Uppity Gays

Jim Burroway

March 11th, 2008

Oklahoma State Rep. Sally KernEarlier this week, we awarded Oklahoma Rep. Sally Kern the LaBarbara Award for her ludicrously malevolent statements recorded at a meeting when she thought nobody was listening. Since then, she’s been trying to explain how what she said wasn’t hateful, but were edited and taken out of context. While her remarks may well have been edited, it’s hard to imagine any “context” which could render them innocuous.

Kern also tried to explain that she aimed her remarks to the “homosexual activists” — you know, the ones with the agenda — and not the ordinary gays and lesbians who are just minding their own business:

I have made clear my opposition to the agenda of homosexual activists, but I have never endorsed or supported any hateful action targeting individuals on the other side of this debate and never will.

You can almost hear the word “uppity” there, can’t you?

But what about that “agenda”? Well this is where Kern refers local television reporters to the madcap duo of Matt Barber and Peter LaBarbera who are appalled — appalled! — that gays would dare to exercise their constitutional rights. That “gay agenda” they’re all worried about? It ain’t nuttin’ but the First Amendment:

Amendment I: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

Hat tip: Alvin McEwen for the Barber and LaBarbera cites.

Erica B.

March 11th, 2008

It is critical for her to make an apology, especially to her constituents. The fact that her first reaction is to claim that she’s being misunderstood means she fully believes everything she said and is continuing to stand behind it. Narrowing your target down to “wealthy, politically active homosexuals” instead of all gays and lesbians does not make any of your statements acceptable.

But, there’s not likely to be an apology, since she’s “standing up for God’s word” and

her only regret is her speech was out of context and that had she known she was being recorded, she would have said exactly the same thing

Oh, exactly the same thing? What happened to the claim that you were edited?

Nasty fearmongering harpy. I hope I am never represented by you or anyone of your ilk.

Emproph

March 12th, 2008

“As a Christian I love homosexuals,” says Rep. Kern. “I love everybody. God loves everybody.”

According to her we’re worse than terrorists, so what does that say?

John

March 12th, 2008

Gays having rights under the Constitution just like everybody else. Imagine that. How it must gall folks like this ‘gentelady’.

John

March 12th, 2008

Btw, I saw on a message board that Kerns’ son is gay and her husband is pastor at Olivet Baptist Church in Oklahoma City. Is this true? Is she really trying to say that her own flesh and blood is worse than al Qaeda?!? Well if so, let’s go with the so-called exgay mythos and lay the blame at her feet. They claim homosexuality is due to having an absent father and a dominate mother, so obviously she isn’t fit to be a legislator and neither is her husband fit to be a pastor. After all, they are both to blame for turning somebody loose onto society that is worse than a terrorist. Morons…

Regan DuCasse

March 12th, 2008

I wouldn’t want an extorted apology from this woman. Well, just WHAT context DID she mean?
She’s busted. She hates being caught, and even moreso hates being challenged by gay people.
How DARE they! You just know, probably in another conversation where she thinks no one could hear, she’s blaming militant gay activists for making her say it!

Jason D

March 12th, 2008

this is some messed up logic.

Let me see if I understand this, is it like….

“Oh, I wasn’t talking about Joe and Patty Homo. I was talking about Joseph and Patrica RichActivistHomo. I’m not threatened by everyday gay folks who keep their mouth shut and their lives in the closet. I just think that gays shouldn’t be in politics, and shouldn’t be trying to make it where they’re considered normal and everyone leaves them alone.”

That’s what it sounds like to me.

Or it sounds like when someone doesn’t like black folks. You point out that they have a black friend, and they go “Oh, but she’s different”.

“Oh, and I love everyone.”

How nice, put your money where your mouth is and apologize.

I love how she then tried to turn it around, all shocked that she’s getting threats and angry emails. She called us terrorists, don’t you think that someone would get angry about that?

Timothy Kincaid

March 12th, 2008

I love this article.

On one side you have Sally Kern “standing up for God’s word”.

On the other you have Reverend Loyce Newton-Edwards, Rabbi Russell Fox, and Reverend Scott Jones.

Any thinking person will see the irony.

Jason D

March 12th, 2008

“A vigorous debate on an issue is not ‘hate speech’ – it’s free speech. I have made clear my opposition to the agenda of homosexual activists, but I have never endorsed or supported any hateful action targeting individuals on the other side of this debate and never will. The fact that many gay rights activists claim anyone opposing their agenda is engaging in ‘hate speech’ says more about them than me.”

She’s compared us to cancer and called us terrorists. How is that NOT promoting hateful action? How is that NOT hate speech? Did terrorists and cancer suddenly become cuddly nuisances?

Stefano

March 12th, 2008

Erica B:

“It is critical for her to make an apology, especially to her constituents.”

It’s doubtful that any such apology will be coming any time soon. According to an article in todays “Oklahoman” newspaper, despite mounting pressure to censure Kern for her remarks House Speaker Chris Benge (R-Tulsa) said he has no plans to censure Kern. “We’re not putting a committee together, no,” he told the Oklahoman.

Asked by the paper if Kern’s remarks represent the House GOP caucus, Benge said: “Each member has their own opinion, there’s no way that I can say whether that reflects the rest of the Republican caucus or not.”

“Each individual member has thoughts about that, and I’m not sure what those would be,” he said.

And aside from the offensiveness of Kern’s remarks themselves, there is another thing that bugs me about this — the over all lack of national main stream media coverage outside the gay press or the Oklahoma media.

Not to denigrate antisemtic or racist remarks, but if such things had been said about these groups there would be a major outcry for her head from all the major press.

Stefano

March 12th, 2008

Errr.

This “Not to denigrate antisemtic or racist remarks” should have read…

Not to denigrate the [effects] of …]

M. Bergeron

March 13th, 2008

Love the photo. That vacant stare, the faux smile. It just screams cult! Come to Jeez-us, cooome… Yikes runawayrunaway!

Martin Lanigan

March 14th, 2008

The unfortunate reality is that Ms. Kern’s remarks are not an islolated example of Christian bigotry. Anti-gay bigotry is nourished in the very boosom of Christianity itself.

Benedict XVI himself rarely misses an opportunity to demonize the LGBT community:

“…abortion, birth control and same-sex marriage are threats to world peace, on the same level as nuclear arms proliferation, environmental pollution and economic inequality.”

http://www.bgay.com/news/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=85&Itemid=23

The parallels are striking, no?

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