Obedience is Overrated
Sarah re-caps Day 2 of the 10th deadCENTER Film Festival:
As usual, Day 2 of deadCENTER began with an after-work soiree on the rooftop of the OKCMOA – and as usual, it was hot, muggy and windy, but still a great time.
After a couple drinks, we headed over to Kerr Auditorium for a screening of 8: The Mormon Proposition. Narrated by Dustin Lance Black (who, aside from writing the Oscar-winning screenplay for Milk, has written and co-produced several episodes of HBO’s Big Love), the film chronicles the significant role played by the Mormon church in the passage of California’s Proposition 8. (In case anyone forgot, Prop 8 stripped the right to marriage from same-sex couples.) I left this film with my blood pressure highly elevated, much as I expected. Some of the hatred, bigotry and blind obedience to religious dogma portrayed in 8 left me seething in rage.
Marriage equality is an issue near and dear to my heart. As someone who is married but has chosen not to have children, it’s not unreasonable to presume that my own (hetero) marriage would also be deemed “inferior” or “invalid” by many of the same people who oppose same-sex marriage. But my relationship with my husband is – by far – the most important, rewarding and enjoyable thing in my life. The thought of other people, just as in love as Dwight and I, being denied rights that we often take for granted (visiting each other in the hospital, for instance) makes me want to cry and punch things. To me, marriage is not about making babies. It’s about love. It’s about partnership. And everyone should have the right to freely make a commitment to anyone they choose – be they of the same, or opposite, sex. The only thing that makes me angrier than social injustice is unquestioning allegiance to religious dogma, but I’ll save that rant for another time.
On the bright side, I was heartened to find myself sitting among a theater-full of presumably similarly-minded people. Since I ordinarily feel like the black sheep – one of a handful of liberals in the state of Oklahoma – rare is the occasion for that wonderful, warm feeling of solidarity with my fellow citizens. This screening was one of those occasions, and one of the reasons I look forward to deadCENTER every year. For a few days every June, I’m reminded that yes, there are other people like me here in Oklahoma – people who love art, and who care about more than banning abortion, preventing same-sex marriage and keeping Big Government From Invading Your Home and Takin’ Yer Guns.
Day 2 wrapped up at Iguana (not Nonna’s as expected, yay for spontaneity!), where lively discussion of the film (and politics in general) ensued over drinks, chips and salsa. Big thanks to Iguana for providing an outstanding score to our evening – Sleigh Bells and Arcade Fire? I’m giddy.
For Day 3, I’m looking forward to checking out Mark Potts’ film, Simmons on Vinyl at Untitled [Artspace], Roll Out Cowboy and the always-fun Midnight Shorts program at IAO, and more Iguana.
The striking thing about “The Mormon Proposition” for me was that they wanted to distance themselves from the issue. They didn’t want to be associated publicly with their efforts. Kind of like when a Klansman wears a hood to hide their identity.