Sunday, October 30, 2005

Clark's Gay Bigotry Provokes Response From Star Readers

A week after the Indianapolis Star gave guest columnist status to Christian extremist Micah Clark to spew gay bigotry in response to Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi's non-discrimination policy, the paper devoted an entire page to reader's letters defending Brizzi and blasting Clark. While the letters each raised different aspects of Clark's rambling column, they each concurred that Clark was promoting bigotry against gays.

The Star also afforded Indianapolis Rainbow Chamber of Commerce Chairman Jon Keep guest column status to respond to Clark's column entitled "Painting a skewed picture of gays." Keep sought to refute Clark's claim that, on the whole, gays are more educated and have higher incomes than the average American. He likened Clark's use of the economic status of gays to the "historic practice [of anti-semites] of describing Jewish citizens in the same terms." Keep noted that the surveys relied upon by Clark are suspect. Keep said, "A total lack of protection in the face of discrimination leads gays and lesbians of lower economic status and less educational leverage to stay in the closet and avoid identifying themselves to survey takers, significantly skewing results."

Noticeably absent from the defense of Brizzi's anti-discrimination policy was a supportive response from any leaders from within the Republican Party, despite local efforts to secure such a response. Marion County Republican Chairman Mike Murphy and other local Republican leaders' lack of support for Brizzi's policy can only be interpreted as an endorsement of Clark's bigoted views. Their embracement of such extremist views insures future electoral defeat and minority party status for many years to come.

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