This is a crazy argument. Protein molecules aren’t free to be other than what they are, so they can’t be held responsible for what they are. This is like claiming, “Keep in mind that tornadoes kill people, and no one prosecutes tornadoes for murder.” People exhibit moral autonomy; mere things do not.
Um, no; it merely demonstrates that the suffix “-phobia” has more than one meaning.
I’d find it kind of hard to believe she wouldn’t know about it, seeing as how the “ex-gay” thing is part of Moore’s backstory (she literally claims that Satan tempted her to be a lesbian and that Jesus saved her from a lifestyle that “she knew was wrong”). Mandisa has apparently performed at Moore’s shows and served in her ministry. Since the “heal the gays” thing is a centerpiece of Moore’s act, I think Mandisa would have to be aware of it.
Why? I won’t perform at a gay event or a straight event. Events based on a sexuality don’t really appeal to me that much unless it’s a one on one event. If that’s the salient point that folks wanna lynch her for, then I don’t get it. It doesn’t necessitate bigotry, just disinterest. I don’t go to a woman’s expo, not because I’m a misogynist, it’s just because it’s not my cuppa.
As for supporting some mythological crap, well, that’s her own business. It doesn’t sound like Mandisa has said she subscribes to everything Moore is preachin’. Just because someone’s a Catholic, doesn’t mean that they agree 100% with the RCC.
I must say that Beth Moore sounds more Jack Chick than anything:
All it’s missing is the “Haw Haw Haw!”.
WHat the heck does that mean?
If you were asked to perform at a big Gay Pride Parade event, you’d refuse on the grounds that it’s a Gay Pride event?
I have to take this back. In my google research, I misunderstood the excerpt from Moore’s book (quoted by stpauler) as being about Moore herself instead of just some kind of weird hypothetical scenario which Moore finds “scary” for some reason.
Here are some more alleged quotes from Moore I found here (link goes to another message board so grain of salt and all that).
If these quotes are accurate, and Mandisa was indeed unaware that her hero was a spewer of this kind of bile, then I hope she’ll disown any association with Moore and publicly disavow this kind of hate speech.
If I were asked to perform at a big Gay Pride Parade event, I would refuse on the grounds that it is a political event and a no lose situation. I would just want to sing and sell records, not to be identified with a political cause one way or the other. I woould not appear at a Bush fundraiser, the DNC convention, etc. Lack of desire to perform at a political rally does not mean that a performer has contempt for the cause. (Not saying I know Mandisa’s real fealings, but these are mine. I am asked to speak occasionally at various groups around my community. I am happy to be in an educational forum, but I would and do refuse to appear at a “rally”, no matter what the cause.)
Yup, I don’t believe in celebrating sexuality anymore than I would for being left-handed. It’s just not that interesting to me. Just because I don’t go to pride nor would I perform if asked doesn’t mean that I’m a bigot. It just means I’ve got no interest in celebrating who I like to fuck or marry or partner, et al.
To each their own, if you want to celebrate your gayness, go right ahead. But just because I don’t celebrate mine (or others, for that matter) doesn’t make me a bigot or a homophobe.
Gay Pride parades may be somewhat about ‘celebrating’ our ‘sexuality’, but they’re also about ‘making sure we stay visible so we’re harder to exterminate’.
Like I said, to each their own. I’ve made more straight people comfortable with me being gay and homosexuality in general by not flying the rainbow flag. It seems to me, the more it’s in people’s faces, the more of a visceral reaction they get from it. Every civil right’s movement has its infancy period where it’s more of the heavy activist side (ACT-UP/Radical Faeries for the gays, Black Panthers, et al). These are useful tools in the begining as they draw attention to the cause. However, their prolonged existence because detrimental as they’re never demonstrative of the whole.
So . . . if you were a successful singer, with a big gay following, and you were publicly invited to sing at a Gay Pride Event, you would publicly refuse to do so? Never mind that performing there would probably bump your CD sales for a time?
She didn’t say she wouldn’t perform at such events, just that she wouldn’t be comfortable doing so. It’s possible she’d be willing to step outside her comfort zone.
Yup, I even wrote a song about folks who identify with a part of themselves so much that it becomes their sole identity, be it gay, or black, or handicapped. I’m sure you know the kind too. The ones who only eat at “gay restaurants” only will go to “gay barbers”, etc. They’re so myopic that they miss out on all of life’s peripheral things. I guess I’d rather not live my life based on innate qualities, but celebrate life for all its diversity. So, for me to play at a gay pride thing, would be to become a hypocrite.
The most generous possible read of the Advocate interview is that Mandisa is uncomfortable with gays and has a religously-based aversion to homosexuality. In this day and age, I just don’t see any reason why this attitude should be supported.
I wasn’t a big fan of Mandisa anyway, but if she’s got her head in the sand so far as to feel icky around the gays, I have no use for her whatsoever.
So . . . performing at gay event, is the same thing as only eating at gay restaurants? Your tail is waggin you, dawg.
What’s the big deal about not performing at agenda based events? You’re making an issue of something that isn’t there.
Dude, I’m trying to understand why someone would refuse to perform at a gay event *simply because it’s a gay event. *There are a number of imaginable reasons for such a position, so I’m asking questions.
Yes, I’ve known people like that, but they were usually people who had just come out, or just moved to the “big city.” For them, it was a necessary stage in the evolution of their own self-acceptance, and they eventually grew out of it. For those who don’t grow out of it, perhaps the term “heterophobia” might be applicable.
Not simply because it’s a gay event; simply because it’s a political event. stpauler does not wish his art to be used in the service of a political end. Allow him this preference, as long is it serves him.
Um, you lost me. But that’s OK. As you were.