Fred Phelps rears his ugly head.

[Roadtoad]

I have disagreements with certain gay people: I couldn't stand the movie Howard the Duck, while a gay friend of mine thought it was the funniest thing he'd ever seen. (He also thinks Rush Limbaugh is a "pinko," so you take it from there.)

As to the Gay Movement, how do you define that? Are we talking about the Log Cabin Republicans, or ACTUP? I hate this desire of some people to set up "spokesmen" for certain groups, mainly because the goal of such an act is to marginalize the group. And while Year Zero will declare that I'm setting up a strawman, I think with some honest examination, you'll realize that's exactly why it happens.

Frankly, I think Terry, AntiqueHunter, and Darat are perfect examples of why this sort of thing doesn't work. They all have differing opinions on a number of issues. To choose someone to act as a "spokesman" is to try and remove other voices from the debate. And, frankly, I think Mycroft hit the nail on the head with his translation.

Which is why YZ is on my ignore list.

 

[Roadtoad]

Mycroft:

Phelps is far more dangerous than any "sideshow freak." He's so far out there, that he makes anything less extreme seem normal. He makes people's prejudices more plausible, more acceptable. "How can I be a homophobe? I'm nothing like that Fred Phelps!"

Except you won't hire gays and lesbians, nor will you rent a home to them, nor will you stand up and defend them when they're right.

See what I mean?

 

[TragicMonkey]

Fred Phelps is one of the best supporters of gay equality around. Simply by being his extremely disturbed self, he pushes people into being more tolerant via the average person's revulsion for his antics.

After reading some of the articles on his life and past, I actually don't hate him anymore. It's pretty clear that he is seriously psychologically ill, and the insane are to be pitied, not hated.

 

[Skeptic]

It's pretty clear that he is seriously psychologically ill...

...wellllllllllllll, that depends if you use the older definitions that consider homosexuality a mental illness. If ol' Freddy doesn't have a stash of gay porn videos in an attic somewhere, I'll eat my hat.

 

[webfusion]

Best exchange in the thread:

================================
fowlsound: Please do not post after drinking or ingesting drugs.
freakshow: Oh, s***! There go 95% of my posts, right there!
================================

That's going into my sig line. Classic.

 

[LostAngeles]

What's the mainstream view on gays? Isn't it that they're just people?

 

[Roadtoad]

What's the mainstream view on gays? Isn't it that they're just people?

One would think so, if one were blessed with decency.

 

[RandFan]

Isn't it that they're just people?

Soylent Green is people.

 

[LostAngeles]

Soylent Green is people.

Does that mean that Soylent Green is gay, or just some Soylent Green and if so, perhaps this is what perturbs Year Zero about homosexuality?

 

[Mycroft]

Mycroft:

Phelps is far more dangerous than any "sideshow freak." He's so far out there, that he makes anything less extreme seem normal. He makes people's prejudices more plausible, more acceptable. "How can I be a homophobe? I'm nothing like that Fred Phelps!"

I guess I never really thought about it that way. I always supposed people would be more likely to reject homophobia from it's association with people like Phelps.

 

[BS Investigator]

I'm all for free speech, but if you start showing up at people's funerals shouting this kind of garbage, don't be surprised if you get your lights punched out, Phelps!

 

[TragicMonkey]

I'm all for free speech, but if you start showing up at people's funerals shouting this kind of garbage, don't be surprised if you get your lights punched out, Phelps!

I'm surprised nobody's put a bullet in him yet.

I mean, I'm not easily shocked by crazy statements or opinions, but celebrating 9/11 and picketing soldiers' funerals...that makes my stabby sense tingle.

 

[Mark]

Let's start with: What are you problems with "the gay movement?" You brought it up. Now please explain.

Based on the drivel I just read, I gather his main objection to the gay rights movement is that it exists at all.

 

[Chaos]

I'm surprised nobody's put a bullet in him yet.

I mean, I'm not easily shocked by crazy statements or opinions, but celebrating 9/11 and picketing soldiers' funerals...that makes my stabby sense tingle.

I think we´ll have to wait for that until he starts picketing NRA meetings

 

[Roadtoad]

I think we´ll have to wait for that until he starts picketing NRA meetings

HOPE!