Michigan’s first openly gay mayor weighs in on screenwriter controversy at Hope College

Hope College officials are sticking by their guns in demanding that Oscar-winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black can come to campus to speak, but only on the topic of screenwriting. Officials say Black is barred from discussing gay rights, because he is an advocate for them.

Black wrote the Oscar winning screenplay for the film “Milk,” which also garnered an Oscar for star Sean Penn. The film told the story of Harvey Milk, who was one of American’s first openly gay officials. Milk was elected to the San Francisco Board of Commissioners, and he and Mayor George Moscone were shot to death by Supervisor Dan White.

As a result of the film’s success, Black has found a new platform and larger megaphone to address issues of importance to the gay community.

Now the controversy has drawn in Michigan’s first openly gay mayor, Craig Covey of Ferndale. Covey won the post two years ago and is running for re-election this year unopposed.

He told the Grand Rapids Press:

“In this day and age, for a college to prevent a pro-gay speaker at a campus roundtable on sexuality is unbelievable,” Covey said. “It’s got me scratching my head and thinking ‘This is so 1950s.’”

Black told the Holland Sentinel that he was completely unaware of any conflict over his visit, other than the fact a date had not been finalized. He is in West Michigan directing a film with Ed Harris and Jennifer Connelly called “What’s Wrong with Virginia.”