Of Mouth and Man

Mark Henry is a third-year student at Beacon Hill University. He is an intelligent young man with great grades and a reputation on campus for speaking his mind. He recently took part in a roundtable discussion for the largely student-run campus radio station. His appearance was so well-received that the station's programming manager offered him an hour of air time per week to do a radio show.

"Good afternoon Beacon Hill Barons, thank you for tuning in this week for another hour of "On the Air with Mark Henry." We are coming to you live from WMOS-FM 89.7. Today's first guest is Ronald Jay from the Beacon Hill University Theatre Department. Jay recently attempted to stage a production of the play he wrote titled Bob and Joe, which featured a legal marriage between two men. Bowing to criticism from a handful of very vocal students, the Administration ordered the Theatre Department to cease production on Bob and Joe citing-and I quote-"an attempt by Mr. Jay to push his own personal agenda." End quote. Our discussion is centered on an age-old topic that has caused great debate and controversy for decades, censorship. Later in the show we will also hear from Dana Jordan, who spearheaded the campaign against Bob and Joe. Ronald, thank you for speaking with me today. Tell us a bit about your play."

"Let me first start by thanking you for contacting me to speak on this situation. I'm a big fan of the show. Bob and Joe is the story of the handsome and confident Bob's efforts to forge a relationship with Joe, who can't understand why and doesn't feel worthy. At the end of the show, the two marry."

"Considering the current political climate regarding gay marriage, did you anticipate any backlash?"

"I really didn't. I made no judgments for or against it. The marriage was intended to be presented as a simple foregone conclusion that the world had moved on from the topic. I wrote a typical wedding scene that just had two men instead of a man and a woman."

"Why do you think Students for Moral Clarity, backed by Focus on the Family, has reacted as they have?"