To say that Richard H. "Dick" Black (R-Loudoun) is obsessed with homosexuality (and sex in general) is a little like saying that Michael Jackson is obsessed with young boys. It's obvious. It's also weird, disturbing, bizarre, and pitiful. As Waldo Jaquith so perfectly explains it:
Dick Black is a conflicted man. On the one hand, he's a self-described "pornography expert." On the other, he's opposed to many forms of birth control, defining "a child" as "a living organism with the DNA of Homo sapiens," by way of explanation of his opposition to birth control. Does he love sex, or loathe it? Probably both.In 2001, as it became clear that the state's criminalization of most types of sex was likely unconstitutional, Dick Black declared that Virginia must keep the law, saying that to repeal the ban against sodomy would encourage homosexuality and "unravel the moral fabric of the Commonwealth of Virginia."
Most recently, Dick Black (and yes, that IS his real name, although "Google" it at your own risk!) went after a 17-year-old, talented Stone Bridge (Loudoun County) High School playwright and actress named Sabrina Audrey Jess for her play, "Offsides," saying it promoted a "homosexual lifestyle." In addition, according to the Washington Post, "Black also claimed that two male students kissed during the performance, though a video revealed that stage lights went dark as their faces came close." As if that wasn't enough, according to Leesburg Today, Black issued a press release urging citizens to tell the Loudoun County School Board that they ?do not want homoerotic sex acts to take place on the stages of our school plays.?
OK, now, take a deep breath (and a cold shower) Mr. Black, your fevered mind is racing away from you. This play did not, by all accounts, depict any sexual activity, and it did not promote any homosexual "lifestyle." According to the Washington Post, there was just an "ambiguous homosexual kiss that was blacked out almost before it began; more unsettling were the physical beating and blistering ostracization the football star then endured from his friends." In other words, there was just enough in the play to explain why the kid in question was getting harrassed and beaten up. I believe this is taught in Drama 101, by the way.
In addition, raging homophobes like Dick Black should know that the play was not about promoting anything -- except one 17-year-old girls' views on anti-gay bigotry at her school, "a compassionate portrayal of the hassles [such as being "teased and beaten up"] of being young and gay." Here's what Sabrina had to say in a statement to the school board: "I try to promote tolerance in a school where there is not enough among teenagers and am in turn flooded with the intolerance of their parents. People who are negatively commenting on my play are proving my point." Sabrina's drama teacher added, "The activist adults [at the meeting] were far more vituperative and nasty and political than [Sabrina], who just said her piece and was done."
In other words, the irony is incredible here. A play about harrassment of a gay student leads a far-right-wing, grandstanding, sex-obsessed, deeply conflicted politician (Dick Black) on a campaign of harassment of the 17-year-old female playwright who wrote the play. Now, I hate to break the news to Dick Black, but -- are you sitting down? -- there are homosexuals in this world of ours. Gasp! I know, it's indeed shocking, but that's why I warned you to take a deep breath (and a cold shower). In fact, those "homosexual lifestyle" people may make up as much as 5%-10% of the population, possibly 15-30 million people in this country alone.
Oh, and by the way, homosexuality is not a "lifestyle choice," as people like you are so fond of saying; the scientific evidence overwhelingly concludes that sexuality -- heterosexual or homosexual -- is caused by a complex interaction of genetic and environmental factors at an early age, or even before birth. Plus, who in their right mind would choose to carry on a lifestyle which causes them to be harrassed by hateful old men like yourself, let alone murdered like Matthew Shepard. You do remember Matthew Shepard, don't you? If not, I'll remind you that he was tortured to death in December 1997 at the age of 21 for the terrible crime of being homosexual in Laramie, Wyoming. It is exactly this type of hate crime that the Sabrina Audrey Jess are fighting against. If you don't understand that, you're ignorant. If you do understand that but oppose fighting against it, you're a fanatic and a hater. It's that simple.
Oh, and Delegate Black, here's a quick question for you: how do you have any time to deal with issues like education, transportation and health care -- you know, the stuff that affects 99% of people in your district -- while crusading against the "homosexual lifestyle" and "baby pesticides" (aka, contraceptives)? Just curious. And here's a question for the residents of Loudoun County: wouldn't you be better of with a sane, moderate Democrat like Dave Poisson, a man whose top priority is improving educational quality, as your representative in the Virginia House of Delegates? Luckily, in just a few more months, you'll be able to make that choice.