NC: Governor Easley backs Clinton with tacky gay-baiting

WOW!

You NC folks are really stirring things up this election cycle!  Who would have thought 6 mos. ago that NC, with such a late primary, would be playing such a huge role in the Democratic nomination!  

Don't worry - Hillary will fix this whole dustup in her usual way, by going on Ellen or sending Chelsea to a gay bar.  That's her way of showing us her love (wink-wink), not by talking about our issues to mainstream audiences.

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by: Naperville Mom @ Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 11:15:43 AM CDT

She's going on O'Reilly!

Wednesday night.

That should be interesting.

I wonder what Olbermann will say?

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by: Zorya @ Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 13:20:16 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Yea

She is still angling for the VP slot...

The Republican VP slot.

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by: Will St. James @ Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 22:35:08 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

dont worry

obama will easily take NC, but this governor is wasting his endorsement.  no cabinet positions for him.

http://www.queersunited.blogspot.com

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by: hippie4lyfe @ Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 11:52:40 AM CDT

I just saw that on MSNBC

and I was shocked and yep, sure enough HRC just stood there smiling. What a shame.

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by: BB @ Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 12:31:57 PM CDT

Is it possible...

...that she doesn't know about the gay connotations of the word?  She may just think it means weakling.

Just asking.  

I mean, she did note back in February that words and nice speeches don't mean very much.

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by: Zorya @ Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 13:27:38 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Don't worry...

...Sen. Clinton will send out a gay or lesbian surrogate to brush down our ruffled feathers. She again won't have to utter the words gay or lesbian herself, and her LGBT supporters can point to the surrogate's comments as how she supports LGBT community.  All good, right?

/snark.

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~~Autumn~~

As if there were safety in stupidity alone.
--Henry David Thoreau

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by: Autumn Sandeen @ Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 13:01:22 PM CDT

Quoted On The Caucus

From the NY Times Blog, The Caucus:

The comment also seems to have stirred up a perception Mrs. Clinton has battled throughout her career: "Sen. Clinton will send out a gay or lesbian surrogate to brush down our ruffled feathers. She again won't have to utter the words gay or lesbian herself, and her LGBT supporters can point to the surrogate's comments as how she supports LGBT community," snarked a reader at Pam's House Blend. "All good, right?"

Congrats on the quote, Autumn ;)

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by: pecola @ Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 19:48:17 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

From a man who wears pastel sweater-vests? Puh-leez! n/t

.

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by: Storm @ Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 14:47:48 PM CDT

...oooh!

Strong powerful woman huh!... What type undergarments did his wife have on? and did she have her whip or crop with her?  We sure know what his tastes are. Wonder how many closeted Sub men and Dom women he will sway with that comment? Is that a real large voting block there?

It's the Hammer of JUSTICE,
It's the Bell of FREEDOM,
It's the Song about LOVE between,
my Brothers and my Sisters
...All over this Land.

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by: Orion45 @ Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 14:57:57 PM CDT

Denounce and Reject, Hillary

Hillary Clinton must denounce and reject this gay-baiting.

This is entirely unacceptable.

She must distance herself from this language.

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by: TeddySanFran @ Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 17:00:56 PM CDT

Gov. Easley knows his audience better than I, but...

... I wonder if Hillary wants to be described in such macho terms.  As a woman she has to walk a gender balance that male politicians don't have to worry about.  She needs appear tough enough to deal with hostile governments and recalitrant politicians, but she can't come across as "manly" or "unfeminine" since that might alienate the more conservative voters.

If you want allies, you have to be an ally.

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by: dale @ Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 17:07:07 PM CDT

another pansy 4 Obama

Hillary is welcome to cast herself as Rocky, but if she gets labled as BUTCH, she has no one to blame but her own self.

What have you done today, to make ya feel PROUD?


~Heather Small

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by: peteyPornpig @ Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 17:12:19 PM CDT

Where's the HRC or GLAAD?

Olbermann read a statement from the HRC on Countdown, but I couldn't find it anywhere. Anyone else have any luck? What about GLAAD?

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by: pecola @ Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 19:43:02 PM CDT

Busy

GLAAD is busy with real homophobia happening daily.  The comments are just as snarky toward machoism as they are toward non-machoism.  Getting worked up about this is precisely the type of hypersensitivity that get the left labeled as loony.

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by: tony @ Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 21:49:22 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

GLAAD has a brief press release

New York, April 28, 2008 - The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) responded to North Carolina Governor Mike Easley's remarks this morning when he said Senator Hillary Clinton's determination made Rocky Balboa, the famed boxer from the Rocky movie franchise, "look like a pansy."

"GLAAD is concerned with Gov. Easley's flippant comment this morning utilizing the word "pansy,'" said GLAAD President Neil G. Giuliano. "The word is considered by many to be a demeaning and degrading reference to gay men. We encourage all those engaging in political rhetoric to stay away from using language that is considered defamatory toward any group of Americans."

http://www.glaad.org/media/rel...

If you want allies, you have to be an ally.

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by: dale @ Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 22:15:56 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Missing the Point

It makes no difference whether Easley used "pansy" to mean "queer" or to mean "effeminate." NEITHER usage is acceptable.

If an Obama endorser had said, "Barack won't be anybody's bitch," the entire bitter, white, middle-aged, race-baiting feminist establishment would be shrieking about it. But I guess they don't mind masculinity-bashing slurs.

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by: uh_huhh @ Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 20:04:54 PM CDT

Don't let perceptions of N.C. be clouded by Gov.

http://www.interstateq.com/arc...

After hearing Gov. Mike Easley's unfortunate use of the anti-gay slur, "pansy," I immediately sensed the high probability that my governor's words could have a huge impact on the way people outside of my state perceive our political leaders and its people.

As a North Carolinian (a very proud one at that) I also immediately felt a need to defend my state, its honor, its wonderful people and our leaders who are working hard every day to secure equality and fairness for all our citizens.

North Carolina already has a bad reputation. From Hollywood movies to old stereotypes about "backwoods North Carolina," folks outside of my beautiful state and outside of the South tend to believe Tar Heels are nothing but redneck, gun-toting, gay-bashing, cigarette-chain-smoking Republicans who hate blacks, Mexicans, Jews and women.

The reality couldn't be further from the stereotype. Despite our conservative nature, the people of North Carolina truly are fair-minded, at least when compared to the rest of the South. Are we as "fair-minded" as folks in California or New York? Probably not. But I think our LGBT track record speaks clearly for itself. Our state is Democratic-controlled. Are our Democrats as liberal as those in California or New York? Definitely not. But, I think our people and our leaders are among some of the most fair and equality-minded people in the entire South.

When the radical right looks at their map of states buying into their "save marriage" wedge issue ballot drives, they see a huge hole glaring at them, kicking them right in the face and reminding them of their failure. No matter what they do or say, they can't get the good Old North State to follow suit.

As I've said before, the North Carolina LGBT community is well-connected, well-organized and effective. From statewide policies to municipal protections, North Carolina is ahead on the Southern curve.

Please, whatever you do, don't let the Governor's inarguably unfortunate choice of words cloud your judgment and perception of North Carolina and our people.

"Without progress the world stays static and when the world stays static, the wrongs of the past live on to the present." Notes on a culture in progress Nov. 14 2006

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by: matthillcomer @ Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 22:18:18 PM CDT

here, here, Matt

Over at BlueNC, the gov is getting scorched. Our state is way ahead of the curve in the region. Easley is definitely part of the fossilized crew moving out of power as the next generation of more progressive pols (many native North Carolinians), move  into power.

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by: Pam Spaulding @ Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 22:22:00 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Easley is too mild

Clinton makes Napoleon look like a retard!

Clinton makes Churchill look like a Nazi!

Clinton makes Genghis Khan look like a conscientious objector!

Clinton makes FDR look like a drooling moron!

Clinton makes the world go round, Clinton is God, Clinton is our savior, Clinton has more balls than a gumball machine.

"The most beautiful sound I ever heard--Hil-la-ry, Hi-la-ry, Hi-la-ry"

Start building the monuments! Rename streets and parks and whole cities after her! President-for-Life Clinton is a dream we can all dream.  

"In order to maintain an untenable position, you have to be actively ignorant."  The Colbert Report

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by: Lev Raphael @ Wed Apr 30, 2008 at 10:01:33 AM CDT

I'm trying

But I just don't see that as gay-baiting.
Maybe I grew up too late for this word to have that connotation.  It was most certainly used by kids when I was growing up (in the late 80s), but gay and faggot were already in considerable use, as was queer, and it was very clear that pansy meant sissy and the rest meant homo.

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by: southernboy @ Wed Apr 30, 2008 at 11:31:30 AM CDT

You've got to be joking you about Pansy

Give me a break. I am a gay man and in no way does his Rocky/Pansy reference offend me. You people need to get thicker skin and a backbone and stop bitching about every little comment. This extremism makes me vomit in my mouth. Grow up babies.

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by: mayhewm7 @ Wed Apr 30, 2008 at 15:00:33 PM CDT