L.A. Film Festival head resigns over Prop. 8 donation

Richard Raddon, the director of the Los Angeles Film Festival who has been at the center of controversy ever since it was revealed almost two weeks ago that he had contributed $1,500 to the campaign to ban gay marriage in California, resigned from his post over the weekend.

The nonprofit arts organization Film Independent sponsors both the Los Angeles Film Festival, held in May, and the popular Independent Spirit awards. Raddon is a member of the Mormon Church, which actively called on its congregants to work for the passage of Proposition 8, the constitutional amendment defining marriage as only between a man and a woman. It has been estimated that Mormons gave more than $20 million in support of the recently passed ballot measure.

After Raddon's contribution was made public online, Film Independent was swamped with criticism from "No on 8" supporters both inside and outside the organization. Within days, Raddon offered to step down as festival director, but the board, which includes Don Cheadle, Forest Whitaker, Lionsgate President Tom Ortenberg and Fox Searchlight President Peter Rice, gave him a unanimous vote of confidence.

Read the rest of the story here.

--Rachel Abramowitz

Photo: Raddon speaks at a 2007 screening of "Talk to Her".  Credit: L.A. Film Festival.

Comments

[Dave]

I am officially ashamed that I voted "No on Proposition 8". The venomous hatred that I have seen against the "Yes on 8" proponents is FAR WORSE than any emotions or behavior that I have witnessed amongst the "Yes on 8" folks. Those of my co-voters who have expressed bigotry against Mormons and others are absolute hypocrites: The True Haters are those wishing ill against the Mormons or others voting their consciences.

Can you imagine the negative reaction from all levels of society if the "Yes on 8" folks advocated blacklisting and boycotting businesses of "No on 8" supporters? Had Richard been a "No on 8" supporter, and had lost his job for his beliefs, we would consider such an outrageous violation of his civil rights.

Shame on us allowing this to happen !!! I am so ashamed at our collective and individual behavior against the "Yes on 8" people. At this point, I'm believing that Elton John's assessments regarding "Yes on 8" were right on.

[Scott]

Amazing: LA Guy says gays want to 'force their beliefs on others like dictators' yet it's the Mormon church who actively preaches against and judges others' lifestyles, goes door-to-door and on missionaries to impose their beliefs on others, and took aggressive action to remove rights granted to a minority. Like most religeons of the world, they basically say 'if you don't think like us then you're wrong.' Just visit Utah to see that philosophy in action.

If the Mormons really want to 'preserve marriage' they can start by fixing their own. 50% of all marriage ends in divorce. That's done more than enough to destroy traditional marriage and family.

[JoeG]

I agree with Mgherron we say there is a separation of state and church, but this is a clear case of relgion interfering with the civil liberties of Americans. I can't understand how people call themselves patrities but still vote for these types of voliations to our most sacriite fundaments of what our country is all about. Our forefathers have to be rolling in their graves. And as for the comment about allowing mormons to have mult spouses, I agree, they should be allowed to define marrage as they believe it should be...This is the whole point. A lot of people came to this country to escape relgious perscution.

[DanP]

The Taliban is alive and well in Californiastan and wearing pink burkas.

[DAnn]

Sorry he felt he had to resign. His belief did not interfer with his job performance. Shame on you for dumping the guilt!

[Zach]

I guess some people need to realize that just because they have some gay friends that don't challenge their opinions doesn't mean that the gay people who do are some kind of radical extremists, nor that their opinions aren't prejudiced. There is no LGBT army, no gay militants, and no gay riots. Stop demonizing your neighbors for engaging in the same political actions that won numerous minorities before them equality that the bigots at that time said were too good for them. Were the Montgomery Bus Boycotts conducted today, half the people here would call for Martin Luther King to be jailed for terrorist activities!

[Allen]

LAFF supposedly promotes and encourages diversity. Such public claims are nothing but hollow rhetoric, as it obviously doesn't promote or encourage diversity on social issues. The only "diversity" that LAFF stands behind is whatever diversity is acceptable to the "No on 8" crowd. Diversity has no meaning when only one point of view is acceptable.

Hypocrites.

[Zach]

P.S. Alain, your "daddy-daughter marriages" are some imaginative fiction! How many of those daddies and daughters filed lawsuits in Sacramento when gays got the right to marry half a year ago? How many showed up to marry their dogs when gays got the right to marry YEARS ago in Massachusetts? None, because these phantoms only arise when people want to scare others away from change.

[Chris]

Some people here have said that Rich and others have suffered consequences for their beliefs or opinions. It is important to note that they have not suffered any consequence for having a belief or opinon, the protests and boycotts have come from them taking away the rights of others. I and other LGBT people like me believe that everyone is entitled to their own belief system and that they do not need to agree with me on anything. However, everyone also deserves to be treated equally and identially under the law. That is the only way our country can coexist with such great diversity. Even if Rich believes he had non-bigoted reasons for supporting Prop 8, he would have to be very nieve to not understand that the LGBT community would feel attacked and hurt by such a proposition and that he would enjoy continued support in an industry dominated by LGBT people. I certainly wish he did not have to leave his job, but to pretend that this is a suprise or that he is being persecuted is wrong. He is suffering backlash from his colleagues because he chose to act in a way that hurt them, whether that was his intention or not.

[Chris]

I also want to comment on anyone calling the No on 8 people hypocrites. If that is true it goes both ways. If this is a reverse situation than the Yes on 8 crowd should not be complaining about their rights, as they clearly feel it is ok to take rights away from others when you disagree with them. Either we are all guarenteed eqaulity and civility or none of us are. Either we are all entitled to the same equal and identical, inalienable rights or rights are something that can be taken away on a whim.

[Scotty]

There are roughly 1200 differences between marriage and civil union. But, those differences are all federal, and California can’t do anything about that.

California registered domestic partner gives all of the legal rights as marriage, on a state level. But, marriage is restricted by federal law (DOMA), so on a federal level, marriage will be man/woman, regardless of what a state says. So whether or not Prop 8 passed or failed, it wouldn’t change the rights or benefits for same sex couples.

California law really does treat registered domestic partners the same as married couples. Cal Fam Code 297.5 provides:

Registered domestic partners shall have the same rights, protections, and benefits, and shall be subject to the same responsibilities, obligations, and duties under law, whether they derive from statutes, administrative regulations, court rules, government policies, common law, or any other provisions or sources of law, as are granted to and imposed upon spouses.

So to attack someone as hateful or bigoted for not wanting to change the definition of a word is simply uncalled for. Mob rule is when facts no longer matter, as seems to be the case with the post prop 8 aftermath. Blacklisting is the result. It is ugly, hateful and bigoted. I'm shocked that people don't see the irony here.

[Shawn]

The Gay Left are the new Hollywood Blacklisting Fascists.

Don't try to cover up the reality that scanning for donors on a political proposition, then exposing those persons for practicing their First Amendment rights, then demanding that person be fired is no different that the 1950's.

Back then you had Hollywood writers who actually liked Joe Stalin, one of history's greatest mass murderers, yet we decry that they were blacklisted.

Fascism has come fully around. Those who rejoice crucifying Mormons are yesterday's Romans.

[RC]

To force someone out of their job for donating money is stupid. All people are created equal. Not all people have the right to marry.
How about mother's marrying sons, brothers marrying sisters, etc....
The haters are the opponents to Prop 8. Look at what they've done to Richard Raddon and others.
To say, "God hates Fags" is wrong and hateful and should not be done.
But, I will not change the defination of marriage simply because some folks want me to. They have their right to want the change, and I have my right to oppose the change.

[Blue]

In these times no one should be forced out of their job because of their and or religious beliefs. I believe in democracy and I believe marriage is reserved for a man and a woman. Does that make me evil, no, it just makes me a person with a point of view something that I have a constitutional right to have. Same sex marriages are not constitutionally legal in CA, let the courts decide the validity, put a new ballot measure forth in 2010, but stop the witch hunts. Now I know why most every politician in LA supports same sex marriage they are afraid they will loose their jobs. Motivation by fear what a great way to get your way. You can motivate a dog by fear but sooner or later the dog will bite you. This strategy will bite you same sex marriage supporters in your butts as you are alienating many who suppoted your position.

[jj]

Vandalized temples? Book burnings? Defenseless old ladies being brutalized? Upstanding citizens being forced out of positions of respect?-- Does any of this sound familiar?

[Paul Williams]

So are we to expect that those who contributed to the 'NO' campaign will also have to resign from their Hollywood positions? This is utter madness, and I cannot believe it is being tolerated. He spoke out in favor of something he believed in, and is being punished for it.

[Port]

The gay mobbers, torches and pitchforks in hand, are on the march in LA.

It won't be long before they've driven the last few righteous people from Sodom ... er, California. I guess you know what will happen then ...

Los Angeles, California: all the amenities of hell and none of the conveniences.

[Brandon]

I can't believe that in this day and age a man loses his job for expressing the same point of view that the majority of Americans hold and the majority of people all over the world hold, that marriage is between a man and a woman.

Men and women can create babies through their union. That's the main reason it is a sacred union. What does homosexual sex create other than a temporary sense flash of an orgasm and various diseases, of which there are too many to name here?

This man believes that marriage is a sacred union between a man and a woman and these Nazi homosexuals force him to resign from his job.

Its similar to what is described in the book the Pink Swastika, where the Nazis ( who were mostly homosexual) attacked and forced Jews out of prominent positions because of their beliefs in God and traditional marriage and the Jewish belief that homosexuality is unnatural. I would highly recommend people read that book when I see things like this because they are using the same tactics in 2008 as they did in 1933.

Long Live Freedom and Democracy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Perephone]

Religion in general, and Mormons in particular, are increasingly becoming an impediment to the social progress of America. Thinking people around the country can see the inevitable necessity of removing this cancer from the body politic. The sooner the better.

[steph]

everyone should have equal rights does not mean that others should give up what IS RIGHT and what has been the definition of marriage forever. It doesn't mean that the gay community can just march in and demand things thier way. If they want to have a relationship, thats thier business, but stop SHOVING IT IN MY AND MY CHILDRENS FACES!!! I am not required to teach my children about "Adam and Steve"!!!!! Scripture says that in the last days evil will seem good and good will be viewed as evil... oh, and by the way... I am a MORMON!!!

[LargeMarge]

Hollywood is so hypocritical. One votes according to his moral beliefs, and they boycott his company. Meanwhile, half of hollywood, is participating in adultery, drugs, rape, and a number of other offences. And no one cares. What is this world coming to.

[MikeK]

I keep hearing the argument that all the religious groups are at fault for voting for prop 8 because they shouldn't be mixing religion with law. Is everyone nuts? The whole reason these religious groups are playing politics, is because politics decided to play with religious rights first! If No on 8 was passed, then adoption services to religious groups would have no say if a baby was placed with a same-sex couple. People would be sued for hate crimes just because they chooses to teach their religious beliefs that marriage should only be between a man and a woman.
Homosexuals haven't had ANY rights taken away. They are free to marry just as heterosexual people can! Yes it has to be between a man and a woman, but that applies to herterosexual couples too! Marriage does not discriminate against race or gender. So what is it all about? What are we asking marriage to be tolerant of? Well the answer is sexual preference. So if No on 8 passed, do you honestly think over the next century or even the next few decades, that it would just stop at homosexual couples? No because if we're tollerant of 1 sexual preference then we need to be tollerant of another right? So what's next? Brother and Sister love each other so we should let them get married? Uncle and Neice? Owner and Dog? No it's not something that's accepted in todays society, but neither was homosexuality 50 years ago. And that's part of the fight. It's not always about the world right now, but the world that our children have to grow up in, 50 years from now.
The little thread sticking out of the sweater is such a tiny thing, but no one ever seems to step back and think "hey, if it snags on something, then it will fall apart"

[Bringing Sense]

People don't understand what right or wrong is anymore. They think wrong is when one is denied what he wants. Just as I train my children to do what is right, so society must learn what is "right." There is only one place to find what is "right." It's not your opinion, your desires, your dreams, educated or famous people's idea of right and wrong. God did not leave us without guidance while He sits in Heaven looking around. He left us His Holy Word. Folks can deny, discount, and rage against it. It doesn't change the facts that this is the Truth. There's no grey lines here. It's not hate, it's not bigotry, it's simply sin. And gays want validity is society that there sin is not sin by marriage....which is a religious ceremony. How ironic that they would seek out what is truly a picture of Christ and the Church. Unfortunately most will not "get" it and blow this off. I pray that before Christ comes back for His church that you will seek to know Him. He is the only One that holds Truth, power and love to set you free.

[MikeNYC]

Steve Johnson why pretend you care about children when you support an an amendment that enusre that children of same sex parents will never have married parents. You obviously hate these chidlren and want only the worst for them. Tell us why you hate these children and then lie about your agenda?

[Hans]

As to the question about polygamy - lets just get the one on one partnerships sorted out FIRST, shall we? I mean,. persoonlly speaking I've always felt it was "cheating" or "double dipping" or simply being GREEDY when anyone, gay OR straight either has sex with or hooks up with more than ONE ;person, so therein lies my objection with that - why should I go lonely and forsaken and desiring love affection and partnership over here, when some turkey over there figures it s fine to have as many assignments as he/she sees fit? Uh UH. I'm sorry... that's not cool.

I don't dig it when I see dudes (or CHICK, for that matter!) saying "well I'm partnered but my bf knows that I mess around", etc. Screw that! You HAVE a partner... leave the single/available people to people who DON'T have one/any. DON"T be a greedy, self centered PIG, lol

seems like pretty much a no brainer.

No sorry - it doesn't fly as a viable comparison.