Gay: Choice or Biological?

In the latest bit of pandering to special interest groups, most of the Democratic Presidential candidates decided to appear in a "debate" on gay issues on LOGO last night. To call it a debate is almost facetious, it was more like consecutive interviews. Being a cable network, they had to put some sort of minor celebrity on the panel, dipshit Melissa Etheridge, to dissolve any pretense that this interaction was to be thoughtful or informative rather than "entertaining." The most interesting exchange of the night, or at least insightful in that it revealed the empty-headedness of political correctness, was between the Moron Etheridge and Bill Richardson.

MS. ETHERIDGE: Thank you.

Do you think homosexuality is a choice, or is it biological?

GOV. RICHARDSON: It's a choice. It's –

MS. ETHERIDGE: I don't know if you understand the question. (Soft laughter.) Do you think I -- a homosexual is born that way, or do you think that around seventh grade we go, "Ooh, I want to be gay"?

GOV. RICHARDSON: Well, I -- I'm not a scientist. It's -- you know, I don't see this as an issue of science or definition.

I see gays and lesbians as people as a matter of human decency. I see it as a matter of love and companionship and people loving each other. You know I don't like to categorize people. I don't like to, like, answer definitions like that that, you know, perhaps are grounded in science or something else that I don't understand.

MS. ETHERIDGE: Well, it's hard when you are a citizen of a country that tells you that you are making a choice when you were born that way, and your Creator made you that way. And there's a document that was written 200 years ago that says you are entitled to certain rights that you are not given.
How can there be anything other than absolute equal rights for homosexuals?

Richardson of course failed to initially answer the question politically correctly, because he took a sensible, rational, fact-based approach rather than an idiotic "this is the way we feel it should be, so this is the way it is" left-wing approach. He missed the perfect opportunity to answer this question the only way it should ever be answered:

WHO REALLY GIVES A FLYING FUCK?

There are just so many insanely thoughtless assumptions in Etheridge's false dichotomy and in the perceived ramifications of taking one position or another. For one, why would or should choice or biology have any impact whatsoever on "absolute equal rights for homosexuals" in a free society? The assertion here is that personal choice would be some sort of secondary, inferior justification for equal rights compared to biochemical causes. But I'm going out on a limb and say that choice would be the superior justification, for choice shows conscious reasoning, sophisticated emotional responses and intelligent thought. Liberty means freedom to do as we choose, not simply be as we biologically "are." There is absolutely no reason why a man's choice to eat and enjoy foie gras should be any less important than his right to breathe oxygen. It is not the role of a government in a free society to value judge personal preferences.

Secondly, I'm utterly unconvinced one can completely divorce choice from biology - or that any action or behavior we take on can not be attributed to personal choice to some degree. I may have a biological impulse to screw every girl I see - and trust me I've seen quite a few that I've had the impulse to have sex with - but that does not mean I choose to act on those impulses every time I get them. Maybe I uncontrollably get an erection sometimes, but I choose when and where to use it. Assuming what we call "homosexuality" has any sort unique biological cause, every single gay person still makes the choice to act on that impulse and live as they do. And no, Melissa, that's not in any way insulting or demeaning to say. You're thinking human beings, and you choose your lifestyle choices as much as I choose to be monogamous. And there is absolutely no reason to assume that because any behavior could be classified as a "choice" that is somehow less deserving of being made.

Also, the idea that the only options to explain your sexual preferences are that you have to be born gay or you just pick being gay is simply silly. Why on Earth is so important that homosexuality be simply a biological characteristic, like skin color, rather than say a learned behavior or cultural characteristic or belief system, like say religion? Is it really so outrageous to suggest that there MIGHT be developmental factors that come in play that may, at least sometimes, lead to homosexual behavior?

Heck, I'm not even convinced entirely that "gay" is anything more than a social construct, derived simply from physical pleasures that could be fulfilled by other means. I've known way too many gay men that seemed far too obsessed with female "biology" to suggest to me that anyone is 100% gay. But, whatever. I probably wouldn't say that to any gay friend, because who am I to tell them how to behave or what sub-cultural decisions to make. What's important is, it doesn't matter one iota if my stupid theory is right, or Melissa's stupid theory is right, or someone else's much better reasoned and factually supported theory is right. The state has absolutely no place interfering or restricting these behaviors or feelings, regardless of their origin or consistency.

The important thing is that Richardson was right, he is no scientist. And neither are you, Melissa. Scientists are willing to admit when there is not enough evidence to draw any really realy conclusion. And they do not assume a conclusion because it justifies a political goal, or makes them feel warm and fuzzy. The real conclusions could well be interesting, but will the answers really make you feel any different, any more or less lesbian? They may seem a stupid question, but it stems from your stupid question. Why on Earth is it even important when we're talking about liberty and your own pursuit of happiness? You've set it up so that if you're wrong about biochemistry, then you're wrong about your life. And that's just inane, and shows a lack of understanding of what personal liberty and individual freedom means, and why it is important.

Did I develop a taste for foie gras at some point, did I learn to love it, or is enjoyment of the flavor hardwired into me? Who cares? I mean, it'd be interesting to know - but it should have no effect on my freedom to do and live as I choose fit.

Who is Linda Seger?

Who is Linda Seger? A liberal blogger, it seems. She wrote this blog, titled "How Do Liberals and Progress [sic] Think... about Discrimination?" And the most important element of her thesis?

Liberals and Progressives are more often apt to deal in complexity.

Well, allow me to retort. FUCK YOU, TOO. Or, to put it less blunty, are you so apt to deal in complexity that you resort to simplistic, sweeping, unsupported generalizations like this? Show some complex thought before making an assertion such as this. And if you want to insult somebody, have the courage to just come out and be direct. Don't masquerade your taunts in some masturbatory, self-aggrandizing bullshit.

In many cases, conservatives don't see the social structures that keep problems in place, but see problems as individual problems.

But, golly gee, Seger, what could be more complex than assessing this multifaceted society at its most fundamental level, that of individuals? Isn't that pointing to how complex a society really is? Isn't that dealing with a society at its most complex?

It seems to me that the less complex approach would be to lump individuals together into superficial groupings based on ethnic/cultural characteristics rather than look at each person for his or her unique talents and offerings. And what could be less complex than to blame any assumed inequities on "discrimination" without actually providing any sort of evidence of anyone actually DISCRIMINATING? And what could be less complex than also blaming these presumed inequities on nebulous "social structures," which I assume are inanimate and incapable of the act of actual discrimination? And what could be less complex than never really even theorizing what these "social structures" might be, or on what level they might exist? There is no complexity of thought in just dreaming them into existence without exploring or even hypothesizing about what policies or intergroup interactions they might be. And there is no complexity of thought in just assuming that if they exist, they exist on the overall, shared societal level, rather than solely within the subcultural level of those groups that seem to be discriminated against. For example, perhaps look at how different subcultures tend to value education rather than suggest that somehow society is keeping individuals from educating themselves. The white man's omnipotent social structures seem to have failed to keep Asians down, overall. Could it be because these discriminatory "social structures" are simply an easy myth to avoid any personal responsibility?

And is your complex thought proven by bigoted stereotypes about Conservative Christians?

Conservative Christians often say that these have to be solved through repentance and through becoming more "Christian". This is often their answer to every problem and it's easy to see that this Christian administration is no proof of this approach.

Talk about hypocrisy. Everyone is categorized into simplistic groups that behave in a single-minded, homogeneous fashion to her. Nothing really to support this assertion - it's just her biased assessment of how Christians think and act. Oh, they're religious, so they must be unable to formulate any sort of opinion based on contemplative analysis of fact and reason. If they incorporate religious morality into their analysis, then fuck, they must not have been analyzing in the first place.

This of course only applies to Christians (and maybe Jews). I'm sure she thinks Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and Wiccans are more capable of logical assessment and complex evaluation, because, holy shit, they're usually less whiter - or in the case of witches, maybe more womyny.

But it's the Conservatives who are the dumb racists. I'm convinced.

America, Burying Its Head in the Sand a Second Time

Remember when 9/11 came as a big shock, despite all the previous Islamofascist jihadi-whackjob attacks on American targets before it? Remember when everyone, the public, the government, the media, ignored all the warning signs? Remember when Congress passed legislation to build a wall between the US and Mexico and Bush signed it? Remember how much of that security barrier has been built so far? Remember when those of us who pointed out the insanity of allowing millions of illegal aliens to sneak across the border, or to overstay their tourist visas, without any method of tracking them or evaluating their merit or decency or trustworthiness? Remember how we were labeled 'bigots' by the race-baiting left and turn-coat pseudo-conservative Republicans like Bush, McCain and Graham, for expecting the federal government to be concerned about national security as well as suggesting that the US actually screen and be selective about who we allow into this country, temporarily or permanently? Remember how they called us 'extremists' for daring to expect immigrants to follow the rules and for wanting them held accountable for breaking the rules? Remember Rio? That was a great album. Remember that big open space where the US and Mexico meet - a space easily crossed not just by Mexicans, but maybe some crazy Muslim extremists pretending to be Mexicans, nutty middle Eastern Islamic fundamentalists that want nothing better than to blow us all the hell up? Remember that sinking feeling in your gut when you watched those subhuman scumbags topple those tall buildings in Manhattan?

Yeah, you remember, when you're not too busy pointing fingers, dreaming up whacko conspiracy theories, or pandering to dipshit radical leftists that can't tell the difference between Mexicans, Hispanic Americans, legal immigrants, and illegal aliens - liberal fuckheads who will only use the vague word 'immigrant' in order to lump all those different categories together so that you look like a racist for your concern about the ILLEGAL segment of their moronically disingenuous blanket grouping. Yeah, you remember watching those planes hit the towers, thinking, "a lot of innocent people were just murdered by evil psychopaths." Yeah, you'll remember, when something bad happens again, and then you'll all run around screaming "Why didn't someone do something to protect us? How could you let it happen again?"

Why and how indeed? Well, your government, your mainstream media, and most of you, are completely ignoring the fact that an untold number of Middle Eastern Islamic terrorists, disguised as Mexican illegals, have crossed our border, settled down in sleeper cells, and are now planning to attack us again. The story is here. Why it isn't everywhere, all the time - why it isn't top priority for every single American - is beyond me.

Hi, everybody. Wake the fucking hell up.

Political Litmus Test in University of California Hiring

Yesterday, a friend of mine went for a job interview at one of the University of California campuses and was asked the following question:

"What is your definition of diversity and social justice? How would you incorporate those into your job?"

Yesterday, coincidentally, I was also talking to a friend about the disappearance of ethical behavior and integrity in American society.

This was quite obviously some sort of political litmus test. Employment at the taxpayer funded University of California is now contingent upon agreement with ill-defined, radical leftist concepts such as these. Support for anti-Caucasian bigotry and discriminatory socialist policies like affirmative action is now a requirement for holding a position in a state-funded university. To screen for individuals that support reverse discrimination and racist ethnic quotas shows an utter lack of fairness, and to use a state university position to further an extremist political agenda shows complete corruptness and a total lack of ethical behavior. Which, as a Californian, I have sadly come to expect from the administration and faculty at the University of California. As fair-minded freedom-lovers devoted to equal treatment and liberty, we must stop this sort of idealogical discrimination by governmental institutions and remind university officials that they serve the State and its people, and are employed to teach and support students, not to indoctrinate nor to exploit tax funds and student fees for their own political goals.

Shoving "Pride" Down Your Throat

In the increasingly influential realm of politically correct fascism, it is no longer enough to "tolerate" those with different views or personal practices - it is no longer enough to treat everyone equally or fairly as individuals. In the intolerant madness disguised under the euphemism "promote diversity," one must "celebrate" the culture or sub-culture of supposedly underrepresented or underprivileged groups. One must place all focus not on individual achievement or merit, but on superficial elements like group affiliation or ethnic background.

In a huge disappointment, in order to be perceived as gay-friendly and tolerant, San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders appointed openly lesbian Tracy Jarman as San Diego Fire Chief in June 2006. The disappointment was not that Jarman is a lesbian and honest about that fact, but that a huge issue was made of her personal sexual practices in the first place in relation to her hiring. Rather than focus on any experience she may or may not have, or her qualifications to be chief or run an incredibly large fire department effectively and efficiently, the focus was instead on whether she preferred box lunches to sausage. When Sanders was elected mayor, I don't recall anyone bringing up the fact that he likes the tang, not the shaft. But somehow Jarman's sexual orientation was paramount to the city's assessment of her appointment. And of course, being a politically correct figurehead, her concern was not about the individual rights or qualifications of fire-fighters, or about fighting fires or anything that concerns the average citizen who pays his or her taxes for such a department in the first place. Instead, this corrupt, non-neutral activist began harping about making the department "more diverse," rather than more accountable to the taxpayer or more able to protect and service the community. According to Jarman:

It’s not just the Gay community. I think we need to do a better job of recruiting across the board so that we reflect the community.”

It is completely impossible to "reflect" the community through affirmative action and/or outreach. What a narrow-minded promoter of diversity is actually trying to reflect is an arbitrary, limited view of selective groupings based on their own stereotypes and biases. And somehow, in the view of the irrational diversity police, a quota system is going to put out forest fires a lot quicker. Oh, no wait, that's not a concern at all.

But Jarman's corruption ends not with her failure to denounce special privilege based on race and sexual preference and such, but recently her department went so far as to force straight fire fighters to ride in the Gay Pride Parade in San Diego.

These fire fighters were threatened with "disciplinary action" if they did not participate, and suffered through taunts and comments that any reasonable person would refer to as "sexual harassment" as a result of their forced participation in this event as city employees.

While on parade, the firefighters “were subjected to vile sexual taunts from homosexuals lining the parade route,” said the press release. “Show me your hose,” “you can put out my fire,” “you’re making me hot,” “give me mouth-to-mouth,”“blow my hose,” were some of the comments those along the parade route hurled at the firefighters. When the firefighters did not respond, “some in the crowd turned hostile and started shouting, ‘F—k you firemen’ and others began ‘flipping them off,’” said the press release.

Some bystanders committed lewd acts, directed at the firefighters, such as exposing their genitals, grabbing the crotch, and blowing kisses. The firefighters, however, were not physically assaulted.

Somehow, in Jarman's department, preventing discrimination against gays has transformed into special privileges for homosexuals and a clear violation of the rights of non-gay employees. In other words, reverse discrimination rather than neutrality. Under no circumstance should the taxpayers be forced to send representatives to what is essentially a large, somewhat risque gay-themed street party. Nor should individuals have their jobs threatened and thus be forced into a situation where they are subjected to unwelcome sexual advances.

I am in no way suggesting that events like gay pride parades be banned. They may well be important to the homosexual community, and as free individuals in a land of liberty, they have every right to assemble and associate as they see fit. Of course, the double-standard that a Straight Parade would be labeled "bigoted" does trouble me to no end. In any case, such events should not be sponsored with tax funds, and the event organizers should reimburse any costs to the city government. Gay fire fighters should not be punished for attending such an event, on their own time. But the city should not pay individuals to attend during work hours (except of course to handle emergencies) as representatives, and cannot expect employees to attend or worse award their attendance. This would be equivalent to forcing gay atheist fire fighters to attend a large religious rally as representatives, exposing them to taunts like "sinner" and "repent." Would THAT be acceptable? Would paying a Christian fire-fighter to go to church be acceptable?

Unfortunately, the politically correct would never apply such logic to their own actions and policies. What is important to them is only that their personal beliefs and practices get shoved down your throat, at your expense, and that you accept them or face the iron fist of punishment.

Jarman should be sacked, or should resign.

UPDATE: The firefighters' complaint can be viewed here.

UPDATE: There's a story on this at signonsandiego. Don't forget to check out some of the crazy comments at the bottom from idiots that equate the concept of fair treatment for straight fire fighters and their discomfort with being verbally molested by homosexuals with homophobia and bigotry. Nice. There are also a few "well, two wrongs make a right" moronic attempts at arguments as well.

Different standards, of course, apply to gays and straights. And this is called 'equity' amongst the left.