Playing with Hooks

  Via GayPatriotWest comes this story about a Democratic gubernatorial candidate in Virginia and his attempts to lighten his opponent's Republican red to a nancier shade of pink.

What lies at the heart of this whispering campaign at scorching volume? A torrid love affair with an employee? A spotting at a seedy club? A former career in hair-styling?

Nope. Just a lisp.

Suggesting that Kilgore's "gay-sounding" voice gives the impression that he is "weak" and effeminate, some online commentators have implored the Kaine campaign to take advantage of Kilgore's voice in order to implicitly connect him to gay stereotypes.

These must be those tolerant progressives I hear so much about. According to the Cavalier Daily editorial:

Last week, the Kaine campaign debuted a radio ad, "Weak." As the title would suggest, the spot suggests that Kilgore is "too weak to lead Virginia." Has Kilgore done anything, more than most other politicians, to define himself as "weak?" That's not clear. What is clear is the throwaway line in the "Weak" spot: "Jerry Kilgore is not being straight." The Kaine camp fails to add the obligatory "with voters;" the ad simply observes, "Jerry Kilgore is not being straight," period. (emphasis Pam's)

In these homophobic insinuations, there is an insidiousness at play that too-happily delves into the darkest recesses of human bigotry. Note how effeminate behavior implies weakness, an inability to lead. Homosexual males aren't "real" men, their very masculinity in question.

It is the brand of despicable belief that is less used than wielded in order to torment others, to lay a blade against someone's very identity, to cut and wound and shred.

I have noted the willingness of left-leaning politicians and ideologues to use homosexuality as a slur when they believe it suits their purposes. Whether it's Harriet Miers' secret life as a dyke, or the thousands of pages and postings devoted to vivid, demeaning descriptions of Jeff Gannon's probable nightlife, there is a strong, undeniable strain of situational homophobia infecting the Left. Just as they claim to find racial bigotry generally intolerable, the gate-keepers of diversity have had no problem peddling in anti-semitism when there is a political goal to be obtained.

Not only is using sexuality as a slur an acceptable tactic, but many of these people then coyly announce there's nothing wrong with being gay, and why on earth would anyone be upset by the accusation? No reason.

The real test is yet before the gay community. Will the usual groups denounce this Democratic candidate and his homophobic campaigners, or will they extend their partisan shilling streak and let yet another attack slide?

I'm not a hopeful man.

Comments

[Dan (AKA GayPatriotWest)]

Good enhancement of a brilliant post. :-)