Controversy Grows Over Brokeback Ban:

By Bianca Symonette -
Nassau, Bahamas:



The Bahamas Plays and Films Control Board banned the controversial gay movie, Brokeback Mountain, not just because of its homosexual content, but because it promotes bisexuality, according to the board’s director, Dr. Olga Clarke.

But the ban has sparked strong objection from some Bahamians opposed to censorship.

"I don’t understand how this group has some divine moral authority to tell people what they can or cannot see," said Philip Burrows, an actor and veteran Bahamian director of plays who was on the live line during the Love 97 programme "Issues of the Day" on Tuesday.

Liz Roberts, a Bahamian who has a background in film direction and production, agreed.

"We are free to read what we care to read, to explore movies that we care to watch. The Internet is open to everyone," said Mrs. Roberts, who was an in-studio guest on the show.

"As much as there are endless things that I disapprove of which I find offensive and dangerous, I still don’t feel that they need to be cut off."

She said adults should be allowed to make up their own minds on what they will and will not watch.

"We can’t be shut off and told that something is not good for us," Mrs. Roberts said. "I think as groups of people we need to be exposed to things and make our own decisions. We don’t need to be told by some sort of organization that this movie is objectionable."

She labeled the ban "Brokeback bigotry"

"Bigotry to me is a close-minded attitude towards something and we all have things that we believe in and we have things that we can’t tolerate and those things that we can’t tolerate we have to find the strength to understand [them]," Mrs. Roberts said.

Mr. Burrows, meanwhile, said the board should have no power beyond assigning ratings to films and plays.

"I don’t think that we should have the moral police telling us as grown individuals that we cannot go and see a movie," he said.

But some callers into the show, which was hosted by Wendall Jones, had a different view.

One of them, Laurie Burrows, agreed that the movie should be banned.

"If we are truly moving toward living up to the guidelines of our constitution to live by Christian principles, we must begin deciding that this country and community will stand for good and not for bad in anyway, shape or form," Ms. Burrows said.

"[Members of] the board [are] not making decisions for what we can and cannot watch, but they represent the nation in deciding what we will and will not stand for, which is their job. I don’t think this means all movies with any evil should be banned, but movies presenting bad as good, normal and acceptable should definitely be considered for banning."

Another listener shared similar sentiments.

"Films of that nature should be banned because [they go] against the Christian principles of our country," Stephanie Hanna said.

"We don’t want our children watching movies that practice homosexuality or bi-sexuality. We should be praising the controls board for banning the movie rather than questioning [its] decision."

But the ban has apparently fueled anger in some circle.

"We must use common sense when we look at things," said Gary Tucker, who wrote in to the programme.

"A movie that promotes homosexuality does not necessarily have a negative impact on its viewers. It is up to the viewers to decide their lifestyles. I don’t think a movie can change someone’s lifestyle because if you’re a heterosexual, no matter how many gay movies you watch, you would remain a heterosexual."

LaShawn Knowles, who also wrote in, said, "The banning of this movie proves to me that this is not a democratic country where people can make their own decisions. If the movie is excluding children from viewing, how is it that excluding adults is appropriate in a democratic society?"

Brokeback Mountain is a film that explores the lives of two young men: a ranch hand and a rodeo cowboy who meet in the summer of 1963, and unexpectedly forge a lifelong connection.

The movie, which has won three Academy awards and four Golden Globe awards, depicts the love story based on the short story by Pulitzer prize-winning author Annie Proulx and adapted for the screen by award winning authors Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana.

29 March 2006