'Hate' Speech

In what has to be one of the most tone-deaf gaffes in the history of New York politics, gubernatorial candidate Carl Palladino -- Tea Party darling and father of an illegitimate daughter conceived behind his wife's back -- ripped gays and his opponent for supporting them in a speech in Brooklyn on Sunday.

The New York Times reports:

Addressing Orthodox Jewish leaders in Williamsburg, Mr. Paladino described his opposition to same-sex marriage.

“That’s not how God created us,” he said, reading from a prepared address. “I just think my children and your children would be much better off and much more successful getting married and raising a family, and I don’t want them brainwashed into thinking that homosexuality is an equally valid and successful option -- it isn’t.”

And then, to the applause at Congregation Shaarei Chaim, he said: “I didn’t march in the gay parade this year -- the gay pride parade this year. My opponent did and that’s not the example we should be showing our children.”

Meantime, we learned over the weekend that yet another bullied gay teenager -- this time in Oklahoma -- has committed suicide. LGBTQ Nation reports that barely one week after attending a local City Council meeting where a debate over whether or not the city would recognize October as LGBT History Month got “toxic,” with many homophobic statements being thrown around in front of him, Zach Harrington, 19, took his own life.

Sadly, so long as politicians like Carl Palladino -- whose campaign manager insisted that Palladino is "not homophobic, and neither is the Catholic church" (no, that wasn't my comeback, that was an actual quote), while also pointing out the an openly gay man is employed on the candidate's staff(!) -- are allowed to get away with this type of hate speech, tragedies like this are likely to continue.

Can the outrage against Palladino begin ... NOW?