Gay Marriage at Cedar Point: Please help us!

Rosa Parks sat quietly in her seat at the front of the bus. She didnt stand in front of the bus and demand that the bus stop.

I'll concur that when Ensign calls someone an asshole, it's most likely because the recipient is an asshole.

There's a distinction between advocating and attention-whoring. This whole stunt has become much more the latter than the former.

I'm personally all for gay zombie marriages. I think the should hire Cirque to choreograph and provide it as daily park entertainment. That would peak my interest much more than a new wing coaster.

That said...I'm not sure it makes good business sense for ANY money-making entity to tread too close to such politically charged issues... My hunch is Cedar Point will learn from this fiasco.

My cousins would be thrown in jail for daring to participate in a forum on this topic. I'm always amazed at the cultural differences in expectations/demands. Try requesting any entity in Syria recognize gay ceremonies, they will gas your family. Here, they cancel the event and call you an "asshole."

Interesting, that some are worried one (a few?) coaster enthusiast's actions/beliefs will be utilized as evidence to denigrate the entire coaster enthusiast community's reputation...while simultaneously unable to understand why the actions of some (a few...more?) conservatives (religious right members) could possibly do the same to that group...?

Media (Huffington Post, etc) has the ability to do undeservedly grave damage to reputations of ENTIRE groups... Especially when so many WANT to believe that an individual's actions represent something more than one individual.

I'm pretty right wing, and Catholic, but this is one of the things I don't get.... unless you're talking about forcing someone to go against their beliefs.. i.e. the Catholic church sanctioning gay marriage and being forced to perform them etc... , I would be opposed to that.

I guess I am more libertarian in that respect, with the social stuff... if some other churches want to perform gay marriages, fine, and afford them all the benefits and tax deductions and the like, fine...

A lot of resources are wasted litigating this stupid crap that could be put to better use fixing roads or whatever.. not stupid in the sense that the issue is stupid, but stupid in the sense that it shouldn't need to be litigated in the first place...

Aamilj said:

That said...I'm not sure it makes good business sense for ANY money-making entity to tread too close to such politically charged issues... My hunch is Cedar Point will learn from this fiasco.

I keep seeing this posted. Theme parks and other entertainment geared industries have been doing things like crazy mass weddings for years. Marriage isn't politically charged at all right now. I feel people are making marriage itself an issue where there is none. If people are looking to be offended, it won't take them long to find something to offend them.

Interesting, that some are worried one (a few?) coaster enthusiast's actions/beliefs will be utilized as evidence to denigrate the entire coaster enthusiast community's reputation

I think you may misunderstand here a little. First, the issue is that someone is yelling at the top of their lungs that Cedar Point is discriminating against them, and it's all CP's fault, and that they're doing it comes across as anti-gay and...oh, by the way, I'm a Roller Coaster Enthusiast.

It's that last part that I feel Jeff was referring to.

...while simultaneously unable to understand why the actions of some (a few...more?) conservatives (religious right members) could possibly do the same to that group...?

I kind of agree here. Personally, I feel that as someone representing themselves as a member of a group and being vocal about something reflects on everyone, I also feel it is wrong for everyone to be lumped in together. See my comment to Ensign Smith about finding a decent conservative.

People should answer for their own actions, not be lumped together because they claim to represent a community. Sadly, that's not how the world works.

First, the issue is that someone is yelling at the top of their lungs that Cedar Point is discriminating against them, and it's all CP's fault, and that they're doing it comes across as anti-gay and...oh, by the way, I'm a Roller Coaster Enthusiast.

My point is that it would be generally silly to look at the above quote...then conclude those Roller Coaster Enthusiasts are "difficult"...lets not deal with them.

One individual's actions, or even a group within the group, does not speak for the whole. This thread is proof of that... Yet sadly, life is full of examples where the behaviors of the minority member(s) ruin the reputations for everybody.

It is intellectually lazy to automatically believe the "worst" is the norm. Yet, human beings do this daily (conservative = racist, black = gangster, Arab = terrorists, liberal = weak, etc). We tend to "group" our thoughts and opinions based upon the least common denominator. I know that not everybody does this all the time, but it happens way too frequently.

It is my opinion that modern media is dominated by such a group-think mentality. Least common denominator behaviors get repeated and advertised to the point that minority behaviors become primary identifiers for a whole group of people...as if the minority behaviors are actually reality.

In a discussion that basically boils down to simple fairness and human kindness...I believe pointing out how so many of us are prone to misjudge the character of the whole based upon the actions of a few...might apply.

mlnem4s said:

Reading many of the LGBT media sites and blogs people also felt Cedar Point was being cowardly on the subject when everyone knows that a significant percentage of their workforce is LGBT, how could they not support equality? (Which, for those of us who know many of the management team at Cedar Fair, we know they do...but the rest of the world does not know that.)

I'm still trying to figure out how folks keep landing on CF not supporting equality based on all of the facts presented. If you don't cherry pick the facts, then in addition to the "offensive" remarks about political tones, you also see that the park not only offered this couple the ability to do a commitment ceremony on the beach as they do for all couples wishing to marry at the park, but have stated in a few ways that they are working on the ability to offer wedding packages at the park in the future that will include commitment ceremonies.

It seems to me that some folks are upset because the very specific thing they wanted wasn't accommodated at the very specific time they wanted it. To me, that doesn't equate to CF not supporting equality.

I'm a Cedar Point-loving gay man myself, but I agree with Carrie on this.

Personally, I think what etrainimac did took a lot of courage. Someone from Marketing should be fired... to quote Planes, Trains and Automobiles, "You left beer on a vibrating bed, what did you think would happen?"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qt138I48-Ko

The horror...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUHyFDV8ukw

Now it's become an excuse to complain about Fast Lane and high prices.

Cedar Point's Fast Lane and food prices more dangerous than gay zombies

Such a bad article that it's hilarious. Just awful.

I think maybe you missed the point in the article, its actually quite good.

I don't know that the article was poorly written. I don't agree with him though... If Cedar Point had not afforded him the opportunity to purchase Fast Lane tickets, then his argument might make sense. What is wrong with teaching the child that those who pay more money get a higher level of service?

There should be two lines at McDonald's? One for those who choose to pay double the price, or one who choose to pay the normal price?

If I get expedited service or a better quality product, then why shouldn't I be able to choose to pay more for a better experience? Even at McDonald's?

You should go to a better restaurant.

Let's get back to the point of this thread.

To call someone an a hole or accuse them of giving a black eye to the enthusiast group is ridiculous. Bad news for you, you already have a name, Pass-Holes. I'm one of them, but that is how Guest Relations and other park employees view you.

To say that the park offered an alternative of a separate ceremony away from the original group is contrary to the entire point of this.

To bring Rosa Parks into this at all is completely unfair to the very brave thing she did and should not be a part of this at all.

Carrie I am happy to respond to your thoughts. Minimally has the park stated that they offer anyone the opportunity to have a wedding at Cedar Point; you and I know this as coaster and park enthusiasts but the Joe and Jane Smith's of the world reading sensationalist headlines via online media or blogs have no clue about this. I'll be honest, I have been watching both the mainstream media and LGBT media on this issue like a hawk from the moment it was announced because I knew this was going to create a firestorm. There was an open door to turn this around and Cedar Point missed that chance. I can tell that right now they have taken the avoidance PR tactic to the issue by stating there will be no further comments and are probably hoping it will all blow over in a week or so, but will it? If so, what damage has already been done?

I will share with you what I felt was the appropriate response that should have come out of the PR offices at Cedar Point:

"We at Cedar Point deeply respect and appreciate the diversity of both our employees and our park guests, for over 100 years Cedar Point has been a welcoming place for all to the beautiful shores of Lake Erie for a day of fun and happiness. In planning our "13 Weddings" promotion we erred in judgement by not recognizing that all of our park guests could legally participate, we acknowledge our mistake and we apologize for it. In fairness to all of our park guests we chose to cancel this promotion until such a time that we feel all of our loyal and dedicated Cedar Point fans can be fully included in such an event here in the great state of Ohio."

This was just a quick sample I threw together but it highlights what Cedar Point did wrong....they didn't artfully choose their words and I have always said PR is the art of manipulating words. Maybe being isolated in Sandusky they didn't see the gravity or ramification of all this and didn't give it much thought but I can tell you I have LGBT friends/allies all over the country and this issue has tarnished the image everyone holds of Cedar Point.

CPJ said:

I think maybe you missed the point in the article, its actually quite good.

Where? The part where he uses the completely unrelated gay marriage thing as an excuse to complain about Fast Lane or the part where he uses the completely unrelated gay marriage thing to complain about the prices in the park?

I mean, I'm trying.

Still looks like the most hilarious bad article I've read in a while.

"Did you hear about the gay marriage 'controversy' that a colleauge wrote about the other day? Hey! That reminds me; the prices at Cedar Point are ridiculously high and Fast Lane is unfair."

Yep. Great stuff.

Sarcasm is not a defense, its a sign of weakness.

And having no retort beyond attacking my delivery is a bigger sign of weakness.

Best I can do is treat it like the joke it is.

Mlnem4s, then they're being petty about it. My goodness, Tony from Cedar Point has admitted that it was probably a bad idea and openly professed his non-discriminatory stance. Do you wish Cedar Point would have proverbially flipped off the state of Ohio? Get real. Demanding any more of Cedar Point than what they've already done (which in and of itself is more than they should have had to do) is ludicrous.

It's been said many times. If the LGBT community wanted to get mad at anyone, they should've gotten upset at the state of Ohio and its citizens who, thus far, have decided against permitting same-sex marriages. Cedar Point, who is clearly a very LGBT-friendly business, had nothing to do with what happened.

Oh, and I'm sure all of the other people who wanted to participate in this event are sympathetic to the individuals who put the park in an undeservedly bad position. Perhaps Ensign Smith's terminology was a bit on the abrupt side, but what those who instigated this mess did was exceptionally unfair to the park.