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Antigay Activist Prompts Dutch Politician To Pull Out of LA Film Premiere
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Geert Wilders, a Dutch politician best known for his harsh criticism of
Islam, has pulled out of the Los Angeles premiere of a documentary
based on his life because he opposes antigay statements made by the
chairman of the Christian Action Network, a conservative group that
coproduced the film.
The premiere of Islam Rising: Geert Wilders' Warning to the West, set for May 1, was canceled as a result.
Christian Action Network president Martin Mawyer has a history of making antigay statements, dating back to Ellen DeGeneres's coming-out episode on her sitcom. Mawyer sent an e-mail to network members saying DeGeneres "dumped her filthy lesbian lifestyle in the middle of your living room."
A spokesperson for Wilders said he and event organizer Freedom Defense Initiative pulled out of the premiere because he didn't want people to think he condoned the antigay statements.
A controversial figure in the Netherlands, Wilders has been an outspoken critic of what he calls the "Islamization of the Netherlands" and has prompted several complaints. A Dutch court recently ordered the country's public prosecutor to try Wilders for hate speech.
Islam Rising: Geert Wilders' Warning to the West is a coproduction of PRB Films and the Christian Action Network.
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