Penn Grabs Best Actor Oscar for 'Milk:' "Those Who Voted Against Gay Marriage... Sit and Reflect"

[Hissyspit]

Source: Associated Press

Penn grabs best-actor Oscar for `Milk'

LOS ANGELES – Sean Penn has his second best-actor Academy Award with his win in the title role of "Milk."

Penn's first words upon taking the stage to accept his prize for playing the slain gay-rights pioneer were: "You commie, homo-loving sons of guns."

Kate Winslet, meantime, has taken best actress for the Holocaust-themed saga "The Reader," while best-picture favorite "Slumdog Millionaire" has cruised to seven Oscars, including best director for Danny Boyle.

Heath Ledger is the supporting-actor winner for his demented reinvention of Batman villain the Joker in "The Dark Knight," becoming only the second actor ever to win an Oscar posthumously. The supporting-actress trophy has gone to Penelope Cruz as a tempestuous artist in Woody Allen's Spanish romance "Vicky Cristina Barcelona."

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/oscars

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TRANSCRIPT OF ACCEPTANCE:

"You commie, homo-loving sons of guns.

I did not expect this, but I, and I want to be very clear that I know how hard I make it to appreciate me often, but, I am touched by the appreciation and I hoped for it enough that I did want to scribble down so I had the names, in case you were commie, homo-loving sons of guns...

I want to thank my best friend, Satsuma Suzawa, my circle of long-time support, Mara, Brian, Barry and Bob, the great Cleve Jones, our wonderful writer Lance Black, producers Bruce Cohen and Dan Jinks, and particularly, as all us actors know, our director either has the patience, talent and restraint to grant us a voice or they don't, and it goes from the beginning, the meeting, through the cutting room, and there is no finer hands to be in than Gus Van Sant.

Finally - two last finallys - for those who saw the signs of hatred as our cars drove in tonight, and, I think it is a good time for those who voted for the ban against gay marriage to sit and reflect and anticipate their great shame and the shame in their grandchildren's eyes if they continue that way of support - we've got to have equal rights for everyone.

And there are these last two things: I'm very very proud to live in a country that is willing to elect an elegant man President, and a country who, for all its toughness, creates courageous artists, and this is in great due respect to all the nominees, who despite a sensitivity that sometimes has brought enormous challenges - Mickey Rourke rises again, and he is my brother."

[myrna minx]

1. Excellent! K&R. n/t

[orleans]

2. i want an instant replay as to what he said to those people who voted for prop 8

i heard him and said: "wow"

i want to see it again, or read a quote--i can't find anything yet.

[myrna minx]

3. I was having computer issues, so I totally missed the Oscars.

I hope it goes up un youtbe soon. I'd love to see it.

[Hissyspit]

8. Video Here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x275145

[myrna minx]

10. Thank you so much! Wow! n.t

[Veruca Salt]

33. Thank you! Bookmarking for after work~ nt

[NYC Liberal]

5. It's up, I found it and posted it :)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x275145

(I don't mean to be posting links to my own thread everywhere but I keep seeing people asking for a video! :))

[orleans]

34. thank you for the link. n/t

[Baby Snooks]

6. He shamed them...

And what a shame it took so long for someone to finally do so instead of attempting "conciliation" with hate and those who preach hate and those who follow their lead and practice hate. He also shamed those who chose conciliation instead of condemnation. Including Barack Obama.

The words "sexual orientation" and "sexual preference" and "gender identity" need to be added to the protected classes as stated in the Civil Rights Act and until they are there is no such thing as equality under the law in this country. Even married, gays and lesbians will continue to be discriminated against along with bisexuals and transgendered men and women. Only those three phrases will guarantee equal rights and guarantee that those who believe discrimination based on religious belief is justified can and will be held accountable under the law.

Those who believe in the right to hate are protected. Those who they hate should be equally protected from their acts of hate.

Share the love. Silence the hate. And shame it. The way Sean Penn did.

[Hissyspit]

9. I transcribed it and have added it to my OP. nt

[orleans]

35. thank you for doing that. n/t

[JNelson6563]

4. He was great!

Great speech. Bravo Sean Penn! :toast:

Julie

[jb5150]

7. Sean Penn

is a great actor, but in my opinion he did not deserve an Oscar for Mystic River. I always felt that they only gave him that one to make up for not giving him one for Dead Man Walking..... JMHO

[islandmkl]

11. WTFE....

[slay]

13. I thought he was great in Mystic River

I don't remember who he was up against but I remember thinking - wow he was great. :)

[ozu]

30. It was a weak year in 04

I wasn't enamored with what he did in Mystic River either, but it wasn't like he was up against any other GREAT performances so I have no beef with him winning... Jude Law, Jahnny Depp, Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley.

[FVZA_Colonel]

12. I thought it was great of him to give a shout out to Mickey Rourke.

Honestly, as wonderful as Penn was, I was torn about this. I was really evenly split.

[Divine Discontent]

15. that lifted my opinion as a person (not an actor, which I appreciate already), to new heights b/c

saying that about Mickey Rourke was so gracious! just so kind. and wowww, what can be said about how he shamed the proposition 8 supporters on the Oscars and mentioned the protestors on their way in - just wow, this guy is tough and full of heart! I loved his facial expression when Lance Black won best original screenplay - he was totally pumped!

[trickyguy]

14. Sean said it like it should be. From the heart.

[Left Coast2020]

16. Way to go Dude!

When I went to San Francisco in 04 for a Howard Dean fundraiser staring Bonnie Raite and Devid Crosby, (some of you bay area Deaneacks should remember) a frind of mine looked over his shoulder, then tapped me and asked if I knew who was sitting behind me. I said I didn't know. Then he said see the guy wearing that ? color shirt? Thats Sean Penn. I looked behind and sure enough, unshaved, and in his serious demenor, Sean was sitting right behind me in support of Dean. Hand shake was well appreciated.

I wish he would do a reunion sort of movie from "Ridgemont High" Party Dude!

[cyclezealot]

17. We had a chance to purchase tickets for a Kucinich fundraiser

sponsored at Sean Penn's home. We could not go. Or maybe, could not afford to go at the time. Wish we had. Penn was found frequently at Kucinich events in LA...

[Skittles]

18. longtime Sean fan here

he is simply awesome :thumbsup:

[Optical.Catalyst]

19. K&R

High Five!
:toast:
:bounce:
:kick:
:fistbump:
:woohoo:
:applause:

[EFerrari]

20. Argh! I can't get audio on the youtube link. Maybe that means

too many people are watching it. :)

[and-justice-for-all]

21. MILK was fantastic...

When I went to see it, there was 6 people in theater (middle of the week matinee) and there were 2 older women two rows behind and close to the end I could hear them crying.

I was moved, but I didn't cry. The two people I was with had some water works goin' on.

I am jealous! I want make out with Mr. Franco damn it!!

[Hepburn]

22. Wooooooooooot!

Sean Penn hit one out of the park. What a fantastic acceptance speech!

:applause:

[underpants]

23. hhhaaAAW Riiiiighteous dude!

That was AWESOME!

[greyghost]

24. Most excellent!

[LynneSin]

25. Last night - "God Hates Fred Phelps"

Well, in my world God doesn't not hate people, just the sin. But God showed that he loves GLBTs just as much as he does the rest of us - Mickey Rourke was favored to win that Oscar and yet Sean Penn was up there and used his platform to speak out against the hatred in this world. Sure, Sean Penn forgot to mention Harvey Milk's name but I think Harvey is in heaven smiling down at us for bringing his story to light and giving it such prominence at the Oscars so the entire globe can see Milk's story and learn from it.

[bdamomma]

26. it's great when they speak activism!!!!!

[bdamomma]

27. double post

[Lost in CT]

28. Both Penn and Rourke were great (Rourke was a bit better IMHO)

That said I was surprised he didn't mention his somewhat estranged and patient wife in his speech.

Kinda classless that way.

Other than that I liked the speech.

[ozu]

31. Personally rooting for Rourke

I've always felt he's never been given enough credit as a actor. Barfly is an unbelievable performance, and add to that the nature of this being a major comeback in what I felt was the best movie this year, and I definitely wanted him to him.

Penn was very good as well, but he's already been given the recognition that he deserves with 5 nominations.

[Mad_Dem_X]

29. Beautiful speech.

I went to bed after Ledger's win, but I was glad to hear that Sean Penn won for this role.

[Bigmack]

32. "sit and reflect",,, HA! Never happen...

homophobes generally don't "reflect", they just do what their witch doctors tell them to do.

Fundy S-in-L thinks yoga or meditation leads to demonic possession. Not supposed to relax and let your mind go free.

People like that will never "reflect" and accept people who don't believe like them.