Today is National Coming Out Day.
Last week, a young man from Norman OK killed himself, a few days after listening to hours of hateful comments at a Norman City Council meeting.
Comments start at ~min 43.
I picked a time-point at random– ~ 1 hour in. I got to see a comment by Fred Pope, a hateful, disgusting piece of shit.
Fred Pope said he and his family moved to Norman 15 years ago looking for a place that didn’t necessarily embrace the GLBT community.“We moved here so we could raise a family in a great location,” Pope said. “And what this does tonight is begin to undermine that, tear it down and pull it back.”
He said council’s actions on Tuesday, regardless of the outcome, would have far-reaching consequences now that the topic was out in the open.
“You’ve started the divide in the community, and it’s not going to end,” Pope said to members of council.
Pope, who has gathered his beliefs over years of real-world experiences and struggles, said he attended a “quilt event” in Portland, Ore., some years ago. He said the quilts had images of people who had died of AIDS on them.
“Quilt after quilt after quilt,” Pope said. “This lifestyle is so destructive … it broke my heart to see young man after young man … on a quilt because they engaged in a lifestyle they thought would set them free.”
Fred Pope said the council should reject the proclamation because it undermines raising a family and promotes a destructive lifestyle.“It is dangerous to the community,” he said.
Ignoring the fact that sexuality isnt a choice, lets pretend homosexuality is a lifestyle. Being a fat fuck is a lifestyle, too, Fred, and you look to be a double-cheeseburger away from a heart attack. Heart disease is the #1 cause of death in this country. The ‘lifestyle’ you choose of being a glutton kills far more people in this country than AIDS, and yet we let you live in peace.
And youre dangerous to the community, Fred Pope. You helped a kid kill himself. I sure as fuck havent done that. I dont know any gay people who have needled a teenager to suicide. You are disgusting, as a human. And I really hope you are sorry for the result of your hate. And I hope you teach your kids why what you did was wrong, and how even words have consequences.
Or let them find out what you did via Google, when theyre older, Fred Pope.
*shrug*