Folksy grandma battles gay marriage

[Neecy]

Jody Hutchens acknowledges she is an unlikely lobbyist against same- sex marriage. The 62-year-old grandmother is a former beauty salon owner who never went to college, wears her hair in a bouffant and is prone to malaprops -- like when she referred to Assemblyman Mark Leno, the sponsor of California's same-sex marriage bill, as "Jay Leno."

<snip>

A day with Hutchens, a self-taught lobbyist who lives with her husband of 44 years in a mobile home on 20 acres near Yosemite National Park, is a window into conservative California.

<snip>

"We are not against the homosexuals," said Hutchens, who flashes the twang of her Arkansas birth when she accents the "ho-mo" syllables. "We don't have a problem with what they want to do in private. We just don't want it in our faces."

<snip>

Hutchens' politicization came late in her life. For 30 years, she owned a beauty salon, working only three days a week because her husband asked her to spend time at home raising their two children. Some years, she said, "I didn't even vote." About 10 years ago, she started wondering "if there's something else I should be doing." She started listening to talk radio, particularly Rush Limbaugh. Soon she was researching the issues she was hearing about and debating them with her family.
-----

The whole story is really repulsive - this woman is like a caricature of the religious right.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/04/11/MNGKIC697R1.DTL

[sniffa]

1. how cute

a foLksy bigot. and aLL she needed to get poLiticaL, was rush.

[Teaser]

2. My marriage has never been in anyone's face.

No one has to know my wife and I are married. I don't wear a sign, and I don't barge into this lady's mobile home and announce that I am married. Being straight, though, I can assume she wouldn't mind if I did so.

[Fenris]

3. I don't mind what heterosexuals do in private. I just don't want it in my

face.


Works both ways, doesn't it?

[Kerrytravelers]

4. We are not against the homosexuals

Yes. Yes you are. Otherwise, you wouldn't care who married who.

Biggot. Homophobic biggot.

[Neecy]

7. yep

This woman is really like something out of The Grapes of Wrath, isn't she? Another Okie who came to California, except now she's upgraded from a railroad car to a mobile home.

"I got the skitters, Pa...got 'em real bad!"

[Bridget Burke]

15. This woman is trash, but don't blame John Steinbeck.

He portrayed Okies as real people, suffering & capable of dignity.

[flygal]

47. OMG - is this why people in Central Calif talk like that?

Ever been to Taft or Bakersfield - they sound like Okies. And backwards as all get out :scared:

[olddad56]

75. What makes you any better than this woman?

Your denigration of the people who were forced from their home during the dust bowl is no less offensive than the woman in this story. The term 'Okie' is sort of a bigoted slur. Your suggesting that she has upgraded from a railroad car to a mobile home was also a demeaning comment. It implies to me that you think the people who were forced out of their homes during the depression wanted to live in old railroad cars. I grew up in a town in Northern California where many of the kids I went to school with were descendents of the people who came to California because their families lost everything in the dust bowl. We called then 'Okies', but not to their faces. Some of them fit your stereotype, but many didn't. A lot of them grew up dirt poor and have done well in their lives. You just can't put labels on entire groups of people without missing the mark. This person's homophobia is no different than your 'okiephobia'.

[bitchkitty]

5. In her face?

OK, gay DUers, which one of you has gone crashing into this woman's trailer, waving your private parts in her face?

[tsuki]

8. What a visual.

:rofl:

[tsuki]

6. She really needs to be worried about her social security.

[txaslftist]

9. Why is she an unlikely lobbyist?

"The 62-year-old grandmother is a former beauty salon owner who never went to college, wears her hair in a bouffant and is prone to malaprops -- like when she referred to Assemblyman Mark Leno, the sponsor of California's same-sex marriage bill, as "Jay Leno.""

Sounds like she has typical Republican credentials to me.

[bunkerbuster1]

19. Precisely my thoughts

that's my visual image of virtually every homophobe busybody. Before-their-time OLD, unfashionable, and stupid.

[skypilot]

22. Damn.

I posted before reading the responses, txaslftist. I made the same observation below.

[Maddy McCall]

10. Sorry, but where I come from, this ain't "folksy." (Photo)

[Puglover]

41. LOL

who's the closet queen on her left?
:evilgrin:

[Chovexani]

55. Holy crap

She kinda looks like the biologically impossible lovechild of Sister Taffy and Mrs. Judy O'Christian from Landover Baptist.

[Charles]

70. Isn't GLUTTONY a sin?

I guess the 'portly folksy' homophobe forgot that gluttony is one of the seven deadly sins.

:*

[Straight Shooter]

11. A former beauty salon owner?

Sounds like years of training in malicious gossip to me, with fortification in bigotry and slander. IOW, another perfect example of Republican *cough* morality.

(No offense to those in the beauty salon business who hold themselves to higher standards.)

[Demeter]

13. Not To Mention Intoxicated

on the chemicals and the second-hand smoke. Serious brain damage evident.

[saltpoint]

12. Over at least the last year, many DUers have posted on --

-- the absence of critical thinking in this country.

This woman's spiel strongly supports their posts.

[Solly Mack]

14. Oh, so now ignorance and bigotry is "folksy"

She's a hypocrite and a fool...ain't nothing folksy about that...

[w4rma]

16. What the heck have gay folks done to her? Nothing. (nt)

[GoldenOldie]

18. The rush to get in the 15-minutes of fame before her time runs out.

For a 62-year old, she looks mighty worn.

[prodigal_green]

24. Opened a salon

that made people look good instead of bouffant-y?

[Jo March]

17. She wanted to "do something" so she starts listening to talk radio?

How the heck is that "doing something"???

Idiot.

I see women with the big hair and lots of Tammy Faye makeup and I think, "Republican." They are still living in the 1950s.

[DFWJock]

20. Damn it, I barged into the wrong trailer,

I meant to throw it in the face of the person in the trailer next to hers.

[Mad_Dem_X]

50. LOL! How, exactly, is getting married

throwing it in someone else's face??? I simply do not understand this argument against gay marriage. How the f*** does a heterosexual's marriage "suffer" because two gay people get married???:crazy:

[mitchum]

52. LMAO!!!

[skypilot]

21. Sounds like an extremely "likely" lobbyist...

...against same-sex marriage:

a former beauty salon owner who never went to college, wears her hair in a bouffant and is prone to malaprops -- like when she referred to Assemblyman Mark Leno, the sponsor of California's same-sex marriage bill, as "Jay Leno."

[Arger68]

23. Well, I don't mind someone being religious

but I don't want it in MY face, though it always seems to be!!

[mpendragon]

25. other folksy things we've been enjoying lately . . .

- Denying black folks the right to vote
- Economy ruined by trusts and speculation
- Anti-labor activities by the government
- Religious nuts intruding on the liberties of everyone else

It's like the 1920's and 1930's all over again.

[Politicub]

26. What a quaint bigot

These people do hate homosexuals, whether they want to admit that fact to themselves or not.

My grandfather passed away on Friday, and his funeral was on Sunday. He lived in rural NC, and was a baptist for his entire life. I've been out for more than ten years, and my family is very accepting for a bunch of conservatives. My grandfather knew and loved my partner, and my partner was at the funeral with me.

Yet, the preacher who spoke at his funeral, whom I had introduced my partner to moments earlier, took the time alloted to eulogize my grandfather to instead gay bash. I got sick to my stomach as he railed on and on about how homosexuals are destroying the US, and if I wanted to see my grandfather again, "I better get right with Jesus."

I thought to myself, how dare he use the occasion of my grandfather's funeral for his hate fest. Fuck him and all of the other religious rightists. They are nothing but bigots, and I'm going to call a spade a spade from now on.

[libnnc]

27. OMG I am so sorry that happened to you

How horrible to hear that when you're mourning your grandfather. I live in NC. We've got a lot of work to do.

[WilmywoodNCparalegal]

29. God, that must have been awful...

especially if he knew you and your partner were there.

At a moment of grief, he takes advantage of his bully pulpit and spew his hate.

What a disgrace!

I'm sorry... :hug:

[Politicub]

68. He did know we were there

That's what made it even more sickening. My partner was sitting right beside me. His family is Catholic, so he was blown away at how dripping with contempt the preacher was.

[mutus_frutex]

31. What a motherfucker!!!

I don't usually resort to insult, but that guy deserves it. What an asshole! These people have no ethic and no respect for other human beings.

[Bill McBlueState]

42. and the thing is, they don't care

That sick fuck would probably tell you that nowhere in the Bible does it say anything about respecting anyone, and his only concern is that people get to heaven.

A literal reading of the Bible leads to seriously fucked-up ethics.

[freestyle]

33. My condolences, your grandfather sounds like a good man

I'm glad you have a family that really understands family values. That preacher was beyond wrong to do what he did, and it will come back to him someday. Cherish your family. I don't know who said "those who matter don't mind and those who mind don't matter", but it is so true.

[Politicub]

69. Thank you

:hug:

[RetroLounge]

36. Holy Shit, that is unacceptable

That preacher would have gotten his ass kicked if he tried that here.

No excuse for that.

Sorry you had to go thru that...

RL

[TankLV]

38. OMG - I am shocked that this occured to you.

I would have shouted down this idiot right then and there and if no one else did, forceable romoved him - I would have caused a fight to break out rather than stand there and "take it".

Shamefull display.

May that preacher rot in hell that he so richly deserves.

[Politicub]

66. I thought about walking out

But I didn't want to take the focus off of my grandfather. It did hurt, though -- a lot. And it pisses me off that I let that fucker get to me.

The hateful bile about gays is like standard, boilerplate text for the conservative churches apparently.

[TahitiNut]

39. They'd still be removing the shovel from his ass if it were me.

That's not just inexcusable - them's fighting words. I'd be unable to keep myself from battering that fascist fuck to a pulp. :grr:

[Ms_Mary]

44. I am so, so sorry. nt

[StuckinKS]

64. Unfortunately

Many fundie churches use funerals as an opportunity to gay bash.

A local politician here had a young son who committed suicide; a son who is consistently rumored to have been gay and was just returning from some "gay reparative therapy" when he offed himself.

So what did dear old Dad do? He invited two of the most poisonous, hateful anti-gay pastors in our city to perform his *allegedly* gay son's funeral service.

I hope God has something painful planned for all the assholes involved in that decision.

[Politicub]

67. I never thought they would sink that low

I'm serious. I knew the local fundies hated gays, but never did I think that the pastor would use the ocassion of a funeral to gay bash. The preacher had no tact at all.

The story you wrote is so sad. My grandfather's funeral, and stories like the one you relayed only embolden me to fight harder to defeat these fucks.

[redwitch]

72. Oh, Jesus, How awful of him

As my dear departed mom would say "consider the source". I think HE had bettter get right with God, pronto. I am so sorry that such an asshole did that at your beloved grandfather's funeral.

[freestyle]

28. With 20 acres, who the hell is in her face?

What she really means, is she does not even want to think about us "sinners" living freely and equally with her. I get even more steamed when these people claim not to hate anyone, or to even have gay friends (who must have zero self respect) but turn right around and work to deny us citizenship. No, saying that I and mine should be second class citizens is hateful.

And one more thing, I bet her shop got a lot more business on her days off. She's a wreck.

[mutus_frutex]

30. So, "folksy" is newspeak for bigot or xenophobe, rigth? nt

[ninkasi]

32. If she doesn't want things in her face

I suggest she stop trespassing into other people's private lives and peeking in their windows. Hateful old hag.

[Javaman]

34. This "grandma" is a fool. Plain and simple.

Sadly, the nation is filled with them. Much like that moron at the RNC that wore the purple bandade on her chin. Another "grandma" for stupidity.

[Endangered Specie]

35. Well I for one do NOT want to think about her 'private' life...

so by her logic, her marriage be should annuled too.

[ronnykmarshall]

37. Old bat.

She can kiss my ass!

[Puglover]

40. God I am sooo bone achingly sick

of these sub human knuckledraggers and their bullshit. What makes this sow think that it's okay for her to be in MY face. There is a four letter word that describes her perfectly but out of courtesy to any DUers it may offend I'll refrain from using it.

[Bill McBlueState]

43. this asshole needs to visit MA

"It's not the wonderful stories you often hear," said Sweeney, tie knotted tightly, his office filled with photos of his wife and young daughter. "It's sordid affairs. It's high drug use. It's high abuse. The kids are the ones who are left trying to figure out what's life all about."

Actually, gays have been getting married in Massachusetts for almost a year, and things here are the same as they've always been. High abuse? I bet Protestant fundamentalists are more likely to abuse their children than gay couples.

Which group thinks "Spare the rod and spoil the child" is good child-rearing advice? Not gay couples.

[Bill McBlueState]

45. Can anyone find Jody Hutchens' address and phone number?

We could have some fun with that.

:evilgrin:

[SnowBack]

57. I wouldn't say that I found it, but...

When you go anywho.com, there IS a J Hutchens in Fresno...

But wherever she lives, she disgusts me...

:puke:

[Tabasco_Dave]

46. Conservativism and bigotry make you old

Think about it she's the same age as Bob Dylan and the members of the Beatles. She was in her teens when rock n roll hit the seen. Many of her peers where in college listening to folk music and smoking pot in the 60's but she looks and sounds like some old fart that was born in the 1910's

[raccoon]

48. How about if the reporter put a different spin on this

instead of "Folksy grandma battles gay marriage"

how about

"Bigoted old biddy wants to tell everybody else how to live"?

[Mad_Dem_X]

51. I like that!

[MADem]

54. Sounds like a letter to the editor, to me! n/t

[Dr Fate]

49. John Edwards is "folksy'- this woman is just an idiot.

I think the Liberal Media needs to rethink what "folksy" means- it means someone who is in touch with common people- not a Limbaugh listening biggot.

[Neecy]

56. I thought that, too

They make this woman sound so benign by dubbing her a folksy grandma.

*I* had a folksy grandma, and she never orchestrated hate campaigns against an entire group of her fellow Americans. I don't think she spent one second of her life plotting against gay people, or worrying that they were somehow getting away with something. She embraced everyone and had a heart as big as the world.

THAT is a folksy grandma, not this bitter old bitch.

[Dr Fate]

59. Yeah- But our Liberal Media turns this woman into freaking Grandma Moses.

Go figure- Small-town, Wall-mart brand biggotry is now "folksy."

YOUR grandmother sounds like a COMMUNIST!!!! :)

[Chovexani]

53. Wait a minute

Does anyone have a photo of those two elderly lesbians that were the first ones to be married in San Francisco? Phyilis (sp?) and Del something-or-other? I'm brain farting on their names right now but I also remember them from a PBS special on the Castro. That was just the sweetest picture ever.

Re: Jody Hutchens...I'm not the only one picturing Landover Baptist's own Sister Taffy, am I? :P

[Strawman]

58. I'm picturing Ruby Romaine from the Tracy Ullman show

When reading quotes from that lady in this article

[Zhade]

60. Nothing like a folksy bigot, eh?

FUCK HER.

[Bo]

61. What drives this insane fear of homosexuals?

I really do not understand this one iota...

[Redstone]

62. Why doesn't the old bitch

stay home and mind her own business?

Redstone

[davidinalameda]

63. I hadn't been planning to do anything in her face

if she wants me to, well that's a different story

and my letter to the editor is going out tonight

[pfitz59]

65. Ahhhh.....the other face of California!

And DU readers wonder how Arnie won? I went to college in a VERY liberal town called Arcata. Ten miles to the north was a VERY il-liberal town called McKinleyville. We called it "Oklahoma-by-the-sea". Midwest twangs and boufant hairdos ruled! Most of Central California, from Redding to Bakersfield, including the Sierra Foothills is inhabited by hyper-religious, gun-toting, fag-hating freepers. Unfortunately for us, Ms. Hutchens has SPAWNED! She is merely a spokesmodel for the generation of the indigenous Californi-oklahomo-appilachian!

[byronius]

71. Edward Gibbons, in Rise and Fall of The Roman Empire --

tells the story of the giant battle between the Greek and Latin sides of Christianity -- I think about 1100 AD -- over whether the Holy Spirit comes from God through Jesus, or from God AND Jesus. The Greek monks fought through the Latin monks and made it to the Vatican, cut off the Pope's head, and tied it to a dog's tail. The dog ran off through the streets of Rome, never to be seen again.
The moral of the story -- 1) Poor Dog. 2) "Moral"? "Holy"? "Love"? "Values"?

Sick little monkeys. They know not what they do.

[Zerex71]

73. "Folksy"? How about ignorant and uneducated?

[olddad56]

74. maybe they shouldn't let STUPID people marry.