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Wayne Besen
PO Box 25491
Brooklyn, NY 11202
Tonight I was on FOX's Hannity and Colmes. This issue was the Folsom Street Fair in San Francisco. The promotional material included a sexually charged depiction of the Last Supper painting. On the opposing side was Matt Barber from Concerned Women for America. There was not much time, but the points I tried to make were:
Free Speech: If people are offended by the leather fair - don't go. This is still America where we have freedom of speech (whatever Bush has not stripped). Personally, this event is not my cup of tea and the only thing leather I own are a pair of shoes. That is why I am not going - and the people of Concerned Women can make the same choice as I did and stay home.
The Event: This event is an adult themed costume party which the right is blowing out of proportion. Most of the people are going to have a good time. A few will get out of control. This is what happens at parades.
Double Standard: Groups like Concerned Women just love attacking gay events, but do not hold straight events to the same standard. Where are the moralist scolds and busy bodies when people at Mardi Gras are flashing private parts for beads? Why doesn't this represent the "heterosexual lifestyle"? Where are the moralists when it comes to Hooters, Spring Break and Wet-T-shirt contests? If it is not an opportunity to demean gay people, they just don't seem to care.
The Offending Poster: It is not an "attack" on religion, but a spoof. If the right did not want Christianity mocked, they would yank Rev. Pat Robertson or Ann Coulter off the air. They do 1,000 times more damage by making Christians appear mean-spirited, narrow-minded and intolerant. I can see why people might be offended, but I think the intention was to be funny and drum up attention for the event.
Smoke Screen: The right's indignation is a smoke screen. Conservatives are focusing on this issue because they are tired of America seeing positive images of gay and lesbian people. Our three biggest goals are to serve in the military, get married and be included in churches. Given this reality, it is no wonder the right wants to change the subject and talk about this controversial event.
18 Comments:
I am sure that Hannity will make you look like the narrow-minded, hatred filled fool that you are.
posted by Anonymous, at
9/25/2007 5:45 PM
Wayne, I wish you the best and hope you can top (so to speak)Hannity's odious clowning. But you are at a disadvantage. I keep thinking of an old saying "Never wash a pig's head, it wastes soap and annoys the pig." I know you will stand up for free expression and sex positive people, for human rights and sensible policy. Good luck in the lion's den.
posted by Anonymous, at
9/25/2007 5:50 PM
As a member of the right, I think you may have been under a rock or something Wayne, because the right does go after the things you say the right doesn't go after.
And as for what Matt said, if you go to You Tube, you can see videos of this pervert pride parade with men masturbating in public and other deviant things.
posted by Anonymous, at
9/25/2007 11:10 PM
No, pervert pride was the Family Impact Summit and the Values Voters Debate.
Why a bunch of nutjobs would leave their families to condemn the families of others is bewildering.
posted by Wayne Besen, at
9/26/2007 1:13 AM
These anonymous people (aka "ex gays") needs to get a life.
If anyone will eventually be caught publicly masturbating, it's Matt Barber. That guy and Peter LaBarbera come across to me as fuck buddies.
posted by S., at
9/26/2007 8:26 AM
OK, so someone managed to get a video of some gay guy masturbating in public at one of these fetish events. And therefore (let me guess:) all twenty-million american gays are perverts who should be stripped of all their liberties, right? Does anyone here actually think that makes any sense whatsoever?
Having said that: the picture of the Last Supper is wildly inappropriate. It shouldn't have been done. It's wrong.
posted by Anonymous, at
9/26/2007 9:08 AM
To the first poster. Hannity is a liar and a coward. He only picks on people he THINKS he might get the better of. Talk show host Ed Schultz has been challening him to a public debate repeatedly, but because Hannity knows big Eddie would wipe the floor up with him, Hannity always runs away with his tale between his legs. And to the jackass who brought up the masterbater at the Gay pride event--what about all the drunken heteros who fuck in doorways and alleys at Mardi Gras. Dont throw stones until your own shithouse has been cleaned up.
posted by Anonymous, at
9/26/2007 9:52 AM
Two months ago, I watched an episode of COPS. They were in Mardis Gras! The first arrest was a straight kid, around 22, who totally just dropped his pants and started playing with himself (ahem) in front of some sexy girl. The cops moved in fast and took him away. Boy, I wish I had known THEN that all you needed to have in order to to smear an entire group of millions of human beings was video footage of one of them acting like a sex pervert in public!
posted by Anonymous, at
9/26/2007 10:06 AM
Take a look at Dan Savage's SLOG and you'll see tons of spoofs of the Last Supper. If you're offended by the Leather Last Supper, then you should be offended by the others? Where's the outrage over them?
posted by Anonymous, at
9/26/2007 11:29 AM
Check out the discussion I'm involved in with a bunch of world net daily crazies on DIGG.
posted by Unknown, at
9/27/2007 6:39 AM
Wayne! Fantastic!
You rocked, I am very impressed with your words. It's hard to speak with the nutjobs making ridiculous accusations but you brought forth powerful counterpoints.
