Southern Hospitality For The Gays?

[tednlou2]

A recent segment of The Daily Show showed some very tolerant southern folks.  This was one time that I wondered whether they had edited a piece to get the results they wanted.  It was just so surprising to me.  I figured this "gay couple" would get some ugly looks and remarks in more progressive cities and towns, not to mention the Deep South. 

What do you think?  Can anything be gleaned from this short segment with just a few locations, where they knew they were on camera?  Although, we often see people actually at their worst, when a camera is on them.  Perhaps there is much more change happening than I thought.  There does seem to be daily progress.  If you are anti-gay, it is something many feel they need to hide, as each day rolls by.  I sometimes check out Focus On The Family's Facebook page, as well as some others.  Besides a post when the SCOTUS decision came down, they haven't discussed it since.  Of course, I'm not totally naive.  They are still funding anti-gay efforts and these closeted anti-gay people would still vote to deny rights, if given the chance.  But, more and more, they aren't given the chance.   

Anyway, I was just really surprised by this.  The cynic in me kept trying to find reasons why this is just an isolated case (I am still skeptical).  I wondered if they were dressed stereotypically flamboyant, instead of in stereotypical redneck clothing, would they have been met with a different response.  I wondered whether they thought it was sweet these guys were in love and how cute a ceremony would be, but that is the extent and they would not be in favor of a real and legal ceremony.  This is off the ipad app, so I hope it opens for any device.

Watch: Last Gay Standing http://on.cc.com/17wZuOV via @TheDailyShow iOS App http://on.cc.com/x8YWex

[J.R.E.]

 

That was pretty good !  There's a Waffle house just a couple miles north of us, that we employees used to go to at midnight, back when I used to work the second shift.  The place was bizarre.

We called it the Awful house 

I haven't been in one in quite a while.  The last time was when Ed and I were taking a trip up north.  We stopped in one, just north of Jacksonville, Florida. ( It may have been in Georgia.  Can't remember for sure. I think the place was fronting as a place of prostitution. More going on than waffles in this place. I am sure crack or meth was also being sold there. 

But that one, I felt like we were taking our life in our hands when we entered it.

We hurried and ate and got the hell out !

Ray

[Jeff G]

I have had the occasional I hate the sin not the sinner comment delivered with a sweet southern accent and a smile but I haven't had much more to contend with and I was/am out here in the deep south since the very early 80's . I lived in Chicago in lake view after that and gays were the majority there .

Oddly enough the two worst violent incidents of homophobia I ever personally experienced was in San Diego . Our first night there we were being shown Hillcrest street and was pelted with eggs . The other incident was at gay pride , some jerk launched a tear gas grenade into the crowd as PFLAG was coming by and I will never forget the children that were screaming from fear and pain , it was awful for us as well and I could not breath well for two days .

The thing is homophobia is disenfranchisement and a civil rights issue and the rest of the nation is moving forward on these issues . The deep south where I live will be the last place in America where our civil rights will be recognized , just the same as it was in Americas last civil rights movement .     

[Theyer]

Living on Orkney I also have had hate the sin blah blah from sweet old ladies.

It took a few goes to come up with

"I am so lucky to love both. "

Jeff,s piece reminded me that it was in London that some bastard facist planted a bomb in The Admiral Nelson , a long time Soho Gay pub. So the greatness outrage maybe is often located in the the most tolerant off places.

[buginme2]

There is a difference between political/ social views and violence/ hatred/ bigotry.

I  believe that most people in the south are kind and caring and probably would have the same reaction as the people in the video. 

 There is a difference between that and supporting policies that are supportive for gay people. 

 Violence against gays is not confined to the south or conservative areas.  It happens in liberal areas a lot to.   There was a  lot in the news recently about some attacks in New York. 
The south is probably more friendly than most areas, it's just there politics are wrong.

 just a thought.

 

[darryaz]

I always consider Oklahoma "right up there" with Alabama and Mississippi in terms of  intolerance.  But when my ex made me hold his hand at the OKC zoo a few years ago I was pleasantly surprised. 

I expected all the soccer moms to shield their children's eyes but instead we got several "oh, how cute" comments.

I guess it promotes this theory:
A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it.
(Extra points if you can name the movie that's from.)