I suppose it was inevitable. Even in the most diverse city on earth. When they got tired of attacking George Smitherman's policies, they'd go after his gay family
"Should Muslim vote for him who married a man?" the crudely designed signs read. Attached to the sign is a photograph of Smitherman and his husband Christopher Peloso, and a clipped newspaper headline referring to their adoption of a child.
And then there was that disgusting radio ad. You don't have to understand the language...
To SMELL the homophobia.
But here's the thing eh? When you attack one gay family, you attack them ALL. When you pit one community against the other in a city as diverse as Toronto, the flames will scorch the clouds.
Burn baby burn.
But never forget who lit the fuse.
Rob Ford’s long-held belief in traditional marriage has exploded into a campaign issue now that he has endorsed the views of a fundamentalist Christian pastor who suggested online that same-sex marriage could “dismantle” a “healthy democratic civilization."
Never forget his other explosions.
Never forget who are his friends.
Never forgive the idiot progressives who could help Rob Ford blow this city apart.
Pantalone and his supporters will have a lot to answer for if Ford gets to unleash his tsunami of misery on the city because they have downplayed the risks.
God save us from the electoral idealists who want you to "vote with your heart." Time after time, they are the right-wing’s secret weapon.
Burn baby burn.
And what does that grotesque bigot bully have to say about all of this?
Great eh?
Being gay is a "lifestyle." People CHOOSE to be gay. At a time when gay people are mourning the deaths of so many teenagers who killed themselves because they couldn't HELP being gay.
You couldn't have attacked a community as savagely if you had stuck a knife in its heart.
Oh boy. So many people are so angry tonight.
Toronto is a great and diverse city.
Don't let it BURN...
I keep wondering why Ford is running for mayor in a city like Toronto. Like, hello? WE'RE HOSTING WORLD PRIDE IN 2014! And Ford wants to be mayor during the run-up to that? Would he try to scuttle the event? Seriously, he should just get out of town.
ReplyDeletehi Marissa...I'm afraid I have no answer. I simply can't understand why a cosmopolitan city like Toronto can produce such a dumb teabagger. I suppose part of the reason is amalgamation, that set the suburbs up against the people who live downtown.
ReplyDeleteThey want to work downtown, play downtown, and then go back to their leafy bungalows, without paying for anything. The tragedy is that if Ford gets in, the city council will be deadlocked, and NOTHING will be done. Although I'm a Montrealer I've become quite fond of Toronto, but it has some serious social and poverty problems that need to be urgently addressed, and with this clown porker none of them will. And think of Ford as an ambassador for this city. We'll all have to wear paper bags on our heads, and pretend we're from Winnipeg. Gawd. Having Harper as my worst enemy was bad enough, how am I ever going to have the energy to fight both of them at the same time ? ;)
Sedum13
ReplyDeleteYou say
"how am I ever going to have the energy to fight both of them at the same time ? ;)"
WE may not have justice on our side but we do have integrity, motivation and concern.
And we're nice.
Sorry to comment as anonymous but this new fangled inner tubes has me boggled.
Sedum13
hi Sedum 13...Well that's true we are nice. :)
ReplyDeleteBut I was only kidding about not having the energy to fight both of those bullies at the same time. As some bullies could testify I have on occasion handled THREE of them at the same time. And considering how many depictions I have of Stephen Harper, I can hardly wait to start on Ford, because it seems to me the comedic possibilities are
bountiful... :)
Is mayor-elect Rob Ford a bigot?
ReplyDeleteWhat is the evidence that Toronto mayor-elect Rob Ford has mounted an "assault on gay people" (or is a bigot)?
1. An anonymous pro-Ford, anti-gay-marriage Tamil radio ad was aired for one day.
Ford can't be held morally accountable for the actions of others. Furthermore, he disapproved of the ad, saying, "It is not good for politics, generally speaking. It is just bad. I don't condone that sort of behaviour. I can't control it; you don't know who they are. There is no name attached to them." (source: CTV.ca).
2. Signs saying "Should Muslim vote for him who married a man? [sic]" were posted anonymously at Danforth and Victoria Park Ave.
According to CTV News, "It is unknown who is responsible for the signs." Without a connection to Ford, the signs can't in good faith be held against him.
3. He called homosexuality a "lifestyle choice."
On Twitter, Ford said, "I do not condone the recent Tamil Radio ad. I support diversity & have no issue with others' lifestyle choices."
Although homosexuality may not be a choice, thinking otherwise is at worst only an error, which is a long way from assault or bigotry.
[Cont.'d in next comment.]
hi Steve...look I've written several posts about Ford since this one. And I think I have nuanced my criticism of Ford a bit. So for example, if I could rewrite this post I would tone down the headline, and just say Rob Ford and the Gay People. For the record, I now don't think he is a deliberate bigot, but because he sometimes says such asinine things he can fuel the bigotry of others.
ReplyDeleteI still want to know who funded the Tamil ad, and I remain deeply suspicious of his campaign team.
See here:
http://montrealsimon.blogspot.com/2010/10/rob-ford-and-fake-tweeter.html
However I believe in the power of redemption. So I am willing to wait and see what kind of Mayor Ford will turn out to be. Actions after all speak louder than words. And if
he turns out to be better than I think, I will have no hesitation in writing a post to say that I was wrong about him. I am a bit of a hothead myself, but I do try to be fair. On the other hand, if he does turn out to be a rotten Mayor I expect you to do the same. Fair is fair eh? :)