Good As You

Ouch.. this was painful to read.

I "liked" how this guy claims to have done research on it, and thus knows that gays are all crazy sex-addicted sluts :\

Paul Cameron much?

It's called creating a straw man argument. And when you do that, you control the argument from beginning to end, especially the outcome.

It is obvious that this is what that young man is doing.

Just proves the old adage, that free advice is usually worth what you pay for it. But, in this case, we should ask for a refund of the number of minutes that we spent reading his drek.

That was...verbal diarrhea. It didn't make sense, he doesn't have half his points right - gays do get denied jobs, gays have been the victim of arson (as a hate crime).
and seems to think we want people to like us, the gay community is not drowning in sex and sexual innuendo(Ellen and Rachel Maddow seem to keep their clothes on for the camera most of the time).

He seems to not understand the gay community, celebrities, government, the issues the gay community faces, or simple human emotions. His whole rant is all stereotype after sterotype after misunderstood point. Gah, nightmare!

Here’s a tip, Pat. If you don’t want to “appear” gay on-line, you may want to tone down the DRA-MA!
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This was my favorite part:

“I did some research...

I noticed that everything in the Rainbow Community (from selling shoes to booze, toes to nose, hat to cat, shirt to skirt, jacket to racket, ball to mall, food to lewd) is ultra drenched in the SELLING OF SEX.”

Oh, yeah, he's got it ALL figured out, doesn't he?

Just like his rambling, almost incoherent attempt at an analogy about his choice of partner not requiring the "approval" of his parents or anyone else, so we shouldn't worry about such acceptance, either.

Of course, nobody's voting on taking away his rights to marry that person just because they don't agree with his choice of partners, are they?

Kinda' invalidates the argument, huh?

Some things are so stupid, they're actually painful to read. The seemingly random use of capitol letters doesn't help. Neither does condescending tone of the whole thing.
That wasn't a straw man, it was an army of them.

I stopped halfway through. I really don't want a migraine tonight.

How much stupid was packed into it?
To pick one example, he complains that gays use sex to sell everything. Didn't Campbell's soup come under fire for a thoroughly innocuous ad that appeared in "The Advocate" depicting a lesbian couple and their child?

Hmmm that's quite upsetting to read, but no more so than having christmas dinner with my family, who more or less share his point of view.

I think its a mistake to ignore his points out of hand since it is a worthwhile insight into the 'other' point of view. If we don't address the misunderstandings, prejudices, illogic and opinions he has shared then we will forever be speaking to our own audiences only. We need to break though the divide to win this argument.

The 'tag-team' tactic is an excellent point. It was always the wrong tactic.

The perception of all pervading sexual culture needs to be countered by some simple example of two teens sitting on a bus holding hands. If they are boy/girl people smile, if they're same sex, people hurl abuse or worse. Its not sexual if its straight but its confrontingly sexual if its gay.

The 'strident' comment is the same thing Obama worked against through his campaign: no matter what was thrown at him he must never show frustration or anger - because that is like an angry uppity black man of all (prejudice) white peoples' nightmares. It sucks but we have to take that on board as a tactic.

One of the things that the yes on 8 campaign did very well was create ads with stories that people could relate to in their own lives about the way the issue might affect them. We should do the same. Little short films telling stories of vilification, hatred, prejudice, being sacked, spat on, killed.... for being gay.

Most importantly though is addressing the idea of choice. We all need to come out(again) with the story of when we realised we were different - so that straight people can start to understand that it isn't a choice any more than their first attractions were a choice.

He's right. Gays are absolutely never discriminated against in jobs or housing. Oh wait, they are! And they're never harassed by law enforcement for being gay...except that we ARE! Hell, I could tell stories about my own experiences for twice being pulled over for driving while gay (that's a DWG).

And of course, heterosexual culture is never drenched in sex. Ever. Except for massive hit movies like "SEX And The City." Or TV shows. Or commercials. Or music videos. Or...

This man obviously had a lot of time on his hands. I'm guessing his internal censor drank himself to death.

GregK: As one who hasn't been invited to his biological family Xmas in years (at least not as an out gay man with a partner), I 100% agree that he gives insight into the way lots of people thing. I always look for the learning opportunities, and that is my takeaway here. However, I'd argue that we are already doing many of the things you suggest. For example, I would say:

-We are using non-sexualized imagery -- other than the ads that are to a large degree out of my control, you will never see me use a shirtless guy unless to make a comedic point. The same can be said for most of our national groups.

-Most people who speak publicly on LGBT issues are using measured, confident responses rather than strident rage. Due to the personal nature of the subject matter, sometimes emotions inform the response and anger organically creeps in. But we are hardly the "militants" that people still want us to seem.

-As for the yes on 8 ads: Well I think No on 8 certainly tried to show the "movable middle" how they could relate marriage equality to their own lives. Unfortunately, that came to mean hiding the actual gay people. But I would agree that more and bigger anti-hate campaigns should air, and I have certainly seen several powerful ones. I think the primary problem there is securing financing/broadcast time/ etc.

So yea, my major problem with his letter (if looked at objectively) is that he's using extremes to paint us as a monolith, asking us to "defend" this one certain kind of group that he has branded "The Rainbow Community." From my experience as one who deals with all facets of the LGBT movement, his is nowhere close to an accurate portrait. Now, like you said, we have to figure out how to deconstruct this portrait for those who subscribe to it. And yes, coming out is KEY!

the CAPS LOCK compels you to obey...

I ONLY TYPE IN CAPS. LOOK AT ME, GODDAMMIT.

Well, obviously this guy hasn't heard of the fagbug or the countless encounters with police officers because a person is displaying a rainbow sticker on their vehicle. Obviously they haven't read a paper in a while and found out that violence against LGBT people is soaring in the name of "GOD" and obviously, he hasn't seen the recent reports where doctors are now allowed to refuse treatment on "moral grounds".

That being said, I don't think the LGBT Equality struggle is the same as the African American movement in many respects, it's more like that of the Jewish people - who were less visible socially and still suffer in many parts of the world. As to the relationship, their are certain legal precedents established with those past struggles that are certainly relevant (i.e. Loving v. Virginia). He may also forget that the Christian Identity Movement declared Blacks as non-christians and felt they were all doomed to hell and "less" than the White "real" Christians.

There are so many things this person obviously does not know...

I find mustard repugnant, the thought of someone "CHOOSING" to eat mustard disgusts me. Therefore, if I were to vote whether or not people should be allowed to eat mustard, would I therefore vote that they should not? No, because some people like mustard and they should be allowed to eat it... but I will still refuse to eat mustard, touch mustard or wash a dish which has mustard on it (yes, my aversion is that extreme and like those with a significant aversion to LGBT people, I should probably get therapy for it).

I just don't get how someone who is so 'mind boggled by 2 guys making out' can spend so much time & energy - MUCH OF IT IN CAPS - for the simple reason to help(?) our community.

What a swell guy! Let's help him & his imaginary friend get their prayers in school shall we? After all - he's gone 2 so much trouble!

I will admit that the majority of America - the majority of gays for that matter - are unaware of the discrimination and violence that so many still face.

We, as a monolithic community, has resoundingly failed to raise this vital sort of awareness within or without our community.

Uh-oh.... watch out. This brainiac is very toxic. He's a fundy who may work for 'Serpentwise Films' in Chicago, IL. Tried calling but the phone is disconnected.

Unbelievable. Please, Mr. Williams, don't tell us there is no similarity between blacks, women and gays. While they do not match together as concrete as you argue, the essence of "inferiority" pervades --- therefore there is a valid crucial similarity. I agree with many others on this site; and I have nothing else to add.
When marriage equality occurs, I will be very satisfied that justice has arrived.

Ow! Teh stupid! It burnnnns!

I tend to avoid things that have lots of paragraphs with all caps, and I see I'm right in my ways.

In any case, the wondrous and brilliant Bill S has composed a most thorough slam down thingy of this Mr. L. Pat Williams and it has been lovingly recorded at World O Crap!

Enjoy the snarky goodness here:
http://world-o-crap.com/blog/?p=1192