It's Pat (Unlike)

Thank heavens for Pat Robertson. That old windbag of a wingnut who is fond of blaming gays for causing everything from terrorist attacks to earthquakes, tornadoes and possibly a meteor (Need an instant Michael Bay movie? Just add gays!), is at it again. This time, he’s talking about this crazy newfangled thing where someone “switches on likes in Facebooks.” And what if one of those pictures people are switch on the likes for happens to be of a couple of same-sex guys kissing, what should you do? Tell us, Pat, tell us.

Pat: “To me I would punch vomit, not like.” [BIG LAUGH]

See, don’t old-school bigots like that almost make you smile? I mean, that’s some grade school-worthy taunting right there, Pat. Gays make you totally want to barf. Ha ha! Get it? Gross and cooties and yucky. Vomit.

Here’s the thing about decrepit fossils like Pat. They’re our best reminder of how terrible and terribly wrong the other side really is. And, as more and more minds and hearts are opened everyday, they’re their own worst enemy. Despite the best efforts of the Pat Robertsons of the world we’re becoming – both in public opinion and our laws – a more accepting country. Polls show a majority of Americans now support marriage equality. Public figures – actors, politicians, athletes and the like – who use homophobic slurs get roundly criticized and apologize profusely. Granted, we’re nowhere near ending all homophobia and worse yet violence against LGBT community members. But it’s being exposed for what it is. Ugly. Hateful. Ridiculous. Laughable.

Whenever old Pat opens his mouth to say something willfully ignorant and unapologetically hurtful, I think of the little TV station he started in 1977 called the Christian Broadcasting Network. He used it to spout his crazy there on the “700 Club,” and still does contractually (thanks News Corp, another thing you fucked up for us) in the morning, night and wee hours. But today that channel is called ABC Family and not owned by Pat, but Disney (by way first of News Corp. who made the deal to keep airing the “700 Club”). And today that channel has some of – hands down – the most inclusive programming featuring in the past and present some 20 LGBT characters including shows like “Pretty Little Liars,” “The Fosters,” “Secret Life of the American Teenager,” “Switched at Birth,” “Greek” and “Make It or Break It.”

So maybe we should thank old Pat for exposing the world to his stupidity and hate and in doing so making it exactly what he doesn’t want – a better and more equal place for everyone else.