Evening Buzz: School Official Speaks Out About His Anti-Gay Rant
Maureen Miller
AC360° Writer
Tonight on AC360°, hear from the Arkansas school official who posted an anti-gay rant on Facebook. Clint McCance is no longer hiding out. You'll hear what the vice president of the Midland School Board has to say about his words that shocked a lot of people.
As we reported last night, McCance wrote a series of posts on Facebook against "Spirit Day", where people were asked to wear the color purple to support lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students.
His rant had offensive language and many misspellings.
"Seriously," McCance wrote in one post, "They want me to wear purple because five queers committed suicide. The only way im wearin it for them is if they all commit suicide. I cant believe the people of this word have gotten this stupid."
McCance added, "We are honoring the fact they sinned and killed thereselves because of their sin. REALLY PEOPLE."
Six people actually pressed the 'like button on that post. But others fired back.
McCance responded in part with this:
"It pisses me off though that we make special purple fag day for them. I like that fags can't procreate. I also enjoy the fact that they often give each other AIDS and die."
He also wrote, "I would disown my kids if they were gay. They will not be welcome at my home or in my vicinity."
A lot of people are calling on McCance to step down. Will he? Should he? We'll dig into that tonight with him and Education Secretary Arne Duncan, who has launched a nationwide anti-bullying campaign in America's schools.
We'll also get reaction from two parents who lost a son to bullying, and talk show host Ellen Degeneres, who's been out front on this issue.
There's also breaking news from the campaign trail. There are reports that Florida Democratic Senate candidate Kendrick Meek was asked to drop out of the three-way race. We've learned the White House knew of the negotiations. As part of the deal, a source tells CNN, Republican-turned-independent Gov. Charlie Crist would then caucus with Democrats in the Senate, if elected. We've got the raw politics.
We'll also take you underwater for an up close look at a shark, a big shark. That's tonight's shot.
Join us for these stories and much more starting at 10 p.m. ET. See you then.
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Filed under: Maureen Miller • The Buzz |
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It is almost incomprehensible to me that someone would wake up and go about their days filled with this kind of hate...and be happy to share it with the world.
Shame on him. Shame on us if we condone it.
What a different world we'd have if we shared our love and concern for each other instead.
This man is "sorry" only because of the negative reaction he received when he probably expected other bigots to jump to support his tirade. He is "sorry" because it has negatively affected his family. His homophobic beliefs are still intact. Hopefully none of his children will be gay and have to endure the hate I am sure he will still bestow upon them.
Awful comments especially in light that the comments are targetted at very young people. Now his words have put more innocent kids at risk including his own. People angry at Mr. McCance should remember that threatening his innocent family is bullying as well. Maybe if his comments had been directed at a different minority he would have been compelled to resign. The good news is that finally we are at a place where that actually is the case. Maybe the good news is also that Mr McCance by seeing what harm words(his own and now those threatening his family) alone could do to his own kids may be learning some lessons of responsibility and respect he will teach his kids so that they won't in turn be responsible for the deaths of schoolmates. Appearing on Mr Cooper's show must have been difficult for Mr. McCance. The questions and doubts expressed as to Mr. McCance's really understanding how his words could lead to more deaths entirely fair. Mr. Cooper gave a place for one man to start being a better man and father. Alain Laverdiere, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Clint said he didn't know what he would do if one of his kids was gay-whether he'd kick them out of the house or what....
It seems like some of his beliefs stem from his religion.
Anderson, religion seems to be the source of much of this hate. I'd ask you to do a show or shows on the religious source of hate. For example, the major funding of the prop 8 anti-gay marriage initiatives from the Knights of Columbus (in the Catholic Church), and the Mormon Church.
Additionally, the Dr. Rev. Amos Brown, a direct disciple of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., said "only 3% of black preachers/ministers are non-homophobic."
Let us address this one systemic source of this
hatred of gay and lesbian people.
Many things have changed through peaceful protesting and people coming forward. I call on people, especially the young to start a PEACEFUL revolution and to push for appropriate and reasonable change. For exceptance of all walks of life. Change will not happen unless we speak out and we VOTE.
I'm glad he apologized but the damage is done,words are hard to forget. His resignation is the least he can do. I feel we need to change the civil rights law on discrimination, to read "we will not discriminate against race,sex,religion and sexual orientation" and we need to ammend the freedom of speech to include the current century of freedom of speech as long as it doesn't violate basic human civil rights(draw a line not to be crossed) and we need a law holding plublic officials from teachers to polotitions ans everyone else to a higher standard and if its proven they violate it they will immediately resign and a replacement will be found. When the constitution was written they did not think of the future, the TECH future we need to change this.
The comments that the teacher said, to those gay and lesbian kids that passed away,is not freedom of speech.Its child abuse!those children didnt get there freedom to speak.Dont forget, most of those children were under 18!We all should step up and show our love and respect,for these kids and there families.
Clint McCance has called his statements ignorant and too emotional. He has apologized for his poor choice of words and strong language. He has not apologized for the content of his statements. He has not apologized for his ignorance and bigotry. His wife and children are going to pay the most for his hate-filled comments. I am certain his children's mother doesn't want them to carry the stigma of his actions each and every day.
Mr. McCance should be ashamed of his actions and statements. I believe he should make a sincere apology for the content of his statements and for his hateful attitude toward gays. He brings a new meaning to the concepts shame and ignorance. The young men who committed suicide were not Mr. McCance's only victims. His family and children are his victims as well.
As a parent of a gay child, I would like to comment on the fact that this is still my child,
gay or not. I loved him at birth and I will love
him until death. Children are a part of us as parents and will always be, whether they do as
we wish or are willfully disobedient. I choose
to love my children. I may not always be in accordance with them, but I will still love them.
This comment was inappropriate and unacceptable.
We should request that as vice president of a school board, he follow through with doing what he offered. He has done the right thing by agreeing to step down, and voicing on national tv that he was wrong and made a mistake with the statements written on facebook. Accept apology and move on.
Mr. Mccance suffers from cancer of the soul!
He is interpretating his religous beliefs to suit his view of the world.
It is so sad to see so many young children get bullied and commit suicide. Yet there is this lack of compassion from this supposedly respectful figure. I bet there are many people out there like this guy but they don't come out in public. It's sickening to use religion as a reason to not accept gay. Hello, how many freaking times the Bible gets alter. Have some compassion for all.
I would like to say that whoever threatened Clint or his family: you are no better than a lynch mob. If you disagree with someone, so be it: but we use public discourse and debate to discuss our differences, not violence, not the threat of violence and we never...NEVER...threaten innocent bystanders. He said something stupid and ignorant (which he now admits). We disagree and condemn what he said, we insistent on his resignation, and we recognize when he accepts his responsibility and the inappropriateness of his comments. And then we forgive him: because that makes us better! And we open our hearts and we say thanks: we have not won this war, but we have made one person SEE – one more person. I am a gay man, and the only way I know that we can make this world a better place is by making one person at a time see what their words do and how it can hurt. I think this man has seen.
Clint, you should not be the victim of hate-speech, as you should not have spoken those words of hate.
Let us hope this is the end of all this hate.
Live in peace and forgiveness.
Ridiculously exagerated and blown way out of proportion.
Who is intimidating who here? A person has his/her right to believe in their own ideals and personal opinions. The poor guy has to fear for his and his families well being which i find totally unacceptable. Who's the BULLY now. There will always be someone ingnorant; However this does not mean that we must propel things to the point where hate is reflected back to he/she who sees life differently.
In listening to this poor excuse of a School Official, it is very evident that he sincerely meant what he wrote on his facebook page. The Bible says..."the mouth speaketh what is in the heart..." and in this case, his fingers typing this outrageous hatred spoke what was truly in his heart. He didn't make just one disgusting hateful remark but many in the same writing. It is quite obvious he has this hatred in his heart! May God have mercy on his soul!
i am not gay but i like comment on the part about him dis owning his kids. he said love kids and such then later when ? ask
if still dis own his kids if found out they gay and he said he have to think about it. WTF, i do not believe any apoligee he says for the simple fact if not sure you love kids unconditionaly you dam sure dont gave a rat butt about anybody else. only good thing coming otta this is that he says he quitin his job, but then again do we believe that????
Being gay is not acceptable to God. Period. This man should have kept his mouth shut as an educator, but the Bible does not permit homesexuality, no matter how much society says its ok. He should have never sadi he wished them dead. We need to pray for these people, as we would an alcoholic, drug user, pedophile, etc that we may know and care about. Get back to basics people. You cannot go against Gods word. There are consequences and we will all meet out Creator.
Hello i think this man truly means what he said. He is only sorry bc he got caught. He is stumbling on his words and pausing on questions. I feel that he resigned because, he is scared of his family getting hurt. Gay people are like everyone else, we have the same skin, we talk the same, we eat the same. we are no less than anyone.
"This guy did great" Really?
Wishing children would kill themselves, this is the sickest thing I've ever heard.
Thank you Anderson and Ellen. There is a great deal going through my mind about this situation. I am happy that McCance came on your show and apologized for any harm he might have caused. Like several others above, his claim that he did not use the right words in his facebook posts to express his beliefs I find disturbing. In listening to him I believe he still has a long way to go toward understanding and hopefully one day accepting LGBT people and that he will eventually work in whatever capacity available to him to help keep all school children safe. I also hope that he is open to and gets the help he needs. He had no response for how he would react if one of his children were to come out. He could make no promise to refrain from ever using words like 'fag' or 'queer' in the future. It saddens me that some responded to McCance's hate speech with threats of violence. It also is illogical to me that some people outraged about the LGBT community being attacked in this way would resort to making bigoted blanket statements about Christians, Southerners, Arkansans or people who happen to live in the woods. Hate speech directed toward any human being is not acceptable. I am a 46 year old gay man who has been out since I was 15. I would like to believe that it gets better but for me the jury is still out.
This man appears to be a despicable, ignorant, bigoted, hateful BULLY and I believe he is sorry ONLY because he got caught. It is outrageous that he would even associate himself with Christianity or any religion, he should NEVER be allowed to be in the school system educating children in any way, and he is the perfect example of why some people should NEVER be parents. His hesitation and refusal to say that, in the future, he would not use those derogatory names for gays and would not throw his own kids out if they were gay speaks volumes to me that his apology seems INSINCERE. I am glad he resigned, and for him to suggest that he would possibly return to the school system in 1 or 5 years is mind boggling, and I question his sanity.
I am highly offended by this whole bazar episode!...First of all...the man was not nice about how he expressed his opinion...however, if you took a poll on the matter most men are not the nicest in every little thing they do or say...its in there genetic makeup! I do not agree with the whole gay life style and that is my opinion...when did it become a crime to express an opinion, people, in the usa? He obviously has the right to vent at some point in his career, yet he is being forced to conform to something he strongly disagrees with....the man made a mistake and he is suppose to deserve the axe for refusing to support gay rights day??? This is highly offensive to me...and strikes me as an agenda to bend people to be force fed a life style that can and ultimately will destroy the backbone of what built this country to begin with...For what? For the sake of being politically correct....wake up and get off the cool aid America!...
Judge not, so you will not be judged. For with what judgment you judge others you will be judged. Matthew 7:1,2
Why do people bring religion into everything?! Hating people and bullying is unacceptable even if "Jesus says being gay is a sin"... who cares! It's not up to you to judge them, say hateful things and treat them any differently than you would your friend.
What horrible things to say. I hope this sticks with him for the rest of his life and he can't get a job or "benefits" from any one.
Anyone who harms God's gay children in any way do not actually believe in Jesus or what He gave his life for.
Incredible. A man who would denounce and disown his children as well as any other children for something like sex, should not be in a teaching environment.
Add in his atrocious grammar – this guy is an education professional? What school did he attend to get his 'education', and is it too late for him to ask for his money back?
This man is a disgrace and his resignation is certainly appropriate. His elected position to the school board in Midland carried the responsibility of looking out for the welfare of all the children in the public school system there, the welfare of all children. He was not a paid employee and had relative little contact with students on a regular basis other than out in the community and his own children. That is more than enough. He was serving the first year of a one to five year term on that board and AR has no provision to recall elected positions such as in this situation. Hopefully he will move out of state with his family as he is an embarrassment to the state and the human race in general. The man needs serious help with his hate.
This very disturbed individual was sorry for his choice of words, not his feelings. Clearly he uses religion to justify outrageous behavior, which is no different than what a suicide bomber does. His view of what it means to be a good Christian is no different from their view of being a good Muslim. There was nothing he said in the interview that shows that what he wrote doesn't represent his true feelings. He was unable to say he wouldn't disown his sons if one was gay or use those words in the future. To say he had no idea of what he was writing or that it might hurt belief is beyond belief. He is so warped that he thinks his views are mainstream and he would be getting support. There is something good that comes of this, which is he no longer will be in a position of influence over children, and people can see the level of hate that can exist in this country.
I live 15 minutes from this school in another school district in 2006 my daughter was bullied so bad to make a long story short she tried cutting herself with a piece of glass and I took it personally. I became my daughters advocate and change was made but the road had to take to get there my daughter was 14 at the time and now is a senior get through the last year. Bullying is a problem across the nation just because school has a Bully policy does not mean they deserve a A more to be done yet. I do think people need to forgive, forget, and move on get past this it takes courage to admit you are wrong.
Sad part is that this type of behavior is everywhere, he just happened to use a world wide forum to expose his hate. I am 28 now, but when I was a high school student in a small town I dealt with the same thing only there was noone to turn to. They were doing the "right" thing or so they told me. I got shot at, almost ran over, beat up and even had the principal of my own school try to suspend me for being gay. 13 years later nothing has changed. And we thought the biggest crisis in our country was the economy. It's appalling that it takes this type of tragedy to expose an issue myself and others faced all alone.
I cannot believe this man said or actually typed these words, sometimes people do "say" things they regret, but he actually typed it and continued to type his hate. He is not a product of the southern culture or christian faith, southerners are the most accepting and forgiving in the nation and as for christianity he will have to answer to our Lord for his sins. We should forgive him as the parents of that little boy anything other than that will just spew more hate... he is truly lost. I am praying for him and the families of the 5 children.
James – You obviously don't know any LGBT people to spout that tired mantra. Believe what you will, but thousands and thousands of LGBT people around the country and the world will attest to the fact that your misinformed belief that being gay is certainly is not a choice and it certainly is not a sin.
This person is not an educator. He is a school board member. What is frightening, is that he is fairly typical of the membership of many school boards across the country. The only requirements to be on a school board are that you be a resident of the school district and be willing to serve.
You need to know nothing about education. You need to know nothing about budgeting, facilities, curriculum, child psychology, etc. You can run for office with no credentials or experience and more than likely get elected because people who do hold those qualifications do not want the position.
You can run for selfish reasons and personal agendas, like you think your taxes are too high or you don't like a certain principal or teacher and you will do whatever you can to achieve your own personal agenda with no consideration for the good of the district. Or maybe you want preferential parking at high school sporting events - yes, that really is a priority for some of them.
Yes, this is what runs our education system. Any wonder it is going downhill? The school board really answers to no one except the taxpayer - but maybe he is representative of his community and could easily be re-elected.
@James:
"Gay people choose to be gay their not force."
So can I assume then, that you chose to be straight? And that you could, in fact, choose to be gay if you so desired? Because I didn't choose my orientation, and I couldn't suddenly choose to be gay any more than a gay person could suddenly choose to be straight.
I have been listening to this go on for some time now with Ellen and Anderson. Love you guys. But support and awareness for all who are bullied. It is worth this much attention. Not just gays. Be fair. My friends are gay, I understand, my friends are black, I understand. When is the last time a redhead was given empathy or a full show or attention to the bullying they might have endured in their life. Bullying is not racist. Its like cancer. It hits and kills anyone it wants. Not just Gays. I think I have made my point. Want me to speak out? Make my day. I would speak for all who have been bullied if given the forum. At 48, my life has been tortured enough. Don't leave those of us who also feel the pain. The soldiers feel the pain, their mothers feel the pain. PTSD is a big issue related to PTSD. Coplex PTSD. Lets tell it all not just part of the story. please....
I wonder what children learn about bullying by watching political campaign TV ads.
This is BS!!! I can't believe what he said. Talking to him:
wat was the point of saying you're opinions on homo-sexuals on facebook.Why could'nt you just keep it to yourself! And why would you call kids that! You don't even comprehend what these kids go through on a daily basis if they're bullied;thehate and disapproval these kids get from others!
Gosh, you are exactly a great example of why homo-sexuals are so disaproved in this country.Personally I have two best friends that are bi-sexual and homo-sexual, and I personally would never want them to feel like they are different, unatural or sinned for beliving what they believe!! And if anyone ever told them they were not good enough or even degrated them in any way,then the person seriously has some respect probllems .Straight people never get degrated or told they are not doing the right thing in they're life.
To conclude In words of god also love everyone for just being themselves.
As an African American lesbian I don't understand the usefulness of the argument that if these things had been said about the Black community and the "N" word used there would be more outrage. The Black vs. Gay "thing" keeps us all from recognizing the complex and intertwined nature of all oppression. We need to resist all of this bigotry and hatred and take care not to continue to pit one identity against another, even for comparison. The fact of my Black, lesbian,female existence bears witness to this. And BTW: plenty of people still utter the "N" word.
It is difficult for me to understand the mind- set of Gay right advocates. I fail to understand the prevailing attitude that gays are being denied their constitutional rights. All citizens of the United States have rights under our constitution. The gay community were born as either men or womem with all the rights of the constitution afforded to them. Sure, a certain certain percentage of gays have genetic predispostions and did not simply wake up wanting to be gay. However, most of them did decide to follow that path. My question is, how have they been denied their constitutional rights? I don't hate them for their decision but I do not agree with the ever growing popular analogy made between the civil rights denied to people of color and gay rights. The gay population do not require special rights because they were born with such rights under the protection of our constitution. They shold not be discriminated against but neither do they warrant any special protection under the laws of our land other than what is afforded to all citizens of this land.