PONY R. HORTON’S GAY MARRIAGE PSA CAMPAIGNPony R. Horton, as a Gay man and a patriotic American, felt a passionate need to use his natural talent and lifelong experience as a film maker and journalist to produce a series of PSA’s at the grassroots level, literally one man and his friends and associates doing everything within their power to create a positive change in America by helping to eliminate this last bastion of bigotry against Gays and Lesbians. Part of what motivated Pony to start this campaign was what he felt was an unacceptable amount of voter apathy among other Gay men. He has encountered some who don't care about marriage for themselves, and as a result don't feel the need to vote on this issue. Pony finds such a mindset appalling, because even if one doesn't wish to marry in their own life, this is not just about marriage; it's about equal rights for ALL AMERICANS. Pony feels that if any group of citizens allows their rights to be determined by others, then soon NO Americans will be free. Since 2001, Pony has been producing commercials and industrials under his own company banner, Gravity Arch Media, as well as recently landing the assignment of creating visual effects shots for the award-winning web series STAR TREK: PHASE II, which has over 30 million viewers. Pony has also produced and directed numerous TV commercials and industrials in recent years under the Gravity Arch Media name. This year, Pony appeared as Mr. Spivey in four episodes of Here! TV's THE LAIR, a Gay-themed horror soap opera. Pony has been a serious whip artist since 1981, and he recently appeared as an Indiana Jones impersonator at Legoland, California, doing bullwhip demonstrations as part of a charity fundraiser sponsored by Legoland and the producers of a documentary film entitled INDYFANS AND THE QUEST FOR FORTUNE AND GLORY. In the PSA’s Pony has created for the issue of Equal Marriage Rights for Gays and Lesbians, one of the spots is entitled “You’re NOT Indiana Jones!” It was shot quickly, as a fan film, and in it Pony and his partner are practicing whip tricks in the backyard a couple of days before doing a show. These tricks include wraps around various parts of his partner’s body (arm, hand, finger, neck) cutting a stick held in the hand, and finally slicing a newspaper (with the headline “OPPOSING GAY MARRIAGE: MORALITY OR BIGOTRY?” as well as a full page ad for STAR TREK: PHASE II on the back page) while making conversational points about the Declaration of Independence’s guarantees for all Americans of “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.” After Pony expresses his feelings about the rights of ALL Americans, his partner says to him, “Dude, you can’t fight this all by yourself. You’re NOT Indiana Jones!” At that moment, there is a rather humorous ending, befitting an Indiana Jones fan film. Rather than read about it here, click on this link to see the spots for yourself… http://www.respectgaymarriage.com You’ll see the Pilot spot on the HOME page, and under the link “PSA SPOTS” you’ll find the Indiana Jones spot. Incidentally, the bullwhip Pony is using is made by Joe Strain, from the same pattern he used to make seven bullwhips for INDIANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL. Soon Pony and his friends will be producing another humorous spot, this time with a Star Trek theme. All of these spots have been produced out of Pony’s own pocket, with help in the form of funding by a gentleman named Richard Basler, who was moved by Pony’s efforts and wanted to offer some financial assistance. One of the ways in which Pony Horton is attempting to raise funds for this campaign is through the sale of his paintings, which are available on the website, on Ebay, and shortly will be available on Artspan.com. Pony is an award-winning fine artist (as well as a matte artist) and has begun the creation of a new series of paintings for just this purpose. His first one is now for sale (shown below) and is entitled "L.A. City Hall at Dawn." Pony is also working closely with Gay rights activist and Novel nominee Mandy Carter of North Carolina on the production and writing of these spots. Mandy is one of America's leading African American lesbian activists. A noted speaker, Mandy has traveled extensively, educating audiences about LGBT rights in a broader social justice movement. A winner of the prestigious Stonewall Award, Mandy Carter has enough energy for an army of organizers, and she never fails to maintain her sense of humor. Mandy is an articulate and non-confrontational doer, who get things accomplished by her motivational mentoring and by exemplary and tireless activity. She has forged strong and indelible ties between the natural allies that exist in the African-American, religious, and LGBT communities. A key focus of Ms. Carter's work is the monitoring of the radical right in communities of color, with special attention paid to the divisive tactic of anti-gay organizing in the black church and black community. In the fall of 1997, Mandy was Program Director for Equal Partners in Faith, a multiracial grassroots coalition of people of faith committed to equality and diversity, that coordinated a DC-Metro area response to the Promise Keeper's "Stand in the Gap: A Sacred Assembly of Men" October 4th rally held on the Mall in Washington, DC. The Promise Keepers is an evangelical Christian men's-only movement who's leadership has ties to the Religious Right. With awards from many human rights and community organizations to acknowledge her achievements, Ms. Carter currently sits on the Boards of the International Federation of Black Prides, the National Stonewall Democratic Federation, the Triangle Foundation, Equal Partners in Faith and Ladyslipper Music. |
