Bigot of the Week Award: Mike Pence and Matt McLaughlin

No, I’m Not Gay!

Sadly, Republican Governor Mike Pence signed into law on Thursday the freedom to hate and discriminate. This law is fairly far-reaching in how it will impact many communities.

Yes, the obvious community it allows for hate and discrimination against is the LGBTQ community. I would also like to call attention to the fact that this “Religious Freedom” law also paves the way for police officers to refuse to defend mosques or synagogues because it may go against their Christian beliefs. This law now allows the refusal to help women experiencing domestic violence, as previous laws in place to advocate for women  may not apply to someone whose religion says someone may discipline their spouse and children however they deem proper. I presume this law also allows the medical profession to now legally deny women access to birth control.

Help me understand how this law is beneficial to anyone’s civil rights? How is this not about protecting the fear of white heterosexual Christian men?

Demonstrating his enormous privilege and horrific lack of reflection, Pence had the audacity to observe

This bill is not about discrimination, and if I thought it legalized discrimination in any way in Indiana, I would have vetoed it.

As icing on the one-man-one-woman-only wedding cake, he also signed the legislation in a private ceremony. Just a little shy about making your hate public, Governor?

In other atrocious news, a most dishonorable mention must go to Matt McLaughlin. McLaughlin is backing the bill in California called the Sodomite Suppression Act, which calls for the execution of gays with a bullet to the head. Goodness, McLaughlin certainly seems obsessed with anal sex! Gratefully, California Attorney General, Kamala Harris, is desperately trying to find a way to just dismiss this modern-day Nazi bill.

Enough awful news! I am in search of all of the many heroes that need celebrating.

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Bigot of the Week, April 25: Earl Bullard

Boss Hogg or Earl Bullard?

I want to thank my friend and LGBT ally, Jennifer Carey for inspiring me to address this week’s BWA.  Apparently, Earl Bullard and his cronies would prefer drunk drivers in the state of South Carolina to having LGBT folk, specifically Crystal Moore as the openly lesbian police chief of Latta, South Carolina.

Sadly, South Carolina is just one of 29 states that has no legal protection for LGBT folks.  Consequently, one can be denied employment for membership in the LGBT community.  Bullard seems more like a caricature after he spews his homophobic venom:

I would much rather have.. and I will say this to anybody’s face… somebody who drank and drank too much taking care of my child than I had somebody whose lifestyle is questionable around children.

Because that ain’t the damn way it’s supposed to be. You know.. you got people out there — I’m telling you buddy — I don’t agree with some of the lifestyles that I see portrayed and I don’t say anything because that is the way they want to live, but I am not going to let my child be around…I’m not going to let 2 women stand up there and hold hands and let my child be aware of it. And I’m not going to see them do it with 2 men neither.

My goodness. So according to Mayor Earl Bullard children are far safer riding in a car with a drunk driver than a sober lesbian police chief? I must confess, I am having some difficulty grasping the logic here.  I suspect our Bullard also believes there is a Big Gay Agenda trying to take over the world — bwah-ha-haah!

CALL TO ACTION: Bullard’s behavior only proves how desperately we need to pass ENDA and protect the LGBT community from discrimination. Currently, it is legal under federal law to fire someone for being gay. Under state and local law, it depends on each state and municipality whether gay people are protected in employment. Act locally AND nationally — if you have local protection laws, ensure they are enforced; if not, work to get them passed. This year’s midterm elections are a great opportunity to ensure that the next Congress will be ENDA supporting.

DISHONORABLE MENTION this week goes to Georgia’s legislature and Gov. Nathan Deal. In their infinite wisdom, they have passed the most generous concealed carry law in the nation, allowing guns in schools, libraries and numerous other public places. The law also starkly reduces penalties for being caught with a firearm in an airport making the world’s busiest airport, Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson, one of the most dangerous.

Bigot of the Week Award, January 31: Thomas Perkins and the Wall Street Journal

Bigot of the Week

Sadly, there was yet again a plethora of bigots to choose from this week, but none  so clearly sank to such a nasty level as this BWA, making this week’s winner  an easy choice. Venture capitalist Thomas Perkins wrote a letter to the Wall Street Journal complaining about the way the rich are treated in the United States. Yes, you read that correctly, this rich, straight, white guy is feeling mistreated because a few progressive voices are complaining about the lopsided distribution of wealth and inequitable treatment of people based on their net worth.

The myopia and hypocrisy would be tragically laughable, but Perkins managed to work in a bizarre Nazi reference and some aggressive anti-Semitism.

Writing from the epicenter of progressive thought, San Francisco, I would call attention to the parallels of fascist Nazi Germany to its war on its “one percent,” namely its Jews, to the progressive war on the American one percent, namely the “rich.” … Kristallnacht was unthinkable in 1930; is its descendant ‘progressive’ radicalism unthinkable now?

Did anyone else throw up while reading that? What is this man smoking? American progressives are the “descendants” of the Nazis? Jews in 1930s Germany were the equivalent of Perkins, Romney, Koch, and the other malevolent 1%ers in America? Perkins has no shame, no sense of history, and a stunning lack of awareness of his own power and privilege.

Perkins’ writings were horrific enough. Sadly, the Journal saw fit to print them. Going one step further, after an unprecendented wave of protest hit the paper, the editors published a feature entitled “Perkinsnacht.”  They called his letter “unfortunate, albeit provocative” — begging the question of why they published it — and then stepped up the hypocrisy with this gem:

the vituperation is making our friend’s point about liberal intolerance — maybe better than he did.

So, people calling a nasty bigot a nasty bigot is intolerant? Blasting anti-Semitic, hyper-privileged nonsense as nonsense is intolerant? I don’t think that word means what the editors think it means. This is such a grotesque situation that it leaves me in despair.  Are we to really supposed to pity people who carry enormous amounts of power, wealth, and privilege? I worry that not only does Perkins have no moral compass, but that the Wall Street Journal also lacks any sense of proportion or irony.

Dishonorable mention goes to long-time conservative hack Michelle Malkin, who opted to use her column inches this week to defend Perkins. Wringing her hands about the “grievance industry” of “wealth-shaming,” she accused Perkins’ detractors of participating in a “bullying epidemic.” Just a note, Ms. Malkin — the last refuge of a bully is accusing others of bullying…

Bigot of the Week Award: September 21, Rupert Everett

Bigot of the Week

This week’s BWA was a particularly sad one for me to write.  I am consistently sad when I learn of self-loathing gays who internalize oppression.  Rupert Everett, star of An Ideal Husband, The Importance of Being Earnest, Shrek II, and many other films, proved to be an amazing disappointment and demonstrated both his self-loathing and his privilege.

In an interview with The Telegraph Everett stated, “I can’t think of anything worse than being brought up by two gay dads.”  Really? You can’t think of anything worse? Wow, what a privileged life you live.  I hear Mitt Romney is looking for self-loathing gays such as yourself for endorsements.

Another statement of Everett’s revealed his ignorance of his own power, influence, and privilege: “I’m not speaking on behalf of the gay community. In fact, I don’t feel like I’m part of any ‘community.” If only it were that simple, Mr. Everett.

I’m embarrassed for you that I have to explain this, but you see you are a major celebrity and regardless of your intent, people will be guided by what you say.  Your influence is disproportionate by design of your celebrity. You have not only proven to be most ungenerous to your LGBT brothers and sisters, but you have proven that your own internalized oppression has rendered you a homophobic bigot.  You are also clearly not a man of science, which has demonstrated that children from same-sex parents are actually more well adjusted than children from opposite sex parents.  You must have the same science background as the bigot Mark Regnerus. You are now 53 years old.  Might I suggest a good therapist for you?

Bigot of the Week Award: August 17, State Representative Andy Gipson (MS)

Bigot of the Week

Thank you to my friend Chris Wilson for inspiring me to write this article.  This was a very difficult article to compose, for it terrifies me and reminds me that people who have no sense of history are dangerous and scare me personally. Andy Gipson, Republican Mississippi State Representative posted on his Facebook page that  gays should be put to death, as he quotes from the bible:

If a man has sexual relations with a man as one does with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They are to be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.

In an email exchange over this post with UnityMS, he firms up his position:

To be clear, I want the world to know that I do not, cannot, and will not apologize for the inspired truth of God’s Word. It is one thing that will never “change.”

Ordinarily I try to leaven these awards with some wit, to point out hypocrisy (like cherry-picking your verses from Leviticus) and skewer idiocy and mendacity with sharp contrasts. This particular bigot filled me with such rage and sorrow that I had to walk away from my keyboard while contemplating what to say. This man, elected to serve all his constituents, wishes death on a whole population to satisfy his narrow faith. That’s the simple truth of it. That simple truth makes him a bigot and makes him an easy winner of this week’s award. How can I not take this personally? This bigot and pathetic man has said he wishes me and my husband dead just because we are gay.  Who would Jesus hate?

Gipson would also win the Coward of the Week, clearly lacking the courage of his convictions. When the story broke nationally, he simply took down his Facebook page rather than stand behind his beliefs. When the Huffington Post rightly observed that he clearly advocated murder, he posted a weaselly non-retraction, trying to rationalize away the impact of his white-hot hate. Using that passage from Leviticus to call out perceived sin also identifies a punishment and implicitly approves of it. This kind of behavior is why the Family Research Council is labelled a hate group, whether they approve of the label or not. This kind of thinking put millions into death camps seventy years ago.

Gipson called for the execution of people based solely on an aspect of their humanity. This kind of declaration is unacceptable in a public servant and should be rewarded with the loss of office.  So Mr. Gipson, who will be next on your target list of those you think should die? Who appointed you to a position of who gets to live and die?  I only pray that you are not allowed any children and that your venom does not cause another teen suicide. May you deal with your internal demons and I will try to feel sorry for you, rather than be full of rage at your behavior.

Bigot of the Week Award: August 3, House Democrats Opposing Tax Fairness

Bigot of the Week

This week 19 House Democrats put self-interest ahead of leadership and bailed on a key piece of legislation. Last week Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid exceeded all expectations and crafted a brilliant deal that allowed a great tax cut compromise to pass the Senate. The bill extended the cuts for taxpayers making less than $250,000 a year, protecting the middle class during the fragile economic recovery. By ending the cuts for those with higher incomes, it also introduced greater fairness into the tax system–truly a broken clock moment for our Harry Reid.

The bill was unlikely to pass in the House, of course, but it sent a strong message. The Republicans in the House shot it down on Wednesday — big shock. Sadly, 19 Democrats voted against the bill, joining the Republican chorus of class warfare. The majority of the 19 Representatives who crossed the aisle were so-called Blue Dog Democrats (or what I like to call Tea Bag Democrats), a loose caucus of “moderate and conservative” Democrats. Many are also in tight re-election contests or in badly gerrymandered new districts. These are not sufficient excuses.

It is a given that most Republicans will not vote for the Democrat. It is also true that the Senate approach to the tax cuts is very popular (polling at or above 60%), especially with independent voters and in swing states. What these 19 cowards have done is sold out the middle class and the most vulnerable for a callous political calculation. Why should Democratic voters in their districts care about showing up at the polls if they are offered a choice between two people who vote against them? Why should independent voters prefer a Democrat if that person voted against their preferences? Shame on you, Representatives! Bad dogs!

Personally, I am sad to see Rep. Kurt Schrader from Oregon’s 5th District on this list and grateful that the recent redistricting moved me into Rep. Blumenauer’s district. Oregonians are hurting, Rep. Schrader; why did you vote against 98% of them?

Bigot of the Week Award: July 27, Mike Huckabee and His Fellow Diners…

Bigot of the Week. (Hiiyaa!)

As the Bigoted Ship of Fools sets sail to Chick-Fil-A, we see Mike Huckabee as the captain and Rick Santorum as Cruise Director.  The gaggle of chicken-peckin’ bigots form the ghastly crew eagerly swallowing hate.  Ms. Piggy is NOT PLEASED!

As though it were not bad enough that the bigot Huckabee decided to whore himself out to Chick-Fil-A after he learned that decent people were boycotting the tainted poultry, Rick Santorum felt there was not enough crazy in the seasoning and had to add his voice of hate. Ever since Dan Cathy, the king of the rancid rooster, made his recent remarks regarding the LGBTQ community, the full scope of his company’s toxic toil has come to light. Chick-Fil-A and the Cathy family have donated millions of dollars to companies that are not just anti-equality, but that are registered hate groups. Let them put their money where they will; millions of potential customers will gladly do the same!

Huckabee has called for “Chick-Fil-A Appreciation Day” on August 1; Santorum got all man-on-sandwich excited and engaged in premature mastication, tweeting from one of the restaurants earlier this week. It seems likely that the appearance of this putrid poultry pair will put diners off their feed.

Three cheers to the Jim Henson Co. for ending all relations with Chick-Fil-A. Three jeers to the chain for telling staff to pretend that Muppet toys were pulled for “safety concerns.” Cheers also to Boston Mayor Tom Menino, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel, Chicago Alderman Joe Moreno, and Philadelphia Councilman James Kenney for questioning how Bigot-Fil-A “values” fit with their cities’ non-discrimination policies. Let’s chop this bigoted chain back down to its original size, the Dwarf House.

Bigot of the Week Award: January 27, Pastor Patrick Wooden

Bigot of the Week

Thank you to my friend Ken for nominating Wooden for this week’s BWA.  How sad to see yet another religious leader spewing such venom and hate in the guise of Christianity, or what I like to call the new KKKristianity. Pastor Wooden, like many homophobes, is obsessed with men having sex with men.  He appeared with Peter LaBarbera (huge closet queen) to deliver his words of HATE.  Wooden said:

The God of the Bible made the human sperm, the God of the Bible designed it and it was not designed to be emptied into an area that is filled with feces, there is nothing for it to germinate with, it will most certainly mean the extinction of the human race. My belief is that if the medical community would just step forward and just would share with the American people what happens to the male anus, the problems that homosexuals have with their rectums, the damage that is done, the operations that are needed to sew up their bodies if you will, and how many of the men don’t even give these stitches time to heal before they are back out there practicing that wicked behavior. Some are bleeders, men who are not turned off by ingesting the feces of other men.

If the truth was told, people would literally gag and no one would want to be in a lifestyle like that. Who wants to practice anything that is going to ultimately lead a grown man to about the time he’s in his 40s or 50s, or what not, having to wear a diaper or a butt plug just to be able to contain their bowels?

Wow!  Wooden sure does think about anal sex an awful lot.  I suspect he probably owns a butt plug of his own.  Forgive me for injecting actual truth here, but heterosexuals engage in anal sex as well!  I did not realize that people’s sex lives was any of Wooden’s business. I suppose he isn’t interested in being troubled by any medical facts while he spews out his lies and exaggerations; those pesky facts are so troublesome when you have hate to spread.

What worries me more is that Wooden is African-American and the message he is sending out to young people of color is dangerous!  We need to support and raise up our LGBT Black brothers and sisters!  Shame on you, Pastor Wooden.  How long before your boy toy jumps out of the closet?

Bigot of the Week Award: August 26, Rabbi Yehuda Levin

Bigot of the Week

What a sad week.  There was no shortage of bigots to be found.  I need to thank friend and fellow blogger, True Confessions of a Female Motorcyclist, for inspiring me to write about this week’s BWA.  Apparently, the LGBT community is far more powerful than I even knew. I shall have to write the President of the Gay Agenda and let him know of our super powers.

Rabbi Yehuda Levin has now created a youtube video blaming gays for the earthquake on the east coast this week.  Apparently, we have also used our super powers to cause hurricane Irene.  His statements scapegoating gays certainly earns him the BWA.  The Bigot Levin was quoted as saying: “You have shaken your male member in a place where it doesn’t belong. I too will shake the earth.”  Is it me, or does he seem obsessed with what men are doing with our “members?”   While I hate to direct anyone to his youtube viedo, here it is if you feel compelled to witness his hate speech.

Because his comments are not only bigoted but completely insane, I am not even going to dignify them with a direct response.  My hope is that he and Mark Bachmann find each other and one day celebrate their love openly.

I also feel compelled to offer a dishonorable mention to this week’s BWA.  Thank you to my friend Jen Lockett for inspiring me to share this. Unfortunately, the homophobic bigot, Jerry Buell from Florida, was reinstated after posting hateful anti-gay comments on Facebook. While I certainly support his right to Free Speech and “will defend to the death to protect it,” I do not believe he should be in a classroom around students who would be guided by his views.  He is in a position of power and he is abusing that power.  His syllabus says:

I teach God’s truth, I make very few compromises. If you believe you may have a problem with that, get your schedule changed, ’cause I ain’t changing!

Buell has also said that his classroom is his “mission field.”  I think it is safe to say he will not be protecting LGBT students from bullying at his school.  As someone who was an educator for over 20 years, all I can say is that I’m disgusted with Buell and the Superintendent for reinstating him–I would not feel my child was safe near this bigot.

Bigot of the Week Award: August 19, Adam Carolla

Bigot of the Week

Adding himself to the list of so-called comedians who think homophobia is funny, Adam Carolla rants his way into this week’s Bigot of the Week Award. On his regular podcast, Carolla launched into a tirade against the LGBT community, wondering:

When did we start giving a shit about these people?

He was particularly viscious toward the transgender community, tellling them to “shut up” and “stop ruining my life” while making some very nasty comments about Chaz Bono. Sadly, this is part of a long history of homophobia and racism from Carolla.

Like the other homophobes caught in the spotlight, Carolla offered a tepid apology. In his case, it was so weak that not even GLAAD, which accepted apologies from Tracy Morgan and Kobe Bryant, took him at his word. His defense?

I’m a comedian, not a politician.

Really? Carolla should pick up a dictionary. Comedians are supposed to be funny and hate should never equal humor.