I personally have never been more proud to be a gay man. Especially when I see that most of the choices (a real shocker!) were standardless liberals. For the two people left on Earth that still believe that liberals are indeed the party of progressives, let’s take a quick look at five of the 40.
- Madonna: Well of course they had to have her in there. I suppose it has to do with the fact that she has more shoes than Evita and Imelda Marcos combined. But that isn’t all! Of course Madonna’s slutty behavior in the 90′s where she sexed us all to death, did everything naked (include playing with her dog – refer to the book “Sex”) under the moon, and went out of her way to offend people by flashing her sexuality and using the “F” word 18 times on Letterman is what attracts her to the gay community. (Trust me, many of them behave the same way to this very day.) Finally let’s not forget her several abortions (who needs life anyway?).
- Barney Frank: The gay-Democrats favorite “hero.” This man had so many standards that he dated, had sex, and lived with a gay prostitute while the prostitute simultaneously ran an escort service out of Frank’s home.
- Hillary Clinton: Other than constantly confusing her for Evita, gays love this woman because she sold her soul to a man who cheated on her many times, treated her badly, and molested interns in the White House. She never had the self-respect to get out of a relationship that degraded her as a human being (yet, LET’S GIVE HER THE WHITE HOUSE!) so I can see how the majority of the gay community can identify: sell your soul, sellout your self-respect, and do it long enough to advance your career! Hey, who needs dignity?
- George Michael: Yeah, I know he attempted to seduce a cop in a forest-preserve-bathroom. Yeah, I know he was caught in a public park with other “respectable” gay men. (Again I can see how the majority of the gay community can relate.) But hey, he’s a lot cuter than that Republican that was just caught in a bathroom and ridiculed by Democrats, isn’t he?
- Matthew Shepard: While anyone could feel sympathy with his family or with him, let’s re-think what put him in that position. He went to a gay bar one night, got drunk, and consentually left with two strange men to have sex. (Again I can see how the majority of the gay community can relate.) Because he was gay and Democrats needed something else to politicize to distract Americans from issues like terrorism and taxes, suddenly there was a spate of special-interest Bills suggested for hate-crimes legislation. After of course, Democrats happily supported Thurgood Marshall in the 60′s along with William Brennan and other liberal Supreme Court Justices who worked feverishly to make things much easier on hardened criminals with their idiotic rulings. The same thing that happened to Shepard happened to women years before, the same year, and years after his death. Gay society had opportunity to use this to promote decent behavior within the community and decided for some reason that it was hate created by Christians that was reponsible.
If The Advocate or any American gave a damn about the issues harming our community such as crime, the spread of HIV, and reckless-irresponsible personal behavior, not one of the above would be considered a “hero” to anyone with a brain. Every one of their behaviors demoted human life and morality, promoted irresponsible behavior, and supported activities that lead to contracting genital warts and AIDS.
For those who disagree, just do what you have always done: turn your head the other way and pretend that it’s the Republicans that did it.
****Update*****
The actual top 40 overall heroes did not include George Michael or Madonna. However; there were other side top 40 lists that did include them. They fell under musicians. Here is the article on Michael and here is the article on Madonna.
Moreover; check out the piece on Hillary.
The idea that these folks are “respected” by the community is appauling.
Moreover; I did fail to mention Rosie O’Donnell. Someone who has worked feverishly to separate the community from the rest of reality. One who adopts children and dresses them up as terrorists for costume parties. One that thinks 9/11 was a government conspiracy, that the troops are terrorists, and that “radical Christianity is just as dangerous as radical Islam.”
steveflesher
Philip
Mel Maguire
Mark Ciavola
Comments
When I was teaching in the classroom, every year I had my students write a Hero essay. I would send them back and make them write a new one every time I got something about some sports star being a hero.
We’re failing the next generation when we raise them to think that there is no substance necessary to become an icon and hero standard.
I’m curious – somewhere on that list of the Advocate… Is Irshad Manji listed? I certainly hope so – not only is she an out lesbian, but her views on her native religion of Islam have brought her under death threat. She truly has much courage, since Theo Van Gogh’s death showed us that living in the West is no guarantee against fatwas. I don’t agree with everything she says, but she truly risks her life to voice her opinions.
But, you know, Madonna is just so much more to emulate…
And people wonder why I’m ex-gay.
One quibble: Your list gives the impression that these were in fact the top five choices from the Advocate readers’ poll. Maybe you should number them by their ranking in the poll, or else clarify that your excerpts are in no particular order?
Claudia Rosett is one of my heros.
It occurs to me to wonder whether Big Gay Al (who debuted on South Park at just about the time that Ellen’s character officially came out) made the Top 40 cut.
V the K -
Maybe “Un-Gay” would be a better word for it?
Actually, there is an interesting angle to the Shephard case that you left out, Steve. It may have been simply a drug deal (meth) that went bad, and the killers attempted to use the “gay panic” defense. Thankfully, they lost.
Sorry Throbert. I glanced through the list and Ellen I believe topped it. Rightfully so to some degree I suppose.
But being in the gay community, I’ve seen with my own two eyes what the community celebrates. Unfortunately, it is people like the ones I listed.
Airforce, I did not recall seeing Irshad Manji. But I agree with you there.
To their credit, they did not compile the list themselves. They had their “readers” select them. Which I suppose is even more frightening.
Frank that’s a great point regarding Shepard.
As I say, I do believe what happened to him was horrible, but when you put yourself out there like that irresponsibly, bad consequences are usually not far behind to some degree.
What sickens me is that Christians still get the blame.
“molested an intern”? Cut the bullshit and hyperbole.
Hmmm: According to this blog, Madonna may have gotten some sort of honorary mention, but she was not in the Official Top 40 — who were, apparently:
1. Ellen DeGeneres
2. Barney Frank
3. Harvey Milk
4. Matthew Shepard
5. Melissa Etheridge
6. Billy Jean King
7. Harvey Fierstein
8. Elton John
9. Margarethe Cammermeyer
10. Rosie O’Donnell
11. Martina Navratilova
12. Troy Perry
13. Greg Louganis
14. Mel White
15. V. Gene Robinson
16. Ian McKellen
17. Betty Berzon
18. Larry Kramer
19. k.d. lang
20. Rita Mae Brown
21. Mark Bingham
22. Armistead Maupin
23. Harry Hay
24. Tammy Baldwin
25. Tony Kushner
26. Pedro Zamora
27. Malcolm Boyd
28. Cleve Jones
29. John Waters
30. Indigo Girls
31. Randy Shilts
32. Del Martin & Phyllis Lyon
33. Elizabeth Birch
34. Bayard Rustin
35. Audre Lorde
36. Leonard Matlovich
37. Tim Gill
38. John Amaechi
39. Roberta Achtenberg
40. Barbara Gittings
I -
There is no hyperbole. That is a fact.
Care to dispute it?
Throbert McGee:
I will write an “update”
When I read “molested an intern” I thought you were talking about Gerry Studds – another worthy “hero” of the gay left; like Jim “Rest Stop” McGreevey.
Oh that’s right V. I’d say more than molestation happened though in the case of Studds. At least Monica was of age.
If the gay world were a bit more sane, Matthew Shepard would be an object lesson, not a hero, with the moral being “Don’t leave a bar with a couple of strange meth heads who claim they want to have sex with you.”
Refusal to accept reality causes much unnecessary suffering.
Sad but true.
For the benefit of straight friends, I did a partial annotation of the list, here.
V the K: Shepard became a symbol of gay victimhood — what they do to us — and thereby an appealing distraction from the problem of gay self-destructiveness.
Peculiar of me, I guess, but I’m less than impressed. I’ve noticed copies of “Advocate” in places I haven’t noticed before. I suppose it’s not unlike the Gideons; lacing hotels with “Bibles”.
My guess is they’re formatting for political advantage (just in case gays forget who they’re ‘supposed’ to vote for.) Here the theme will be for the already converted, reinforced with emotion.
And just in case, for the relapsed, there will be haloed heroes and heroines, not failing to include ‘martyrs’.
Could someone please kindly fill me in as to which of Hillary Clinton’s activities, exactly, “lead to contracting genital warts and AIDS?” The author of this piece ascribes only two activities to Ms. Clinton, which she purportedly did only for the duration required “to advance [her] career:” she “sold her soul to a man” and did not “get out of a relationship.” It is unclear to me how someone contracted genital warts and AIDS as a result of these two activities. Who, exactly, are the people who contracted genital warts and AIDS as a result of these two activities of Ms. Clinton?
Sure Californian, I’ll be happy to take that one.
Let’s see, her husband cheated on her various times & was credibly accused of rape by Juanita Broderick. In case you don’t know, there are many women who have been infected with STD”s as a result of a cheating spouse.
I’m not quite sure how educated you are on this STD thing, but sex with many usually raises your chances of getting one.
For some reason, Hillary chose to expose herself to that and compromised her respect as a woman to remain the First Lady, to become a Senator, and to become a Presidential Candidate.
Any other questions?
To Steve:
As claimed by the author, certain activities supported by Ms. Clinton “lead to contracting genital warts and AIDS.” Who, exactly, are these people who contracted genital warts and AIDS due to activities supported by Ms. Clinton?
I just explained to you the kinds of activities that lead to STD’s everyday. Bill Clinton participated in those activities and instead of removing herself from the situation, she did not.
I’m sure there were many individuals who adopted the Clinton administration’s “it’s just about sex!” proclamation and went on to imitate their idol.
I’m sure many gay men “stood by their man” (and straight women) because Hillary did it! In that mix, things happen, humanity is brought down, self-respect is depleted, and things like STD’s spread.
This is common knowledge.
To Steve:
Who, exactly, are the people who contracted genital warts and AIDS due to activities supported by Ms. Clinton? The author asserted that Ms. Clinton supported activities that had “lead to contracting warts and AIDS.” I am asking for a list of those infected people so as to substantiate the author’s claim.
It doesn’t say that any one person contracted anything – it says that the behaviors she supported “lead (present tense not past-tense) to contracting” people with STD’s.
No incident named above led to the specific infection of anyone that has been reported. But the behavior (high levels of sexual promiscuity) does.
What part of that point are you not understanding?
To Steve:
So no one contracted “genital warts and AIDS” from activities supported by Ms. Clinton and no one in the present is contracting them? Then Ms. Clinton has never supported activities that “lead to contracting genital warts and AIDS.” Thank you for affirming that the author libeled Ms. Clinton. Hopefully, the author will, in the future, refrain from that sort of writing and, instead, make an attempt to advance conservatism among gays by using facts, reason and sound writing.
That wasn’t an affirmation of libel.
All you need to know to understand the thoughts posted above are the following:
1.) How STD’s are spread.
2.) The basics of English.
3.) The definition of present-tense versus past-tense.
For the last time, BILL CLINTON ENGAGED IN THE ACTIVITY REQUIRED TO SPREAD STD’S. She supported it!
It doesn’t mean that she was infected. It doesn’t mean that anyone was infected. It doesn’t say that at all. The quote specifically stated that she supported the behavior that leads to it. It does not say anyone in particular was infected.
Anyone with a reading capacity of a 5th grader could understand that point.
So, I suppose I should thank you for personally debunking Patricia Schroeder’s recent claim that liberals are more apt to reading books than Republicans are.
Uh, Anonymous, the gay community overwhelmingly approved of the Ryan White Act renewal in 2006, but, low and behold, Senator Clinton opposed it.
Queen Hillary’s lone “no” vote in the Health Committee has stopped reauthorization of the Ryan White Act.
So, ANONYMOUS, yes, Hillary Clinton is the lone person holding up treatment for persons who have AIDS/HIV and, more importantly, those issues that accompany STD transmissions (i.e., genital herpes).
Devil in our world, those facts are all fine and good, but it’s not going to do well for someone who doesn’t understand the basics of freshman English.
I love when liberals re-define the meaning of a phrase to create phony straw-man points that never existed.
Steve, is it wrong that I was giggling madly over your exchange with Anonymous Californian? The former English teacher in me was collapsed in a puddle of hilarity.
Here’s my educated guess, based on the questioning patterns of Anonymous California… I think you were visited by a congressmember (or a pretender to the throne) with experience sitting in on congressional hearings.
That “I just didn’t get it, but I’m going to speak louder and keep repeating a question that’s already answered as if no one answered it in order to have a good sound bite on CNN” tone is absolutely a dead give away.
Haha. Yeah, but they’re cute, aren’t they?
Kind of like a 10-year old asking over and over again for something that you’ve already told them no over.
The post said this: “Every one of their behaviors… supported activities that lead to contracting genital warts and AIDS.” With Hillary Clinton as one of ‘them’.
Anonymous Californian said in effect, “The [post] ascribes only two activities to Ms. Clinton… she ‘sold her soul to a man’ and did not ‘get out of a relationship.’ …Who, exactly, are the people who contracted genital warts and AIDS as a result of these…?”
Steve then cited **her husband’s** behavior, raising a speculative POSSIBILITY that he MAY have exposed her (Hillary). I gotta say: That’s not a very sharp answer. If a liberal did that kind of thing, we’d say he evaded the question.
AC asked again for clarification or precision. Steve answered again with speculative generalities – this time, asserting (but with no evidence) that Bill Clinton’s promiscuity has inspired others to be promiscuous, and also bringing in such vapid claims as “common knowledge”.
AC asked again for clarification or precision. This time, Steve brought out that “…lead to contracting…” should be understood as a present-tense, i.e., a general causal claim – not as past-tense, i.e., not as a specific factual claim. OK, that’s something. Now we’ve made a tiny bit of progress.
But AC noted correctly that regardless, Mrs. Clinton’s activities of “selling her soul” and “not getting out of a [bad] relationship, do not in fact cause genital warts or AIDS.
I could go on. My point is this: It’s a stupid exchange – but AC is not the one who made it so, or who has problems with English. The original claim was sloppy or overdrawn – just admit it. And Steve et. al. have, in fact, shown the lesser grasp of English. airforcewife, you giggled over the wrong one, sorry. ‘ Nuff said.
ILoveCapitalism, I have nor had nothing to say in response to AC because the English was written clearly. There were no generalizations to what I originally said nor were there any generalizations in anything I said in response to him.
AC demanded proof of a specific individual that was infected that could directly be linked to Hillary Clinton – a claim I never made.
He set up something for me to back-up that I never said. It is frightening that people like this really cannot understand basic English skills.
Here we go ONE MORE TIME (and I’ll do it as long as I have to).
EVERY PERSON CITED ABOVE (Madonna, George Michael, Barney Frank, Hillary Clinton, and Matthew Shepard) either participated in directly OR supported the types of behaviors we know can lead to contracting sexually transmitted diseases. Sexual promiscuity and irresponsibility is the point I was making.
No ONE SPECIFIC CASE OF INFECTION has been officially recorded on any of them. So why did AC limit his baseless opposition to just demanding a specific infection from Hillary Clinton?
Couldn’t he/she have demanded specifics on all of them?
I said it once and I will say it again – Hillary Clinton sacrificed her self-respect as a woman and as a human to advance herself politically. She supported behaviors that lead to the transmission of STD’s as did the rest of the people on my list.
This demand of a specific case is preposterous and avoids the overall point – liberals’ utter support for immoral, destrucive, or standardless behavior.
I take none of it back and only wish that people could learn to read plain English a little bit.
‘Nuff said.
Steve, if you aren’t making Rumsfeld finger ninja moves while answering these congressional hearing “questions”, I’m really going to be disappointed.
Ah I know. Yeesh….there was once a time where liberals were perceived to be kind of smart – the party of intellectualism, the party of ideas….
Not the party that can’t read and interpret plain English. Haha.