Brad Pitt Donates $100K To Marriage

Brad Pitt has donated $100,000 to the Human Rights Campaign's marriage equality fund.   They report via press release:

“Brad Pitt’s partnership with HRC in this closing week delivers vital resources into these campaigns and we’re proud to be working with him as we show that fundamental fairness will win at the ballot box,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “With his commitment, Brad joins HRC in a tremendous coalition of religious leaders, business leaders, labor groups, civil rights organizations and everyday, fair-minded Americans supporting marriage for gay and lesbian couples.” “It's unbelievable to me that people's lives and relationships are literally being voted on in a matter of days,” said Pitt in an email today to HRC members and supporters. “If you're like me, you don't want to have to ask yourself on the day after the election, what else could I have done?”

Matt Barber Mocks Brad Pitt

The link goes to a Wing Nut Daily article in which Jane Pitt claims she's received death threats since coming out against gay marriage in a letter to her local Missouri newspaper.

Jane Pitt, mother of actor Brad Pitt, has been scared into silence by the hate-filled, vulgar and even violent reaction to her public assertion that Barack Obama is “a liberal who supports the killing of unborn babies and same-sex marriage.” Pitt has even been the subject of death threats following her letter to the editor of Missouri’s Springfield News-Leader in which she asserted failure to vote for Republican presumptive presidential candidate Mitt Romney constituted a vote for Obama.

NOM Responds To Jane Pitt Story

All you need is the headline.

Quote Of The Day - Jane Pitt

"I think any Christian should spend much time in prayer before refusing to vote for a family man with high morals, business experience, who is against abortion, and shares Christian conviction concerning homosexuality just because he is a Mormon. Any Christian who does not vote or writes in a name is casting a vote for Romney’s opponent, Barack Hussein Obama — a man who sat in Jeremiah Wright’s church for years, did not hold a public ceremony to mark the National Day of Prayer, and is a liberal who supports the killing of unborn babies and same-sex marriage." - Jane Pitt, mother of Brad Pitt, in a letter published by the Springfield, Missouri News-Leader. Brad Pitt, as you probably know, is an ardent supporter of LGBT rights.

NOTE: Yesterday the linked newspaper retracted their claim that the letter was from Brad Pitt's mother. The paper later retracted its retraction with this update: "To clear up earlier confusion, the News-Leader has verified the letter writer is the mother of actor Brad Pitt and local businessman Doug Pitt."

Prop 8: The Play

From last night:

Featuring an all-star cast including George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Martin Sheen, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jane Lynch, Kevin Bacon and others, "8" is a play written by Academy Award winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black and directed by acclaimed actor and director Rob Reiner. It is a powerful account of the case filed by the American Federation for Equal Rights (AFER ) in the U.S. District Court in 2010 to overturn Proposition 8 [LINK], a constitutional amendment that eliminated the rights of same-sex couples to marry in the state of California. Framed around the trial's historic closing arguments in June 2010, 8 provides an intimate look what unfolded when the issue of same-sex marriage was on trial.

I haven't watched yet, but Twitter was enthralled.

Brad Pitt As Eraserhead

The 1977 original is still one of my favorites. This clip is from the New York Times' latest installment in their annual Oscars project.

Friendly Voices - Brad Pitt

"What are you so afraid of? That’s my question. Gay people getting married? What is so scary about that? It’s complicated. You grow up in a religion like that and you try to pray the gay away. I feel sadness for people like that. This is where people start short-circuiting—instead of being brave and questioning their beliefs, they are afraid and feel that they have to defend them. I don’t mind a world with religion in it. There are some beautiful tenets within all religions. What I get hot about is when they start dictating how other people must live. People suffer because of it. They are spreading misery." - Brad Pitt, speaking to Parade Magazine.

Brad Pitt On Marriage And Religion

Towleroad provides a transcript excerpt:

"You know, I grew up in a religious family, in a religious community and it just doesn't make sense to me. It just doesn't work for me in the long run. I never wanted to step on anyone else's religion and their beliefs -- that's what's great about our country -- until I started seeing it defining policy. ... Like gay marriage, you have a group of people telling other people how to live their lives, and you can't do that....I just say you have to, you really have to check what country you're living in because the freedom that allows you to practice religion is the same freedom you're stepping on. That's not right. And I want to add that if there was a nation of gay married couples who were telling you you couldn't practice your religion, I'd be speaking up for you too. So, let's stop the nonsense."

Friendly Voices - Brad Pitt

"I have love in my life, a soul mate--absolutely. When someone asked me why Angie and I don't get married, I replied, 'Maybe we'll get married when it's legal for everyone else.' I stand by that, although I took a lot of flak for saying it--hate mail from religious groups. I believe everyone should have the same rights. They say gay marriage ruins families and hurts kids. Well, I've had the privilege of seeing my gay friends being parents and watching their kids grow up in a loving environment." - Brad Pitt, speaking to Parade Magazine.

Brad Pitt Gives $100K To Fight Prop 8

Actor Brad Pitt will be donating $100,000 to fight California's Proposition 8.

Brad Pitt announced Wednesday that he's donating $100,000 to fight California's Proposition 8, a November ballot initiative that would eliminate same-sex couples' right to marry.

"Because no one has the right to deny another their life, even though they disagree with it, because everyone has the right to live the life they so desire if it doesn't harm another and because discrimination has no place in America, my vote will be for equality and against Proposition 8," the actor said in a statement.

Pitt's donation marks the largest thus far to the anti-Prop. 8 campaign by an A-list celebrity.

Political strategist Chad Griffin, who is helping coordinate efforts in the entertainment industry to defeat the controversial initiative, said he is hopeful that the move will prompt others to get involved. He added that Democratic billionaire Ron Burkle has agreed to host a large fundraiser at his home in October to rally the entertainment industry against Prop. 8, which opponents say will take away important benefits such as health insurance and will complicate decision-making related to medical emergencies and other situations in domestic partnerships.

In years past, Pitt has declared that he and longtime girlfriend Angelina Jolie will not marry until marriage equality has been been achieved for all.