Oscar Winner Penn Rallies For Gay Rights

Best Actor Winner For "Milk" Addresses Anti-Gay Activists

(AP)  His name is Sean Penn, and he is here to recruit you.

Penn won his second Academy Award for best actor Sunday night for his moving portrayal of slain gay rights leader Harvey Milk in "Milk." The win follows his first best-actor award for 2003's "Mystic River."

He earned a standing ovation from the starry crowd as his wife, Robin Wright Penn, tearfully looked on. (Penn, however, didn't thank his wife; the two filed for divorce in late 2007 before reconciling last spring.)

"You commie, homo-loving sons of guns," Penn began in accepting the prize. "I did not expect this and I want it to be very clear that I do know how hard I make it to appreciate me often."

In this highly competitive category, Penn was up against Mickey Rourke in "The Wrestler," Frank Langella in "Frost/Nixon," Brad Pitt in "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" and Richard Jenkins in "The Visitor."

Penn had already won the Screen Actors Guild and Critics Choice awards as well as numerous honors from film critics groups across the country. The 48-year-old actor deeply immersed himself for the part, which brought out a warmth and sweetness we'd rarely seen throughout a career often marked by intense, complex characters.

"How did he do it?" fellow Oscar winner Robert De Niro wondered in introducing Penn. "How for so many years did he get all those jobs playing straight men?"

Milk was the first openly gay man elected to major public office in the United States when he won a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977. The following year, he was shot to death along with Mayor George Moscone by board colleague Dan White.

But during his life, he inspired gays and lesbians to stand up and come out, helped turn the Castro neighborhood into the gay Mecca it would become and roused crowds with impassioned speeches that often began with the words, "My name is Harvey Milk and I am here to recruit you."

In wrapping up his own speech, Penn mentioned the protesters who lined the streets of Hollywood near the Oscar festivities, holding anti-gay signs: "We've got to have equal rights for everyone," he said.

Backstage, when asked what he would tell those protesters if he could speak to them, Penn responded: "I'd tell them to turn in their hate card and find their better self."

[avigil2]

Penn gave one of the most poignant and heartfelt speeches of the night. I'm glad he won. His portrayal of Harvey Milk was pretty dang good.

[mensarino]

You have grown tiresome, little one.You are no longer worthy of my attention.
Dismissed....

[jamesm12341]

I will not get into a aquirting contest with a skunk.


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Posted by mensarino at 11:00 AM : Feb 23, 2009


oh my...you are ashamed that you are married to him

[mensarino]

I will not get into a aquirting contest with a skunk.

[jamesm12341]

You prove my point.Your own words indict you.


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Posted by mensarino at 10:58 AM : Feb 23, 2009

not answering? are you ashamed that you are married to excoachken?

[mensarino]

You prove my point.Your own words indict you.

[jamesm12341]

James---I respect civil discourse and an intelligent opponent.You,unfortunately,possess neither of these requisites.


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Posted by mensarino at 10:33 AM : Feb 23, 2009


where did your husband go?

[mistigated]

what was juvenile about that? they didnt disagree did they?


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Posted by jamesm12341 at 10:31 AM : Feb 23, 2009

You've just given a whole new meaning to 'don't ask, don't tell.'

[mensarino]

James---I respect civil discourse and an intelligent opponent.You,unfortunately,possess neither of these requisites.

[jamesm12341]

which one was juvenile?

Posted by jamesm12341 at 10:24 AM : Feb 23, 2009

oh...now i get it!! mensarino and excoachken are married and want to move to california to be near sean penn.....now i get it!! hang in there guys,, i am sure they will vote again someday


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Posted by jamesm12341 at 10:26 AM : Feb 23, 2009


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Posted by mistigated at 10:30 AM : Feb 23, 2009

what was juvenile about that? they didnt disagree did they?

[mistigated]

which one was juvenile?

Posted by jamesm12341 at 10:24 AM : Feb 23, 2009

oh...now i get it!! mensarino and excoachken are married and want to move to california to be near sean penn.....now i get it!! hang in there guys,, i am sure they will vote again someday


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Posted by jamesm12341 at 10:26 AM : Feb 23, 2009

[jon_mccain]

I''m tired of the hijacking use of the word Gay to describe what was once queer. What''s wrong with being queer? Is this just to make it more acceptable to the mainstream?

Posted by tamericanpie

Not to mention the whole new meanings brought to movies like Abbott and Costello's "The_gay_90's"

[jamesm12341]

Add "dense" to the juvenile charge.


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Posted by mensarino at 10:26 AM : Feb 23, 2009

so..you are not tolerant of someone who doesnt agree with you

[mensarino]

Add "dense" to the juvenile charge.

[jamesm12341]

Amen,coach!
One must truly wonder how old James is to make such juvenile statements.


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Posted by mensarino at 10:24 AM : Feb 23, 2009

oh...now i get it!! mensarino and excoachken are married and want to move to california to be near sean penn.....now i get it!! hang in there guys,, i am sure they will vote again someday

[jamesm12341]

Amen,coach!
One must truly wonder how old James is to make such juvenile statements.


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Posted by mensarino at 10:24 AM : Feb 23, 2009

which one was juvenile?

[mensarino]

Amen,coach!
One must truly wonder how old James is to make such juvenile statements.

[excoachken]

The world is changing for the positive. Allowing people to be who they are, as long as they are honest, fair and law abiding. James, and others who insist upon shouting out their insecurities and prejudice must expect that fair minded and caring people will speak up against their bullying tactics.

[jamesm12341]

james: I am a mid sixty white guy, and happily married, so I must decline your interest.


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Posted by excoachken at 10:18 AM : Feb 23, 2009

whats the lucky boys name?

[jamesm12341]

james: I am a mid sixty white guy, and happily married, so I must decline your interest.


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Posted by excoachken at 10:18 AM : Feb 23, 2009


thats fine because i am not moving to venezuela to meet you