AT THE RISK OF SOUNDING MODERATE
IT SEEMS TO ME THAT TOM HANKS ISN'T TRYING TO SPEAK TO THE HARD-CORE QUEER
COMMUNITY IN PHILADELPHIA, OR TO SPARTICIST REVOLUTIONARIES IN GUMP
BUT HE IS TRYING TO ADDRESS THE MIDDLE OR AVERAGE MIDDLE CLASS MOVIEGOER
WHO GETS MOST OF HIS/HER INFORMATION ABOUT SOCIAL JUSTICE FROM RAMBO MOVIES
I THINK THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE IN THE WORLD WHO WATCH AND ARE INFLUENCED BY
HOLLYWOOD MOVIES
AND WHO TEND TO BE FAIRLY CONSERVATIVE IN THEIR SOCIAL VIEWS
 
I THINK HANKS IS TRYING TO GENTLY INFLUENCE THAT MIDDLE GROUND TOWARD A
SLIGHTLY MORE OPEN-MINDED ATTITUDE
 
AS AN INSIDER NEWSLETTER TO QUEER ACTIVISTS I THINK PHILADELPHIA HAS LITTLE
TO OFFER
AS A GENTLE SUGGESTION TO MIDDLE CLASS MOVIE GOERS (WHO MIGHT NOT BE AWARE
THAT GAY PEOPLE ARE EVERYWHERE) THAT GAY AND LESBIAN MEMBERS OF THEIR
COMMUNITY SUFFER THE SAME TRIALS OF LOVE, FAMILY, FRIENDSHIP, HEALTH, AND
EQUAL RIGHTS AS THE STRAIGHTS AMONG THEM, I BELIEVE IT IS AN ELOQUENT PLEA
FOR UNDERSTANDING AND OPENNESS.
 
PERSONALLY I WOULD LIKE TO SEE HANKS IN RESERVOIR DOGS OR A CANDIDA ROYALE
FILM BUT I DON'T THINK THAT IS THE VENUE HE FEELS WOULD BE BEST FOR
REACHING THE AUDIENCE HE IS ADDRESSING.
 
EDMOND CHIBEAU
NORTHWESTERN U.