900 New Love Jihadis!

At the Victoria theater in San Franciscos Mission district, 900 people showed up to see the film. Their love and the admiration for the film has been palpable and beautiful. This is a city where, in many ways, I did start my journey, so to be here again is amazing.

I must confess-I am feeling a little bit post-gay today-as the pride parade goes on outside my hotel window. The middle-eastern float just passed by and I wonder why all the 'people of color' are always put together in a section with the other non-whites. It is a phenomenon I have often referrred to (infamously) as 'the unbearable whiteness of being (and I did try and seek copyright)...By statistical fact 'queers' (or whatever they call that these days) should constitute a minority and even this minority, like many others, likes to ghettoize its very own...

This email from Brad
"Loved your film A Jihad for Love. Saw it yesterday at Frameline. Will definitely try to organize a group of friends to see it in August. I'm friends with Bassam here in SF, and the boys back at Helem in Beirut. Congrats on the wonderful doc!! Brad.".

This is a blog post comment I find interesting...I reproduce only the part I agree with (Its on a blog called "Life with Movies and Maxxxx)
"This could be one of the biggest, if most unique documentaries of the year. It is a simple look at the dilemma, sometimes life threatening, of being a gay Muslim. Interviews with Muslims all over the globe reveal a diaspora of people who have chosen to live true to themselves, yet honor the religion that condemns them. It can be difficult to view, as a great deal of the film protects the anonymity of its subjects. Much of it is out of focus. However, it isn't done out of shame, as much as to protect the interviewees and their families from arrest and, in some cases, death sentences. The technique is used to nearly poetic effect, as these people who we can not see, are also not "seen" by the cultures they are part of. The segments which are in clear focus are also some of the most disturbing: i.e., a discussion between a father and his children about what they feel is just punishment for being gay. They talk in harrowing frankness, particularly since they know that the man they are talking to, their father, is gay."

Ofcourse, this one (badly spelt and framed)
hey assholes islam, is the religion that made a person stop killing the women... and you assholes used to have sex with your sisters but islam prohibit it.not even islam but ur sense do not allow to be gay.... if you assholes have god then go ask your god that why he ceated women..... go read some bible or something and then come and talk .....and for the muslims that support gay then u have chosen right path to go in hell asholes/

This from someone in a '100 percent Muslim society'...
I'm a muslim, and I support the gay rights! Unlike what you may think, I don't live in a western country but a 100% muslim society. Tolerance is essential. In order for you to condemn gays, what do you know about them? And who the hell do you think you are in order to decide who should live or die? This movie is about gay muslims who are attached to their faith and are gay.

And here is another comment...
As a Muslim, I truly believe that being gay is wrong, God created Adam & Eve, not Adam & Steve. Being gay is a sin in the laws and rules of Islam.But if a Muslim decides that he is gay, then I would disagree with him being gay, but it is his life. There are thousands and thousands of Muslims that break Islamic laws, and I would be lying if i were to say I've never broken them. But if a muslim wants to be gay then let him be gay. Its better than blowing yourself up and killing innocent people