Let's go to see the old presidential palace first and look for traces of George Washington, a real gentleman. Let's take a look at Independence Hall, the place where the Declaration of Independence was signed and the American Constitution was conceived, and see if it still echoes the heated debate among the founding fathers of the United States more than 200 years ago. I also want to see liberty bell inscribed with "All people in the world enjoy freedom" and listen to the poem and the bells of freedom and justice described on the radio. I think, when I walk on the streets of Philadelphia after shopping, it must be Rinier Young's song in the movie Philadelphia:
Philadelphia
Sometimes I think I know.
what is love
When I see the light
I know I'll be fine.
More than 300 years ago, in order to repay the debts of old William, charles ii granted his son william penn a royal charter, awarded him this area near Lake Erie, and named it Pennsylvania. Although authorized by the king of England, William Bing bought the land from the then indigenous Lenape people and signed an equal and friendly contract with Lenape tribe under an ancient elm tree. Because of this friendship and equality, the city where this ancient elm tree is located was named Philadelphia, the "Friendship City" of Greece. (Note: Philadelphia is the largest city in Pennsylvania) As a Quaker who has experienced religious persecution, William Bing hopes that the people in his colony will no longer be bound. He hopes that people can freely embrace their beliefs in this land under their feet. Because of William Penn's tolerance and hard work, Philadelphia became the most tolerant and free city on the American continent at that time.
But even in this most tolerant and free city, until the end of 1980s, "homosexuality" was still a taboo, and homosexuals with AIDS seemed to be "sinners" nailed to the invisible shame column. About this kind of discrimination and injustice, struggle and struggle in that era, we can get a glimpse of it through the movie Philadelphia Story, which is a story about gay AIDS patients and their struggle for their dignity and rights.
Andy Beckett is a lawyer in a large law firm in Philadelphia. He is diligent and intelligent, and is deeply loved by customers and senior partners. Because of Andy's excellent working ability, the law firm gave him an extremely important project. But when his boss accidentally learned that he was gay and suspected of being infected with AIDS, Andy was fired for incompetence. He decided to file a lawsuit against the illegal dismissal of the law firm. Because of the "sensitivity" of the case, his road to prosecution is quite bumpy. After being rejected by nine lawyers, he found his "opponent" Joe Miller at work.
Unlike Andy, Joe is just a lawyer in a small law firm, mainly taking over some cases of damages for vulnerable groups, and usually only charging fees after the parties get compensation. Andy appeared in Joe's small office as a dismissed "vulnerable group" and told him that the famous big law firm where he worked had designed a "trap" and fired him. They let Andy's prepared indictment "disappear" first, and then let the disappeared indictment appear before the trial. Although there was no real damage, they obviously had reason to fire Andy-a serious dereliction of duty. Looking at the deep purple scar on Andy's forehead (note: this kind of deep purple scar is common on the face and body of AIDS patients) and his thin figure in a short time, Joe flinched. He turned Andy down and said, "I haven't seen a case."
No one wants to represent his case. Andy went to the public library alone to find the information he needed. When the librarian handed him the case related to AIDS discrimination and asked him if he needed a separate reading room, the people sitting next to Andy either panicked or fled quickly.
"Would it be more convenient for you to be in a single reading room?" The librarian said in a skeptical but unquestionable tone.
"No." Andy said.
The atmosphere was deadlocked, and it happened that Joe, who also went to the library to consult books, came to help Andy. Perhaps after listening to his wife's words, he unconsciously felt sympathy for Andy; Perhaps the indifferent and discriminatory eyes of the people sitting around aroused his inner sense of justice; Perhaps Andy's brave "no" broke the barrier of his prejudice, and he decided to take that famous law firm as an opponent to help Andy, a homosexual with AIDS, fight this uncertain lawsuit.
"You may hear a lot of ugly words in the trial, and there are also many rumors that will appear in the newspapers. I don't know if you have any questions? " Andy nervously asked his family around him before the trial.
"This is your decision. For me, you are my brother, which is more important than anything else. " Brother said.
"You and mccall (Andy's partner in the play) are very brave. No matter what happens, we are all proud of you. " Dad looks at mom.
"My children don't deserve such discrimination, Andy. Go to court and fight for your rights. " Mother held his hand tightly.
In court, the focus of the dispute between the two sides is whether Andy failed to fulfill his responsibilities in his previous work and whether the law firm where Andy once worked fired Andy because of AIDS.
"Andy is an excellent lawyer. Although he is ill, he has reasonable reasons not to disclose his illness. When his employers found out that he had AIDS, they were scared and wanted to drive him away. Maybe you feel morally or emotionally reasonable, because Andy is infected with AIDS! But don't forget, emotionally and morally, they fired him because of this disease, and they violated the law. " Joe said to the jury.
"In fact, Andy's work performance is unstable and there is dereliction of duty; In fact, although he claimed that he was framed, he concealed his illness from the law firm, which led to the deterioration of his health and affected his work; In fact, the law firm didn't know Andy had AIDS when he fired him. In fact, Andy is a dying man; In fact, Andy is angry at the fact that he is going to die, and he needs someone to pay for it. " The opposing lawyer refuted Joe with a lot of "facts".
Different people stand on the witness stand, proving that Andy is an excellent and conscientious lawyer, and the law has all or no discrimination. Among them are clients who recognize Andy's Excellence but "turn their backs" because of interests, former colleagues who still work in the law firm but "speak out", confused and nervous secretaries and partners who "turn their faces against each other".
"Our lawyers have heart disease, prostate cancer and scurvy, but no one has ever been framed." A former colleague suspected of being involved in "framing" Andy said in court.
"Are you gay? Are you gay? Do you have the habit of breaking sleeves? ! "In the" objection "of the opposing lawyer, Joe stood up and questioned the witness loudly.
"Is this case really just about AIDS? In essence, it is people's disgust, hatred and fear of homosexuality! That kind of hatred and fear has been transformed into the case we are facing in court through my client Andy! " Joe said angrily.
"In this court, justice will not consider race, faith, color, religion and sexual orientation." The judge didn't warn Joe of his radical remarks.
"And then walk out of this court? We don't live in this yard, do we? "
What about outside the courtroom? As Joe asked in court, are people as afraid of shaking hands, patting the back and eating with people like Andy as the partners in the law firm who fired Andy? Will people push Andy, who stands helpless on the edge of the cliff, to the bottom because of such fear?
Andy, who fought for his rights, collapsed in the trial. He was admitted to the hospital because of his serious illness, and the subsequent trial never came back. Compared with the huge compensation he won in the final court ruling, what is more precious is his courage to stand in court and fight for his rights without hesitation and face the onlookers of "homophobic" demonstrators and journalists outside the court. It is such courage that gives freedom and equality, love and tolerance the power to move forward.
(Note: The Philadelphia Story is adapted from a true story. Jeffrey F Bowles, who has AIDS, sued Baker &; Mackenzie finally got the compensation. )
The following year, Tom Hanks won the Oscar for Best Actor for playing Andy. When receiving the Oscar trophy, he was excited and sad: "The streets in heaven are crowded because there are too many angels. They finally got a rest and a warm hug. A hug from heaven will heal their wounds, calm their high fever and clean their skin. We should let them feel the paradise here. I hope that such a day will come soon. " Looking forward to Tom Hanks, there are many "Andy's" who use their courage to push forward but also firmly promote the equal rights of LGBT groups.
Ellen DeGeneres, a famous American host, came out through Time magazine in 1997, and the cover of that issue was printed with "Yes, I am gay." She received a lot of praise, but she was more abused and attacked. Some sponsors stopped cooperating and her career was in crisis. But she said, be honest with yourself and encourage others to be honest with themselves. In that relatively conservative 1990s, she rushed to the "abyss" for the first time, inspiring people who were struggling at that time and taking them through the darkness.
In 20 14, Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, publicly came out through the media. Cook's "gay" status has long been widely known in Silicon Valley, and he has not encountered any trouble because of it. "I am not an activist in the same-sex rights movement, but I know that I am now benefiting from the efforts and sacrifices of others. If the fact that' Apple CEO is gay' can help you a little, relieve your loneliness a little, or enlighten you a little, then I think it is worthwhile to exchange my personal privacy for these. " Cook told reporters.
20 15 Peter Buttigieg, then mayor of South Bend, Indiana, came out in public two weeks before the US Supreme Court declared same-sex marriage legal in the United States, and he was also the most likely candidate to be nominated as ambassador to China by the next Joe Biden administration. When he announced his coming out in the local newspaper South Bend Tribune, he said: "I realized that this is a part of my life, just like I have brown hair. Admitting that I am gay won't make me submit a form, hold a meeting or use a rifle better or worse ... everyone should judge according to his character or contribution, not his sexual orientation. " Regardless of whether there are political considerations for such public coming out, having the courage to make such a choice in the conservative central and western regions surrounded by the party is to be honest with yourself and voters.
Twenty years later, when Justice Anthony McLeod Kennedy read Obergefel v. hodges (Obergefel? V. Hodges, an important case of same-sex marriage recognized by the Supreme Court of the United States), Tom Hanks's expectations at the Oscar ceremony have really come true, and the freedom and equality written in the Declaration of Independence more than 200 years ago, as well as the self-evident truth, have really been seen.
"Nothing is greater and more profound than marriage, because marriage represents the noblest and most ideal love, loyalty, dedication, sacrifice and family. Once the marriage is formed, both people will complete the sublimation of themselves. As some appellants have shown in this case, marriage represents love, even surpassing death. Some people say that these men or women don't respect marriage. But I think it's the opposite. It is precisely because they respect marriage and deeply respect the marriage system that they try to fight for such rights. They hope that they will no longer live alone and be excluded from one of the oldest civilization systems. They hope to have equal dignity before the law. Now, the Constitution will give them such rights. " (This paragraph is translated by the author)
Judge Kennedy
Sometimes I think I know.
what is love
When I see the light
I know I'll be fine.
Philadelphia
There is still a long way to go before the rights recognized by the constitution can be recognized by all the people. We can't predict whether there will be a moment of real freedom and equality in the future, not only in form, but also in essence. When that day comes, people who have fought for their rights will start with the Philadelphia story of 1993.
* References:
Philadelphia (Movie)/News/Articles /20 14- 10-30/ Tim Cook-Be outspoken
How can ellen degeneres help change the topic of homosexuality?
solve problems
/news/local/south-bend-mayor-why-coming out-matters/article _ 4dce0d12-15-1e 5-83c0-739eebd623ee.html.