A bill that aims to expand the state’ film incentive program ‚Äî an effort to attract jobs, which is likely to pass ‚Äî would add language limiting a proposed 5 percent tax credit to productions that do not exhibit or imply “nontraditional family values.” This includes nixing such tax-breaks for any movie with LGBT characters or a gay theme.
The bill’ sponsor, Representative Stephen L. Precourt, an Orlando Republican, told The Palm Beach Post that he wanted to encourage film-making akin to “The Andy Griffith Show”.
As a Florida native I am appalled. You basically have a bunch of holy-rolling prudes and scolds trying to harm the Florida economy and undermine the state’s movie industry by pushing their backward version of morality down the throats of all Floridians. Instead of focusing on job creation, these blue nosed values vultures are opportunistically hijacking the jobs bill to push their religious agenda.
The 1950’s are over and these fundamentalists are stuck in the past. Attempting to remake Florida’s movie industry in the mold of a bygone era is short-sighted and terribly misguided. It will place the state’s entire movie industry in harm’s way and send a terrible signal to the moguls in Hollywood. If Florida Republicans insist on thumping the Bible and thumbing their noses at the movie industry, the studios will find new beaches on which to film – at the expense of jobs for Floridians. I seriously doubt that the churches behind this fiasco will pick up the slack and employ all the unemployed actors once they cripple the state’s movie industry.
But, I guess that is what happens when the public elects political fundamentalists whose selfish, Dark Age agenda trumps real issues. As long as Florida voters send such cavemen to Tallahassee, they should know exactly what to expect.
So, good luck with the Andy Griffith movies, Florida. I’m sure they’ll be splendid, compete with contemporary movies and win numerous Academy Awards. And, I hope the Florida legislature takes the next logical step and bans color from the movies! If we are going to live in the past, why not do it right?
