The power of aggressive voices
Tomorrow, i will put out an excerpt from my book. Today, however, I want to speak about something that bothers me and yes it's another dynamic of the Mark Foley controversy.
I got a transcript via email today detailing an appearance of conservative commentator Pat Buchanan on MSNBC'S Scarborough Country (I think I know the person who sent me the email but I am not sure because he only sent me his email address, which I won't publicize without his permission:
"Rudy Giuliani, Hillary Rodham Clinton, marched in gay pride parades in New York, in which I believe that NAMBLA floats were moved right along.. and these are child predators who are arguing for getting rid of laws between men and boys they’re marching with that, that will go into..."
Buchanan also accused U.S. Representative Nancy Pelosi of marching with NAMBLA.
On the Media Matters webpage, I picked up this transcript interview with religious conservative leader Paul Weyrich:
NORRIS: Now before we go on, I think I can say, Mr. Weyrich, that there are quite a few people who would take exception to the statement that homosexuals are preoccupied with sex.
WEYRICH: Well, I don't care whether they take exception to it. It happens to be true. I mean --
NORRIS: That is your opinion.
WEYRICH: Well, it's not my opinion. It's the opinion of many psychologists and psychiatrists who have to deal with them.
It has been documented on this blog that Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council have spoken untrue comments about gays and pedophilia.
What we are seeing here is an anti-gay industry propaganda technique that is crucial to the survival of their lies: repetition.
It does not matter how many times how these lies about our community has been debunked. If they are constantly repeated unchallenged, then they have life.
And that is the crucial component that is present in all of the examples I have just listed; the fact that these lies went virtually unchallenged.
Where in the hell were the aggressive gay spokespeople willing to stop the program and say something to the effect of "hold it! give me examples! Give me proof of your charges."
Someone needed to demand proof from Weyrich, Buchanan and company and give them hell when they would not be able to provide it. We see that the so-called objective news media are not doing this. I am personally disappointed (and really not surprised in the case of Joe Scarborough) at members of the media who did not do their damn jobs and let these charges go unchallenged.
You gotta do more than look pretty and speak perfect diction boys and girls. Where is the hell is your integrity?
It does not matter how many times we bloggers go after Perkins, Buchanan and company because if they are able to appear on programs like Scarborough Company, like the O'Reilly Factor basically by themselves and are able to list a tissue of lies without the courtesy of correction, we are going to have problems.
We need to demand more of a gay presence on these news programs. And lastly, we need to demand that those who speak for us know what the difference between speaking politely and not taking any shit.
