That said, I don’t want any apologies, either. For those who called me a “homophobe,” “bigot,” “hater,” “enemy to civil rights,” “ignorant” and “filth peddler,” warned me to “watch my back” and spread my column around the country to stoke a response—no apologies necessary. In fact, I’m stoked by the ferocity of your response. I’m stoked that you mobilized against what you perceived to be a hateful voice, stoked that your days of taking shit and cowering in shadows are over, that you’re increasingly more willing and able to shout, “In your face, homophobe!” Honestly, I’m so happy about that it makes me want to leap over the bar and make out with each and every one of you.
– San Diego City Beat columnist Edwin Decker discussing the fallout from writing an article that included “Hell’s Anals, The Sodomites and The Mangols” as examples of “the kind of flamboyant biker-club names that I thought celebrated homosexuality, the kind of gay-biker-gang names that said, “In your face, homophobe! We are no longer going to ride in the closet!” The kind of biker gangs I would join if I happened to be gay.” Decker has written many columns arguing for gay rights and attacking anti-gay foes. He has also been a bridesmaid at a lesbian wedding.
Pinkish Hugh
The guy sounds all right to me.
tallest
this guy’s alright.
QJ201
“Decker has written many columns arguing for gay rights and attacking anti-gay foes. He has also been a bridesmaid at a lesbian wedding.”
Ah so we are using the “some of my best friends are black” defense.
Alex
Some gay people are just so sensitive.
Cheeky Little Bird
Hell’s Anals is funny. Anyone who is upset by it are either jealous of Decker’s humor or a prude.
Cinesnatch
“Hell’s Anals” is brilliant.
MikeE
If anything, he should be apologizing for just not being funny. “Hell’s Anals”? Really? he mustn’t be much of a writer to stoop to grade-school level “puns” in his search for wit and satire.
I don’t find it “offensive”. Stupid, yes. Offensive, no.
tallest
A properly executed pun is the height of comedy.
and seriously @QJ201: he didn’t say that, Queerty said that. You know, to show that his cred with the gay community is actually really good and that what he said was most likely tongue in cheek.
Jim Hlavac
If a gay comedy group or drag queen had made us some such name we’d be laughing at this. And if we can’t let heteros joke about us, that’s sad. I often hear people fret that I’ll be “offended” by something; hahaha — I’m not even offended by teh comedy gold of Peter Sprigg — I mean, really, if someone cracks a joke, crack one back; we’re good at this; we shouldn’t need apologies all the time. Dish it out gays, dish it out; and turn the whole friggin’ thing into a living comedy show.
jason
Ed Decker has a face like hell’s toilet.
Lefty
It’s a shit joke but hardly offensive.
doug105
Guess he forgot to ask Lisa Lampanelli who to get a pass from.
Its not like he pulled a Morgan get over it.
Justin
“Hells Anals” is pretty funny.
ed decker
I did actually use the “some of my best friends are” defense. Honestly, I don’t see what’s wrong with that. As I wrote in my column,
“Last on my list of pro-gay cred is—wait for it—that some of my best friends are gay. Yup. I said it. Some of my best friends are gay. Why shouldn’t I say that? If I hang out with gay people, it sort of defeats the whole homophobe concept, no? Cases in point are two of my closest friends in the world, Danielle LoPresti and Alicia Champion (founders of San Diego IndieFest), who have appointed me as godfather to their newborn son, Xander Lucian, and have asked me to be a bridesmaid in their upcoming wedding. I haven’t decided whether I should go in drag; regardless, if a man agrees to be a bridesmaid in a lesbian wedding, well, let’s just say it wouldn’t be long before he gets kicked off the Fallbrook Annual Aryan Homophobic Apple Bob and Barbecue Planning Committee.”
ed decker
@10 – Well then I kindly invite you to sit on it.
Keith
Rock on ed decker!
Carl
Tell me, someone, how is his creation of “Hell’s Anals” any different from the folks who saw the sign for Canal Street (heart of one of the UK’s most popular gay villages) and white-washed out the C and S so it reads Anal Treet (treat)? Is it because we, the gays, did the latter and a straight did the former?
This guy seems fine to me, he has a history of taking the piss out of seemingly anyone who breathes, why the hell should the GLBT community be immune? People need to get a bloody grip and stop being so sensitive – there’s a difference between humour and hate, folks.
Skeloric
Dang, Have we gotten to the point where we are willing to eat our own?
We have enough REAL ENEMIES out there, including our own personal 5th columnists, GO(not)PROUD who have cozied up to our enemies in order to get some sort of “preferential treatment” for betraying the rest of us.
Honestly, Mr Decker only said the exact sort of thing that a group of gay men would say about a member of the group that motorcycled during the time when that man would be out of the room.
I’ve seen it happen again and again.
So have the rest of you if you’d just admit it.
This is neither all that profound nor even all that shocking to me.
BTM4JZS
“Hell’s ANALS??” I’M OFFENDED!! Because gay men DO NOT use the anus as a locus of sexual pleasure! No, wait…
Nick Thiwerspoon
Hell’s Anals is laugh-out-loud funny. Wish I’d thought of it!
the crustybastard
I read Decker’s column and had no problem with it.
I’m a biker, and have been for most of my adult life. My favorite ride is a hand-built custom hardtail, and I’ve also got another one I built myself. To the extent that establishes any greasy cred, I say: bikers who won’t acknowledge scooters are pricks. Scooters are a gas. Scooter culture is cool. Small displacement can be big fun. Two wheels are always twice as fun as four (except when it rains or it’s really cold, then I’ll take the 4×4.)
Anyway, I hope Decker makes his Hell’s Anals patch and sews it to the back of his jacket. Since he’s a writer, it better goddamwell feature a colossal Vonnegutesque * .
I read Decker’s follow-up column too. He tells a story of a “Shout the Most Offensive Racist Slur You Can Think Of” game at a bar. I related to that too. “The Offensive Racial Epithet Challenge” is a car game my friends have been playing for years. It’s real easy for the first 15 minutes or so. But none of us will ever fucking give up, which means that an hour later, mid-conversation, somebody suddenly yells something like “PRAIRIE NIGGER!” And everybody’s like “Dude, WTF…? Oh. Nice one!” And we all laugh, even the prairie nigger.
Know why? Because it’s okay when your friends do it.
Tigris
This sort of “mock” gay bashing for supposedly humorous purposes could work if the target minority was not being actively, currently and savagely “bashed” in reality. Also, coming from a white heterosexual man, it really seems a bit inappropriate at this time.
beergoggles
@ed decker: You’re allowed the “some of my best friends are..” defense as long as you name them. Since you did, good on you, good on them and I thought you were reasonably amusing.
Jimmy Fury
Really folks?
Some taint stain politician goes on a rant about how gay soldiers are disgusting and should be ashamed and how he’s glad one got jeered on national television and the post gets 4 comments?
A comedian makes a joke about gay bikers and you’re up in arms?
Holy hell what is wrong with your priorities!?
ewe
There is something very Nathan Laneish about his photograph. Especially in the eyes.
Aiden
Why is Chaz in quotes?
jason
Ed Decker,
Attending the wedding of two women doesn’t make you open-minded. In fact, I believe that the true test of open-mindedness would be for you to attend the wedding of two men. Acceptance of homosexuality in women does not necessarily translate into acceptance of homosexuality in men. We’ve seen this double standard in countless forms of media – from porn to the music industry to the movie industry.
Carl
Looking at the response, it seems no matter what Ed says, some will see him in a negative light. He made a funny joke – GET OVER IT. It’s not like he’s just ribbing the GLBT community, he does it to anyone and everyone. We want equality? Congratulations – This is part of it. He has a laugh at the expense of all, regardless of colour, creed, sexuality, gender and so on. This is true equality and I applaud him for standing up against narrow minded bigots who would restrict the rights of others to tell jokes.
If all he did was take the piss out of community, I would stand against him. But he doesn’t. He also supports Equal Human Rights (read his previous blogs). Context is everything people. This is a pro-equal human rights individual Making A Joke.
The biggest joke though? The people on here condemning him in knee-jerk reaction-ism.
Dorothy
@jason: Are you insane? There are no rules as to what we must like attached to open-mindedness. Open your mind, and get the hell over yourself!
prohomo
@Dorothy: Nonetheless, Jason has a point. Many straight men have no problem with two women being together, but two men? How often do you see straight men affirming gay couples?
David K
I would wear a Hells Anals patch on the back of my leather vest.
Dorothy
@prohomo: Not too often but not supporting something is not the same thing as condemning it.
Dorothy
@the crustybastard: Lmfao, but what the hell is prairie nigger?
Ed Decker
Jason @27 would have a point if, say, a couple of gay men asked me to stand up in their wedding and I turned them down on the basis of their being gay. Alas, I have never been asked. But I would LEAP at the chance.
Not just because of the historical significance — you know, being a tiny part of the most important civil rights movement of the decade, but also, let’s see, how can I put this in a way that you will understand, a way in which I haven’t put it before, a way that will get past YOUR prejudices and intolerances. Oh, I know….
BECAUSE I FUCKING LOVE THE SHIT OUT OF GAY PEOPLE, ALL RIGHT?
How many times do I have to say it?
the crustybastard
@Dorothy:
It’s a Native American.
@Ed Decker:
Don’t bother with Jason. The Woman is keeping him down.
Dorothy
@Ed Decker: Oh Ed Decker, quit beating around the bush. We just want to know how you feel about gay people 🙂
Ed Decker
@Dorothy, If I told you that I like gays so much I wanted to have sex with them, would it make me gay?
Dorothy
@Ed Decker: I think it would make you bi-curious, not that there’s anything wrong with that…
Carl
@Ed Decker: Just ignore Jason, the guy has serious issues. Also, could you rephrase that sentence in all-caps, I’m not sure what you’re trying to say there, it’s a little confusing 😉
Dorothy
@the crustybastard: And to think I’ve wasted all these years calling prairie niggers chugs! Maybe it’s a cultural thing-I’m Canadian. My brother, a full-blooded member of Haida Nation, is still lying on my kitchen floor,drooling and twitching and giggling and muttering. Does the prairie nigger EVER laugh!