If you’ve ever wanted to see “lackluster” in action, look no further. As you most likely remember, North Carolina Governor Mike Easley caused a stink yesterday when he endorsed Hillary Clinton, saying, “[She] makes Rocky Balboa look like a pansy.”
Well, loads of homos were offended by Easley’s remark, but even more so by Clinton’s silence on the matter. The Senator has long been a gay favorite, so one would hope she could find the balls to speak out against Easley, who many claim uttered the dreaded “hate speak”.
In fact, one reader reminded us that Mrs. Clinton once vowed to denounce any hate speech in her campaign. During MSNBC’s February debate, while discussing Louis Farrakhan, Clinton took on Obama for “rejecting,” rather than “denouncing” the anti-Israel leader. Mrs. Clinton went on to say, “We cannot let anyone in any way say these things because of the implications that they have, which can be so far reaching.”
The aforementioned reader wondered whether the presidential nominee would make good on her promise. We seriously doubt it.
GLAAD and Human Rights Campaign are acting equally lame…
The gay media watchdogs had a bit to say, but it basically amounts to nothing. Said president Neil Giuliano:
GLAAD is concerned with Gov. Easley’s flippant comment this morning utilizing the word “pansy.”
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.
But chinks, japs and other international pejoratives are okay?
C’mon, GLAAD! You call this a statement? While we’re not particularly offended by Easley’s remarks, we know a lot of older gays – for whom pansy has a much more resonating, personal definition – are exceedingly upset about this gaffe. We would hope that GLAAD could stop planning its celebrated events or whatever they do to actually say something. But, we should have learned our lesson by now.
Human Rights Campaign, meanwhile, did no better, but, again, we’re not surprised, especially considering the organization’s long history with Senator Clinton. Here’s deputy communications director Trevor Thomas’ worthless remark, “We certainly wish the governor would have chosen his words better and have expressed our disappointment to his staff.”
Since these established, wealthy organizations can’t find the chutzpah to say the right thing, we will: Yo, Clinton, either drop Easley and make good on previous campaign promises or, at the very least, make a personal statement. Your current silence is hurting your reputation among homo voters. And, quite frankly, makes you look like a pansy.
Jeremy
I was giving Queerty the benefit of the doubt yesterday in my posting saying that “pansy” just doesn’t ring as an insult to a lot of us gays – therefore Clinton herself should not be blamed for staying silent. I wouldn’t (as a gay) have caught it.
But now, I totally believe that Queerty represents another user’s comment yesterday: “Queerty. Free of an Agenda – except that Obama one.” So true.
This new posting – and the reaching to slander Clinton therein – is very slanted…. and backed up by the definition of a logical fallacy. How could a radical, racist black hate group possibly compare to a remark made by a Clinton supporter which may or may not be offensive?
This is a “pansy” argument. That is – weak – in its purely denotative sense. Whatever connotative meaning is pulled by your hypersenstive collective hive mind, Queerty, is purely delusional. And transparently agenda-oriented.
pansy
Well, I was called “pansy” (among other things) before getting gay bashed and ending up in the hospital for 4 days. So it sure as hell rings as an insult to me and plenty of other people. Just because you don’t find it insulting doesn’t mean it isn’t insulting. Get your head out of your ass!
todd
Hillary has the fag vote wrapped up, now she’s working on the hick vote. She will not be stopped. The only agenda she subscribes to is her own.
Chet
What happened to you was tragic and it shows how far America has to go before we can be truly be on equal footing. However, a close inversion of your second to last sentence also rings true here:
Just because you find it insulting doesn’t mean it is generally insulting. Taken to its logical extreme, your statement would make a large majority of the adjectives in the english language insulting. Someone, somewhere will find some adjective insulting, does that mean people need to take arms against it.
GLAAD was right on this one. We need to be more discerning of the line between what is actually harming the community versus percieved harm to the community. Sure the word has been used as an offensive term towards gay people. But it isn’t limited to that connotation. Taken in context, the phrase he used was not intended to be homophobic so lets all cool our jets here and not be offended by any term that could in any reality be used to verbally abuse gay individuals. Some words used against us in the past have transcended intent and are taboo – pansy isn’t one of them.
Chris
It may not be generally insulting, but this use is.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pansy#Name_origin_and_significance
Charley
Easley probably isn’t aware of Hillary’s so called support for the gay community. She never mentions gay rights in front of straights, just at gay org fundraisers. If she had addressed straights on issues, McCain would not have wondered what LGBT stood for .
Greymalkin
The excuse that pansy “just means weak or whimp”, reminds me of the excuse that fag “just means weak or whimp”.
Sorry, it doesn’t.
We can be as creative with words as we want, but in the end those words refer to queers.
For the record, I’m no a PC monster. But, lets not pretend not see this comment for what it is.
Chet
if you are going to throw wikipedia at me (since when did wikipedia become the arbiter of truth), then I would like to point out in same article that the reference as a disaparaging term against homosexuals is in parentheses. Those are usually reserved for tangential statements or less common applications of the subject. Perhaps we can all spend our workdays tossing internet dictionary defintions at each other. That would highly amuse me.
Chris
Andrew Belonsky hates Hillary Clinton, the HRC, and GLAAD. (Oh, and Israel and Michael Lucas.)
But even for Andrew, this continuing attempt at drumming up negative controversy for Hillary is boiling the chicken bones for broth.
Lessthan
I have to agree with Chet. Pansy just means weak or effeminate. It is a term applied to describe gay men, but so what? They also call us ‘damned,’ ‘perverts,’ or ‘potential pedophiles.’ Does that mean we can not use these words without insulting the gay community?
hells kitchen guy
Judging from the comments here and on JoeMyGod, I don’t see most people reacting with outrage to the comments. So why do you say, “loads of homos were offended by Easley’s remark”?
You’re either lazy or stupid, but I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt and, with the other respondents, just chalk it up to an anti-Clinton bias.
Marky Mark
Dearest Jeremy and Chris (post No.9) – Even if the editor of this site spends his day sticking pins in his Hillary voodoo doll and figuring out ways to sabotage GLAAD and HRC, the fact remains he’s right. They need to be called out on this. Had the word been used by a republican, the mother of all shit storms would have descended upon North Carolina.
Don’t let your disdain for the editor blind you.
William Pentecost
I think that gay tolerance is being lost. Maybe it is a good thing that “Pansy” is no longer tied to “gay.” Hillary Clinton has a long standing record of support for homosexuals. Maybe we should discuss why Obama is a member of a church that believes being gay is a sin? However this situation is being blown out of proportion. I am more offended that Queerty.com is saying that whenever the word pansy is used it must be referring to gay men like myself. No mention of gay was ever discussed.
charlie
If you don’t know what a word means, look it up!
Here’s a definition for “pansy” from Merriam-Webster:
“1: a garden plant (Viola wittrockiana) derived chiefly from the hybridization of the European Johnny-jump-up (Viola tricolor) with other wild violets; also : its flower
2: a) usually disparaging : a weak or effeminate man or boy b) usually disparaging : a male homosexual”
It’s hard for me to imagine that you people don’t think this term is offensive. Trust me on this one: if a straight person calls you a pansy, it’s most probably a reference to your sexual orientation and it’s not a compliment(even though there are probably quite a few more hurtful names you could be called).
I voted for Hillary in the CA primary, but I’m not will to go so far in defending her that I have to pretend a word doesn’t mean what it does. Anyway, I don’t think Hillary needs much defending on this. I don’t necessarily think that candidates are responsible for all the stupid things that their supporters spout out.
There’s been way too much guilty by association in this campaign and not enough focusing on the issues.
Chris
@ No. 9: The first three are likely correct, but Israel and Lucas? And even if somebody hates Lucas does that imply that he has to hate whole Israel? That’s nonsense.
Leland Frances
I believe in fairness even for the person I consider the SECOND best candidate this year for President. Therefore, I must point out that Obama does not belong to a church that thinks being gay is a sin. In fact, the United Church of Christ is the most proactively pro gay mainstream denomination. Even Rev. Wrong encouraged a gay “singles group” at Trinity UCC. There IS a problem, however, in that both Obama and Wrong disagree with the official policy body of the denomination in that they oppose gay marriage equality. [The structure of UCC allows individual congregations to differ with that body.]
As for the original thread topic, it’s fair to say that “loads of homos were NOT offended by Easley’s remark,” too. Thanks, Jeremy, for your remarks rightly identifying the Queerty Obama Girls’ attempt to keep turning a teapot into a tempest—even incredulously enlarging their indictment of Easley as being guilty of “hate speak”—and not just because you agreed with my “except for that Obama [agenda]” comment.
Their first attempt even made “The New York Times” yesterday:
thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/04/29/blogtalk-pansy-power/#more-4972
While I’m heartbroken [not] that the Times didn’t mention my name when quoting me among the dissenters from the Obama Girls Party Line, at least they acknowledged that there ARE different reactions, even if the author was clearly pushing the Party Line.
And I believe that others are genuinely offended and not merely a pawn of the Obama Borg willing to say/do anything to help the Dali Obama in his premature quest for the White House. If we heard someone say, “I hate fags,” most of us would be up in arms until we realized the speaker was native Brit and was referring to cigarettes. Many Bill Richardson for President supporters insisted he was telling the truth/not retarded when he insisted that he was seemingly the one Spanish speaker on the face of the earth who didn’t know that “maricon” is the equivalent of “faggot” when he used it in a joke on the Don Imus show. I was one of the seeming majority who were offended by Isaiah Washington’s hate speech use of “faggot”—except for well-known black blogger Jasmyn Cannick who insisted he was being railroaded because of race. But a day without Cannick saying someone is being railroaded because of race is like a day without cretins, and, unlike Easley’s error which is very grey, the Washington case was, as it were, black and white.
Finally, when the author of this thread claims that “we’re not particularly offended by Easley’s remarks [we are just sticking up for] a lot of older gays [we know who are]” WE must point out that IF you genuinely had ANY such sensibilities about such different generational emotional scars you wouldn’t have named your blog QUEERty.
Support whom you will, but cut back on the dishonest shilling for Obama/365-24-7 Hillary Hate Parade before you lose the same amount of credibility that Daily Kos, TPM, and Americablog have.
Bitch Republic
Calling someone a pansy is not hate speech. Obama followers are such asshats.
Infelix
Jesus H. Christmas, what a bunch of hoo-ha about nothing. And this blog has been anti-Obama from the start, don’t peg this recockulous bullshit on us Obamaniacs, plz. And, for the love of everything good and right in this world, can we fucking stop with all the “rejecting” and “denouncing”? Why are teh gheys so behind the curve lately? Crikey. What a bunch of pansy-ass wussy sissy-boy liberal crybaby nonsense.
Michael Duquette
God damn, you fucking crazed OBama fags are beyond ridiculous. Stop trying to stir up something that is really nothing to begin with. Anything to deter attention from the facts. I find it rather amusing no one seems to make an issue of the fact that Obama belongs to an anti-Gay church. Interesting.. Pansy is not an anti gay slur, like I said yesterday, it is a slur againt every man, deeming them weak. Hence the quote. Hillary does make Rocky Balboa look like a pansy. Now shut the fuck up dumbasses
walt zipprian
Obama does not belong to an anti gay church.
But Hillary does. The Methodist church is very anti-gay.
Her husband also signed DADT.
And she is not a vocal supporter of gay rights.
She is a cunt.
Michael Duquette
Hey dumbass at number 20…
Obama’s church is anti gay. Rev. Wright had spoken against homsexuality several times before he retired and how are you going to say the Methodist Church is anti gay? Bottom line, almost every single Christian church is anti gay but its the speaking out against homosexuality that is the issue. Hillary’s church does not do that.
Furthermore, DADT was the best that could be done at the time, Hillary wants to end it once she is sworn in. At the time, it was a major break through for gays in the military, before that we weren’t allowed. It’s been a failed policy but without it, progress wouldn’t have been made.
Youre a fucking idiot
jacksmith
Approx. 100,000 of you die each year from medical accidents from a rush to profit by the insurance, and medical industry. Another 120,000 of you die each year from treatable illness that people in other developed countries don’t die from. And I could go on, and on…
Millions of you lose your homes, and are forced into bankruptcy’s from medical bills. Just because you got sick. This outrage does not happen in any other developed country in the world.
Currently America ranks as having the worst QUALITY of medical care in the developed world for EVERY! American.
You tell’um Elizabeth 🙂
Jacksmith… Working Class 🙂
jacksmith
DEBATE! DEBATE!! DEBATE!!!
It’s time for everyone to face the truth. Barack Obama has no real chance of winning the national election in November at this time. His crushing defeat in Pennsylvania makes that fact crystal clear. His best, and only real chance of winning in November is on a ticket with Hillary Clinton as her VP.
Hillary Clinton seemed almost somber at her Pennsylvania victory speech. As if part of her was hoping Obama could have proved he had some chance of winning against the republican attack machine, and their unlimited money, and resources.
But it is absolutely essential that the democrats take back the Whitehouse in November. America, and the American people are in a very desperate condition now. And the whole World has been doing all that they can to help keep us propped up.
Hillary Clinton say’s that the heat, and decisions in the Whitehouse are much tougher than the ones on the campaign trail. But I think Mr. Obama faces a test of whether he has what it takes to be a commander and chief by facing the difficult facts, and the truth before him. And by doing what is best for the American people by dropping out of the race, and offering his whole hearted assistance to Hillary Clinton to help her take back the Whitehouse for the American people, and the World.
Mr. Obama is a great speaker. And I am confident he can explain to the American people the need, and wisdom of such a personal sacrifice for them. It should be clear to everyone by now that Hillary Clinton is fighting her heart out for the American people. She has known for a long time that Mr. Obama can not win this November. You have to remember that the Clinton’s have won the Whitehouse twice before. They know what it takes.
If Mr. Obama fails his test of commander and chief we can only hope that Hillary Clinton can continue her heroic fight for the American people. And that she prevails. She will need all the continual support and help we can give her. She may fight like a superhuman. But she is only human.
Sen. Hillary Clinton: “You know, more people have now voted for me than have voted for my opponent. In fact, I now have more votes than anybody has ever had in a primary contest for a nomination. And it’s also clear that we’ve got nine more important contests to go.”
Sincerely
Jacksmith… Working Class 🙂
Michael Duquette
Finally someone with some clarity and sense!
walt zipprian
Hey number 24. How much does the Hillary campaign pay you to comment on these boards?
I may be an idiot but she’s still a cunt.
You probably are too.
Go Obama!!!
Leland Frances
We believe Mr. Duquette is confusing Rev. Wright, however Wrong he often is, with Obama’s OTHER “spiritual advisor” [tho he now incredulously denies Wright ever was] and close friend Rev. James Meeks who IS a raging homohater.
Wright did get rather hissy when his United Church of Christ hierarchy endorsed gay marriage equality as if they somehow weren’t paying enough attention to various black issues, and Trinity has never joined the UCC LGBT caucus, but even that pales at the verbal hate crimes of Rev. Meeks.
Hillary’s United Methodist denomination is anti even civil unions. Hillary is FOR civil unions!
Obama’s United Church of Christ is for gay marriage equality. Obama is against it.
Michael Duquette
I am a cunt and you know what? Cunts get shit done. Fucknut
hell's kitchen guy
Margaret Thatcher was a “cunt.” Indira Ghandi was a “cunt.” Golda Meir was a “cunt.” Maybe this country needs a “cunt” to run it for a while. Go cunts!
Kevin Foster
Is it OK if I absolutely HATE all three major candidates; in fact, ALL of the damned candidates. Jesus, preferring Hillary over Obama or Obama over Hillary over McCain is like preferring mumps over measles.
All three candidates view gay people as a source for campaign cash and little else other than 3rd class citizens whom all of them feel free to piss on the Constitution and discriminate against.
Fuck them, ALL THREE OF THEM, they are all the same, hate blackens all of their hearts, none has the guts for equality or the real, true dream of America which is still a lie right now and always has been. All three suck, hard.
First time in my whole life I don’t care to vote for any of them — and WON’T.
Andrew M. Potts
In my book “pansy” is a gay slur, if not a particularly muscular one. “Pansy” only refers to gay men, and when straights are called it, it’s just an oldfashioned equivalent of calling them “gay”. Governor Mike Easly should have used the word “sissy” instead, which does not carry automatic homosexual connotations.
Mr C
Ms Snow Queen Leland you forgot to mention while you were raving off your cocksucking mouth that Obama agrees to civil unions as well. We know you want queen Hillary to win. But at least honest girl.
Bias hating Bitch
thisniss
next time some North Carolina farm boy gets beat because he’s a pansy, how smug and cynical will those “unoffended and you should be too” voices be? Just because it doesn’t bother you doesn’t mean it’s not important. What if he’d said “fairy?” Or “nelly?” Those words don’t ~necessarily~ mean gay, either.
And just because you never heard “pansy” used that way doesn’t mean it isn’t used that way. Learn your friggin history, peoples. “Pansy” only means “wimpy” BECAUSE it means “gay.” It comes from the “Pansy Craze.” It’s like, what Queers were when John McCain was still in short pants.