A picture has appeared in the Home column on Facebook, of recipients of the Ellis Island Award for service to inner-city residents. Left to right in the picture are Joe DiMaggio, Victor Borge, an unnamed woman, Muhammad Ali, Rosa Parks, and…well, the man on the far right needs no identification. But the woman in the middle, with auburn hair and wearing a white dress (everyone else in the picture is dressed in black, including Ms. Parks), I don’t know. Who is she?
I believe that’s Anita Bryant.
Thanks…I guess that was one of the few positive events in her life after the Sixties, from what I read in her Wikipedia entry.
Pretty much self-inflicted, honestly.
Oh, yes–How dare she oppose you…:rolleyes:
This isn’t the forum for it, so I’ll just note that if you don’t think the backlash against her for supporting, and supporting HARD, a local ordinance that would ruin gay teachers’ lives was appropriate or self-inflicted, this is about as far as I want to go in interacting with you. Bye.
[Shrug] No skin off my nose.
This wasn’t mere opposition. She was a hard-line bigot, and deserved everything she got in return.
Tell me exactly what she did or said that was bigoted.
Quoting her Wiki page:
In 1977, Dade County, Florida, passed an ordinance sponsored by Bryant’s former friend Ruth Shack that prohibited discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Bryant led a highly publicized campaign to repeal the ordinance, as the leader of a coalition named Save Our Children. The campaign was based on conservative Christian beliefs regarding the sinfulness of homosexuality and the perceived threat of homosexual recruitment of children and child molestation. Bryant stated:
“What these people really want, hidden behind obscure legal phrases, is the legal right to propose to our children that theirs is an acceptable alternate way of life. […] I will lead such a crusade to stop it as this country has not seen before.”
The name had to be changed because of legal action by the Save the Children foundation.
The campaign marked the beginning of an organized opposition to gay rights that spread across the nation. Jerry Falwell went to Miami to help her. Bryant made the following statements during the campaign: “As a mother, I know that homosexuals cannot biologically reproduce children; therefore, they must recruit our children” and “If gays are granted rights, next we’ll have to give rights to prostitutes and to people who sleep with St. Bernards and to nail biters.” She also said, “All America and all the world will hear what the people have said, and with God’s continued help we will prevail in our fight to repeal similar laws throughout the nation.”
You know, considering that my original question has long since been answered, it might be better to transfer this to a more suitable forum at this point, such as Great Debates, or even start anew…
Off to the Pit.
Moderator Action
Yep, this definitely veered out of GQ territory pretty quickly.
I’m not really seeing enough of a debate here for GD at this point, but if you want to give it a shot there we can at least see how it does. The mods there can take further action on it if necessary if the debate doesn’t thrive.
Moving thread from GQ to GD.
My only comment at this point is that nobody would mind much if Anita Bryant paid lip service to her cause, but they would raise a howl if she were as much an activist for her position as much as they are for theirs.
And, FYI, I did read the Wikipedia page myself before making that last post. And I had read some of the news items that were current in the late 1960s when the issue first became public. Not having activist sentiments then (or now), I have never taken any position.
I would however, like to know what she–and the others, including Joe DiMaggio and Victor Borge–did, specifically, to earn that Ellis Island award.
Specifically they were awarded because a committee of an organization wanted them to get an award. There are no specific requirements. Trump and the others got it the first year it was awarded. Hillary Clinton was also awarded it about 10 years later.
“The Ellis Island Medals of Honor embody the spirit of America in their celebration of patriotism, tolerance, brotherhood and diversity. They recognize individuals who have made it their mission to share with those less fortunate their wealth of knowledge, indomitable courage, boundless compassion, unique talents and selfless generosity; all while maintaining the traditions of their ethnic heritage as they uphold the ideals and spirit of America. As always, NECO remains dedicated to the maintenance and restoration of America’s greatest symbol of its immigrant history, Ellis Island.”
Just a guess but as a prominent wealthy New Yorker in the 80s I have a feeling Trump donated a lot of money towards the Ellis Island restoration.
Of all the people in the picture, I think Rosa Parks and Victor Borge probably deserved such an honor the most; and, considering some of the things he accomplished about the time he came here from Denmark, Mr. Borge most of all. He was Jewish, of course, and immigration at the time was a big issue.
Admittedly, Anita Bryant’s contribution, from what has been stated above, is hard to grasp.
The award list also includes Yogi Berra, philosopher famous for his contributions to Illogical Positivism.
And Joseph Pizza, which requires no explanation.
From this article it appears that they were among 80 recipients that year, and were selected due to their immigrant or native American Ancestry. Note that they go back pretty far in this selection. Trump is indicated as German American, and Bryant is listed as Native American, and Kirk Douglas is indicated as Russian. There is no rhyme or reason to this as far as I can tell. So Bryant may have been included because a one or more of the committee were homophobic and insisted she be included.
The 60 something year old guy who lives with his Mom in a trailer park is having trouble grasping this concept? Who woulda think it.