyone and he was acting on his own religious convictions.
“I have now had many conversations with friends and colleagues and I now have a better idea of what the discrimination issues are, how deeply felt these issues are and I am deeply saddened that my acting upon my religious convictions has been devastating to those I love and admire… I am deeply sorry for any harm or injury I have caused,” according to the apology in Playbill.
The Web site antigayblacklist.com published a list of data from electiontrack.com of anyone who contributed more than $1,000 to Yes on Prop. 8. The site calls for activists not to patronize the businesses for which donors work.
Proposition 8 sought to ban same-sex marriage in California. It passed with a simple majority, and that has fueled anti-discrimination protests across the state since the election, as well as a lawsuit.
With the call for a boycott of its theater operations, the theater company called for an emergency meeting of its board of directors Tuesday. The issue at hand will be how to respond to the off-work activities of Eckern, a 25-year veteran of the company. The meeting was later canceled.
“This is a crisis,” said Chris Bower, spokesman for the theater company, which puts on Music Circus shows, presents the Broadway Series at the Community Center Theatre and has just launched the musical Forever Plaid at the new K Street performing arts venue Cosmopolitan Cabaret.
“Any political action or opinion of Scott Eckern is not shared by California Musical Theatre. We have a long history of appreciation for the lesbian gay bisexual transgender community and are truly grateful for their long-standing support. We acknowledge the dedication, patronage, and hard work of the many members of the LGBT community who have played a crucial role in our success. Our only mission is to present quality theatrical productions to enrich the cultural life of the community,” the company said in a prepared release.
He said the company is being besieged by e-mails in response to the Web posting.
I am reporting this entire situation to the FBI.
He would get my support but for that.
I’m afraid I will see, in my lifetime, the day when Christians will have to go underground to practice their religion. If we don’t start getting as “militant” as our enemies are, it will happen.
Glaringly ironic that these individuals are “outed” on the antigayblacklist for their political beliefs, but we will never know all the donors to Obama’s campaign.
LLS
In reverse this would be called bigotry, but in today’s America protected classes can not be bigots.
Be sure to mention that “antigayblacklist.com” website.
Nazis.... gay Nazis. You must accept our perversion!
Did you read his apology?
It reminds of Winston Smith’s conversion at the end of 1984.
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