My hosts Eileen and James and I were reading the paper over coffee just now and read this upsetting piece on the closing of a tiny local theatre which had planned to show “Bent” this weekend.
One of the members of the UU fellowship has close connections to Avenue 10 and immediately filled us in over the phone about the miserable situation.
I have written a letter to the editor and hope you might consider doing the same. This isn’t about code compliance, it’s about censorship. Letters can go to letters@amarillo.com.
The Avenue 10 group has found an alternate space for tonight’s show, but the UU fellowship leadership is in conversation about providing the venue for next weekend’s shows at the church. Lawyers from the congregation are on the phone to other lawyers within the congregation, because the show features full male nudity. The phone is ringing like crazy over here, and did you know that the UUs recently made a fundamentalist blacklist called “REPENT AMARILLO!??” Of course I congratulated the fellowship for this last Sunday morning when I spoke to them, and suggested that they host a huge party for all the other organizations that made the list.
REPENT, Amarillo, indeed.
Hey, “anonymous complainer,” thanks for this opportunity to witness to our values and to “commit news.”
Oh that’s my Vickie — not even a week in the panhandle, and you’ve already found a cause and launched a crusade! More power to you, but just remember…you’re coming home in two weeks, and all those good West Texans are still going to have to live with their neighbors. Love the idea of a party for the other blacklisted groups. Just remember again, this is your sabbatical — you are there to learn from them as much as (or maybe more than) they are to learn from you. Keep this up, and they will NEVER let you in the Whataburger. And believe me, you will never understand West Texas until you’ve eaten at a Whataburger…. [Tim, I’m gonna punch you next time you mention Whataburger!!! I TOLD YOU, I had a chicken sandwich there and it was VERY GOOD!!! As far as sabbatical goes, I wanted to start it off “paying it forward” in some way out of gratitude for my ministry with my congregation, and this time with this amazing fellowship is the best thing I could have done to achieve that! I am reaping many rewards, believe me. – PB]
Actually, I must have missed the message about the chicken sandwich;; so I’ll shut up now, ’cause I don’t wanna be punched. And it makes me smile to read about your adventures in Amarillo; even makes me nostalgic for my time in Midland, when I was so green and wet behind the ears I’m amazed the grown-ups put up with me at all! I suspect they just appreciated the energy and the sincerity, as well as the entertainment value of watching me learn and grow on the job.
For what it’s worth, it’s snowing again here in New England — eight inches by tonight here in Portland, they tell me. Bet you don’t have THOSE problems down in West Texas….