Kilgore plays gay-hating card in VA Governor's race

[theHandpuppet]

I was up very early this morning (a new puppy in the house will do this to you) and turned to the news to catch an update on Rita. Lo and behold a commercial came on for Jerry Kilgore, who's running for VA Governor. Normally I tune him out like I have to tune out Bush (I've hated this nutbag fundie extremist for over a decade, having once lived in VA), and this commercial was typical of Mr. "Family Values"... pics of Kilgore surrounded by a classroom of small, neatly dressed white kids, talking about education, etc -- as if the GOP ever gave a damn about education.

But when Kilgore suddenly announced that he would "keep gays out of our schools" my brain set off the alarm. Did I hear that right? I know this anti-choice, homophobic, Bible-thumping creep is facing a serious challenge from Kaine, the Dem, but is playing this gay-hating card something new or a response to a tight race?

I went to the Kilgore site but saw nothing defining his gay-hating agenda, which I presume would entail firing any gays teachers in VA and having some kind of litmus test of heterosexuality for new hires. Has anyone else seen this commerical?

Good Lord, as if Virginia's newly enacted, repressive laws aren't some of the worst anti-gay laws in the country! My partner and I just lost our joint health benefits thanks to the fundie homophobes in the Virginia Legislature, and now Kilgore wants to go after gay educators? Who's next?

[WoodrowFan]

1. where in VA do you live?

All I see in Northern Va is ads promising to widen Rt 66 (which will happen when pigs fly).

[theHandpuppet]

7. I live in the eastern panhandle of WV

I believe I was tuned to the Weather Channel on cable, but it could have been NBC4 out of Washington, where I get my morning news -- I'm afraid I don't recall exactly what channel but it was probably one of those two. I was suprised to see such a blatantly homophobic commercial but I also figured the Kilkgore folks tried sneaking it in very early in the a.m.

[NoodleBoy]

2. well, now that it's not cool and illegal to blame the black community and

pass segregation laws against them, they need someone to blame all their problems on and declare themselves superior to.

we need Kaine in Virginia, but the last polls I read had him trailing by like 5%.

[leveymg]

3. I'm in No VA. When & Where Did You See That Commercial?

I haven't see that one on the DC stations - the only Kilgore TV ad that even references education is his reponse to the slice of cake spot.

[bpj1962]

5. Kilgores Hate ads

I also live in NOVA and I haven't seen this add yet either. He is probably running the ad down in the Roanoke Lynchburg area. Kilgore knows that he will have a tough time in NOVA and in Richmond. The latest polls have Kaine and Kilgore neck and neck so I am not surprised that Kilgore has now going in to Rove bag of dirty tricks which is to put fear in everyone by telling them that the "Homos", are going to take over the schools if Kaine is elected. I have lived in this state my entire life and sometimes I am so ashamed of some of people the we have elected IE: George Allen.

[theHandpuppet]

9. No, this wasn't the Roanoke/Lynchburg area

I only get Northern Virginia (Washington, D.C. area) stations on my cable, with a couple of Baltimore and Western Maryland stations tossed in.

[theHandpuppet]

8. i saw it on cable here in the WV panhandle

As I told another poster, it could only be one of a very few stations. I normally channel surf among three stations for my early morning news: NBC4 out of Washington for the local news, CNN for national/international news and the Weather Channel, since I'm a weather junkie. (I get cable out here in the WV panhandle.) This was very early in the morn... before 6 a.m., I think.

I'd already seen most of the Kilgore/Kaine commercials but this one was totally new to me and really gave me a shock at its blatant homophobia. The not-so-subtle message, with Kilgore surrounded by all these little white middle class children, was that gays are pedophiles and should be kept away from children. After I got over the shock I felt sick to my stomach.

[marbuc]

10. I believe the Eastern Panhandle

is in the DC cable system, and commercials aired there are aired throughout the viewing area. I could very well be wrong, but I do know this is the way it used to be, and I haven't heard of any changes.

[lynne]

4. Where in VA are they showing this?

I'm in NOVA and haven't seen any commercials. Guess I watch too much satellite. But I've been getting mail from Kilgore about transportation.

[QC]

6. Miz Thang better be careful. n/t