You might know actor Gary Sinise from Forrest Gump. Or from one of those CSI shows.
Or, if you’re an antigay hater, you might know him from Legatus, an extremist Catholic group that thinks masturbation and homosexuality are akin to adultery.
Good As You‘s Jeremy Hooper reports that Sinise was scheduled to speak at the 2015 Letatus Summit at the end of this month. If he had appeared, he would have been publicly endorsing the same organization that supports NOM president Brian Brown, who was profiled last year in Legatus Magazine, in the same issue that ran an article titled “What About Same-Sex Unions” that posited:
The Church teaches that God instituted the sacrament of Marriage, and only He has the authority to change the nature of marriage. Neither the Church nor the state has the competence to alter the substance of marriage or the family. Attempts by civil government or the courts to alter the law in favor of same-sex unions distort the true meaning of marriage, which has existed for thousands of years.
But there might be hope for Sinise after all. After being announced as a speaker, he “decided to withdraw,” according to his publicist, who issued the following statement:
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
For me, faith has been a catalyst for my mission to honor the men and women who serve in our nation’s military. When I accepted the invitation to speak at the Legatus conference on Veterans issues and share my story, I was unaware of the controversy surrounding some of the participants, and their views on personal matters. I don’t want my mission — which is designed to be unifying — to be disrupted by these, or any controversies, and therefore have decided to withdraw.
Has Mr. Sinise truly seen the light? Or is he just planning to continue the hate spewage in a less public way?
An interesting note: Last year Bob Newhart was announced as a speaker at the 2014 Legatus summit. He, too, withdrew after Jeremy Hooper published an article asking him not to to “become the next Kirk Cameron.”
Rangerboy
Well done Gary!!!! But please note one thing and I do agree with Gary Sinise. He focuses on veteran issues, not on the LGBT topics. It is therefore irrelevant what he thinks and this is good. We just does not want to support divisive groups. We also must be aware that people who do not publicly support or are not supporting LGBT matters vocally, must not be against it. People critical to LGBT matters are not our enemies and finally who we love and what we love is and should remain a personal matter.
oilburner
Good grief, Gary Sinise is a Republican bigot and any who thinks otherwise is just as stupid as the comment Rangerboy posted.
BJ McFrisky
@oilburner: What instances of bigotry have you ever seen or heard come from Gary Sinise? Or, is it simply because he supports military vets that he must be an evil right-winger? Elaborate, please.
Lvng1Tor
Sinise just took the route of…..If I want to be hired in Hollywood this isn’t the best option for me. That’s all it was. I would have respected (not liked or endorsed or ever watched a show with him in it) him if he had Instead he played it off so he could save some face….what ever. No praise should be given to this man
SpunkyBunks
C’mon now, he knew damn well what he was getting himself involved with. He’s no victim, he just got caught by the media.
It’s a shame. I have enjoyed his work over the years. It sucks to learn that someone you admire can easily stab you in the back without warning.
LoudMouthTodd
And about Bob Newhart, who occasionally guest stars on ‘Big Bang Theory’ and shares scenes with out actor Jim “Sheldon Cooper” Parsons…guess big ol’ Bob doesn’t want to bite the hand that feeds him!
Jonty Coppersmith
What a very carefully worded statement from Sinise. Notice that nowhere in there did he condemn the anti-gay bigotry of that group and nowhere did he express support for LGBT equality. He should just go to the conference.
@Rangerboy
What have you been smoking? You think “we” are a divisive group? Aren’t you a part of that divisive group (LGBT)? Personally I think the haters like Legatus are the divisive ones.
People who don’t publicly support us Must therefore not be against us? That makes absolutely no sense.
People who talk smack about us, about how evil we are, who are fighting tooth and nail to prevent equal treatment under the law, Those people are not our enemies? They sure as heck are NOT our friends!
dommyluc
@SpunkyBunks: I agree totally. Any fairly successful actor in Hollywood is going to have a savvy agent or publicist who looks out for these kinds of problems. Sinise thought he could fly under the radar and get away with this shit, but he got caught and now he pulls out because he realizes it could be detrimental to his career. He has given NO clue whatsoever that he disagrees with the principals of this group. It’s all about the bottom line.
Desert Boy
Gary Sinise is a conservative Repug. But, he’s no antigay bigot. Good for him.
polarisfashion
When he talks about the true meaning of marriage that has lasted for thousands of years, is he also referring to polygamy as well as just a marriage between one man and only one woman? I love how these so called Christians want to forget about plural wives and can’t admit they are in the bible!
DarkZephyr
@oilburner: I normally don’t agree with BJ McFrisky about ANYTHING but this time he does have a point. Just because you are Republican doesn’t necessarily automatically mean that you are an anti-gay bigot. It was the impressive and moving pro-gay speech of a Republican, Rep. Maureen Walsh, that contributed heavily to the eventual legalization of same sex marriage in my gone state of Washington, for instance. So with that in mind, HAS Gary Senise ever said or done anything directly homophobic? I am very curious to know.
DarkZephyr
Maureen Walsh’s speech for anyone interested:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tFoawYSov8
BJ McFrisky
@DarkZephyr: Even though we may frequently disagree, I thank you for embracing honesty over ideology. If only more people (left AND right) would drop those blinders, there might begin a more harmonious world to live in.
drivendervish
I don’t see any reason for Queerty to second guess Sinise’s decision. We should support him for this decision even though it may of had nothing to do with Legatus’s position on gay rights which I like to call human rights.
SteveDenver
Legatus is rabidly anti-gay. Why would Sinese become involved with that group when it has NOTHING to do with service to military troops?
Sinese proclaims himself as a “staunch Republican” and “devout Catholic” — would he have pulled out of this event if his involvement hadn’t come to light?
Cam
Being associated with bigotry is becoming career damaging.
Billy Budd
Sinise is Sinister.
inbama
And now Fox News anchor Bret Baier has bowed out, too.
GayEGO
“The Church teaches that God instituted the sacrament of Marriage, and only He has the authority to change the nature of marriage. Neither the Church nor the state has the competence to alter the substance of marriage or the family. Attempts by civil government or the courts to alter the law in favor of same-sex unions distort the true meaning of marriage, which has existed for thousands of years.”
Well God gave us a brain and expects us to use it. He created us as we are, straight, LGBT, etc. People created rules based on speculating who we are and they made many mistakes, but they are using their God given brain to learn. Science proved the world is round, not flat, and that we are born with our sexual orientation. This is why churches are changing and accepting marriage equality.
Sinise is supporting veterans and that does not mean he is against LGBTs. I am gay and I am a Navy Veteran and America has repealed DOMA as it learns that we are all American citizens and deserve equal rights.
Ronbo
Bigots like Sinise mince words so as to keep their career alive. Period.
Read between the lines before you volunteer to be roadkill.
Cam
@GayEGO:
Additionally, they act as thought the marriages in the Bible were the same type that there are today. We’ve all heard the list before so I won’t spell it out, but their statements are so ridiculous.