Opinion: Bill Richardson apologizes to gays
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Democratic presidential candidates will discuss the concerns of gays at a debate scheduled for next month in Los Angeles and, based on a story now posted on gaynewswatch.com, Bill Richardson might have some explaining to do if he agrees to participate.
The story reports that more than a year after uttering a word widely considered a Spanish-language slur for homosexuals, Richardson has issued a written apology. Richardson used the term, ‘maricón,’ while appearing on the Don Imus radio show (at the time, the pair were quite tight).
Contacted by The Times, the Richardson campaign confirmed the gist of the lengthy story and that he had sent the apology. Richardson --- who grew up in Mexico City, the son of an American dad and Mexican mom --- said in the statement that, “In the Spanish I grew up speaking, the term means simply ‘gay,’ not positive or negative. It has been brought to my attention that the word also has a hurtful or derogatory connotation, which was never my intent. If I offended anybody, I’m sorry.”
The story, a version of which is slated to appear Wednesday in Los Angeles-based ‘IN’ magazine, asserts that based on its research, Richardson may be cutting himself a bit of slack in saying he had been unaware of the term’s derogatory connotation. And it disputes his contention that the timing of the matter surfacing publicly ‘smacks of politics — it comes as I am gaining momentum and moving up in the polls.”
The debate on gay issues, announced Tuesday, is co-sponsored by the Human Rights Campaign and Logo, a cable network. It is to be held Aug. 9, starting at 6 p.m. (PDT), and Logo plans to broadcast the proceedings live, as well as stream video of it from its website, LOGOonline.com.
So far, Hillary Rodham Clinton, John Edwards and Barack Obama have confirmed they will participate. Questioners are to include singer Melissa Etheridge.
-- Don Frederick