Dan Savage -- Anti -Bullying Spokesman and First-Class Wimp

Dan Savage, the founder of an anti-bullying campaign that has reportedly reached more than 40 million viewers, and has contributors that include President Obama to Hollywood stars, dove into unexpected territory while giving a speech on April 13. At the Journalism Over the Edge/National Scholastic Press Association National High School Journalism Convention, he was asked to speak of the dangers of bullying.

Instead, in a room full of high school students, Savage seemingly turned into a “bully” himself, albeit a powerful, adult one.

Reports say Savage’s speech quickly turned from the subject of anti-bullying into an event in "Christian-bashing," causing as many as 100 students to simply walk out of the event.

The same day Savage issued his apology, he launched into a similar tirade, this time while speaking in the chapel of Elmhurst College in Illinois (once again, deviating from his anti-bullying topic). He also had some choice words for the Pope: “What the Pope is saying is that the only thing that stands between my [expletive deleted] and Brad Pitt’s mouth is a piece of paper....What the Pope is saying is that once we're all gay-married we're going to go extinct in a generation because once we're all gay-married, we're gonna forget which hole [expletive deleted] babies.” (Michael Brown, "Dan Savage Savages the Bible, Christianity and the Pope," townhall.com, May 2 2012)

According to Savage, "All Christians read the Bible selectively. Some read it hypocritically—and the hypocrites react very angrily when anyone has the nerve to point that out.”

Later he apologized for using the term "pansy-assed" against the students who took issue with his remarks, but gave no apology for anything else he had said. Savage wrote that his remarks were "being spun as an attack on Christianity," which he vehemently denies.

The National Scholastic Press Association, which organized the event featuring Savage, issued an apologetic statement in which it condemned the columnist.

Many Christians cite Savage as a man with a track record of using ethically dubious tactics when criticizing his ideological opponents' stance on homosexuality. The anti-bullying activist, who has a history of attacking Christianity and the Bible on the issue, has been accused of hypocrisy for allegedly using bullying techniques in defense of his beliefs.

"Despite being an 'anti-bullying activist,' Savage has a reputation for being a reprehensible bully who uses some of the most disgusting tactics imaginable against people he hates," Joe Carter, an editor for The Gospel Coalition Blog, writes in a response to Savage's remarks.Carter is also the co-author of How to Argue Like Jesus: Learning Persuasion from History's Greatest Communicator. (Luiza Oleszczuk, "Dan Savage Stands by 'Bible Is BS' Remarks, Apologizes for Calling Christian Students 'Pansies.'" Christian Post, May 1 2012)

On HBO's Real Time With Bill Maher July 15, 2011, during a panel discussion of the debt limit increase negotiations between the U.S. Congress and President Barack Obama, Savage said in a stand-alone remark, "I wish the Republicans were all f _ _ _ _ _ _ dead."

Here’s a clip of the speech (Warning: Adult Language):

According to www.redstate.com, Dan Savage and his “It Gets Better” Project is endorsed by the White House’s own StopBullying.gov. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelious and President Obama have both recorded videos endorsing Savage and his organization.

Back in 2010, Obama was interviewed about his views on bullying and particularly the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) agenda within his administration. He went out of his way to focus on the issues of gay-bashing and bullying and in particular Savage's organization and its work. (Mark A. Skoda, "Stand Up to Dan Savage's Bullying, American Thinker, Mary 9 2012)

On June 29, 2011, Savage attended the White House “Pride Reception” where he hobnobbed with administration officials including the Vice-President. Savage openly brags about his close connections to the White House. To suggest that Dan Savage is Obama's "Bullying Czar" and proponent of the LGBT agenda is not that far a stretch.

It is apparent that Dan Savage uses the guise of advancing the anti-bullying agenda for different purposes. Using it as a means to another end is deceitful and smells of outright abuse of power.

Mark Skoda says Savage believes,"Anything is fair game as long as it defeats your opponent and advances your agenda. Couch your issue in self-righteous indignation and apply words like "racist" and "homophobic" and "killer," and you have a winning combination."

Skoda makes a parallel between the work of Savage and the Marxist dogma . He cites this similarity: "... you must separate the people from their faith so that they ultimately will have no moral bearing. In doing so, you will free up society to be imprinted with any normative vision you have for society."

Here is President Obama in a clip praising the work of Dan Savage:




Jordan Richards, reporter for Save Jersey writes the following:

"Savage is precisely what he pretends to crusade against, and this does not require a great deal of psychoanalysis. He is a bully, plain and simple. Like most bullies, he is mean-spirited and boorish, as demonstrated by his repeated use of profanity, scatological references, and ad hominem attacks during his presentation, seeking as he was to intimidate and alienate children through name calling and public humiliation. And like most bullies, he is at heart a coward, picking on those who are smaller, younger, and weaker than he, none of whom ever did him any harm.

"Pray for him."

(Jordan Richards, "A (Dan) Savage Attack On Christian Children," Save Jersey, May 3 2012)

Postscript:

The post today is not meant to be a political editorial, a discussion of the terrible results of bullying, or a commentary on gay rights. It is, however, meant to be a post that allows you to witness a person bent on ramming his views down the throat of young adults despite their beliefs. As you can see, Savage deliberately switches topics to Christian-bash a captive audience of impressionable young adults. In doing so, he bullies those in attendance.

I admire those students who chose to leave the room. I'm not necessarily saying this because of their personal religious beliefs: I respect them for having intelligence and dignity. These youth refused to be a part of an orchestrated campaign of propaganda. Savage speaks of "lies" in the Bible, yet he is a deceiver of the worst kind -- a foul-mouthed, proud child abuser. This behavior is so reprehensible because Savage is, himself, a bigoted hypocrite. I respect the offended students for holding their tempers and silently removing themselves from earshot of his bullshit.

You see, Mr. Savage, my beliefs require restraint, but my attitude sometimes wavers a bit. If I were in attendance and you called these Christian students "pansy-assed," I would show you how a bully should be handled. After I administered your attitude adjustment, the only "pansy-ass" in the room would be you as you picked your whimpering butt off the floor and headed for the door.

I can't sit and watch a flaming idiot like you take advantage of young adults. Just maybe one of those Republicans you would like to see dead would love to help me with this minor task -- his name is Arnold and he lives on the West Coast. "Hasta la vista, baby."

Here's your Savage, Danny boy.