Americans need to grow up

by slimboyfat 43 Replies latest watchtower scandals

• 

  roybatty

  What is all this carry on (controversy) about "Brokeback Mountain"? My goodness, they are acting like 12-year-olds. Get a life - what is this the dark ages?

  Why? Because we (Joe American) don't feel like watching two gay cowboys? I think most Americans couldn't care less. I live in a small, rural, midwest town. Yup, pick up trucks and shotguns are required equipment (just kidding). Anyway, the local movie theater started showing Brokeback Mountain and guess what? Wasn't a big deal. Nothing happened. No protest. No comments from local churches. Nothing. Nada. People go to movies to be entertained. If Brokeback Mountain is your kind of movie, cool, go for it. Personally I have very little free time and I choose to see something else. Does that mean "I'm acting like a 12 year old"?

  With 10,000 Muslims protesting in the U.K this past weekend and with a national I.D. card about to be issued for every Brit, I'd say you guys have enough to worry about without being worried about us.

  FYI - I watch Fox news and the BBC (via BBC America). BBC's coverage of international events is much better - I'll give you that.
• 

  undercover

  What's the big deal?

  Well, it's not a big deal to me, but I think what has caused so much talk is that this is a "gay cowboy" movie (though actually they're sheepherders). America has always loved their movie heros. Among those heros are the romanticized versions of the Old West cowboy. John Wayne being one of the biggest cowboy stars of Hollywood. Big, strong, quiet, but fair and honest. That's the way Hollywood portrayed the good guy cowboy for decades, at least, until Sergio Leone and Sam Peckinpaw came along.

  Taking this classic symbol of American macho and giving it a "gay" story kind of destroys the myth for some people. I'm not saying it's right, it just does.

  Of course some of the chatter about this movie has been to make fun of the entire thing. Not just this movie, but the entire cowboy world, fact and fiction. I've heard some jokes about John Wayne, Clint Eastwood and Roy Rogers since the movie came out. An entirely different movie than what they made, but when you say "cowboy" it can't be helped by the jokesters to make fun of it all.
• 

  Bstndance

  Why are people so shocked about gay cowboys. There have been gay rodeos going on for ages!
• 

  rebel8

  Here we do not have cowboys or rodeos. (I live next to a cow farm FYI. Is that the right terminology, "cow farm"? lol) I never knew there was such a thing as a gay rodeo until a few months ago when I saw one on tv, and I've never heard of one since I saw that one show. In my city, the gay bar here didn't even have a sign on it for years and years, just a nondescript door and no windows, with no outward indication there was even anything inside. I used to call it "The Gray Door" because I never knew what its real name was. I think it's closed now. Homosexuality is ignored by this community. All I know is what I see on tv or on the internet. Surely there must be many homosexuals here, but it is largely not discussed.

  The view of cowboys here is they are the ultimate epitome of masculinity and heterosexuality--think Marlboro Man. I think that concept is adopted by the media somewhat. To slimboyfat, I believe this media focus on Brokeback is just another example of the vocal minority obsessing on sensational topics that will hopefully increase ratings. Increased ratings mean more $$$ from advertizing. Sensational stories bring big bucks. When you are saying "Americans need to grow up," you are talking only about the media executives. It is a business strategy, not a true reflection of what the silent majority really thinks or cares about. I think most ppl don't care one bit about this movie, don't pay attention to the controversy, and won't pay the $ to see the movie either.
• 

  DavidChristopher

  What? pretty soon all Texas ranchers will be stereotyped as gay all over the world. How do you see us Kentuckians?

  Texas has many ranchers, many ranchers are gay, therefore most texans must be gay. (IMO)
• 

  daystar

  rebel8

  Is that the right terminology, "cow farm"? lol

  OMG, I nearly shot my drink through my nose.

  It's a ranch...
• 

  rebel8

  OK lololol........I thought a ranch was where you raised a ton of cattle for beef and a dairy farm was for making milk. These ppl have only a few cows and don't seem to be doing either. I don't see any big barns like they had at WT farms for milking the cows. What would be the point of having only a few cows? I guess if you're really into dairy food and want your own supply.....

  But seriously, I don't know anything about farms!! I live in the suburbs but my land is next to a farm or ranch or a pasture with pet cows, whatever it is.

  Maybe I'll just go over there and knock on their door to ask what they do with the cows....and if they enter gay rodeos too of course.
• 

  collegegirl21

  I just dont see the difference... does it matter if you're gay or not? Well hey, they are cowboys...woot! They like kissing each other and exploring.... so if I wanted to explore with a female what would that make me?
• 

  Bstndance

  I'm not sure what the term would be. My dad used to own a few cows and not really do anything with them. Pretty much a giant pet. After a few years he got bored and sold them to his neighbor who has a dairy farm.

  I'm thinking some people own livestock for the tax incentives.
• 

  itsallgoodnow

  If it wasn't for Jon Stewart, I wouldn't know what's going on in the world.

  I don't know why all the homophobes have their backs up about brokeback mountain, I guess they feel their way of life has been threatened by a movie. I guess it doesn't take much to make these people feel threatened, does it.