I am just aching for someone to come along and call me a homophobe, or a hater, or whatever else is in the lame-o arsenal….
Fact is, I don't fear nor hate anyone for being gay, lesbian, bi, or heterosexual.

I didn't pay all that much attention. Generally when someone dares others to call him a name, it's indicative that he is embodying that name, and I therefore try to take him up on it.

This incident brings up an important topic, and this is how people in a free society deal with incidents like this. They could express their outrage via word of mouth. Or they could express their outrage on internet blogs as many of you have here. On the other hand, if you truly wanted to have an impact on the type of programming your television stations provide, you all would write letters to your local television station expressing your outrage. And if your really wanted to put your money where your mouth is, you would write to your local television station telling them that your were no longer paying for their programming and then you would promptly cancel your cable subscription.

That last thing, we ought to do, however, is to insist that the government further censor television more than it already does. That's not what people do in a free society. You all have the right to watch television, but unless you own a particular television station or created a particular television show, you have no right to dictate to them (through the government), what they can and cannot show on television. Showing nudity, profanity, and/or violence on television is not an infringement on your rights. Whatever harm you feel such television programming is doing to you and your family can easily be resolved by turning the television off (and sending complaints to the television stations responsible).

I think one of the big problems in America is that virtually everyone has a vast sense of entitlement. People often think they are entitled to dictate what can and cannot be seen on television. Celebrities often think they are entitled to act like boors without suffering any consequences. Right-wing and left-wing moralists often think they are entitled to dictate what lifestyles should and should not be criminalized. And minority groups often think they are entitled to be loved and accepted by everyone they come across and that bigotry can somehow be magically cured by affirmative action and hate-crimes laws.

My advice to everyone is to project your values by serving as an example for others to aspire to. Let's not be so quick to turn to the government to solve such petty problems as what a certain television station chooses to air. If you present yourself and your arguments rationally and tactfully, then others will at least listen to what you have to say.

And those few of you who wish to continue hating gay people or whatever minority group that has earned your ire–that is your right–a right that you can always count on me to defend. But don't expect me to have any respect for such a position.

Then in another comment, “While I do not think it is right for anyone to spit upon others for their sexual preference, or their religion, etc. I also feel it is not right to push one's sexuality, religion, or anything else upon everyone else.”

My question is this, do you consider two men kissing each other on TV during a musical awards show to be pushing their sexuality in others' faces? Is this what you would prefer not to see? Or is it the “groiny” stuff that was part of Lambert's performance which you consider pushing the limits?

I took Paul's statements to be a general observation of the quality of conversation between many people on many websites. Not everyone and not everywhere. But on some websites people indiscriminately throw out such words out of anger or ignorance, rather than use them in a considered way. By writing this my intent isn't to defend Paul, but to point out that some websites are filled with loonies and political (and other) discourse in this country, especially online is not constructive. We've all seen how some people label Obama a commie and other things…. I'm glad TMV has mostly reasoned comments even though we all rant (especially me on certain topics, though I hope I've gotten better) from time to time.

I went back and reread all of Paul's rants on this thread and I didn't see anything in them that would justify someone labeling him a homophobe, racist or hater. That said… there are a couple comments he made that I will point out to him in my next comment.

I am fairly sure you and others are fully aware my use of the word is not used to discriminate against anyone., who is in any way physically disabled. It is a common replacement word for “pathetic” where I come from. But, if it was thought to be used as an insult, I apologize. I am sure there are areas where this replacement term is not commonly used.
But, now that I know it also holds this alternate meaning (possibly) in other areas of the globe… I will think twice before using it in the context I chose.

And, this matter, in itself shows… just how easy it can be to sit back, rethink a situation based on other people's views, apologize for the event, and everyone is happy, and everything moves on. No controversy, no hostilities… no bad feelings.
This, is social correctness in action. And it makes the world a far better place to live in, than one where everyone quickly resorts to name-calling and profiling, and personally attacking others for their views, crying “discrimination” at the drop of a hat…..
In America, we have strayed so far from being a society of decent values, morals, common courtesy, and commonsense it is really disturbing.
Everyone is on edge and angry all the time and walking on eggshells every moment due to so many years of focusing on what's politically correct and labeling anyone who speaks their mind about one person or a group which brings about an event or a trend which is actually socially negative. I only hope it can all be turned around in time.
People used to focus on what is right and what is wrong. The differences are not hard to see and feel. We focused on bringing our children up with these values, but now it is becoming pretty close to impossible because everyday, what used to be the “wrong” is the new “right”
Where does it stop? Does it come to a day in the not so distant future, where we are not able to decipher whether it is wrong or right to beat someone to take something they have?
It's not all that far out there of an analogy to be truthful… there are, afterall, people out there in this world who turly feel it is (or should be) ok to do these things. And if we continue on with this “Who's to say if it's right or wrong… one's wrong is another's right” Eventually, we would have to give up the belief all together and just cross our fingers every time we walk out our doors.

The thing most people are upset about, is NOT the fact that he is a homosexual… it is the fact he felt the AMA on ABC was the appropriate time and place to spring it all.
Had he done this on a show hosted my Mtv I can promise it would not have caused as much of a stir as it has.

If he could only bring himself to realize this very fact… and apologize for the timing and place (but not for the acts themselves) I believe it would boost his image, and his career far more than the path he is choosing at the moment.

Are there people out there who truly hate and detest anyone who is not a heterosexual? Of course there are but, that's their problem. There are “alter-sexuals” who hate and detest heterosexuals too. While I do not think it is right for anyone to spit upon others for their sexual preference, or their religion, etc. I also feel it is not right to push one's sexuality, religion, or anything else upon everyone else.
Now, before anyone can weigh in and say that statement is hypocritical because it would seem I am pushing my views, etc… All I, and many others are “asking” of Lambert, is that he take the time to think about others and, (again) while not needing to apologize for the “what”, apologize for the “where & when”, that's all. It wouldn't be backing down, it would only be re-evaluating his plan of action.

I have also stated a few times that, he is not the “only one” either. There have been many before him, of various lifestyles but, he is just the latest, and he is (as far as I know) the “only one” to pull it on a network such as ABC. I think he would serve his cause, and the entire homosexual community better if he would only take the suggestion.
Bottom line under all of this, and other similar antics prior to it is… the media needs to clean up it's act. Enough of this “who can be the most cutting edge and shocking network” game.

I am still willing to bet, when CBS scooped him up for the Early Show, after ABC canceled his morning appearance, that they definitely gave him a pre-warning” not to pull it with them though.
I'll beat a dead horse (cuz it's fun to do)… He needs to clean up this mess, and his image to the general public, and the only way to do it, is to at least admit he made a mistake in his choice of timing, etc. But, I really don't think he will, because he knew all of these things before it all happened and this is all exactly what he hoped would happen. I am not fooled for one second… the entire event is just another publicity stunt. And too bad too, because he really is a talented and energetic performer, and he never needed all this to boost his career. He could have done it on just what he had all along.

Over all… I hope this whole thing brings about a stricter policy within the networks, to prevent these types of things happening again, because it really is something which needs to change these days before things really go too far.

Wow, it's like you don't even realize that “lame” is ableist language.

“In all these situations over the past few years… I am sooo sick of seeing the words
hater
hatred
homophobe
racist
discrimination
“

Hmmm…if you see those words over and over again in regards to things you say or write, you might want to think about why. If you make an effort to stop embodying these words, you might hear them less.

I think it's always sloppy (and when I make errors too), but since you took the time to notice and apologize, that's all we can do here and your consideration is noted, at least by me. Thanks!

And… “I have never, in all my years, ever seen a 'treatment' for hatred. I've never even heard of one, and I have been around the block a few times. ”

Of course there's no treatment for hatred, just like there's no treatment for being gay (as some commenters believe).

it's always the same, lame defense from the people who love to defend the immoral. I say it's time to drop “political correctness” and get back on with “Social correctness” in our country.
On another forum about this lambert issue… some of these defenders of the immoral were calling myself and others like me “racists”??!!
What thaaaaaaaa? What the heck does racism even have to do with the Lambert event? The problem is… is these are all the “pre-programmed” words these people use and they often get so heated, that they don't even realize their using the wrong ones haha……
And the ones who call others “hater” are the ones that amuse me the most of all because, they always end up showing their hatred for “haters” muahahahahaha
It has all become so pathetic and predictable… I knew well before i even heard Lambert's defense from his own mouth, that he would throw the word “discrimination” in there…
that word has been the “secret weapon” for the immoral for sooo long, it is no longer a secret, in fact it is completely predictable.

You need to get your logic circuits recalibrated.

yes it is. if you choose to ignore natural occurrences of homosexuality in nature, that's your own problem. but it doesn't change that fact that you're wrong, and should be dismissed out of hand, for that comment.

What about holding the 'artist' accountable? Or do we not do that anymore for fear of 'offending' some vocal minority? Free to be himself. Ok with me. Freedom to be repellent in both conduct and attitude, apparently. Why, if he and you value this freedom so highly, are you not both willing to pay the inevitable price? You know what his sort of behavior engenders – and when it comes, you shout and point, 'intolerance', 'homophobe', 'double standard'.

Welcome to the world as it really is, both of you. And for the record, I am not going to shut my TV off and no, I am not going to sit idle while someone engages in that sort of behavior and calls it 'art'.

I have never, in all my years, ever seen a 'treatment' for hatred. I've never even heard of one, and I have been around the block a few times.

And 'negatively impacting' is boardroom speech. No one outside of a bureaucracy uses that kind of language as it is typically reserved for situations where the speaker is trying to deliberately make their speech passive. Why would you want to do that?