GOProud Doesn't Like Dan Savage Speech
Yesterday, I posted a video of portion of a speech delivered by Dan Savage to a conference of high school journalists. Dan's speech was to be about bullying, and anti-gay bullying in particular, and Dan didn't bother being PC: He acknowledged up front that a lot of anti-gay sentiment comes from a literal reading of the Bible, and suggested that it is possible for Christians to learn to ignore that book's seemingly anti-gay sentiment, just as they ignore its prohibitions on the eating of shellfish and repeated endorsements of slavery.
This isn't an anti-Christian message. It's an anti-Biblical literalism message. But GOProud, just like the rightist media reporting on Dan's speech, seems to have missed that point. They released this statement yesterday:
Today, GOProud, a national organization of gay and straight Americans seeking to promote freedom by supporting free markets, limited government, and a respect for individual rights, condemned a speech given by left wing gay activist Dan Savage. "Dan Savage¹s outrageous anti-Christian tirade hurts, not helps, the fight for gay rights in this country," said Jimmy LaSalvia, GOProud Executive Director. "There is nothing incompatible between being a Christian and believing that all people should be treated equally, and Dan Savage¹s attacks on Christianity only fuel those on the extremist fringe who oppose gay rights.
"Dan Savage should apologize for his comments and should apologize to the high school students in attendance whom he called 'pansy-asses,'" continued LaSalvia. "It is ironic that someone whose claim to fame is fighting bullying would resort to bullying tactics in attacking high school students who were offended by his outrageous remarks.
"GOProud works with people of faith every single day gay and straight. We believe strongly that people of faith should be treated with respect," concluded LaSalvia.
... which is a rather gross mischaracterization of what occurred at Dan's speech, but oh well. GOProud's a political organization; good politics are its biz. Dan's a journalist, and his business is to tell the truth to the best of his ability. These ends are not always simpatico.
You're probably right, he just seems more even keeled
Posted by: GeorgeM | Apr 29, 2012 6:23:04 PM
@ GeorgeM,
As to whether this is the one and only Rick, only Little Kiwi would know for sure. (LOL)
Posted by: Artie_in_Lauderdale | Apr 29, 2012 6:25:54 PM
Dan Savage is not a "journalist" he is an advice columnist whose main focus is sex. Nothing wrong with it, but that's far from "journalism".
Posted by: Marty | Apr 29, 2012 6:29:50 PM
Lol
Posted by: GeorgeM | Apr 29, 2012 6:35:43 PM
marty, "journalists" are an endangered species these days...
many writers are commentators with facts becoming incidental
Posted by: andrew | Apr 29, 2012 6:36:31 PM
GOPansy-asses!
Posted by: Lucifer | Apr 29, 2012 6:55:42 PM
Why so much controversy about Savages's savaging of the Bible?
It's not like he said it was as relevant as a Chinese fortune cookie, or a Magic 8 ball, you know, the one where you ask it a question and rotate the ball and an answer floats up. And then if you don't like the answer you spin it around and ask it again. He didn't say those things. Or a ouija board, he didn't say it was like that either.
Posted by: Keepin' It Straight | Apr 29, 2012 8:12:53 PM
Regardless of if it was a lie or not, Savage should NOT have used such inflammatory language. You're not going to get people to listen to you by insulting them or their faith even if religion is a huge problem in this circumstance.
Posted by: Yuki | Apr 29, 2012 8:54:10 PM
Religion is the devil. Religious people CONSTANTLY belittle us. Belittle our gay kids. Ruin lives. Promote disdain. And we can't respond to it...even passionately and yes, agressively? They get away with EVERYTHING, including murder and death all in the name of God but people affected by their words are not supposed to be reactionary?
Guess what? I will consistently and constantly call out religion, because it begs for it. It is filled with hypocrites who don't correct themselves because they are too busy attempting to ruin our lives.
Posted by: IonMovies | Apr 29, 2012 9:06:38 PM
Who decided that religion was so sacred that it was above criticism? No, you're not. You chose to be religious. You were not born into it, and not a single one of your religious points have been proven to be true. Religious people have also demonstrated great angst, and yes, even hatred toward those different. Then they have the nerve to play victim? Either reword your stance, or toughen up because this new era of holding religious people accountable for their actions is a beautiful thing and will not stop anytime soon.
Posted by: USC Trojan Fan | Apr 29, 2012 9:09:35 PM
Wait...everything Dan Savage said was true. Every single word he uttered had truth behind it. They do cherry pick. Many of them harbor lust, vanity, greed, lie on a daily basis (who doesn't) and then claim all sin is equal but then put our percieved "sin" violently in the spotlight, and they are now martyrs? Religion is the ultimate con artist and this situation perfectly illustrates it.
You got put on blast for factual matters on things you religious institutions like Christianity are responsible for and you get might defensive, ey? Too bad, so sad. Rock on Dan!
Posted by: Steve-ATL | Apr 29, 2012 9:12:08 PM
Christians spew far more offensive insults, hate, and bigotry on a daily basis and now they have room to tell others to not be offensive? So typical. Hope Savage never stops.
Posted by: starship | Apr 29, 2012 9:14:09 PM
Basically, if GOProud dislikes you, you're doing something very, very right. If they like you, you are usually a disturbed person. So Savage automatically is okay in my book.
Plus, everything he said was right on the money. He didn't make anything up. Literally, all his pointers were truth to the core.
Posted by: James Celion | Apr 29, 2012 9:16:43 PM
Where's the Christians calling out their own? Where's the Christians condemning homophobia, hate, people protesting with ignorance in the name of Christianity? How come they are so quick to be offended but not at all shy of being offensive?
Are they this arrogant?
Posted by: MJ | Apr 29, 2012 9:43:04 PM
I simply don't understand all of the hand-wringers here. Talk about lack of critical thinking! Why the focus on those who left? Because Faux News will use it against us? News flash! That would have happened had Savage Posen like a Sunday School teacher. Why not focus on the students who stayed? Who may have been engaged? Who got quite the earful? Who may go home and report? Who now have a great argument to use?
Do you think that this is the only blog reporting this versus Faux News? Check out Huffpost. Check out all the supportive comments from people who actually took the time to watch the video clip.
As for the talk being inappropriate and-off topic, seriously? Talking to high school students about bullying and NOT addressing religion given that religious groups oppose anti bullying measures in schools is what would be inappropriate and off-topic.
Posted by: TJ | Apr 29, 2012 10:00:59 PM
Spoken not Posen. Autocorrect fail.
Posted by: TJ | Apr 29, 2012 10:10:56 PM
When religion is used as an excuse to bully and intimidate, to impose one's beliefs on others, then YES!!! you do have to attack it, and show it for the nonsense that it is, PARTICULARLY when you have southern states who are working hard to pass "Don't Say Gay" bills, and legislation that will excuse bullying on the grounds of religious freedom.
Legislators are hard at work isolating vulnerable gay teens, making sure that they feel all alone in the world, feeling hopeless, and kill themselves. Young, beautiful kids are being attacked, bullied to death, and some of you people are worried about Dan Savage attacking the religion behind these attacks?!
Get some perspective, people.
Posted by: Ricco | Apr 29, 2012 10:13:27 PM
Dan's speech "...fuel those on the extremist fringe who oppose gay rights."
Great that is exactly what it should do. it should and did show them up for the frauds that they are. It drew attention to the fact that they cherry pick the portions of the bible that they choose to believe. I can only hope that the non extremist religious people now see them for the bigoted scamers that they are.
Read more: http://www.towleroad.com/2012/04/goproud-doesnt-like-dan-savage-speech.html#ixzz1tUBfOPXT
Posted by: J. Leo | Apr 29, 2012 10:18:54 PM
Dan Savage's observations were spot on. If young people who aspire to be journalists are unable or unwilling to open their minds even long enough take a critical look at arguments that are not in agreement with their own current views, how could they ever hope to learn, grow or be journalists worth their salt.
Posted by: Greg McNeal | Apr 29, 2012 11:18:40 PM
Keep going Dan. Speaking the truth is painful to the ears of the hypocritical self-defined pious groups.
Posted by: Todd | Apr 29, 2012 11:41:43 PM
Keep going Dan. Speaking the truth is painful to the ears of the hypocritical self-defined pious groups.
Posted by: Todd | Apr 29, 2012 11:41:44 PM
Keep going Dan. Speaking the truth is painful to the ears of the hypocritical self-defined pious groups.
Posted by: Todd | Apr 29, 2012 11:41:45 PM
Keep going Dan. Speaking the truth is painful to the ears of the hypocritical self-defined pious groups.
Posted by: Todd | Apr 29, 2012 11:41:47 PM
Marty -- he was the editor of The Stranger for over a decade. Edited thousands of pieces of serious journalism, many dozens of them award-winning. - BKT
Sent from my iPhone
Posted by: Brandon K. Thorp | Apr 30, 2012 12:53:11 AM
Amen, TODD, amen to that!
Oh and MICHAEL, are you of the belief that barbaric, heinous punishments in the Old Testament like stoning a non-virgin woman to death was ok then, but not now since Jesus fulfilled the law, hmmm??!
Posted by: nikko | Apr 30, 2012 12:56:46 AM