Fall Out Boy's Message, A Response From Exodus
This is a follow up from my Fall Out Boy post from Friday.I posted a comment over at the Exodus Blog because one of their latest entries linked to the MTV article about Fall Out Boy and quoted the angry mother's letter to the band. For those of you who aren't familiar with Exodus, they are an international ex-gay organization, and some of their staffers/volunteers write for their blog.
Basically, my comment was meant to ask why the folks over at Exodus felt like the band's statement was so bad. I honestly couldn't fathom that they would agree with this woman. Here's what I said (I posted as TA, rather than Brady because my TypePad account is older than this blog and is not updated):
I think there is a bit more to this Fall Out Boy story. According to the band member and one person at the concert (that posted on my blog and a couple of others), Fall Out Boy was using foul language. However, their "liberal homosexual rally" amounted to the band saying that it was ok to say the band was no good or people didn't like the band, but using homophobic remarks like calling something gay instead of stupid was unacceptable. I can't believe this mother disagrees with such a statement, and I hope you guys would agree with that statement at the very least.Nancy Brown at Exodus responded to my post shortly thereafter (emphasis mine):
Read carefully. Ms. Brown just said that homophobia was acceptable. Notice the Fall Out Boy bassist said nothing about whether or not he supported homosexuality (as Ms. Brown implies). The bassist merely said he did not tolerate homophobic remarks (i.e. derrogatory remarks about gay people). How there is nothing enlightening or "good" about that, I have no idea.We do not condone negative comments such as using the word gay to suggest stupidity
[Ms. Brown then quotes Wentz's actual words from the MTV article]
[snip]
Mr. Wentz' statement is clearly stating that homophobia is not just a difference of opinion to which all Americans are entitled. He is saying it is on the same par as sexist and racist behavior. In other words, "if you don't agree with us regarding homosexuality take off our merchandise and get out." I don't hear anything positive, constructive, or enlightening in that... In addition I noticed he didn't mention any refund of ticket or merchandise money to any who might be unhappy with the band for their take on homosexuality...bottom line Mr. Wentz' statement is a threat aimed at impressionable teenagers... conform or be ostracized!
It's funny that she ends by claiming that the Fall Out Boy statement was telling teens to "conform or be ostracized" when that is one of the results of homophobia, which she seems to support.
I'm sorry to see that someone employed (or volunteering for, not sure which) an organization that claims to help gay people would support something like this mother's rantings. Little tip for the folks at Exodus--if you are going to claim to help gay people, don't support homophobic behavior. You can disagree with being gay without being homophobic.
It seems Ms. Brown, like the mother in question, is so caught up in the culture war, she can't see a positive message when it's right in front of her.
posted by Brady @ 11:45 AM
4 Comments:
Do you LIKE being obtuse?
Seems you just hate beign told to change your ways. You don't dseem to like judgement very much.
If you can condemn other people's views, they can condemn yours too.
Anonymous- thanks for the post. I don't feel like I am obtuse. I don't like judgment very much, but I dislike judgment that encourages treating other humans poorly even more.
And I didn't say people couldn't condemn my views. Although I wasn't as much condemning these views as pointing out where I disagree.
wth? why is everyne over analyzing this quote? hes not talking about deragotory remarks against homosexuas, hes jst talking about how some people say 'that's so gay' when they see something stuid, and how it annoys him because "gay is not a synonym for shitty"
"Don't ostracize me by telling me not to ostracize you!"
Just another example of the bigots trying to paint themselves as the victims. Pathetic.
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