Rampant Homophobia - ONE

http://www.towleroad.com/2011/05/nugent.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+towleroad%2Ffeed+%28Towleroad+Daily++%23gay+news%29&utm_content=Google+Reader

I have just about reached the end of my rope reading all of the posts that display homophobia masked as personal preference -- statements that are somehow allowed to stand unchallenged and acceptable.  In this post, Ted Nugent (apparently a self proclaimed expert on gay issues?) calls gays the most protected class in the country.  What a load of ignorant crap!  The most protected class in America is heterosexual middle to upper class Christian white men.  What?  Oh yes!  Now, there are not a lot of laws defining and deliniating the rights and acceptability of this class of people, but the protections are so culturally entrenched that laws are not necessary to protect them.  The "power" group never needs to singled out in laws in order to enjoy rights and protections of society.  The civil rights issues of the 60s and 70s never touched this "protected" class -- they had all the rights just by being who they were.  No special legislation was required to "give men the vote."  This class is never singled out for ethnic or religious profiling.  A HMUCCWM (acronym for  heterosexual middle to upper class Christian white men) is free to marry the person (a woman of course as defined by the H part of the group name) he chooses, and all rights, priveleges, protections, and recognition of said marriage is automatically granted. 

Mr. Nugent goes on to offhandedly perpetuate gay stereotypes by saying, "If the NBA had any true gay convictions, the NBA should host a Homosexual Night. During halftime, the homosexuals could come down on the court, hold hands and prance around the court to music by the Village People. The NBA could then give each homosexual a pink basketball as a symbol of solidarity."  Mr. Nugent -- most gays watching NBA basketball do not hold hands and prance around; many people (even some of the HMUCCWMs) enjoy and dance to the Village People.  Further, why in the name of common sense, would any of us want a pink basketball?  It might clash with our carefully selected fashionable basketball viewing outfits after all.

While I give Mr. Nugent absolutely no credibility, this post just plain pissed me off (pardon the term).  It is just one more example of ignorant, stereotyping that is allowed to go on unchecked.  I am a believer in free speech, and people have the right to say whatever they feel (even if it is stupid, mean spirited, rude, or hurtful); however, I believe that that the reach of that free speech protection should stop short of allowing someone to unfairly bash an entire segment of society (no matter how "protected" that group" might be perceived to be.)

I intend to post and comment on such outrageous but hurtful baloney from time to time and I encourage Musings readers to do likewise.  Until we stand up and speak out, these lies will continue; as long as they continue, we will not be free or fully included in society.  Let's hold the institutional bigots accountable and stop the hate.