This would have been better had she fessed up immediately. Saying right away “Yeah, I did it, and I am genuinely sorry” stifles a lot (not all) criticism. But letting it fester for a few days is generally a losing proposition.
ETA: The whole “My account was hacked!” dodge just does not fly.
I’m sure you’re able to back up this assertion with something more than handwaving “everybody knows” common sense.
Reid’s statement probably saves her job. I’m glad she made that statement. I think she has acknowledged what I long suspected is the case: that she wasn’t particularly progressive on gay issues. For most people of her generation support for LGBTQ equality has been evolutionary. She is no different.
I can recall on Election Day 2008 in California where Barack Obama won 61% of the vote and yet a large number of his supporters voted on Proposition 8 to basically outlaw gay marriage. The evolution has been ongoing, and if it wasn’t for the courts gay marriage would likely still be illegal in most of the country, including many progressive blue states. Like the Civil Rights movement, the courts pushed the ball forward.
Joy has been quite open about her AA evangelical Christian upbringing and I know from personal experience that this segment of our population has been behind the curve when it comes to acceptance of homosexual individuals. It would come as no surprise to me that Reid did harbor some form of homophobia a decade or more ago but I see no evidence that she continues to do so - quite the opposite. It is fair to say that Obama was later to full acceptance than many of us, too.
Do NOT throw Joy under the bus! Have we learned nothing from the disgraceful way Franken was treated? (lookin’ at you, Gillibrand!) And can the Democratic party afford to discard a strong voice of a woman of color and possibly alienate the POC female vote? NO, we cannot! But that’s exactly the intent behind this new smear campaign.
Democrats who play into this smear campaign do so at the entire party’s risk…
Well said. 
After Joy Reid is fired, we can talk about it, but not before she’s fired. Sorry, you don’t get a pass because you’re not a white guy. Joy Reid must be fired. I’ll will stop watching MSNC and go back to CNN.
I’m glad we threw Franken out of the Senate and I’d do it again in a heartbeat.
– voted proudly for Al Franken in Minnesota in 2008
Go ahead. I would feel better knowing that you are not part of the audience. Maybe RT is more your speed.
Of course I watched it. Did you read what I said or just leap on it?
I am an out and proud gay man who loves Joy Reid. I’m from the generation that made gay Liberation. I have fought and organized and grown as well.
Many of the cited comments by her are ones i myself have made in the past.
Gay shaming closeted politicians I thought were gay - i did that. We all did that.
Making unfriendly remarks about women I liked by commenting about their physical appearance, including saying that they looked like they were men. - I did that.
Making unfriendly remarks about vile right wing provocateur Ann Coulter by saying an array of politically correct and incorrect things about her. - I did that, and I’m not certain I regret it.
I said negative things about gay marriage - from the perspective of an anti-traditionalist, and did not let up until gay marriage was presented to me as “marriage equality.”- I did that.
Screamed at allies who only agreed with me 90% of the time. - I never did that , and have always thought that such cannibalism is what impedes all progressive movements.
When I read some of Reid’s comments, like her accurate descriptions of how a lot of straight men feel about gay sex, I thought they were accurate descriptions of how a lot of straight men feel about gay sex. Her failure to attack it seemed understandable.
Remember that in order to get certain hard fought legislative victories for gay men and lesbians, trans folks were often dropped in order to gain passage. Are your allies the enemy or is the right wing?
Some of the comments quoted just do not sound like the Joy Reid I have appreciated for several years now. What I love about her remarks today was the insight that on some of the comments she does acknowledge, she regrets them and has changed her opinions. This moment and the unveiling of earlier remarks are a good - if painful - thing, especially with Joy’s comments today. But the haters here should really get a grip and go after our real enemies.
(post withdrawn by author, will be automatically deleted in 24 hours unless flagged)
Well, as a gay man, I am going with who Joy has been showing herself to be the few times I’ve caught her show the last couple years. I don’t have cable so I don’t watch MSNBC often, but when I do I have always liked watching Joy Reid, Rachel Maddow and Laurence O’Donnell. I honestly get the feeling Joy believes in her heart the progressive words she speaks.
Let’s lower the temperature here and stay out of the flag zone.
Like I said when this story first broke:
The internet is forever folks. Either own up to what you’ve said and done in the past or go down denying it (unless you’re a Republican, of course).
If she hadn’t panicked and just came clean right away, this would have been dismissed rather quickly. As it is, she’s dug a pretty deep hole for herself now.
Thank you. As a straight person, it can be hard to explain someone else’s homophobic remarks without sounding like you’re part of the problem. I truly appreciate your insights!!!
I don’t know about that. During the Clinton/Sanders primary battles she was especially snide and outwardly contemptuous of Sanders and any guests on her show defending him. That may be fine for the viewer but as the host she didn’t even pretend or bother to take an even-handed approach.
But it still doesn’t make any sense for MSNBC to kick her to the curb. Once again, the coverup …
If you’re white, you’re a racist.
If you’re straight, you’re homophobic.
If your ‘cis’, you’re anti-trans.
If your a male, you’re automatically guilty of whatever any woman says you’re guilty of…
In each and every case, you are almost certainly guilty of ‘cultural appropriation’.
Just keep your mouth shut, do what you’re told, take your medicine, vote team ‘D’, and let the Wall St consultants worry about the economy, and let us worry about what to lecture you on next…
It’s okay, I flagged you too…tit for tat.
Thanks beattycat…I always appreciate your comments!
You ARE precious.