Movies, tolerance

I am ambivalent about the Oscars. But I still use the Academy Awards as an excuse to see a bunch of good movies.

We're checking out the nominated films. This was something I could not do a few years ago - when you include a babysitter, the cost of a movie very often was prohibitive.

But no more babysitters (only my daughters, who do not get the same compensation as an outsider - they need to earn their keep). So far we've seen Slumdog Millionaire, Frost/Nixon and, as of last night, Milk.

I have liked them all, and I loved Milk. Sean Penn was amazing - he was completely transformed. And as much as I want Frank Langella to win (I like to spread the awards around), Penn was really good, and I won't be disappointed if he takes home the prize.

It was moving, too, to watch the struggle for gay rights. I do not believe in discrimination of any sort, and this certainly includes gays and lesbians - how they can be denied their civil rights based on their sexuality is hard for me to fathom. There is no basis in law for denying them the same rights as everyone else - and yes, that includes the right to marry, to adopt children, to serve in the military.

The film brought this all home, along with the tragic death of Harvey Milk. It's a film that could not have been made 20 years ago. We are seeing progress, albeit slowly. Thank goodness for our children, who are being brought up to be much more tolerant than previous generations.