Dan Savage lashes out: “Tony Perkins Sits On A Pile Of Dead Gay Kids Every Day”

[Canuckistanian]

Sex columnist Dan Savage lashed out at the Family Research Council saying: “Tony Perkins Sits On A Pile Of Dead Gay Kids Every Day”.

Savage, who founded the It Gets Better Project for LGBT, spoke last week at Winona State University about “queer kids” killing themselves and said that “every dead kid is a victory for the Family Research Council.”

He went on to explain why he thinks the Family Research Council is listed as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, saying:

“Tony Perkins and the Family Research Council — First of all, they tell, Tony Perkins tells parents whose kids come out to reject them. Tony Perkins tells the parents of queer kids to do what Tony Perkins damn well knows drives those kids to suicide — doubles their already quadruple rate of suicide. Why would someone who calls themselves a Christian do that? Because every dead gay kid is a victory for the Family Research Council. They argue that the gay lifestyle is sick and sinful and dangerous and they point to the suicide rate, and then they turn around and do everything in their power to make sure that suicide rate does not come down and to drive it up. Tony Perkins sits on a pile of dead gay kids every day when he goes to work — and he calls himself a Christian. I don’t understand how real Christians let that little fucker get away with that.”

http://samuel-warde.com/2012/10/dan-savage-lashes-out-tony-perkins-sits-on-a-pile-of-dead-gay-kids-every-day/

[riderinthestorm]

1. Oh sweet jayzus, so terribly sad. K&R to the moon and back and back again....

[DonViejo]

2. Thank you for posting this!

[Canuckistanian]

6. Thank YOU

For paying attention. The FRC is a scourge of evil on America.

[montanacowboy]

3. Dan Savage minces no words

He is a great spokesman

[atreides1]

4. "...how real Christians let that little fucker get away with that."

Maybe because as Mark Twain said..."There has been only one Christian. They caught him and crucified him--early."

[Victor_c3]

18. wow, awesome quote. I'm going to have to repeat that n/t

[cr8tvlde]

20. Never heard that one ... must remember it. Thanks.

[Skittles]

5. I LOVES ME SOME DAN SAVAGE!!!!!

WOO!!

[Zorra]

7. Yeah, when kids are dying, it's critical to point out exactly why in the simplest,

most accurate terms possible, and that's exactly what Dan does.

[kimbutgar]

8. Lordy be thank you dan

[DirtyDawg]

9. Sorta like...

...Romney's 'self-deportation' strategy for the undocumented. If you make life ugly enough and hard enough for them, some of them will 'self-deport' themselves. That make you proud Perkins? And to channel you, wonder if any of your kids will possibly be ashamed enough of your behavior that they'll 'deport' themselves too - hope they leave you a note.

[nolabear]

10. Dan is a good, good man. Far more than a "sex columnist", though I expcet he owns that.

I used to know him a bit, though he wouldn't remember me. We frequented a popular writers' center here in Seattle and I booked him for some appearances. In subsequent years he's never ceased to amaze me with his bravery, his outrage, and his ability to both care for the kids (and adults) who have been shamed into self-loating and to stick it to those who richly deserve it.

Lots of kids are alive today because of Dan and others like him. And Tony Perkins deserves everything he gets.

[gopiscrap]

11. thank you for posting this

[Canuckistanian]

12. NP

[Bluenorthwest]

13. Thanks for posting this....

nt

[B Stieg]

14. Savage is Correct.

I fight Perkins every day in every class I teach. Difference, not homogeneity, is what expands our possibilities and propels us forward.

And the "bullying" we see on the national political stage sets the tone, what Umberto Eco calls "ur-fascism," a stance perfectly in tune with the damaged and fearful masculinities embraced by conservatives (think neocon) and their Randian fantasies.

As Jon Stewart said to the babbling idiots on Crossfire so many years ago (and recently echoed by famous moral philosopher Ann Romney albeit in a more personal context), "STOP IT."

[David Zephyr]

15. Enthusiastic K&R for the OP, for Dan Savage & for Canuckistanian.

Thank you so much for posting this. I might have missed this.

[surrealAmerican]

16. He's right ...

... and it about time someone said this publicly and loudly like this. Thank you, Dan Savage.

[Mika]

17. K&R

[Victor_c3]

19. I've done a full 180 on my stance of gay rights

I grew up your typical homophobe and, in recent years, I've really had a huge change in perspective and understanding. I think having kids is what really did it to me. There is nothing that my little girls could do to make me not love them - and their sexuality and/or gender identity has nothing to do with my love for them.

I'm not going to pretend to understand what anyone who is LGBT experiences first hand, but I've done my best to try to get it. The transgender part of the LGBT community I feel is the most misunderstood or accepted. It is so much more than a guy liking to wear women's clothing.

I feel terrible for kids who grow up and realize that they are LGBT. I can't imagine that it'd be an easy life for them. The last thing these kids (and adults) need is hate from their own family.

Thank you for posting that article.

I'm probably out of line for saying this, but it seems that the community here on DU often doesn't discuss LGBT issues as much as ut deserves to be seen. Instead, the LGBT "stuff" is pushed aside to a sub-forum and often not even viewed by the majority of the community at large. This is a huge civil rights struggle and it should be treated as such.

[cr8tvlde]

21. Beautifully put and respect for your conscious thoughts and decision. Your children, gay

or straight are lucky. Both extremely RW sisters had one gay child each. It wasn't easy, there was a lot of denial, but finally as the girls slowly came out, they worked out a relationship again.