Chris Crain has had a vendetta against HRC for years. He also never shown a real understanding of how race and racism are connected to homophobia or why its necessary for LGBT to spoke out against both.

He post also fits in with an attitude that is prevalent among a lot of white gay men in that if it dies not revolve around them, it does not matter and should not be dealt with by LGBT organizations. Bull.

HRC did the right thing standing with the Jena 6 and Joe's speech and HRC's increasing work around issues of diversity deserve wider coverage in the LGBT media.

These white gay men you often talk about are mostly the ones who dare come out, instead of staying closeted in their church-enslaved culture. While I agree that racism and homophobia are of the same vein of hatred, many, if not the majority of your culture, seem to disagree. Instead of focusing on the few white men who dismiss your issues, perhaps you should focus on the very same culture that popularized the term "that's gay," and who so willingly will stab you in the back despite your support at the Jena 6 as soon as the unjust charges are brought in-line. Same should be done with my equally retrograde Hispanic culture, instead of disingenuously complaining how "the white man throws us away."

By the way, one of the hate crimes Chris ranted about being ignored by the HRC in favor of some frivolities on their part was that of *gasp*, surprisingly, Michael Sandy, an African American gay man!

I feel wary about Chris's disdain for "PC," as it often means that quite a bit of insensitive comments will ensue. However, I do agree with him that HRC's time and energy could be better spent. There is minuscule to nonexistent coverage of violence against LGBT or bullying in schools on TV; and where there are anti-gay elements in crimes (e.g. the Nazi gang that went to Israel to beat up select targets), they are for the most part straight-washed (they did not bother to mention some of those beaten up were gay, only that they were Jewish). This is what HRC needs to be fighting. As long as our intense victimization keeps getting shoved under the rug,nobody will care enough to support us.

Focus on the same culture that popularized "That's gay"? I don't really know how you're making that a racial issue - I heard that one from pretty much everyone when I was in school. Unless, of course, it's convenient to retroactively blame a certain race for it now, but I don't even know what you're talking about.

Ummm, and I'm going to guess that you just don't understand "Hispanic culture" (whatever that is) if you're just going to make fun of it as some sort of monolith. (Wait, if it's so retrograde, then why is Argentina debating gay marriage at the national level in their parliament? Why was Colombia one of the first countries in the hemisphere with a sympathetic trans character on TV? Trust me, I'd take my chances with those "retrograde" Hispanics than with the likes of the perpetual victims of the gay right any day.)

Or that these are simply convenient targets to pit "gay" against. I don't really know where you're coming from, Lucrece, except that you have problems with people bringing up race issues. Or not, are you saying that HRC is racist to ignore Michael Sandy?

Whatever. What was I responding to? Oh, right, right, your insistence that "black", "Hispanic", and "gay" are discreet categories with no overlap, the idea that white people can do no wrong, and that people of color are the source of homophobia. Well, um, time to come up with some proof!

But Chris's "shame"s on Joe Solmonese and Donna Payne, HRC's associate director for diversity (seven total), his use of a "morality" that doesn't care much for factual accuracy, and his transparent attempt to get as much attention with this column as he can all point to the latter: that this is part of a long-standing grudge.

I agree, Alex. He submitted it to us as a guest post, but I chose not to run it. I was going to respond to the post on the blog, but now that you have I won't bother; you said basically the same thing I would have. This seems more like a vendetta against HRC than anything else. His post today about Marti's Saturday entry and his comments about the site tell me that he's not really interested in sparking conversation so much as causing strife.

I'm saying that issues pertinent to the LGBT community are far more complicated than a disingenuous comment blaming a single race of gay men for the misfortunes of another. It is irresponsible to make blanket statements about how white gay men are egocentric and whatnot. It's called stereotyping, and I'm sure you, as a gay man, have noticed how damaging an effect it can have.

Sure, how could I possibly understand my own culture. Certainly I should get lectured by someone who has most likely remained sheltered in the dandy and far less oppressive American society. Surely 18 years spent living and being raised in Latin America is not valid as reason to possess cultural insight. Argentina, along with Chile, are the more moderate countries in Latin America, and yet what you conceive as a debate is simply just that:political play. For the most part, the population and culture still remains fervently homophobic. There is no such thing as separation of church and state in these countries. The reason no hate crimes are reported is because no such thing as a hate crime exists in such countries. Colombia's move for civil unions, not marriage, is a valiant stance on Uribe's part, but I assure you that his view is not as candidly shared by the legislature. Novelas have included gay characters for years. Maybe, just maybe, it has to do with a large part of the writers and the entertainment industry being members of the LGBT community. However, I'd love it if you could find me authors dealing with LGBT themes in respected literary circles in Colombia.You also neglect the many other countries who stand in contrast to these three, namely Peru. And trust me, you wouldn't last a day in Venezuela before you came back to the right wingnuts.

HRC is far from racist. I pulled up the example because Crawford should be more careful when calling another person ethnocentric, especially when this person's post that is being criticized actually seems to contradict the claim. Curiously selective is what I'd call the HRC, considering their neglect of these gruesome hate crimes in favor of issues which already have no problem in achieving media coverage. Jena 6 has gotten weeks of public attention; the fallacies of gay panic defense and ongoing victimization of gay individuals without cover from hate crimes legislation has not. A strong case was already established against the racist DA in the Jena 6 event; we need to focus on the issues that remain invisible.

As for the idea that white people can do no wrong, fight my arguments, don't create a straw man. Every race is capable of wrong; saying that the white race is the origin of all evils pestering other races and ethnicities, however, is also wrong, if also lazy. Homophobia is certainly more prevalent in Hispanic and black culture, cultures which are chained to religious doctrines more tightly also because of the higher average poverty and incompetent education that plague these communities. Find me traditionally white music that has spread in global levels, containing ridiculous levels of sexism and homophobia, it simply doesn't come up. Hip hop and reggaeton, on the other hand, have spread over to countries like Italy and Japan, and with them they take such messages. As detestable as the bible-beating, condescending-towards-women country music is, its songs comprise sexist and homophobic language far less often than do hip hop or raggaeton; and, unlike those two, country still is rather alien to this generation's musical and pop culture.

Furthermore, I find it silly that you put words on my mouth about the overlapping of ethnicity, race, and sexuality. It'd be pretty ludicrous to say gay and Hispanic don't mix, otherwise I wouldn't know how the hell I could exist. Also, what I said about the black community, and by this the black heterosexual community, is that they have contributed inordinately to the fashionable use derogative phrases of the homophobic and sexist type in our youth. The masculinity crisis has worsened in those silly white boys who imitate hip hop figures in a caricature-esque manner. Thus, rather than worrying about some self-absorbed white man that comprises a smaller part of the LGBT community, he should be focusing on shaping a community which would as soon throw him into the fire. I'd much rather spend time with these selfish gay, middle-class whites than the far less welcoming black/Hispanic heterosexuals. I'll find Crawford hard-pressed to assert that any of those Jena 6 is not guilty of homophobic bullying. My outrage stems from the incongruent legal treatment, but I bear no sympathy for these individuals who are made to be looked as saints by the media.

P.S. I keep getting the error message whenever I post, so please excuse any double-posts that take place; they are unintentional.

Lucrece, I don't really know what you're saying. I guess you've dropped the "Hispanic culture is monolithically retrograde" track. OK. I know there's overlap as well because of my background. I was just wondering what it was you're saying.

In the end though, it's been my experience that "Latin" does not mean homophobic, but does imply a different relationship to non-normative sexuality than anglo folks have.

Cool.

Different is a rather flattering way to describe such relationship.

No, I haven't dropped my view that where social issues come to hand, especially women's and LGBT issues, the black and Hispanic communities are rather retrograde.

I'm sorry if you can't pick up what I'm trying to convey. Experience outside of America seems to be where the barriers between your perception and mine establish themselves. I wouldn't wish even my worst enemy life as a gay man in Latin America, though. Keep in mind, though, that US media is rather lacking in its representation of Latin American issues.