Saturday 20 February 2016

Shame on Pacquiao

LATER: published in full on 24 Feb.
LETTER to South China Morning Post (printed 25th Feb 16)
Manny Pacquiao has clearly never met either any gay people or any animals ("Pacquiao doubles down on homophobic comments", February 20). To say that homosexuals are "worse than animals" is a disgusting calumny.
Had he met any gay people he would know that they are just like straight folk, with all their fancies and foibles. And if he knew any animals he would know that they are just as likely to focus their amorous attention on members of the same sex as are we Homo sapiens. (Ricky Gervais even has a show on the subject of homosexual animals!).
I speak here as a straight man who has had many gay friends over my seven decades of life and cohabited with countless dogs (and other animals) as well.
For Pacquiao to liken the LGBT community as "worse than animals" is both bigoted and ignorant.
He is not excused by quoting the Bible. Judging people based on a flawed three thousand year old hodge-podge of ancient prejudices? Surely one should base one's judgement on our modern understandings of sexuality.
Shame on you Pacquaio. You shame yourself, your country and your faith. You may be a "boxing great" but you're a moral midget.

PF, etc