John Fugelsang: GOP homophobia waning
GOP presidential candidate Senator Lindsey Graham recently told CNN that he welcomed Caitlyn Jenner’s vote. “If Caitlyn Jenner wants to be safe and have a prosperous economy,” Lindsey Graham said. “Vote for me.” He went on to show empathy for the torment Bruce Jenner was going through in his life. But he stopped short of changing any of his policy views on gay rights.
Dr. Michael Eric Dyson who was subbing for Ed Schultz on the Ed show asked John Fugelsang for his thoughts on this somewhat off ‘GOP message’ statement from Lindsey Graham. He did not disappoint.
“Seventy percent of millennial Republicans support marriage equality,” said John Fugelsang. “This is the dying gasp of a bigoted generation and Lindsey Graham should know better. And it is interesting. Caitlyn Jenner is the most inspiring LGBT person ever to support a party that does not support LGBT persons. In many ways Caitlyn Jenner is the ideal Republican female voter. I am glad they got one woman to join the party this year. But when you think about it she is old. She is white. She is rich. She doesn’t have a uterus. That is exactly who they are looking for. I applaud Lindsey Graham for letting his heart grow a bit. This is considerably less bigoted than the stuff we’ve heard in previous years. And it is interesting hearing the guy who prosecuted the Clinton impeachment be so openhearted when it comes to matters of sexuality. However, I think it is going to be positive. I think they are going to see through their own focus group testing that homophobia is not testing as it did back in 2004 when Karl Rove was warning you that heterosexual dysfunction would happen if you let two guys marry.”
John Fugelsang hit hard with this particular commentary. But should one not call out bigotry of any kind to ensure that it does not remain the modus operandi it has for centuries. In our time of enlightenment it is important to make bigotry as uncomfortable as possible. We must ensure it is taken completely out of the mainstream.