Rob Ford's Toronto

[toraerach]

People are getting carried away with predictions of assassination attempts on Ford or suggesting something "bad" will happen at this year's Pride. Actually, more than being carried away. Seems like that some of you want something bad to happen, so you can then pin this on Ford. But that's just my opinion.

For me, it's certainly not a hope that something bad will happen, it's more that this is all-too-familiar coming from a guy who's lived in places where a vibrant gay community has come under attack by the municipal government and where homophobic attacks on Queer people were common enough not to cause outrage, but served only to foster a sense of inevitibility. Torontonians don't seem to realize that to gay people across the country, this is the sanctuary, the ultimate goal, etc. To have that rug pulled out from under you by a not-so-sympathetic municipal government really threatens the idea of safety we have here.

My thoughts on the Ford missing in absence? He should have attended one of the events but skipped the parade. Participating in the parade isn't necessary. And maybe Ford has a genuine issue with the parade regarding people's behavior. I certainly know many people who do/did and several were gay.

A older lesbian co-worker of mine told me a few years back that she thought that the Pride parade didn't represent the gay community at all and actually gives the impression to the general population that gay people, mostly gay men, are sexual deviants and pervs. Her opinion. Not mine. She openly felt that too many in the parade are there to shock people.

It's a complete double standard. Gay men displaying their sexuality publicly becomes reduced to some kind of sexual extremism while Ford Nation happily gawks at today's sunshine girl. I honestly fail to see what's so shocking about a naked man walking down the street except that it is charged with a homoeroticism that is lacking in, say, Francesco Pirelli's monument to multiculturalism just a few of blocks away. And where was this moral outrage when Ford's neice wanted to join lingerie football? Would it have been a different story if it was Ford's nephew?

The previous post brought up the important point of noting that Ford missed several Canada Day events as well so people should take this evidence that maybe Ford isn't a closet gay hater after all. Maybe he's just not that interested in going to events or events that don't hold his interest which I admit, is something a mayor can ill afford.

He's made it very clear that he's not the biggest fan of the Gay community - hardly in the closet after his embarassing Tamil-language election ads last year (that he had no idea about...hosestly!). His absence from Canada Day events reveal him to be a man who is totally unsuited to the demands of public office. As countless politicians who've come before him could tell you (Anothony Weiner, for example), you surrender your private life as soon as you're elected.

 

[tkip]

It's a complete double standard. Gay men displaying their sexuality publicly becomes reduced to some kind of sexual extremism while Ford Nation happily gawks at today's sunshine girl. I honestly fail to see what's so shocking about a naked man walking down the street except that it is charged with a homoeroticism that is lacking in, say, Francesco Pirelli's monument to multiculturalism just a few of blocks away. And where was this moral outrage when Ford's neice wanted to join lingerie football? Would it have been a different story if it was Ford's nephew?

He's made it very clear that he's not the biggest fan of the Gay community - hardly in the closet after his embarassing Tamil-language election ads last year (that he had no idea about...hosestly!). His absence from Canada Day events reveal him to be a man who is totally unsuited to the demands of public office. As countless politicians who've come before him could tell you (Anothony Weiner, for example), you surrender your private life as soon as you're elected.

I don't think it's appropriate for anyone to be walking down the streets nude. I do enjoy seeing attractive women walking around but there is such as a thing as class/restraint/modesty.

You make a good point about the double standard but we live in a world where approx 95% of the population is straight and the world is ruled by men. I for one didn't care about Ford's niece being in this league or thought it was a big deal. However, I do have a problem with the overly sexualization of women and young girls that I see on the streets these days.

When I see young teen girls parading around in what is essentially underwear on the streets, with the message through media for them to be sexual as early as possible and appease the boys, I think this is not what strong, confident women I know had in mind for this gen of girls and society. But I digress. As for Ford?

I've come to the early conclusion that Ford is best suited to crunching numbers in a office or something along the lines of being a bean counter because the man seems awkward at taking the public stage in any capacity. Possibly suffers from social phobia? He does seem to suffer from foot in the mouth disease.

As it were, did anyone in the gay community really want the man there for Pride? Maybe he was advised that it was just best to skip the festivials.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

I don't do the parade anymore but I would have been pleased to know that our Mayor was supporting the event and having a good time marching (or in Ford's case, being towed) down Yonge Street with a squirt gun, he would indeed have been welcomed. Mel sure was. Had he have been up front weeks ago that he wouldn't be able to make it because (insert spin Doctor explanation here), I would have been absolutely satisfied with him simply reading the Official Proclamation and standing (whilst sweating) as the pride flag is raised. His job is then done, he's pretty much done what his job description dictates. He screwed this up from go, and in turn unleashed a whoop-ass can of hatred that was apparently lying just under the surface in the GTA, and across the country. Reading the comment sections in the online national and local papers has truly shook me to my core.

 

[GraphicMatt]

I'm really really surprised that it looks like he won't have attended a single Pride-related event. His political handlers must be going nuts. There's no political math I can do that says this is a good move.

 

[Torontovibe]

I don't do the parade anymore but I would have been pleased to know that our Mayor was supporting the event and having a good time marching (or in Ford's case, being towed) down Yonge Street with a squirt gun, he would indeed have been welcomed. Mel sure was. Had he have been up front weeks ago that he wouldn't be able to make it because (insert spin Doctor explanation here), I would have been absolutely satisfied with him simply reading the Official Proclamation and standing (whilst sweating) as the pride flag is raised. His job is then done, he's pretty much done what his job description dictates. He screwed this up from go, and in turn unleashed a whoop-ass can of hatred that was apparently lying just under the surface in the GTA, and across the country. Reading the comment sections in the online national and local papers has truly shook me to my core.

I guess we're not as tolerant as we were lead to believe and all it took was one homophobe to bring all that hate out.

 

[Blovertis]

Read the comments section of the Marcus Gee column--or any opinion piece about Ford--and you'll see the kind of polarizing, malignant hate that has descended onto Toronto since that dark day last October.

So says the man whose signature links to the "I hate Rob Ford" page on Facebook. I gues "polarizing, malignant hate" is a two-way street.

 

[cdr108]

I guess we're not as tolerant as we were lead to believe and all it took was one homophobe to bring all that hate out.

sadly enough, that is what it takes.

i hope that Brian Burke's presence at the proclamation and parade will help quash some of the homophobia.
i know this won't happen with the long weekend and all, but it would be a coup if the whole Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team march tomorrow to support the LBGT community.

 

[SlickFranky]

Yet another article in the Star.... Ford and the ‘family values’ case for gay rights

It's mostly the same stuff we've been hearing for the past 2 weeks, but it's got this embarrassing/horrifying chunk at the end...

Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti, one of Ford’s staunch allies on council, said everyone should just back off.

Pride is a wonderful event that brings a lot of money into the city. But a festival “that celebrates choice†shouldn’t be pressuring the mayor to attend, he said.

“I haven’t heard from anybody in the grassroots community say that the Pride community is right,†said Mammoliti (Ward 7, York West). “If anything they’re saying that they’re irritated by what the Pride community is saying.

Anyone who thinks Ford has a case of foot-in-mouth disorder needs to pay more attention to GM. This guy's got a chronic 3rd degree case.

 

[Irishmonk]

So says the man whose signature links to the "I hate Rob Ford" page on Facebook. I gues "polarizing, malignant hate" is a two-way street.

I think there's a difference between hating an individual for their deliberately hurtful actions and/or beliefs, and hating an entire class of people for having a common characteristic or lifestyle that has been negatively predefined.

The former can be justified, the latter cannot.

 

[adma]

Yet another article in the Star.... Ford and the ‘family values’ case for gay rights

Which, unfortunately, lacks Marcus Gee's underlying "critique of the fora" element.

 

[spider]

I think there's a difference between hating an individual for their deliberately hurtful actions and/or beliefs, and hating an entire class of people for having a common characteristic or lifestyle that has been negatively predefined.

The former can be justified, the latter cannot.

Between your fixation with "hate" and Nfitz's need to label everyone a "bigot" the qualiity of opinion expressed in this thread is sliding into the ditch, Perhaps the two of you could take a week off and allow some rational opinions to prevail.

 

[RC8]

People can't seem to understand there are other reasons to say or do politically incorrect things other than being a bigot.

Some people are just ignorant. Some others have unique but respectable opinions. Some just can't be bothered to understand the nature of something they naturally find disgusting.

None of those are less wrong (except the unique opinions), and all should be combated (except same as before) - but to get mad and yell at each of those types and act like they are a child-eating witch is pathetic.

People need to not get so defensive when they are trying to make a point.

Pride should be about freedom to pursue what makes us happy and educating those that don't understand the non-intuitive complexities of sexuality. Not a witch-hunt.

Not that I don't think Ford's stance isn't rude, btw.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

George Mammoliti was on the 6:00 news with camera in hand photographing the dyke parade stating "he's reporting back to the Mayor". Turns out the 'Queers Against Israeli Apartheid' group turned up and marched under the banner "We Stand With Queers in Palestine" then behind that many wore shirts such as "Dykes Against Israeli Apartheid" & such. This is going to get really interesting come next week what with Pride funding hanging in the balance over the "Ford ban" against the 'Queers Against Israeli Apartheid' group showing up "anywhere" on Pride week & Mammoliti running around snapping pictures of the banned group, and probably grabbing plenty of shots of tits while he's at it.

 

[to_l]

Well...here's part of the fallout; Councillor urges end to Pride funding after filming Dyke March

 

[cdr108]

Well...here's part of the fallout; Councillor urges end to Pride funding after filming Dyke March

yup, RF and allies got their wish.

thank you 'Dykes and Trans People for Palestine' for nailing the coffin to the end of Pride public funding.
first, the loss of $400,000 federal grant in 2009 with the Stephen Harper's Conservative government and now this.

according to the article, Pride co-chair Francisco Alvarez said his organization would go bankrupt without the city’s $130,000 in grants, and might lose their licence to hold the 2014 World Pride festival.

i'm just waiting to hear the other shoe to drop from InterPride that due to the negative environment in Toronto, they have changed their minds and WorldPride 2014 will be awarded to Stockholm.

i wonder if private funding would step up with the difference as local businesses have much more to lose than the $130K.
2009 figures state that C$136 million was added to the city's economy ! ! !

1000% return Mr. Ford - you won't get a better investment for the city than that