So, a few thoughts on this video (via Andrew):
First of all, this is awesome. The Westboro Baptist “Church” is a blight on this nation and on this planet. (They’re going to boycott the funeral of Paul Harvey???) I’ve heard of other groups who try to oppose them as well – namely the Patriot Guard – but seeing these frat boys do it brings up the fact that sometimes for real cultural shifts to take place, one often just has to “wait it out.” As older generations with older ideas pass on, new generations with new ideas start to shape policy and dictate cultural norms. Sometimes this is for the better, sometimes for the worse. With gay rights, as with civil rights issues in the past, it’s for the better.
Sometimes it’s just as simple as that. That doesn’t mean people should stop pushing for gay rights, but it does mean that they should keep their expectations reasonable. It’s going to take time. This cuts straight to the “gay uncle” theory. When enough Americans have gay uncles (or aunts, etc.) we’ll start to see real, popular support for gay rights, gay marriage etc. This is what personal experience does for people, how empathy shapes us as a culture. And the real benefit of gay marriage will be the step closer it brings this country to viewing homosexuality as just plain normal. That’s good for gays, but it’s also good for our society as a whole. Sub-cultures are only valuable if they exist by choice rather than by discrimination.
So expect to see more frat boys and bikers denouncing intolerance in the future, and hopefully fewer and fewer Westboro Baptist Church hate-fests. That’s the shape of things to come.
wardsmith 
Tod Kelly 
Tom Van Dyke 
Murali 
James Hanley 
Jaybird 
Fish 
Will Truman 
Human Hireling 
Borat: “I do a picture, only small, of the Tishnik Masacre. Where many Uzbeks…crushed!”
Kindly Gray Hippie: “How did you feel when you drew this?”
Borat: “Very proud!”.
KGH: “I’m just listening with sadness…a little sadness for your people…?”
Borat: “Yes…no, it is not sad. It is us who do the kill!”
When in doubt,
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The issue of gay-rights and marriage aside, as an alumnus of the UofC, I found this video hilarious!
The best thing in my mind about this is that’s how you have to deal with hate sometimes. You just have a blast in it’s face and don’t let it get to you. Getting into a shouting match with those kinds of folks just plays their game. Just drown them out my humor and joy.
Exactly, Chris.
You know the old saying, “there’s no such thing as bad publicity as long as they spell the name right.”
The name is gay, easy to spell.
It’s been very much good publicity since “Stonewall.”
My story about my gay uncle
How I Got Arrested for Loving a Gay Man
http://www.comstockfilms.com/blog/tony/2007/05/15/i-got-arrested-for-loving-a-gay-man-a-remembrance-cont/
It’s nice having a little more company.
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