George Langdon IV is a name we should all remember. He is a Republican member of the Albany County Legislature in New York. You can read the whole story here.
The remarks came when Langdon spoke at a seminar called A Return to Liberty Under the Constitution.
You can safely assume whose liberty we would be returning to….
“Everything God does is sustainable, it’s sustainable,” he said in the video, which has been circulated on social media. “It’s perpetual. ... Sorry, when you have homosexual relationships, it’s not perpetual. Give them an island, they’ll be gone in 40 years. Because God created us this way. There’s so much common sense that needs to be applied to our policies, our procedures that we do in our government.” He also said the concept of separation of church and state is “bogus.”
Of course there is an uproar and calls to kick him to the curb. So he issued a non-pology.
“I sincerely apologize to the LGBTQ community and all others for the hurtful remarks recently made at a conference,” he said. “I have never been homophobic nor do I think any individuals should be placed on an island. I deeply regret my foolish off-the cuff comment that has caused so much pain. I commit to doing a better job of respecting diversity. I hope my years of past public service demonstrate genuine concern for all individuals. I will be taking time to reflect on how to best serve moving forward.”
Oh right… he regrets his statement and he has never been homophobic. If you accept that fact, after he stated such a statement I have some land to sell you.
The reaction against him was strong.
Albany County Legislature Chairman Andrew Joyce, a Democrat. “It pains me to even remotely amplify the disgusting comments spewed out by Albany County Legislator George Langdon,” he said in a statement, according to the Times Union. “Listening to someone laughingly share an ugly, nightmarish scenario of our loved ones being ‘gone after 40 years’ shakes us all to our core, not only as public servants but as human beings. I call on him to apologize and resign. Not for 40 years, but forever.”
Albany County Executive Dan McCoy called Langdon’s remarks “wildly homophobic and hurtful” and said he should resign if they represent his thinking.
Why on Earth do people they can make such remarks and not be called out on them? I am sure his only regret was getting caught.