Huppenthal apologizes for “known homosexuals” statement

by David Safier

I'm a bit late on this one, but since I go after Ed Supe Huppenthal on a regular basis, I should also give him a touch of credit — only a touch, mind you — where a touch of credit is due. He actually apologized for a homophobic statement he made, after sitting down with members of Equality Arizona to discuss the issue.

Here's the background. Huppenthal was called out by a speaker for comparing Mexican American Studies to Nazi education programs. If anyone should be accused of Nazi connections, the speaker said, it's Russell Pearce who has hung out with neo-Nazis, and Huppenthal supports Pearce.

In Huppenthal's answer, he defended Pearce.

"[Pearce] has had his picture taken with Democrats, he had his picture taken with known homosexuals . . . and no one has accused him of being a Democrat or a homosexual."

Huppenthal was roundly, and rightly, condemned for the perjorative "known homosexuals" phrase.

You can read his entire apology here. It sounds pretty forthright. Here's an excerpt.

It has come to my attention that individuals have taken comments I made at a meeting in Tucson on October 20 as offensive. First and foremost, I want to offer my sincere apology for my comments. I meant no disrespect.

I used an unfortunate choice of words in making the following point regarding accusations made against an elected official being affiliated with a hate group simply based on a photograph.

[snip]

While I cannot undo what I have said in the past, I understand my obligation to represent our vibrant education community in all its diversity in a positive light going forward.

Once again, please accept my sincerest apology for my poor choice of words and my absolute assurance that there was no attempt to disparage any member of the gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender community.

I want to make clear, I'm only praising Huppenthal with faint damns. He still stands by his myriad anti-Hispanic statements and hasn't apologized for comparing Mexican American Studies to Hitler-era education. The man has a long, long way to go. I wish I believed this statement was an important first step in his understanding of, in the words of the apology, "my obligation to represent our vibrant education community in all its diversity in a positive light going forward." But apparently, while he appears willing to pay lip service to the support of diversity when it comes to the LGBT community, I don't see him opening up to the portion of the "vibrant education community in all its diversity" which wants a few courses of Hispanic-centered education to complement students' predominantly anglocentric schooling.