Comments on: Is Rob Ford a homophobe? The question is irrelevant http://www.thegridto.com/city/local-news/is-rob-ford-a-homophobe-the-question-is-irrelevant/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=is-rob-ford-a-homophobe-the-question-is-irrelevant Toronto's new weekly city magazine Sun, 26 May 2013 03:18:40 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: Shadow http://www.thegridto.com/city/local-news/is-rob-ford-a-homophobe-the-question-is-irrelevant/#comment-29740 Shadow Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:11:43 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=9280#comment-29740 So who cares if Rob Ford marches in the "Pride" parade? He might be the mayor of all Torontonians, but he doesn't have to put his stamp of approval on the queer lifestyle. Most of his voters were immigrants and others who are opposed to gays anyway. So Ford won't lose many votes by not marching along in the parade, regardless of whether or not he is regarded as a "homophobe." And by that definition, I now label the Ford haters as "heterophobes." And why do queers have a parade anyway? To celebrate what, exactly? You already have full rights in Canada, including marriage. The revolution is over. The parade is nothing more than a garish freak show for the most self-obsessed, self-serving minority group in the country. It is not compulsory for any public figure, public servant or celebrity to march in the parade. So Rob Ford didn't march in your parade - tough. Get over it and get a life! So who cares if Rob Ford marches in the “Pride” parade? He might be the mayor of all Torontonians, but he doesn’t have to put his stamp of approval on the queer lifestyle. Most of his voters were immigrants and others who are opposed to gays anyway. So Ford won’t lose many votes by not marching along in the parade, regardless of whether or not he is regarded as a “homophobe.” And by that definition, I now label the Ford haters as “heterophobes.”

And why do queers have a parade anyway? To celebrate what, exactly? You already have full rights in Canada, including marriage. The revolution is over. The parade is nothing more than a garish freak show for the most self-obsessed, self-serving minority group in the country. It is not compulsory for any public figure, public servant or celebrity to march in the parade. So Rob Ford didn’t march in your parade – tough.

Get over it and get a life!

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]]> By: Robin http://www.thegridto.com/city/local-news/is-rob-ford-a-homophobe-the-question-is-irrelevant/#comment-20942 Robin Thu, 07 Jul 2011 18:47:07 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=9280#comment-20942 Homophobes never think they're homophobes. Racists never think ..... Homophobes never think they’re homophobes. Racists never think …..

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]]> By: Doug http://www.thegridto.com/city/local-news/is-rob-ford-a-homophobe-the-question-is-irrelevant/#comment-20885 Doug Tue, 05 Jul 2011 03:18:46 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=9280#comment-20885 He's not a homophobe; he's in the closet. He’s not a homophobe; he’s in the closet.

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]]> By: djfatsostupid http://www.thegridto.com/city/local-news/is-rob-ford-a-homophobe-the-question-is-irrelevant/#comment-20877 djfatsostupid Mon, 04 Jul 2011 21:11:40 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=9280#comment-20877 To other commenters: Comparing an individual who does not happen to represent the city as a whole to an individual who does happen to represent the city as a whole is pretty silly when it comes to whether or not they should attend an event like pride. The fact that I didn't go to pride (well, that I only went to walk through it because it was between my house and the subway) does not mean much of anything. Ford not going was a statement, whether he wanted it to be or not. On the main article: I think the problem is that Ford is a homophobe. I really agree with nearly everything you say about what is productive and what is not, about how to help someone move from the intolerant to the tolerant side of the spectrum and so on, but Ford has come about as close to openly declaring himself a homophobe (putting himself in the category you mention in your post script) as a mayor of Toronto possibly can. He, like many homophobes, probably just doesn't like the word homophobe because it implies he is afraid, and he doesn't think he is afraid, he thinks he is justifiably revolted. But given that the word doesn't necessary actually imply fear (the idea that the only reason to dislike homosexuals is that you fear them, I think, was just a clever marketing) it is what he is, and he has said as much himself. To other commenters: Comparing an individual who does not happen to represent the city as a whole to an individual who does happen to represent the city as a whole is pretty silly when it comes to whether or not they should attend an event like pride. The fact that I didn’t go to pride (well, that I only went to walk through it because it was between my house and the subway) does not mean much of anything. Ford not going was a statement, whether he wanted it to be or not.

On the main article: I think the problem is that Ford is a homophobe. I really agree with nearly everything you say about what is productive and what is not, about how to help someone move from the intolerant to the tolerant side of the spectrum and so on, but Ford has come about as close to openly declaring himself a homophobe (putting himself in the category you mention in your post script) as a mayor of Toronto possibly can. He, like many homophobes, probably just doesn’t like the word homophobe because it implies he is afraid, and he doesn’t think he is afraid, he thinks he is justifiably revolted. But given that the word doesn’t necessary actually imply fear (the idea that the only reason to dislike homosexuals is that you fear them, I think, was just a clever marketing) it is what he is, and he has said as much himself.

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]]> By: Anonymous http://www.thegridto.com/city/local-news/is-rob-ford-a-homophobe-the-question-is-irrelevant/#comment-20855 Anonymous Mon, 04 Jul 2011 15:03:22 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=9280#comment-20855 As the pride parade has morhped into a corporate-sponsored party/circus it's political relevance has declined. So, who cares if Ford didn't showed up? Certainly not all the gays who didn't go. National Coming Out Day may not be as much fun but it is more couragous and meaningful and can have a larger impact. Perhaps we can stop calling Ford names and enage him in a dialogue about that! As the pride parade has morhped into a corporate-sponsored party/circus it’s political relevance has declined. So, who cares if Ford didn’t showed up? Certainly not all the gays who didn’t go. National Coming Out Day may not be as much fun but it is more couragous and meaningful and can have a larger impact. Perhaps we can stop calling Ford names and enage him in a dialogue about that!

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]]> By: Anonymous http://www.thegridto.com/city/local-news/is-rob-ford-a-homophobe-the-question-is-irrelevant/#comment-20854 Anonymous Mon, 04 Jul 2011 14:41:19 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=9280#comment-20854 People, it get's worse. Rob Ford didn't go to the CHIN picnic either so he must be a a racist homophobe. People, it get’s worse. Rob Ford didn’t go to the CHIN picnic either so he must be a a racist homophobe.

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]]> By: Anonymous http://www.thegridto.com/city/local-news/is-rob-ford-a-homophobe-the-question-is-irrelevant/#comment-20853 Anonymous Mon, 04 Jul 2011 14:38:20 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=9280#comment-20853 OMG - most of my gay friends don't go to Pride. I didn't realize that they were homophobes. Should I keep them as friends? OMG – most of my gay friends don’t go to Pride. I didn’t realize that they were homophobes. Should I keep them as friends?

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]]> By: gnicholls http://www.thegridto.com/city/local-news/is-rob-ford-a-homophobe-the-question-is-irrelevant/#comment-20835 gnicholls Sat, 02 Jul 2011 18:23:52 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=9280#comment-20835 I don't agree with labeling and insults either, but welcome to wedge politics. People (including those who voted for Ford) who thought the mayor should attend something during Pride Week don't get the strategy. Wedge politics require hard distinctions between "us" and "them." Maintaining your base voters and refusing to change your mind are basic to this divisiveness. Ford Nation itself is kind of a "tribal concept." I've already had enough of Ford, but for those of us who oppose him it's going to be 3-1/2 long years. I don’t agree with labeling and insults either, but welcome to wedge politics. People (including those who voted for Ford) who thought the mayor should attend something during Pride Week don’t get the strategy. Wedge politics require hard distinctions between “us” and “them.” Maintaining your base voters and refusing to change your mind are basic to this divisiveness. Ford Nation itself is kind of a “tribal concept.” I’ve already had enough of Ford, but for those of us who oppose him it’s going to be 3-1/2 long years.

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]]> By: greg http://www.thegridto.com/city/local-news/is-rob-ford-a-homophobe-the-question-is-irrelevant/#comment-20818 greg Fri, 01 Jul 2011 20:42:44 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=9280#comment-20818 could you please repeat that could you please repeat that

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]]> By: greg http://www.thegridto.com/city/local-news/is-rob-ford-a-homophobe-the-question-is-irrelevant/#comment-20817 greg Fri, 01 Jul 2011 20:38:11 +0000 http://www.thegridto.com/?p=9280#comment-20817 I don't blame him. I wouldn't walk across the street to see that freak show - and no I'm not homophobic - just calling it like it is. I don’t blame him. I wouldn’t walk across the street to see that freak show – and no I’m not homophobic – just calling it like it is.

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