Freaky incident (gay activist vs homophobic Christian)

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Don't Drink The Orange Juice (by Rod McKuen) said it all:
The song was written about Anita Bryant, who at the time was sponsored by Florida orange juice.

An extract from his own writing:
"

DON’T DRINK THE ORANGE JUICE

I just wanted to mention something you may enjoy. I was actually in the audience at your Miami Dade auditorium concert in 1977. I took my boyfriend at the time to see the show; this was during the Anita Bryant fiasco. When we went to the concert, I had no idea we would find ourselves in the middle of one of the best protests against Anita and her bigots. You started talking about how you support the gay people, then you started pitching oranges into the audience (mainly at the people getting up to leave) It was the unsuspecting family types who came to see a nice, sweet show, only to be ambushed by you. IT WAS GREAT. During those days, I went to many protests around Miami, but accidentally found myself at the best one; it was covered by the Miami Herald. So here I am many years later, still enjoying that evening. You moved on with the show, and it was a great performance.
Many thanks,
James

Dear James, Ambushed? Who me? I'm told my song "Don't Drink The Orange Juice" (which I premiered at that concert) was the reason Ms. Bryant was let go as the spokesperson for Florida Orange Juice. I wasn't after anyone's job but I believe in confronting and attacking hate speech and action whenever and wherever it's practiced. In this case I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Lots of 'fans' sent back their collections of my books and records after that episode. Fine with me because how could anyone be a real fan of mine and not know what I stand for?

Life isn't all that long and if you don't stand up for your principles and beliefs whenever they are challenged that particular chance never comes again. If you are given a voice or any kind of public platform, use it. And remember, the protest on my part that night was only a small part of the evening. I’m pretty sure no one who came to see the concert was short-changed from the performance they expected to hear. What the audience got was just a little a-la-mode. Since I’ve always believed that humor is more effective than a hammer I wrote Don’t Drink The Orange Juice as a jaunty Calypso. In case you don’t remember it here’s a sampling of the lyric:

DON’T DRINK THE ORANGE JUICE (Excerpt)

I go to Florida a lot because the weather’s nice and hot.
There’s lots of girls and lots of boys,
Lots of Jews and lots of Goy’s,
Lots of Straights and lots of Gays
Yes they get off in many ways.
But Don’t Drink The Orange Juice, I beg you please
Don’t Drink The Orange Juice, I beg you please.
Don’t Drink The Orange Juice, I beg you please
It might lead to all kinds of insanities.

Words & Music by Rod McKuen. 1977 by Rod McKuen

The irony is that the song was released as the B-side of my European single “Amour,” a song that went to #1 on the charts in 7 countries. I have no idea of what they made of it in Argentina, Germany or Belgium but I didn’t even have to release the track in the USA since the mere thought of people going insane from drinking Florida Orange Juice was enough to give that states PR fathers apoplexy. So when I sang the song at a press conference and later in a Dade County concert, it was Bye, Bye Anita. All My Best, Rod "
...
"
AND FINALLY

Kind of fun recalling Vietnam trips and The Anita Bryant episode of the 1970’s. Does anyone out there have a photo of me getting a pie in the face during a Woman’s Lib parade I led in Johannesburg way back when? If so send it along and I’ll publish it."

More recently: (there's a film being made about Anita Bryant, I believe)
"
ANITA BRYANT (!)

Hello Mr. McKuen. My name is Shed. I am a social worker and hospital administrator in Miami. In my spare time I am working on a film about the Anita Bryant era. We have a lot done. I love the song you wrote. One of our interviewees told a story about a concert and others regarding fund raisers that you did. Would you be willing to talk to me about this?

I am so interested in hearing your perspective. I would be honored to include you in our project. This is not a commercial venture although we do have The Miami Herald and PBS behind us. It is a labor of love to tell an important story. I hope to hear from you soon. Shed

Dear Shed, Not only would I be willing to speak with you but I'd be glad to let you use the song "Don't Drink the Orange Juice" in your film. A little busy now for an interview but I'd certainly like to help sometime in the near future. All My Best, Rod"

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A bit more of Rod McKuen about Don't Drink The Orange Juice.
"

DON’T DRINK THE ORANGE JUICE

Rod, I was surprised to see you print the letter from the young man asking you to be part of a documentary he’s putting together regarding the Anita Bryant debacle. As I recall you were criticized and lost a lot of fans because of the stance you took against Miss. Bryant. Doesn’t it bother you to have to rake up the subject again? (Name withheld by request)

Dear Name, What bothered me then and still does now is hate and prejudice from any one toward any individual or group. As always I try to fight injustice I perceive with humor when I’m able to. Don’t Drink the Orange Juice was a humorous song and done in fun. My theory was that there must be something in the orange juice to make so many people side with Bryant against gays in Florida being able to adopt children. I think the song got its point across since after only one DJ played it on the radio Ms. Bryant was removed as spokesperson for the Florida Orange Juice Council. It should also be remembered their previous paid spokesperson, a very famous and high profile actor left under the cloud of a very messy divorce. Could be they just wanted to avoid another controversy.

In any case my mission wasn’t to get anyone fired but to fire up the debate. I think I did because the media from coast to coast picked up the story.

People should be able to say what they want to and act accordingly but I don’t have to ignore it or like it. As for losing fans I do recall that there was a well orchestrated campaign against me and my point of view on the subject, complete with public book and record burnings. Some people even sent back their copies of my books to me personally, causing more than one extra trip to the post office to pick up packages. If they were in good condition my office forwarded the returned books, LP’s and tapes to GI’s serving in Vietnam.

If I lost some Florida followers for doing what I felt was right, so be it. Were they really fans anyway and if so why hadn’t they gotten the message of tolerance I’d been advocating ever since I was afforded the privilege of having a platform in the first place? They helped give me that platform and I’ve tried very hard never to abuse it. My religion is the family of man

For the record I’ve been baptized several times in several different faiths but no longer belong to any organized religion. I believe that women and men of all faiths or none should be treated with kindness understanding and above all equality and tolerance. Everyone is part of my family and should be treated with deference unless they do something that offends me personally. Luckily I’ve survived to a point in my life where I can avoid mean or unfriendly people. Believe it or not I’ve even been able to change more than a few minds –– not always just to bring them around to my point of view but to at least broaden theirs. Plain and simple, that’s what I’m here for. All my best, Rod"


Got to love this man...

[meninlove]

Back then (1970s) I was working in the bank up here in Canada, and used to look after the accounts of a group of straight guys' account for their musical band. Anita Bryant was trying to get legislation happening in Florida to ban gay people from being school teachers. So....they came up with this (the lyrics are hilarious) :

[Jake]

I'm not a theologian and I don't want to jump to conclusions but the biblical text clearly condemns homosexuality.

Interpretation is, however, a complex science. There are other elements that should probably be taken into consideration, especially when you're interpreting a book as complex as this one, e.g. culture and history.

That book isn't complex at all... what became complex is the INTERPRETATION that was made of it. Go ahead and read books from the same era, such as Homer and you'll find few similitudes. I am a social scientist and I spent many years studying the bible, Qu'ran and other religious books... and for me they are all equally bad, and good and easily misinterpreted. To further my research on the subject I have spoken with many linguists who could both read and translate Ancient Hebrew, French, Latin and Ancient Greek.

So here's a question for you all; SATAN is it a name of a character or is it a verb in ancient hebrew that means "to deceive". The latter is the answer, but yet you read it in the bible as if it was the name of an evildoer.

I break off religion when I understood that there was one cup two measures, and that the god described in the bible was not, clearly not the all lovely god that my grandfather wanted me to pray for. I can go on and on as I am an atheist but, I'm an atheist who can fight on equal ground with a pastor or priest, I even coerced one into marrying me and my husband... every man has a price.

Anyway, for those who love documentaries, go ahead and visit my buddy's website at http://www.topdocumentaryfilms.com you will be satisfied.

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Link to the songs Amor and Don't Drink The Orange Juice, there's a mp3 player on the page.
http://musiconvinyl.blogspot.fr/2010/10/...ckuen.html

[Virge]

That was DYNAMITE!
I copied and pasted all that to a folder for future use.

The guy I know who was involved with the Bryant mess needs to be consulted about that movie! He's got an entire huge suitcase of news clippings and even notes taken at meetings of gays down there and the things they did to get back at Anita and all the others. They even had a 1970's style "Q mafia" going where they could call from Miami to all over the US and have simultaneous "massive accidents" in grocery store orange juice aisles. They outed HUNDREDS of people not just for being gay and sneaking around but straight people in affairs. Politicians, religious leaders, EVERYONE. He's got the records on all that stuff and would love to share it all. He's even got a VCR tape of the anti-gay Superbowl ad Bryant ran!!!!!

He says there are still many gays his age who are still tormenting Bryant today. They send her birthday cards every year signed, "Dead yet, bitch?" I thought all that was a bit over the top but he said, "She F**ked with the lives of a few hundred thousand queers. Her debt is not even half paid off yet."

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Samething, you seems really interested in this story... I saw a YouTube of the b*tch the other day, older now, but seemingly still on the same train.
Here's the freak

Better the devil you know.

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Her legacy in Florida

[Virge]

The second video about Anita's legacy isn't completely honest. The guy I've been talking about having been there during the 70s & his 2nd lover were foster parents and adopted several. The laws on gay adoption are on the books now but getting people to enforce them is another story... so he said.

[princealbertofb]

I think that video is just announcing a future documentary to come or a programme to be aired on tv... it's not complete... just a taste of things to come.