OpEdNews » Hillary Endorser NC Gov Easley uses anti-Gay slur in Endorsement Speech

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Tag(s): 2008 Election Presidential Primary; DOMA; Diversity; GLBT; GLBT; GLBT-Gay Issues; Gay Bashing; Gay Equality; Gay Lesbian Rights; Hillary Clinton; (more...) Hillary Clinton; North Carolina; Politics; Presidential Primary Elections; Speeches (less...)
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April 30, 2008 at 05:30:54

Hillary Endorser NC Gov Easley uses anti-Gay slur in Endorsement Speech

by Steven Leser Page 1 of 1 page(s)

www.opednews.com

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What should have been an important day and endorsement for Hillary Clinton’s campaign in North Carolina was tarnished by an ugly slur. Yesterday morning (29 April), North Carolina Governor Mike Easley said that "Hillary Clinton makes Rocky Balboa look like a pansy." The word pansy is defined by every dictionary entry I could find as a disparaging term for both effeminate and homosexual males.

From Yahoo Education (http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/pansy ):
pansy ?? (pnz) KEY ?

NOUN:
pl. pansies
1. Any of various plants of the genera Achimenes or Viola, especially V. tricolor or its hybrids, having flowers with velvety petals of various colors.
2. A deep to strong violet.
3. Offensive Slang
a. Used as a disparaging term for a man or boy who is considered effeminate.
b. Used as a disparaging term for a homosexual man.

From Yourdictionary.com (http://www.yourdictionary.com/pansy )

pansy Definition pansy (pan'ze)

noun pl. -•sies

1/ any of various violets, esp. a popular garden hybrid (Viola tricolor hortensis), with flat, broad, velvety petals in many colors
2. Slang an effeminate man; esp., an effeminate male homosexual: often a contemptuous term

From Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pansy ):
The word "pansy" has indicated an effeminate male since Elizabethan times and its usage as a disparaging term for a man or boy who is effeminate (as well as for an avowedly homosexual man) is still used. (There is a queercore musical band called Pansy Division, drawing on this association.) The word "ponce" (which has now come to mean a pimp) and the adjective "poncey" (effeminate) also derive from "pansy".

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Hillary did not make any mention of Governor Easley’s use of this term in her speech accepting his endorsement. Neither she nor her campaign have addressed this inappropriate slur on the GLBT community since. They know it was an ugly slur because in posting Governor Easley’s endorsement on Hillary’s official site, they cut that part of his endorsement speech out: http://blog.hillaryclinton.com/blog/main/2008/04/29/140113 . The question is, does Hillary Clinton care that this slur on the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgendered community was done in her name and to further her candidacy? The Presidency of her husband was marked by anti-gay legislation such as DOMA or the Defense of Marriage Act that defined marriage as being between a man and a woman. President Clinton also backed off of his pledge to fully accept gays and lesbians into the armed forces and instead initiated the policy of DADT or Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, a policy which still has the military actively investigating discharging gay and lesbian service people on the basis of their sexual orientation.

Hillary’s delay in responding to Governor Easley’s slur against the GLBT community says a lot about how little regard she has for that community. This language deserves a vigorous response that distances Senator Clinton from those remarks and from the person who said them unless they too apologize and explain their remarks. Slurs against any minority group do not belong in mainstream American politics or anywhere near the campaigns of potential Presidential nominees.

Steven Leser specializes in Politics, Science & Health, and Entertainment topics. He has held positions within the Democratic Party including District Chair and Public Relations Chair within county organizations. Steven Leser writes for www.opednews.com, an internet only media site that has grown to become one of the highest traffic news sites in America, reaching more traffic, according to alexa.com, than all but the thirty largest daily newspapers in the US. Mr. Leser is one of the 500+ liberal pundits who, each month, are published in what has become one of the top five Liberal/progressive media sites in the US.

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1 comments

My writing is based on the belief that we all have something to say. I first started out writing a letter to the editor, and then branched out into blogging.
I am a big believer in fighting for democracy, and am opposed to dynastic rule of the United States. Therefore I blog.
Laura RoslinMy writing is based on the belief that we all have something to say. I first started out writing a letter to the editor, and then branched out into blogging.
I am a big believer in fighting for democracy, and am opposed to dynastic rule of the United States. Therefore I blog.

irony and what Easley in NC - we call him "Crash"

Here's some irony - State Sen Julie Boseman (D-NC) supports Hillary, and Boseman is most noted for being the only self admitted lesbian in the NC state legislature. She also votes fairly conservatively, as if to prove that she's different.

Second, Gov Mike Easley is an outgoing governor, and isn't running for any other office. He NO infrastructure of support to offer Hillary.

Those running for office again for office have endorsed Obama - the State Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand, and a slew of progressive democratic lawmakers, dozens of influential mayors (they do have GOTV infrastructure), John Edwards' former Gen Campaign manager Ed Turlington plus a couple of dozen major Edwards supporters, and several democratic US congressmen.

I don't know of anyone except Easly and Boseman supporting Hillary. Seems weird that the one openly gay state lawmaker would support someone who is part of the "dont ask dont tell" meme, and who doesn't like to mention gays in open audiences.

Here's bio on "Crash Easley", see why he's a loser:

NC's Gov "Crash" "deletes public records" "diverts $ from mental health"

Destroys public records on a regular basis

North Carolina Governor Sued By Media Over Emails
April 14, 2008 Stephanie Cruz - AHN

Raleigh, NC (AHN) - Several media organizations on Monday filed a lawsuit against Gov. Mike Easley, accusing his administration of routinely violating the state's public records law by deleting official e-mails.

The complaint was filed in Wake County Superior Court by 10 media groups seeking a court order against state employees to prevent them from deleting, destroying, or concealing government e-mails.

Easley withheld millions of $ from mental health care to plug the budget holes

Governor's Candidates Focus on Woes of Mental Health System
WRAL News Apr. 25, 2008
....The intention was to keep patients from ending up in jails or emergency rooms following a breakdown.

Instead, the state's institutions are used more than ever. Replacing government-run psychiatric services at the county level led to no care in some rural areas because private or nonprofit providers either couldn't survive financially or simply left the area.
Easley also intercepted tens of millions of dollars earmarked for mental health to plug a budget shortfall.

Here's why we in NC unaffectionately call him "Crash Easley"

Easley Won't Be Thrown Off Track
Dan Kane & Rupen Fofaria, News & Observer May 10th, 2003 ...Gov. Mike Easley walked away from a high-speed crash Friday at Lowe's Motor

Speedway, got into a second race car and raced some more at speeds up to 160 mph.

by Laura Roslin (5 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 32 comments) on Wednesday, April 30, 2008 at 9:42:24 AM