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01/26/2007
Perkins lashes out against liberals' militant anti-'f*ggot' agenda
Responding to the news that Isaiah Washington is attending treatment to overcome his gay-slurring ways, the Family Research Council's Tony Perkins (or, more likely, a ghost writer) says on his "Washington Update" site:
Widely criticized for using a "gay slur" to describe a co-star in a private conversation, Washington has been forced to choose between his opinion about homosexuality and his career. This week, the star checked into an inpatient treatment facility to "undergo intensive counseling about his anti-gay feelings." In America, this liberal brainwashing could easily become a norm should the first step of passing radical "hate crimes" legislation be approved by Congress. While the current proposal does not criminalize "hate speech," it paves the way for future laws to do so. As far as diversity goes, Hollywood should be less concerned about homophobia and more concerned about hypocrisy. The same people calling for Washington's re-education include proud name-callers like Rosie O'Donnell who last year equated Christians with terrorists. Where were the cries for Rosie to be checked into a faith-based rehabilitation center? It's time Hollywood learned that true tolerance isn't a one-way street--even in Beverly Hills.
Oh, leave it Perkins to parlay a celebrity's attempts to get back in the public's good graces into an attack on hate crimes legislation. What next, is he gonna use Lohan's stint in rehab as a vehicle through which to attack same-sex joint adoption? Unreal!
Analyzing Mr. P's words :
1) Mr. Washington didn't make his initial comment in a private conversation, but rather on a live TV set. He then repeated the word in the press room for the Golden Globes, quite possibly one of the least private situations in the world.
2) News for you, Mr. P. -- In America, making some sort of amends for using the word "f*ggot" is ALREADY the norm! No public person is going to get away with publicly using that word in any context. When it is directed at a co-worker, it could and arguably should lead one to lose their job. This is the case with ANY epithet in most any environment. If an FRC staffer used "the N word" to refer to another of your employees, we would hope you would take action as well!!
3) Hate crimes legislation is not hate speech legislation! You guys really need to stop muddying those waters!!!!! If our country tries to go that route, then we will have that debate then. You may be surprised how many gay activists will actually be on your side in not wanting to see such speech criminalized. But we are not yet having that debate, so please stop trying to make it seem as if we are.
4) What sort of hypocrisy is Hollywood showing here? Rosie O' Donnell does unapologetically speak her mind, but she is not a name caller! Even in the ridiculous Trump situation, she questioned his character and mocked his hair (she is a comedian, remember), but she did not resort to his childish tactics of attack. Mr. P., what she said in the example that you try and spin is that "radical Christianity is just as threatening as radical Islam." Agree or not, she did not demean Christians as a whole or one Christian in general, but rather extremists across the board! Her comments are much more analogous to someone saying that radical gay activism is just as dangerous as radical anti-gay activism, not to someone calling another a "f*ggot"! It's actually a bit offensive that you, Mr. Perkins, someone who condemns "militant homosexual activists" for a living would try and attack Ms. O'Donnell for expressing her views! But it is BEYOND offensive that you would try and link her to someone who used such a hurtful insult.
5) Hollywood does not need to learn that "tolerance isn't a "one-way street" -- folks like you, Mr. Perkins, need to learn that intolerance is a dead end! It's enraging that you "pro-family" types are so dead-set on condemning gays at every move that you can't even join us in condemning the use of a slur!! Eliminating the hurtful usage of these words should not be a partisan political game, but rather a universal goal!
It's unclear what sort of punishment Mr. Perkins would've liked Mr. Washington to receive. However, it's frightening how easily we can infer from his words that "pat on the back" would've been preferable in his eyes to "slap on the wrist."
ABC's 'Gay' Anatomy (2nd Item) [FRC]
(H/t: Reality Cubed)
Technorati Tags: Family Research Council, Isaiah Washington
Your thoughts
Hi! I just watched you on "In the Life"--and I want to tell you I totally support you, and I hope your parents get their heads out of their...you know, and accept you and Andrew. You're a totally cute couple, and I love your little dog!
I understand thick parents. My mom's cool, but my dad...he "helped" me edit my resume...he took out "potentially offensive" terms, like "feminist" and "peace march." I didn't have the heart to tell him what "LGBT" stood for; if he knew, he wouldn't have left that in either. I tried to tell him that the people I wanted to work with wouldn't be offended by words like feminist and peace march. He doesn't get it. What can I say?
Great job with this website! If I had a job I'd send you a contribution!
Posted by: renee patton | Feb 2, 2007 3:15:51 AM
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