COLUMN: Boycott target should be readjusted

Once a year Utah gets a shot at being considered the “it” place to be seen. For two magical weeks, ridiculously overdressed celebrities roam the streets and the glamor of Hollywood shines down on the snow-covered mountains of Park City. This cultural phenomenon is called Sundance and every year crowds of people brave freezing temperatures to participate in America’s largest independent film festival, right here in Utah.

    However, things may be a little bit different down in Park City this year. Angry at the millions of dollars that members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have contributed to passing Proposition 8 banning gay marriage, stars and film makers alike have said they plan on boycotting the film festival simply because it is held in Utah, which happens to be the headquarters for the LDS church.

    Blogger and gay rights activist John Aravosis, who had a big hand in orchestrating the boycott, calls Utah a “hate state” and therefore should be punished for its actions. By persuading members of the film industry to stay away from Utah this year, he explains, there is hope the directors of Sundance will make a valiant effort to change the location of the famous festival. Newsflash to Mr. Aravosis – lumping together all the members of one group into a stereotype and trying to punish them is not the way to make a statement.

    The grounds for boycotting Sundance are ridiculous for more than one reason. To assume that every dollar made from Sundance is placed directly in the pockets of LDS church members and officials is a gross generalization. More than 37 percent of the population in Utah is not LDS and Park City has a notoriously liberal population. If the gay community and its supporters are trying to make a statement, they may want to do it without hurting the rest of the tourism industry in Utah.

    While it’s true that the proposed boycott might hurt some who funded Proposition 8, in the end boycotting Sundance won’t hurt the people who support Proposition 8. Instead, it will cripple the diverse indie film industry that is seeking to get its message out. What supporters of the Sundance boycott seem to be missing is that Sundance has actually acted as a platform for many films dealing with homosexuality and withdrawing support for the film festival is a step backwards for those who rely on Sundance to reach a large audience.

    Thankfully, many have seen the problem with boycotting an artistic outlet because of its location, but only time will tell if the attitude surrounding this year’s Sundance film festival will provide a blow to Utah’s economy.