Today's Rant - Words That Drive Me Crazy

While reading the blogs this morning I was prompted to write this post regarding a couple of words that drive me crazy. First a little background.

I was reading one of my favorite blogs (JoeMyGod.com) this morning and he did a post on one of his favorite hypocrite targets, Tony Perkins, the (douchebag) head of the "Family Research Council" a group recently declared a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. 

"How many brave men and women are liberals willing to sacrifice so that homosexuals can flaunt their lifestyle? The only reason for changing the present policy is if it would help the military accomplish its mission. So far, no one has produced a single reason how it would. Until then, the Senate has to ask itself: Do they want the blood of innocent soldiers on their hands just to appease the political base of Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.)? If they can live with that, then they're unlike any human beings I've ever met." - Family Research Council head Tony Perkins, in a post agreeing with USMC Commandant James Amos.

This quote, while notable for the sheer bigotry of his stance, also contains the word that set me off this morning. The word is "flaunt". The bigots in this country use the words flaunt and tolerance in their speechifying all of the time and it goes through me like a rocket. 

First flaunt: Merriam-Webster defines the word flaunt as:

1. to display ostentatiously or impudently : parade (flaunting his superiority)

2.  to treat contemptuously (flaunted the rules)

 

Now what does Perkins think is going to happen? Does he think that gay and lesbian service members will wear pink hairnets and sew rainbow flags on their uniforms or wear high heels to the PX? The suggestion is so ludicrous on its face that he should be roundly jeered simply for being an idiot to suggest such a thing. There are codes of conduct in place now that would preclude any unusual behavior in the military. If he is referring to a relationship with a service member of the same sex, there are also already rules governing conduct of relationships in the military. He is simply using the word "flaunt" to incite the "ick factor" in the rest of the uneducated, bigoted, reactionary Christianist hypocrites that march to his drum. This man is a total a$$h@ole. 

The other word that drives me crazy is "tolerance". I do not want to be tolerated. I want the same rights as everyone else in this country. I do not need, require, seek, wish for, pursue, solicit or desire the tolerance of anyone. I demand my rights just the same as Tony Perkins, Pete LaBarbera, Maggie Gallagher or any other Conservative Christianist blowhard that comes our way. Am I told that I have to tolerate their relationships or am I simply expected to accept them.? I think we all know the answer to that one.