The source of that lingering resentment is directly traceable not only to Stothert's anti-LGBT vote, but to her remarks about the gay community (see AKSARBENT video below) before voting against its interests in March of 2012.
Ryan Luby, who interviewed Rigatuso but not LGBTs still furious at Stothert, said this:
Luby: There's a sense of pride here, you can't miss, can't overlook so for someone to try to hurt that and to hear about it...Beth Rigatuso might do well to remember Jean Stothert's sly use of a vociferous anti-gay activist, Femi Awodele, in her recent election campaign commercials in order to send a dog whistle to homophobes, before accusing members of her own community of "disrespect" on television.
Rigatuso: Yeah, unfortunately we did...
Luby: to know they may send a negative message, Heartland Pride president Beth Rigatuso has strong words...
Rigatuso: It's disrespectful, absolutely disrespectful...
Rigatuso's advice to the gay community to "come together and let bygones be bygones" (Luby's words) ignores the fact that from last year's opposition to LGBT legal protection to this year's election campaign, Stothert's attitudes toward the gay community do not seem to have changed a bit.
Why should LGBTs dissatisfied with Stothert ignore that, simply because Rigatuso is willing to do so?
What really pisses me off is that Beth Rigatuso is making this about her, when its really about Jean Stothert and her work against the LGBT community. Post.
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