George E. Langdon IV, a county legislator in Albany, New York, is facing backlash after claiming that if we just put all gay people on an island together, they’d die out within decades.
He was speaking at a seminar called “Return to Liberty under the Constitution” at the faith-based Camp Pinnacle, and pretty much everyone involved in this charade should be condemned for one reason or another.
Like Camp Pinnacle’s director Stephen Flach, who welcomed the mostly maskless 180-person audience by joking, “I understand that most of you have a medical exemption. Thank you for exercising your rights.” (Haha. It’s hilarious because Christian negligence has helped lead to over 550,000 COVID deaths.)
Or like event organizer William Tryon, who was literally arrested by the FBI this week for his role in the Capitol coup on January 6.
But Langdon is the one getting all the attention, and for good reason. Here’s his commentary on the “gender issue” beginning at the 1:05:38 mark:
… Everything God does is sustainable. It’s sustainable! It goes on and on and on. It’s perpetual. Sorry, when you have homosexual relationships, it’s not perpetual. Give them an island, they’ll be gone after 40 years. Okay? Because they can’t… God created us to be this way! There’s so much common sense that needs to be applied to our policies, our procedures, the things that we do in our government…
Not that we need to address the bigotry, but it’s telling that Langdon demonizes gay people because two men or two women couldn’t have kids on their own while saying absolutely nothing about straight couples who, for whatever reason, can’t physically have kids either.
It’s also strange how, years after marriage equality was legalized nationally, Langdon would still use this bizarre argument that an inability to have children is justification to oppose LGBTQ rights.
Anyway, since telling the crowd about his fantasies of killing off gay people within decades, Langdon has faced calls to resign. He’s also issued an “apology”:
“I sincerely apologize to the LGBTQ community and all others for the hurtful remarks recently made at a conference,” he said in a statement after the comments were shared on social media. “I have never been homophobic nor do I think any individuals should be placed on an island. I deeply regret my foolish off-the-cuff comment that has caused so much pain.”
“I commit to doing a better job of respecting diversity. I hope my years of past public service demonstrate genuine concern for all individuals. I will be taking time to reflect on how to best serve moving forward.”
“I have never been homophobic,” says the conservative Christian who thinks the existence of gay people is an affront to God’s creation. Even if his remark was “off-the-cuff,” it wasn’t a gaffe. This is clearly something he’s thought about before. He looks down upon LGBTQ people, because his Christian faith teaches him there’s something wrong with them.
Even Camp Pinnacle is trying to distance itself from the group that rented its space:
As of this writing, Langdon hasn’t resigned, though he may be censured at the County Legislature’s next meeting on April 12. There is also a rally tonight calling for him to step down.
But unless he’s ready to admit his religion is flat-out wrong about LGBTQ people, he has no business as a local government leader making decisions that will affect other’s lives. While his Republican colleagues in Albany say they can’t force him out, as much as they’d like to wash their hands of him, they can do a hell of a lot more to make it clear faith-based bigotry has no place in their party. But they won’t. Because when you’re Republican, faith-based bigotry is what your party is built upon.
(Thanks to Brian for the link)
It’s Moving Day for the Friendly ..."
It’s Moving Day for the Friendly ..."
It’s Moving Day for the Friendly ..."
It’s Moving Day for the Friendly ..."