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CD Hanks · Oct 9, 2004, 07:49 PM

HARRISBURG - Saying he was ashamed by his choice of words, State Sen. Vincent J. Fumo yesterday apologized to the gay community for a tirade on the Senate floor in which he called Republican leaders a homosexual slur.

In a fit of rage, Fumo (D., Phila.) had lashed out at the top Republicans in the Senate, referring to them as "faggots" several times.

"It was a very unfortunate word choice," Fumo said in a prepared statement yesterday. "I am especially sorry about using the term because it is not the way I feel in my heart toward gays."

The incident occurred Wednesday night during a break in the Senate's consideration of a bill to prohibit public officials from owning any stake in gambling ventures. What set Fumo off was a move by the GOP to abruptly cut off debate on the measure. Republicans, Fumo said, had promised Democratic leaders that they would have a chance to offer amendments to make the bill even stronger.

With that opportunity denied, Fumo approached President Pro Tempore Robert C. Jubelirer (R., Blair) and Majority Leader David J. Brightbill (R., Lebanon) when the Senate was at ease and at least four times called them "faggots."

Exactly what was said is unclear, but several witnesses said that Fumo screamed "faggot" so loud that it could be heard throughout the upper chamber.

http://www.advocate.com/new_news.asp...09/04-10/11/04

Shaddim · Oct 9, 2004, 08:02 PM

Disgusting, nasty bigot. So much for the "party of acceptance".

Mrjinglesusa · Oct 9, 2004, 08:05 PM

Originally posted by MacNStein:
Disgusting, nasty bigot. So much for the "party of acceptance".

Yep, one man makes the party. As opposed to the Republican Party PLATFORM that is against equal rights for homosexuals.

dampeoples · Oct 9, 2004, 08:07 PM

Oh look! Politicians acting like regular people!

CD Hanks · Oct 9, 2004, 08:07 PM

Originally posted by Mrjinglesusa:
Yep, one man makes the party. As opposed to the Republican Party PLATFORM that is against equal rights for homosexuals.

One man does not make the party, but he can put a bad spin on things for a while.

Republicans are antsy with the whole homosexual shebang because it doesn't jive with the religious overtones that make up a large segment of the party's beliefs. If Repubs were to ease their collective foot up off the moral/religious gas pedal, they might just move a bit quicker ahead than they think.

Shaddim · Oct 9, 2004, 08:08 PM

Originally posted by Mrjinglesusa:
Yep, one man makes the party. As opposed to the Republican Party PLATFORM that is against equal rights for homosexuals.

So, as long as lip service is paid to their agenda, a group can slur them? And not once, but 4 times? Shameful.

edit: How hard would it have been for one of his Dem associates to slap a hand over his mouth? He obviously kept repeating himself.

BlueSky · Oct 9, 2004, 08:21 PM

Originally posted by MacNStein:
Disgusting, nasty bigot. So much for the "party of acceptance".

Yeah, really. What a bunch of faggots.

MindFad · Oct 9, 2004, 08:31 PM

What, were they playing a game of BF1942 in the Senate?

Seriously, though, I would've expected something like that to come out of a Republican�you know, being the party of exclusion and all.

I agree, though, DeLay is gay. (lol)

bbales · Oct 9, 2004, 08:42 PM

You could live in Illinois, like I do. There, we have a guy from Maryland -- I swear he couldn't have found downstate Illinois even with a map two months ago -- who denigrates Dick Cheney's daughter for being gay, running against Obama. And hey -- the Maryland guy is a Republican.

It's wacky times here ... The biggest question about now is just how big the margin of victory will be for Obama.

icruise · Oct 9, 2004, 09:08 PM

Originally posted by MacNStein:
So, as long as lip service is paid to their agenda, a group can slur them? And not once, but 4 times? Shameful.

Where do you see a group slurring anyone?

Shaddim · Oct 9, 2004, 09:13 PM

Originally posted by Icruise:
Where do you see a group slurring anyone?

If it had been a Republican saying that, you and the other liberal militants on here would have been screaming for blood. As it stands, you close ranks and ignore it. Now THAT's what I call Fair and Balanced�.

Mithras · Oct 9, 2004, 09:25 PM

Chumps like that should go home. Really.

The use of "faggot" as a generic term of derision or hatred exposes an old-fashioned and despicable mindset.

I'm just so glad that after centuries of closeting, persecution, and violence, we're finally emerging (painfully) towards a consensus that gay people deserve to be treated like the human beings they are.

icruise · Oct 9, 2004, 09:57 PM

Originally posted by MacNStein:
If it had been a Republican saying that, you and the other liberal militants on here would have been screaming for blood. As it stands, you close ranks and ignore it. Now THAT's what I call Fair and Balanced�.

Ok, so your logic is that because we would do something illogical (not that we would, but for the sake of argument...) you should do the same?

Just for the record, I'm not ignoring it, but I would like to see something in the mainstream news about it before I decide. If it's true, it's certainly not acceptable.

CD Hanks · Oct 9, 2004, 10:07 PM

Originally posted by Mithras:
Chumps like that should go home. Really.

The use of "faggot" as a generic term of derision or hatred exposes an old-fashioned and despicable mindset.

I'm just so glad that after centuries of closeting, persecution, and violence, we're finally emerging (painfully) towards a consensus that gay people deserve to be treated like the human beings they are.

I must be in the minority then. I really haven't anything against homosexuals, but I do love to use the word "fag" or "faggot" against fellow heterosexuals because it angers the ever living hell out of them.

Shaddim · Oct 9, 2004, 10:08 PM

Originally posted by Icruise:
Ok, so your logic is that because we would do something illogical (not that we would, but for the sake of argument...) you should do the same?

Just for the record, I'm not ignoring it, but I would like to see something in the mainstream news about it before I decide. If it's true, it's certainly not acceptable.

Don't worry, chill. The gays won't turn on you guys, doesn't matter what kind of scumbag bigots are in the Democratic party. Likely they've already turned a blind eye/deaf ear to this. They won't care, tell them the liberals will fight for their rights, with a wink and a nod, and then consider them an insult to be used against an enemy.

Shaddim · Oct 9, 2004, 10:10 PM

Originally posted by CD Hanks:
I must be in the minority then. I really haven't anything against homosexuals, but I do love to use the word "fag" or "faggot" against fellow heterosexuals because it angers the ever living hell out of them.

It's the new Democrat catch phrase.

OldManMac · Oct 9, 2004, 10:13 PM

It's disgusting no matter who says it. It just becomes convenient at the moment, for the Republicans, because a Democrat said it.

Mithras · Oct 9, 2004, 10:15 PM

Originally posted by CD Hanks:
I must be in the minority then. I really haven't anything against homosexuals, but I do love to use the word "fag" or "faggot" against fellow heterosexuals because it angers the ever living hell out of them.

You call white folks niggers? Christians kikes? No?

Isaac · Oct 9, 2004, 10:25 PM

a fag is a cigerette and if you aren't queer, you are either a conformist or just very dull....

MindFad · Oct 9, 2004, 10:38 PM

Originally posted by Mithras:
You call white folks niggers? Christians kikes? No?

I thought "kike" was an epithet for Jewish folks, no?

Shaddim · Oct 9, 2004, 10:43 PM

Originally posted by MindFad:
I thought "kike" was an epithet for Jewish folks, no?

I thought it was a slur on Germans?

waxcrash · Oct 9, 2004, 10:50 PM

Originally posted by bbales:
You could live in Illinois, like I do. There, we have a guy from Maryland -- I swear he couldn't have found downstate Illinois even with a map two months ago -- who denigrates Dick Cheney's daughter for being gay, running against Obama. And hey -- the Maryland guy is a Republican.

It's wacky times here ... The biggest question about now is just how big the margin of victory will be for Obama.

Funny thing is Alan Keyes' daughter is a lesbian.

CD Hanks · Oct 9, 2004, 10:52 PM

Originally posted by MacNStein:
It's the new Democrat catch phrase.

But I'm not a democrat...

Originally posted by Mithras:
You call white folks niggers? Christians kikes? No?

Of course not, you fag.

Originally posted by MacNStein:
I thought it was a slur on Germans?

No, you're thinking of krauts.

Mithras · Oct 9, 2004, 10:55 PM

Originally posted by MindFad:
I thought "kike" was an epithet for Jewish folks, no?

Err, yes. He said he likes calling heterosexuals faggots because it makes them mad, so I drew an analogy. Presumably Christians don't like being called kikes, and (hopefully) one can see that it's lousy to use the term either way.

Shaddim · Oct 9, 2004, 11:00 PM

Originally posted by CD Hanks:
But I'm not a democrat...

I know, I was referring to the senator.

Oh, well, I'm not good with slurs, the only one I use is "wetback", but I'm 1/2 cuban, and only use it when talking to my cousins... it's similar to how blacks call each other the "N" word.

PacHead · Oct 9, 2004, 11:07 PM

**************************************************
NEW DEMOCRATIC AD CAMPAIGN STARRING SEN. FUMO
**************************************************

All you faggots, kikes, niggers, spics, chinks and other various minorities. Vote for us - WE defintely have your best interests at hand.

Isaac · Oct 9, 2004, 11:12 PM

as long as you don't use a degrading tone... why not??... you can call me an ass hole if you want, just don't use a snoty tone when you do....

CD Hanks · Oct 10, 2004, 12:38 AM

Originally posted by Mithras:
Err, yes. He said he likes calling heterosexuals faggots because it makes them mad, so I drew an analogy. Presumably Christians don't like being called kikes, and (hopefully) one can see that it's lousy to use the term either way.

And a bad one at that.

PJW · Oct 10, 2004, 11:15 AM

Totally unacceptable behavior. Senator Fumo should be ashamed for using that word.

And guys, wait for the Democratic platform to contain the word faggot before blasting the entire Democratic party for what one Senator did.

ThinkInsane · Oct 10, 2004, 11:32 AM

I have little doubt that you guys could have found a better way to debate this topic than continually throwing around slurs...