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

[MICHAEL CLARK]

Perhaps only gay and lesbians are entitled to an opinion.The gay and lesbian crowd and cronies are intolerant and do not believe in the right of free speech. Let's make known who gave to OBAMA and rail on those people. Wake up-- this is America and we can believe and support what ever cause we choose. This is not civil rights--it's moral rights. Marriage is a sacred relationship ordained of God. God has made it clear he does not condone same sexual relationships. Gays and lesbians have their rights, but to rub their relationships in our faces and ask us to recognize that as marriage is wrong. God loves them and wants them to repent just like all of us who sin. Mob rule, over throw the will of the people and attack churches-- Gay and lesbian rights too?????
Get real. Those who voted in favor of Prop 8 voted their conscience and should not apologize. I am proud to say I voted for prop 22 and prop 8 and gladly supported these with monetary donations and worked the precincts too. I will donate to whatever cause I choose ,thank you, and I will continue to speak out. Don't take away my civil and legal rights and then call yourselves as sexual deviants civil rights activists!! Support and defend our state constitution as it now defines marriage as between a man and woman.

[Shash Nahalin]

Why is is this any different that the McCarthy era blacklisting?

[jerry]

This is not cool.

The no on prop 8 people are conducting a witch hunt!
This is not how a democracy is to be run! Why can't gay people understand that just because you want to preserve the definition of marriage as one man one woman, we don't hate gay people!!!!

You have all the civil rights as a 'married couple.' I want that to be the case. You're great people! But I don't want the definition of marriage to be changed. Why are you conducting this witch hunt?

[Jerry]

I like what an earlier comment said,
" There are many, many non-hateful, non-bigoted reasons for people to support Prop. 8. "

This witch hunt is just not cool (and not right). I was very much against Barack Obama becoming our next president, but I'm not rioting right now. I understand a democracy works: before the election, you work hard to try to convince voters to vote your way. After the election, you respect what the voters chose!

[MikeNYC]

And the hate continues, not from logic but from emotion. There is NO logical reason to deny same sex marriage. It harms no one, it changes NOTHING except for those who can now get married AND it brings more stability to families. It is beyond stupid to fight something that ONLY does good for other people and the state. Unfortunately, the Proposition 8 supporters use only emotion and fear tactics to support their misguided agenda. They told people that same sex marriage would be taught in the schools, but by supporting Proposition 8 they guaranteed that it was discussed as a current events topic in every school, where both sides of the issue were presented. They claim same sex marriage harms families, but how can something that supports new families, harm any other families? Again, no logic. The same sex opponents say that marriage is a building block of a stable society, yet they don't want people to get married. Where is the logic in this? They claim they are thinking "only" of the children, yet they want to deny the children of same sex couples the ability to have married parents. How does this "help" those children? Unfortunately, ignorance, hate and lack of logic pushed through one of the worst Amendments in California history. It is destined to be repealed and will forever be an embarrassment to the people of California just like the Jim Crow laws are now.

[PDX Tan]

" There are many, many non-hateful, non-bigoted reasons for people to support Prop. 8. "

100% Bull.

[Danny]

Does anyone really believe that the word "marriage" won't eventually be used in the vernacular to cover same- and opposite-sex unions? I live in a state where gay relationships aren't officially recognized, but gay couples I know still say they're married. Do the people who voted for Prop. 8 think that gays will tell their friends and family that they've been "civil unionized"? And if they don't, are cops going to go around handing out tickets to gays who misuse the word "marriage?" Are we going to have semantics police? Twenty years from now, people will wonder why the government goes to the trouble and expense of having two separate forms when the term "marriage" is used in everyday conversation to refer to both kinds of relationships.

[Joshua2415KJV]

Jesus said that "I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." (Luke 13:3) This was directed at the religious and non religious, gays and straights, everyone. The bottom line is the only way for anybody, religious or not, to avoid eternal condemnation in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:15) is to repent towards God and put your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts 20:21) Neither being "straight" nor "religious" saves you. "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;" (Romans 3:23) "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23) "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:13). The choice is yours. "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9).

[Andrea]

blacklisting people is wrong.

[Brian]

A voluntary boycott isn't a blacklist.

Where were all the shrieking religious nutcases when boycotts were launched against Disney, Ford, United and American airlines, Chrysler, Apple and United Health for their policies granting health benefits to their gay employees?

Oh, they were probably participating in them.

Can't have it both ways, kids. Mormons and Catholics have been quite adept at firing (or using your parlance, "blacklisting") their organizations' employees for pro-gay views... but now owners of gay bars, heads of musical theater troupes, and heads of gay-focused film festivals are reacting in shock when their customers say either leave or we're not spending our cash with you anymore.

Sure, pro-prop-8 bigots have the right under California's constitution to vote to take rights away from their neighbors.

But LGBT Americans have the right to spend the $900 billion in annual buying power we have with businesses and individuals who don't hate.

Your insistence that you can both embrace bigotry and then demand access to our dollars is manifestly socialist -- ironic, since most of you doubtlessly are Republicans.

Your victimhood schtick is truly amazingly funny. Stand up for your principles, swallow your pride, and accept that gay money is going to go to your competition. Stop whining.

[Terry]

He was NOT "forced out of his job". He resigned. If he had the courage of his convictions, then he would have fought to stay in his position.

The "No on 8" contingent stated an OPINION, that they would not support a film festival which takes money from gay people which goes to the salaries of executives who support repealing their rights. THIS IS NOT A "BLACKLIST". The right wing does this all the time, targeting companies which do not play along with their "moral" agenda, but when gay people do it, suddenly it's a "blacklist" and a "witchhunt"? Sheer hypocrisy.

[Natalie Davis]

Blacklisting? Do NOT compare me standing up for my legal equality to McCarthy and his brand of discriminators. Why must I spend my money with someone who wants me diminished under law? Why? And why can't I let them know? And why can't I tell people? If they choose to stand up for their rights, that's their decision. But DO NOT tell me that I have to reward those who support legalized discrimination and the stripping away of equality. Neither will I pay taxes. Is that wrong too? WHY?

I don't get you bigots -- you dehumanize us and want us to pay for the privilege. Screw off.

[Jim]

Blacklisting people is wrong, yes. But it's also wrong to have someone in a position of authority who alienates a large part of your customer base.

For example, if Women in Film discovered that the person running one of their film festivals had given a large donation to repeal the right of women to vote, Women in Film would be completely in the right to ask that person to step down. Most women do not want their right to vote removed, and would respond very negatively to doing business with someone who feels otherwise.

If Raddon truly sees the error of his ways, I do believe the gay and lesbian community in Hollywood will welcome him back. However, until that time, FilmIndependent's (very large) gay and lesbian customers (yes, folks, it's a business) can once again be at ease dealing with the L.A. Film Festival with him gone. His decision to step down really is the right choice for everyone, because it lets his employers off the hook for his actions and will allow him to seek a position where his personal views are not a liability.

[Chris]

Our polygamist ancestors in the 1800's never asked the government to endorse their marriages. They only wanted to live their lives in peace, but the government invaded their homes. Should the courts now be allowed to invade our voting booths?

We respect domestic partner laws and the rights of private groups to their ceremonies. We also respect the democratic process to decide what government benefits and responsibilities are given to married couples, partnerships or other associations.

Please note that people who carry posters saying "God hates ..." are typically people who also reject Mormons. They are not Mormons.

[Jay]

Chris, it seems to me that Mormon history might have taught you that discriminating against others is wrong. As for your respecting domestic partner laws, why don't you have domestic partnerships or civil unions in Utah or Idaho, where Mormons control the politics? Why has the Mormon Church lobbied against civil unions and domestic partnerships? Why does Brigham Young University expel anyone suspected of being gay? Why does the Church excommunicate its gay members or force them to undergo "aversion therapy"? Your attempt to portray the Mormons as benign citizens will not wash. We recognize hatred when we feel it.

[j]

This is like Hollywood in the 1950s. How many others will be blacklisted?

[Jay]

Who is being blacklisted? Raddon was not fired. He resigned. Probably in guilt and shame because his contribution to deny his colleagues equal rights was exposed. He probably felt very uncomfortable when others found out what he did.

[Truth]

I guess you would have to be gay to really understand the importance of this proposition. I understand that we must have morals and so on, but morals are not always shared. Values are different. Just know, everyone wishes to be accepted, and you're right, the gay community must fight for it, otherwise, who will?