Rob Ford and Pride

[Tulse]

I agree that people shouldn't make fun of other people's weight, but at the same time, Ford is participating in his "Cut the Waist" event that he publicly promotes and uses as a promotional platform. If he's going to do a weekly weigh-in for PR, I don't know that catching him at KFC is out of bounds. (Besides, if he had a smidgen of grace and charm, he could have laughed off the incident, or engaged the videographer, or any number of other more positive responses.)

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

As I have said before, live by the sword, die by the sword. If you don't want your weight to be on the news at 6, don't make it a news item to start off with (right before budget time, I might add). Besides, considering the amount of scorn he had heaped upon others regardless of their shortcomings, I considering returning the favour quid pro quo.

AoD

 

[Tulse]

Maybe someone should tell him that eating chicken is gay...

 

[ssiguy2]

Ford is a failure as a mayor but I completely agree with him on this one.
People always bitch about how corrupt, hypocritical, and self serving politicians are with good reason. Now Ford has decided he doesn't want to go to the Pride parade but if he doesn't go then that somehow makes him homophobic. So the politically correct are demanding that he be a hypocrite and attend. Isn't that what we can't stand about politicians? I'm glad he won't be "guilted" into showing up by the politically correct or The Star.
Maybe he isn't homophobic at all but just doesn't like the Pride parade and what it represents? Maybe he, like millions, find it a totally offensive spectacle that looks more like a sex event than "pride" parade. Maybe he doesn't like the idea of seeing men in chaps or a bunch of narcassitic idiots thrusting their hips in their underware? Maybe he only wants to go to events {and sponsor them} that are welcoming to all ages as parade is no where to take anyone under 18. Maybe he doesn't want to go to an event where the things that takes place would be illegal for any other part or community in the city?
Maybe, just maybe, he actually has some taste and doesn't want to lend support to what many find to be a revolting display?
I know many gay people who avoid the Pride parades like the plague, myself included. I and they don't want to be associated with such a lewd spectacle which does the gay community much more harm than good by reinforcing to every one that gays really are weird and sex obsessed with little decency and even less taste.

 

[Lenser]

i don't think Rob Ford puts anywhere near that much thought into it. He's more instinctive and guttural in his impulses. He probably doesn't even understand what he doesn't like about Pride. That's my reading of him.

 

[nfitz]

Then why did he boycott the flag raising event at City Hall, right beside his own office, on a day he was in his office, last year.

And how can anyone be so ignorant to question whether he is homophobic after all the anti-gay comments and actions he has done over the years.

Sure, I can understand why he might not want to go to the parade. But I don't see how that's an issue, given how clear he has been about his anti-gay beliefs.

I don't see why people feel the need to condone the actions of this bigot.

 

[Jonny5]

a totally offensive spectacle that looks more like a sex event than "pride" parade. Maybe he doesn't like the idea of seeing men in chaps or a bunch of narcassitic idiots thrusting their hips in their underware? Maybe he only wants to go to events {and sponsor them} that are welcoming to all ages as parade is no where to take anyone under 18. Maybe he doesn't want to go to an event where the things that takes place would be illegal for any other part or community in the city?.

I know. ISN'T IT AWESOME?!?!?!!!!

Oh and there's nothing worse than a gay guy who is proud not to go to pride. Not because of theor beliefs, but because they are always insufferable and insist on telling you about it every chance they can
No one cares you don't like it.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

I agree that people shouldn't make fun of other people's weight, but at the same time, Ford is participating in his "Cut the Waist" event that he publicly promotes and uses as a promotional platform. If he's going to do a weekly weigh-in for PR, I don't know that catching him at KFC is out of bounds. (Besides, if he had a smidgen of grace and charm, he could have laughed off the incident, or engaged the videographer, or any number of other more positive responses.)

I totally agree. Further, he could have been more receptive or at least had a little bit of fun and played it up with the two Vegan girls at the Monday weigh-in instead of being such an ignorant goof about it. Ford #2 seized the opportunity and at least talked and laughed with the girls for a few minutes.

 

[kkgg7]

Oh and there's nothing worse than a gay guy who is proud not to go to pride. Not because of theor beliefs, but because they are always insufferable and insist on telling you about it every chance they can
No one cares you don't like it.

First Ford is wrong for not attending the gay parade.
Now gay people are wrong for not attending the gay parade.

You know what, being gay is just like being left-handed, if you really don't discriminate it. There is nothing to be proud of for liking the same sex, just like there is nothing to be proud of for liking the opposite sex, and not to mention to show your butt and genitals to celebrate it. Let the gay people just be ordinary people, just like how you treat those who are left-handed or lactose-intolerant - I am sure that's how they prefer. Do you really think a gay person likes to hear "wow, you are gay, that's fantastic. I love gay people" as some kind of support?

 

[GraphicMatt]

For the record, his best PR rep Sue-Ann Levy is openly gay. Something to consider before we all tar and feather him.

She is, yes. And one of the best columns she's ever written was the one she wrote last year where she expressed her disappointment in Ford's decision not to attend any pride events.

Any mention of the actual parade in this debate is a red herring, by the way. No one cares if Ford doesn't show for the actual parade. The issue is that for ten days in 2011 he hid in his office and refused to attend anything even remotely associated with Pride. And now he looks set to do the same thing in 2012.

Seriously: Brian Burke stood on the green roof at City Hall representing PFLAG and held a public ceremony and flag raising and Ford couldn't even find the courage to show up. Recognizing the political risk, his own staff put together a list of conservative-minded Pride events that were Ford-safe and yet still he refused to attend any of them.

 

[Jonny5]

First Ford is wrong for not attending the gay parade.
Now gay people are wrong for not attending the gay parade.

You know what, being gay is just like being left-handed, if you really don't discriminate it. There is nothing to be proud of for liking the same sex, just like there is nothing to be proud of for liking the opposite sex, and not to mention to show your butt and genitals to celebrate it. Let the gay people just be ordinary people, just like how you treat those who are left-handed or lactose-intolerant - I am sure that's how they prefer. Do you really think a gay person likes to hear "wow, you are gay, that's fantastic. I love gay people" as some kind of support?

YAWN. Please spare us your sad attempts at being controversial and argumentative. It's obvious and you've lost all credibility to discuss anything. You're just a pathetic wannabe troll. What ssiguy wrote out-trolls anything you've ever wrote.

I haven't been to pride in years. I don't like it because I don't like crowds. But I'm not an asshole about it who pretends it somehow makes me superior or more enlightened. I don't pretend it makes me some kind of awesome and unique alt-gay hipster/stright-acting maybe-he-is-maybe-he-isn't gay douchebag. They are as innsuferable as a "I only listen to bands no one ever heard of" hipster or a "I only eat local source, organic, heirloom, co-op farmed, seasonal produce" foodie.

 

[Jonny5]

Any mention of the actual parade in this debate is a red herring, by the way. No one cares if Ford doesn't show for the actual parade. The issue is that for ten days in 2011 he hid in his office and refused to attend anything even remotely associated with Pride. And now he looks set to do the same thing in 2012.

Seriously: Brian Burke stood on the green roof at City Hall representing PFLAG and held a public ceremony and flag raising and Ford couldn't even find the courage to show up. Recognizing the political risk, his own staff put together a list of conservative-minded Pride events that were Ford-safe and yet still he refused to attend any of them.

Very well said. Burke makes Ford look like a classless Pens fan!

[video=youtube;e07GEkJKiMM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e07GEkJKiMM[/video]

 

[doug]

. The issue is that for ten days in 2011 he hid in his office and refused to attend anything even remotely associated with Pride. And now he looks set to do the same thing in 2012.

He had no problem attending pride day in 2010, to hand out flyers.

 

[Hipster Duck]

As a snub, it would be fun if the LGBT community/pride organizers created a big media event to invite Karen Stintz to take part in the parade as the "honourary mayor of Toronto". She would decline, of course, but it would be a huge slap in the face for Ford.

Beyond that there should be no involvement. The stance of the Pride parade organizers should be that Ford is so useless and inconsequential as a mayor that he doesn't dignify a response.

 

[kkgg7]

YAWN. Please spare us your sad attempts at being controversial and argumentative. It's obvious and you've lost all credibility to discuss anything. You're just a pathetic wannabe troll. What ssiguy wrote out-trolls anything you've ever wrote.

I haven't been to pride in years. I don't like it because I don't like crowds. But I'm not an asshole about it who pretends it somehow makes me superior or more enlightened. I don't pretend it makes me some kind of awesome and unique alt-gay hipster/stright-acting maybe-he-is-maybe-he-isn't gay douchebag. They are as innsuferable as a "I only listen to bands no one ever heard of" hipster or a "I only eat local source, organic, heirloom, co-op farmed, seasonal produce" foodie.

You apparently hold a lot of anger about what others like to do or not like to, although it is none of your business or affect you in any way. People live their lives differently and all that you can do is be angry and cynic. The only person who feels so all superior and enlightened is yourself, when in fact you are just an angry ordinary man. When a gay man appears straight acting and doesn't do the stereotypical gay things, he is automatically a douchebag? I can't even fathom where your mysterious anger comes from.