Jack Markell, Governor of Delaware, as he signed marriage equality
into law:
"I do not intend to
make any of you wait one minute longer."
I would say they’ve waited long enough.
Good going Delaware, and Governor Markell.
Another one down, forty more to go. Next stop, Illinois and
Minnesota.
President Obama, on supporting LGBT-inclusive
immigration reform:
"The LGBT community should be treated like everybody
else. That's the essential core principle behind our founding documents. The
idea that we're all created equal and we're equal before the law...And so
Senator Leahy may present this provision in committee, it may be presented on
the floor. It will be one of many amendments and provisions, some of which I
support. Some of which I think are really bad ideas...I can tell you I think
that the provision is the right thing to do. I'll also tell you that I'm not
going to get everything I want in this bill. Republicans are not going to get
everything they want in this bill."
That first sentence is all that needs to be said.
Chris Kluwe, on gays in locker rooms:
"Has there ever been
a single reported case of sexual harassment in a professional sports
environment by one player toward another? What makes you think that because all
of a sudden a player is allowed to openly be himself that he's immediately
going to start mounting every guy in sight? Isn't that the very definition of
narcissistic tendencies by straight men who think that way? What makes you
think you're that player's type, or that he would ever be attracted to
you?"
True dat.
Esera Tuaolo, former NFL player and openly gay man,
on Jason Collins' coming out:
"What kept me from playing to my full potential is what people
need to realize. When you're in the closet and you're living with this
crippling secret, you're living with depression, you're living with suicidal
tendencies, you're living with blackouts, you're living with stress. That's
what I played with, and it was very difficult to play to the best of my
ability, to the fullest of my potential when you're carrying all of that with
you. What Jason did was absolutely amazing. And I can relate with him when he
said when he came out he felt complete. He felt whole."
Straight folks don’t
recognize the shame that is a life in the closet because they have never had to
be closeted.
Asante Samuel, Atlanta
Falcons cornerback, on openly gay NFL player:
"Straight people are
not announcing they're straight, so why does everybody have to announce their
sexuality or whatever? You know, what they prefer. So that's just how I see it.
That's my opinion on things. All respect you know, I have nothing but respect
for the people whoever decisions they make and whatever, but you know, you
don't have to show it and flaunt it like that. You know what I'm saying, we
have kids out here too. I don't think it's something we have to express
and let be known of what my sexuality preference is - just stick to sports....I
don't want to teach my kids those things. I teach my kids God. You know, how
God lives his life."
Oh, Asante, you announce
you’re straight every time you talk about a girl. See, gay folks don’t want to announce that we’re
gay. I don’t walk into rooms and say, “Hi, I’m, Bob and I am a flaming
homosexual.” I might say, “My partner, Carlos …..” I might say “Carlos and I …”
That isn’t an announcement,
it’s a conversation. Asshat.
Bishop Thomas Tobin, of Rhode Island, telling Catholics to stay away from
same-sex weddings or risk pissing off God:
"At this moment of
cultural change, it is important to affirm the teaching of the Church, based on
God’s word, that 'homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered,' (Catechism of
the Catholic Church, #2357) and always sinful. And because 'same-sex marriages'
are clearly contrary to God’s plan for the human family, and therefore
objectively sinful, Catholics should examine their consciences very carefully
before deciding whether or not to endorse same-sex relationships or attend
same-sex ceremonies, realizing that to do so might harm their relationship with
God and cause significant scandal to others."
Oh, Bishop Tobin, the tide is changing and you’re going to
be left behind and remembered for your hate speech and your homophobia and your
bigotry that you spewed in the name of God.
You don’t speak for her any more than you speak for the majority of Catholics.
Tony Casillas, former Dallas Cowboy, saying he knew
some gay NFL players:
“I know that I played with homosexual
players and I knew this when I was playing. There’s a certain amount of
intimacy in the locker room, I’m not talking in a personal way, but intimacy as
far as working hard and being that close together, as far as accomplishing
something on the football field. The problem is this society. That’s why I
applaud Jason Collins for coming out. Being a professional athlete people
expect you have this shield around you where you can’t pretty much show your
true nature, if you will, and you’re feelings and I think for him to be able to
do that — I think there may be a domino effect with this."
There have been gay men in team sports since there have been
team sports.
Build a bridge, folks, and get over it.
Alan Keyes, three times failed presidential candidate and three
times failed Senate candidate, on the BSA and The Gays:
"The latest proposal
for ending the BSA’s ban on homosexual participation in Scouting is a strategic
ploy. What is most disturbing is that it uses the young participants in the
Scouting movement as cannon fodder in the battle against the natural family. Some
youngsters will be positioned to draw other youngsters into situations where,
because they react against sexual advances according to the moral precepts of
the faith of their fathers, they will be viciously accused of unrighteous
bigotry. Or else their vulnerable adolescent emotions will impel them to betray
the tenets of conscience derived from their faith, and slip into a whirlpool of
compulsive sensual indulgence, moral guilt and spiritual confusion."
Um, if you’re gay, you’re gay. A gay Scout cannot ‘turn’ a
straight Scout gay.
And just because people are gay doesn’t make them predators, you ignorant
fool.
Sit down already, you’re done here.
Pat Toomey, Republican Senator from Pennsylvania,
admitting that many GOP Senators voted against universal background checks
simply because Obama supports them:
“In the end it didn’t pass because we’re so politicized. There were
some on my side who did not want to be seen helping the president do something
he wanted to get done, just because the president wanted to do it.”
It’s not really a surprise because the GOP has spent the
last four years, and the next four, and hopefully the four after that and the
four after that, stomping their feet and getting their Depends in a bunch
because there’s a Democrat in the White House.
The only surprise is Toomey’s acknowledgement of GOP idiocy.
For the record, Toomey voted for expanded background checks.
Charles Barkley, on whether he knew any openly gay
professional athletes:
"Of course I did. Everybody did. Everybody played with a gay
teammate, and it’ s no big deal. First of all, I think it’s an insult to gay
people to think that they’re trying to pick up on their teammates. But
everybody has played with a gay teammate .... I had several teammates, I
probably had three or four guys I played with in my 16 years. But like I say,
think about Jason Collins, he played on six teams, so six teams played with a
gay guy. And so, everybody has played with a gay guy, you just didn’t know he
was a gay guy. Cause until a gay guy comes out, it’s none of your business.”
Again, it’s not the gay, it’s the player.
Can they do the job? That’s all that matters.