Gays vs. ‘faggots’ (New York Blade takes a stab at Gannon/Guckert)

[truthpusher]

Beyond the subject matter, let's see who is the first to catch the typo.

http://www.newyorkblade.com/2005/2-25/viewpoint/opinion/faggots.cfm

Gays vs. ‘faggots’
Being gay is a conscious choice. But ‘faggots’ are cowards who don’t come out unless forced — like Jeff Gannon.

By Mickey Weems
Friday, February 25, 2005

I’m amazed at how quickly people can change overnight. Jeff “white male Christian gun-toting anti-gay Republican journalist” Gannon is transformed before our very eyes into Jim “HotMilitaryStud gay escort shill” Gluckert.

I’m not buying it. Gannon/Gluckert is not gay. He is nothing but a faggot.

Let me explain the difference.

Being gay is the result of a conscious choice. It is the decision to accept one’s same-sex orientation and a willingness to stand with others who have done the same thing. “Gay” means joining the gay community without shame.

Not so for the faggot. Same-sex desire is wrong, therefore one’s same-sex orientation must be extinguished. If this is not possible, then desire must be hidden to protect all those nice straight people who would be offended by it. Shame is the only proper moral response.

complete editorial:
http://www.newyorkblade.com/2005/2-25/viewpoint/opinion/faggots.cfm

[Inland]

1. "Hypocrite" is a word already in the dictionary.

But if he writer used that word, then he couldn't fill an entire column explaining the cool new use of "faggot".

[Karenina]

2. Maybe it should be

Gays vs. Guckerts ;-)

[truthpusher]

6. I like that, instead of...

...faggot (which no one likes), we coin a new word...'Guckert'. I can here it now:

'Oh that guy in accounting, yeah I know him, If you ask me he is a complete Guckert.'

or

'See that Dude over there,.....Guckert.

[WildClarySage]

3. I don't care a fig about guckert

but I dislike rationalizations about language, that its ok to use derrogatory language in this case because of X, Y, or Z.

[truthpusher]

5. I think the writer is struggling to find a definition for Gannon...

...why is the GLBT community attacking Gannon and the Religious Right protecting him? This is the best way the writer can explain it, as far as I can see. Also, there is a lot of anger toward the closeted gay that attacks the community (there seem to be more & more everyday).

[Ian David]

14. Keep in mind it's in a gay newspaper, but I am inclined to agree with you

Do you remember Chris Rock's routine about the difference between "regular black people" and "N-words."?

Sorry, I'm going to refuse to use that word, even in this context, even though it may be "overly politically correct."

He talks about how they build a great playground in a black neighborhood and everyone's happy, "until the n-words come and fuck it up."

IMHO, it's different if Chris Rock talks about it than if Rush Limbaugh talks about it.

And it's different if Jeff Foxworthy talks about "White Trash" than if Louis Farrakhan does it.

Not the most perfect analogies perhaps, but I think I might be making a good point.

Gay people own "The Other F Word" and black people own "The N Word."

And the Jewish people who actually started a magazine called "Heeb" have every right to do so, I think. (Being Jewish myself, I claim ownership of the word and use it here, thanks).

All these groups have paid heavily for the right to own whatever words they want to use about themselves.



On-Edit:

Etymology (usage and history) of "The Other F Word":

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=faggot

[LiberalinNC]

4. Thanks for the education!

I never knew that!

[truthpusher]

7. I am not sure if this is education, beyond this mans opinion. n/t

[Dogmudgeon]

8. Fortunately, it's a hack argument

I can understand Weems' outrage, but the same kind of trope reached it's limit with Chris Rock's "Blacks vs. N****rs" routine a few years ago. (The actual figure of speech is sometimes called an isocolon, and there may be another term for it as well).

It was a tremendous routine, but it is now The Final Word on the linguistics of the subject. It has lost a lot of its power and persuasive force.

Sadly though, evil is still just as evil.

--p!

[kedrys]

9. Who's "Gluckert"? n/t

[Smarmie Doofus]

10. Did anyone else try the "republican singles" link at....

the bottom of the page? It asks for your gender but not the gender of your object of potential affection. You are restricted to "looking for relationship" or dating.

Phooey! I turned up a Lois, Cathy, Fabrina but no Bobs, Carls, Teds, or Alexes. Poor Guckert/Gannon. Far as his ideological siblings are concerned, he doesn't exist. What else is there to do but hide?

BTW, good article. ( I thought the Native was defunct.)

[Smarmie Doofus]

11. OOOps, That's the "Blade". The Native *is* defunct..

[Nimrod]

12. I'm not sure I agree 100% with the definition

But I'm not afraid of the word faggot, anymore than I'm afraid of any of the other "forbidden" words. I think it's a little silly to get riled up over the word itself, since it's nothing but six letters put together in a particular order (that can also mean cigarette).

I'm FAR more concerned with sentences such as "Kill the faggots", and in that case would substituting the word "homosexuals" with "faggots" somehow make this a more appropriate sentence? Not so much.

We need to quit zeroing in on individual words - it leaves us with BIG blind spots to the larger part of the problem.

Anyway, I'm allowed because I'm a faggot. And I didn't even hurt my own feelings by calling me a faggot. So there. :)

[Stop_the_War]

13. .

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