Savage love and the savagery of intolerance
14 January 2006 by RonI love Dan Savage. I mean, you know, not in that way. Not that there would be anything wrong with that, of course.
Anyway, his Savage Love is the most fun take on the Dear Abby riff around, with lots of sensible advice about sexual relationships from the post-traditional-mores world (check out his book if you’re interested). And being a gay man who faces persecution by the Jeebus Posse on an ongoing basis, he’s not so crazy about them.
He had a particularly nice little bit recently, after getting hate mail in response to poking fun at the idea of virgin birth which, among other things, accused him of “intolerance”. His response:
Joking about Christianity isn’t evidence that I’m intolerant—hell, I’m perfectly willing to tolerate Christians. I have never, for instance, attempted to prevent Christians from marrying each other, or tried to stop them from adopting children, or worked to make it illegal for them to hold certain jobs. I don’t threaten to boycott companies that market their products to Christians, and I don’t organize letter-writing campaigns to complain about Christian characters on television.It would indeed be hypocritical for me to complain about fundamentalist Christians who’ve done all of the above to gay people if I turned around and did the same thing to Christians—but, again, I’ve done no such thing. Intolerant? Hell, I’m a model of tolerance! Oh sure, I joked about the Virgin Birth because I think it’s silly and sexphobic. And I’m free to say as much, however unpleasant it is for some Christians to hear. Fundamentalist Christians, for their part, are free to think homosexuality is sinful and unnatural, and they’re free to say so, however unpleasant it is for me to hear. But fundamentalists aren’t willing to just speak their piece, Rob. Nope, they seek to persecute people for being gay, and that’s where their low opinion of homosexuality—which, again, they have an absolute right to hold—transubstantiates into intolerance.
Read it all in the column: Savage Love, Jan. 6-12, 2006.teen 3dacmepornoffender sex alabamacontacts ohio free sex 100uk amature pornamatuer photos sex3d porn animationporn adult comics Map
14 January 2006, on 8:59 am
I’ve never heard of him, but that is some funny shit. I’ll have to read more from him. Thanks for posting.
14 January 2006, on 10:22 am
Living in San Francisco, where Dan Savage is of course syndicated in several locals, I read him every week — and have done so for years. We love Dan here! Thanks for posting about his excellent (and often brilliantly biting and humorous) work.
14 January 2006, on 11:23 am
Nice pic, Ron. The smiles on those faces juxtaposed with the content of those signs is priceless.
15 January 2006, on 10:24 am
[...] Clearly, the scope of these attitudes doesn’t limit itself to Iranian leaders. As was already posted, it easily infects so many other (basic) aspects of life. And there are some people who are very proud of how their faith plays an intricate role in their lives, which is fine. But we have to live next door to you, and put up with your bullshit. [...]
15 January 2006, on 10:41 am
I have the suspicion that those happy “protesters” are Fred Phelp’s ilk.
15 January 2006, on 10:56 pm
Who tells these people these absurd things: Turn Or Burn! God Hates Fags!
I am completely dumb-founded as to how in the world these people sleep at night.
I have been fortunate enough to not have personally met these hate-mongers in my life as of yet. (Well, at least I don’t think I have.) I don’t even know if I would be able to utter a peep to a person that displays such hatred towards the human-race. I imagine myself just staring at them in complete confusion. There is nothing that can be said to people like those that picket such cruel and hurtful words.
When are these people going to realize that they are worshipping a vengeful God? What’s even worse, in my opinion, is that these mis-informed and ignorant folk don’t even realize that they are being so derogatory and seperating. They have chosen a life-style of hate. They are, in my opinion, giving spirituality a terrible reputation.
They are also, in my opinion, completely clueless.
It has finally begun to make sense to me; why it is that my friends here at GIFS get so frustrated and tired.
Finally my friends, I get it.
18 January 2006, on 12:54 pm
“It has finally begun to make sense to me; why it is that my friends here at GIFS get so frustrated and tired.
Finally my friends, I get it. ”
Dena, this damn near made me cry with happiness. How does that old cliche go “of you can reach one person than it’s worth it?”
20 January 2006, on 12:55 pm
That picture is deeply distrubing. Look how happy they are that they are spreading hate and lies. And some wonder why they aren’t taken seriously.
8 February 2006, on 1:44 pm
I don’t get it…why would you show idiot Christians (and these are some prime examples) but completely neglect to talk about the Christians who don’t support this kind of gay-bashing? Your rhetoric needs some balance.
21 February 2006, on 8:18 am
[...] We’ve praised Dan Savage here before. [...]
22 February 2006, on 4:06 am
I don’t get it…why would you show idiot Christians (and these are some prime examples) but completely neglect to talk about the Christians who don’t support this kind of gay-bashing? Your rhetoric needs some balance.
Yeah, right, Jeremiah. With all the hate coming out of the theistic world, from bus bombings to telling gay people they have no right to marriage — or worse, are going to rot in hell for all eternity (and actually killing them in Iran at the moment) — it is now up to an atheist web blog to illustrate the balance in your fucked up community? How about you so-called liberal theists do that for us, mmm-kay? Open your useless mouths against the hate in your midst. For once.