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Way back at the beginning of July--we're talking ancient history, in summer-time--Willie Wilson preached a sermon. In it, he condemned the black lesbian community, made some completely inappropriate and highly homophobic comments, and generally paraded his ignorance and pig-headedness for all to see. Among his comments was the following: "My son in high school last year, trying to go to the prom, he said, "Dad, I ain’t got nobody to take to the prom because all the girls in my class are gay. And ain’t but two of them straight and both of them ugly.'"
This stirred up considerable outrage among members of the DC (and US) gay community, since it's clearly wrong on many counts. I'm not even going to get into that. What I am going to comment on is the call I received from a City Paper reporter about two weeks later.
Jeff Horwitz called while I was at work on the 28th, so I didn't get a chance to speak with him until that evening when I collected my messages. When I did call him, our conversation went something like this:
Jeff: Hi, I was just calling because I wanted you to talk to you about the social dynamics at School Without Walls. You just graduated from there, right?
Me: Yes.
Jeff, after an uncomfortable silence: Have you heard about Willie Wilson's sermon?
Me: Yes. Why?
Jeff: Well, I hear his son goes to Walls.
Me: What's your real question?
Jeff: I just heard that his son goes to Walls--do you know anyone named Wilson?
Me, waspishly: Do you have a first name?
Jeff: Well, no, but I wanted to see if maybe you did.
Me, as a person who has never respected the bullshit "reporting" that comes out of the City Paper: I'm uncomfortable talking about that with you.
Jeff: Well, what do you think about Wilson's comments that his son couldn't find a date to Prom because all of the girls in his class are either lesbians or ugly?
Me: That's an unfair generalization to make of any group of people. I have no further comment.
Jeff: Do you have any idea who else I could call?
Me: No.
Jeff: Not even just a friend--a person who might know whether this Wilson goes to Walls?
Me: No. If you want to find someone, you do the research.
Jeff: Well, thank you for your time.
Me: *hangs up phone*
I spent the time immediately following that phonecall trying to contact everyone whose name has been released in conjunction with Walls and beg them not to comment, but evidently, I was unsuccessful, as the cut article illustrates.
( City Paper Article )
I'm disappointed in my classmates, but highly disappointed in the reporter for his apparent inability to respect the privacy or dignity of those involved. I can't believe my principal commented. I can't believe one of my best friends commented.
People will do pretty much anything for a stupid quote in a newspaper no one takes seriously.
I can't talk to anyone right now--I'm afraid I'll say something I'll regret later. But I'm just so angry. I want to give Hamani a hug; I want to kill some other people. It's a strange balance, and sooner or later, it's going to tip.
This stirred up considerable outrage among members of the DC (and US) gay community, since it's clearly wrong on many counts. I'm not even going to get into that. What I am going to comment on is the call I received from a City Paper reporter about two weeks later.
Jeff Horwitz called while I was at work on the 28th, so I didn't get a chance to speak with him until that evening when I collected my messages. When I did call him, our conversation went something like this:
Jeff: Hi, I was just calling because I wanted you to talk to you about the social dynamics at School Without Walls. You just graduated from there, right?
Me: Yes.
Jeff, after an uncomfortable silence: Have you heard about Willie Wilson's sermon?
Me: Yes. Why?
Jeff: Well, I hear his son goes to Walls.
Me: What's your real question?
Jeff: I just heard that his son goes to Walls--do you know anyone named Wilson?
Me, waspishly: Do you have a first name?
Jeff: Well, no, but I wanted to see if maybe you did.
Me, as a person who has never respected the bullshit "reporting" that comes out of the City Paper: I'm uncomfortable talking about that with you.
Jeff: Well, what do you think about Wilson's comments that his son couldn't find a date to Prom because all of the girls in his class are either lesbians or ugly?
Me: That's an unfair generalization to make of any group of people. I have no further comment.
Jeff: Do you have any idea who else I could call?
Me: No.
Jeff: Not even just a friend--a person who might know whether this Wilson goes to Walls?
Me: No. If you want to find someone, you do the research.
Jeff: Well, thank you for your time.
Me: *hangs up phone*
I spent the time immediately following that phonecall trying to contact everyone whose name has been released in conjunction with Walls and beg them not to comment, but evidently, I was unsuccessful, as the cut article illustrates.
( City Paper Article )
I'm disappointed in my classmates, but highly disappointed in the reporter for his apparent inability to respect the privacy or dignity of those involved. I can't believe my principal commented. I can't believe one of my best friends commented.
People will do pretty much anything for a stupid quote in a newspaper no one takes seriously.
I can't talk to anyone right now--I'm afraid I'll say something I'll regret later. But I'm just so angry. I want to give Hamani a hug; I want to kill some other people. It's a strange balance, and sooner or later, it's going to tip.
