Lance Berkman campaigns against allowing boys into girls' bathrooms

Actually, I really do.

 

His specialty is long meandering posts he is completely unwilling to back up, defend or even qualify.

Hey Deckard. You are a massive bigot. Allow me to qualify that. You were told time and time again "oriental" is an inappropriate word to use for a person. You refused to change citing your old ass age or some other lame excuse. Also, you believe in the one drop rule.

 

This is the problem with ignorant right-wingers - they think racism is about the use of a word.

Racism stems from a mentality, not a language usage.

Deck's use of the word Oriental doesn't make him a bigot. What would make him a bigot is if he thought Asians were lazy and stupid.

 

^^^^

Why would anyone care if their veterinarian is transgendered?

 

There's always a place for Navy Vets, but I don't see how that's relevant to the conversation at hand.

 

http://blog.chron.com/ultimateastro...persecution-tolerance-and-his-stance-on-hero/

Lance Berkman, the former Astros star, took time out recently to talk with one of his critics over his stance on the recent HERO proposition in Houston.

In an interview with Craig Calcaterra of NBCsports.com, Berkman explained his comments about the “persecution” he had felt after taking his stance against the proposition, talked more about tolerance and his use of the phrase “troubled men” in one of the ads against HERO.

In a radio interview last week with KTRH 740 AM, Berkman mentioned being persecuted in social media for his stances. He put those comments in better perspective for NBCsports.com.

“I was trying to say that I was not feeling persecuted when asked about the criticism I’ve received,” Berkman said. “Digital persecution,” — and he put emphasis on the word “digital” — “meant that I’ve only gotten criticism on the Internet or on the radio. If it’s just online you don’t feel it. It’s not in real life. Having bad things done to you in real life, being harmed, that’s what persecution is all about . . . that’s what makes people truly persecuted. Being criticized online doesn’t affect me.” Berkman went further and noted that, yes, in real life LGBT persons and others do face actual persecution. This was not a matter of backtracking or post-facto damage control. Berkman was sincere in all of this. I have no question, based on our conversation, that the man was truly misinterpreted with respect to the idea of “persecution.”


In last week’s radio interview, Berkman also made controversial remarks about tolerance. “To me tolerance is the virtue that’s killing this country,” he said. “We’re tolerant of everything. You know, everything is OK, and as long as you want to do it and as long as it feels good to you then it’s perfectly acceptable do it. Those are the kinds of things that lead you down a slippery slope, and you’ll get in trouble in a hurry.”

He again expanded on his thoughts with Calcaterra.

Berkman told me that a point that didn’t come through there was that he wasn’t talking about tolerance of people, but of behavior. That everyone, and he included himself in this, does things of which they aren’t proud and from which we should not, as a society, simply look the other way. However, Berkman added, that does not mean we should reject or be intolerant of a person. Berkman is a devout Christian and this idea, normally summed up in the colloquial expression “hate the sin, not the sinner.”


Calcaterra pushed Berkman on the idea that being gay or transgender is not a behavior or lifestyle but a person’s identity. Berkman’s response:

“It’s not an easy topic,” Berkman said. “You’re taking their word for it, saying that’s the way they’re born . . . ” While those words could be taken as hostile or combative — after all, why wouldn’t we take someone’s word for who they are? — Berkman’s response wasn’t intended as hostile. He trailed off a bit when he said it, and sounded as if he was tossing the idea around in his mind, either for the first time or else giving it a fresh hearing. He was not, it seemed to me, rejecting that idea as if he somehow knew better. Rather, he seemed to be musing on his uncertainty about such things. He went on to say “maybe there’s science that backs that up, I don’t know.”


Berkman also addressed one of the more controversial parts of the HERO campaign, his reference in the ad to “troubled men.” Berkman told Calcaterra that he regrets the use of that term. And, he says, he specifically warned the backers of the campaign that using the term would be controversial. “I probably should’ve taken a stronger stance on that,” Berkman said, but the people behind the ad made what he said was a strong case for its inclusion. Berkman admits now that it was an unfortunate term and it would seem this was a case where a person who is relatively inexperienced in politics gave a bit too much deference to those who live it and breathe it. Despite this, Berkman does not regret his participation in the campaign, and spoke passionately about his opposition to the ordinance.

“The issue is, what to do about a 15 or 16-year-old boy who thinks he’s a girl and wants to shower with the girls? Maybe he is [transgender], maybe he’s confused. But I wouldn’t want him in the shower with my daughters. We shouldn’t have the rights of 2 percent of the population trump the rights of the other 98 percent. Is it a mental choice? I don’t know. But it’s a Pandora’s Box.”

 

That...did not help. "You're taking their word for it..."?

Go away, Lance.

 

No kidding. That read like an exercise in creating excuses for doing something he believed in, his right, of course, in this country, that brought Berkman a severe backlash he isn't enjoying. In my opinion, of course. So he freely makes bigoted commercials against a minority in America, receives blowback in a volume he clearly didn't expect, and is now making excuses for his actions. Berkman is not only a bigot, but a coward, as well. In my humble opinion.

 

You still remain unable to explain what part of the commercial is bigoted.

Back up your words.

 

It's perfectly obvious. Since you refuse to ever provide posts containing substance, being more interested in trolling, I feel no obligation to respond to said trolling as if you are serious. You are not. Bait your hook for someone else, troll.

 

You got called out, son. Put up or shut up. Any old fool can toss around accusations and call people bigoted -- which by the way is the intolerant liberals' new favorite word to describe anyone who disagrees with them.

 

Yes, it is intolerant of liberals not to tolerate intolerance!




Bigotexxx needs to heed the part in bold. You attack a lot, but you never have the ability to intelligently debate. You have not once put up. So please do shut up.

 

Your own thread has been waiting 7 pages for you to respond to numerous direct questions.

 

Welcome to my ignore list, *******.

 

Berkman's wording in the ad is unfortunate. Supporters of the ordinance from Parker on down make it sound like Berkman is against the entire the bill. He doesn't say that anywhere though... just that he doesn't want dongs in public showers with his daughters.

Further supporters of the ordinance claim that by focusing on something that the ordinance does allow that Berkman is missing the point, focusing on the wrong thing, and that his concerns should be ignored due to the global good that the ordinance would bring around despite the bill having consequences that he disagrees with. Meanwhile they continue to miss his point by focusing on the part of the ad that is truly sticks and stones ("troubled men").

Meh. While I'm sure they are some out there, the majority of the opposition doesn't seem to be against the spirit of HERO. They just want one possible outcome of the ordinance addressed.

 

How adults in other countries deal with this whole bathroom issue.

 

We should learn something from more civilized parts of the world.

 

A community college in canada represents "other countries"?

 

I know it's a lawyer's job to mount a defense for any crime and he is not personally morally responsible for the crime in question but just because the whole deal makes me mad:

ANTI-HERO RINGLEADER DEFENDS MAN SUED FOR PHOTOGRAPHING WOMEN IN A BATHROOM
http://www.houstonpress.com/news/anti-hero-ringleader-defends-man-sued-for-photographing-women-in-a-bathroom-7908863

Jared Woodfill, the former Harris County Republican Party leader who successfully championed the fight against the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance by proclaiming "no men in women's restrooms," is representing a man in court who has admitted to taking photos of women changing clothes without their knowledge—in a bathroom.