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.