Fresh from announcing his candidacy this week GOP Presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich and his first second third wife Callista found themselves showered in fabulous rainbow glitter as 24-year-old gay pranktivist Nick Espinosa (aka Robert Erickson) poured a cracker box full of colorful confetti on the pair and said, “Feel the rainbow, Newt! Stop the hate! Stop anti-gay politics!” Funny? Yes. Helpful. Mmmm… not so much.
Erickson later told ABC News:
“Today, I invited Newt to feel the rainbow because he decided to bring his anti-gay politics to my state. Newt has a long history of anti-gay politics and has chosen to focus on divisive social issues instead of working to fix our economy. I don’t think a free will adulterer like Newt has any ground to stand up while telling others who they can and can’t love… Since Newt is hanging with the Family Council, I figured he needed a shiny dose of Minnesota Nice to counteract the hate embraced by those who are pushing this divisive bill… I think glitter’s fun… it was a nice makeover for his campaign. And in fact if he needs anymore glitter, I have some left over.”
Espinosa, who also pranked Minneosta gubernatorial Republican candidates last year by dumping a bag full of pennies in their laps to protest their anti-immigration stances said, “[Pranks are] one of many tactics that can be used to create social change. You’ve seen examples of pranks having a lot of success recently. Adding this bit of humor into the political debate and I think it’s a really good way to get people’s attention when they might not otherwise pay attention.” We’re not sure what pranks Epinosa means, but glitter as a tactic to create social change? Not so much.
Don’t get us wrong. That evening Gingrich and his wife were signing autographs as part of “The Minnesota Family Council & Institute Annual Dinner 2011 celebration” (the MFC of course being a huge proponent of the state’s ballot banning same-sex marriage, a ban that most Minnesotans reportedly don’t support in fear it will hurt the state’s economy). Also, Newt secretly helped secure more than $350,000 to help remove the Iowa justices who had ruled against marriage discrimination and has openly expressed anti-gay views.
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
But while we can all experience a bit of schadenfreude as we think of Newt and his wifey picking raver scabies out of their hair for the rest of election season, Espinosa’s “YouTube activism” won’t serve any purpose other than allowing Gingrich to cast himself as the brave victim of a public sneak assault. Espinosa had the smarts not to deposit glitter into Gingrich’s eyes, something that could have gotten him arrested. But looking at the video, it seems Espinosa had little to say beyond his initial prank and preset line. He didn’t engage Gingrich at all—he just glittered and left.
Personally, we’re bigger fans of asking pointed embarrassing questions to anti-gay folks, just like University of Pennsylvania student did to Newt this February.
Tallskin
THEY should’ve cream-pied the walking turd
Pete n SFO
How about pink paint-ball guns?
That would be an image that keeps on giving…
Southside Shorty
This is exactly the type of behavior that makes me identify myself as “homosexual” and not “gay’ — because of the nasty, catty, childish politics gay people are associated with. When this guy acts like an adult and wants to engage in rational discussion, let me know. Until then, you won’t catch me affiliating myself with him or anyone like him, stupid attention whore that he is.
Kenneth
>> When this guy acts like an adult and wants to engage in rational discussion, let me know. <<
Southside Shorty:
Are you referring to Erickson or Gingrich? Because Gingrich has had a lifetime in politics to do as much and has failed on all counts.
mikey
Glitter: $5.95.
Seeing Newt and wife no.3 “feel the rainbow”: Priceless.
We should all be glittering our enemies, it makes them look silly.
Cam
@Southside Shorty: said…
“This is exactly the type of behavior that makes me identify myself as “homosexual” and not “gay’ — because of the nasty, catty, childish politics gay people are associated with. When this guy acts like an adult and wants to engage in rational discussion, let me know. Until then, you won’t catch me affiliating myself with him or anyone like him, stupid attention whore that he is.”
____________________________________________
How nice of you to stand up for your belief that you do not want people like Gingrich, bigots who have raised money to attack judges that grant us our rights, who raises money for politicians who want us jailed, and who wants all of our advances from the past decades taken away, to think badly of you.
Yes, you are right, throwing glitter at somebody, is MUCH worse than working to make our very existance illegal.
So good for you! You show them! Oh, but remember, servants entrance in the back.
Southside Shorty
@Kenneth: Listen, if a religious nut went up to Ellen Degeneres and dumped a boxful of confetti on her head in the name of DOMA, you’d be shrieking at the top of your lungs how inappropriate an act it was. I’m not defending Gingrich by any means, but the glitter clown’s stunt made himself and all gay people look like petulant little girls, which pisses me off.
Jeff
I loved it! And personally I need to say to all you hoity toity scared little twinks out there who are afraid to fight, make a scene or stand up for what you believe in FUCK YOU.
That “above it all” attitude is exactly why we get nowhere fast.
Nick
So by this logic, not engaging Anita Bryant by throwing a pie in her face was also a bad thing?
Cam
@Southside Shorty: said…
“I’m not defending Gingrich by any means, but the glitter clown’s stunt made himself and all gay people look like petulant little girls, which pisses me off.”
______________________________________
yes, but for the past 2 decades, groups like HRC have been saying things like “Sit down, be quiet, be respectful, then they’ll like us.”
And guess, what? We got NOTHING, the last few years, of standing up, yelling, boycotting fundraisers by DEMS that wouldn’t listen to us, doing sit in’s in offices of people who claimed to be our friends but wouldn’t move, may have pissed off HRC, but we got results.
Do I think that this glitter stunt is going to win us anything? No, but so what, If you are going to be embarassed at every single thing that anybody who is gay does…you may want to ask all of your straight friends if THEY say that they are “Hetrosexual, NOT Straight” because the people on the Jerry Springer show act dumb.
DPOMA
I feel we need to interact with our ‘enemies’, not prank them. I write to my legislators, contribute to those who support our causes, etc. If one of my legislators votes the way I prefer, I also write a note of thanks for their support. I believe we tend to set ourselves back a bit with pranks such as this. Just my opinion as a senior citizen, who is also an openly-gay professional…others feel differently, I know.
We need to accept the diversity within our OWN community, just as we want others to accept our diversity in the LGBT population.
Mike
… and a diversity of tactics too! There’s nothing wrong with having glitter bombers, letter writers, marchers, AND guys in suits twisting arms in Congress too. We need it all — and more of it, all the time!
The message should be the same: Full equality now and nothing less.
Southside Shorty
@DPOMA: Hear, hear!
Adrian Acosta
I wonder if Gingrich’s camp considers this an act of Terrorism…when gay terroritst explode you’re left covered in glitter!
Cam
Gingrich not only broke one of the Ten Commandments (Adultry) But he continues to flout the word of Christ “If you divorce a woman and marry another, you are still committing adultry against the first.”
Gingrich claims he is right with God, but he is STILL committing adultry against his first wife according to Christ, and the only way to be “Right” with God would be to go back to his first wife.
What I’m getting to is that Right Wing Christians stand outside gay events screaming that gays will burn in hell, they try to pass laws outlawing gays from working, signing contracts etc… ALL because the say that the BIBLE says so.
Funny how they don’t do the same to Gingrich even though he is violating BOTH the Ten Commandments AND the direct words of Christ, and gays are supposedly only violating the words of St. Paul, and now they are screaming that he got some glitter tossed at him.
The hypocricy of the religious conservatives is truly mind boggling.
PS
This was so dumb. The LGBTQ community should not sink to the level of the people who oppress them.
Don't stop get it get it
Glitter, cream pie, reasonable debate, I say do it all. We need to make every minute of these peoples lives one in which they know we won’t back down until they stop hating and join the love train.
Mike
exactly! we need nothing but pressure, and more of it, of all kinds, constantly, non-stop, until victory. this guy knows how to play the press, and he got an excellent message out to millions of people for free.
he also put the professional haters on notice: from now on, they will be the ones living in fear — not us!
PS
PETA-style activism will simply make people hate gays even more. Even my two best friends who are vegan hate PETA. I just don’t think it’s wise for the gay community to emulate their tactics.
Also, if someone threw glitter over a gay kid at school, what would we feel? We would think that it’s a horrible act and possibly a hate crime.
If we gays were to go around terrorizing our enemies with glitter, then how can we expect people to understand the effects of hateful crimes on the gay community if we as a community are guilty of such acts?
Cam
@PS: said..
“If we gays were to go around terrorizing our enemies with glitter, then how can we expect people to understand the effects of hateful crimes on the gay community if we as a community are guilty of such acts?”
_____________________________
You are either a right wing troll or one incredibly delusional person.
Did you REALLY use the words “Terrorizing our enemies with Glitter”?
Really? You know what, talk to a Mommon kid out on the streets because his parents were told that he was now evil and would pollute their other children, or the kid who’s evengellical parents put him into shock treatments, or to the couples who’s homes in Mississippi were burned down if you want to talk to me about “Terrorising”. Newt got some glitter thrown on him, so unless he is weaker than your average Kindergarten girl dressing up as Princess Ariel and waving her disney glitter wand, I don’t think your comment passes muster.
Adonis-of-Fire
Shame on you weak cowardly frail homos not moving a finger to advance the lgbt cause and daring to criticize someone brave enough to fight back those that opress us. You are thw gay version of what in slavery time was refered to as a “house negro” happy with his slavery and loyal to his oppressors. You disgust me, and it’s because of you the world sees us as frail weak effeminates.
Mike
Yeah and you wouldn’t dump a box of glitter on a kid, because he hasn’t done anything to deserve it and you would look stupid. Newt deserves what he got because he makes a living out of demonizing gay people. He literally makes money from people who literally want us to die. That’s why this kind of tactic is more than appropriate, and it explains why he ends up looking like a glitter-encrusted marshmallow loser.
Matthew
@Southside Shorty: I’m not sure how it’s specifically “gay”. These types of political gestures have been around for centuries, although less tidy (although maybe more tasty, at least the pies!). It sounds more like you’re just an idiot looking to jab “gay” culture. But hey! If you prefer a word used by clinicians to pathologize you’re sexual desires, be my guest! Worse words have been used by both sides.
Elloreigh
@Adonis-of-Fire: Quite frankly, I find childish pranking to be the weak and cowardly tactic, as compared to actually engaging, asking pointed questions, and publicizing widely every last oppressive move our opponents make.
The accusation that critics of pranking are “not moving a finger to advance the LGBT cause” is completely without foundation. Just because someone disagrees with you on tactics/strategy, that hardly means they’re doing nothing. Saying so is also a case of ad hominem – attacking the person instead of arguing the facts.
Not all attention is good attention. We aren’t going to win the battle for our equality on our own – we need allies. A stunt like this is exactly the kind of thing that turns off potential allies, as they view it as a form of bullying. Which you should already know if you’ve ever made the effort to talk to those who aren’t already solidly in our corner. Existing allies may think twice about being vocal in their support if it means being associated with pranking.
This is also exactly the kind of thing that can completely derail any productive discussion of the issues and shift the focus into having to do damage control. I don’t appreciate being put in that position by some idiot whose careless acts do as much or more to harm us than help us.
It’s your insulting attitude that I find to be disgusting.
TJ
While pranks always have a chance to backfire by making their targets look like victims, this just comes off as so ridiculous I think it denies both parties any high ground. It gets attention– which is what the prankster wanted! — but there wasn’t a violent, disruptive, or even emotional outburst to help craft a “victim narrative”.
PS
Cam: First of all, I am not a right wing troll. I am as liberal as you can get.
Maybe the verb terrorize was too strong, and on hindsight it probably is. But I still believe that people are going to question why the gay community could get away with acts like this while if a straight bully did this to a gay kid it would be a hate crime. Most right-wing lunatics won’t be able to see that there is an asymmetry and that gays get bullied for essentially being who they are not for what they have done.
And Adonis-on-Fire, not all acts of bravery are noble. Sometimes they are just plain stupid. And how do you know that the people who are criticizing this guy are not doing anything to advance gay rights? I’ve been involved in my university’s Queer Student Union and have volunteered to phone bank for marriage equality in my state.
My opinion might not be the popular one here, but please don’t just label people who disagree with you as cowards or as right-wing lunatics.
Adonis-of-Fire
@Elloreigh:
I find your cowardice disgusting. The African Americans didn’t make a change by waiting for whites to supported, they became militant and proactive, and even violent when needed.
DPOMA
@Elloreigh: Amen…thanks!
DPOMA
All this interaction is fun to watch. Whether we’re gay, straight, ad nauseum with labels, we have different ways to express ourselves. I’m not going to throw glitter on someone, but I’m not going to condemn someone who does, even though it’s not MY style.
Likewise, don’t tell me that my more conservative methods are “wrong”.
We do what we can, with what we have.
Think back to Stonewall…things have changed; not as much as I’d like but more than I might have expected back in the ’60’s. We have to learn from our history…but as long as we continue our in-fighting, we are hurting ourselves.
When someone quotes Leviticus to you, remind them that Leviticus also tells us to “love one another”.
Choose your battles carefully but remain dedicated to your cause at the same time.
Adrian Acosta
My understanding is that during the civil rights movement back in the 60s you had two distict styles, that of Malcom X and that of Martin Luther King.
They both wanted the same outcome, to give/earn rights to their people. They both contributed to reaching that goal.
Seems we are at that same crossroad in our fight for equality.
Let us not fight each other on what styles of war we prefer and instead let us keep our eye on that which we all want for our brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, friends and lovers: EQUALITY.
Cam
@PS: said…
“Maybe the verb terrorize was too strong, and on hindsight it probably is. But I still believe that people are going to question why the gay community could get away with acts like this while if a straight bully did this to a gay kid it would be a hate crime. ”
______________________________
It wouldn’t be a hate crime, and misinformation like that is exactly what the right wing tries to claim.
A designation of “Hate Crime” can only be added on if an actual CRIME has been committed.
So FIRST it would have to be determined that a crime had been committed. In this case, there was no crime. There was no assault.
Secondly, IF a crime had committed, just the fact that the victim is in one of the protected classes doesn’t make it a hate crime. What makes it a hate crime is if the crime was only committed BECAUSE that person was in that class. So if this had been done to Barney Frank, because somebody didn’t like his politicis, even if it was determined that an assault had taken place, it wouldn’t be a hate crime because politicial parties and your beliefs aren’t protected under hate crimes statues.
Again, I still think you may be a right wing troll, because exagerating what the Hate Crimes laws are, are a very common tactic of theirs.
Mike in Asheville
Queerty and you other naysayers are just wrong wrong wrong!
Thoreau penned his “On the Duty of Civil Disobedience” in 1848[!] writing about actions of citizens to fight against government support of slavery and the Mexican-American War.
**************
CNN just carried the story and the only one who got punked, looked silly, AND THE MESSAGE THAT HE IS A HYPOCRITE, was Newt. Most everyone at the restaurant where we were lunching laughed and chuckled at Newt.
BTW, glittering someone is terrorism? Like glitter is somehow similar to guns and bombs and flying airplane into buildings? Really, you think there is a single non-Religious Reich thinker who views Newt as a “victim”?
Lastly, some of you act as though lobbying and pranking are mutually exclusive. As some above have said, it takes actions on multi-levels and fronts to achieve equality. In the late 1980s/early 1990s, HRC would not have had the chance to work on HIV/AIDS funding and policy laws had it not been for ActUP’s aggressive pranks and active acts of civil disobedience.
Cam
@Mike in Asheville:
Well said.
PS
@Cam: I’m not exaggerating. In CA where I live, something as simple like bullying or harassment of a person based on gender can be considered a hate crime. In my university campus, there was even one incident where vandalism was considered a hate crime. You said that: “What makes it a hate crime is if the crime was only committed BECAUSE that person was in that class.” This is actually incorrect (at least in most states). You don’t have to be “in that class” for a crime to count as a hate crime. You can be PERCEIVED to be gay and it can count as a hate crime. As long as you can prove that gender (or other protected characteristic) was the reason for the bullying or harassment.
I never said that what happened to Gingrich was a hate crime. I said that if a bully did it to a gay guy it would be a hate crime (I assumed it’s clear enough that gender would be the cause of the bullying). You may see the difference between sprinkling glitter over Gingrich and sprinkling glitter over a gay guy (because he’s gay), but I don’t think most rightwingers are clearheaded enough to do so. To them, the two are one and the same. That was my point.
I’ve given up basically. I’ve refrained from calling you names, and I will continue to do so even after you’ve fired several ad hominem attacks. But I must say that being called a right wing troll has got to be one of the worst insults I’ve heard in my life considering I’m actually very liberal.
Cam
@PS: Said…
“I said that if a bully did it to a gay guy it would be a hate crime (I assumed it’s clear enough that gender would be the cause of the bullying).”
_____________________________
That isn’t true though. Once again, it is the fact that
1. A crime must be determined to have been committed. There was no assault here. Therefore no crime, therefore no hate crime determination would ever be possible.
2. The crime MUST have had, as it’s reason the object of attacking somebody in the protected class (Or perceived to be in that class) Since no crime was committed, that is irrelevent, however, even if a crime had been committed politics and politicians are not in a protected class. So once again, Barney Frank, if “Glittered” would not have been able to have the person who glittered him charged with a hate crime.
AS for your comment of……” In my university campus, there was even one incident where vandalism was considered a hate crime.”
The important part of that sentance is “VANDALISM”. Vandalism IS a crime, therefore if the vandalization occured because of a bias against a protected class, then you could attach a hate crime designation to it. For example. Putting Swastikas on a Synogogue, or Burning a cross outside a black church, are ALREADY property crimes. Since they are crimes, now, if the motivation fell under the hate crimes statute, you can attach the additional designation onto it.
I don’t see why that seems so difficult for you to grasp.
PS
@Cam: Bullying and harrassment (as I’ve said before) can be considered a hate crime. I’ve addressed your other points before.
“I don’t see why that seems so difficult for you to grasp.”
I should be the one saying that.
Cam
@PS:
No, your comment was that if somebody had done the EXACT SAME THING to a gay guy, that was done to Newt, it would be a hate crime.
I am telling you that since no crime was committed, it could not be labeled a hate crime no matter who it was done to.
Avoid that fact all you want, and continue to try to misrepresent the hate crimes statutes all you want, but none of that will change the facts.
And if you think it is insulting to be labeled a right wing troll, them perhaps you should ask your self why you continually keep pushing the same issues and over exagerating the hate cromes statutes the exact same way they do.
PS
@Cam: “I am telling you that since no crime was committed, it could not be labeled a hate crime no matter who it was done to.”
I was talking about it hypothetically, which people do when they try to reason and analyze situations. Wow.
Cam
@PS: said…
“I was talking about it hypothetically, which people do when they try to reason and analyze situations. Wow.”
________________
No, in poast #26 you said. “But I still believe that people are going to question why the gay community could get away with acts like this while if a straight bully did this to a gay kid it would be a hate crime.”
You didn’t say it hypothetically, you said it “WOULD” be a hate crime.
Again, since no crime was committed, there is nothing to label a hate crime.
PS
@Cam: I was speaking about it hypothetically because I imagined a situation in which the act was done to a gay kid. I imagined a situation that didn’t happen. I was therefore talking about it hypothetically.
“Again, since no crime was committed, there is nothing to label a hate crime.”
Something doesn’t have to happen in real life for it to be defined. I could write a novel in which the protagonist is killed because of his sexual orientation. I would consider the act of killing as a hate crime even though it was only in a novel and didn’t happen in real life.
Another example. Someone might try to kill the pope. The pope is alive and well, but we know that if he were to be murdered, it would be considered a crime.
Michael
@Southside Shorty:
You act like the typical macho gay guy who hates feminine ones even your comments continue to prove you are.So sad.The more we are against each other nitpick like immature BIGOTED fools the more we are no better then those who persecute against us on the STRAIGHT side period.
Cam
@PS:
Yes, but your comments here are basically
“We shouldn’t do this, because people will wonder why it isn’t a crime, when, if they did the same thing to us it would be.”
Now you are trying to say, “well, if I was writing a novel etc…..”
Writing a novel and engaging ina discussion of truths, politicial rights, laws etc… are two separate things. If you feel that you need to paint fictitious scenarios to back up your points, them perhaps you should revisit the origional point.
PS
@Cam: “If you feel that you need to paint fictitious scenarios to back up your points, them perhaps you should revisit the origional point.”
Well I would have to disagree. Philosophers and scientists think up different hypothetical scenarios to test their theories and also as a way of answering their questions. In fact law students are forced to do this all the time. There is nothing wrong with that.
I’ve had enough of this. This is getting boring.
Cam
@PS:
No, what you were doing is trying to use a false statement to back up your opinion. To compare yourself to a Philosopher or a Scientist trying to test a theory is not just self indulgent, but laughable.
Of COURSE this is getting boring for you….it usually does when you did something wrong, got busted and don’t have a good response.
PS
Think what you want to believe, Cam. 😉
Cam
@PS:
And keep making things up to back up what you believe PS 😉
Ray
@Southside Shorty: How the fuck do you be rational with people that have traveled to Africa to start a genocide against people just like you and why would any of us want to be rational with them?
Southside Shorty
@Ray: What the . . . ? Newt Gingrich went to Africa to slay the gays? Wow, I missed that one (but then again, I don’t obsess over people like Gingrich who has no use for someone like me). As was previously posted by DPOMA and PS, the reason that one has to be rational with one’s opponent is that one loses all credibility when one pulls childish stunts like this idiot did. I’d have contempt for gay people too, after seeing that.
Cam
@Southside Shorty: said…
“I’d have contempt for gay people too, after seeing that.”
______________________-
Yes, because all gay people are the same. Thats why I asutomatically think that all black men dress in old lady drag, you know, because I saw a Tyler Perry movie.
Michael
@Southside Shorty:
You already do have CONTEMPT towards your own community.Otherwise you would have not said that you consider yourself homosexual not gay.People like you are part of the problem with this community the haughtiness the arrogance and the superior attitude towards other is down right disgraceful on multiple levels.Gain some humility and stop making it seem as if ALL of us are the same in certain respects.You really do act like you are better then some of us and above it all for that matter.How hypocritical and holier then thou can you possibly be?
Southside Shorty
@Michael: You stated, “You act like the typical macho gay guy who hates feminine ones even your comments continue to prove you are.”
Yeah, so? Aren’t we all about diversity?
Michael
@Southside Shorty:
Umm did you just not read that completely or what? Your response did not even make sense at all.
Yeah, so? Aren’t we all about diversity?
Do you not even realize that you basically just proved my point about what I had said to begin with? Wow.
Hmm sure dont see any denials about it or you refuting any part of what I said.
Probably because it is the TRUTH and you just wont face it period.
Freddie
Y’all need some glitter of your own. This asshole Ginrich deserves much worse. But it made the point.
Michael
@Michael:
Discrimination within our own community is NOT diversity to begin with.That is sheer hypocrisy.
Kieran
Sprinkling glitter on somebody and running away? How about confronting Newt man to man and asking him to explain why he is opposed to equal rights for gay people?
TEAMOBAMA2012
Personally the guys antics ought be directed at GOPROD and LOG Cabin members because they are the enablers within the community.
Caroline West
@TEAMOBAMA2012: That’s funny — because Obama has been so gay-friendly, right? Chuckle, chuckle.
missanthrope
This guy is hero, we need to fight back on all fronts without and not let speculation over the possible reactions “middle America” police our strategy, if “middle America” had its way in 1969, nobody would be out.
What ever happened to the passion in our community What ever happened resistance?
This comment section is like a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce than people willing to stand up for what is right.
DPOMA
All of the fighting within this whole list of comments…shows why our community isn’t cohesive.
There is no one “right” way to demonstrate what we feel. During the beginning of the AIDS crisis, ACTUP fulfilled a wonderful role by demonstrating in an “in your face” way.
I got involved by doing support groups, pre- and post-test counseling and working in hospice and buddying.
Not ‘in-your-face’, but I feel my contribution was just as significant.
We can agree to disagree. But being judgemental about how others choose to demonstrate…we’re shooting ourselves in the process. Not productive! Get over yourselves!
Michael
@DPOMA:
No our community isnt cohesive because there are always the gay macho guys bashing the feminine gay guys or vice versa.Thats only PART of our problem. If we want this community to improve then the first step is to stop JUDGING EACH OTHER thats a fact one that can not be refuted or ignored.
Furthermore the superior attitude and arrogance of some members of the LGBT community only makes this community look bad thats also a fact sad but true. I notice so many smart aleck jabs on this site too constantly the moment someone disagrees with what someone else says they are automatically ostracized and treated as an outsider.Ive seen that behavior here too long to count. Thats something else that needs to be worked on.
Southside Shorty
@Cam: You asutomatically think that all black men dress in old lady drag? I don’t asutomatically think anything like that; in fact, I rarely think of anything asutomatically, because I don’t know what asutomatically means. If you desire intelligent debate, or even just want to vent your frustrations, please do so henceforth with a dictionary in hand. That is all.
Michael T
If passion is throwing glitter count me out. I would rather see passion come from the brain, not from the mindless and attention seeking.
A hero he is not, Funny on the surface? Maybe. If we want to be treated fairly and properly do the same. Simple as that.
GreatGatsby2011
“It takes a village.” I believe, sadly, that simply sitting down with the opposition and having a calm discussion over tea and scones isn’t going change enough minds to amount to full equality for homosexuals. At least not alone. The Black Panthers and the race riots were just as instrumental in securing full equal rights for African Americans as Martin Luther King Jr and non-violent sit-ins. The reason being that some people just don’t respond to a well-thought out and civil argument. “You can’t use reason to argue a person out of a position that they didn’t use reason to get into in the first place.” Our biggest opponent for equal rights is the religious right. Now a Christian (especially a fundamentalist Christian) believes, to put it in simple layman’s terms, worships a zombie star-baby born from a virgin who may or may not be his own daddy (I still don’t quite grasp the whole Trinity thing). Now this being that they worship tells them that homosexuality is bad and if they want to not burn in Hell for all eternity they need to believe it’s bad too. No matter how many times we calmly tell them that we are not evil and that we just want to live our lives in peace, it means nothing to them. As far as these people are concerned everything we say comes directly from Satan himself. The only thing people in that position respond to is fear (or their relgion saying it’s okay, which isn’t likely to happen any time soon). What these people need to realize is that they shouldn’t be afraid of their “God’s” wrath they need to starting being afraid that the pissed off gay guy down the street might burn down their house if he hears that yet another anti-gay law passed.
So I say, keep going guys and gals!!!! Keep up your rational discussions with rational people. Keep up your civil disobedience to tell them we are sick and tired of being treated as second class citizens. Keep pranking the oppositio. To show them what it feels to be attacked from all sides and to never feel safe. Everyone who fights for my rights as a homosexual, regardless of the tactics, gets a pat on the back from me. Thanks and well done. Keep up the good fight!!
Mike
yeah.. I’m gay and a Christian too. That’s not what we believe. Just as some people warp Islam to suit perverted ends, so too do crazy people who claim the Christian faith.
My basic belief is that God is, and is all about, love. Love comes first and everything else comes after that. This core belief is in no way incompatible with what LGBT stand for. In fact, it’s at the heart of our movement too.
Jesus doesn’t have anything to say about gay people and a lot to say about love. He always stood with the poor and the oppressed against the rich and powerful… so I’ve got nothing wrong with Jesus!
Leviticus, on the other hand, was clearly on crack.
Michael
@Southside Shorty:
Your arrogance and superiority complex knows no bounds.Just pathetic.Sad that people like you in this community will NEVER comprehend the meaning of the words HUMILITY.
Southside Shorty
@Michael: Not true: I went to a gay pride parade once and was TOTALLY humiliated.
Right Wingers Are Socioptahs (John From England)
@Caroline West:
Yeah! The worst president in the world!
Please bring back George or Clinton!
Obama the asshole with all that pride month, hate crime legislation, not wanting DOMA, repealing DADAT, having the most gays in the white house….
KILL HIM!
Michael
@Southside Shorty:
YAWN do something about that ego of yours dude seriously.
GreatGatsby2011
@Mike: if by “we” you mean progressive Christians I completely agree. I should have ammended my original post to exclude progressive Christianity. I apologize. But unfortunately there is a very powerful population of fundamental Christians that believe that the Bible = the word of God = 100% true and infallible. They also believe their religious figures are infallible. So if misinformation is being spread, questioning it is tantamount to questioning the word of God. It’s scary. If anyone hasn’t watched 8: The Mormon Proposition (a documentary about fundamental Christianity’s involvement in Proposition 8) I highly recommend it.
Zack
That was not the right thing to do.
CJ
In some states that childlike action is called assault. I know. I was shot by someone with a squirt gun once & the police asked me if I wanted to press charges. It may seem innocent. But, it is technically assault.
I agree that this is NOT the way to win converts, influence people or improve any stereotypes. Rainbow glitter thrown at someone? Come on. Let’s put our efforts in another direction.
~PR~
I like it!
WillBFair
@GreatGatsby2011: It’s a big problem in our community. Many gay people dump on the liberal church as if it’s the same as fundamentalism. They’re alienating our freinds and sabotaging our movement at the same time.
I say this not to rehash your mistake. You’ve already apologized, which was very nice. Seems no one will admit a mistake, these days.
But look at the anti church bigotry at JoeMyGod and elsewhere. Beyond apologies, I wish more of us would go on those bigot blogs and call them on their ignorance.
Jay
I wouldn’t have done it…but that’s because I would have so many better uses for the glitter!
You all who think this was not going to get us anywhere are right…in a way. Nobody is going to engage this activist in a meaningful communication. Just like nobody will be able to engage a T-partier wearing a colonial hat and a tshirt that reads: “Don’t Treat On Me!” The thing is…these people are ESSENTIAL to the individuals on either side of the center for the debate to actually take place. The very reason Medicare is on the chopping block is because wackos in the Tea Party have been able to act the fool and push the boundary out. There hasn’t been an equal force on the left doing the same…so, the entire debate shifted to the right. The question is not whether we will touch Medicare, but now it is HOW we will touch Medicare.
This activist and those like him are helping to push the boundaries out on the debate so that those actually ENGAGING the debate closer to the center have more room to manuever.
And for all those who think activist stunts like this need to be eliminated so that we can have a real discussion…we have been having real discussions for decades. Mattachine and Daughters of Belitis were almost 20 years old and we were still getting arrested for just stepping foot in a gay bar until queens threw pennies, rocks, bricks, and pumps at the cops on those nights in June 1969. Did any of those queens enter into debate with the cops after? Naw. But you bet there were more centrist individuals who could then move in once the boundary had all of a sudden moved.
Never under-estimate the power of a good activist action on future discussion.
oldgayvermonter
Protests can and should take many forms…brave vets chained to the WH fence – excellent. Glitter for a blowhard a**hat like Newt – also excellent. He’s a snake and can’t be reasoned with on our rights, so let him have it! Or perhaps he should be invited to the next HRC cocktail party for a serious discussion? It would have been nice to hand him an invitation to a public stoning though…you know, to atone for the whole adultery thing. Hmmm…wonder what kind of prank would be best for Santorum?
queertypie
Was there a meeting of the “gay council” that porposed this action? This man did this on his own terms and his own impulse. I may not have done the same thing as he. Don’t turn this into an LGBT endorsed, signed and sealed action. I feel it brought an issue to the forefront that needed to be addressed in a very creative and media worthy way.
Elloreigh
@Adonis-of-Fire: Are you the one who was so ‘brave’ that you glittered Gingrich?
Are you supposed to be some sort of expert on the struggle of African Americans to obtain equality? Because I frankly find your take on it laughable.
You can call me all the names you like – I doubt anyone finds that impressive. I know that I certainly don’t.
Shannon1981
Newt deserves this and much more. All the rethugs could use a bit more glitter…so dull and boring, and their arguments are tired enough to put me to sleep, and would, if there weren’t so many idiots following them.
Don't stop get it get it
I thought that I settled this already. EVERYTHING non-violent is on the table. These are human rights we are talking about. Our ability to live safe, happy lives is not up for debate anymore. The will of the people is on our side. All thats left is to topple these hypocrites and we win.
ZT
Southside Shorty : I’m with you. Pouring glitter on them ?!! Talk about making homosexuals look like silly gay fairies. Homosexual men deserve better than that “pranktivist.”
ZT
P.S. Notice how the pranktivist doesn’t have the guts to pull junk like that on New York’s Diaz.
Cam
@Southside Shorty: said..
“@Cam: You asutomatically think that all black men dress in old lady drag? I don’t asutomatically think anything like that; in fact, I rarely think of anything asutomatically, because I don’t know what asutomatically means. If you desire intelligent debate, or even just want to vent your frustrations, please do so henceforth with a dictionary in hand. That is all.”
____________________________-
All that shows is that you had no response to the comment. If you had something valid to say, you wouldn’t have passed up the opportunity. As it is, you desperately sought out any attempt to avoid dealing with the fact that your behavior was pointed out to be childish and idiotic.
Cam
@ZT:
Gee, yeah, it’s SO much safeer to do it to a national politician, former speaker of the house, running for the highest job in the land, than to do it to a small time state rep that wouldn’t have made national news. (Eye Roll). Time to cross the bridge and realize that it’s a big country out there ZT.
Southside Shorty
@ZT: Doing something like this to Newt Gingrich? How brave! How daring! I’d suggest he now go do the same to the Westboro Baprist Church’s demonstrations, but this cat is obviously an opportunist and a coward who wouldn’t have the guts to pull it on anyone who would respond in kind. And doesn’t he realize that Gingrich could easily have him charged with assault, despite a lack of injury? Such. A. Tool.
Camys
Why are people so afraid of “regular people” hating the gays? They SHOULD fear us! They SHOULD fear us not because we´re demonic, but because we are strong and won´t back down. Because we´re fighters. Every minority that finally had their voices heard in this world had to fight their way to be acknowledged. Do I support terror tactics? No, I don´t. But glittering a person is not terror tactic – were they hurt by the lethality of a kid´s art project component? – is a form of protest. It may be childish, but it´s still shock value.
People that hate the gays hate us NOT because we glitter people. And if they start hating us more, it´s because they´re using the glittering as an excuse to deepen their hatred. I say let the glittering and the “mature” protest co-exist. We don´t have to be loved, we don´t even have to be accepted. We have to EXIST.
Cam
Uh Oh, Newt got a taste of the Bitch Pudding!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UzTvGAWg5g
siddartha999
Three Things…
1) considering how many gay / lesbian / transgendered / poor / people of non-white color, etc. which Ronnie Raygun, Newt, the Republithugs, etc have killed [I repeat – KILLED!] it should have been blood that was dumped on Newt and his current subjugated chattel
2) as to the hired stooge that followed the pranktivist to the elevator @ “…do we come to your events?” – ummm NO PRINCESS ! you’re too much in the closet to show up even if you had an invite because you think we Fags are plague vectors who want to recruit your children [only the cute ones] and convert the women away from their menfolk [who purchased them outright, after all], only straight but not narrows with class show up at BoyOnBoy/GirlOnGirl events
3) BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY !!! [sorry Malcolm, but somehow, I think you’ll understand
3.5) BACH BACK !!!
John S
@Southside Shorty: Look here NICE GUYS finish last. We have taken their crap for 30 years and not fraught back. A little bit of glitter never hurt anybody. Maybe Nute was pissed off because the glitter didn’t come from Tiffany.
I say give the right wing HELL at every turn.
John S
I say give the right wing hypocrites HELL at every turn. A little bit of glitter can only improve Nutes ugly face. Nothing will help his sick stance on human rights.
ZT
Southside : Gingrich must have known, right there, just sit back and let them look like the fools in the rest of the world’s eyes. ( Everybody laughs, “Don’t annoy the gays or they’ll sprinkle fairy dust on you”).
suzygoo
Queerty is back and so am I. Well-behaved queers rarely make history! (My apologies to Laurel Thatcher!). Lt. Dan Choi handcuffing himself to the White House helped get rid of DADT. Court cases are helping to get rid of Prop 8 and DOMA. It was the Drag Queens along with the Bull Dykes that fought back at Stonewall, Work it Girlfriend-write polite letters, march, throw glitter (or blood like Act-Up did), sing-It is better to flame on then it is to curse the darkness. To Nick Espinosa-You Go Gurl!
Southside Shorty
@John S: Nothing like spreading the hate to show people how serious you are.
Elloreigh
Two things:
Stonewall was over 40 years ago. This is 2011. Things are different now.
What exactly did this accomplish?
declanto
@Elloreigh: What it accomplished is the total trashing of Nootz’ presidential bid. Yaaaaaaay! What it accomplished was HEADLINES for the community. Keep up the pressure! Engage at every opportunity. Pearl-clutching don’t do shit for your equality or mine.