Stacy Campfield On Bullshit

So last night I was lying in bed with the remote in one hand and a cat in the other and I pause on Penn & Teller’s show “Bullshit” which was talking about all the fearmongering about teens having sex (OMG OMG OMG OMG) when who should I see but Tennessee’s own Stacy Campfield, interviewed about his ridiculous “Don’t Say Gay” bill that would keep teachers from talking about homosexuality in the classroom.

Oy. This morning I noticed Campfield discussed his appearance on his blog, and if you want to read it go right ahead, it reaffirmed for me that conservatives are completely lacking in a) humor, and b) irony, since he complains about profanity in a show called “Bullshit!” and also includes a crude, homemade video clip of the appearance in violation of Showtime’s copyright (he appears to have videotaped his TV screen). Conservatives love love love to violate copyright laws when it suits them, which I find amusing. Anyway, if you get Showtime and want to see the entire episode, here’s when it’s scheduled to air.

The whole thing was so lame because Campfield ended up sort of floundering, trying not to look like the intolerant homophobic asshole we know him to be. Since his bill has no merit in reality (who and where are they teaching third graders about sexual orientation except in your sick mind, Stacy?) he ended up having to defend himself with this unicorns-and-lollipops argument about how we all should love each other and no one should be discriminated against or face persecution or hazing, so we don’t need groups like a Gay-Straight Student Alliance because that puts a big red arrow over some kids’ heads saying “hey look at the gay, over there!” Which I’m sure would have been very awkward for Stacy when he was in school. Oops did I say that out loud?

So once again Tennessee hits the national media for something stupid one of our conservative legislators has done. This is getting to be a little old hat, folks, so I suppose I should be used to it. Mention Tennessee anywhere in the country and I’d say our reputation as a bunch of intolerant knuckle-dragging Neanderthals is pretty much assured. Our local CVB folks are going to have to work overtime to compensate for the negative publicity legislators like Stacy Campfield heap upon the state. The flood was bad enough but now we have this flood of stupidity issuing forth on a daily basis and it’s undermining all the good messages ambassadors like Dolly Parton send about our state.

So I’m going to ask people like Stacy Campfield to just say no to future appearances on shows like Penn & Teller’s “Bullshit.” Right now, with unemployment still over 10% and big tourist destinations like Opryland shuttered from the flood, we really can’t afford it. You’re sending the wrong message and it’s not helping.

Take one for the team and just say no, ‘kay? Thanks.