Okay, remember how I pointed out Kerry’s despicable attempt to make political hay by turning Mary Cheney against her will into a political weapon to be used against her father?
That was me criticizing someone on the Left for a vile attempt to exploit the issue of homosexuality.
Now let me criticize someone on the Right for a vile attempt to use homosexuality to make political hay.
There is a draft of a new ad out by a group called the Club for Growth. I don’t know anything about this group except that they produce Right-leaning political ads (of which I have previously seen one or two on TV).
Now they have an ad up (at the very top of this web page) that tries to poke fun at Kerry’s flip-flopping in a semi-humorous way. It involves showing people unable to commit to a decision in extreme and absurd situations.
One of these people, who is featured prominently in the ad, is a groom who is at the altar and suddenly finds himself unable to commit to his bride. He then begins romping about the church kissing every woman in sight. At the end of the ad (this is the “stinger” the ad ends on), he turns his gaze lustfully on . . . the priest, who then looks very alarmed and exits hastily while the bride sobs.
THIS TURNED MY STOMACH.
Since this is a “draft” of an ad that is not yet finalized, and the Club for Growth solicits feedback from those who visit its site, I immediately used the feedback form to send them this message:
I found the part where the groom looks lustfully at the worried priest to be HIGHLY OFFENSIVE. It will alienate Catholics who are already very sensitive about priestly sexual conduct.
This HAS TO COME OUT OF THE AD. Find a different stinger to end on. If not, expect tons of Catholic bloggers, including myself, to venomously denounce the ad in the strongest possible terms.
If you’re trying to persuade Catholics, do so in a way that doesn’t turn their stomachs. Kerry recently got himself into trouble with a vile attempt to exploit the homosexual issue. Don’t make the same mistake.
Watch the ad, and if you feel similarly, by all means let them know.
I thought it was pretty funny. I don’t think people will be offended and I don’t think it reminds of the scandal either. I laughed.
I would be offended if the priest looked back lustily. I didn’t find it offensive.
I didn’t find it offensive in the least. Had the priest returned his gaze, it would have traded on sleazy Maria Monk-type stereotypes. But the priest panicked and fled! As anyone would! And there’s no trading on any “homosexual issue” to my eye. The groom is indiscrimately lust-crazed (and, of course, indecisive, which is the joke). I’d say stand down the army on this one.
Pax tecum.