Co Senate Candidate: “You Have A Choice” To Be Gay; Focus Agrees

Jim Burroway

October 19th, 2010

Colorado GOP Candidate for U.S. Senate Ken BuckThe Colorado Republican Candidate for U.S. Senate, Ken Buck, said in an interview on Meet the Press Sunday that he thought being gay was a “choice”:

“You can choose who your partner is. You don’t think it’s something that’s determined at birth?” host David Gregory asked. “I think that birth has an influence on it like alcoholism and some other things but I think that basically you have a choice.”

Focus On the Family’s Jeff Johnston defended Buck’s comment:

Jeff Johnston, Focus on the Family social policy analyst, said Monday, “Alcohol affects your whole body, and so does sexual behavior. The highly addictive (aspect of both) is an apt comparison.”

Paul

October 19th, 2010

It sounds as if both Ken Buck and Jeff Johnston have a choice in their own sexual preference. Perhaps they would be happier and less likely to attack others if they went along with their gay-er side.

David in Houston

October 19th, 2010

So based on Mr. Buck’s logic, he could just as easily choose to be attracted to another man and fall in love with him. But (naturally) he has chosen not to do so. That would also make everyone a bisexual, if sexual orientation is simply a choice.

It took me 15 seconds to destroy his theory. Yet ignorant people like him (and Focus on The Family) are incapable of using reason, while clinging to their Bible to validate their homophobia. Pathetic.

lurker

October 19th, 2010

THIS is what galls me:

“Buck married his Princeton girlfriend in 1984, a marriage that was to end in divorce a decade later.”

from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Buck

His political positions are -purportedly- driven by his Christianity. The New Testament speaks out against divorce much more clearly and strongly than anything it says about homosexuality.

If he promised to love this woman in front of God, why couldn’t he just CHOOSE to continue to love her and stay married to her? After all, “you can choose who your partner is.”

lurker

October 19th, 2010

Oh, and this too:

“Buck supported a state constitutional amendment that would give rights to unborn fetuses, but then later withdrew his support reportedly after he found out that the measure would have restricted certain fertility and contraception procedures.”

What a hypocrite. Just because a policy is inconvenient for some of the *right* people (wink, wink) shouldn’t change a strongly-held moral position for which you’d severely restrict the rights of the *wrong* people (like those shameless unwed hussies).

Rob San Diego

October 19th, 2010

So that’s why I find I need to be drunk to have sex with another guy. That would also explain why I need to be high to have sex with my dog or dead relative. It all makes sense now.

Bernie

October 19th, 2010

Such ignorance!

I’m voting for Bennet here in Colorado. I’m also aprising everyone I know of this man’s ignorance, and advising them to vote for Bennet as well.

Regan DuCasse

October 19th, 2010

What IS it about straight people, that, with a straight face, will debate gay people about choosing or not?

How do they get to think they can argue or decide or declare what a gay person thinks, feels, intends or can, regardless of what the gay folks have to say about it however honestly and factually?

A person with no medical training,nor experience as a surgeon, would argue with one, can’t argue that they know more about surgery than said doctor.

So how can a person, with NO experience or understanding or in depth relationships with gay people, keep talking as if more knowledgeable about what being gay is?

Or that it’s a choice?

This is the most mind boggling and STUPIDEST thing I keep seeing over and over again.

I never tell a man what it’s like to have testicles and a man would look like an idiot lecturing me that he knows more about cramps than I do.

And yes, I tell straight people they DO look like idiots arguing in this way, for the aforementioned reasons I give.

Steve

October 19th, 2010

This is just more of the “gay is behavior” meme, this time with a proviso that is supposed to cut the sting out of any biological basis for SSA.

They’re not saying that SSA is a choice. They acknowledged that, like alcoholism, some people may be born with a predisposition towards SSA (not him, of course). But if you have “it”, you don’t have to act on “it”…the same way you don’t have to act on your alcoholism. This is secular “love the sinner, hate the sin” sort of stuff.

Apparently, he tried to explain himself to reporters news, “I am not a biologist and I haven’t studied the issue, but that’s my opinion,” Buck said. “I wasn’t talking about being gay as a disease. I don’t think that at all and I hope that no one would be that insensitive to try to draw that…I certainly didn’t mean it that way.”

But how else can you possibly construe it? If it’s not a disease, then you’re saying it’s certainly wrong, right? And if it’s a predisposition you’re born with but shouldn’t act on, then why should “it” have civil rights protections.

And by spinning the debate this way, the Wingnuts are able to talk out every orifice of their body. “Ex-gay” is simply not doing gay stuff…you can have gay thoughts…you can even fantasize about Brad Pitt while you have your twice yearly sex with your wife…as long as you do do your wife.

Steve from Colorado

October 19th, 2010

I sent an email to Mr. Buck asking him to provide me with the date on which he chose to be straight and why he made this all important, life changing decision at that particular time. So far no response.

Ben M

October 19th, 2010

“as long as you do do your wife.”

Or your mistress, or luggage lifter, etc. It’s not WHO you have sex with, it is that you have a wife. And if you happen to happen to have it with a dude, make sure you still have a wife.

mikeksf

October 20th, 2010

When I’ve had this discussion I always like the “tell me about your choice and how you made it” inquiry. It always provokes the best responses.

I’d also like to know if there’s a hetro reparative group for those who want to experience their true gay self. The counterpart of Exodus, except more fabulous and fun and liberating.

Timothy (TRiG)

October 20th, 2010

mikeksf, Tim Minchin was looking for a group like that.

TRiG.

Richard Rush

October 20th, 2010

mikeksf wrote,

I’d also like to know if there’s a hetro reparative group for those who want to experience their true gay self. The counterpart of Exodus, except more fabulous and fun and liberating.

I suspect there have been some people who, after signing up with Exodus, take one look at Randy, and say, “Oh my, I didn’t realize this was a hetero reparative group.”

Steve from Colorado

October 21st, 2010

Ken Buck has so far refused to back down on his statements suggesting that being gay is a choice and that homosexuality is in some way akin to an addiction like alcoholism.
He is betting that his tough man stance and his unwillingness to back away from controversial statements will make him stand out among other office seekers. I believe he hopes that this type of offensive speech will portray him as a true individualist who will bring change to Washington.
He very well may appeal to many of the rednecks who inhabit Colorado. Unfortunately, there are many in this state who are afraid to voice his thoughts but fully support his point of view.

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