Montana tea party leader apologizes for post hinting at violence toward gaysAnd then he had the nerve to say that he didn’t realize that they were talking about Matthew Shepard…
By John S. Adams
Tribune Capitol Bureau
September 4, 2010
Ravndal, a prominent figure in the state's tea party movement since its early days [President of the Big Sky Tea Party Association], made the comment July 23, in regards to an article in the Billings Gazette about an American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit over rights for same-sex couples.
The Facebook comment has since been removed, but the Tribune obtained a photo documenting the following exchange:
Tim Ravndal: "Marriage is between a man and a woman period! By giving rights to those otherwise would be a violation of the constitution and my own rights"
Keith Baker: "How dare you exercise your First Amendment Rights?"
Dennis Scranton: "I think fruits are decorative. Hang up where they can be seen and appreciated. Call Wyoming for display instructions."
Tim Ravndal: "@Kieth, OOPS I forgot this aint(sic) America no more! @ Dennis, Where can I get that Wyoming printed instruction manual?"
Dennis Scranton: "Should be able to get info Gazette archives. Maybe even an illustration. Go back a bit over ten years."
The exchange between Ravndal and Facebook user Dennis Scranton appears to reference the 1998 slaying of 21-year-old University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard, who was beaten and tied to a fencepost, where he was left to die. During the trial, witnesses testified that Shepard was targeted because he was gay.
When reached for comment Friday, Ravndal apologized for the post, saying he "never made the connection" to Shepard's murder until after national bloggers picked up on it and his phone started ringing earlier this week.What did he think they were talking about?
"I wasn't even thinking about the tragedy that happened in Wyoming," Ravndal said. "I made a mistake and I apologize to anyone I offended. I do not condone violence to any human being."
Ravndal wasn’t the only one caught made anti-gay comments,
Jason Priest, a Republican Senate candidate from Red Lodge, issued an apology Wednesday after posting a vulgar antigay comment on someone else's Facebook page as part of a critique of President Barack Obama's economic policies.
It is time to stop the hate and bigotry!
Update: Sept. 10
The Montana Tea Party fired Tim Ravndal
Indeed...Ravndal didn't know he was talking about Matthew Shepard. Riight.
ReplyDeleteWhat I'll never understand is what gay rights or marriage had to do with the current economic downturn--or anything else that has "gone wrong" with this country.