"...And I don't want them to be brainwashed into thinking that homosexuality is an equally valid or successful option. It isn't. (APPLAUSE)"
He said it yesterday. But it does kind of seem like NY Gubernatorial candidate and religious cretin, Carl Paladino carefully timed his comments to the group of Orthodox Jewish leaders so that it would shake out all over National Coming Out Day.
"You're not equal, and you're not valid."
Paladino's not even embarrassed. Today he answered critics who slammed him immediately with accusations of homophobia.
"I'm not a homophobic. I have no reservations whatsoever about gays, except for marriage," he said.
The Tea Party-backed GOP nominee also said he would have no problem hiring gays and lesbians to work in his administration.
(...)
"I don't think it's proper for them to go there and watch a couple of grown men grind against each other," he said on the "Today" show, adding that he thinks "it's disgusting."
I happen to work with a religious zealot homophobic bigot. He crows about how he has had gay people working on his staff. As if having a gay person being at your beckon call somehow absolves you of any responsibility of decency. And he freely trots out names and conversations whenever his integrity is called into question, his little aces in the hole. A politician will accept the vote and the labor of a gay person. Big fucking surprise. Do you think that proves he's not Homophobic?
Do you think now might be a good time to go over what the definition of Homophobia is? I think some people think the literal, etiological transaltion of the word, "To Fear Same Sex" is the correct one. And their response to the charges seem to indicate that its what they believe they are defending, that is, their fear of gay people. Homophobes responses seem to indicate that what they need to prove is that they're "not afraid." I mean,the statement "I'm not afraid of that little bastard" would seem to clear things right up under that definition!
That's not what the word means. Unlike the fear of flying, the fear of heights, the fear of bird feathers, or the fear of commitment, Homophobia has more to do with a refusal to tolerate homosexuals, to accept them, to embrace them as equals, the refusal to grant rights, the refusal to be kind and enjoy their company.
So if you deny being a homophobe, you have to be prepared to then say you aren't going to stand on the side that refuses any of those things. When Carl Paladino says "I'm not homophobic" he is saying, he doesn't think gays should be denied rights to marry, rights to have a parade, rights to embrace gay youth and teach them that there is love for them out there and they don't need to hang themselves because the world isn't really full of Carl Paladinos.
But that's not what Carl is saying. He says, quite literally that he does wish to deny them those rights. He characterzes them as "disgusting" further advocating a sense of fear and loathing toward gay people. And he epitomizes the Homophobe by obsessing over the physical complexities of gayness like grinding and rubbing, a clear indication of a silent self loathing. And tell me boys, who can resist that gorgeous face!
I mean, my god look at him! Shave his head and put a light bulb in his mouth and you've got the POSTER BOY of sexuality.
So if Carl Paladino's goal was to try and curse National Coming Out Day by generating these hateful and dark images, this seething hate, this religious kookery ... you can fight back by coming out and outnumbering the hate. Because we will stand beside you, so long as you're honest and loving, and you're showing your true colors. No harm can come to you if we stand together.