08-20-2009, 11:20 AM
The Tory Member of the European Parliament for the East Midlands, Roger Helmer, wrote in his weblog few weeks ago:
"And while we’re mentioning semantic issues, let me point out that the neologism “homophobia” is not so much a word as a political agenda. In psychiatry, a phobia is defined as an irrational fear. I have yet to meet anyone who has an irrational fear of homosexuals, or of homosexuality. So to the extent that the word has any meaning at all, it describes something which simply does not exist. “Homophobia” is merely a propaganda device designed to denigrate and stigmatise those holding conventional opinions, which have been held by most people through most of recorded history. It is frightening evidence of the way in which political correctness is threatening our freedom. It is creating “thought crimes”, where merely to hold a conventional opinion is seen, in itself, to be unacceptable and reprehensible. I’m sorry, but I don’t buy it."
Presumably, such "conventional opinions" also include racism, sexism and child abuse, all of which have been addressed by lawmakers in more enlightened times. Strange how the term, "political correctness" continues to be used as an insult when what it really refers to is being courteous. The freedom he feels is being threatened must be that of being ignorant of the lives of a large number of his contituents. To deny that homophobia exists is to display ignorance of facts and statistics, including a report recently published that homophobic attacks in Brighton have been on the rise.
If you check the reference in the link to Mr Helmer's blog I suggest you have a look at some of the correspendence his statements attracted. They include some of the most interesting and well-constructed arguments I have seen in a while.
Of course, David Cameron has told us all that the Tories are now a renewed party and that equality of opportunity is important in this agenda. He has yet to respond to the calls to discipline Roger Helmer. The writer, Tony Grew, puts it neatly when he says:
"Mr Helmer may think himself a liberal with a poorly-developed sense of "Gay-dar" and a nice turn of phrase, but his blindness to the most basic tenets of equality mark him out as the sort of Tory that Cameron should dump."
"And while we’re mentioning semantic issues, let me point out that the neologism “homophobia” is not so much a word as a political agenda. In psychiatry, a phobia is defined as an irrational fear. I have yet to meet anyone who has an irrational fear of homosexuals, or of homosexuality. So to the extent that the word has any meaning at all, it describes something which simply does not exist. “Homophobia” is merely a propaganda device designed to denigrate and stigmatise those holding conventional opinions, which have been held by most people through most of recorded history. It is frightening evidence of the way in which political correctness is threatening our freedom. It is creating “thought crimes”, where merely to hold a conventional opinion is seen, in itself, to be unacceptable and reprehensible. I’m sorry, but I don’t buy it."
Presumably, such "conventional opinions" also include racism, sexism and child abuse, all of which have been addressed by lawmakers in more enlightened times. Strange how the term, "political correctness" continues to be used as an insult when what it really refers to is being courteous. The freedom he feels is being threatened must be that of being ignorant of the lives of a large number of his contituents. To deny that homophobia exists is to display ignorance of facts and statistics, including a report recently published that homophobic attacks in Brighton have been on the rise.
If you check the reference in the link to Mr Helmer's blog I suggest you have a look at some of the correspendence his statements attracted. They include some of the most interesting and well-constructed arguments I have seen in a while.
Of course, David Cameron has told us all that the Tories are now a renewed party and that equality of opportunity is important in this agenda. He has yet to respond to the calls to discipline Roger Helmer. The writer, Tony Grew, puts it neatly when he says:
"Mr Helmer may think himself a liberal with a poorly-developed sense of "Gay-dar" and a nice turn of phrase, but his blindness to the most basic tenets of equality mark him out as the sort of Tory that Cameron should dump."
![[-]](https://gayspeak.com/images/duende_v3_local/collapse.png)
