Utah Man Wanted by Truth Police

An article appearing on ESPN.com – Why isn’t Jazz owner under fire? – argues that Utah Jazz owner Larry Miller should be penalized (fined, suspended or just chastised) for not showing Brokeback Mountain at the chain of movie theaters he owns. Brokeback, if you haven’t heard, is a film about two gay cowboys. The article, written by LZ Granderson, argues that by not showing the film, Miller shows himself to be a bigot, or a coward, and should be punished accordingly.

Even if Miller has chosen to not show the film for business reasons – i.e. to avoid protests, because it wouldn’t make much money in conservative, predominantly Mormon Utah (which Granderson acknowledges may be the case), it is irrelevant. The article claims that he must show the film in his theaters because it is a good film and it promotes values that he and the NBA endorse, i.e. acceptance of the homosexual lifestyle.

Thus, regardless of Miller’s position on homosexuality, or whether showing the film would hurt his business, the NBA should pressure him to show it anyway. Granderson asserts that if the official position of the NBA is that homosexuality is natural and that the league should be promoting acceptance of the homosexual lifestyle, then every player, coach and owner must do so as well. Not only should the league punish dissent or anti-gay comments – such as the examples given – but should punish an owner for not advocating for their position. After all, Miller hasn’t spoken out against the film or homosexuality, but simply refused to show and promote it.

Is this really something the NBA should be doing, or shouldn’t they leave it to the Ministry of Propaganda?