Please Urge President Obama to fire homophobe Jonathan I. Katz from oil spill committee

[Bluebear]

Please sign our public letter to the President urging that this homophobe be fired immediately.
__________________________________

New Obama appointee Jonathan I. Katz on the "innocent victims" of AIDS:

"These people died so the sodomites could feel good about themselves."

Jonathan I. Katz. was recently appointed by the Obama administration, along with four other scientists, to an elite panel of "our best scientific minds" to help BP cut off the oil spill.

Jonathan I. Katz is also a "proud homophobe," by his own admission. He's even written an article, published on his personal Web site at the Washington University physics department, titled "In Defense of Homophobia." And what a defense it is.

Here are a few snippets from one of our best scientific minds about how the homos killed lots of innocent people with their AIDS:

The religious believer may see the hand of God, but both he and the rationalist must see a fact of Nature. The human body was not designed to share hypodermic needles, it was not designed to be promiscuous, and it was not designed to engage in homosexual acts. Engaging in such behavior is like riding a motorcycle on an icy road without a helmet. It may be possible to get away with it for a while, and a few misguided souls may get a thrill out of doing so, but sooner or later (probably sooner) the consequences will be catastrophic. Lethal diseases spread rapidly among people who do such things.

Unfortunately, the victims are not only those whose reckless behavior brought death on themselves. There are many completely innocent victims, too: hemophiliacs (a substantial fraction died as a result of contaminated clotting factor), recipients of contaminated transfusions, and their spouses and children, for AIDS can be transmitted heterosexually (in America, only infrequently) and congenitally. The icy road was lined with unsuspecting innocents, who never chose to ride a motorcycle. Guilt for their deaths is on the hands of the homosexuals and intravenous drug abusers who poisoned the blood supply. These people died so the sodomites could feel good about themselves.

What of those cursed with unnatural sexual desires? Must they forever suppress these desires? Yes, but this is hardly a unique fate. Almost everyone has desires which must be suppressed. Most men and women think adulterous thoughts fairly often, and find themselves attracted to members of the opposite sex to whom they are not married. Morality requires them to suppress these desires, and most do not commit adultery, though they feel lust in their hearts. Almost everyone, at one time or another, covets another's property. They do not steal. Many people feel great anger or intense hatred at some time in their lives. They do not kill.

I am a homophobe, and proud.

===

President Obama promised us change. He promised to be our fierce advocate. Appointing avowed bigots to elite panels, and lauding them as the best minds of our nation, is offensive the millions of LGBT Americans who voted en masse for this President. It is difficult to believe that the Obama administration couldn't find anyone else to help deal with this crisis. We all want the government to do everything it can to stop the oil spill, but elevating an avowed homophobe, and giving him the imprimatur, and the stamp of legitimacy, of the Obama administration, is simply wrong.


====

Dear Mr. President:

We are writing to urge that you immediately fire avowed "proud homophobe" Jonathan I. Katz from the elite panel looking at the Gulf oil spill disaster. Someone who refers to gays as "sodomites," and blames the LGBT community for AIDS, has no place in a Democratic administration that promises "change."

As you know, the Department of Energy recently appointed Jonathan I. Katz to an elite scientific panel that is assisting British Petroleum with the oil spill disaster in the Gulf. While we all agree that our country should use our best minds to resolve this catastrophe, it is difficult to understand why your administration would embrace a man who proudly authored an essay titled "In Defense of Homophobia." In the essay, Katz had this to say about what he called "the innocent victims" of AIDS:

"These people died so the sodomites could feel good about themselves."

Anyone who speaks like this is not, as Energy Secretary Chu recently said of Katz, one "of our best scientific minds." He is a bigot who should not be elevated by the President of the United States as a representative of the best our country has to offer.

President Obama, you would never appoint a "proud racist" or a "proud anti-Semite" to a panel of elite experts, and you should not accept the appointment of a proud homophobe either. Please fire Jonathan I. Katz.

http://gay.americablog.com/2010/05/takeobama-admin-appoints-self.html

[Teka]

1. It's ok. Gays don't matter to Obama - as he has proven time and time again

We just need to shut up and be grateful for any little bones he throws our way.

[zipplewrath]

2. I suspect it'd be counter productive

It'd just give him something else to brag about to Fox News about how he "rejected" progressive demands, implying how unreasonable we can be. Remember this is the same guy that honored Rick Warren at his inauguration and has asked the Senate to hold off on repealing DADT.

[Pisces]

3. Sorry, but catastophic disaster trumps political correctness. If he is the best person

qualified to stop this leak, then I say let him do the job and condemn his stupid views later. I am a staunch equal rights activist, but this is a serious problem that needs to be fixed now regardless
of how ignorant this man's social policies are, if he is the most brilliant rocket scientist out there he must be utilized for his knowledge. I would have the same sentiment if he was a racist
or anti semite. The spill is threatening everyone, not just straight people.

[Bluebear]

4. "Political correctness?" Wow. - - - You would say the same thing is he was a "PROUD RACIST"?

If he published papers on how blacks and Asians are scientifically inferior to whites, you would still need his beautiful mind on the panel?

Wow.

[Pisces]

5. In my post, I said I would ( I am not white) This spill must be contained. If he is the smartest

person to do this, should that talent go to waste because he is a social retard??? He will be helping plenty of gay people in the keys if his brainstorming comes up with the idea on how to cap this spill.
I could care less what this fool believes if he can contain the spill. His beliefs don't threaten mine.

[Bluebear]

7. "Talent" - - - if his paper is an example of his bad-ass brain at work, I doubt it.

As said elsewhere, if this is an example of him hard at work, using that big presumably bad-ass brain of his to solve a problem, or make a logical conclusion, then we can't expect him to be any better at solving a natural disaster.

His defense of his homophobia is flimsy, cliched, and illogical, can we not also presume his ideas for solving a natural disaster will be equally suspect?

Anyhow, you will get your wish, the appointment will stand. After all, it's only one project.

[Pisces]

10. Having common sense is different from technical knowledge. It is not my wish that homophobes

get top appointments. I do believe that we need to cap this spill end of story. If that means a social retard that is a bible thumping moron is the most technically qualified so be it. Many people
he dislikes will benefit from his work. The world is shades of gray, not black and white. Sometimes there are no good decisions on the table.

[bobbolink]

36. And if it had been * that had pushed this homophobe, that would have been OK with you?

[fishbulb703]

40. It is ok with my militant homosexual self.

I want the best man for the job, I don't care if they hate fags And whitey (im white), just fix the damn rig. Then we can give them a big piece of key lime pie and send him on his merry way.

The fact he will be payed hundreds of thousands of dollars is Obama and BP's fault, not mine. JUST FIX THE DAMN SPILL

[bobbolink]

41. Great. We will remember that the next time you post some flame about *

[fishbulb703]

42. Is that the royal 'we'? Get over yourself. nt

[bobbolink]

46. Keep up the personal attacks, chum. It's soooo "progressive"

[fishbulb703]

47. What about your first reply to my post wasn't personal? nt

[bobbolink]

54. Ummm, YOU said it was fine with YOU, and I responded accordingly.

YOU were personal about YOU first, and I just put it in that category.

I didn't ATTACK you... I acknowledged your personal responsibility for your dismissal of the pain that this causes gay folks.

Can you now acknowledge the pain it causes for gay folks?

[fishbulb703]

59. Well, from my collection of gay friends in Gville, FL. I can say no, I can not acknowledge it.

1) the oil spill getting cleaned up is of paramount importance

2) not every homophobe needs to be tarred and feathered

lighten up, enjoy life...

man... I see a lot of this bitterness on DU

[bobbolink]

63. Great, then we are back to recognizing your lack of empathy for other folks.

And, when you can't actually face yourself, then you attack others and tell them how to live. Kinda like the RW, no?

We have now gone in a complete circle, and you have shown yourself to be empathy-free, so there is nothing left to discuss.

However, I'm sure that won't stop you from attacking and belittling and demeaning. Have at it... it demonstrates a lot.

[fishbulb703]

69. Whoa, argument via leaps and bounds. Good for you.

For the record, no I am not empathetic if people are offended by a homophobe doing a completely unrelated job in a completely unrelated field to help our environment. I mean, are you really that petty? Sounds like you are stuck in a bygone era.

You might be the type of person who hinders the goals of the Democratic party.

[Solomon]

110. Might Be? Hunh

It boggles the mind that some people can't see the emergency here. And notice how they change the argument that he's not qualified when the premise of the post is that he should be kicked out because of his views even if he were an expert. Perhaps when we kick all the racists off, then get the misogynists, and the republicans, and the DLC and Bushes and the... off of there, we might have somebody left to help stop the gusher.

[Bluebear]

131. Interesting that he has been fired and is not the big expert some people are defending here.

[EFerrari]

133. Even were he some big expert, there is never only one (1) person

that can solve a problem any more than there is only ever one (1) solution, as undeterred said here somewhere.

[me b zola]

132. Do we have any evidence that this is a person whose knowledge and skills

outclass other experts in the field? If there were something exceptional about this hateful person that could actually solve the problem that others can't, well, I'd agree to keep him on long enough to save us from this disaster and then cast his bigoted ass overboard. But I have neither read nor heard of any great talents/knowledge that surpasses others in the field.


signed,
me b zola, mostly straight grandmother of four.

[fishbulb703]

135. Not to my knowldge,. But don't we trust our party in power? nt

0.o

[me b zola]

137. Trust but verify. Always.

;)

[izquierdista]

16. Hint, he ain't smart

Or did you not pick up on "the human body was not designed..."

That one word tells you all you need to know about him. He's not the real thing. He is a "cargo cult" physicist, a model of a physicist, that looks like, and makes noises like, and from a distance resembles a real, thinking physicist (a la Feynman) -- but really isn't. His appeal to design makes him a crackpot of the Sarah Palin variety.

[Ian David]

45. He's going to insist that the oil spill be plugged with a giant penis. Heterosexually. n/t

[KamaAina]

18. Why does he have to be on the panel?

Couldn't someone else ask for his ideas, out of the spotlight?

[Bluenorthwest]

22. So you support the 'science of creationism'?

this man is spouting about Intelligent Design, and wrapping up in hate. If you find that to be scientific, I'd like to know why.

[stray cat]

6. Let the oil flow.....

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[hayu_lol]

9. If he is THE expert we need to control this blow-out...

then he needs to be in the group attempting to solve this particular problem. If he is not the expert he is supposed to be, how about coming up with the reasons he is not qualified and needed.

If this is the guy who solves the problem, would you prefer to fire him and let the oil continue to flow?

Ummm...and then there is Arne Duncan to save our schools.

[frebrd]

11. K&R! - Letter Signed. eom

[TheKentuckian]

12. Sorry, I hate to say it but I don't care if the guy that can solve this

is the Grand Wizard, a Nazi, a homophobe, an economic royalist, an authoritarian, anti-American or anything else. The oil flow must be stopped at pretty much any cost. Now, this clown may be overrated or flat out not possess a better skillset or ability better than more palatable replacements and that's another story.

This is an all hands on deck situation and if ANYONE including a murderer or a child molester can truly help stop the oil then that criminal's help is needed. This is a problem beyond human sensitivity.

[Solomon]

19. Thank you If you were dying on the side of the road as a result of

an accident, would you tell a homophobe doctor to go away? I don't think so.

[foxfeet]

25. If I were dying on the side of the road, a homophobic doctor would decline to treat me.

[walldude]

28. A homophobic doctor wouldn't stop to help now would he.

If he was homophobic, he wouldn't stop because he might have to help "one of them".

[Solomon]

51. You guys are unreal. Just unreal.

What a joke.

[joeybee12]

52. Read below...the guy is a global warming denier also...

...you were really quick to defend him, too...wonder why that was? I know, some of your best friends are gay.

[Solomon]

57. I'm not "defending" the guy and I resent you saying that.

It's ridiculous to even assume that a doctor would stop at an accident scene, see a guy dying, and not render aid because the victim is gay and the doctor is a homophobe. That's just ridiculous and a false argument.

Would I deny treatment from a racist doctor if I desperately needed it. No. And I don't think you would either.

Let's flip the argument. If you were dying along the side of the road and saw this guy pull up and you knew who he was, would you turn him away? Would you say "no don't treat me"?

You guys should save your arguments for better situations.

I don't give a flying you know what if he believes the moon is made of cheese. If he has some expertise in helping to stop the oil flow, then let him do it.

[foxfeet]

122. In a country where pharmacists can refuse to fill women's prescriptions

based on the pharmacist's idea of morality, it's certainly not unreal, nor even much of a stretch.

[joeybee12]

38. Hmm...and after reading what he had to say about AIDS, you think that

kind of fucked-up thought process could exist in his tiny mind with actual scientific reasoning?

[jberryhill]

73. William Shockley

Co-inventor of the solid state transistor and Nobel Physics Prize winner.

Also... raving racist lunatic nutbag.

[bobbolink]

13. My one recommend couldn't even bring this up to +1

Its fun being on the "progressives's", leprosy list, isn't it?

[readmoreoften]

21. Mine neither, Bobbolink

[walldude]

24. Mine got it to one...

One. Pathetic.

[Newsjock]

34. +2 when I left work, now 0

This is one of the saddest displays I've seen on DU in quite some time. C'mon, kids, we're better than this.

[bobbolink]

48. Sadly, I don't think we ARE "better than this".

I think this is a very accurate portrayal.

Its a common display in poverty threads.

Time for us to do an assessment of ourselves.

[KamaAina]

14. "I am a racist, and proud."

He'd be out of there so fast it would make the Earth spin backwards. :eyes:

[La Lioness Priyanka]

26. yup. even though people on this thread claim they would be fine, if he were an avowed racist

they, know it wouldnt actually happen

[jberryhill]

74. One counterexample....

Stanford kept Shockley on its faculty...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Shockley

"William Bradford Shockley (February 13, 1910 – August 12, 1989) was an American physicist and inventor. Along with John Bardeen and Walter Houser Brattain, Shockley co-invented the transistor, for which all three were awarded the 1956 Nobel Prize in Physics.

Shockley's attempts to commercialize a new transistor design in the 1950s and 1960s led to California's "Silicon Valley" becoming a hotbed of electronics innovation. In his later life, Shockley was a professor at Stanford, and he also became a staunch advocate of eugenics."

If you don't support "racist engineering", then stop using transistors.

I hope the guy burns in Hell, but I have used his equations and devices.

You use them everyday.

[katandmoon]

15. Imagine what would be said if BUSH had appointed him. Would there be ANY defense of him at all?

That would be a great big NO. It would have been 100% assumed that Bush could have found a non-homophobic expert, but just didn't bother.

But when it's OUR Dear Leader that appoints a notorious homophobe?

Well whaddya know -- all of a sudden, he's the only technical expert around and technical expertise trumps homophobia.

What foul stinking rank hypocrisy.

[bobbolink]

27. That is exactly why for Years I have been saying we need to look at OURSELVES.

WE are part of the problem, but we refuse to see that.

It is soooo much easier and soooooo much more fun to blame those STOOOOOOOOOOOOPID reich wingers.

So, the whole ugly mess will continue unless and until we decide to also look at ourselves.

[walldude]

29. There would be no defense and we wouldn't be accused of

"putting Sarah Palin in office".

[bobbolink]

32. .

:applause:

[racaulk]

68. +1

Thank you!!!

:applause:

[jesus_of_suburbia]

136. "It would have been 100% assumed that Bush could have found a non-homophobic expert"

You said it all with this.

Everyone knows it's true.

[undeterred]

17. There is never anything such as the one best person

to do a job. That's a myth.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

31. yup

[EFerrari]

83. Precisely. n/t

[readmoreoften]

20. Obama should be ordering the seizure of BP's assets and hardware to fix this mess.

I seriously doubt this one homophobe is the key to humanity's survival.

[walldude]

23. K&R.. Anyone thinking that this guy is "smart" enough to deal with this oil spill

is a fool. This is the best they can do? Judging from his "Defense of Homophobia" thoughts I wouldn't allow this guy to balance my fucking checkbook let alone deal with a major natural disaster.

[Bluenorthwest]

30. That Obama, he just loves some bigots!

Anyway you slice it, he manages to find them, put them in a place of honor, and call them wonderful things.

[racaulk]

79. IT WAS JUST ONE SONG!!11!

Yep, you're right. Obama has sure developed a pattern of publicly cozying up to and honoring vile homophobes.

I don't know what's more shameful -- the fact that Obama does it, or the fact that so many "progressives" at DU are consistently willing to give him a pass for doing it.

[KamaAina]

33. His scientific background is suspect as well

Who is stoking the alarm about global warming? There is Al Gore, an over-the-hill politician who wants to remain in the public eye. His house uses 20 times as much electricity as the average American house and he flies private jets. Obviously, he does not believe what he preaches; it must be an act. Conservation is for the little people. I'll think about reducing my emissions after he reduces his by 95%. Then there is Jim Hansen, would-be dictator who wants to throw in jail anyone who disagrees with him or burns coal. He may wish himself another Mussolini (or worse), but people just laugh at him. And finally John Holdren, who in his younger days was prophesying disaster from the ice age then just beginning (so he said). Fictitious crises are a demogogue's (sic) route to power.

This guy was apparently vetted about as thoroughly as Sarah Palin. :eyes:

[joeybee12]

35. Nice find...makes me think they really don't want to solve this...n/t

[walldude]

37. Shit! He's a Global Warming Denier....

He's all over the place.. calling Global Warming "A Religion"..

http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/blogs/noblecommentdecider/2009/06/professor-jonathan-katz-global.php

http://sec.wbir.com/article/0cV3cEF1yJaUL

This is officially insane...

And people are unreccing this. :crazy:

[tango-tee]

39. Here's a rec from me, Bluebear.

At times, I have now words. "Proud homophobe"...

[Newsjock]

43. Got up to +3, now back to +1

A sad statement on the state of DU today.

[gravity]

44. He is consulted for his scientific expertise, not his views on human rights

His appointment has zero influence on gay rights, but has the potential to stop hundreds of thousands of barrels from entering the Gulf of Mexico.

[walldude]

49. He's a Global Warming Denier...

I think that might call into question whether or not he's qualified to solve a natural disaster...

Or, are you saying that his scientific ideas about Homosexuals and Global Warming are sound?

[gravity]

55. He isn't a global warming denier

and his area of expertise is physics, not psychology or sociology.

[walldude]

61. LMAO.. try the links I posted in post 37..

Or prove your laughable "facts" with links of your own.

[gravity]

67. He never denied global warming caused by humans

That is a fact.

His criticism is on the politics of global warming, not global warming itself.

[Sheepshank]

50. I want the spill stopped first and foremost

so nope, not gonna sign. And a -1 for thinking the envornment is less important that your personal ideology. This ideology is no better than the Dr who doesn't want to treat those who voted for Obama, or the employer who is finding ways to lay off Democrats first.

[Bluebear]

62. "My personal ideology" - - We don't need your signature or your rec.

So thanks for your dismissive non-support.

[racaulk]

65. I'm surprised he didn't say "lifestyle choice."

You know what I mean...

[walldude]

64. Really you want the spill stopped so you will support a scientist who

is Homophobic and denies Global Warming. Yeah that's what I call the mind of a brilliant man. :rofl: :rofl:

You believe that a global warming denier is the most qualified person to work on this? Brilliant. Good luck with this loser.

[Bluebear]

76. Stop! We can't cater to people with personal ideologies of lifestyle choices!

:silly:

[CBR]

53. After reading some of the stuff about him it seems like he does not

even know why he is on the committee. No need to add his expertise then especially given his hateful rhetoric. +1

[cherokeeprogressive]

56. For want of a nail (someone acceptable to DU)

For want of a nail (someone acceptable to DU) the shoe (the struggle to staunch the flow of oil) was lost.
For want of a shoe (the struggle to staunch the flow of oil) the horse (control over the size of the oil spill) was lost.
For want of a horse (control over the size of the oil spill) the rider (the health of the Gulf ecosystem) was lost.
For want of a rider (the health of the Gulf ecosystem) the battle (saving the livelihood of millions of people who depend on the Gulf economy) was lost.
For want of a battle (saving the livelihood of millions of people who depend on the Gulf economy) the kingdom (the economic well-being of all the Gulf states) was lost.
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail (someone acceptable to DU).

That's some forward thinking right there. As the father of a gay teenager, I say put the motherfucker to work. If he helps staunch the flow of oil, good. If he doesn't, fire his ass. What's most important to me is saving a truly humongous ecosystem from total disaster. Millions of lives and livelihoods depend on it. That is more important to me than his personal beliefs.

[Bluebear]

77. For want of a global warming denier, but whatever.

[EFerrari]

58. K&R.

The moral relativity on this thread is enough to make give you vertigo. Unbelievable.

[walldude]

66. Well, apparently this

scientific genius is the only one qualified. You know with his credentials on Global Warming and all....

[EFerrari]

70. Hook, line and sinker. n/t

[racaulk]

60. K&R

I am not surprised to see this decision defended here at DU, as evidenced by some of the replies in this thread. Not surprised at all.

[Teka]

71. No suprise at all, because DU has been proved to be quite friendly to homophobes

[Bluebear]

78. Next the thread will be locked for being "hopelessly unmoderatable"

:rofl:

[Ian David]

72. Obama admin picks climate-change-denying homophobe to 'fix' Gulf oil spill disaster

Obama admin picks climate-change-denying homophobe to 'fix' Gulf oil spill disaster
by John Aravosis (DC) on 5/17/2010 02:57:00 PM

The oil industry would be proud of Jonathan I. Katz, the man the Obama administration has chosen to take a stab at fixing the Gulf oil spill disaster. He's an avowed "proud homophobe," who thinks that "sodomites" are responsible for infecting "innocent victims" with AIDS, and he's an Al Gore hating climate change denialist too!

Here are his thoughts on climate change and Al Gore:

Who is stoking the alarm about global warming? There is Al Gore, an over-the-hill politician who wants to remain in the public eye. His house uses 20 times as much electricity as the average American house and he flies private jets. Obviously, he does not believe what he preaches; it must be an act. Conservation is for the little people. I'll think about reducing my emissions after he reduces his by 95%. Then there is Jim Hansen, would-be dictator who wants to throw in jail anyone who disagrees with him or burns coal. He may wish himself another Mussolini (or worse), but people just laugh at him. And finally John Holdren, who in his younger days was prophesying disaster from the ice age then just beginning (so he said). Fictitious crises are a demogogue's route to power.

Fortunately, global warming is probably good for humanity. Sit back, relax, and watch it happen.

And here's what Katz has to say about the "innocent victims" of AIDS:

"These people died so the sodomites could feel good about themselves."

But I'm sure a climate change denier is a really good scientist otherwise. (Other than that Mrs. Lincoln...) Much more on AMERICAblog Gay, including this action alert.

More:
http://www.americablog.com/2010/05/obama-admin-picks-climate-change.html

[Forkboy]

75. If Bush had done this all of DU would be on your side.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

81. yup,

[racaulk]

82. Ain't that the truth!!!

You could choke on the hypocrisy.

[bullwinkle428]

86. +1

[Prism]

80. The climate change thing bothers me more

Sure, he's a giant homophobe. But, it's an emergency. If he brings crucial technical expertise to the situation, so be it. If his bigotry gets in the way of his doing that job, can his ass.

But now, reading this other stuff, well.

Either way, K&R because I share your personal ideology and lifestyle choice!

[SemiCharmedQuark]

84. In my personal experience, a person can be brilliant in one field and shite in everything else

The Creationists like to trot out a list of scientists that support their crackpot theory. On closer inspection, almost none of them are biologists. They might be excellent in their own field, but don't know anything about evolution.

[Toucano]

85. What the hell is going on here?

Truly appalling.

A "scientist" who argues that gay people caused the AIDS epidemic is not worth his academic salt.

It isn't "political correctness". It isn't about "human rights".

It speaks to his scientific qualifications. A scientist who will let prejudices affect his interpretation of data is worthless.

As for the prompt Rick Warren defense by some in this thread - would you be able to say "shit" if your mouths were full of it?

[bullwinkle428]

87. EXACTLY. It would be like hiring George Rekers for, well,

ANY kind of position of "family issues expert" within this administration!

[DatManFromNawlins]

142. You are comparing apples and oranges

He isn't a biologist. He's a physicist, and a world-class one at that. Internet message board rants don't disqualify people from doing work in the real world when they are great at what they do.

[Toucano]

146. His field of discipline is irrelevant.

He may excel in his field of discipline, but he is not without peer. No one is irreplaceable.

He has a defective reasoning capacity because NO INTELLIGENT, IMPARTIAL, scientific thinking person could look at the data and conclude that AIDS is caused by gay people. That is the conclusion of a willfully bigoted person because the science doesn't support that conclusion - which was written not on an internet message board - but on his publicly financed, Washington University maintained web site.

He has freely chosen to step outside his filed of discipline and abuse the notoriety and credibility he has achieved in one field to justify false, bigoted and hate-based theories about homosexuality.

He did not simply express his hateful opinion about a group of people. He justified his hatred of that group of people by invoking his scientific credibility.

It is not acceptable.

There are plenty of people better qualified for this committee than he.

Anyway, he's gone now.

[scheming daemons]

88. Sorry, if Charles Manson had the expertise to stop the leak, I'd hire him

Katz may be the most reprehensible person on the planet, but if he has the best expertise to solve this problem, that trumps all other considerations.

[FreeState]

90. Care to show how Katz has the expertise to stop the leak? n/t

[The Old Creak]

95. Care to show

how he doesn't?

[FreeState]

108. How can I show a negative?

Do a search on the man - you will find a global warming denialist with a penchant for homophobia - I can find nothing in my searches that show he is qualified or has any more insight than anyone else.

[foxfeet]

96. Thank you. Exactly how did Katz become the go-to guy for oil gushers?

And if he's so all-fucking-knowing, why is he just now being approached for help almost a month into the disaster. I don't yet see an answer to your or my questions.

[The Old Creak]

99. Why are they all

just now being approached ? The whole thing stinks, and, meanwhile, The Gulf is dying:grr:

Keep a good thought, maybe he'll be the next one outed:)

(I bet he has REALLY big tires on his truck!)

[Forkboy]

105. Yes, we know you would.

[scheming daemons]

106. Yes... because let's not worry about how quickly the leak is stopped, but only about

...the quality of the character of those stopping it.

:eyes:



This is a catastrophe the likes we haven't seen in our lifetimes.... to worry about whether or not the people who know how to solve the problem are dickheads or not is ridiculous.


If Adolf Hitler was reanimated and had the knowledge and skill to stop this leak, we should use him. And then when he's done, we can kill him again.


In the case of Mr. Katz... he's a prick and a homophobe. But he may know how to stop this leak. Being a prick and a homophobe does not invalidate his expertise in physics.


You'd rather have the Gulf of Mexico become one big dead zone.... as long as only people of righteous personal character were the only ones allowed to try to stop the leak?



Timothy McVeigh, Jeffery Dahmer, Josef Stalin, and Pol Pot could all work on stopping the leak as far as I'm concerned..... if they're the best minds for the job, they're the best minds for the job.


Being a homophobe doesn't invalidate the man's physics expertise.

[Forkboy]

107. " Being a homophobe doesn't invalidate the man's physics expertise."

Yes...what is that experience? Oh that's right, you don't know, but Obama said so.....

And do you really think he's the ONE man on the planet with that expertise? Besides Hitler, Manson and Dahmer, that is....

[Solomon]

113. You're changing the argument unfairly.

The premise of the post was that he should be kicked off because he is a homophobe, not because he's incompetent.

[foxfeet]

119. Nobody has yet argued that he's competent. Apparently it's just assumed.

See posts #97 and #98.

[Forkboy]

134. My argument wasn't that he was incompetent at all.

My argument is why hire a guy like this when he surely isn't the only one with knowledge in this area. Why have a guy like this when others who don't think gay people are second class (which is putting his thinking hyper fucking nicely) can do the same job?

And apparently he isn't the bloody hero those who would hire Manson and Hitler so eagerly to help them thought he was, as he's been shitcanned from the team.

[gaspee]

89. WTF !!

This guy is in the administration? Disgusting and disgraceful. But it figures.

[amborin]

91. done!

[amborin]

92. unreal: Obama nominates a denier as one of our "best and brightest" scientists please make this

its own OP

[WeDidIt]

93. That would be a stupid move, IMO

I could give a rat's ass as to socio-political views on this.

IF you can show he got his degrees through fraud, then yeah, I'll sign a petition to get rid of the guy. I could give a shit about anything else this guy believes.

[Upton]

94. No thanks..

I'll just echo what others have stated in this thread...the leak trumps all other considerations.

[amborin]

97. Katz, an astrophysicist, admits he has no expertise and can't help:

"Jonathan Katz, a physics professor at Washington University in St. Louis, is another member of JASON. But Katz's major research focus has been astrophysics, and in an interview Friday with a St. Louis paper, he didn't seem confident that he had been much help with the mission. "I was honored to be invited and enjoyed the experience," said Katz. "Did I have anything much to contribute? I think I have some ideas for how to prevent this kind of thing from happening in the future, but I don't have anything very specific to offer on the present problems. It is very much in the hands of the real pros." Asked if he'd be willing to go back, Katz said: "I'd be happy to, but someone's got to send me an email or a phone ..."

[amborin]

98. Katz's blog post on global warming:

"54.jonathanikatzSt. LouisJune 29th, 20097:53 amAs a semi-skeptic, I object to and resent being called irresponsible, immoral and treasonous for not uncritically swallowing the party line on this issue (or any other). This is invective designed to cut off rational debate, not to encourage solutions to what may actually be a problem.

If it is a problem, the cap-and-trade bill won't help solve it. All it would do is drive greenhouse gas-emitting industry to poor countries with no cap-and-trade and few or no pollution controls at all. Then we could emit even more carbon dioxide bringing cement, steel, automobiles, etc. across the oceans.

Why am I a "semi-skeptic"? Because it appears to me that the evidence for warming in recent decades is clear, and the argument that this is caused by anthropogenic greenhouse gases is plausible, perhaps persuasive, but not proven. The climate was warmer than it is today in the Late Medieval Climatic Maximum (formerly called the Optimum) when there was very little emission of anthropogenic greenhouse gases.

On the other hand, there is no evidence that warming will lead to droughts, more severe heat waves (warming occurs almost entirely when and where the weather is cold, for very good physics reasons), more severe storms, or any other bad effects. In fact, the Sahel is now wetter than it was 20--30 years ago when the climate was cooler. We can be sure of only two things: that a warmer climate will lengthen growing seasons in temperate and sub-arctic regions, and that increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere makes plants grow faster. These are surely good for humanity. The rest is only guesswork, propelled by contagious hysteria of which this column is a prime example.

The global climate models give answers that agree only that greenhouse gases lead to warming. They disagree about its magnitude, and about almost everything else. Most of them must be wrong (possibly all of them), but we don't know which ones. We should have enough common sense to be skeptical of scientists claiming that they have just made an important discovery. It is usually 90% self-promotion.

Mr. Krugman: Perhaps you know something about economics (your op-eds on economic issues are generally thoughtful, if partisan). But you know nothing about climate or the physics behind it, and only make a fool of yourself with columns like this.

Jonathan Katz
Professor of Physics
Washington University
St. Louis, Mo. 63130"

from nytimes.com

[The Old Creak]

100. This sucks

Er, sorry Mr. Katz:)

[BreweryYardRat]

128. This is why I'm okay with dismissing him.

If he can't help solving this problem, there's no sense in having him as a consultant.

[Sheepshank]

101. So a homophobe is not worthy to work on an important environmental project

....an opinion by many here.

Those same 'many' are jumping up and down in frustration and anger that gay people are not permitted to serve openly in the armed forces. May I just say it seems awfully hypicritical?

I don't see a difference here in the hate rhetoric. In either case, you have people that have an ideology and a lifestyle that the other side doesn't agree with and therefore doesn't want them to do a job that is NOT related to the ideology or the lifestyle.

[Prism]

102. Let's play the anti-gay Pick 3, shall we?

1) Equivalence being drawn between virulent bigots and people opposed to bigotry? Match.

2) Bizarre intimation that being gay somehow diminishes a person's ability to perform in the military? Match.

3) Use of the words "ideology" and "lifestyle" to describe sexual orientation? Match.

You win today's Anti-Gay Pick 3 sweepstakes!

What do you get?!

Well, you get to stay on DU for a start. Sadly.

[Sheepshank]

103. It's exactly what I'm getting from the op

a tenuous correlation of why doing a job requires some sort of moral aligning with DU. I don't care. He does the job, we gain. That he fails on a personal level...that is something else entirely.

While you may not have understood that I do not in any shape or form think that gay-ness has anything to do with not being able to serve in the military, you were certainly quick to ASS-U-ME. My intent was clear in that I don't see how one can defend one arguement and then participate in the other with righteous indignation without seeming hypicritical.

your 1,2,3 numerology, trying to contort my statement is a "giant fail" in this case.

[Bluebear]

112. yeah, real 'hypicritical'

:eyes:

[EFerrari]

114. He failed on a public level when he advocated for discrimination

in his public writings and speeches.

[Bluebear]

111. "I don't see a difference here in the hate rhetoric" ...the "LIFESTYLE" - wow.

Are you obvious.

[Sheepshank]

116. obviously what?

trying to twist my words so you can try and make some point?

I suppose I don't have the right gay speak enough for you? I may have chosen words you don't like, but that doesn't change the fact that I have absolutly no issues with gay people...enough so that my own nephew, neighbor and co workers are loved unconditionally and understand that my lack of 'speak' doesn't reflect the intent of my heart. You don't know this about me, but hey, you're ready to judge as if you do. Attempts at judgements...so freaking typical of those that can't find arguments, so use name calling....so typical.

Yet there is nothing here to change my mind that Katz's job is a job and that is the import.

[FreeState]

118. Just an FYI the term "lifestyle" is beyond offensive

the term "lifestyle" is beyond offensive - its generally used by the religious right to try and pigeon hole gays as all about sex. There is no such thing as a gay lifestyle.

In the future I'd not use it if you want your points to be taken seriously, just a suggestion.

[laughingliberal]

121. Amazing how easily the RW rhetoric has worked its way in here. nt

[Bluebear]

125. 'I suppose I don't have the right gay speak enough for you?' - Piss off, he got fired.

[Sheepshank]

126. piss off?

you some sort of self ordained god here?

Self rightous prick!

[Bluebear]

130. Self-rightous (sic) homophobe!

[laughingliberal]

120. Moral equivalency much?

Sorry, advocating for discrimination and spewing hate speech is not the same as 'having a lifestyle the other side doesn't agree with.'

And it looks like he's out!!! Yay!

[Smashcut]

139. But apparently a homophobe is free to post here.

:hi:

[TriMera]

104. The professor's expertice is

Gamma Rays! Can anybody shed some light on how this guy can help the situation in the gulf? Just to help you out, here is a list of his publications. I couldn't find anything remotely related to oil, spills, drilling, etc.

http://www.physics.wustl.edu/Fac/KatzPub.html

[FreeState]

109. I cant figure it out either n/t

[FreeState]

115. Breaking: Energy Dept.: "Professor Katz will no longer be involved in the Department's efforts."

http://twitter.com/msignorile

Energy Dept. press secy Stephanie Mueller: "Obviously, we don't agree with the statements that have been made by Jonathan Katz." #katz
40 minutes ago via web

From Energy Dept.: "Professor Katz will no longer be involved in the Department's efforts." #katz
42 minutes ago via web

From Energy Dept: "Some of Professor Katz's controversial writings have become distraction from critical work addressing oil spill." #katz
43 minutes ago via web

BREAKING: Homophobe is out. RT @chrisgeidner Energy Spokeswoman: "Prof. Katz will no longer be involved in the Department's efforts." #katz

[EFerrari]

117. Bookmarking. n/t

[laughingliberal]

123. Yay!!! A blow against bigotry! nt

[Bluebear]

124. 'Over 2,300 people signed our open letter to the President.' - Much to the disappointment of some

From press secretary Stephanie Mueller at the Department of Energy:
"Dr. Chu has spoken with dozens of scientists and engineers as part of his work to help find solutions to stop the oil spill. Some of Professor Katz's controversial writings have become a distraction from the critical work of addressing the oil spill. Professor Katz will no longer be involved in the Department's efforts."

[Sheepshank]

127. 3 Billion didn't sign it n/t

[Name removed]

129. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Ian David]

138. Homophobia Defender Ousted Energy Department announces Jonathan Katz will no longer be assisting

Homophobia Defender Ousted
Energy Department announces that Jonathan Katz will no longer be assisting in oil spill efforts

by Chris Geidner
Published on May 17, 2010, 10:04pm | 0 Comments, 0 Tweets

Jonathan I. Katz, a professor of astrophysics at Washington University in St. Louis, ''will no longer be involved in the Department's efforts'' at addressing the oil spill continuing to spread in the Gulf of Mexico, a Department spokeswoman relayed on Monday night, May 17.

The news came after what the spokesperson, Stephanie Mueller, termed ''controversial writings'' – which included a ''defense of homophobia'' – spread out over the web on Monday, writings of which she said the Department was unaware when it sought his assistance.

On May 12, Energy Secretary Steven Chu ''assembled a group of top scientific experts from inside and outside of government to join in today's discussions in Houston about possible solutions,'' according to a Department news release. Katz was one of five outside scientists noted in the release. Bloomberg News reported about the group of scientists on May 14, reporting Chu ''signaled his lack of confidence in the industry experts trying to control BP Plc's leaking oil well by hand-picking a team of scientists with reputations for creative problem solving.''

Once news of the team spread, some of Katz's writings were discovered at his university website, including one titled, ''In Defense of Homophobia.'' In the essay, dated May 13, 1999, he wrote about the ''rationalist'' and the religious person's views of homosexuality.

More:
http://metroweekly.com/news/?ak=5208

[Mojeoux]

147. goodbye. Homophbia = racism = classism = religious extremism = anti-science.

We need hard science,"No-Bullshit" science.

[Ter]

140. Unless the position effects the job, it doesn't matter

If the job is to fix my plumbing in my house and the person is excellent and cheap, I don't care if he's pro-life, Libertarian, or Communist.

[amborin]

143. it's

"affects" not "effects"

[Ter]

145. Thanks

I originally had that, but switched. Damn spell correct is useless on things like this.

[EFerrari]

144. Sorry, but doing a small job at your house is in no way the same

as the administration being seen to condone public bigotry.

They apparently agreed with that and fired him.

[Toucano]

149. That disgusts me.

Principles be damned!

Excellent and cheap!

Excellent and cheap!



Slaves made my chocolate bar? Who cares? It's excellent and cheap!

My diamond engagement ring financed arms that murdered people in Darfur? Who cares? It's excellent and cheap!

My dinner was harvested by people who's living conditions make a slave ship look like the Four Seasons? Who cares? It's excellent and cheap!

The 14-year old Dominican who made my pants went blind after working 16 hour days with no break and now peddles pussy to Rush Limbaughs in the street? Who cares? They're excellent and cheap!




Barbarous gluttony. Excellent and cheap!

[Ter]

152. Other people's politics are irrelevent to me, unless it relates to the job

You used extreme examples like death, slavery, and child labor that we all oppose. I used a normal example (a pro-life Republican plumber who does the job well and is cheap). You would stop letting someone fix your plumbing for merely being pro-life? Why stop there? Next time ask your server in a restaurant his/her policies before he/she takes your order. If the server did not vote for Obama and vote a strict party line, get up and leave! :sarcasm:

[Toucano]

153. Your principles are irrelevant to you.

It's not "politics", it's VALUES. It's PRINCIPLES.

You better believe I would not hire a plumber if he has an anti-choice bumper sticker on his van.

I can choose, and I choose not to give money to someone who may very well turn around and donate it to some PAC or advocacy group who will use MY money for purposes I find objectionable.

I wouldn't bring it up, but if he does or if he advertises it, I sure as hell am going to exercise my freedom to choose.

"...ask your server..."

There's no litmus test to life. You don't have to go around ASKING people what their values are. They either show you or they don't. What you don't know you can't act on. When you do know, you MUST act.

If my server makes a bigoted comment, I'm not going to give him money. Not on your life! His tip will be, "Don't be a bigot," and that's it. I might even complain to the management.

No one ASKED Prof. Katz for his screed on the cause of AIDS, global warming, counterintelligence, or the Iraq war. He CHOSE to express his warped and demented ideas.

Those views combined with the fact that he tries to justify them with his credentials as a physicist make him ineligible for work in a DEMOCRATIC administration.


By the way, you think my examples are "extreme"? Those are DAILY situations for MILLIONS of people and choices that millions of people make every day affect them.

You either have principles or you don't. You don't just have them when they are convenient.

[Ter]

154. Too a point, sure

I would never hire a plumber who is a racist or have someone wait on me who's making bigoted comments. However, if it somehow came up (Obama on TV in the restaurant and me asking "Do you like him"?) it doesn't matter. If he says "Yes" that's great. If he says "Not really, I voted for McCain" that's fine too (I can't realistically isolate from 46% of the country). However, if he says something racist, that's where I leave.

Forget him having an anti-choice bumper sticker. Suppose you somehow found out through a friend that he was anti-choice, or voted the other way?

In the area I live in, the majority are Republican. I'd have to really shop around to find someone who agrees with me.

To me it's no big deal. I've even dated the opposition.

[Toucano]

155. "I would never hire a racist..."

Even if he were "excellent and cheap"?

But you would hire someone who tries to convince other people that gay people caused the AIDS epidemic? For you see, Katz doesn't simply HOLD those views, he tries to convince others that he is right. He advocates rejection and isolation of gays because acceptance of gays caused "innocent children" to become infected and die from AIDS.

This, to you, is someone to hire?

Prof. Katz, yes. David Duke, no?


You seem to want to frame this in terms of party politics, D vs. R.

It's not about that, but it explains a lot of the reason why so many DUers are willing to pardon mistakes and crimes of Obama that would have had them red-faced and foaming at the mouth if Bush were behind them.

It's about your CORE values. And that transcends political party.


So no, I don't treat Republicans like lepers. I don't have to. I have a directory of Democrats from my county Democrat club. I can find a plumber, mechanic, carpenter, technician, barber, lawyer, liquor store, car dealer, welder - virtually anything I could need. I may not agree with everyone on every point, but it sure as hell beats the yellow pages.

And when I can't find someone in my "family" to do business with, I do the best I can.

It's when you HAVE A CHOICE that you're adherence to your principles comes under scrutiny - not when you have no choice.

There was never anything to indicate that Prof. Katz expertise in gamma rays and black holes was vital to resolving the oil spill crisis, as his subsequent exclusion and admission that he's got nothin' have since proven. Nothing ever indicated that there was no other choice.

No this experience has only demonstrated the fact that Democrats in general are happy to part with their principles at the first bump in the road. And how quick they are to throw the gays sitting at the back of the bus under the bus when they hit that bump.

[racaulk]

156. I would just like to say...

...that you have been on fire in this thread! You have been expressing elegantly and succinctly all of the frustrations and disappointments I have felt over this situation -- for Katz's selection and for his acceptability to some DUers -- using words that I somehow can't find to use myself.

Thank you! :hi:

:yourock:

[Toucano]

158. It's very kind of you to take the time to say that.

Thank you.

I was super annoyed by this thread yesterday and I appreciate knowing that I was at least coherent.

Some "scientists" once used the same technique as Prof. Katz to advocate and justify the extermination of...men like Prof. Katz.

I can't believe the ugly irony of that has been so rapidly assimilated and digested by people on DU. It sticks in my craw like a razor blade.

I am choosing to tell myself that they didn't really read the article, only the headline. Otherwise, I doubt I can assimilate their rapid acceptance of him.

[Truth2Tell]

141. K&R for a glimmer of light

A few thousand people on the interwebs just caused this to happen. Well done people.

[Toucano]

148. Very revealing thread.

Thanks so much Bluebear (I think).

So many Democrats willing to hire Charles Manson, Hitler or the Grand Dragon of the KKK to solve the crisis in the gulf says a lot about the reason so little progress is made on so many fronts - since the one thing they all have in common with Prof. Katz is they don't know squat about solving the oil leak crisis.

Nice to see - LIVE and in PERSON - that good old Democrats throwing the gays under the bus when **they think** it might be to their advantage to do so.

Super!

[EFerrari]

150. He's just going to fix one oil spill!

[Toucano]

151. Keep your powder dry! The big battles lie ahead! Stop with the purity tests! n/t

[VMI Dem]

157. I think its done. Gonna be some disappointed people.