Danger: homophobic politicians

BY NOREEN FAGAN – This
week, two politicians from either side of the Atlantic have shown that
homophobia is alive and well.

In 2008, Oklahoma State Representative Sally Kern ignited a
furor among queers when she said that homosexuality was the biggest threat
the US had ever faced and that it was destroying the country. Kern apparently feared
for her life after she allegedly received thousands of emails from angry gays.

Roll on three years later and Kern has a book out called The
Stoning of Sally Kern, which recounts her terrifying ordeal in the
aftermath of her homophobic outburst.

Kern is out and about in the US promoting her book. An
article on the Huffington Post describes her conversation with radio talk-show host David Barton.

Obviously, Kern felt she was in a safe space when she said, “I have to be honest with you, Rick. When I was sitting
there in my car that day and when she told me that those emails were coming
from homosexuals, honestly, fear gripped my whole body, because I was very
aware of the homosexual lobbyists and the power that they have. And people say,
’Oh, you’re so brave, so heroic,’ but I’m not, I’m just a sinner saved by grace
and I was gripped with fear that day. I just said, ‘Lord, what have I
done?’”

Please, give me a break. I cannot really believe that
someone can say such dumb things, just as I find it hard to imagine
that an elected official would tweet homophobic comments.

According to the UK’s Guardian, Tory Councillor James Malliff tweeted his way into suspension from the
party.

Malliff used his 140 characters to condemn Prime
Minister David Cameron’s support for gay marriage: “There is no doubt the PM is wrong on
this issue. We may as well legalize marriage with animals, crude I concede but
no apology.”

After his suspension, Malliff gave the obligatory lacklustre apology, saying that he did not mean to be offensive.

I wonder what he thinks would be offensive?