Rob Ford's Toronto

[Eug]

He's been hired and (although he still may be getting income from Deco - or have it stashed away) is being paid by the taxpayers of the city to do his job. He should do it. For fuck's sake, all he has to do is show up for a few minutes and smile.

Huh? Let's be clear about this. Going to Pride is NOT part of the mayor's job. It's tradition. That's a very different thing.

And quite frankly, I'm a little surprised people even want him there, considering he's been so negative about it in the past. Is Pride so immature that it cannot stand on its own?

I personally hope he DOESN'T reverse his decision and does still decide to skip Pride. Why?

1) Given his history, I don't think he belongs there.
2) I don't think Pride should have the power to force him to be there anyway.

How is simply stating the truth hysterics?

Precisely ... and this alone makes him a bigot. It makes him unsuitable for public office. How can anyone defend such evil bigotry?

He's not at his cottage for the flag-raising event in city hall that he's boycotting.

If he was a private citizen - maybe. He isn't. He's the mayor. And he's a bigot. You can't be both. What he does sends a message to the world.

And the message is that Toronto is a city of bigots. That he is running the city shames us all.

Yet you're screaming for this "bigot" to be at Pride.

 

[nfitz]

Yet you're screaming for this "bigot" to be at Pride.

I guess I was hoping that we were wrong about how bigoted he was, and that he had matured into his job, and could put his prejudices aside. That's the problem with always being so positive about people - one is often disappointed.

 

[Eug]

I guess I was hoping that we were wrong about how bigoted he was, and that he had matured into his job, and could put his prejudices aside. That's the problem with always being so positive about people - one is often disappointed.

IIRC, you've been anti-Ford (often for good reason) right from the start. You can't have it both ways.

Like you are, Pride is whining that a person who has been called an anti-gay bigot in the past isn't showing up at their parade. It's just odd IMO.

 

[nfitz]

IIRC, you've been anti-Ford (often for good reason) right from the start. You can't have it both ways.

I'm anti-Ford primarily because I think he is a bigot. If it turned out I was wrong, then I'd be more supportive.

Like you are, Pride is whining that a person who has been called an anti-gay bigot in the past isn't showing up at their parade. It's just odd IMO.

It's odd that Ford wants to be mayor of Toronto, given that he seems to despise so much of the city (and I'm not just thinking Pride here).

 

[Eug]

It's odd that Ford wants to be mayor of Toronto, given that he seems to despise so much of the city (and I'm not just thinking Pride here).

Sorry to have to break it to you, but that ship has already sailed. He IS mayor. Furthermore, for the time being at least, he still has reasonably strong support from the residents of the city. It's probably about time to stop whining about it move on.

BTW, I doubt he's gonna lose a lot of support over this. If he's going to lose a big chunk of his support, it's going to be based on other factors. Remember, he was elected with everyone knowing about his stance on this. Hell, some in the Sri Lankan community even campaigned for him because of that.

 

[nfitz]

Sorry to have to break it to you, but that ship has already sailed. He IS mayor. Furthermore, for the time being at least, he has still has reasonably strong support from the residents of the city.

Which only demonstrates just how many bigots there are in Toronto. Rob Ford has been clearly outed as a bigot. Anyone who continues to support him is a bigot.

It's probably about time to stop whining about it move on.

Can you elaborate on exactly why you linked to http://137.140.1.71/jsec/articles/volume5/issue2/Chang_Vol5Iss2.pdf in that post? That's trolling.

BTW, I doubt he's gonna lose a lot of support over this.

Probably not ... the one thing that Ford has demonstrated is just how backwards and bigoted many Torontonians are!

Remember, he was elected with everyone knowing about his stance on this.

Remember? That's my proof for just how bigoted Toronto is.

Everyone who lives in this city should be ashamed.

 

[OttoSchloss]

If the comments sections at the Star and G&M are any indication what Ford's refusal to be inclusive does is shore up the bigots. I expect over the next year and especially leading up to pride we'll see a huge jump in gay-bashings and other assorted hate crimes. "Hey if the Mayor hates fags, what's the big deal?"

That is the end result of his governing only for the 2 digit IQ crowd.

 

[Eug]

Which only demonstrates just how many bigots there are in Toronto. Rob Ford has been clearly outed as a bigot. Anyone who continues to support him is a bigot.

Can you elaborate on exactly why you linked to http://137.140.1.71/jsec/articles/volume5/issue2/Chang_Vol5Iss2.pdf in that post? That's trolling.

Probably not ... the one thing that Ford has demonstrated is just how backwards and bigoted many Torontonians are!

Remember? That's my proof for just how bigoted Toronto is.

Everyone who lives in this city should be ashamed.

I'll repeat...

Yet you're screaming for this "bigot" to be at Pride.

P.S. Since I have to explain it... That article is the one that has been recently reported in the news confirming that whining is really, really annoying.

If the comments sections at the Star and G&M are any indication what Ford's refusal to be inclusive does is shore up the bigots. I expect over the next year and especially leading up to pride we'll see a huge jump in gay-bashings and other assorted hate crimes. "Hey if the Mayor hates fags, what's the big deal?"

That is the end result of his governing only for the 2 digit IQ crowd.

More hysterics.

 

[PCC]

bigot - a person who is utterly intolerant of any differing creed, belief, or opinion

Seems to be a fair share of bigots here. People are not entitled to their own beliefs or opinions if they run counter to the ones you hold dear... it's ironic that some of the most hate-filled, intolerant people in the world are those that claim moral superiority over others. Part of being a grown-up is accepting that not everyone agrees with you.

 

[nfitz]

I'll repeat...

Yet you're screaming for this "bigot" to be at Pride.

Yes I am. Ford's bigotry only reinforces the mind of other bigots - the more dangerous kind who beat and kill people.

This is the kind of thing that could lead to someone getting killed.

P.S. Since I have to explain it... That article is the one that has been recently reported in the news confirming that whining is really, really annoying.

Not half as annoying as someone turning a blind eye to a situation that could be avoided, that could lead to violence and murder.

More hysterics.

With your defence of the situation, you are starting to sound like a bigot yourself. Are you comfortable with gays getting beaten and murdered in the street? Why do you condone a situation that reinforces that there is something wrong with being gay - and only reinforces the beliefs of people who may perform such a crime.

Eug - are you a bigot? Do you oppose same-sex marriage?

And yes ... I am bigotted against anti-gay (or any other defined group) bigots. There's an irony there ... but unlike ones colour of skin, heritage, and sexual preference ... one chooses to be a bigot.

 

[gabe]

Huh? Let's be clear about this. Going to Pride is NOT part of the mayor's job. It's tradition. That's a very different thing

It certainly is part of the job, supporting cultural events regardless of your views, especially an event as large as Pride. I can understand Rob not wanting to be in the parade, i'm fine with that. but he does have 9 other days to attend something as simple as raising the flag at City Hall he wont even have to leave the property!!

If the comments sections at the Star and G&M are any indication what Ford's refusal to be inclusive does is shore up the bigots. I expect over the next year and especially leading up to pride we'll see a huge jump in gay-bashings and other assorted hate crimes. "Hey if the Mayor hates fags, what's the big deal?"

That is the end result of his governing only for the 2 digit IQ crowd.

Woohooo we're officially becoming Texas!!

 

[CanadianNational]

 

[nfitz]

Wow, finally got around to picking up this morning's Star and Globe (BTW, am I the only person who consistently for years finds the Star on my doorstep, with the Globe further away ... sometimes much further if they've bothered to deliver it at all).

Glad to see both newspapers running front page stories doing all but declaring Ford a bigot. I wonder what the Post and Sun are doing ... I'm sure Levy will find some way to justify how it's really okay to hate gays ....

 

[Eug]

Yes I am. Ford's bigotry only reinforces the mind of other bigots - the more dangerous kind who beat and kill people.

This is the kind of thing that could lead to someone getting killed.

Not half as annoying as someone turning a blind eye to a situation that could be avoided, that could lead to violence and murder.

This is the stuff I call hysterics.

Laws against gay bashing will still exist next year, and obviously I support them to the fullest. The mayor not attending Pride isn't going to suddenly prompt everyone to bash in their gay neighbour's head in, and you know it.

And like I said before, I had hoped the Pride organizers would have been strong enough to stand on their own, and would not need the endorsement of someone they don't respect anyway.

With your defence of the situation, you are starting to sound like a bigot yourself. Are you comfortable with gays getting beaten and murdered in the street? Why do you condone a situation that reinforces that there is something wrong with being gay - and only reinforces the beliefs of people who may perform such a crime.

Eug - are you a bigot? Do you oppose same-sex marriage?

And yes ... I am bigotted against anti-gay (or any other defined group) bigots. There's an irony there ... but unlike ones colour of skin, heritage, and sexual preference ... one chooses to be a bigot.

You might want to expand your horizons. Not everyone likes your hysterical approach to stuff like this. Furthermore, for someone who is a self-proclaimed anti-bigot, you sure are quick to jump to incorrect conclusions. Anyways, I guess it's good to be up front:

- I am not gay, but have attended Pride many times.
- When I was a student, I marched for gay rights in a demonstration, after the local police attacked members of a local gay club.
- In a prior management position at my current workplace, I was responsible for setting one aspect of policy for my organization. When I started, marital status was only given to those with a marriage certificate. A "traditional" marriage, as it were. I changed policy to give both heterosexual common-law marriage and same-sex common-law marriage that same status. (Note, at the time there was no official same-sex marriage here which is why I didn't mention that option. The only same-sex marriages at the time were common-law.)

 

[nfitz]

Laws against gay bashing will still exist next year, and obviously I support them to the fullest. The mayor not attending Pride isn't going to suddenly prompt everyone to bash in their gay neighbour's head in, and you know it.

Not directly - but it does send a message to those who would do such a thing, that it is okay to be uncomfortable with gays. And it's that such uncomfort seems acceptable to some, that leads to some of the incidents that occur.

you sure are quick to jump to incorrect conclusions.

I didn't jump to any conclusions ... I simply asked the question.

Anyways, I guess it's good to be up front:

Okay - fair enough ... heck, you've done more than I have. But that perplexes me even more ... if you get it ... why defend Ford's right to be a bigot so vehemently?