Librarian Bert Chapman makes An Economic Case Against Homosexuality: “As a Christian, I agree with the biblical condemnation of the homosexual lifestyle. However, we are living in a nation and world that increasingly rejects biblical norms. To defend traditional sexual morality against the encroaching threat of homosexuality and other aberrant forms of sexual expression, we need to be able to do more than cite Bible verses. Fortunately, there are plenty of economic reasons for being against this lifestyle and I think as conservatives we need to be able to articulate why our nation cannot afford the extremely high financial costs of this lifestyle at a time when we are confronting dangerously high budget deficits, national debt, and personal debt.”
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oh, yes, the shopping.
I had to give up the lifestyle when I couldn’t afford the clothing.
Hate speech disguised as “good economic sense”
The sad part is that this guy really believes the bigoted crap he spews.
prison rape = homosexual lifestyle?
Good luck stopping prison rape, which has absolutely nothing to do with the so-called homosexual lifestyle. What a load of drivel!
outrageous
It is sad that Chapman believes this drivel, I agree. The most shameful example of a librarian since Laura Bush! Ah yes, the ‘encroaching threat’ – the gays are coming for your children, etc. The rhetoric is so tired and ridiculous. Seriously, grow a brain, Chapman.
‘Lifestyle’ – really? Really? I can’t believe people still use that word in this context.
I happen to ‘practice’ this ‘lifestyle’ and I do such outrageous things as grocery shopping and picking up my dry-cleaning.
Who ARE these people?
Who ARE these pathetic bigots and how in Hell did they land in my profession?
Get OUT…
Unfair? Really?
Since gays tend to reproduce less by definition, does the tax structure make economic sense in their interests? I mean, they pay school taxes, and there are a whole host of other government programs that benefit children. As a straight childless person, I recognize that these are in the best interests of society, and the gays I know generally feel the same way.
Why is this being re-posted on LISNews?
Is this news that is important to the LIS community? Who chose this blog post as an important one to re-post here, and therefore guarantee its spread?
This librarian’s ultra-conservative opinions don’t deserve space on this “news” feed.
So what? Only people with
So what? Only people with your same point of view are allowed space to voice their opinion? Are most of the people on here falling under bigotry as well since you call him a bigot for expressing his belief?
lifestyles
There are a number of lifestyles I object to. The idiot lifestyle, the bigot lifestyle, the uneducated lifestyle, the fearmongering lifestyle, the use-of-the-word-“lifestyle” lifestyle, the describing someone’s existence as a lifestyle, the vile hate disguised as a scholarly opinion lifestyle, the cowardly bully lifestyle and the sub-literate Townhall columnist lifestyle.
Excuse my Greek, but Bert Chapman is an asshole.
A Librarian Makes Economic Case Against Homosexuality
It was my understanding that during the brief time gay marriage was legal in California several businesses did quite well selling wedding services, clothing, food, etc. County agencies that issued marriage licenses brought in a few dollars as well.
Well Smeg
The First Amendment tells me I gotta let the fool speak and be represented in my general “land of the free” space for the purpose of intellectual freedom. If I wasn’t such a patriotic semi-hippie I’d feel the overwhelming need to weed this chucklehead from the profession with my boot in his ass.
“Electricity is really just organized lightning.” – George Carlin
Diversity
I don’t think that his economic arguments float water but I’m glad that someone is willing to take a stand on some social issues. When I joined the profession no where did I sign stating that I would agree with all of the stands that ALA and its Social Responsibilities Round Table (SRRT) makes, also no where by joining the profession did I sign away my religious beliefs. If there is not room in this profession to have differing viewpoints then we should all be frighted of the implications. Diversity also includes diversity of opinion and respect for differing religious beliefs.
What part of his stand, exactly, made you glad?
There’s a big difference between having a diversity of opinion, and having a university librarian spewing this kind of b-s. Hate speech like his fuels violence against gays. I respect your religious beliefs and pray that you’re not in a church that promotes violence against gays by marginalizing them and casting them as an evil enemy.
So-Called “Hate Speech”
Your profound error lies in labeling any expression of opinion with which you disagree “hate speech”. Down this path lies fascism.
good point
I believe that black people and women should be stripped of the right to vote because voting is defined as “a privilege belonging to a white man.” Where can people such as us go to find out viewpoints accepted?
Free speech means the right to say it, not the right to be free from consequences. Grow up and take it like a grown (wo)man.
Finally no one mentioned ALA, SRRT or anything else like that, you troll.
Rights
All the people should give an equal rights otherwise it will not be an democratic one
he has rights
He can say whatever he wants. But he can be protected from the reasonable, lawful reactions of others exercising their rights to free speech.
He wants homosexuals to be second-class citizens? Fine. The I want him to know he’s a sleazy little bigot like we’ve had to deal with since there were laws prohibiting interracial marriage. Especially one that couldn’t argue his way out of a wet paper bag.
Free speech doesn’t protect you from hurt feelings.
Fundamentalism and Extremism
As Jane Goodall stated on the Daily Show, this comment is made by the most dangerous type of person, a real threat to humanity.
Who are we anyway?
When I earned my MLS twelve years ago, I didn’t realize I was supposed to take some sort of ideological test before I could join the profession.
Huh?
When I joined the profession no where did I sign stating that I would agree with all of the stands that ALA and its Social Responsibilities Round Table (SRRT) makes, also no where by joining the profession did I sign away my religious beliefs.
How is opposing Chapman’s specious arguments asking anyone to sign away his/her religious beliefs? Making false claims is not the same thing as exercising your religious beliefs. If someone is making false claims, he deserves to be called on it.
On the other hand, saying that he is a “threat to humanity”or that he needs to be “weeded from the profession” is more than a little excessive.
RE: Huh?
I don’t think the poster is saying that you don’t have a right to disagree with Chapman. I think the point is that many are going beyond that to call for the dismissal (firing) of this person or to question Chapman’s right to express his opinion at all. There is a BIG difference between disagreeing with someone and calling for their firing or preventing them from expressing their opinions.
ideology aside
I’m mostly disturbed by the fact that he is the political science librarian, but then produces such crappy research.
I’m a political conservative and a Christian, and he’s making both groups look bad.
A follow-up article: http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2009/11/13/purdue
Fired
The article at insiderhighered.com says “But as word of the blog spread at Purdue, the campus has seen petitions and protests, with many calling for Chapman (who has tenure) to be fired. His critics say that what he writes is so hateful and inaccurate that it raises questions about his ability to do his job.”
It is important that he be fired. If someone does not say the politically correct thing they need to be fired. Unchecked freedom of speech will be the downfall of society. It is important that those that speak in opposition to the mainstream be silenced.
Re: Fired
“It is important that he be fired. If someone does not say the politically correct thing they need to be fired. Unchecked freedom of speech will be the downfall of society. It is important that those that speak in opposition to the mainstream be silenced.”
Geez…I hope you’re trying to be ironic here. I believe that the firing of those who speak in opposition to the mainstream is also known as the tyranny of the majority.
Free To Be, You and Me …
No, it’s not Marlo Thomas, it’s the idea that anyone can say anything and it all falls under “Freedom of Speech”. Freedom isn’t free. There are consequences to every thing we utter and place out there to manifest itself and become truth. There is a price that is exacted.
After 17 years in the library space (no, I’, not a librarian, I just sell things to libraries and count many librarians as friends) I can tell you that every one of the librarians I know, down to a single one, would think this guy is a buffoon. A DANGEROUS buffoon. All it takes is a little spark to make the fire grow. Next, after denial of basic rights, we’ll see “the gays” (why do people not refer to the non-gay population as “the straights”?) herded off into camps for God knows what to happen.
I’m a gay man. I support my mom and my brother’s family who can’t support themselves. So, economically, I’m wrecking America…bummer. I thought my property taxes, payments for my nieces braces, music lessons and she and her brother’s school clothes, helping my mom financially and caring for other family members was actually a contribution. Guess I was mistaken. I don’t want anything from “The Government” other than the freedom to be me, to be with whomever I want and not be persecuted for it.
Oh yeah, and I’d like to have a remote control to turn off idiots like Herr Chapman just like I turn off Fox “News”.
Ignorance
Shocked at Mr. Chapman’s ignorance. I have contacted the Purdue Library and will contact Purdue administration.
Spread the word that Purdue fosters this trash.
A Librarian Makes Economic Case Against Homosexuality
In fact he does not “make the case”. My concern is that the LIS news wording suggests that what is essentially a rant actually “makes a case”. It would be more accurate to say “librarian mistakenly thinks he makes the case” or “librarian posts conserrvative rant about homosexuality” or something along those lines.
It never ends
We get slammed if people think we’re biased.
We get slammed if people think we’re not biased enough.
Some things never change.
________________________
Stephen Michael Kellat, MSLS
PGP KeyID: DC5A625B
I thought that I was
I thought that I was prepared for any bigoted garbage he was going to write, but blaming homosexuals (I suppose he means homosexual men) for the entire cost of AIDS really is going too far. You can have your Christian opinion or whatever, but that is as ignorant as saying the world is flat. This man works at Purdue? Shameful.