Page 1 / 2 / 3 - Next

Many in the gay and lesbian community do blame homophobia for the numerous other times Mark's sexuality was kept from the public record. The National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association felt such concern they released a letter calling on the media to do a better job of treating gays and lesbians fairly in their coverage. To not do so, the NLGJA said, was, “a form of discrimination. Withholding the sexual orientation of these individuals, especially when inconsistent in equal coverage about heterosexuals, will leave readers and viewers with only the negative stereotypes of gays and lesbians.”

As for United 93, Mark's sexual orientation is never mentioned or alluded to in the movie. A filmgoer who did not know beforehand that he was gay could not know that information after seeing the film. But that is not a problem because, except for a handful of instances, we learn almost nothing about any of the other doomed passengers. Yes, we witness some passengers calling their husbands or wives, but Mark's only phone call was to his mother, Alice Hoagland. He did not call Matt, or Paul Holm, his ex-partner. No doubt if he had it would have been included in the movie.

It's an unfortunate, but undeniable, fact that the issue of Mark's sexual orientation beyond United 93 is still relevant and is still controversial five years after his death. Some conservatives, especially religious ones, object when the subject is brought up, claiming it is irrelevant or that anyone doing so is politicizing the issue. Some don't even acknowledge Mark was gay. When writing about this very topic Peter Lababera of the Concerned Women of America, wrote “…the alleged homosexuality of 9-11 victims and ‘heroes' like Mark Bingham…”

When I told Alice about the quote she laughed uproariously and said, “Well, tell them that Mark's alleged mother alleges that Mark was gay, okay? That's just silly.”

So why should it matter that Mark was gay in the first place? Because heroes matter. And in the case of minorities, a hero can force those with biases to see them differently. That is why African-Americans rightfully point to Harriet Tubman, Jackie Robinson, and Oprah Winfrey as African-American heroes.

Heroes also say something about character, yet another reason people of all stripes are so eager to claim a hero as their own. Christians certainly know this as well as anyone. Todd Beamer, another passenger on Flight 93, provides a perfect example. In the days after 9/11, Christian websites were filled with laudatory comments about Todd and his faith. Indeed, Christianity Today's Sept. 17, 2001 issue carried the article "Active Christian on Flight 93 Hailed as a Hero."

On February 2003, the Concerned Women for America website carried an article discussing not only Todd Beamer's faith, but that of Rick Husband, the commander of the doomed space shuttle Columbia. The article talks about how the lives and deaths of both men may have inspired countless other Christians and non-Christians alike.

The Focus on the Family website not only includes interviews with the Beamer family, but excerpts from Lisa Beamer's book about her husband, inspirational tapes about Todd, and numerous articles about his Christian faith, including one titled "The Importance of Heroes" that recounts Todd's story.

David Beamer, Todd's father, told both FOX News, USA Today and a number of other media how grateful he was United 93 made David's Christianity clear.

Page 1 / 2 / 3 - Next