Does the President's attitude towards gays matter?

Consider what one 20-year-old student wrote in an essay about this topic in a class I instruct on gender psychology: “I have beaten up faggots before, and I used to feel guilty—not anymore! Bush says fags don’t count, so I guess it’s cool to do it.” To be sure, the president did not say “Faggots don’t count,” but some may see Bush’s comments as the proverbial green light to act out hatefully. - from The Advocate

Judge for yourself.