Last week we reported on Tom Hanks’ comments at the premiere of Big Love. Some enterprising journalist asked Hanks his opinion of Proposition 8, the California ballot initiative that basically banned gay marriage in the state. Hanks mouthed off in a very atypical way, calling Prop 8 “un-American”. The Church of Latter-Day Saints fired back at Hanks, and now Hanks has offered up what I can only describe as a lukewarm non-apology apology to Mormons. It sounds like he’s basically saying, “I used the wrong word, but whatever.” People magazine has the exclusive details.
Tom Hanks is rethinking his comments about Mormons who supported Proposition 8.
Last week, the star, who is an executive producer for HBO’s controversial series Big Love about a group of polygamist Mormons, spoke out about the religious group’s involvement in passing the California law, which bans same-sex marriage.
“The truth is a lot of Mormons gave a lot of money to the church to make Prop-8 happen,” Hanks said at the show’s premiere in Los Angeles last Wednesday. “There are a lot of people who feel that is un-American, and I am one of them.”
A spokesperson for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Kim Farah, took offense at Hanks’s comments, telling FOX News, “Expressing an opinion in a free and democratic society is as American as it gets.”
Now, in a exclusive statement to PEOPLE through his representative Leslee Dart, Hanks is softening his stance.
“Last week, I labeled members of the Mormon church who supported California’s Proposition 8 as “un-American.” I believe Proposition 8 is counter to the promise of our Constitution; it is codified discrimination. But everyone has a right to vote their conscience – nothing could be more American. To say members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints who contributed to Proposition 8 are “un-American” creates more division when the time calls for respectful disagreement. No one should use “un- American” lightly or in haste. I did. I should not have. Sincerely, Tom Hanks”
From People Magazine
I forgive Hanks both for his “un-American” comment and for his slight back-down. It was the wrong word to use, even if many people understood what he was saying. I took his original comments to mean that codified discrimination was un-American, not that Mormons or being vocally or financially anti-gay was un-American. That version was lost on a lot of people, so Hanks just seems to be clarifying his words, but not changing his stance. I’m sure some will disagree, but I think this was a classy way to end the drama.
Tom Cruise is shown at Obama’s inauguration celebration on 1/18/09. Credit: Newscom
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