ARKANSAS: School Board Member Celebrates Gay Suicides And AIDS — Page 3

I really do admire the Truong family for being so calm and eloquent on the show, also. I don't think I would have been able to keep my cool like that.

Thank you! I'm waiting (not so) patiently to see it for myself.

While I was waiting I did run across this, though, and thought it was adorable.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2mOcpCT-0c

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I agree that he only sounds sorry for HOW he said it, not what he said. Still a douche bag....but at least he's resigning -- which I didn't see happening so fast..

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I'm just glad he resigned.

The Truongs, 13-year-old Asher's parents, were magnificent.

Fascinating interview.

" Is there one person on earth who actually believes this trash when he apologizes"

Ghostlight. Nice to meet you. FIRST: I don't for a minute excuse this guy and his actions. We all operate from our own free will, and he deserves all the public heat he's getting. That said, while he deserves to be chastised, reviled, forced to step down, etc, he does not deserve death threats, and he shouldn't have to send his family out of the state. Coming from a background like his myself, I've seen guys just like him, good old boys who really mostly are good old boys, who either need their eyes opened or are afraid to admit that they already have been, and put up a front so they don't get picked on. Some of us manage not to be indoctrinated and break away from it. Some are forever mired.

"I was dumbfounded at his inability to defend himself. I thought he'd go for the typical "I was taken out of context" or "That wasn't me" defense but he pretty much was gobsmacked by the fact that people read it and were offended."

He WAS gobsmacked, and I find it interesting that he didn't try to defend himself. He now knows that what he did was indefensible, so why try? I'm glad he didn't pull any of that BS. I'm even glad he wouldn't come out and say outright how it would change his beliefs in the future. He's honest, if nothing else, and these days, that's rare. He's a man of deep faith, and I can guarentee you, he's re-examining his values now. As a result of all this, so are others. Don't get me wrong. I'm not calling this guy (like the five suicided kids he never named, I won't speak his) a hero, but he came forward, and he spoke honestly, and has shown us the true depth of the problem we're grappling with.

And he's raised the level of awareness of bullying and suicide in ways that no amount of the wearin' o' the purple ever will.

Thanks for posting the AC interview.

The Truongs, indeed, were magnificent.

I don't feel qualified to judge the depth of his faith based on one interview, but I'll agree with much of what ghostlight said.

However, as far as I can tell, he still believes today what he believed a week ago, but he regrets putting his hatred of gays in such strong, offensive terms.

He was, as you say, fairly honest about that. He did seem to genuinely have his eyes opened as regards teen suicides in general.

"I don't feel qualified to judge the depth of his faith based on one interview"

Very fair, Reg. I am basing his level of faith solely on his unwillingness to renounce his beliefs without reconsidering them - and saying so, despite extreme pressure to do otherwise. I saw in that interview a man forced to truly think about the beliefs indoctrinated into him, for the very first time, perhaps - and he is very conflicted about it. I don't respect him much, but I'd respect him even less were he to simply change his opinion because of pressure and not because he'd been forced to re-examine them.

I think that it speaks further to the grace that the Truongs have shown, Q, that they spoke out against any more hate-mongering, and in particular asked that people refrain from attacks on this guy. The world being what it is, and just judging from what I've read in this thread, I have no doubt whatsoever that the man has received death threats.

I also dislike the knee-jerk instinct to paint all southerners with the same brush. I am dismayed by the generalizations and name-calling. It would be great to have everything in black and white terms, but life is not so simple.

Updated On: 10/29/10 at 01:09 PM

I you're referring to what I called him above, I'm a southern boy as well so I'm able to spot trash like him from a mile away. I grew up with that and while his family should never be threatened, the only thing he's sorry about is that he's now been embarrassed for the world to see. He sat there like a little boy who'd been called into the principals office and asked to tell what he did while his mother sits there next to him with her arms folded and that "wait until your father gets home" look on her face.

"... he pretty much was gobsmacked by the fact that people read it and were offended."

That's because when you come from such a small community where the majority of people think like you and have such a limited world view, it is inconceivable that you could be wrong on such matters. He thinks he is part of the moral majority.

He probably goes to one of those Southern Baptist churches where whatever the pastor says is law. If the pastor says that the Bible says homosexuality is a sin and that gay people are an abomination and bound for Hell then it must be true and there is no question.

I grew up in one of those churches. No one thinks for themselves. You govern your life by what is preached from the pulpit and nothing else. If you question your pastor and his teachings you are made to feel that your heart is not right with God. It's a cycle of ignorance that is difficult to break.

Updated On: 10/29/10 at 03:06 PM

I wasn't justifying his beliefs or his ignorance. I was just saying that I know where it comes from.

As for me, I never darkened the door of that church again after I came out.

Updated On: 10/29/10 at 03:44 PM

A retired teacher who was moderating a League of Women Voters debate in my district is getting death threats because Glenn Beck ripped into her for not LOOKING ENTHUSIASTIC ENOUGH when tea baggers interrupted the debate to insist everyone say the pledge of allegiance. So it's hard for me to work up much sympathy for the guy who told fags to die already getting threats, too.
No really. The FBI is protecting her

I've never cared for Dr. Phil either, but that was a wonderful interview and I do have a tremendous respect for him for it. I do hope he can devote time on his own show to this issue since a big portion of his audience (and I'm generalizing here) seems to be those who feel so different on the issue than he does. Maybe he can help change a few minds...