There are times these days where it seems like we've lost sight of the thing that forms the core of this country. Freedom. Freedom means people live the lives they want to and make their own decisions without concern for what others think of those decisions. Small Town Gay Bar makes that argument skillfully by letting everyone in it be free to say what they think.
The documentary centers around a pair of gay bars in rural Mississippi, Rumors in Shannon (pop. 1,657) and Crossroads in Meridian (pop. 39, 968). Deep in the bible belt, these clubs serve as both oasis and support group for the marginalized gay population in that area. The more open acceptance that has started to appear in urban areas is largely unseen here. The chance to go somewhere that makes it possible to be freely themselves is a huge relief. The sense of isolation, loneliness and fear is palpable. But in their bar they can let all that go and enjoy themselves, actually feeling like they belong for once.
 Director Malcolm Ingram isn't satisfied to leave it at though. He actually goes to interview the religious groups most responsible for persecuting the gay community. Most notably he talks to the loathsome Reverend Fred Felps. You know Fred, he's the creep organizing protests of military funerals, claiming the soldiers deserved death for defending a nation that allows people to be gay. Ingram plays the game exceedingly well though. Rather than manipulating the interview to make Felps look like a fool, Ingram simply lets Felps talk, giving him all the rope he needs to hang himself with his repugnant spewing of hatred. Interviewing another leader of supposed "family" organization, Ingram repeatedly serves up other interviews repudiating claims of not persecuting gays. There's no grandstanding here. The film just casts an nonjudgmental eye on all involved, trusting the audience to understand who the villains are.
There is a clear line here between people who just want to be themselves and don't seek to bother anyone else and those who feel the need to pass judgment and make life miserable for those who they disapprove of. Strangely, it's the judgmental groups that lay claim to being moral. And in case it isn't clear that this isn't just about ostracizing people or hurling insults, Ingram serves up the case of the brutal killing of Scotty Joe Weaver an 18 year old gay man savaged by those who hated him for being gay. There is also the tale of how Crossroads' owner was harassed legally and driven out of business. And just for good measure a couple other gay bars are profiled that met similar fates.
The documentary is touching for showing the resilience of people living in areas that want no part of them. The way they band together to find some love and joy in life, supporting each other and building community is inspiring. The level of resistance they meet makes it that much more impressive. When Crossroads is reopened as Different Seasons, a somewhat tamer gay bar, the joy the patrons experience in getting their home back is palpable.
It's not a matter of tolerance. It's simply understanding that we are all equally free to live life our way. As long as we aren't hurting each other, there's no reason to meddle in anyone else's life.
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