October 17, 2004
Gay Bashers Pounce on Kerry's Remarks
What's all the fuss about John Kerry's reference to Mary Cheney's sexual orientation in the third Presidential debate? I mean it is not like that information is classified, or even a secret.
Sure, we expect the Republican party to pounce on any remark Kerry makes, in an effort to demonize him, that's what Republicans do.
But it seems there is more to it for anyone willing to examine the attacks on Mr. Kerry in an objective, rather than political, context.
Instead of attacking Kerry, the attackers may need to examine their own feelings towards gays.
Unless these people truly feel that being gay is a horrible sin and an abomination of humanity why would mentioning that someone is gay be so appalling?
Mr. Kerry didn't think the remark was out of order because, in his heart, he does not feel that being gay is such an abomination, something that the Bush camp must feel, or they wouldn't object to gay rights as strongly as they do.
So, on one hand, the Kerry bashers want to attack the candidate for reminding the public that someone close to the Bush campaign is gay (that IS an extraordinary contradiction that needs to be pointed out). Yet by doing so, aren't the Kerry bashers demonizing Mary Cheney's lesbian status more than they accuse Kerry of doing?
After all, if Republicans didn't think gays were so horrible, why would they take such exception to someone on their side being openly labeled as gay?
What if Mary Cheney was celibate or crippled? Would mentioning that on television be such a horrible thing? Many of us do not believe that being celibate, crippled or gay, is bad? (Not that there is any similarity between these things.) But if we accept gay culture, why is the fact that Kerry mentioned that Ms. Cheney is a lesbian such a big deal?
It would seem that the rhetoric says more about the Republican party's own intolerance - "if you do not share our ideology, you are evil" - and most of us know that is simply not true.
The more the Republicans harp on Kerry's remark, the more intolerable they appear. And intolerance is not what we need in the leadership of a country as multi-cultural and diverse as the United States.
What do you think? Sound off on the Bahamas Community Message Board.
Posted by admin at October 17, 2004 05:07 PM