'Out In The Silence' Filmmaker Lies, Then Refuses to Answer Questions
Filmmaker stifled anyone who had a different opinion
COUDERSPORT – Folks I’m sad to say, but this one deserves a full blown commentary.
I attended the show at the Coudersport Public Library tonight and I am absolutely appalled at the behavior displayed, not only by the filmmakers, but by some of the pro-gay activists that attended the film.
First, the filmmaker and his cohorts decided to wage a publicity stunt via fake news releases. They claimed that the library had been ‘threatened’ and that local churches and the Tea Party ‘promised a large protest’, and spread such lies throughout the media, insinuating that members of local churches and the Tea Party were going to turn out in violent protest. That was far from the truth.
Keturah Cappadonia, a librarian that was at the show, told me that the library had received emails, phone calls, and personal appearances, but everyone was courteous. When I asked her about threats or any protests, she said there were, “none that I know of”.
Not one person turned out to picket, demonstrate or protest, as there never were any plans to do so, contrary to statements made by Wilson.
In one part of the movie Wilson states, “People like Dianne (from the American Family Association) use misinformation to promote fear”. This is exactly what Joe Wilson and his producers did to the town of Coudersport.
The movie also declares, “A good strategy is to pit one minority against another” in reference to comparing black Americans to the GLBT community. Joe Wilson metaphorically standing on local area Christian’s backs to make himself appear taller is exactly that. Wilson also leveraged the fact that people view the Tea Party as bigots, and used false reports of threats to pit one minority (GLBT community) group against another (Tea Party).
As a repercussion of Mr. Wilson and his producers committing such a publicity stunt, headlines around Pennsylvania now read, ‘Will Coudersport Turn Gay’, ‘Coudersport – Backwoods Hicks Hate Gays’, and my favorite, ‘Ignorant Potter County Ted Haggard Tea Baggers’.
The makers of this film created a most unnecessary controversy in our local community, and all for publicity sake.
They also contacted law enforcement and staged quite a show with a police presence to up the hype even further. You can see that multiple policemen were at the library in the photo below. What a great way to spend tax dollars and use law enforcement.
I had already seen the movie today, as I watched it on Hulu, but I did stay inside the library for a good portion of the screening.
The audience seemed to enjoy the movie and got quite a few laughs, such as when filmmaker Joe Wilson made the remark, “If you are not a white man ready to do the ‘missionary position'”; insinuating that all heterosexuals engage in such ‘strict’ activities only, and that anyone who doesn’t must be abnormal. At least that is his perspective of heterosexuals.
The audience also got quite a chuckle when a woman said her son got ‘gypped’, which in fact is a racial reference towards a minority group, Gypsies, who really do happen to be real people.
The movie itself is riddled with profanity, and sadly enough the one young man giving testimony in the film himself could easily be accused of promoting violence and hate with statements such as, “dude I might be a faggot, but I’m more of a man than you be” and “I am admitting that if you say another word I’m going to take your teeth out”.
Sadly it is a one-sided tale told by the young man, with no rebuttal from other the side. This is in stark contrast from the so-called ‘objective’ film that was supposed to air both sides of the saga.
Representatives from the Pennsylvania AFA (American Family Association) also say that the movie is based on lies, and that the filmmakers have a history of stirring up controversy to promote their agenda.
This isn’t the first time that Wilson and Dean have used fear tactics and false reports to the police to cast themselves into the role of victims and garner sympathy. According to information at the AFA website, the filmmakers have made false reports to law enforcement officials in the past, such as when they contacted the Oil City police and insinuated that the AFA was ‘threatening’ them. The AFA also says that the filmmakers have completely misconstrued statements and letters from the AFA to play the victims. They also say that after reading the letters on their website,
It will be quite clear that the intention of this documentary is to demean all those who do not ‘celebrate’ the homosexual lifestyle.
Once the film was over Joe Wilson and his fellow speaker said they would take questions, but they seemed extremely reluctant to acknowledge that I was even there, as Wilson had overheard earlier that I was from CoudyNews.com.
The first gentleman to speak was a Christian who said, “I love all people, but that doesn’t mean I have to agree with their lifestyle”. Once those words were uttered most of the crowd turned on the poor old gentleman. Joe Wilson immediately began dismissing what the man had to say, and believe it or not, waved his hands at the man in a gesture of ‘who gives a crap’.
The man attempted to continue speaking, and said, “I live here and I feel I am entitled to speak, please let me finish”, but neither the crowd nor Joe Wilson would allow it. He was heckled into silence.
One gay activist said, “How are we supposed to have a discussion when we have to listen to this crap from this man”, in reference to the man who was silenced. He then said, “Someone remove that man”.
Apparently, only those who agreed with Wilson, and did not care about the lies he spread during the course of the previous week, were allotted the opportunity to ‘open a dialog’, as the filmmakers stated was the intention of the screening. All others….”Someone remove that man”.
It took some time, and a few gay activists speaking before I finally was loud enough to get the attention of Joe Wilson, who as I said before, was quite reluctant to acknowledge my existence.
I stated the facts surrounding the misinformation that Joe Wilson had printed on his website concerning reports of threats and large protests, and I explained that the information was taken as fact and distributed as a news release by himself, which then created a massive amount of controversy in our small town and gave Coudersport a black eye.
I asked Joe Wilson, “is it true that you publicized incorrect, misleading, and manipulative information in an attempt to promote and publicize your movie and further your agenda”?
He responded by saying, “I don’t have a website”. A complete and utter lie.
I pulled a copy of his website with the article out of my notebook, as I had printed it before the show and asked again, “Mr. Wilson, is this not your website, with your picture, and your signature and profile called ‘Out In Silence’.
Wilson said, “no”. Once I pressed further he finally admitted that it was his website, but “it’s not called ‘Out In Silence’, it’s called ‘Out In The Silence'”. A mere technicality that Wilson attempted to stand on to deny that he printed the false information.
When I attempted to press further, he waved me off, and called on another questioner. I insisted on finishing my statement and getting a real response from Wilson, but he and his fellow speaker simply ignored me.
Next a woman asked, “Whose decision should it be to say whether or not gay is ok. Should it be yours or should it be mine. What makes you an authority on the matter, and how am I to know what to teach my children.”
She was quickly engaged by a clearly upset woman who took offense to the question, saying, “It’s my decision, why can’t we as human beings have compassion for one another.”
The woman who originally asked the question was quickly silenced by the crowd.
A little while later a woman said, “I read on Solomons Words about the bigotry and the threats against you guys, and…”, to which I lost a bit of self composure and quickly explained to the crowd that the information on Solomons Words was not only false, but it came from Joe Wilson himself.
I then attempted to question Wilson again, and demanded that he answer my question that he so blatantly dismissed.
One man, who had earlier seemed quite peaceful and had actually allowed me to step in front of him to ask my question, began asking me why I was so argumentative. He was visibly offended by the fact that I had confronted Wilson about the lies and false news release.
I asked the man, “If you published information and someone else twisted it and inserted lies to stir up controversy for their benefit and cast you into a negative light, would you take offense?”
Sadly, I was then heckled out of the library.
A large woman stood up and began shouting at me, “Who gives a crap about your website”.
I explained that CoudyNews.com received 1,700 unique visitors yesterday, so people DO care.
It was quite obvious that most of the crowd had turned on me and it was time to beat feet.
For a film that was supposed to promote open opinions, free speech, and which was supposedly screened to promote open dialog, it sure was the complete opposite.
The filmmakers and crowd had no desire whatsoever to hear anything they did not agree with. The minute that anyone began a dialog that did not run parallel with their agenda, they were shot down and stifled.
Talk about bigotry!
I can tell you one thing, I was certainly the minority at the screening, and the filmmaker and crowd let me know so.
The film depicts a young gay male that was heckled by crowds at school for his sexual preference. I can tell you that this crowd exhibited the same type of behavior that they accuse others of.
I am completely appalled.
I walked out of the screening with one last statement, “You are doing exactly to me right now what you are accusing others of doing to you”.
A little bit of research will quickly show that the producers of this film have a checkered past of spreading lies and false information to promote their film.
While I do not necessarily disagree with the ‘message’ of the film, I certainly disagree with the tactics and propaganda that the makers of this film have employed.
I went to this show with absolutely no bias towards gay people (and still I have none). In fact, I was hoping that after speaking with Joe Wilson I could come to terms with why he published such false information, but that clearly did not happen.
If the makers of the film really did want to increase awareness and acceptance of their lifestyle, and not profit from a so-called ‘documentary’, then they surely would not have acted in the fashion they have.
I am appalled at the behavior displayed this evening, and saddened that our community has been labeled as ‘back-woods bigots’ and ‘close-minded rednecks’ because of this man’s personal agenda.
Note: The library staff was more than courteous during the event.
