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January 11, 2011

When Who You Are Is an Insult

Justin Katz

Speaking of propaganda, here's an interesting political whack from the gay-issues Washington Blade:

"No doubt [David Cicilline] will carry on the record of retiring Rep. Patrick Kennedy in ensuring Rhode Island's first district is represented by an effective congressman in promoting equality for all people," Cole said.

Cicilline defeated John Loughlin, a Rhode Island State Assembly member, who was accused by some of using gay-baiting tactics late in the campaign. Loughlin ran ads emphasizing that he's a husband and a father — possibly a reference to the fact that Cicilline is gay and single — and defended "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" during a debate.

Yes, you heterosexual breeders, simply by being proud of your family — by noting your adherence to the family structure on which Western Civilization advance was based — you are engaging in sly "gay-baiting tactics." What that assertion will translate into in a culture with same-sex marriage as the pervasive law of the land, one can only imagine. No doubt, traditionalists who refer to their spouses' opposite gender (by using the words "husband" and "wife") will be seen as insinuating bigotry.

Not recalling any instance of "gay baiting," or even of somebody accusing him of it, I asked Loughlin what the Blade might be referring to. All he could think of was this article in... the Washington Blade:

But in the final weeks of the campaign, Loughlin has made several statements that could be considered digs at Cicilline based on his sexual orientation.

In a "Voice of the Candidate" clip that aired on a local NBC affiliate in Rhode Island, Loughlin repeatedly mentions that he is a father and a husband — possibly a reference to the fact that Cicilline is gay and single.

"I've been married for 23 years to my wife, Susan, and we have two daughters," Loughlin says. "I know about the struggles of working families in Rhode Island because I'm part of one. I've had to worry about how to pay for dance lessons, summer camp and all the extras that come from raising children."

Comments

That author sounds like someone with some real issues about who he or she is. To read that deeply into Loughlin's comments are ludicrous. So if a candidate makes the same exact statements during a campaign when the other candidate is also a heterosexual, what does that then mean? Does that mean that the person making those comments was calling his opponent gay?

It really sounds like insecure David had an interview with a writer from that tabloid and gave his opinions "off the record" which the writer then listened to the debates and then wrote the opinions as his own.

2012 can't come fast enough...

Posted by: Patrick at January 11, 2011 10:28 AM

Bernie Madoff should've used the "I'm a husband and a father" defense - would've spared him prison and allowed him to keep the loot, if we're losing this kind of logic.
Being gay does not automatically entitle one to hold public office. Neither does being a husband and father.

Posted by: bella at January 11, 2011 11:20 AM

This where we've been heading for awhile now,being pressured to alter our means of expression so as not to offend the GLBT"community".I'm not against them specifically,but they need to put a brake on it now.I don't want our freedom of speech bowdlerized because someone might be offended.The Constitution doesn't protect the right not to be offended.
I think thesse folks are extremely insecure because they dread a referendum on same sex marriage.It won't pass if it's on a ballot during a general election.It might get through in an off year when no one is running for office ad basically only interested parties show up to vote.

Posted by: joe bernstein at January 11, 2011 1:25 PM

Justin, you really had to dig, to find this little nuget
"The Washington Blade"?? or is this on your regular reading list ??

Of course Patrick has his own conspiracy theory, without proof of course

Posted by: Sammy at January 11, 2011 2:29 PM

I remember ads running against Cicilline mentioning something about him basically voting against keeping pedophiles in prison. I am surprised the Blade didn't bring that up, that seems more in your face gay bashing, especially when we found out later it was not true.

Posted by: Swazool at January 11, 2011 4:12 PM

[Not going to allow this content... especially without citations---JK]

Can't wait till this state loses its second seat in 2020. Too bad we can't go to zero.

Posted by: Tommy Cranston at January 11, 2011 7:06 PM

May I suggest that the good folks at Anchor Rising delete the slanderous post


Posted by Tommy Cranston at January 11, 2011 7:06 PM

Just a suggestion of course, it's your web-site,

Posted by: Sammy at January 11, 2011 9:28 PM

Citation-Anthony Robinson-JCLS

Posted by: Tommy Cranston at January 12, 2011 9:25 AM

Please. No need to read between the lines on all that family man propaganda. The really ugly gay bashing that took place was the day before Election Day, when Loughlin supporters circulated a nasty little flier getting into it on Cicilline's homosexuality. Then Loughlin goes on The Felon's show to deny involvement, "This is the first I've heard of any flier! Oh, my, that's awful!"

I agree, though. The Blade shouldn't bother writing about it if they're not going to really research to write about it.

Posted by: vera at January 12, 2011 11:56 AM

Oh no!!! Cicilline is a homosexual? Who knew. Apparently I didn't get the flier. Vera, how bad could it have been? Was it a lie like Cicilline's claim that Loughlin wanted to privatize social security (while pandering to seniors) or that he wanted men accused of domestic violence to keep their guns?

Posted by: Max Diesel at January 12, 2011 4:57 PM

Cicilline merely being homosexual is inconsequential these days.
Cicilline hanging out in dives and getting into bitch fights with his transvestite girlfriend is not too cool.
Of course,this was a few years back and never saw a police report.
Did anyone ever believe that barney Frank didn't know his roomate was running a callboy operation out of their place?Helen Keller would've noticed that.

Posted by: joe bernstein at January 12, 2011 7:29 PM

Just as a note, when I ran for City Council this year, my palm card pic was of my family. I'm pretty sure I tried to say I was a husband and father and promote that. Had 0 to do with the sexuality of my opponent (who also is a husband and father).

Complete idiocy that papers/blogs would consider it a 'dig' at an opponent to say, "here's who I am". Would Cicilline have suffered the same attack by saying, "i've been out the closet for x years"? Just as lowbrow as my latter statement is, is how low we've sunk if people actually think promoting you and your family is bad.

Posted by: donroach at January 13, 2011 8:37 AM

Did anyone ever believe that barney Frank didn't know his roomate was running a callboy operation out of their place?Helen Keller would've noticed that.

Posted by joe bernstein at January 12, 2011 7:29 PM

Did anyone ever belive that Sarah Palin didn't know that her daughter was having sex in her home? Helen Keller would've noticed that

IMHO

Posted by: Sammy at January 13, 2011 3:59 PM

sammy-so you equate a couple of teenagers getting busy with a commercialized sex operation-you really are stupid beyond beliefone is poor judgement-the other is a crime(an a source for spreading HIV considering when it occured).

Posted by: joe bernstein at January 14, 2011 3:13 PM