Respect is a two-way street...
k.d. lang was outraged that Stephen Harper was not at the opening of the Out Games in Montreal...
On Friday lang slammed Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper for declining an invitation to attend the opening, saying he had chosen to "support intolerance".I'm pretty pleased that a Minister attended, and that Federal money helped put on the Out games....the gay community could have shown some respect...
His stand-in, Public Works Minister Michael Fortier, was booed when he was introduced. The protest was so loud and prolonged that Mayor of Montreal, Gerald Tremblay had to appeal to the crowd to remain calm.
posted by GayandRight @ 8:20 PM
16 Comments:
Fred, could you help me understand why there is a need for the Outgames?
I can understand the concept for the Special Olympics, giving a playing field for those who otherwise wouldn't have the opportunity to participate.
But homosexuals aren't disallowed from participating in the Olympics, providing they qualify. I certainly may be wrong, but I would think a heterosexual person would have a hard time being allowed to participate in the Outgames. So how is that not just as bad as if the Olympics were to ban gay/lesbian participants?
Thanks.
How can those who are so sensitive to intolerance be so intolerant?
Harper, and anyone else, including Navratilova and Tewksebury are allowed to have their beliefs.
There ain't no cure for bigotry, whether the bigotry is pro or anti sexual orientation.
Holier than thou-ness extends beyond a pulpit.
Why do the gays need their own games at taxpayers expense.
I'm sorry we gave them money, it was probably the Liberals who promised it anyways and sent the check on January 22nd.
The news media had to de-fossilize K.D. Lang just so they could get an internationally known gay Canadian to criticize the P.M.
It's an old news media trick. When you want to get your (liberal MSM) viewpoint into a news story then you look long and hard until you can find someone who will say *EXACTLY* what you want them to say and then quote them.
Great post, Fred. Nice to see some balance regarding this ploy to vilify Harper.
Very true, there needs to be respect by all sides on all issues. You earn it you cannot demand it.
An honest question here, do gays put pressure on other gays to "come out" or are you allowed to make up your own mind? Just curious, because lately it seems like a high amount of pressure is being put on hetros to accept gays, so, if we are feeling the pressure, how about the gays who might not want to "out" themselves?
Harper's refusal to attend the Outgames in Montreal will not help to heal the wounds caused by the Reform/Alliance members of his caucus.
...Harper's refusal to accept fullly and unconditionally the rights that gays and lesbians have earned will help to loose his attempts to form a majority government, as his party is very unlikely to win a single seat in Montreal, Toronto or Vancouver.
Harper struck first by his refusal to not attend, so his Privy Councillor representative deserved to be booed and hissed at! And, to add insult to injury, the Minister of Public Works, the Honourable SENATOR FORTIER, an unelected political hack!
The Liberal Party of Canada will probably win the next election with the strange attitudes and policies that Harper is doing lately! At least a Liberal Party Prime Minister would have attended; Paul Martin and Jean Chretien cared about the gay vote, even if it meant nothing more than cheap and petty politics.
Signed, a disgruntled Tory supporter,
Fred, where did you get the info that the federal government chipped in some funds for the Out Games? If you can source it, it would be much appreciated.
Shabbadoo,
Can you name me one pro athlete that's openly gay in the NHL, NFL, CFL, MBA, NBA, FIFA or any other major or minor professonal sports leagues? Why did former NFL linebacker Esera Tuaolo came out of the closet, only after he retired? How come
The reason the outgames exist is because of the rampant homophobia within' the sporting scene. A lot LGBT athletes, despite public support, are discriminated in mainstream sports by teammates, coaches, sponsors, managers etc. The games are there for any open LGBT athelete who want to participate in a major event without masquerading from their team.
Also, you're wrong about "a heterosexual person would have a hard time being allowed to participate in the Outgames". There's quite a few hetero gay-friendly atheltes participating and they're welcome with open hands.
"Can you name me one pro athlete that's openly gay in the NHL, NFL, CFL, MBA, NBA, FIFA or any other major or minor professonal sports leagues?"
No, I can't say that I can. Though of any of those leagues I only pay attentiont to the NHL. But I also wouldn't be able to name a whole lot of opening straight hockey players either...meaning that beyond hearing that a hockey player has a wife, an athlete's sexuality has nothing to do with my enjoyment of the sport.
"The reason the outgames exist is because of the rampant homophobia within' the sporting scene."
That may very well be. However, one's sexuality should have no effect whatsoever on how well you play sports. If it's the case that homophobia is rampant in the mainstream sporting world, wouldn't that be the place to fight those battles, instead of creating a separate arena to basically go through the motions.
I guess the big test would be: Does the Outgames make the NHL/MLB/NBA/etc any more tolerant towards gays/lesbians?
"Also, you're wrong about "a heterosexual person would have a hard time being allowed to participate in the Outgames". There's quite a few hetero gay-friendly atheltes participating and they're welcome with open hands."
I admit to being ignorant on that point, as I'm not familiar with Outgames, which is why I posed the questions. Thanks for your answers.
I'd like to think though that had Harper attended he would have been received politely (maybe not of course, but I'd imagine he'd get the same kind of response that Bush recently got at the NAACP - tense, but overall polite and respectful). I think the booing of Fortier was as much a response to Harper's perceived slight as to Fortier or the conservative government as a whole. I think politicians underestimate the ability of political opponents to treat them with respect when they choose to "enter the lion's den" as it were. I'd rather like to think the gesture would be appreciated (I know several conservative politicians have been received politley, if not warmly when attending Gay Pride parades and celebrations, though there are surely politicians who could provide the opposite example).
Of course, I could be wrong too. Maybe gay Canadians just really dislike unelected cabinet ministers!
:-)
Maybe the gay community didn't feel respected by the government (Harper) and for this reason they didn't show any respect back when Michael Fortier was introduced.
Q) Why do the Out Games exist?
A) So that we can have events like the "Leather Contest":
LEATHER IT UP IN MONTRÉAL 2006!
The 1st World Outgames Montréal 2006 invites the world's leather men and women to register now! Take part in the Leather Contest and the Leather Night as a competitor or as a spectator and enjoy the remarkable MontrÉal leather scene!
Yeah Fred, I also need some understanding on why the Outgames exists. I also have the same concerns that Shabbadoo has mentioned in his/her comments. I would like your insight. I've also blogged about my perspective, but I admit I am ignorant on the issue as well: http://right-direction.blogspot.com/2006/07/out-games-out-of-touch.html
The reason that the Out games exist is the same reason why Jews have the Maccabiah games - community. It is quite natural for different communities to want to socialize, compete etc, together. So, we have the Commonwealth Games, we have Games for different provinces, etc. I see nothing wrong with it at all.
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