Bigots Give Up on Ice Cream

[bertha katzenengel]

Assoziated Press
Saturday, September 23, 2006

MECHANICSVILLE, MD -- A couple walked out on their dessert at Bert's 50s Diner this evening, taking their two children with them, after hearing a discussion at the next table in which one patron referred to a gay chorus.

Kim Harris of Waldorf said that she was telling her friends about a performance she'd been in several years ago with the South Coast Chorale, a community chorus in Southern California that is made up primarily of gay and lesbian persons. Someone else in her party noticed that the family at the table behind Harris had left dishes of ice cream completely untouched.

"My partner told me, 'They left when they heard you say "gay chorus."'"

~snip~

Now can you believe that parents with children would up and walk out when their desserts had just been served?! You know what dessert means to a little kid, especially an ice cream sundae. :cry:

Unfortunately, I am Kim Harris, and I am responsible.

The AP did not publish this. I just wrote it. This happened when we were at Bert's last night.

[Radical Activist]

1. I feel sorry for so many kids in this world

who are raised by parents that teach them to be bigots.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

2. Wow...what asshats...

[ghostsofgiants]

3. That's fucking ridiculous.

[LeftyMom]

4. I feel bad for them

To be so full of hate and fear that they must flee at the barest hint of a reference to a perfectly wholesome activity involving people who happen to be gay? What utterly miserable people those parents must be.

[jmm]

5. You are not responsible

for their closed minds.

[bertha katzenengel]

6. No, I know. I didn't yank the kids away from their ice cream.

I just feel really bad for them. :cry:

[jmm]

7. I understand

I can only image how long it will take to undue the hatred they were taught if it is ever undone at all.

[av8rdave]

8. and what kind of thing does that behavior teach a child anyway?

[Oeditpus Rex]

9. You wrote that quite well

Better than many actual AP reporters would've. :thumbsup:

[bertha katzenengel]

12. Heh . . . I actually try to write one of these once in a while, although

they're intended to be humorous, or to make people say "you've GOT to be kidding." I like to send them around on April Fool's day.

So far the most successful one has been about the city of DC starting to install parking meters that charge you for the time you're looking for change to put into the meter. :D

[Rabrrrrrr]

26. So are you saying it isn't a true story of something that happened to you?

Or is it?

I'm confused with your "I like to write one of these once in a while" and "they're intended to be humorous" and "I like to send them around on April Fool's Day".

[Tyo]

10. They could have just been confused

They might have thought that by going into Bert's 50s diner they were actually going back to the'50s and that they'd be safe from things like gay choruses.

[SoyCat]

11. I'm sorry people are so rude and mean. They will undoubtedly raise

homophobic children if that behavior continues. Thankfully, there are many more of us who would never dream of acting in such a wretched manner.

I think it was great that you were involved in a chorus--gay or not. Only cats can stand to hear me sing. Humans, not so much!

[Book Lover]

13. Pathetic people and their pathetic ways

Oh the other hand, I can think of few other real-life lessons these children can be exposed to to see the stupidity of their parents' ways.

[SacredCow]

14. That's about as homophobic as you can get...

"Honey, we'd better get little dubya here away from them humma-sexshuls. I heard on free republic dot com that it's catching!!!"\

I can't recall ever getting too much attention from a simple conversation as that in public. I do have friends that will put on a show for any obvious bigots that can't seem to mind their own business, but that isn't a frequent thing, thankfully.

I would expect that they thought your next sentence was going to be a graphic explanation of gay sex. :banghead:

[bertha katzenengel]

21. "your next sentence was going to be a graphic explanation of gay sex"

precisely, SacredCow. I don't know what it is with extreme homophobes, I don't know why, but it seems the instant they hear "gay" their minds immediately flash on pictures of sex acts they find repulsive. :wtf:

Why does it seem that way? Because of how they react.

I know I'm preaching to the choir, but confront a homophobe about this bizarre phenomenon and he'll say, "no, I'm not thinking about sex acts, I'm thinking about America!" or "about the children!" or "about Sodom & Gomorrah!" or "about how sick that is! Going in the out!" (of course that last one proves the point...)

[SacredCow]

31. I don't bother with trying to confront them anymore....

but to add to your already astute analysis, many of them also seem to think that gay people will invariably be sexually attracted to them. "Yes, Bubba- I don't know if it's your chicken pot pie stained wife-beater that gets me going or your limited grasp of the english language, but I MUST HAVE YOU NOW!!!!!" :puke:

[Haole Girl]

15. I'm glad I read the last line. I was about to ask for a link!

That is weird. I hope they got an emergency phone call on their cell or something. I'd hate to think people are that strange. I guess we can hope, huh? :shrug:

[Gormy Cuss]

16. There was a misstatement in that wire story.

"Unfortunately, I am Kim Harris, and I am responsible."

You weren't responsible for anything, bertha.

[bertha katzenengel]

22. Thanks, GC . . .

I know I'm not responsible. It's just . . . :banghead:

[WhollyHeretic]

17. Kids being taught hatred is so upsetting

[baldguy]

20. Kids being taught hatred is child abuse.

[WindRavenX]

18. Wow, how ugly and hateful

:(

:hug: to you, Kim. I'm sorry this world is so ugly. :(

[Left Is Write]

19. YOU are not responsible for THEIR actions.

:hug:

[bertha katzenengel]

23. I know. So many people have replied that way that I wish the editing

period weren't over.

Thanks, LW :hug:

[lost-in-nj]

24. I'm sorry

they are just closed minded people that are depriving themselves and their children of some of the most beautiful music out there.
Chorus's whether gay or mixed sing some of the most beautiful music....

I hope that those kids grow up with minds of their own..

:pals:

lost

[GoddessOfGuinness]

25. My son and I would be honored to have lunch with you

and your partner sometime...

I think those parents are doing their children a tremendous disservice.
You aren't responsible for their ignorance, my friend. :hug:

[bertha katzenengel]

29. Name the time & place, Goddess.

:hug: I wish I'd seen this yesterday.

[JI7]

27. the parents are assholes

i hope the kids learn to think on their own and don't grow up to be hateful like them.

[bumblebee1]

28. I just thought of something.

How would that family feel about the people in the Christmas carol "Deck the Halls" donning their gay apparel?

[Kutjara]

30. What utterly brainless bigots.

I guess they're really going to freak out at Christmas when people start donning their "gay apparel". Fa, la, la, la, la indeed.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

32. "Don we now our happy apparel..."

:eyes: