Posted on 01/30/2006 4:25:27 PM PST by DBeers
WASHINGTON - Republican Sen. Sam Brownback, a potential presidential candidate, said Monday he meant no offense to homosexuals when he used the word "fruits" in a recent interview with Rolling Stone magazine.
In a lengthy profile titled "God's Senator," the magazine quotes the Kansas Republican as criticizing countries like Sweden that allow civil unions between same-sex couples.
"You'll know them by their fruits," Brownback said, quoting a biblical passage from Matthew 7:19. Rolling Stone writer Jeff Sharlet said in the story, appearing in the magazine's current issue, that Brownback appeared to be calling gay Swedes "fruits," a derogatory term for homosexuals.
After gay and lesbian advocacy groups denounced the comments last week, Brownback issued a statement Monday saying his quote "was in no way referring to sexual orientation."
"While this biblical passage was pertinent to our overall conversation about faith and deeds, it apparently led the writer to believe I was making a joke," said Brownback, a frequent critic of gay marriage who is pushing a constitutional amendment to define marriage as a union between a man and a woman. "I was not and would never do so with such a personal and sensitive issue," Brownback said.
His explanation was greeted with skepticism by the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest gay rights organization.
"It's nice to know that Senator Brownback doesn't resort to name-calling from the 1970s, but unfortunately his anti-gay agenda continues to speak for itself," said spokesman Brad Luna.
No, your honor, I was not calling the fairies "fruits."
*Yoink!*
lolz
Yeah, even the article about being misquoted misquotes the Bible.
It's a good thing he didn't comment on frugality and call them niggardly. Then the proverbial stuff would have really hit the fan. PC garbage.
Moby and Mick.
You could have never heard of the Bible and it still doesn't refer to gay people. Apparently the queer (their word, not mine) lobby hasn't ever heard of the fruits of ones labor. Maybe they should get a job instead of sitting around waiting to be insulted. (Not that they should have to sit for long considering the effort they put into be worthy of insult)
So anyway, how do you make a fruit codial?;)
Forty fags - no big problem...
I don't think Senator Brownback has ever told a joke about anything.
yeah it's not like he called them rump rangers or ass pirates.
I am sure the reference or thought of a fruit joke was not something he even considered...
Man, you beat me to it. I was going to say that he quoted the Bible, a book which they have never read and it through them for a fruit loop.
He is not actually a member of Opus Dei, he was introduced to Catholism through a member and knows several members, but he himself is not one of them.
My referance to him joking, wasn't regarding religion, I mean, literally, I have never heard him make a joke about anything, for any reason.
I do like him (except his immigration views), but he doesn't seem like a guy with a sense of humor.
However, he is great on policy.
Yes, Matt. 7:20 says "by their fruits you will know them"--but so does Matt. 7:16 (and the intervening verses are on the same subject of tree and fruit).
I think the Senator proved his heroism by even consenting to and participating in an interview with ROLLING STONE. You can bet that whatever was said or not said, RS would find reason for "outrage" and demeanment of the Senator, along with any and all who could be associated with him.
It takes a third grade education, at best, to recognize that what the Senator was saying was quoting a Biblical passage and that the quote referred to DEEDS. That people are known by the deeds they do. By WHAT THEY PRODUCE, as in, "fruit", "fruit of their labor."
RS is a crazed organization. Oh, yes, and, "d'oh." I'm surprised RS hasn't tried to now claim that the Senator is "homosexual" because he used the word, "Sweden" in an interview. Or, similarly, RS alleging that anyone who speaks to RS is "gay." That sounds, all to sincerely, like how they DO, in all seriousness, today opine.
It's a rag organization. Jan Wenner, Editor and Publisher, campaigned for Clinton and apparently, still is.
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