Monday, November 9, 2009
Homo / Religion A Gay Hit
Posted by Dan Savage on Mon, Nov 9, 2009 at 12:21 PM
Twenty-five years ago, at the height of the AIDS crisis, there were hundreds—thousands—of gay men walking around with two or three T cells and six-months-or-less to live. The religious right was doing what it always does: it's worst, demonizing gay people, kicking us when we were down, attacking us on the airwaves and in Congress, and neglecting us to death at the White House. Those were dark days. And yet no gay man—none of those gay men with just a few months to live and nothing left to lose—picked up a gun and took at shot at Jesse Helms or Jerry Falwell. The only political assassination attempt during the Reagan years was on Reagan, of course, and it was made by a deranged straight boy who wanted to impress a girl.
If gay people didn't shoot our political enemies during the AIDS crisis, Peter, it seems highly unlikely that a gay assassin is coming to kill you, despite the loose talk of one anonymous commenter. No need to make a federal case out of it.
And we all know it's not a cap you want popped in your ass, Peter.
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2
I'll be interested to see how often crimes or alleged crimes start to be defined as "terrorist acts" by officials, now that such a classification can render permissible certain procedures under the Patriot Act (see John Monfort).
3
To me it sounds like La Babs is trying to incite some gay to violence, then claim that because Hate Crimes Legislation passed, that he's a victim because he can't spew his hate about gays.
4
what if it's a conflicted Muslim gay assassin who read too much Ayn Rand?
Now that might happen ...
Now that might happen ...
5
@3: Actually, Scott, there's been a sudden movement in those attempting to incite the anti-gay rightists to "test" the hate crimes bill. They're looking for one good patriot to go out and off some high profile gay, beat some queer teen or some equally insane act so they can jump in and file a brief against the FBI for pursuing hate crimes charges against whomever.
Creating this air of "we're going to get attacked physically, defend yourself!!" is part of that tactic.
Creating this air of "we're going to get attacked physically, defend yourself!!" is part of that tactic.
7
I don't recall the culture warriors ever being too concerned about threats against gay people being made on their websites. Do you?
Remember that scene in Oliver Twist where the pickpocket kids steal a man's wallet and then scatter everywhere shouting "Thief! Thief!"...? Yeah...it's pretty much that. We've had yet another election where same-sex marriage was on the ballots, and yet another round of them screaming at the voters that we're a threat to their children, and yet another round of gay bashings. This isn't about them being actually worried that they're get some of that violence back in their faces. You're right...it would have happened long before now if it was going to. This is about excusing the violence toward gay people that is already happening.
And our trusty he said, she said, their are two sides to every story corporate news media will go along with it. Oh yes...it's terrible how two gay men in New York were beaten by a man who told the police that "God made me hate gay people"...and that kid in Lawrence Kansas who got beaten after a Halloween party...and the student at Georgetown University...and those men who were chased by a couple of knife waving attackers on Long Island... But look at those ugly comments posting on those radical homosexual blogs...
Remember that scene in Oliver Twist where the pickpocket kids steal a man's wallet and then scatter everywhere shouting "Thief! Thief!"...? Yeah...it's pretty much that. We've had yet another election where same-sex marriage was on the ballots, and yet another round of them screaming at the voters that we're a threat to their children, and yet another round of gay bashings. This isn't about them being actually worried that they're get some of that violence back in their faces. You're right...it would have happened long before now if it was going to. This is about excusing the violence toward gay people that is already happening.
And our trusty he said, she said, their are two sides to every story corporate news media will go along with it. Oh yes...it's terrible how two gay men in New York were beaten by a man who told the police that "God made me hate gay people"...and that kid in Lawrence Kansas who got beaten after a Halloween party...and the student at Georgetown University...and those men who were chased by a couple of knife waving attackers on Long Island... But look at those ugly comments posting on those radical homosexual blogs...
8
Dan,
i always love reading your pieces, but i'm disappointed to see a grammar error in your bit here!
"doing what it always does: it's worst, demonizing gay people, kicking us when we were down..."
i know you know the difference between it's and its....you're a role model for your readers! don't let us down on the English language.
your admiring grammar police reader, SaucyB
i always love reading your pieces, but i'm disappointed to see a grammar error in your bit here!
"doing what it always does: it's worst, demonizing gay people, kicking us when we were down..."
i know you know the difference between it's and its....you're a role model for your readers! don't let us down on the English language.
your admiring grammar police reader, SaucyB
9
If they only had two or three T-Cells than what the hell were they doing walking around?
Anyway, like it said on Joe.My.God, to call those two comments potential threats of terrorism has no air of reality. The original comment warned AGAINST using terrorism to prove a point, and the anonymous poster was clearly joking. The point was that the fundies are monitoring pro-LGBT websites, looking for anything that might pass as a terrorist threat. The point, I believe, is to create a moral panic in their community, worrying people that the LGBT community are on the brink of using terrorist tactics.
I am not surprised at all. I visit PZ Myers' blog frequently, and we often have fundies commenting that they fear for their lives, atheists are all extremists that will cause the world to end, and we hate America and everything it stands for, etc. etc.. You also get the occasional threat of a law suit, or accusation that we are breaking the law. So yeah, the religious right are nuts, what's new?
Anyway, like it said on Joe.My.God, to call those two comments potential threats of terrorism has no air of reality. The original comment warned AGAINST using terrorism to prove a point, and the anonymous poster was clearly joking. The point was that the fundies are monitoring pro-LGBT websites, looking for anything that might pass as a terrorist threat. The point, I believe, is to create a moral panic in their community, worrying people that the LGBT community are on the brink of using terrorist tactics.
I am not surprised at all. I visit PZ Myers' blog frequently, and we often have fundies commenting that they fear for their lives, atheists are all extremists that will cause the world to end, and we hate America and everything it stands for, etc. etc.. You also get the occasional threat of a law suit, or accusation that we are breaking the law. So yeah, the religious right are nuts, what's new?
13
"As we learned just last week, there are ideologically driven terrorists who walk among us" says LaBarbera. Is he talking about the fundementalist christians who shoot abortion doctors? Or the um . . .
Let's see these narrow minded bigots stomp all over the equal rights of a small minority and then fear for their safety after pissing them off? How inconsiderate of those damn souls to fight back. Well really!!
Just when I think the level of hypocrisy can't get any worse someone comes along and says nonsense like this.
Let's see these narrow minded bigots stomp all over the equal rights of a small minority and then fear for their safety after pissing them off? How inconsiderate of those damn souls to fight back. Well really!!
Just when I think the level of hypocrisy can't get any worse someone comes along and says nonsense like this.
14
Thank you, Dan.
Having been in Maine for 3 weeks I take this a little more personally now. You knocked this one out of the park.
And kim (good morning by the way!)....um, I could go so MANY places with that penut butter cookies comment but...this is a family blog!
Having been in Maine for 3 weeks I take this a little more personally now. You knocked this one out of the park.
And kim (good morning by the way!)....um, I could go so MANY places with that penut butter cookies comment but...this is a family blog!
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