This from Flint, Michigan

FLINT - A statewide gay rights organization is calling on Flint City Council President Johnnie Coleman to apologize for anti-gay remarks he made in a television news report that aired last week.

The Triangle Foundation issued a news release Tuesday asking for the apology after WSMH (Channel 66) showed Coleman on camera calling news anchor Jim Kiertzner a “faggot” and referring to persons apparently at City Hall as “faggots.” [...]

Coleman has made similar anti-gay remarks before. In 2004, Coleman called Flint Journal columnist Andrew Heller a punk who probably likes to watch “fag porn” after Heller criticized the council for spending time on an ordinance to ban porn from in-car DVDs.

“It’s offensive and insulting for an elected leader to use such language,” said Sean Kosofsky, policy director for the foundation. “It’s an embarrassment to the city of Flint when someone does something like this.”

Coleman, who is running for re-election this November, referred comment Tuesday to attorney Loyst Fletcher, who said he needed to review the tape and transcript before advising his client.

“Sometimes people in anger say something they should not,” Fletcher said. “If he said something that would offend some segments of the population, I would recommend that he would apologize. It all depends on the context.” (source)

CONTACT INFORMATION
Mail
Johnnie Coleman
Flint City Council
1102 S. Saginaw Street
Flint, MI 48502

EMail
jcoleman@cityofflint.com

Phone
810-766-7418

I suppose it does all depend on context. I suppose that in some contexts, it’s fine to call other citizens “faggots”. Very true, in many bigoted circles of society, it is still very acceptable to call gay people “faggots”. I don’t think any gay person reading this will dispute that unfortunate fact.

What is really in question here is why an elected official seems to think it is acceptable. What is more outrageous is for an attorney, one who supposedly represents many different types of people in society, would say that, “It all depends on the context.”

But then again, perhaps I’m taking the attorney’s comment out of context. Attorney’s don’t hold any special abilities for fairness and sensitivity. I remember after Kent and I moved to Connecticut, I went to an attorney for help in drafting a will to protect what Kent and I have together, as a partnership.

Granted, that was long before this concept came along of gay couples wanting marriage. All I was looking for were some simple legal protections. The lawyer, who was in his mid-to-late twenties, literally laughed in my face and told me to get out.

I left. What could I do? I was humiliated and powerless. But things are changing (I think). I read this story about a gay man in Russia who successfully sued to get his job. If he can do that in Russia, I know things are changing for the better.