Bringing Back The Blacklist

Bringing Back The Blacklist

Back in the 1950s, blacklisting was evil! People that were accused of being (and many actually were) Communists couldn't get work! Evil! Bad! Nasty! Reactionary! And it's coming back! From the November 13, 2008 Sacramento Bee:

Scott Eckern, artistic director for the California Musical Theatre, resigned Wednesday as a growing number of artists threatened to boycott the organization because of his $1,000 donation to the campaign to ban gay marriage in California.

"I understand my supporting of Proposition 8 has been the cause of many hurt feelings, maybe even betrayal," Eckern said in a written statement. "I chose to act upon my belief that the traditional definition of marriage should be preserved."

Richard Lewis, the executive producer of the California Musical Theatre, said he does not plan to immediately seek a replacement.

...

Los Angeles-based and Tony Award-winning composer Marc Shaiman ("Hairspray") wrote a blog saying he would never allow any of his shows to again be licensed or performed by California Musical Theatre while Eckern was employed there.

Despite support from many in the local community who valued his contributions and championed his right to free speech, Eckern decided he could no longer be effective as the creative force behind the area's largest producing and presenting performing arts organization.

Professor Volokh points to the current California laws that almost touch this issue.

California law does prohibit firing someone for political activity--the Unruh Civil Rights Act. But it doesn't appear that Eckern was pressured to resign. I don't even have any fundamental objection to boycotts and such.

What I do object to is the totalitarian hypocrisy of the homosexual activists. In Gay Law Students Association v. Pacific Telephone & Telegraph (Cal. 1979), homosexual activists argued that being "out" at work was a political act, and therefore protected by the Unruh Civil Rights Act--and yet here they are, trying to get this guy fired from his job for not thinking correctly.

I do find it fascinating that homosexual activists insist that the government should prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation, and even to require a freelance photographer to photograph a same-sex commitment ceremony. But they also insist that they have the right to threaten an employer with economic damage if they don't fire one of their employees.

Make no mistake about it: homosexual activists do not want one set of laws that applies equally to all. They want the power to force independent businesses to do business with them, regardless of sexual orientation--but also insist that they should have to right to threaten businesses that employ people, regardless of their political orientation.

Freedom, homosexuality: pick one.

UPDATE: What do you know: there is an actual blacklist, right here. You might consider this a list of people that deserve our support, encouragement, and business (if they are in business).