By now you’ve heard about the John Edwards blog scandal. You know, the one in which he caved to Catholic conservative pressure and fired two bloggers who had been called “anti-Catholic vulgar trash-talking bigots” for comments they made before working for the Edwards campaign.
But, there’s another, gayer blog scandal in which you may have an interest…
A Christian group’s taking aim at lesbian blogger and all-around super chick, Pam Spaulding, for comments left on her website with reference to “Americans For Truth” president Peter LaBarbera. After someone posted LaBarbera’s address, a reader by the name of Barry G. Wick wrote, “Snipers take note”. Another reader criticized Wick’s statement, to which Wick blasted:
Self-defense for gay folk isn’t PC, is it? No, we have to be certain that we’re victims all the time. As long as we’re victims, we get to maintain our status as an underclass. When we’re no longer victims, when we claim our full and true citizenship …and that’s the last thing the leadership of the gay movement wants. The leadership doesn’t want us to be anything other than victims and an underclass. That’s how we’re controlled by the leadership of the gay movement… When we start standing up for ourselves, we lose all the status of an underclass. I refuse to be part of an underclass. I’m equal. And I’m gonna use any language, even outrageous language, to get my point across.
In a later post he elaborated:
[LaBarbera] and others like him ought to know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, what future awaits them from a cadre of selected defenders willing to give up everything in order to protect the lives of gay and lesbian citizens.
One can’t help but see a few valid statements in Wick’s outbursts: how effective are our gay leaders? When was the last time Joe Solmonese or Neil Giuliano did anything but balk at the establishment?
How about we take this to the next level?
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Now, we’re not advocating anyone pick up a gun and go homo-hater-hunting, but we do think Wick has somewhat of a point. For her part, Spaulding has distanced herself from Wick, insisting that her site is not one for people of such militant leanings:
I have never advocated threatening physical harm toward anyone, as I have been on the receiving end of the same treatment — and it doesn’t feel good, let me tell you.
We may be on the opposite sides of the fence on most matters from the people we discuss and comment about here on the Blend, but on this we can agree — our families (whether LaBarbera regards mine as such) have a right to be safe.
She even went so far as to remove Wick’s posts. It seems to us that she jumped the gun on that one, so to speak. Sure, she can distance herself, but is it necessary to go back to remove the posts themselves? This is, after all, America…
What do you think, readers? Was Spaulding justified in removing the posts? Is Wick a wacko? Are our gay “leaders” content with just sitting by and letting things happen?
ColinATL
Queerty, I think you got it wrong this time. I agree, this is America, but I also think Pam has every right to remove threatening language from her blog. It changes the tone of her website and makes her an unnecessary target. Free speech should be curtailed the moment it puts someone else in fear of imminent harm.
alexa
Along with this one, Pam’s House Blend is probably my favorite blog out there. Just as you have a right to determine what is said on your site, so she has a right to determine what is said on hers. If she doesn’t want people advocating physical harm to others there, that’s her decision. Personally, I would have made sure people knew I disagreed but would have left the comments, but it’s her site, so her decision, and I can’t say I blame her.
Stevie
We disagree with ColinATL. Homo-haters also tend to be card carrying members of the NRA. We enjoy the ironic mental image of their smug smiles freezing at the thought of a homo army packin heat.
Gay Cowboy Bob
You do realize that on the gay right, there have been a number of threads advocating being armed and dangerous. A group called the Pink Pistols feels that gay men and women should not only be carrying, but carrying concealed and slying let everyone know you’re packing. The nancys on the gay conservative blogs will get all cocky and macho and start talking about their guns.
I grew up around guns, I know guns and I know the importance of the safety of guns. Advocating violence only furthers more advocation of violence. I do appreciate and feel strongly that gay men and women should not meekly fall into the role of victim but at the same time we can’t be provoked into the role of the aggressor either.
My motto is “you f*** with me and I’ll f*** with you.” And frankly there are a lot more sinister and devastating ways to do that then with a gun.
ATL Ryan
I also love Pam’s House Blend. And although I believe that all to often the national GBLT groups are far too passive, violence is not the solution. Fear by way of violence may cause people to conform to a standard, but it never changes people’s minds. The only way to truly change minds is through education, and the only people doing this on a DAILY basis are bloggers like Pam. All of the arguments of the right can be easily toppled by common sense; however, national GBLT groups only take action once an issue makes big headlines. Pam had every right to remove the comments from her personal blog. Even if the comments by Wick were posted in jest, which I don’t believe they were, he totally crossed the line when he posted LaBarbera’s address. Leaving the posted comments would have damaged her credibility.
Jim Burroway
I fully agree with Pam on this one. I can’t believe what I read in this post.
I understand the frustration with the ineffectivness of groups like GLAAD and HRC. I’m frustrated too. Our leaders lack a lot of balls when it comes to directly confronting some of the political threats we face on so many levels.
But really now. Are we looking for a gay Dan White to solve our problems? Is that what we’ve come to?
Bearnaked Joe
Of course Pam was correct in taking off comments that make physical threats. That crosses the line, period. If the commenter Wick had some good things to say, he should have used his head in saying them.
Alan
As a regular reader and commenter on Pam’s blog I think that everybody here is missing the key point and that is Mr. LaBarbera’s address was posted for the whole world to see. This is the equivalent of anti-abortionists publishing the home addresses, phone numbers and license plates of abortionists in hopes that someone will take it upon themselves to take matters in their own hands.
I read Barry G. Wick’s posting when it was made and never for a moment thought he was promoting violence. I think he was making the point that unless a bully knows that you are willing to fight back he will continue his bullying ways, much like Mr. LaBarbera and other outspoken homophobic bullies.
Had the address not appeared it would have been nothing but rhetoric.
Jay
The violence comment overshadowed the other comment about how gay leadership wants us to remain an underclass: “As long as we’re victims, we get to maintain our status as an underclass.” This reminds me of the same accusations that have been made against African-American leaders and hopefully everyone at this site recognizes this. The comment is an accusation that isn’t helpful to anyone and that’s why people, who hate, use it! Although Queerty echoed the criticism of gay leadership, they’ve generally given more specific criticism, which is worthwhile. The point is, these comments sound like they’re coming from a bigot, not someone who truly wants GLBT people to enjoy their lives free of fear. Clearly using violence won’t erase that fear and might make it worse. Also, erasing the posts was a wise choice since she doesn’t want her site used for advocating violence.
Barry G. Wick
I can genuinely see that some of my comments on Pam’s Blog could have seemed as a threat…and I didn’t really want that. I never meant to threaten Mr. LaBarbera. I’ve sent him an apology…a deep honest apology. And he’s made some hay from my hyperbolic language. Fine. One has to admit that gay folk have used the hyperbolic and threatening language of the “homo-haters” to make their points. We all live in the day and age of the New Tower of Babel….we’re all yelling at each other….we’re all talking at each other…demanding to be heard…demanding to have our side of the argument accepted. We’re not trying to find common ground, common things to discuss…we’re all trying to find the things we disagree on immediately. I don’t have the answer, sorry, but if I get the chance to apologize to Mr. LaBarbera with my own voice, I shall. If he understood some of my language to be a threat…I want to put his mind, the minds of his family and friends at ease. I know we’re going to disagree on a whole range of issues. But I will listen. And I hope we’ll find something to talk about besides our differences.
And if he should choose to blast me for the perceived threat…I’ll listen and acknowledge that.
I’m certain there are a number of people who think I’m a wacko. Fair. There are sometimes I wonder about myself. I live a bit of an isolated life except for my internet connection. If all I had to judge the world of humans by was the internet, and that’s about what’s happening in my life, after a while one would have to think the whole world mad. So many voices, so much confusion. Yes, some people don’t want to listen. There are times I haven’t listened. The older I get…the more I want to listen because there may be a time I won’t be able to listen any longer. I would love to bring the voices back to me of my friends of dieds of AIDS complications.
I’d love to have my good friends, gay and straight, those who’ve gone…I’d love to listen again. It’s not possible.
So maybe I’ll listen to Mr. LaBarbera…and I’ll read more of his websites…and try to hear what he’s saying. I know we’ll disagree. But just perhaps we can find some things to talk about. The militant gay part of me says:
“you’re nuts Wick. ” The 55 year old bearded man in mirror says: “listen and try to understand.”
For those of you who are angry at my words and for “taking-on” Mr. LaBarbera or for even apologizing to Mr. LaBarbera…I apologize to you as well.
I have some kind of path to follow here. I don’t know where it’s leading me. Give an old queer this rocky path to stumble on, wish me well…and let’s hope I’ll find some answers.