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Kirk Cameron, Under Fire for Anti-Gay Remarks, Defends Himself

Mar 6, 2012  •  Post A Comment

Actor Kirk Cameron, best known from his years on the 1980s ABC sitcom “Growing Pains,” defended himself after setting off a firestorm with remarks on Piers Morgan’s CNN show that many of Cameron’s Hollywood colleagues found offensive, the L.A. Times reports.

Cameron fired off an email to ABC News in which he said: "I should be able to express moral views on social issues — especially those that have been the underpinning of Western civilization for 2,000 years — without being slandered, accused of hate speech, and told from those who preach ‘tolerance’ that I need to either bend my beliefs to their moral standards or be silent when I’m in the public square."

As previously reported, Cameron was slammed by a number of TV and film stars, including some of his former co-stars from “Growing Pains,” after expressing disapproval of homosexuality and gay marriage.

In his latest statement, he calls for public debate on the issue to be handled "with greater love and respect,” the Times reports.

Morgan took the middle ground on the comments Cameron made on “Piers Morgan Tonight,” telling TMZ that Cameron was "pretty brave to say what he said,” but adding, “It’s, many would argue, an antiquated view about many of these issues.”

Morgan also said: “I felt that he was honest to what he believed, and I don’t think he was expecting the furor that it created."

Here’s video of Morgan talking to TMZ:

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8 Comments

  1. I admire Kirk Cameron for standing up for his convictions even when the stance is not popular among a particular group of people. Why is it that only one point of view is considered progressive or acceptable in the public square when it comes to homosexuality? I agree with Kirk and others that the people who preach tolerance are some of the most intolerant people in the public square. It’s like you only have the right to speak if what you are going to say promotes their agenda or lifestyle. If anyone says anything that goes against what those who practice homosexuality want then your called homophobic, a bigot and closed-minded. It’s a shame that we can’t have civilized discussion anymore in this country without reverting to name calling.

  2. Of course tolerant people are intolerant of intolerance. Why does Mr. Cameron or anyone else not directly involved have anything to say about homosexuality? What difference does it make to him (or you) and what right has he to judge? Perpetrating negative views in public affects, and hurts, real, actual lives. People in opposition to gay marriage (or contraception, or abortion) won’t be affected personally by the success of their efforts (beyond annoying smugness), but millions of people wholly unconnected to them will be profoundly affected, which is ridiculous. In other words, whether homosexual people get married is of no concern to anyone outside of the married couple, however you feel about it. If you don’t like it, don’t do it. Don’t even befriend any gay married couples. Go to a church that won’t accept them. Whatever. But leave them to their own damned lives.

  3. People like Kirk Cameron have to accept that when they speak out on the public stage there are consequences. No one says he can’t, or shouldn’t, speak out. Just don’t be surprised when others speak out against you. It’s not like people are burning great piles of DVDs of “Growing Pains” or his “Left Behind” movies — as happened when the Dixie Chicks told a concert audience they were embarrassed that President Bush came from their home state of Texas. It’s not like Kirk is out of a job, like when Bill Mahar refused to call the 9/11 terrorists “cowards” and ABC canceled his popular late-night talk show. It’s a popular right-wing meme to suggest that liberals are the ones who are closed-minded, but conservatives aren’t. Nonsense. There’s idiots on all sides of every debate. But if you come out and say homosexuality is somehow evil or disgusting, you WILL be targeted as a bigot, because that’s what you are. Just as those who said blacks were inherently inferior and shouldn’t mix with (or marry) whites were and are branded (correctly) as racists. I am tolerant of people who view the world differently than I do. If Kirk Cameron wants to live a life based on the Bible, go right ahead. But when he says that those who DON’T follow his interpretation of the Bible are somehow evil or misguided, he crosses the line and deserves the scorn he’s received. You rarely see liberals — or even most church-goers — telling people not to go to a Church of their choosing, or not to follow certain dietary laws or not to act in a certain manner. That’s tolerance. Speaking out against bigotry is not the same as bigotry, regardless of what talk radio hosts would have you believe.

  4. I am Sooooooooooooooo tired of this PC Bull$hit !!! Fk The Fking Fkerss. What’s worse is that no one will be able to read this post bc, it will be censored for not being PC !!!!!!!!!!! You even have to jumble your words, so that hopefully, sometime, you can get your post posted. I’m 63, and NEVER saw this coming.

  5. I don’t think I’ve ever seen “tolerance” explained any better. Thank you!

  6. Oh you poor thing. I feel so badly for you, having lived so long (63 years!) only to find yourself in an age where people might actually believe in letting people live their lives in accordance with THEIR principles, rather than yours.
    In the words of a President or other, I feel your pain.
    It must be tough, having survived as long as you have, only to find that the world has passed you by.
    And get a thesaurus or something. Your vocab needs an upgrade.

  7. “anyone else not directly involved have anything to say about homosexuality? ” How do you know he is not involved? Are you around him 100% of the time?
    “whether homosexual people get married is of no concern to anyone outside of the married couple, however you feel about it.” I disagree, as a homosexual (gay) man. It can effect the community as a whole. Both the Gay community and hetero (straight) community.
    And for all purposes, in my home town, we see a “movement” of “gay marriage” every year, as a couple who looks for sex on “gay dot com”, squirt, adam 4 adam, etc…. who I have hookedup with (only one of them), trying to get married. Both are looking to get laid… and then be on TV so they can get attention to the “cause” every Valentines Day. This is not a legit marriage. It’s only for “the movement.”
    Maybe that’s why it is EVERYONE’S business. THIS WILL HURT MANY COMMUNITIES, involved in it or not.
    I personally see the “fakeness” of these marriages, which will be a disaster…mark my word!

  8. I’m not burning any of my “left Behind” movies… and being gay… I can see in some ways what he speaks of. Being gay is cold, unnatural, and cruel.
    “But when he says that those who DON’T follow his interpretation of the Bible are somehow evil or misguided, he crosses the line and deserves the scorn he’s received” This is only your view… and realistically, is not truly a tolerant thought. Saying anyone deserves anything simply suggests that you are not tolerant of the other side or even “in the middle”. You do have an opinion, which in your remarks shows… clearly. Read between the lines… you clearly are not Switzerland.

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