Good As You

Why are all the people posting comments ignoring the fact that Justin is probably gay?? Did you people see those two videos here?? Could he be any more gay???

Another case of the closet - a young gay person raised by conservative religious folks going along with family politics/social rules.... in the name of the Bible, of course. It starts out as just conforming to what the family and friends of the family want/expect of you ..... and then it later becomes about the money.

Let's face it - rich gay kids from super conservative families don't want to risk possibly being cut off from all that dough. And there is all that inheirentence money to think about too.

You have take all that into consideration .... it's kinda similar situation to a high paid movie star who doesn't want to come out of the closet and see his income drop in half.

The problem is the closet - and what creates the closet is Homophobia is the world.

PSUdain: It's a little disingenuous to say that people are "Labeling someone a bigot after reading one email." I didn't call him a "bigot" one time in the post. And the comments on here are far more diverse, thought-out, and complex than I think you are making them sound with the.

Todd Stancer: Same sort of thing. You make the sweeping statement, "the way you are handling it by bashing on this Justin Caster is a sign of weakness." That's simply an unfair statement. Again, I didn't "bash" Justin once in the post. On the contrary, I respectfully refrained from a lengthy commentary at this time. And the comments that followed my post have been far from simple-minded "bashing."

It's of course fine for people to have negative reaction to some of the comments made on this post or any. But please don't make a sweeping generalizations that fail to accurately define the healthy discourse taking place.

I don't have a problem with evangelicals. I have friends who are evangelicals. It's their attitude that is wrong and that I disagree with.

"I don't have a problem with Christians. I have issues with the Christian lifestyle. Some of my best friends are Christians."
Now, Mr. Caster, let's just say, for the point of discussion, that Christianity was not legal, and some judges said it was a basic civil right to worship as you choose, and they struck down that ban. You, as a Christian, would be overjoyed! You could finally worship in the open instead of a closet. Ooops! Someone wants to pass a law saying that 'Yes, Christianity is not legal'. And one of your "friends" decides to contribute a lot of money to that cause.

Just curious, but does this sound at all familiar to you?

I think the gay community should change our focus and rather than pushing for the right to marry, we should push for legislation outlawing divorce. Then call on the religious community to support us since the bible is very strict on adultery and fornication.
We could then exploit their bias for what it truly is, bigotry hid behind the bible.
How about it Justin, you game?

Justin,
I've read your letter, and I don't agree with you at all. I think you are wrong on many accounts. First and foremost you are wrong with the idea that marriage in the United States is a religious institution. It is not. You do not go to your pastor or your church to get a marriage lisense. You go to a government office and with the help of a government employee, you fill out and get the proper form. After that, you have the option of taking this form to perform the actual ceremony with either a pastor of your religious choice or a secular person such as a judge, etc. Athiests get married all the time. They don't believe in God at all, but they are allowed to get married and have all the rights and privileges that come with marriage. So do Wiccans who believe in multiple gods, and Hindus who believe in a god that you think of as an idol. Everyone, no matter what their religious or non religious beliefs are allowed to marry with the exception of one group of people...gays and lesbians. We can't marry except in a few places. We can't have the same rights that you have. We are lesser citizens than you and all the other people I mentioned above.
I am a Christian and a lesbian. I am one of the lesser citizens. By your contribution you are responsible for my not have the same rights and privileges that you enjoy. You have helped to make me a lesser citizen of the U.S. You have helped to take away or keep away from me rights that you enjoy but I can't. You and I both believe in the same God. I don't think God made me a lesser person than you. What do you think? Would God be happy with your actions? I think not.

Mr. Caster, I think it is unreasonable for you to demand that the state view marriage through the religious lens that you use. Marriage in the eyes of the government is a civil contract. The state simply has no reason to take into account the personal religious beliefs of those entering a marriage contract or for that matter any contract. To do so would be to entangle the state in matters of faith; this is precisely what our Founding Fathers sought to avoid when they created a state that had such principles as no state-funded churches and no religious tests for political leaders. They understood that the government should not frame policy in religious terms but respect individual freedom and conscience. So, while freedom means you have every right to believe that marriage is one man, one woman, created by God and sacred, your religious beliefs are simply not relevant arguments in a discussion of whether or not to continue to extend civil marriage privileges to gays and lesbians.

G-A-Y: I apologize. I guess I fell into the same trap I was decrying. I wasn't really addressing all the comments, just the ones that I felt were overly harsh. It was clear in my mind, when I wrote it, but, of course, that's not the standard by which other people read it. I apologize if my statements came across as sweeping; there was no such intent. (I will note, though that I did praise several other comments, and state my agreement with them.)

Let me make my thoughts clearer, I don't think that people are engaged in anything like simpleminded bashing. Most of the comments are well thought out. I just feel that there are several that go too far either in their content or their tone. I'm not going to go pointing fingers, as that's not what I was trying to do.

Again I apologize if I came across as grandiose or sweeping in my "condemnation" (if you will). That was never my intent. And I assure you, (and my friends could attest) that I almost never make sweeping statements or absolute statements. (Irony intended.)

Justin:
I am sorry for the way they are handling this, Not all Gays are like this.
Most can respect your belief as you respect theres and thats it.

We cant come to an agreement on life styles and that has nothing to do with hate.
I dont agree with my sister sometimes but I still love her.

These comments are not the way to handle this. It just going to throw more fuel in the fire. And cause them to just throw more money in.

::sigh:: Oh Todd.

Upon some further thought, I think Justin's email made him an easy target. He hasn't learned yet that when he writes for consumption outside the Fundamentalist community he needs to do more than use "preach to the choir" language.

The professional gay-bashers understand that they need to fabricate anti-gay rhetoric that doesn't appear to be overtly religiously motivated. That's where "researchers" like Paul Cameron come in handy. He can provide "research papers" that allows them to slap a phony scientific veneer onto their anti-gay rhetoric that can often be persuasive to an uninformed public.

Feeling that gays have the right to exist and live how they choose is a progressive idea....for 1940, but in 2008 it's simply not impressive anymore. Mr. Carter's claim of having gay friends and getting along well with them is like a husband who wants to take away a woman's right to vote bragging about how he doesn't beat his wife.

Oppression is not always mean, nasty, and violent. Oppressors don't always get some sick pleasure out of being in control. Sometimes it's just a matter of not being comfortable with a concept, not being comfortable with allowing certain rights to certain people, not out of malice, but simply out of hesitation and fear. Thing is, there's more than one kind of bigot, but the motivations are the same -- fear of change, fear of the unknown, and fear of what is unfamiliar/unappetizing. The result is also the same: oppression.

Not meaning to rain on your parade, but I don't think he will spend the time to read these responses, maybe he won't even visit the website.

Corvidae: I'm confused. Whose parade are you raining on?

Justin can or cannot red the comments if he wants to. He knows where to find them.

So this is what Justin is saying: "We are all free to choose the lives we want to live. I choose to follow God's rules, and that requires me to support a rule that limits your rights and freedoms, but don't hate me, I'm just following my religion. It hurts that you think I'm a bigot. I'm not. Honest. I work in theater and have many gay friends. I don't agree with their lifestyle, but they are free to choose what they want to do. They just shouldn't be considered equal with me. Thanks for listening to me."

(gag)

I agree with what PW said earlier. The problem with these religious fanatics who say that "marriage is an institution created by God" is that they refuse to acknowledge that they are enforcing their religious beliefs upon everyone.

I call them religious fanatatics, because they don't really CARE that they are imposing their religious beliefs upon others BECAUSE their religious belief tells them their way is the correct way.

These actions are completely antithetical to a diverse, pluralistic society.

I do agree that in a democracy, Mr. Caster does have the right to attempt to use democratic means to impose his will upon others but I do with that he and others of his ilk would acknowledge exactly what they are doing.

I worked in theatre for 15 years, before interests took me elsewhere - and I can tell you now, this young man won't have much of a career in his chosen profession. His prejudice will proceed him and directors will think twice before casting him in show, not because they'll be singling him out per se - but, as many of you know, there is so much work involved in mounting a stage production that there's just no reason to hire an actor who might cause friction or even bad feelings among other cast members, intentionally or not. Word will spread among the theater community, and he'll end up with a small part in the next Left Behind movie. Or doing Godspell in a regional Christian theatre somwhere. I'm tempted to write about Justin on my own blog, if I can gather enough new information. (I did find an interesting photo of him on Flickr. But there was only one.)

from seeing all this and how you guys are handling this whole thing,

I am donating $100,000 against gay marriage

Todd: And judging by the way you have continually misrepresented the comments on this, I will donate considerable time and money to the Society For Combating Intellectual Dishonesty.

Justin does not want to tolerate same-sex marriage. Justin won't suffer when prop 8 fails, and he wouldn't gain anything if it were to pass. Justin is voting for, and working to encourage others to vote for a constitutional amendment that affects the lives of people not including himself.

That is bigotry. Justin thinks he gets a free pass by playing the religion card and saying that he's just standing up for what he believes in.

I think he has the right to do what he wants with his excess money. However, I also believe that the theater companies have a right to decide whether they want to hire someone like him. Let's hope the theater companies do the right thing. I can't imagine having to work next to someone who is trying to take my rights away.

"from seeing all this and how you guys are handling this whole thing,

I am donating $100,000 against gay marriage"

BOO!!!

Go ahead, it's your money.

It's true that those with $100,000 to just throw around are nothing more than spoiled babbling idiots.

NEWSFLASH:

Todd Stancer IS Justin Castor.

Zeke, I kinda figured that out, once I put 2 and 2 together from yesterday's "story in the works" post.

And if that's the case.....he doesn't HAVE $100,000! LOL

With THAT kind of attitude towards gay people, being a theatre queen and all, he'll be lucky to co-star in a straight-to-video 'High School Musical' sequel.

Umm, No I am not Justin Castor

Why would he be in here anyways? This is a Gay site.

"Why would he be in here anyways? This is a Gay site."

And a top Google hit if you search his name. And a site with which he has been in contact. It's ABSURD to suggest that the fact that this is a gay site would at all keep Justin or relatives away.

Oh Todd.

You are all being extremely intolerant of Justin's right to have his views. Justin made a donation for something he believes in and that is his business. By all of your hostile comments, you are making yourself guilty of what you claim he is doing. Since when is it not okay to have views? Whether or not you agree with Justin, it is his right as a person to have them and you should all be ashamed of yourselves for harboring so much animosity towards him.

It is interesting that Justin says
"We are all free to live our lives the way we choose."
But he (and his family) are using their financial advantage over others to try to insure that we are not free to live our lives the way we choose.
These choices are individual, no one should have the right to tell other people how they should live their lives.
We are all created equal and no one should think they are afforded rights and others are not.
To govern by religion goes against the very foudation of why this "New World" was formed in the first place.
American Christianity has become the new Church of England......Here we are again, after so much suffering and bloodshed to get away from this sort of oppression..

Just Sad......:(