SF Chronicle Columnist: Bigotry Not So Bad

Whatever drugs you guys are taking when you write these articles, I want some.

I know, huh. If sfappeal represents the future of local journalism, we're screwed. I think they type these things with one hand while looking at themselves in the mirror.

For this particular piece, the Appeal hardly even typed anything at all.

What are we, cavemen? We look at ourselves in webcams. JEEZ.

Bil Phronstein wrote a piece on how giving money to bigotted anti-Semitic organization (the Redemption Military) is no big deal, which is quite amazing since he's gay.

Ced, given that his story was based on our piece (even quoted it!) about weighing the issues around donating to that organization, I take issue with that representation!

Can you guys mock the CW Nevius piece on posting photos of johns? I'll bet a crisp $50 that he's a john himself... driving into the city from Walnut Creek on weekends...picking up trannies on Polk.

Although I don't agree with the approach of the author, I think the silliness of his approach can be summarized by placing the shoe on the other foot:
There was a member of the Paramount board who was Jewish. And anti-Semites were opposing his reappointment because he supported a proposition that corresponded with his values and opinion of a majority of California voters. The anti-Semites were upset because "we can't have a Jew making decisions about our historic theater. We feel that dumping a 96 year-old man off the board will strengthen our core message that anti-Semitic viewpoints are more superior than a Jewish opinion. Hopefully this will end discrimination against anti-Semitics once and for all."

That's comparison only works if you feel that anti-Semitism and Judaism are both equally-matched, equally-valid, and equally-acceptable.

Which, like any kind of prejudice, they're not.

Why make this guy a victim? I can help but feel the real punishment for this guy would be to reappoint him to the board and then make sure that seated on his left and right are two gay people who are married and could talk about their children.

I've been fortunate to be in the courthouse most of last week during the Prop 8 trial. The Prop 8 defenders really don't know how to handle kindness they are so prepared to be offended.

Indeed, one of the worst things you can do to a bigot is tolerate them. They're primed and ready for persecution. Prime example yesterday in North Beach, as the anti-abotion parade came to a close and participants were wandering up Columbus to their cars, many of them expressed disappointment that no one seemed to care they were in San Francisco.

Not that I ever tire of hearing people who discriminate whine when their actions have consequences, however.