Tuning defensive statements to The Price is Right
Yesterday I came across this news of a Church of England priest, whose name is rev. Peter Mullen, calling on his blog for gays to be forcibly tattooed with a sodomy warning.
Let us make it obligatory for homosexuals to have their backsides tattooed with the slogan ‘Sodomy can seriously damage your health,’ their chins with ‘Fellatio kills.’
Mullen also calls for gay pride parades to be outlawed and has criticized a bishop in very unkind terms for blessing the civil partnership of two fellow clerics (whom he scars by the same token).
The Bishop of London is in a high huff, Because Dr Dudley has married a puff; And not just one puff - he’s married another: Two priests, two puffs and either to other.
Now, I doubt Mullen is posing a political threat in the currect UK context. However, his demeaning and dehumanizing words do contribute to maintain a social climate where lots of people still feel legitimated in bashing lgbt people. Bad. Not a joke.
So what do you think were Rev. Mullen's reactions to being called out on his bad behavior?
Acknowledgment of his wrongs?
True, deeply felt apologies?
Hey, I'd be dreaming.
No, this is the answer he had to offer, and notice how he spurts all the usual, overused classic defensive dumbcrap (in the same sequence, but I dissected it):
*Tune in to the Price is right jingle*
«So tonight we have with us the Rev. Peter Mullen! The rev. Peter Mullen has been called out on things he said about gays, and we would loooove to hear his response. Hi, rev. Mullen, so what say you?»
Rev Mullen: I wrote some satirical things on my blog and anybody with an ounce of sense of humor or any understanding of the tradition of English satire would immediately assume that they’re light-hearted jokes
Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding! «Oooooooone point for the "it's just a joke" defense! And that is soooo well put. I am sure the british gay audience appreciate the nuance, and that non british viewers will feel bad for calling you out!» :D
Rev Mullen: I certainly have nothing against homosexuals.
Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding! «Aaaaaanother point for the "I am not prejudiced" defense! This defensive statement makes the simple act of uttering it a proof of open-mindedness in and of itself» :D
Rev Mullen: Many of my dear friends have been and are of that persuasion.
Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding! «Mymy, ooooone more point for the "I have (dear!) friends" defense!!» :D
...«And ladies and gentlemen, could we just give him a bonus point for selecting the rather astute word "persuasion"? Yes! Bonus point it is!!... and let's just leave ourselves to ponder what he implies and what message he wants to convey when he mentions some of his friends "have been" of that persuasion. Surely he never has had a friend who have been of the heterosexual persuasion» :D
Rev Mullen: What I have got against them is the militant preaching of homosexuality.
Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding! «Woooow, rev. Mullen gets yet anooooother point for his "good gays/bad gays" defense, which, ladies and gentlemen, skillfully portrays gays who want to be accepted as full equals in our society as bad and disrupting "militantly preachers", and good gays as being "in their place" and accepting of their inferiorized status! So in one fell swoop, rev. Mullen both presents himself as open-minded and calls for the upholding of the submission of lgbt people. Impressive, impressive.» :D
... «What a performance! So rev. Mullen, how many points does that make you? FIVE points! Wow, ladies and gentlemen, I can now tell you that
Weeeeeeee've got a wiiiiiinner in stubborned bigotry!»
Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding!
*crowd cheers* *applause*
«Mr. Muller has pulled out quite an assortment of defensive statements. Great work! I guess if he had stayed longer he could have continued to amaze us with more variety and wit!»
«Well, that was all for tonight ladies and gentlemen! But I hope you will be there next time when we will host our new contestant, who is going to share his racist defensive statements with us.»
*Fading Price is right jingle*
P.S. Gee, I wish I had a Price is right icon for this :D
Let us make it obligatory for homosexuals to have their backsides tattooed with the slogan ‘Sodomy can seriously damage your health,’ their chins with ‘Fellatio kills.’
Mullen also calls for gay pride parades to be outlawed and has criticized a bishop in very unkind terms for blessing the civil partnership of two fellow clerics (whom he scars by the same token).
The Bishop of London is in a high huff, Because Dr Dudley has married a puff; And not just one puff - he’s married another: Two priests, two puffs and either to other.
Now, I doubt Mullen is posing a political threat in the currect UK context. However, his demeaning and dehumanizing words do contribute to maintain a social climate where lots of people still feel legitimated in bashing lgbt people. Bad. Not a joke.
So what do you think were Rev. Mullen's reactions to being called out on his bad behavior?
Acknowledgment of his wrongs?
True, deeply felt apologies?
Hey, I'd be dreaming.
No, this is the answer he had to offer, and notice how he spurts all the usual, overused classic defensive dumbcrap (in the same sequence, but I dissected it):
*Tune in to the Price is right jingle*
«So tonight we have with us the Rev. Peter Mullen! The rev. Peter Mullen has been called out on things he said about gays, and we would loooove to hear his response. Hi, rev. Mullen, so what say you?»
Rev Mullen: I wrote some satirical things on my blog and anybody with an ounce of sense of humor or any understanding of the tradition of English satire would immediately assume that they’re light-hearted jokes
Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding! «Oooooooone point for the "it's just a joke" defense! And that is soooo well put. I am sure the british gay audience appreciate the nuance, and that non british viewers will feel bad for calling you out!» :D
Rev Mullen: I certainly have nothing against homosexuals.
Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding! «Aaaaaanother point for the "I am not prejudiced" defense! This defensive statement makes the simple act of uttering it a proof of open-mindedness in and of itself» :D
Rev Mullen: Many of my dear friends have been and are of that persuasion.
Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding! «Mymy, ooooone more point for the "I have (dear!) friends" defense!!» :D
...«And ladies and gentlemen, could we just give him a bonus point for selecting the rather astute word "persuasion"? Yes! Bonus point it is!!... and let's just leave ourselves to ponder what he implies and what message he wants to convey when he mentions some of his friends "have been" of that persuasion. Surely he never has had a friend who have been of the heterosexual persuasion» :D
Rev Mullen: What I have got against them is the militant preaching of homosexuality.
Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding! «Woooow, rev. Mullen gets yet anooooother point for his "good gays/bad gays" defense, which, ladies and gentlemen, skillfully portrays gays who want to be accepted as full equals in our society as bad and disrupting "militantly preachers", and good gays as being "in their place" and accepting of their inferiorized status! So in one fell swoop, rev. Mullen both presents himself as open-minded and calls for the upholding of the submission of lgbt people. Impressive, impressive.» :D
... «What a performance! So rev. Mullen, how many points does that make you? FIVE points! Wow, ladies and gentlemen, I can now tell you that
Weeeeeeee've got a wiiiiiinner in stubborned bigotry!»
Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding!
*crowd cheers* *applause*
«Mr. Muller has pulled out quite an assortment of defensive statements. Great work! I guess if he had stayed longer he could have continued to amaze us with more variety and wit!»
«Well, that was all for tonight ladies and gentlemen! But I hope you will be there next time when we will host our new contestant, who is going to share his racist defensive statements with us.»
*Fading Price is right jingle*
P.S. Gee, I wish I had a Price is right icon for this :D