I had absolutely never heard of Dan Savage until this week. Now, I almost wish I hadn’t.
Who is Savage and why does it matter? Savage is an American gay activist, author, media pundit and journalist. He pens an internationally syndicated relationship and sex advice column called Savage Love. Yes, really.
One Million Moms calls him, “one of the cruelest, most vile political activists in America.”
What could warrant such a description? And why is the Media Research Center, the Family Research Council and the American Family Association up in arms? Why are thousands of postcards and phone calls rushing into ABC?
One question at a time.
Savage’s chatter is offensive to Christians. In a talkingpointsmemo.com story, Brent Bozell and Family Research Council President Tony Perkins cited Savage’s “radical hate speech” and “venomous anti-Christian bigotry.”
Strong words.
Talkingpointsmemo.com reports that “Savage wrote in 2000 about volunteering for Republican Gary Bauer’s presidential campaign and, suffering from the flu, licking doorknobs in the campaign office in an attempt to infect others. He also tried to give a definition involving a gay sex act to Republican Rick Santorum’s name on Google.”
Yeah, that’s pretty nasty.
“A perusal of Dan Savage’s work reveals a career built on advocating violence—even murder—and spewing hatred against people of faith,” the American Family Association wrote in an alert. “We have examples, but be warned, they are extremely graphic and offensive.”
Next question: What makes all these Christian groups rise up against Savage now? It seems ABC and Disney are planning to air a sitcom loosely based on Savage’s life. Yes, ABC and Disney. Yes, really.
“Disney-ABC, which supposedly prides itself on family programming, is moving ahead with a sitcom featuring Dan Savage, one of the cruelest, most vile political activists in America,” said AFA President Tim Wildmon. “Loosely based on Savage’s life, The Real O’Neals will glorify and highlight an anti-Christian bully who has nothing but disrespect for Christians and Christian principles. Savage has spared no one with whom he disagrees from his vitriolic hate speech.”
If you want to reach out to ABC and Disney about this or see the awful statements he’s made, click here.
Jennifer LeClaire is senior editor of Charisma. She is also director of Awakening House of Prayer in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and author of several books, including The Next Great Move of God: An Appeal to Heaven for Spiritual Awakening, Mornings With the Holy Spirit, Listening Daily to the Still Small Voice of God, The Making of a Prophet and Satan’s Deadly Trio: Defeating the Deceptions of Jezebel, Religion and Witchcraft. You can visit her website here. You can also join Jennifer on Facebook or follow her on Twitter.
