PrintJanuary 25, 2009
Shocka! Tom Hanks now thinks Mormons have free speech rights
Hooray for Hollywood! The warm fuzzies that President Barack Obama's (D) election and subsequent inauguration produced have drifted all the way to that entertainment city in that totally bankrupt state of California. Now some liberal entertainment figures actually believe that those they disagree with have a right to their opinions.
Tom Hanks, who is an executive producer of an HBO series about Mormon polygamy, criticized Mormons as un-American for exercising their constitutional right voting for Proposition 8 in California banning homosexual marriage.
[T]he truth is a lot of Mormons gave a lot of money to the church to make Prop-8 happen,” he told Tarts. “There are a lot of people who feel that is un-American, and I am one of them. I do not like to see any discrimination codified on any piece of paper, any of the 50 states in America, but here's what happens now. A little bit of light can be shed, and people can see who's responsible, and that can motivate the next go around of our self correcting Constitution, and hopefully we can move forward instead of backwards. So let's have faith in not only the American, but Californian, constitutional process.”
Hey, where does Hanks think he is, in Kazkhstan where he can overturn an election or prohibit a religion he doesn't approve of?
Exercising their rights of freedom of speech and religion, two Mormon representatives informed Hanks of the true meaning of American constitutional rights.
Kim Farah, a spokesperson for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, told Tarts, "Expressing an opinion in a free and democratic society is as American as it gets."
Bill McKeever, a rep for the Mormonism Research Ministry, added, "Personally, I find it un-American to tell people that they shouldn’t vote their conscience. Hanks said he doesn’t 'like to see any discrimination codified on any piece of paper.' Considering that just about every law discriminates in some form or another, makes this comment ridiculous. Hanks’ comment shows that he very much believes in discriminating against people with whom he disagrees. I may not agree with Mormon theology, but I certainly defend their right to express their opinion."
Upon learning of this Hanks "softened" his opinion," as People magazine exclusively-- and breathlessly--reported.
Last week, I labeled members of the Mormon church who supported California's Proposition 8 as "un-American." I believe Proposition 8 is counter to the promise of our Constitution; it is codified discrimination. But everyone has a right to vote their conscience – nothing could be more American. To say members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints who contributed to Proposition 8 are "un-American" creates more division when the time calls for respectful disagreement. No one should use "un- American" lightly or in haste. I did. I should not have.
Sincerely,
Tom Hanks.
Wow! Who knows, next his agent will disseminate a statement from Hanks granting blacks and Hispanics, who also overwhelming supported Proposition 8, all American status and the right to vote their consciences too.
