Is Scott Brown A Male Chauvinist?

The latest kerfuffle emerging from the highly entertaining 2012 election year involves a spat between incumbent Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) and Democratic frontrunner Elizabeth Warren.  In 1982, Sen. Brown posed nude for Cosmopolitan magazine and used the proceeds to help pay for his education.  During a recent debate among the Democratic contenders to face Brown in November, a question was asked regarding how the potential challengers paid for their education in light of Brown baring all 29 years ago.  Much to the delight of the crowd, Ms. Warren responded that she "kept her clothes on".  After hearing of Warren's remark, Brown later retored, "Thank God."

Brown and Warren Spar Over Nude Photo Shoot

Was Sen. Brown's comment in bad taste?  Certainly so.  Is he a male chauvinist?  I find that highly unlikely.  To me, this was an off the cuff quip that most likely does not reflect any sexist attitudes on Brown's behalf.  (For the record, I have no issue with his posing nude either.)

However, I think this speaks to a deeper issue.  Why in 21st Century America are we still basing our opinions and forming judgements of women based on their appearance?  There is an old saying that basically says that men will listen to other men and then decide if they like what they hear, but men will look at a woman and decide if they like what they see before paying any attention at all to what she says.  I can't tell you how many times my criticism of Sarah Palin has been greeted with "Yeah, but she's hot" from my male readers.  Are we to base our opinions of Ms. Palin, or any other female in the public eye, on her sex appeal?  Have we not progressed beyond this type of Neanderthal thinking?

The fact of the matter is this, friends and frenemies.  Women are equal members of our society from the boardroom to the hallowed chambers of government to Wall Street to Main Street.  They deserve respect, dignity, appreciation, and equal opportunity.  What they do not deserve is to be judged in any way on their physical attributes.

Peace and love, my brothers and sisters.

Gay Teen Provoked His Own Murder????

You know what I don't understand?  I don't understand why well known anti-gay activist, Randy Thomasson of Save California, recently suggested that a teenage homosexual, who was murdered by a classmate, provoked his own killing.  No, I am not making this up.  I wish I were, but I am not.

First, some background on the case, fifteen year old, Lawrence "Larry" King was openly gay and also a cross dresser.  He was very flamboyant and thought nothing of chasing others boys around the school.  He relished the attention that his being out and his appearance brought him.  After making his interest in another boy obvious and public, the other boy shot King in the head twice in a computer lab at the school.  King died from brain injuries two days later.

Folks, there is a lot going on with this story, both positive and negative.  A young man being brave enough to be who he is.  Some teachers and students who support King.  An assistant principal who may have used King to advance her own agenda.  Many, many students who bullied and harassed King.  A city where the gay community is almost non-existent.  The fact that King was very provocative and sexually suggestive with his male classmates.  The behavior of a lot of people involved in this case is questionable.

Young, Gay, and Murdered

That being established, however.................................

Does any of King's behavior justify his being gunned down in cold blood by another middle schooler?  Seriously, ladies and gentlemen, think about this.  Even if King were parading himself about in front of his killer while telling the young man "You know you want me", does that justify cold blooded murder? 

Thomasson certainly seems to think so.

Gay Teen Brought On His Own Murder

The audio clip in the above link is beyond repugnant.  The killer was being "harassed", so it is understandable that he would pump a couple of bullets into King's brain.  "Bad teachers" supported King to promote the "homosexual agenda".  (On a side note, I have been asking for years what the "homosexual agenda" is, but I have yet to receive an answer that wasn't an illogical homophobic rant.)  Allowing King to dress in female clothing caused "sexual tension".  Allowing students to express themselves through their dress is "social engineering".  Anti-bullying statues that include gays are "indoctrination".

This "gentleman" (and I use the term VERY loosely) is reprehensible.  His anti-gay bigotry is sickening.  His attempt to justify murder is stomach churning.

The killer in this case also had some serious mitigating circumstances in his life.  These must be considered in court, but to suggest that King's homosexuality, cross dressing, and behavior legitimize his murder is abominable!

Quite frankly, friends, I would like to see this fanatic be forced to sit and listen to first hand accounts from gays and lesbians about the bigotry and prejudicial treatment that they endure on a day to day, hour to hour, basis.  Maybe then, he could remove his cranium from his anus and realize that homophobia is criminal and that gays deserve the same rights, respect, and dignity as everyone else.

Peace and love, my brothers and sisters.

Are Young White Supremacists On The Rise?

Friends, I recently attended a music festival, and I was utterly appalled by something I observed.  I was flabbergasted by the number of young men who were wearing T-shirts with "White Power" and other racially charged slogans on them.  I was equally dismayed by the number of people who had swastika tattoos.  It was incredible, and not in a good way.

This led me to a couple of questions.  The first of which is are young white supremacists on the rise?  I wrote a column a few months ago about the rise in racist groups, especially after President Obama's election.  Might this have been first hand evidence of the increase is these kinds of groups?  I have to say that I was quite disturbed by this.  As is often discussed in this space, where did these young adults learn these obviously racist attitudes?  Why do we always think the next generation will be the one to finally understand that all people are equal, and why are we always proven wrong?  I ask one more time, dear readers, how do we finally put a stop to racism and bigotry?

Another thing I wondered was if those who had swastika tattoos actually have a true grasp of the unbridled evil that the Nazis unleashed on the world under the swastika flag?  Is this something that has been somewhat lost as history has progressed?  Why would anyone want to identify with a group that butchered over six million innocent people?  Do they really understand what they are identifying with and promoting?  Quite honestly, folks, it was bone chilling.

This is America.  We have a right to free speech and freedom of expression, even when it is patently offensive.  These folks have the right to put anything they want on their bodies or their clothing.  The deeper issue here is how to prevent racism and prejudice from poisoning another generation of Americans. 

Peace and love, my brothers and sisters.

Why Do Racism And Bigotry Persist?

You know what I don't understand?  I don't understand why bigotry and racism persist in the world.  Are people born prejudiced?  Honestly, I don't think so.  A three year old child is going to want to be picked up and held by anyone, and I mean---ANYONE, regardless if their skin is the same color as the child's, regardless if their religion is the same as the child's, and regardless of the person's sexual orientation.  I have a really hard time accepting that people are born bigots.

I am more inclined to think that children learn bigoted behavior from their parents, or other adults around whom they spend time, and subsequently become bigots themselves.  Several years ago, I watched a documentary on PBS that was exploring the ongoing conflicts between Arabs and Jews.  An adult male asked a group of really young (less than ten years old) children where Jews were descended from.  Without missing a beat, the kids replied the Jews were the descendants of apes, pigs, and dogs.  So did these kids learn this from the adults in their lives, or were they born this way?  I see the same thing as Christians teach their children that Muslims are evil and as Muslims teach their children that Christians and Jews are apes, dogs, and infidels.

My dear old friend, Brad, shared some rather disturbing pictures (below) that were drawn by a child in Brad's children's school.

Now, are we to think that this child came up with these ideas on his own, or are we to believe that he was influenced by his parents or other adults in his life?  Again, we see this kind of thing so often.  A child calls a black man "coon" or "nigger" because he hears his father do the same.  A child calls a homosexual "fag" or "queer" because she hears her mother do the same.  The kids don't come up with these things on their own, folks.

So I guess my question is this.  Why does it continue?  Why do we as humans, generation after generation, teach our children to fear and hate those who are different from us?  For the record, I am NOT suggesting that EVERYONE teaches their children to think and behave in such an atrocious manner, but Lord knows bigotry is alive and well worldwide.  Why does this never seem to go by the wayside?

What can those of us who are not prejudiced do to prevent bigotry from spreading its vile self from generation to generation?  How can we stop this?  How can we make young people understand these attitudes and behaviors from their elders are not acceptable?  How much longer will this go on around the world?

When we will finally learn to accept that we are all human while celebrating our differences?

Peace and love, my brothers and sisters.