Calling Out Sexism?

Thanks for exposing this to the light of day, Rev!

Campbells poor attempt to play the hero of sexism on display! Ha Ha ,she was shamefully leading the horses in the slaying of Palin .She never blinked an eye while making many sexist remarks and commentary of her own.Failing to come to the defense to Hillary or Sara,but displaying her nightly laughter and grins while firing up the panel to join in.
Rendells voice was flowing and outright honest.This does not strike me as sexist.The voice never reflected mannerism of laughter,ridicule or bosting when commenting about her absence of family.
I believe he honestly saw it as a good factor without bad intent.

Campbell Brown is a haughty, arrogant,insolent, snobby, overweening, imperious, elitist prig! Just look at her mannerisms when she speaks; the lip curl, the eye rolls. And listen to that tone of voice. She is a valley girl to the nth degree. She is whatever the female equivalent of a prick would be!!!!!!

I’m going on record as saying I don’t care what Gov Rendell said. And here’s why: the faux outrage over a truthful remark when in the face of lies and outright disgusting misogynistic behavior these same women said/did NOTHING, leaves me indifferent over the comment. I will not stand with hypocrites.

I see Napolitano as a traitor so this is simply just desserts from my viewpoint. I also don’t like her for head of Homeland Security.

As far as I’m concerned, people like Campbell Brown, Arianna Huffington, Rachel Maddow, don’t exist. They can circle the wagons all they want to around Napolitano. I’m just going to burn them down.

This bitch is such a hypocrat. She basically whored herself for obambi during the primary and trashed Hillary every chance she had!

Well said!!! I agree totallu, 100% mimi.

Well said!!! I agree totally, 100% mimi.

There’s a call from http://www.campaignforgenderequality.org for a Presidental Commission on Women to be formed by President Obama.
They partnered with http://www.womencount.org to launch the petition drive. Through this Presidential Commission on Women, the issues from the campaign and all issues facing women can be discussed and recommendations from the Commission can be put into law. The last Presidential Commission on the Status of Women was 47 years ago. Go to one of the websites above and sign the petition.

Unite and Be Heard

Good investigative backtracking!!! Thanks for these longitudinal perspectives Rev. Amy. They help us hold on to what is true and what is BS.

Campbell Brown is a joke. The very title of her show is an oxymoron: C. Brown: No Bias, No Bull. Puhleaze. YOU were one of the most obvious sources of bias throughout the election cycle.

I get it though. Now that the election is over, it’s “hip” to be some kind of brave advocate for “sexism.” After all the studies have been done, and there is zero risk, she can make the claim of being some kind of freedom fighter. Howard Dean just did the same thing. During the savaging of the primaries, where were these voices? Total silence. Rendell, however, put himself on the line for the most qualified candidate, who happened to be a woman. He can be a verbal klutz at times, but ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS Campbell, you transparent opportunist hack.

I could not believe that she went on a rant about such a non-issue.

First, I could not believe the media made such a big deal about the comment, which was not meant to be public, and we only heard part of it.

Then it turns out that, from all that I have seen, most people did not find it offensive. And THEN Campbell goes on a rant!

Really stupid.

When she comes on I always switch channels.

Does she think she is a female Keith?

Campbell Brown’s speech pattern is that of the stereotypical gay man. She had a lisp. Now I’m not saying this as a knock on Brown or gay men, It’s just that in my life I’ve never quite understood how the lisp was considered an effeminate way of speaking considering I haven’t known a single woman that spoke with a lisp… until Campbell. I still don’t understand the connection but it’s funny to point at Campbell when she talks and say hey, she talks like a gay dude.

Great piece Rev! I agree there is certainly some historical revision going on. Don’t let them get away wtih it!

>>> She is whatever the female equivalent of a prick would be!!!!!!

Yes, she is. However, we don’t USE that single syllable word over here anymore, whether discussing Brown or Dowd, both of whom have head shots in The Oxford English Dictionary next to that term.

The continuation of Brown upon the planet, as opposed to her succumbing to spontaneous combustion, gives Comic Relief to the Media Biz, as she is, incarnate, THE example proving that the Creator has quite a sense of humor when He/She doles out nice looks.

She was much easier to take during her tenure as Suck-Up In Chief at Crawford. For about two years I thought that, “clearing brush,” was a shibboleth for, “Shrubbie’s Doing Campbell on the Back 40 Again.”

This is not about Campbell Brown. It is about the women of this country who, because of subtle, on going sexism in this country, are sexually abused, payed less for the same work and more. Let’s focus and do something about it! Go to http://www.campaignforgenderequality.org and sign the petition for a Presidential Commission on Women. Now is the time!! We need to be united and active.

Thanks, everyone. Glad to provide some historical perspective. I just could not BELIEVE that Campbell, of all people, after all the assholic things she has said, was pulling this. WOW. Talk abt your hubris…

test

Most of these talking heads have no shame nor moral center we would recognize as human.

RRRA wrote: “Funny, right? What isn’t is Campbell Brown’s hypocrisy on the issue of sexism, which, as many of us have noted, has been pervasive throughout this entire election season.”

YES and that is why my first remark when I heard about this faux outrage was, “She does have balls.”

One of the important things that Amy is pointing up here, I think, is that these non-issues are a distraction from real issues.

Feminism as an issue is in a kind of crisis. We have, so-called feminist organizations supporting a misogynist candidate; we have wealthy, connected women attacking a successful working woman; we have the media making sexist attacks. We have seen some horrible behavior this year.

And then, we have these little faux defenses. What b.s.

good post and good job with the vids.
thanks rrra

They’ll do pretty much anything for ratings. All this talk about sexism has it’s roots in a boardroom, and we’ll talk about it until the board decides on the next cool thing we talk about. Then we’ll talk about that.

Rendall was just saying something we all are aware of: She looks like a dyke. It is fine if that is the lifestyle you prefer and it is your conscious with the values in your life, but why in the heavens do you have to try to look like a man when you are a woman? She fast on tiggering the straight woman Palin being a “dinbat” but doesn’t look at her own faults. It annoys me when I see a gay woman trying to be a man. If you are gay, fine, but be what you are a “woman” and that means showing your curves and red lips- not trying to act like one of the guys- the same goes for the faggoish men who think they are women. Be men first! It is funny that they bash the “women” that they are not! Rendall was saying “she has no life” because she probably doesn’t. I am sure she has a dog for a lover.

Campbell Brown is ‘ALL BULL’!

Campbell Brown has no right to call anyone on the carpet about anything. Her embarrassing pillow fluffing for Obama while trashing an eminently qualified candidate, Hillary Clinton, tells the whole story. Ms. Brown behaved like a schoolgirl not a journalist.

Now she is offended by Gov. Rendell? His comment was one of the mildest out there.

In what corn bin had she inserted her head this entire year that she heard nothing else that offended her?

Campbell is a farce. She is full of bull and ever so bias. I couldn’t believe the things that came out of her mouth about Palin.

Your article about her is right on. Thanks

I don’t think it was a corn bin. It was the bin with the koolaid powder in it.

Campbell Brown should look in the mirror as she helped to set women back decades, and she personally called on Palin to step aside because ‘her’ daughter not her was pregnant (so the idea was to pressure Palin). It is said a viable women candidate won’t be seen again until 2034.

Campbell Brown was one of many ‘Obama’ girls in the press, you can hear some giggling asking Obama to pose for them on the press plane in the McCain ‘Love’ video. {{{shaking head}}}

THE PRESS DIED IN 2008.

Campbell Brown is trying to rally the women back to CNN and then start rallying support for Obama. Obama had two media campaign channels; MSNBC and CNN. Then he got his own 24/7 just like Oprah.

Don’t fall for Campbell Brown’s BULL, she is a day late and a dollar short. She never spoke up, when it counted and in fact she participated in the madness.

I think she’s just trying to figure out how to keep the job she really only got when the contrast between having Hillary and Chelsea on the stump against the background of 100% male talking heads on CNN became too obvious. She was put in as a woman, an ‘any woman’ type of woman, and she played the cute/suck up to the womenhating men card throughout. Now she probably senses that with BO firmly protecting male privilege everywhere, she is slated for demolition, and needs to begin talking about sexism as a way to up her value.

I’m glad you put this together, RRRA (but that last link — where is it?), but it also provides a good case study for the microways in which misogyny is perpetuated and reenacted, and reenacted, …. Brown has been a willing participant but now realizes that she is just as disposable as all the women she has been so gleefully trashing. Its sad, really. And I gotta hate all the male privilegeholders far more than I can ever hate the CBs of the world, not that they should be excused.

PUMA!!!

Campbell Brown:

ALL BULL ALL BIAS!

Nuf said!

Stop the hate, Campbell!

Yes, but this is a thread of Campbell Brown putting on her super hero suit, to protect women after she darned trashed them for the MAN!

I think a commission on women should look to how the media used women against women. She never went on rants of Obama like she did with Palin or the disdain she showed for Clinton.

Oh, and I already support the effort!

I agree 100%!

Great call out on Brown! Ohh, the hypocrisy!

LOL – good one, Ani. Galt does have a point, though. Kool Aide covered corn, perhaps?

Soldier of Christ, your remarks are homophobic. Please try to refrain from such comments in the future. Generally, even if I don’t agree with your comments, I welcome your perspective. This time, you have crossed the line.

And being a lesbian is not a “choice.”

Thanks for your cooperation.

Oh, Campbell Brown lookie here they are calling women reporters ‘B@ches’ over at Obama’s other campaign network MSNBC.

MSNBC Producer Goes Nuts On The Air
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vWdZuqXzJI

I hope you will do a segment to tell us ho this all got so ingrained that women are NOW treated with NO RESPECT in the workplace and anywhere for that matter.

Oh, was this the CHANGE We were hoping for? I think NOT!

MSNBC Producer Goes Nuts On The Air
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vWdZuqXzJI
………..

Maybe we need a Presidential Commission on the MEDIA/PRESS?

THE PRESS DIED IN 2008.

oops that was HOW….I was too upset and typing too fast. I am just shocked that this man thinks he can talk to women reporters like that. Yelling, screaming, degrading them and they look as though this isn’t the first time this has happened. How very sad.

Thank you for standing up for decency and human rights.

And being a lesbian is not a “choice.”

I agree, there is no choice. People are who they are.

That being said, I think how someone expresses their orientation and gender is woefully misunderstood. Sexual identity is separate from gender identity and they should NOT be lumped together! This explains why a woman can be heterosexual, yet feel compelled to be what is considered more masculine. Nature (or Creator if you prefer) has blessed us with this diversity. I embrace and celebrate it! I’ve expressed a thumbnail of my views. They are a bit more complicated, but those are the basics, most related to your comment.

People need to at least try and walk in someone else’s shoes before casting judgment, in my opinion.

Does the FCC allow women to be called ‘B@tches’ on live TV and can someone send these ladies their rights of NO SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN THE WORK PLACE.

“…Rendell, however, put himself on the line for the most qualified candidate, who happened to be a woman. He can be a verbal klutz at times, but ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS Campbell, you transparent opportunist hack.”

Exactly. I was watching CNN way back in the primaries when Rendell called the media on their bias against HRC and for Obama. I’m pretty sure it was CNN; all I remember now is sending the Governor a thank you note. To my knowledge he did it at least twice, though perhaps not on the same network/ channel. I was wondering how CNN would ‘pay him back’. And I read somewhere that behind the scenes, he referred to some commentator as being from the “Obama network” (can’t remember who but I believe he was with MSNBC).

Thanks, RRRA, very much for laying this all out. I LOVE it. You did an outstanding job with this!

I caught this one on Campbell Brown with her ironic “Cutting through the Bull” shingle and wondered if any of these correspondents have a true conscience. How in the hell can Brown or Gail Collins fron the NYT or Huffypooh have the nerve to turn on Rendell after the gleeful savaging they participated in over Hillary’s primary bid, and then Sarah Palin’s run?

They’re all frauds and suckups. The message is very clear: unless you’ve been annointed and stroked by “The One,” your hide is ripe for whipping, women lashing women. The outrage is just one more smoke screen.

BTW, I’m still a Rendell fan. He worked his heart out for Hillary and that’s worth a lot of brownie points from where I sit.

“I think a commission on women should look to how the media used women against women. She never went on rants of Obama like she did with Palin or the disdain she showed for Clinton.”

I totally agree. We also need to start calling these women out just as RRRA has here.

Again, well done, RRRA! Thank you so much for doing the research.

People like Brown are just trying to cover up the dirty tracks they left all over women like Hillary and Sarah. And a commission on women’s issues? Please, that is just an attempt to placate us. Isn’t that what men usually do to shut us up??

Check this out:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/12/04/one_more_question.html

Your remarks are derogatory, sexist, judgemental and narrow minded.

your name is “solider of christ.” do you think God would approve of your remarks? I know he wouldn’t.

Before making off-the-cuff judgments, Soldier of Christ, you might consider this: women who excel in their profession/careers frequently have their sexual identities questioned. Looking “mannish” isn’t the point. Any woman who is in a position of power, ends up dealing with gender/sexually-related accusations. There have been smarmy comments about Hillary Clinton for years [she's a closet lesbian]. And we saw a similar line of attack used against Sarah Palin [she's promiscuious]. Eleanor Roosevelt put up with the same weary gossip as have many, many women–Ice Queen, frigid, witch, hag, Lesbo. All those labels are meant to diminish who and what we are, to make us less.

The crux of the matter is respect for a woman’s talent and what she can bring to the job. Not the way she looks, mannish or not. Not her sexual orientation.

You sound as if you’re stuck in a different century. We don’t tie women to stakes in the center square anymore. It’s not very Christian!

thanks for the great post Amy….

Just saw this on drudge. Disgusting, but am not surprised. Too bad more of this didn’t come out before the election.

The comments excusing the behavior are even worse.. So when can we get a cut out of Michelle and have a bunch of Republicans grope it? Oh wait, that’s RACISM and SEXISM! What was I thinking?

It’s not the ‘in’ thing to talk about sexism….now that Obama has won. Didn’t the same thing happen when June 3 when his suspended her campaign.

It’s sickening really.

I think I need a coffee….

What I meant to say was:

It is the ‘in’ thing to talk about sexism….now that Obama has won. Didn’t the same thing happen June 3 when his suspended her campaign.

Personally I don’t think Rendell was being sexist. I think he would have said the same thing about a single guy. I don’t know anything about Governor Napolitano’s sexual orientation. I don’t figure that’s any of my business. I took Rendell’s comment as a compliment–the job of Homeland Security is a monster that will render one without a family because of the demands. That is the case regardless of one’s sexual orientation.

I do understand Reverend Amy’s concern and always welcome her perspective on these matters. Once again, I may not agree with her point of view but I am thrilled to have her as a friend and writer here. Makes the world better in my view.
LJ

I just checked out the WP piece, Mimi, and was amazed with the concluding statement:

“Clinton senior adviser Philippe Reines cast the photos as evidence of increased bonhomie between the formerly rival camps.

“Senator Clinton is pleased to learn of Jon’s obvious interest in the State Department, and is currently reviewing his application,” he said in an e-mail.”

Evidence of increased bonhomie???? How creative. And disgusting. Frat boys just want to have fun.

I did not interpret what Rendell said as sexist. There’s been plenty of sexism and misogyny for the past year let’s not make some up just for the fun of it. To save space I’ll make no comment on Campbell Brown.

Larry,

I totally agree. I have never heard Rendell make any type of sexist comment throughout his career as Mayor of Philly nor as Governor.

He was and remained a strong supporter of Hillary and his wife was/is a federal judge. He obviously doesn’t have issues with women in high positions of authority.

I think he would have said it regardless of gender. I’ve read he and the Gov. are friends and that he just meant she is a workaholic and completely dedicated to her job.

Campbell Brown is just such a joke and is desperate for ratings. To think she is suddenly a defender of women is such a joke!

Has anyone else noticed how Campbell Brown’s jaw seems to unhinge every time she speaks? I swear it reminds me of a snake’s jaw before it feds on its prey. Her over articulation of words is so distracting whenever I see her on TV.

BTW, wasn’t Brown on maternity leave this past year? And she has the nerve to criticize Palin for her choices as a career woman and mother.

Absolutely! I was not in the least offended by Rendell’s remarks. He just calls ‘em like he sees ‘em. The fact that he supported HRC — the best candidate — shows that he is not a knee-jerk misogynist like Obama and his Pod minions.

FAUX OUTRAGE. This is an apt description of CB’s new-found feminist sentiments.

The damage to women comes not from what Governor Rendell said, but from what wasn’t said but implied: that women with families can’t manage meeting vitally important or time-sensitive work responsibilities. No one has similar concerns whether Tom Ridge or Michael Chertoff could balance work and family. It was automatically expected they would strike the proper balance, as it should be expected of Governor Napolitano or any other woman in a demanding job- with or without family.

One thing that really bothered me about the biased coverage of Governor Palin and the media’s Sarah Derangement Syndrome- Americans missed a great opportunity. The Palin’s clearly have a balance in their marriage, sharing of domestic and child-rearing responsibilities, supporting each other’s goals and aspirations outside the home. It would have been great to hear and see how they make it all work……….

Her show should be called
“Campbell Brown: No Integrity, No Truth”

I read somewhere that she claim she was trying to fashion a “new” kind of journalism? Duh! It’s called the new sexist and misogynist journalism for the 21st century.

WildChild, interesting observation about CB’s lisp. I’ve always been enthralled (in a bad way) by her jaw and the way it seems to unhinge as it articulates her words. Very weird. I always wondered how someone like that could be on TV, since it’s very distracting to watch.

Well said!

Tuppence
I agree 100%. Also, Campbell Brown started out as a reporter where I live in Virginia on the local NBC affiliate news. I have not watched CNN since the beginning of the campaign and the smears against Hillary so I get my info about all of these sexist comments from sites like this. But Brown really has very limited credentials, she is where she is because of connections with the network that got her out of Richmond. She’s a robot who will do and say anything her bosses tell her to do which puts her in the same group as 99% of all cable and network news persons. I have not seen one MSM journalist exhibit any ethical integrity in reporting the news in this election. I have learned that sexism is an equal opportunity evil, gender, race and religion of the participants don’t matter–I hope we as women can keep trying to expose these people. Thank you Amy.

The flip side of this is that class/family connection is no barrier to Caroline Kennedy apparently being handed Hillary’s senate seat on a silver platter, even though she made a big fuss early in her life about the importance of devoting her life to caring for her children and husband. Unfortunately she and MO appear to represent the new ‘ok’ type of woman in politics — as window/arm dressing, as an afterthought to their ‘real’ work of domestic servitude/sucking up to patriarchy, and as bits of token fluff who are not expected to do anything but show up and make sure everyone knows they are female.

I hope Kennedy has the good sense to understand that she would be selling real women politicians out by accepting Patterson’s nod. But self-aggrandizement seems to be the big thing in the US these days, never mind substance.

Very disappointing.

PUMA!!!

Sorry if you already have this, but talk about sexism:
Obama speechwriter is seen here groping a Hillary cut-out.
would Ms. Brown report on this, hmmmmm?

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/12/04/one_more_question.html

It’s all this shell game…appear to be right out calling Rendell out, while there’s all the other stuff that is either let go or perpetuated.

PFFTTT!

Soldier of Christ, I really think you are an Obama troll. You just don’t ring true.
I don’t know people of faith that talk like this.

Just remember, melisa, Hillary’s spokesman was fine with the picture, it was just funny and stuff. It’s okay to treat women like shit even more now because Hillary endorsed the treatment.

I think Ms. Clinton needs to be called out as much as anyone else. By working for this man, she is endorsing this behavior toward women. She is just as in the wrong as he is.

Brown was one of the reasons I stopped watching one of my favorite shows Lou Dobbs. My problem is I can’t stand Brown and just the site of her makes my blood boil. I amsorry to use such hard words. But I watched her as she took sexist shot after sexist shot at Palin. It was Brown who was one of the first to raise questions…. asking if Palin was irresponsible and essentially a bad mother for accepting the VP nod with a DS baby!!! Great article and thank you for nailing her. She is a discrace to all working women. My mother has a PHD and worked full time while taking care of a child with special needs. That same child is finishing his MBA and is a senior manager for a communication company. That child is me and believe me it wasn’t easy for both of us but she never lost faith in me and was always my biggest fan. I was born extreme learning disabled, with speech and hearing disabilties, and mild form of what we now know as autism. My mother and now Palin are my heroes!!!

I have to take the tone of which this Rendell statement was presented. He was excited that her only credential was that she had the time because she’s a loser a person who ‘has no family’. Well she’s gay and does have a family (partner) WTF?
Any caucasian woman who works on Obama team is in for it and will regret it.

You probably saw this already

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/12/04/one_more_question.html

just call her a dick/prick. why not? men call each other bitches all the time. time to turn the tables. that’s the only that will get people to think.

i don’t think we need a commission; we need women to start taking names and kicking ass (figuratively). nothing will change until there are consequences for sexist behavior.

Ed Rendell did not mean to be sexist in any way. It was an offhand remark that wasn’t meant for anyone to hear but there happened to be a microphone next to him. Yes, it was tactless but on a scale from 1 to 10, Rendell’s comment was a .5. Campbell Brown has no place in this discussion. She is a hack who helped the boyz in the media bring down Clinton and insult Palin.

jeezus christ, give up the homophobia and nastiness, “SoC.” you are on the wrong forum.

Hey, thanks, Larry! And as I said, what Rendell said was one of the milder things said this year. There has been far, far worse said, and where was Campbell Brown THEN? Oh, she was part of the problem! It’s the hypocrisy of her “Bull Sessions” thing I find galling.

The only mention of sexual orientation came from a commenter who did so in a homophobic manner. That was the only reason it came up. Just to clarify – that was not my point at all.

And I agree with what someone else said up thread – Rendell was a stalwart supporter of Hillary’s, and he does get kudos for that. Just to be clear!

Thanks for the comment, Larry!

My pleasure. And Tuppence, you make a great point. When women continue to be held to a different standard, it is sexism. We saw so much blatant misogyny this year that maybe sexist behavior seems tame by comparison. Just a thought…

And I hope Larry is right that Rendell would say the same abt a single guy. Then he would just be a relationship-ist or something. But all we have to go by is what he DID say..

Here’s the link Woman Voter.

I can’t believe this s—.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRMENGiybYM

I love to read the posts here, because no matter if a person is a Democrat or Republican, the majority of you know what is right and what is wrong. You have your priorities straight and that is refreshing. I agree with you too about Campell Brown and it makes me sick that she is trying to represent women now, when she was one of the worst offenders during this last election season. I refuse to watch CNN, MSNBC, NBC because of people like her, Chris Matthews and Keith Olbermann.

Your post sounds like you are casting judgement on the other poster. That is why I think both sides should stick with the facts.

The facts are neither bias or judgemental. It is a fact that there is no medical or scientific proof that there is a gay gene. I know they found the gene for hemophiliacs and they are wiping it out now. I am sure if they found a gene for gayness, they would wipe that out too, because I do not think anyone would consciously pick being gay as a life long choice. However, they do pick it on a subconscious level; whether they know it or not. I am not saying this is good or bad, right or wrong, I am just stating a fact.

I am picking this comment because it is at the end of a long list of other negative, derogatory remarks. Check yourselves, because you are doing exactly what you have accused the other poster of doing, and for the same reasons, your beliefs. Just like Campell Brown, it is not nice to do, even when you think your cause is more righteous. Just don’t do it at all.

I agree with you. I have no respect for Caroline Kennedy anymore, especially when she said nothing about how they were treating Hillary Clinton. As far as I am concerned, she stabbed Hillary in the back. Right after publicly announcing her support for Obama, she practically disappeared from public scutiny. She said nothing of the misogynistic nature of her candidate or his supporters either. I find it ironic that she is the one to take over Hillary’s senate seat. What has Caroline Kennedy done to deserve it?

I was thanking Rev for standing up for what she believes in. And I share her belief there is generally no choice as to sexual orientation. I also raised gender identity as an issue. You may consider this being judgmental, but I consider it my heartfelt opinions. And my statement was general in nature. I chose not to engage SoC directly for a reason, they are entitled to their opinions and I wanted to reach out to them in a general way hopefully to have a chance of getting them to see my point of view, which is why my last statement began with “people” and the overall tone of my comment was said in kindness.

As far as the gene goes, it is not necessary. There could be other reasons, such as hormonal influence of the fetus while in the womb. But I won’t debate you on science — and it should be noted some of the “science” on the web is from social conservative groups with a bias towards a conclusion of justifying homophobia and the groups agenda. My opinions are based mainly on observations and interacting directly with LGBT people. You ask any LGBT person if they would “choose” to be persecuted and singled out for discrimination. The ones I have asked say “No!” But they are who they are and I embrace them as full equals and will stand up for them as is my right to. I’ve tried to walk in their shoes and urge everyone else to.

I agree people should try to respond more dispassionately and try to educate their opposition. But in this case, that’s a tall order, especially for LGBT people or those of us who have worked with them on issues of health or equality. The anonymous nature of blogging does not aid in civility, that is for certain.