Jarrett's follow up statement to Jonathan Capehart, but those who WANT TO HATE HER. . .

[wndycty]

. . .and believe the worst about her will ignore it.

In a recent interview I was asked about the recent tragedies about gay youth who have committed suicide, and I misspoke when I referred to someone's sexual identity as a "lifestyle choice." I meant no disrespect to the LGBT community, and I apologize to any who have taken offense at my poor choice of words. Sexual orientation and gender identity are not a choice, and anyone who knows me and my work over the years knows that I am a firm believer and supporter in the rights of LGBT Americans. Most of all, I hope this does not distract from the issue I was asked about -- the desperate, tragic decision by some young people who feel that their only recourse is to take their own lives because they are being bullied or harassed because they are gay, or because others believe they are gay. We must instill in young people respect for one another, and we must set an example of mutual regard and civility to create an environment that is safe for every person, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2010/10/valerie_jarrett_is_no_tony_per.html

[DURHAM D]

1. Did you read the comments?

You won't like them.

They are nailing Capehart for his straw man setup and absolution.

[ThomCat]

25. The comments were mostly great!

Except for a couple of truly off the wall homophobic ones.

[AtomicKitten]

2. Thanks for this follow-up.

K&R

[firedupdem]

3. "WANT TO HATE HER"

After reading some of the nastiness directed toward her, I have to assume some do 'want to hate her'.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

15. "Do want to hate her"...because they "Do want to hate OBAMA"!! n/t

[AspenRose]

16. Someone here compared her to Dr. James Dobson (Focus on the Family)

While I understand coming from a place of anger and frustration, I think that might have been a bit of a stretch.

I think the pain is worse when these sorts of things come from people you expect to be on your side.

[Divine Discontent]

20. said to state that what she said is something Dobson would say. I would not have expected somone

INSIDE the WH to be so brazenly ass-backwards to say something so offensive about GLBT life in 2010. Sorry.


And, who said they hate her??? No one I've seen.

[AspenRose]

30. I didn't say anyone said they hated her.

Put the anger aside for a second (because I am not your enemy) and read what I wrote. Nowhere did I say anyone said they hated her. These were other posters, not me. If you're going to respond to what I said, don't tie in association based on what others have said.

We'll just have to agree to disagree.

James Dobson is a horrible person. I don't think Valerie Jarrett is anywhere close to him. Misguided and ignorant, maybe. But Dobson is evil. MHO.

[Bluenorthwest]

4. You do admit that there are certain 'poor choices of words'

that get people socked in the jaw, don't you? Are there any words you might be called that you would not exactly spring forward to forgive? I bet there are.
She showed a huge window into her tiny mind. Now she is sorry that we know how and what she is, so clearly. She's sorry we took offense, not sorry that she spoke her religious mind against us. She's sorry she got busted as speaking in such dated, hate soaked and specific language of the very preachers the administration has used as allies since day one. She showed herself to be an Exodus type. Now we know and she is not happy for the truth to be out.
If she is actually sorry, she will make amends. If she does not do so, that is that.

[saracat]

5. The only reason for the "poor choice of words", is that she subconsciously believes them.

and that is very obvious. I think it is obvious that many alleged "liberals"also ascribe to that thinking. She and others may try to surmount those beliefs and may indeed be sorry for them, but it is what they genuinely believe and that is the heart of the matter as to why little progress is made on GLBT rights.
This is not a question of "hate" on either side but a differing belief system. I am sure neither Jarrett or the others hate GLBT people but I also do not believe they see their issues as important as those of race or other civil rights issues.
I also do not believe the GLBT people hate Jarrett and those like her but they do hate the fact their issues are not considered of equal importance to other human rights issues.

[108]

6. oh jeez...much out of nothing

the usage of words was obviously a mistake...that was a sincere apology

if you can't let go of it, it says more about you then Jarrett

[AtomicKitten]

8. you see clearly, grasshopper

[wndycty]

9. +100,000

:kick:

[CakeGrrl]

11. No kidding - the newest anger target du jour

It never dissipates - it just needs to be vented on someone new.

[saracat]

17. Actually the fact that you cannot see what this "mistake" indicates says a lot about you as well.

If this were a remark about race that was misspoken, people would be all over it and no apologies would be accepted but because it was "only" about the GLBT Community , it is a triviality to some. The importance of this issue has never been equal to other matters of civil rights, and it continues to be marginalized.

The very same folks who look for racism in standard poltical remarks would give this a "pass" no matter how insulting many might find it.Double standards are very clear on this.

[Divine Discontent]

19. +1! How sick on DU to see people say Jarrett's calling GLBT a "Lifestyle Choice" as no big deal.

it's akin to calling any other group a divisive name, or mocking them with a term. In 2010 the president's adviser should KNOW that phrase is offensive - but she doesn't - and therefore it says too much about her and those who don't get it. It's not a slip.

[Smashcut]

21. nodding

[dflprincess]

23. +1000

[Name removed]

24. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[PVnRT]

29. Yep

The gays are just another "special interest" to many people at DU more concerned with viewing politics as a football game.

[bigwillq]

35. ....

:thumbsup:

[ThomCat]

26. NO. It shows that she was totally unprepared to be a liaison

to the LGBT community.

She totally did not understand what would offend us. She did not understand our issues or our values. She did not do her homework. She was not prepared to be the go-between to our community. That shows a total lack of respect for the LGBT community.

It shows that this administration didn't care enough to take us seriously, to send us someone who would know us, care about our issues, or do even basic homework before showing up!

This is important, whether you care or not!

And just because you and some other straight people don't think it matters, doesn't give you the right to tell most of LGBT community that we can't think it matters.

[bigwillq]

36. ...

:thumbsup:

[Jakes Progress]

31. And your post says more about you

than it does about SaraCat. But then I suppose some of your best friends are . . .

[Swede]

38. Exactly so.

I was gonna say welcome,but I see you've been here awhile so :toast:

[Smashcut]

7. Sing it to Donnie McClurkin.

I'm sure he hangs out in GD/P.

[ruggerson]

18. No one ever seems to be able to answer that one

[xchrom]

10. if you take offense that i think VJ is a homophobe -- and clueless to boot --

i'm sorry.

[no limit]

12. Misspeaking would be okay if the actions of this administration showed otherwise

but their actions don't.

This administration does not support equal rights for gay people. Period.

[ThomCat]

27. You've got that right.

If the administration's track record was one of support, this might have been written off as a one time mistake, but it's part of a pattern of this administration showing that they don't understand the LGBT community, don't want to, and don't really care. :(

[backscatter712]

13. I stated earlier that I thought her remark was dumb and insensitive, but not malicious.

I stand by that remark, and I'm glad that Jarrett went on the record apologizing for that remark.

That's the difference between Republicans and Democrats. Democrats slip up, say stupid things sometimes, can be wrong-headed, but in general, we can work with them, they apologize when they screw up.

Republicans in these situations ARE malicious, calculate their remarks to rile up the rabid right-wing haters, and work deliberately to divide, to shit on the rights of anyone that isn't white, male, rich, hetero and conservative.

[ampad]

14. I do not hate the woman

However, you would think that in the year of 2010 that people (educated people) would be able to refrain from such terms. I do not believe that she is homophobic. Just someone who utilized a term that seems to be prevalent in this country. I just think that as an accomplished, educated, woman she should of known better. If she has a proven record of being anti-gay then I would be concern.

To an extent I can understand the gay community being upset. I do think that now that she has apologized that maybe it is time to move on. Maybe she learned a little something from this mishap.

[ruggerson]

22. I don't hate her at all

I just think she shouldn't be working in a WH that claims it is trying to build bridges with the gay community.

You don't just say "lifestyle choice" out of the sheer blue sky.

Just like Dick ARmey didn't have a slip of the tongue when he said "Barney Fag."

Just like Mel Gibson alcohol intake didn't make him stand screaming in the street about "the Jews."

Valerie Jarrett needs to understand that a CENTRAL tenet of the various evangelical movements that endanger gay children is to lie to the youth in this country and misinform them that sexuality is a "lifestyle choice".

So she was sent on a mission to talk, in part, to the HRC about gay teen suicide and then used the very phrase that the enemy uses to destroy gay teens.

Surely you can understand why there may be some skepticism about her sincerity.

That being said, I'm glad she apologized and I hope this is a learning experience for her.

[VMI Dem]

28. People misspeak homophobic terms just like they misspeak racist terms.

:shrug:

[Jakes Progress]

32. So if newt says he is sorry that he made his remarks

about Obama's colonial Kenyan mindset, you would think everything was hunky dory? A red neck in the pub yesterday said Obama seemed like a boy that didn't know his place. When several of us jumped on that, he said he didn't mean it like that, that he was sorry if we took it wrong. That the kind of apology that makes things right with you?

[dsc]

33. no because for him civil rights for blacks are real civil rights

while civil rights for gays are not.

[JamesA1102]

34. Those who have a problem with her original quote and apology

are playing semantics games and are guilty of the same intolerance that they are accusing of others.

[TheKentuckian]

37. Oh yeah??? Who's rights and loves are they dismissing?