While thousands cheered as uniformed service members marched in last weekend’s San Diego Pride parade, another participant got a less friendly response: City Councilman Carl DeMaio, an openly gay man running for mayor, received boos and cold shoulders from protestors angry that he’s accepted donations from groups fighting against marriage equality. DeMaio has previously said he won’t “push the gay special agenda” if elected.
Local videographer and LGBT-rights activist Syd Stevens captured the scene and posted it on YouTube.
Kev C
Carpe diem, Carl DeMaio.
ggreen
Who is worse him or the douche bag supporters marching behind him?
Andrew D.
It didn’t take much time or research to figure out that he’s a complete tool. If he’s on record stating that he wouldn’t push a gay agenda, why the hell did they allow him in the parade?
Vickie
Shame on Carl DeMaio- Union Busting is Disgusting. The real threat comes from his felonious boyfriend Johnathan Hale, aka John Wyckoff, aka Johnathan Hackett. Johnathan has admitted to compiling an enemies list of citizens who wont be allowed inside a Mayor DeMaio City Hall. Put that on top of his multiple personal bankruptcies, restraining orders for domestic violence, history of drug use and now you are cooking with gas!
Hats Off
So let me get this straight: It’s no longer good enough for a candidate to just be gay, he also has to push every item on the gay agenda out there as well? Okay, NOW I get it: A candidate’s worthiness is based upon his sexuality AND his ability to pander. Got it.
LittIe,Kiwi
@Hats Off: spoken like a true coward with neither balls nor brains.
worthiness is based on their ability to Do The Right Thing. this wimp? one more gay conservative-suck-up who thinks that “not pushing a gay agenda” will mean he gets tolerated, like the gay conservative losers who troll these sites, hoping that if they adopt some “i don’t care about gay rights” stance their conservative families and communities will accept them. and you all fail. because you have no spines and thus are not worthy of respect.
Kurt
@ Hats Off: “So let me get this straight: It’s no longer good enough for a candidate to just be gay…”
It never was good enough for a candidate just to be gay. Issues matter. DeMaio isn’t a leader on the issues San Diego gays care about. He well represents his affluent, Republican, right-wing council district. He would not make a good mayor.
Gigi
@Hats Off: He doesn’t have to “push” any agenda but to accept money from anti-gay groups is disgusting. Imagine if a black politician accepted money from the KKK. What kind of reception would he/she receive from the black community?
Gigi
Just look at how HIGH IN THE AIR he’s holding his partner’s hand in the air. He’s like: See. See. Look at me! I’m A Gay too. Ya. You are. The only thing we have in common is that we both like dick.
Spike
“DeMaio has previously said he won’t “push the gay special agenda” if elected.”
So why show up at a Gay Pride Parade let alone pay the fee to march in it?
BTW, what is the ‘gay special agenda’?
XJ
It should be noted that Carl refuses to be photographed with his partner in most circumstances, probably aware that a lot of his conservative supporters aren’t aware that he’s gay. We’ve actually heard this conversation between two Republicans in public before.
“That Carl DeMaio seems like a good family man.”
“Oh yeah, I’d love to meet his wife and kids.”
This was not said with irony.
zekeaz
How humiliating. I guess people will do just about anything for publicity.
s.b.
It just seems kinda lame that he wants ppl to support him just bc hes gay. I cant think of another reason he would campaign in the middle of a parade when he doesnt wanna support gay issues
GOProudest
@Hats Off: Left wing tools just won’t accept gays who dare to be different
Inis Magrath
@Hats Off: It’s never been “good enough for a candidate to just be gay.” It has always been good enough that a candidate support equal civil rights for all Americans, whether the candidate is gay or not.
B. Allan Ross
@Inis Magrath: Supporting equal civil rights for all Americans is the bottom-line litmus test for every single office in the USA. It’s required. It’s in the Constitution. It’s in the laws. That’s a starting point. There are others. And then you choose your reps based on the totality of their agenda. His is not ours, generally speaking, and he is pandering to our self-declared enemies. He’s running as a proud capo. He’s disgusting. Did the Log Cabin (gay) Republicans get booed in the Pride Parade too? He’s running for mayor, and his reference to “special rights” for gay people’s “special agenda” is a foul and anti-gay statement. I do not care that he is gay. I will never and have never voted for any candidate just because they were or were not gay/lesbian.
B. Allan Ross
BTW, Inis Magrath, on second look, it looks like you agree. I was replying to those who do not.
Bill Jackson
It seems to me that there were just as many cheers as boos – I know Carl and where he is on LGBT issues and he’s just fine… he even helped behind the scenes on fighting Prop 8 – most Gays are in the bed with Democrats and unions and its ashamed they support the joke of Filner versus one of the community’s own.
Kurt
“I know Carl and where he is on LGBT issues and he’s just fine… he even helped behind the scenes on fighting Prop 8 – most Gays are in the bed with Democrats and unions”
I love being in bed with the Democrats and workers. And boy is the sex good!!! I don’t need someone who has third parties who claim they “work behind the scences” on my rights. I prefer my bed partners who are working for equal rights in front of the scene.
GOProudest
@Bill Jackson: Gay libs do not even realize they are hypocrites. They totally lack self-awareness.
XJ
I love how many people use the term “libs” in this comment section like it’s a hate word, and with no sense of irony.
skeloric
As most of us already are aware, just identifying as GLBT does NOT an Ally make.
GO(not)Proud is a strong proof that being GLBT does not automatically make an Ally, sometimes it makes them our worst enemies.
Look up the term “Uncle Tom”, a classic example of those who shared the skin color of “being oppressed” (“Black”, “Colored”, “African-American”) while siding with the oppressor.
Well, “Uncle Tom” seems to be a good starting place for denoting NON-Ally GLBT individuals.
(The origin is a classic book called “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” might be worth a perusal.)
skeloric
@XJ: The Conservatives have long ago got the brilliant idea to come in here and start Trolling the place mercilessly.
Unfortunately, they were ALLOWED to remain, a VERY BAD IDEA.
Tina
This guy Carl DeMaio has totally alienated his fellow LGBT…and dare I say Queer… community in San Diego. His entire platform has been built on an embrace of the right-wing GOP monied interests in that City, taking campaign contributions from infamous homophobes like Rodger Hedgecock (who sued San Diego PRIDE parade in the past for not allowing a straight contingent called ‘the normal people’) and Hyatt millionaire Doug Manchester, who donated $200k+ to the Prop 8 (anti-gay marriage initiative in CA). Politicians who sell out their constituents for monied top 1% corporate interests don’t get a pass just because they happen to be gay, or black or women or… It’s high time we judge people for the content of their character and we deserve someone better to become the first openly gay mayor of San Diego. History will not bode well for this GOP-endorsed, right-wing, anti-worker, Big Business-sponsored mayoral candidate who just happens to be gay. Obviously his sexual orientation has not influenced his politics. He’s anti-progressive and can afford to support hateful homophobes because he is not a victim in his millionaire’s mansion.
thatonegirl88
@Hats Off: What makes me the most sad is seeing and hearing close minded extremists who claim that because they are a minority or a special group etc etc that they are more open minded and tolerant than everyone else is. But then they on go out and hate everyone else who doesn’t have the exact same views or agenda as they do. Unfortunately politics and democracy are an unfair game, but everyone has to play by the rules while we live here. Going extreme one way or the other will never win an election. At least this guy is trying to be balanced while still being true to himself. The people who are shunning this guy, or attacking him because he won’t devote “special attention” to gay issues, because why? Why should the Gay issues get more attention to other issues that are just as deserving? Do you want a candidate who would pour all of the funding and money into all the gay issues, but then ignore the issues about public schools, job creation, women’s rights..etc etc..?? Then what? Then he would get ALL THE GAY VOTE (or the majority, I guess, if they’re all like you guys), and no one else’s..sweet. Then he would lose before the primary and another candidate would still get voted in. The key is to be as BALANCED as possible. HELLO PEOPLE, there’s a REPUBLICAN GAY CANDIDATE out there, that’s unbelievable. AND EXCITING! So what if he doesn’t want to be photographed with is boyfriend bc its better for votes and his candidacy, unfortunately he just knows the way politics are, and that we have stupid people who WOULD base their voting on that, instead of the real issues. Just like the people in here who claim that they would never vote for someone just because they’re gay or straight. GOOD! Stick to that, but look at the actual issues and things he’s helping to support as a WHOLE, look at what’s best for EVERYONE, not just the gays, not just ONE group, but for everyone as a community. And the thing about accepting money from anti gay supporters, I don’t even get that? The only person who made a decent argument about this one was the KKK to a black candidate, but what I don’t understand is why would the KKK be supporting a black candidate in the first place? Why are these anti gay rights supporters supporting a gay candidate? All I’m saying is people need to practice what they preach. Look at the big picture, not just your own.