The PINK FOLDER

[Peikko 1,575]

The only legitimate pink thread thematically would be one that supported this nationally recognized use of pink as a campaign theme, breast cancer awareness.

[luckytxn 2,265]

Don't argue with Danno-logic! It could lead you into a belief in socialism.

Actually that makes sense. Thanks.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

What exactly is the point of this thread Danno? I'll say this, from my perspective this thread is skirting dangerously across the line of bigotry.

That's one of the lines Danno likes to dance on.

[K and L 27]

Kinda like the top down dictation, against the popular will, to legalize gay marriage despite the impracticality of implementation.

What's impractical about gay marriage? When the courts upheld the ruling in my state that not allowing gay marriage was discriminatory and against the equal protection clause in our state constitution (which, incidentally, is also in the federal constitution) and cited such revolutionary cases as Loving v Virginia (which ended all anti-miscegenation statutes in the US), all the state had to do was switch the forms from "Bride" and "Groom" to "Spouse 1" and "Spouse 2".

The majority of the laws regarding that were heterosexual-specific were tax laws -- as homosexuality was taken off of considerations for adoption/etc years ago -- and even then, the laws read "state recognized marriage" and "spouse", not "husband" and "wife".

The result? We've had a fairly significant number of people move here from the neighboring states -- Iowa's the only non-coastal state right now that fully affords homosexual unions the same rights and privileges as heterosexual unions. And unlike the east coast, the state as a whole is not that liberal, but even then, our legislature has opted to not seek a constitutional amendment to take away rights.

MLK said it best: “When any society says that I cannot marry a certain person, that society has cut off a segment of my freedom.”

Edited March 8, 2010 by K and L

[Danno 1,228]

The only legitimate pink thread thematically would be one that supported this nationally recognized use of pink as a campaign theme, breast cancer awareness.

Don't be a so close minded MC, there are many groups who embrace PINK.

[Peikko 1,575]

Danno, making a pink folder to discuss homosexual topics is ridiculous.

[Peikko 1,575]

This thread is not about 'homosexual' topics, you are simply picking stories from the news that have the word 'homosexual' in them in an effort to spread the idea that homosexuality is threatening in some non specified, but creepy way. It's offensive, much more offensive than the stupid name calling that goes on in OT, which is at worst pathetic. Yet, we have no moderator input except one, who doesn't criticize this thread for what it is, bigoted, so much as join in. As I said before, a moderator who does not even know what racism and bigotry is, can hardly be expected to moderate for it. Another fine example.

[Fandango 1,440]

This thread is not about 'homosexual' topics, you are simply picking stories from the news that have the word 'homosexual' in them in an effort to spread the idea that homosexuality is threatening in some non specified, but creepy way. It's offensive, much more offensive than the stupid name calling that goes on in OT, which is at worst pathetic. Yet, we have no moderator input except one, who doesn't criticize this thread for what it is, bigoted, so much as join in. As I said before, a moderator who does not even know what racism and bigotry is, can hardly be expected to moderate for it. Another fine example.

He's not a mod in this forum.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

He's not a mod in this forum.

Chuck is a mod - I think that's who MC referred to.

[Peikko 1,575]

Sorry, I know he's your friend, and that's fine. Despite appearances I don't dislike Charles (but do not spread that around), however, I am very uncomfortable with a moderator (of any forum, not necessarily this one) who does not seem to appreciate how offensive this type of thread is. It's not like we are not aware of Danno's difficulty with homosexuality - it's on display everywhere in OT. There is no room for benefit of the doubt in this instance. I am also aware, that because of the type of forum this is, it is we are not likely to have a whole lot of homosexuals browsing VJ OT but for any that do drop by, this type of thread is hardly welcoming.

We have threads where we talk openly on these topics, we do not need to dedicate a bigoted thread to it.

I mean, come on, the first article? Really? That's directly relevant to homosexuals and homosexuality how?

[Fandango 1,440]

I don't agree with Danno's pov on this matter either, but to take Charles to task for it, when he is simply 'another member' in this forum just seems like a bit of a witch hunt to me.

As far as this thread, I do believe it sucks, I am all for equal rights for gays, I think this thread does have the capacity to be based in fear, bigotry perhaps, but from what I've seen of Danno's posts, I don't think it's being done out of meanness, trolling, etc. We're all adults here, and we can discuss a controversial topic without the need for nanny modding, imo. In all fairness, the first article is a very real situation, and I'm glad he posted the article, because I think that situation sucks completely. And he was (again, imo) very fair to point out the absurd on the other side of the spectrum.

Edited March 8, 2010 by Happy Bunny

[Peikko 1,575]

A pink folder about and for homosexuals, and that's not bigoted?

I am not taking Charles to task because he is simply 'another member'. He is a moderator who seems incapable of understanding bigotry.

This is a moderated forum, not my choice. As such, there are some things that are meant to be totally off limits. Bigotry is one of these things. Bigotry is no respecter of motivation. I don't think Danno is a bad person, but I do think that this forum should be moderated in instances where a thread is targeting a particular section of society. This thread does that. Homosexuals themselves are not responsible for the bullying that goes on by children who use the word 'gay' as a term of abuse, nor are they responsible for a government policy in the UK so why should such an article be posted in a thread 'about and for' homosexuals?

Edited March 8, 2010 by Madame Cleo

[Fandango 1,440]

Come on now, bigotry is rampant among VJ, especially off topic. Check any of the political threads.

As I said, I don't agree with Danno's stance on this at all. But I do defend his right to voice it. While most times, I get annoyed by how ridiculous some of these threads may be, I think it's better to 'have it out' so to speak, to offer a differing POV, rather than just silence it because it's not PC. Now if he was saying 'down with the gays' or completely inflammatory remarks like that, I would be the first person to hit the report button. (And in all my years here, I've only done that once, I think.)

I would rather point out Danno's (and others) flaws in logic re: this discussion, than to have a mod close it.

And again, as far as Charles, yeah he's a friend, but what I'm saying has nothing to do with that. In this forum, he's just another member, so I don't think he should be held to some higher standard here.

[The_Dude 1,142]

Come on now, bigotry is rampant among VJ, especially off topic. Check any of the political threads.

As I said, I don't agree with Danno's stance on this at all. But I do defend his right to voice it. While most times, I get annoyed by how ridiculous some of these threads may be, I think it's better to 'have it out' so to speak, to offer a differing POV, rather than just silence it because it's not PC. Now if he was saying 'down with the gays' or completely inflammatory remarks like that, I would be the first person to hit the report button. (And in all my years here, I've only done that once, I think.)

I would rather point out Danno's (and others) flaws in logic re: this discussion, than to have a mod close it.

And again, as far as Charles, yeah he's a friend, but what I'm saying has nothing to do with that. In this forum, he's just another member, so I don't think he should be held to some higher standard here.

He is just a member in this forum, but that is not the perception. The implied status derived from being a moderator in any capacity transcends the actual limitations of his position. You can't put on the moderator hat in one forum in one sub-forum and take it off in another without confusion amongst the members. It leads to a credibility issue.

[Fandango 1,440]

He is just a member in this forum, but that is not the perception. The implied status derived from being a moderator in any capacity transcends the actual limitations of his position. You can't put on the moderator hat in one forum in one sub-forum and take it off in another without confusion amongst the members. It leads to a credibility issue.

I tend to agree with this actually, but that is what's been created with this stupid 'regional/global mod' thing.

If he was acting like a troll here, or breaking TOS, then yeah, he should be put to task wrt his 'modship' in the other forums. In this instance, I think it's a very grey area to expect him to take a mod stance on the perception of bigotry when the OP didn't say anything neccarily outlandishly inflammatory.