The Romney bullying story really bugs me

[_BartBurk]

There are talks in general conference from the early 70s about the evils of homosexuality.

I joined the church in the fall of 1972. I read the Kimball book, but that would not have caused me to think someone around me was gay.

[_BartBurk]

It sounds like Lauber was a total swish.

“He can’t look like that,” Romney told a close friend at the time. “That’s wrong. Just look at him!”

He was supposedly talking about his bleached hair, not gayness. In 1965 even having long hair was considered wrong in some circles, but it would not have caused someone to have been labeled as gay. I don't remember any guy having bleached hair unless the sun did it which would have been possible after a Florida vacation. If there was a problem it would have been his long hair, not gayness.

[_just me]

If there was a problem it would have been his long hair, not gayness.

True. It sounds more like a case of effemiphobia.

[_BartBurk]

True. It sounds more like a case of effemiphobia.

Long hair was not considered feminine as much as a form of sloppiness. I can imagine this would have been a sign of low class behavior in a preparation school in 1965.

[_moksha]

Let's hope Mitt has done a flip flop since then on this bullying behavior.

[_just me]

Long hair was not considered feminine as much as a form of sloppiness. I can imagine this would have been a sign of low class behavior in a preparation school in 1965.

So, it seems it was about conformity. That certainly fits with being Mormon. Very hard for Mormons to tolerate non-conformity. He'd probably heard a lesson at church about the evils of being a beatnik.

[_moksha]

The Post also detailed incidents in which Romney said “Atta girl,” in class to a closeted gay student, and deliberately held a door closed while an sight-impaired teacher walked into it.

The second instance here of helping injure the blind is not a normally part of LDS behavior.

[_BartBurk]

So, it seems it was about conformity. That certainly fits with being Mormon. Very hard for Mormons to tolerate non-conformity. He'd probably heard a lesson at church about the evils of being a beatnik.

Bingo. That was the issue in 1965 and most of the 60s. There were coaches banning long hair in my area into the early 70s. I don't buy the story the WP is peddling inferring that gayness was the issue. It does not fit in 1965.

[_DarkHelmet]

Let's hope Mitt has done a flip flop since then on this bullying behavior.

We'll see. I can't wait for the debates. Every time Obama speaks Mitt will be tempted to yell "Atta girl!"

[_DarkHelmet]

So, it seems it was about conformity. That certainly fits with being Mormon. Very hard for Mormons to tolerate non-conformity. He'd probably heard a lesson at church about the evils of being a beatnik.

Bingo. That was the issue in 1965 and most of the 60s. There were coaches banning long hair in my area into the early 70s. I don't buy the story the WP is peddling inferring that gayness was the issue. It does not fit in 1965.

The point is bullying in general. People are latching onto it as gay bashing, but he is also accused of causing a blind teacher to walk into a door as one of his pranks. When I read the story, I saw a pattern of bullying against people who were different - long haired kid, blind teacher, yelling "Atta girl" at the effiminate kid. He just comes off as one of those douchebags we all knew in school. It certainly doesn't help his image with the voting public, even though I'm sure he has matured over the last 50 years. I just wish he had made a more sincere apology.