These have been tough times for gays in the New York City area, and the Republican running for governor of New York has just made things worse.
In the past three weeks, gang members in the Bronx allegedly sodomized and beat a gay man in an organized attack; a Rutgers University student jumped of the George Washington Bridge, after two classmates secretly posted an online video of him in a private moment with a man; and two Staten Island men beat down a man in the bathroom of the Stonewall Inn, a New York City bar known as the birthplace of the gay rights movement.
So in this anti-gay climate, what does kooky New York gubernatorial candidate Carl Paladino do?
He tells an audience of orthodox Jewish leaders that children should not be "brainwashed" into believing homosexuality is an acceptable way to live:
"There is nothing to be proud of in being a dysfunctional homosexual," Paladino wrote in a prepared speech, which also criticized his Democratic opponent, Andrew Cuomo, for marching in the city's gay pride parade.
Paladino has shown that he isn't ready for elected office, especially considering some of his earlier exploits. He got caught sending out racist e-mails to friends and campaign contributors. He then suggested that welfare recipients in the city live in vacant prison space while getting lessons on personal hygiene.
The sad part is that Paladino actually won his party's nomination after those disclosures.
Polls show Cuomo with a commanding lead over Paladino, the Tea Party candidate, in the governor's race.
That's a good thing.
For a while, Paladino filled the role of plucky upstart rallying against the political establishment.
But with his latest comments, he has shown himself to be a very dangerous man, the kind of man who contributes to a climate that encourages violence against consenting adults who choose a gay lifestyle.
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Comments: (13)
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By: David on 10/11/2010 1:31PM
"The kind of man who contributes to a climate that encourages violence against consenting adults who choose a gay lifestyle"
Most if not all gays claim they are born that way not that they "choose a gay lifestyle". I'm not a big supporter of so call gay rights but Carl Paladino shows that people who hate gays usually hate Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, Arabs, India's or ANYONE WHO DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THEM.
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By: autirose on 10/13/2010 3:51AM
So true. Paladino talks about being gay is not an example to be set for children. He has a daughter out of wedlock because of an adulteress affair. Is that a good example? We are not to judge but we are to discern between good and evil.
I understand those Rabbis gave him speech to read. He had no prior knowledge what it was about, duting a news interview he stated his thoughts again. I thought, wow, some things are better left unsaid. If he's true to his words, he should not be elected governor. He character is questionnable.
He's sent emails having pronographic, racist, bestiality content. Thought it was funny. He's said poor, homeless people stinks. He would lock them in unused prisons and make them work for government assistance, and teach them personal hygeine because obviously they had not learned it from home. He seem hard hearted, unempathic. He doesn't have the character of a public servant.
A person may not be guilty of one sin but may be guilty of another equal in damnation. One may not be weak in one area but weak in another. One who commits adultery is just as sinful as one who commits homosexuality, so too fornicators, gossipers, theives, murders, slotful, etc.
We should live a life purifying our hearts. Only the pure in heart shall see God, it is written. Him being of charitable, empathic nature is important in understand the needs of others.
I find religious messages are philosophies applicable to human nature during any period. With God's understanding, we learn not to judge but discern between right and wrong. I know what's right for me and what I should not partake of. Others are on their own journey and must learn their life lessons. God lets his sun shine on both the good and the good and evil. He is often forgiving and most merciful and keeps the door open to repentance til death.
We are to use our discernment to not be deceived. Judging the spirit for truth, godliness. When God reveals the truth then we act. Paladino has gone on record revealing his views. This man should not be elected as govenor of New York State. Now this is my discernment, I'm not judging.
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By: Robert on 10/11/2010 2:24PM
Don't get involved with this Black people. Gay rights is moving faster than Civil Rights ONLY because Whites made it a case. Gay Rights will pass QUICKER than civil rights only because the usual people are clamoring for it. But Blacks will STILL be BLACK. Can't cover up skin color with a macho or feminine exterior on the job place. The marijuana bill will pass quicker than civil rights did as well and the SAME people will benefit. Young White millionaires are pouring money into frivolous causes because they have no strife, they have nothing else to do. Their decadent lifestyles SHOULD NOT dictate or over shadow natural inalienable rights. But Blacks will STILL be given harsher penalties than for whom law was REALLY created for. Why is it we still have to sign a voting rights act that states brown people are citizens? Why is it we have to renew laws to protect our NATURAL RIGHTS?
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By: ooozzzzz on 10/11/2010 2:34PM
I am not a fan of Carl Paladino or the Tea Party movement but I watched him on the "Today Show" on NBC this morning and he stated that his opponent for NY Governor, Andrew Crumo, attended the NY Gay Pride Parade with his two teenage children and Paladino stated that it is not a proper envirenment for young impressionable children to see two grown gay men wearing tight Speedo underear grinding and kissing on each other.....I totally agree with him on that because kids need not see that type of behavior, no different than watching their parents or any other adults having sex because children are naive and learning and yet (despite all the internet traffic) don't fully understand these toxic issues yet they are constantly bombarded with constant images (real & unreal) with gay sexual behavior and for many of those straight kids they may consider the gay lifestyle as an option, as Paladino stated in his interview and he's right.
A few years ago, I have had conservations & talked to high school teenage girls about the subject and the one thing that struck me was the revelation that many teenagers, especially teenage girls, were prcticing bi-sexuality and many more considering bi-sexuality as something that they would or are persuing as their sexual preference of choice and these girls are not gay/lesbian but hetrosexual teengae girls exploring the option at that young age so in essence, despite how the media wants to villify the discussion and what Paladino said, he has a very valid point because in Americas high schools with teenage boys and girls all across the nation, it is actually happening.
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By: Marion Robinson on 10/11/2010 3:53PM
Same old , same old repubs, tea klan oh I mean tea baggers and conservs. They go get these lowlifes to run for offices all over this country and people vote for these haters. When will the rest of us stop letting these haters run our country. Wake up and smell the haters, people!
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By: bob on 10/11/2010 5:17PM
What is this hate stuff all about? Is it another type of card like the race card? Just because you don't agree that having sex with the same sex is accepable you are labled a hater? Next it will be having sex with a horse. If you don't agree you are a horse hater. Can't you see how crazy you sound. Get back to the bible, even if you don't believe in god.
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By: gamann on 10/11/2010 8:53PM
Why is it that if whites do not ageree and side with blacks they are haters? there are many more blacks who are racist than are white racist. Blacks suffer from tunnel vision.
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By: Tom Truth on 10/11/2010 5:26PM
Paladino is a great man, a true conservative. I'm sure blacks side with the gays, though, as they are both core elements of the far left Democratic constituency.
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By: Marion Robinson on 10/11/2010 7:48PM
Yes my fox network program bob it's about you haters that hate the fact that the prez of this country is black and you people can't stand it, period. That's why the tea buggers came into being in the first place tring to play all of us stupid with we got to give back the country to the people. Yeah, right and I am the pope!
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By: Marion Robinson on 10/12/2010 7:46PM
Sorry, tom rockbrain, blacks are for the rights of of all people and not just you people, ok and you should ask some blacks about what they think before making such stupid comments about things you have no clue about!
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