Jesus and Miller

Well, it appears that Miller beer is sponsoring a street fair in San Francisco that features - surprise! - people of a homosexual persuasion.

Some guy by the name of Brent Bozell, III has started a bit of a ruckus by pointing out that how offensive Christians might find a depiction the 'last supper' featuring leather-clad sadomasochistic entrepreneurs of both genders, posturing with a variety of sex toys in the company of one "Jeebus". This 'adaptation' was the promotional poster of the Folsum Street Fair that Miller sponsored. Bozell III's Yahoo-picked-up article is here, and a Google search reveals quite a lot of other articles, many also by him, or quoting him.

The local 'bay area' news put out this, also indicating that Nancy Pelosi said:

"It's a Constitutional question. It's a religious question. It's about as global a question as you could ask," the House leader said. "I'm a big believer in the First Amendment. I do not believe Christianity has been harmed by the Folsom Street Fair.

That's helpful, Nancy. Thank you. It's a 'big, global question.' Right.

Moving right along. . . . What's interesting to me is that neither Yahoo nor Bozell has highlighted the fact that this street fair has already taken place. It happened the weekend of September 30, 2007.

OK - that doesn't mean that we are no longer interested in [the 'big, global question' of] Miller's sponsorship, but it does mean that we don't need to get all activist about it. It's over. And I guess that's what I wanted to write about.

Bozell seems to be trying to stir up the "Christians". And there's quite a few Christian groups out there that are taking the bait. The Evangelicals, the Catholics, the conservative interest groups. Some of the homosexual groups seem to be spear-rattling as well, although I've seen at least one individual asking: "and just why do we feel the need to try and piss off this eminently piss-offable group? Is there a point, here?"

Good question!

But apparently they did, and now my question is: Now what?

I can tell you what we did at our house, but that's not to try and organize for boycotts or demands for apologies or anything like that. I simply don't want to associate with that kind of imagery, and so I will excercise my freedoms under the first amendment to sever any such association. I think a little more action will go a lot further than a lot of talking and inciting. Although I must say I do agree: why is it that if this had been about almost any other group, it would have been all over the news? Why did Brian Williams have nothing to say about it?

Maybe it's because if it had been against another group, there may have been violence over it already. Certainly there would have been demonstrations and protestations of "I'm offended! Take it back! Make him take it back!!!"

Which we really haven't gotten so far.

I do appreciate having been made aware of this. But I don't want to see a cause célèbre made out of it and - please God - NO apology games!

How's about this for a rule? If you have to DEMAND an apology, it doesn't count.

So don't ask. And Brent? Here's hope you're not angling for the Christian equivalent of a Jesse Jackson/Al Sharpton job. (not that Jesse and Al either are - or are not - Christians, that's just not their usual issue of choice). And surely there's a strident woman out there I'm overlooking. All of which I hope doesn't offend anyone. And if so, may I say please how very sorry I am right up front?

I took the bottles out this morning - not that we drink the stuff - but somebody must have brought some over at some point. I just hope the Germans don't piss me off, because I really like their beer. . . . (and - oh dear - I have just seen that "PaddyPower" has made fast and loose with the 'last supper' imagery as well. . . . Luckily, I don't gamble. I just hope it doesn't spread to Guinness. Maybe we do need Bozell the third to get on the stick before this gets out of hand).