The Daily Homophobe, Mike Protack Edition
As many of you know, I’m a former Eagle Scout. Last year, when the Boy Scouts doubled down on their bigoted policies towards gay scouts and scoutmasters, I mailed my Eagle Scout badge back to Boy Scout headquarters in Texas. Recently, I wrote a column for Newsworks.org contrasting the open, tolerant policies of the Girl Scouts with the vile, bigoted organization the right-wing leadership want to turn the Boy Scouts into.
Here’s a cartoon I drew on the subject:
So what does all this have to do with perennial also-ran Mike Protack?
Well, in the follow up to my original piece, I wrote a story about the irony of the Boy Scouts “morally straight” oath they cling to in order to defend their anti-gay policies. Apparently, the Boy Scouts will let you work for their organization if you have been convicted of a crime, but not if you happen to be gay.
Protack didn’t take to kindly to that assessment, and over the last couple of days has taken to my Facebook page to denounce my left-wing “agenda” towards the Boy Scouts. As many of you know, my Facebook page can be a wretched hive of scum and villainy at times, thanks to the many conservative followers I amassed bashing former New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine. But Protack’s comments stood out – either due to their blatant homophobia or their lack of proper punctuation.
Apparently, the takeaway is God hates gays, but tolerates improper English.
Protack also blamed last week’s shooting in Wilmington on someone called Mayor Rick Williams:
Tags: Boy Scouts, LGBT, Mike Protack
I keep saying that biogtry is not a leadership skill — and here is Mike Protack to prove it. Amirite or what?
The BSA must know how untenable their position is, and yet they are stuck with “friends” like Mike Protack.
It is going to be these boosters who bring the whole thing crashing down eventually.
Once again, one draws the connection between orientation and sexual activity based on, well, nothing. Same thing we heard about homosexuals in the military, that all they would want to do is get into bed with their fellow soldiers.
There obviously have been similar problems in Little League and other youth sports organizations where homosexuals serve our nation’s youngsters. Otherwise, how would a tool like Mike Protack be able to draw such an inference.
I feel sorry for Ken Grant and 100 others.
While I agree with you on the Boy Scouts I think the crack about “improper English” is a little petty. You should proofread your own stuff before throwing stones.
I assume “wretched hive of sum and villainy at times” was meant to be SCUM and villainy. Also as far as “proper” English is concerned, “the vile, bigoted organization the right-wing leadership want to turn the Boy Scouts into.” is a terrible example. Someone who writes for a living shouldn’t be ending his sentences with a preposition.
Your argument stands on its own without stooping to sneering at someone’s typos or grammar.
“Someone who writes for a living shouldn’t be ending his sentences with a preposition.”
That “rule” went out with the hoop skirt.
Morally straight. One would think in the early 1900s that meant truthful in dealings. A person of character who did not engage in vices of corruption such as gambling, pool halls, extra liquor, prostitutes. And as such, gay meant festive.
Roll out late 1900s and early 21st century. “Straight” gets hijacked to morality clause. Literally, by people like ProJackass.
Newsflash. Scouts prefer sexual preference not be considered an open topic, not as opposition, but engaging in sex amongst pre-mid adolescent males is hardly encouraged as a wholesome scouting activity, no matter which side you bat. So back to the original “morally straight”. Real Scouts want you honest. Your honest sexual orientation/ preference is fine. Not as a scouting activity. Like drinking, gambling etc.. Being morally straight helps to keep the program gay. For everyone. And sorry ProJackass, your DelMarVa Scout leadership has already weighed in with national headquarters, sexual preference identity is non-issue for criteria in membership in this area, and they intend to keep it that way. Gay, I know. But, morally straight.
Ending a sentence with a preposition is something up with which I will not put.
No, it didn’t go out with the hoop skirt. You still see many journalists using proper grammar and common usage doesn’t make something right. Next to go along with the hoop skirt will be the thought that you don’t need to end a sentence with an unneeded preposition as in the ever popular “Where is she at?”. Why bother with who and whom? I see characters on TV all the time that are supposed to be intelligent and educated say “with who?”. Common use doesn’t make someone right it just indicates common ignorance.
Try “Ending a sentence with a preposition is something I won’t tolerate.” It doesn’t require grammatical gymnastics and it’s more better, as is sometimes commonly said down here 😉
And finally, you miss my point. I’m not concerned with Rob’s grammar or typos, although better to proofread before throwing stones. My spelling is awful and I can’t promise you won’t find some mistake in what I’ve just written. I’m just saying that his point was valid without the snide remark and to point out that a knuckle dragger has less than stellar grammatical and typing skills wouldn’t be revelatory in any case.
Your point about Rob’s typos is valid. Your point about language is not. Language changes over time, and ending a sentence with a preposition went out with the hoop skirt.
“Common use doesn’t make someone right it just indicates common ignorance.”
No, it indicates the next change that will come to the language. Just as the world will never lack for language scolds, it will never listen to them, either.
I still like to read a newspaper wherever I go. But, I knew the page had turned in journalistic language skills, precision, and quality in reporting when I read several years ago, (sic) the burglars trashed the house, and proceeded…”. “Trashed”? Is that my 14 year old writing? I realize some words retire, but I never thought ransack or some other “real” word could be so easily replaced by youthful vernacular and miss the editor’s eye before going to print. When I was a kid, the newspaper really was a vocabulary builder. I’ll never forget reading about a murder and asking at the ripe age of nine “Mom, what does “nude” mean?” I guess that murder victim is buck naked now. Or all skin.
JC – you are a hoot.
You seem to have understood the meaning of the verb “trash” just fine. And no wonder — it’s actually proper usage of the verb, and it’s a word you probably use every day. Whereas nobody ever speaks the word “ransack” aloud any more.
Geezer
u r probably right about the not listened to. modern usage is where it’s at. kids aren’t even going to learn cursive in the future lol.
they will all rite like this only wurs. soon theyll only be able to tipe with there thumbs roflmao. both the usage % they will then be common.
My wife works at a private school and what IS common is the holder of the top GPA’s are always Korean. Our educational system ranks very low compared with the rest of the western nations. Spouting catch phrases like “Local Control” and vouchers won’t fix the problem. All language evolves but thinking that anything that’s in common usage should be accepted as just part of that evolution isn’t
useful. I’d wager that you don’t say “Where are they at.” It’s common but I can tell from the way you write that you’re educated enough to know better. At least I hope so. Same with who and whom.
It’s common not to know but I don’t think it’s a healthy thing.
I’m sure you’re right in what you say. I’m part of a fading minority. Modern language may evolve till everyone sounds like an ignorant hick. Just because I can’t stop it doesn’t mean I have to agree with it. Have a good week all.
Even if Protak’s grammar was correct, he is still wrong.
Protak writes “There is no discrimination.” Yes. Yes there is. Read a dictionary, Mike.
His postings on DP were equally incoherent, both logically and grammatically.
I don’t know where he finds the time to write nonsense in so many places.
And Rob, thank you for being an ally.
Geezer you are right–I did realize it as correct verb form, but more along the lines of “partied”. Correct verb form, but fraternity type ideation.
Like I said before, I definitely viewed print news prior as vocabulary building and more sophisticated in their written message. Now that I know I can look forward to “punks trashing a house before they jacked the car and partied”, I won’t have to rush thru my comic book so fast to see what’s up.
Down with Mayor Rick Williams! Impeachment!
Rick Williams is an anchor on Action News. I am tempted to ascribe a racist phrase to the Protack comment.
must
resist
“my Facebook page can be a wretched hive of scum and villainy at times,” Wow, I just sent you a friend request Rob — sounds like your FB newsfeed is interesting.
How many sane adults will allow their kids to join a troop led by a Gay Scoutmaster? Very few. You whack jobs don’t get it, more people wil leave BSA because of the Gay garbage than those who will join because of allowing Gays. Against BSA? Don’t join.
All the men I know who were molested in Scouts, and I know several, were molested by married daddies.
Those “sane adults” can also then decline to be protected by the gay soldiers and gay cops and gay firefighters out there, then, if they really want to stick to their principles.
“Against BSA? Don’t join.”
That’s akin to saying, “Against Racism? Don’t join the KKK.” The same “freedom” that protects their right to be bigots also guarantees me and anyone else the right to criticize them for it.
heragain for the win. The BSA essentially has a molestation friendly policy right now because it is grounded in fantasy rather than reality.
The good news is that more people are choosing to live in the real world everyday.
Hard to believe what a POS Tormoe is, I think he will be the merit badge counselor for Fisting Merit Badge? It appears as a giant ahole he has the experience, hehehe.
All the homosexual fire fighters, police and soldiers can stay home, easy choice.
Always nice to see the bigots without their sheets on. Thanks, Demented Dems.
With his pornstache, I can understand why Mike Protack is so anti-gay. He probably gets hit on all the time.
Hmmm… Seems like you know a lot about this fisting stuff.
I’m just surprised that that comment didn’t end with “Have a great day”
I teach college writing for a living. Geezer is correct. It’s perfectly okay now to end a sentence in a preposition. It’s consider better than those grammatical contortions that were recommended to avoid them.
As for Protack, he also trolled my Facebook page. But he kept getting his ass whipped in the debates. (But that isn’t exactly a stellar accomplishment.) So he eventually went away defeated, humiliated, and sulking. I should have dumped his sorry ass long before his retreat.