Poor Harley Riders!

[speediva]

http://www.movieline.com/2009/11/eri...-gay-rally.php

There are 2 embedded videos in the link.

Text: Following Wednesday’s episode of South Park in which Cartman and the crew try to re-brand the word “faggot” as a way to describe “annoying and inconsiderate” riders of Harley-Davidsons, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) released a statement saying that Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s intentions were noble, but their methods awry. “The creators of South Park are right on one important point: more and more people are using the F-word as an all-purpose insult. However, it is irresponsible and wrong to suggest that it is a benign insult or that promoting its use has no consequences for those who are the targets of anti-gay bullying and violence.” Clip of Kyle and Stan’s attempt at a sociological shift after the jump.

Guess I should go hide from the soon-to-be-flying beer bottles headed my way!

[MagicRat]

That's quite funny. I do like Butter's tribute to the Harley riders.

I have always maintained the great majority of the non-riding public finds loud bikes very annoying, and that the existence of such loud bikes damages the motorcycle's public image. So, SP has proved that, imo.

Oddly enough, I have come across quite a few non-riders who believe that flamboyant, leather-clad riders are gay. It's a stereotype, but not very relevant. Imo, who cares what a rider's personal preferences are? I don't.

To that end, I don't buy the statement that "more and more people are using the term 'fag' as an all-purpose insult". That's nonsense. It's always been out there as an insult, but it's declining in use, if anything.

Imo anyone who has objections to gay people or uses gay insults have unresolved personal issues. I tend to believe that such people fear they themselves are gay, and are uncomfortable by this, so they overcompensate with hatred.

[Torch]

I was a teenager during the mid to late 1980s, the term "fag" was used as a general insult mainly from one guy to another but in reality meant really nothing and was just light hearted fun making fun of each other, but back then being "gay" was still very much in the closet, if you were gay you didn't say anything about it and kept your mouth shut or risked getting dragged behind some building and beaten to a pulp which leads to...

MagicRat I agree with your last statement totally, to put it another way people don't like what they see in others because they don't like the very same things that they see within themselves and lash out at others as a result. But I too have noticed the use of this word declining in recent years most likely because being gay is no longer something to be feared nor will it have negative repercussions if you are "discovered".

Hmmm... "leather-clad riders are gay" I guess that makes me gay, [sigh], I wear leather mainly because of the type of motorcycle I ride, I have a 1984 Honda Shadow 700, it would just look down right silly for me to be riding this motorcycle all done up in "Joe Rocket" gear, so instead I ride in leather from my neck to my toes which completely matches up with this style of motorcycle and looks normal, and so far it has kept (most) of my skin where it is supposed to be. I don't care what the public thinks either, I like to ride and I wear what I need to to be able to continue riding as long as possible.

[richtazz]

I agree Torch. The one Geico "caveman" commercial where the two guys are dressed in racing leathers, then walk back disgusted to their cruiser style bikes irritates me. No one in their right mind would ride a cruiser bike in a full body red leather racing outfit. I wear a leather jacket, Levi's, leather gloves and boots (although sometimes I cheat and wear tennis shoes, but they are leather also).