WASHINGTON – More than 15,000 people are calling on Mitt Romney to fire his National Finance Chair, Frank VanderSloot, for his extensive activities aimed at demonizing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans. The petition, launched by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) last week, calls on people to demand Romney fire VanderSloot and return the money he’s donated to his campaign.
“Mitt Romney can no longer get away with saying he opposes discrimination against LGBT Americans while simultaneously working with someone as viciously anti-LGBT as Frank VanderSloot,” said HRC Vice President of Communications Fred Sainz. “This speaks volumes about how Mitt Romney truly feels about LGBT people. He must immediately fire VanderSloot and return the money he’s donated to the campaign.”
HRC’s online action calling for Romney to fire VanderSloot can be accessed at HRC’s Web site, hrc.org.
Please consider the hypocrisy of this article. I live in Idaho and whether I agree with VanderSloot’s politics, he has hardly engaged in “extensive activities aimed at demonizing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans.” In fact, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Is he anti-LGBT? No. Is he pro-traditional family? Yes. But he is open, and tolerant to other viewpoints. Regarding his political activities, he did oppose using tax dollars to present “It’s Elementary” to young children, on the basis that issues of sexuality should be taught in the home and not be forced on children before they are old enough to understand. He did not “out” a gay reporter. The reporter was openly gay and it was two local talk show hosts (not VanderSloot) that discussed his orientation on air. If anyone is demonizing someone, it is the mass of media mindlessly regurgitating ill-informed and incorrect attacks on a successful entrepreneur, who — like it or not — is supporting Mitt Romney. Let’s stand for tolerance and understanding – debating issues, and not demonizing individuals.
The underlying principle of mutual tolerance in your comment is of utmost importance to me and to LGBT Weekly. Can you point me to some evidence that will help support your contention that Mr. VanderSloot is not anti-LGBT? In the meantime, I will reach out to him for an interview. If you have any means of facilitating such an interview, please email me at editor@lgbtweekly.jeffjungblut.com. Thank you for participating in the dialogue about same-sex marriage and LGBT equality.
It aways amazes me that the people who make the most noise about the 1st Amendment right to Free Speech, only believe is fits if someone agrees with their point of view. The right to Free Speech SHOULD be available to everyone, not just the noisy minority.