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"This film is a total OUTRAGE!"

Written By: Rayscann

There's nothing more insidious these days than the pervasive influence of the Adam & Steve agenda in today's politics. Marriage is between a man and woman. Let me repeat that, Liberace, in case the show tunes are too loud for you. Marriage is between a man and woman. Not man and man. Not woman and woman. This film makes the ludicrous claim that politicians with the guts to stand up to the Adam & Steve lobby are hypocrites ... that they themselves engage in deviant lifestyles and behavior. This is totally preposterous. Just because a guy wants to have his cheeks pushed or sausage swallowed by another guy ... 2-3 times a week tops ... doesn't make him a chorus boy. Hey filmmakers, there's nothing wrong with having another guy give you a little relief in certain ways. That does not make you part of the lavender lobby ... especially if you don't climax ... and especially if you're married to a woman. I've played naked games with lots of Republican guys and not a single one was light in the loafers. No way. My favorite game is called "Ann Coulter" where I take off all my clothes, go into a darkened room, and 15 College Republicans pretend I'm Ann Coulter for 4 hours. See? Just some fun between guys ... not the fruity nonsense the lavender lobby likes to allege about our side. The film's argument is weak ... like the wrists of the people who support this film's viewpoint.

"the ethics of outing"

Written By: reader runner

Full disclosure: I have been friends with one of the interviewees in this documentary for many years. I know the back story of his decision to out the politician of whom he speaks. As this excellent film makes clear, such decisions are not to be taken lightly.

For me the central theme of the documentary is not that there are closeted or hypocritical politicians in Washington--nor am I surprised at how "gay" D.C. is. I think that the core of this expose is the moral question of outing itself.

Outrage brings to light several questions and leans toward certain conclusions. But the presentation also encourages the audience to think for ourselves. Outing is not something that I support in every circumstance. For example I would draw distinctions between private figures, public figures, and public officials.

This film spotlights elected individuals who run on platforms with moral planks. Therefore I support one of the key premises of Outrage: it IS legitimate to ask elected officials how they comport themselves when they are off the clock. Pointing out glaring inconsistencies between their rhetoric and their behavior is simply another way of saying that we voters value honesty.

"Naming Names"

Written By: H. F. Corbin

Kirby Dick ("This Film Is Not Yet Rated") in "Outrage" has produced a film that every gay and lesbian in this country should see and take to heart. And it should be required viewing by the main stream media as well. Mr. Dick's purpose was to make a film showing the hypocrisy of closeted gay people in positions of power-- congressmen, mayors, governors, et.-- who introduce and pass laws harmful to gay people. It is his belief and the activists he interviews-- Larry Karmer, Andrew Sullivan, Michelangelo Signorile, Rodger McFarlane, of course Michael Rogers et al.-- that these reprehensible people should be thrown out of their closets sooner rather than later.

Mr. Dick names names: this extremely-well documented documentary begins with the pathetic story of Larry Craig, the Republican Senator from Idaho who was busted in a men's room: "I am not gay." Others on the wall of infamy: Ed Koch, Charlie Crist, David Dreier, Jim MCCrery. Mary Cheney, the former employee of Coors Beer, makes the list too although she is not in the closet. She gets highlighted because she could have done something for the rights of gay people since she is the daughter of the ex-vice president but chose not to do so.

There are few heroes here. It is difficult to get much excited about Jim Kolbe who outed himself before someone else did or Jim McGreevey for that matter, or two former Log Cabin Republicans who offer commentary. Mr. Dick said when asked about why he used these two men in the film, is that they knew of many closeted Republicans who work for many elected officials in Washington. My favorite quotation is this really stomach-turning film: "You can't swing a cat without hitting a gay staffer in Washington." A close second would be what Larry Kramer said when Ed Koch, who lived in the same apartment building with him and McFarlane, knelt down to pat Kramer's dog at the apartment mailboxes. He grabs up the dog and says: "That's the man who killed all of Daddy's friends."

There are other features included with this DVD: deleted scenes (one in which Michael Rogers goes to the Creation Museum in Northern Kentucky), a moving tribute to Rodger McFarlane, a panel discussion with Larry Kramer, McFarlane, Dick and Michelangelo and Sigorile, and Dick taking Q's and A's from an audience.

Powerful, depressing, outrageous, "Outrage" deserves to be seen and acted on. The good guys in the film remind all of us-- and show footage from a speech by Harvey Milk years ago where he said the same thing-- that gays and lesbians all over the U. S. should come out now. That includes closeted politicians

"A Little More Passion For A Good Cause"

Written By: Rev. E. A. Hernandez

Not many people can claim to be old enough to recall the marvelous Harry Hay, founder of the original gay rights group The Mattachine Society. Well, I may make such a claim. I recall the way Harry insisted on gay people 'beating' straight society at its own game, dressing well, being well educated, so forth.

He was roundly criticized for kissing up to the straight 'ideal', whatever that is.

Decades later, the unpleasant act of the gay community outing celebrities was begun. No one liked this at all except rabid activists. Trust me, I know because I was one of them, but I was never that rabid.

With this film, another kind of outing is being done that I wholly support. As a lifelong and proud Gay American, in spite of a loving wife who accepts us as we are, and because I live religious vows as a Buddhist priest--I support this kind of outing, and this film. Here the main focal point is the hatred, hypocrisy and un-Constitutional activity in Congress.

Gay bashers on the Hill. Real nice. And most of them are gay. This film tells the recent story of Congress' biggest disgrace, one joined by the mainstream media: gaybashing at its slickest. Exposing gay Congress members is the only way to fight back, as all citizens should.

What disappoints here is that the message is not passionate enough. I admire former Gov. McCreevy for coming out...but is a teary interview with him any substitute for aggressive confrontation? The founder of Blogactive does this type of confronting, Bless Him, but not on film. C'mon, man, where's your Michael Moore spirit?

I for one would have liked to see a lot more in-your-face questioning, more exposition. The disgusting Rep. Craig...wrist-slap. The even more revolting Gov. Crist...really limp-wristed slap. C'mon, where's the Larry Kramer drink-in-your-face reporting? Do I have to sit and listen to Kramer tell the STORY of how he threw a drink in a politician's face?

In any case, don't miss the educational chance with this film. Only be warned: there is fairly explicit interview material at the start and it very nearly put me right off watching the rest of this otherwise decently presented documentary.

And who knows? THIS may be a historical beginning of a new GAY ERA.

"A Controversial Film"

Written By: John F. Rooney

"Outrage" is told from the point of view of gays who want to see certain closeted gays in government outed--those underground gays who consistently vote for or advocate anti-gay agendas and consistently oppose spending for Aids research. Some of the gay Congressmen outed have voting records that are almost one hundred per cent anti-gay rights. Some closeted politicians are hypocrites who often needlessly take homophobic stands. One theory expounded in the documentary: their anti-gay stances may be based on self-loathing.
The film uses commentary by openly gay Congressman Barney Frank who was himself outed years ago. Gay activist Larry Kramer appears. There's a great deal about and commentary by former New Jersey governor James McGreevey who outed himself at a famous news conference with his wife standing by his side. The film starts with the arrest of Senator Larry Craig of Idaho after the famous men's room foot tapping incident.
There is a section of the film on the culture wars, on gay marriage and the efforts to ban it. A good quote: "The closet suffocates the integrity of decent people." The movie calls for honesty and truthfulness. One commentator says that politicians are so used to positioning themselves and spinning, that closeted ones become skilled at deflecting accusations of being gay.
The documentary names names, but some of the "evidence" presented in the film is suspect and flimsy at best. The movie, for example, "outs" former New York City mayor Ed Koch. He did very little about the devastating epidemic of HIV/Aids when he was mayor of a city where the epidemic had deadly consequences. But a man who claimed to be a former sexual partner of Koch never officially went on the record substantiating the claim that the former mayor was gay. The same kind of flimsy evidence shows up when the film is talking about Florida governor Charlie Crist. Some of the cases in the film are largely built on hearsay.
It's an interesting and enlightening documentary, worth seeing, and the crusaders for outing make a persuasive case for the practice. Hypocrisy should be challenged.