Writing at Gay Patriot, Dan Blatt makes an excellent point about the recent dust-up between NBC’s Ann Curry and Christian actor Kirk Cameron:
[T]here is a difference between expressing a view colored by a fundamentalist faith and manifesting animus to those who do not live by the strictures of that faith. In expressing his (very) un-PC views (and, in my mind, narrow) opinion on homosexuality, Cameron has never adopted a hostile (or hateful) attitude toward gay people.
In her interview with the actor, however, the “Today” show’s Ann Curry asked if his remarks were “hate speech” and wondered if he were “encouraging people to feel hate towards gay people“. Later, she speculates that his words might make others feel it’s okay to “mistreat gay people”.
The question is not so much why Mr. Cameron holds these views, but why Ms. Curry would compare them to “hate speech.”
The answer, in my opinion, is that Ann Curry hates fundamentalist Christians, which is why she can only interpret their views as hate. Bigotry is not known for its ability to create rational thought or arguments.
Cameron is quite obviously capable of distinguishing between the sin and the sinner, which is one of the foundations of Christianity. The Christian faith tells us many acts are sinful, and many of those acts have nothing to do with sexuality. Moreover, it’s the sin that’s at issue, not the individual committing the sin, because we are all sinners. This is about the bigoted media singling out Cameron’s beliefs about homosexuality, not Cameron himself, who is much more vocal about about a host of other issues. And he’s certainly not out there protesting or demonizing homosexuals (or anyone).
Ann Curry, however, is.
My thoughts about the bigger political agenda brewing around this can be read here.
You should also bookmark Gay Patriot. Not only is it an essential site, but if it wasn’t for Dan and Bruce’s generous links back in 2004, I’d still be a bill collector.