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Obscene Gesture Inside the White House
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/jun/22/gay-activists-make-obscene-gesture-reagan-white-ho/
The White House was mum Friday about photographs posted online showing gay-rights activists, guests of President Obama, making obscene gestures at the portrait of President Reagan during a gay-pride reception at the White House last week.
Matthew “Matty” Hart and Zoe Strauss, both from the Philadelphia area, posted photographs of themselves on Facebook giving the middle finger to Mr. Reagan’s official portrait hanging in the White House as they attended the party. The White House didn’t respond Friday to a request for comment on the photographs.
At the reception, Mr. Obama told the attendees that the day is approaching when gay citizens will enjoy full equality in America.
“We’ll get there because of every man and woman and activist and ally who is moving us forward by the force of their moral arguments, but more importantly, by the force of their example,” Mr. Obama said.
Mr. Hart didn’t return a call seeking comment, but he told Philadelphia magazine that he despises Mr. Reagan’s legacy.
“Yeah, f– Reagan,” Mr. Hart said. “Ronald Reagan has blood on his hands. The man was in the White House as AIDS exploded, and he was happy to see plenty of gay men and queer people die. He was a murderous fool, and I have no problem saying so. Don’t invite me back. I don’t care.”
Mr. Hart is national director of public engagement at Solutions for Progress, which receives public and private funds to help “individuals and families working to overcome poverty and to build long-term financial stability,” according to its web site. Ms. Strauss is a photographer.
Former Rep. John LeBoutillier, an author, wrote in 2003 that Mr. Reagan was a “tolerant and kind man” and denied accounts that Mr. Reagan was intolerant of gays.
“Ronald Reagan was never anti-gay,” Mr. LeBoutillier wrote in a column. “He and Nancy, as longtime Hollywood insiders, knew many gays and never did or said anything that could be construed as even mildly anti-gay. As governor of California, Ronald Reagan was ‘progressive’ toward the gay movement.”
Also during the White House party where some people flipped the bird at Mr. Reagan’s portrait, a transgender man dropped down on one knee and proposed to his partner. The festivities occurred about two months after Mr. Obama announced his support for same-sex marriage.
The White House was mum Friday about photographs posted online showing gay-rights activists, guests of President Obama, making obscene gestures at the portrait of President Reagan during a gay-pride reception at the White House last week.
Matthew “Matty” Hart and Zoe Strauss, both from the Philadelphia area, posted photographs of themselves on Facebook giving the middle finger to Mr. Reagan’s official portrait hanging in the White House as they attended the party. The White House didn’t respond Friday to a request for comment on the photographs.
At the reception, Mr. Obama told the attendees that the day is approaching when gay citizens will enjoy full equality in America.
“We’ll get there because of every man and woman and activist and ally who is moving us forward by the force of their moral arguments, but more importantly, by the force of their example,” Mr. Obama said.
Mr. Hart didn’t return a call seeking comment, but he told Philadelphia magazine that he despises Mr. Reagan’s legacy.
“Yeah, f– Reagan,” Mr. Hart said. “Ronald Reagan has blood on his hands. The man was in the White House as AIDS exploded, and he was happy to see plenty of gay men and queer people die. He was a murderous fool, and I have no problem saying so. Don’t invite me back. I don’t care.”
Mr. Hart is national director of public engagement at Solutions for Progress, which receives public and private funds to help “individuals and families working to overcome poverty and to build long-term financial stability,” according to its web site. Ms. Strauss is a photographer.
Former Rep. John LeBoutillier, an author, wrote in 2003 that Mr. Reagan was a “tolerant and kind man” and denied accounts that Mr. Reagan was intolerant of gays.
“Ronald Reagan was never anti-gay,” Mr. LeBoutillier wrote in a column. “He and Nancy, as longtime Hollywood insiders, knew many gays and never did or said anything that could be construed as even mildly anti-gay. As governor of California, Ronald Reagan was ‘progressive’ toward the gay movement.”
Also during the White House party where some people flipped the bird at Mr. Reagan’s portrait, a transgender man dropped down on one knee and proposed to his partner. The festivities occurred about two months after Mr. Obama announced his support for same-sex marriage.
I see the problem with this as follows... you have someone doing their part to forward their cause, but at the same time acting like a jack ***, counteracting anything positive that they may have done.
I enjoy the hypocrisy in situations like this.
I enjoy the hypocrisy in situations like this.
I think not only was disrespect shown to the protrait of Ronnie, but to their host, president Obama as well. We are turning into a bunch of rednecks. How is it even possible that one would think this kind of behavior acceptable much less be proud of it to the point of posting it all on facebook like some kind of trophy. If the president is aware and this is true, of course action should be taken against it. I wonder where the security was in the situation.
Computers make it too easy to gauge where everyone's attention is at. The headlines blare Jerry Sandusky and Bullied School Bus Monitor because those are the stories that get the hits and sell advertising space. Stories about literacy in the Afghan Army or what kind of toxins our children and grandhildren will be drinking in 20-50 years quickly get pushed down the page and disappear. Stories that matter, like homelessness, pollution, literacy, or war are too complex or too painful.
Do we have to know everything ? I'm getting tired of news about these things.
Why aren't we talking about the endless war, the homeless situation, etc. ??
Why aren't we talking about the endless war, the homeless situation, etc. ??
Good question. We can hold a host responsible for a guest's subsequent behaviour if he is served too much alcohol and goes out and has a car wreck. Regardless of one's opinion of Mr. Reagan, the White House is the People's House and what goes on there is the People's business. Sounds like the Secret Service needs to either go into the phone/camera confiscating business or start assigning 'minders'.
Makes the 'People's House' feel a little bit Stalinist though.
Makes the 'People's House' feel a little bit Stalinist though.
Talk about dissin' a President!!
Equal rights = equal responsibility for behavior. We're all entitled to equal rights and we are all responsible for our own behavior........ how simple is that?
If the White House does not respond, does that mean they condone this type of behavior?
Equal rights = equal responsibility for behavior. We're all entitled to equal rights and we are all responsible for our own behavior........ how simple is that?
If the White House does not respond, does that mean they condone this type of behavior?
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