German official sorry for insulting gay leader ("I don't want a gay foreign minister")

[denem]

Source: Associated Press

A German official has apologized for saying he did not want the country to have a gay man as foreign minister.

Guido Westerwelle, leader of the pro-business Free Democratic Party, is expected to become foreign minister. The party won 15 percent of the vote Sunday and is set to become kingmaker for Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives.

Westerwelle is openly gay and in a relationship. Neither he nor the public have made it an issue in his eight years as party leader.

Peter Langner, treasurer of the western city of Duisburg and a rival Social Democrat, said Sunday, "I don't want a gay foreign minister."He apologized Monday, saying he spoke without reflecting first. He said he holds no prejudice against homosexuals.

Read more: http://www.etaiwannews.com/etn/news_content.php?id=1068633&lang=eng_news

---

Amongst other policies, Westerwelle pledged during the campaign to cut or end aid to regimes that deny fundamental human rights, including LGBT rights and generally restore the rights to privacy Germans enjoyed before 9/11.

In 2009 the Free Democrats increased their share of vote from 8% to 15%.

[joeybee12]

1. He holds no prejuidices, but his first reaction is prejuidiced...

...dick.

[Fearless]

2. That's charming,

:eyes:

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

3. Too bad 'cause it's going to be

fabulous. :evilgrin:








.

[Dutch]

6. Westerwelle is about as "fabulous" as Roy Cohn. n/t

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

8. It was just a bad joke. At least this guy is not in denial as Cohn was. He wasn't even very

good at hiding it.

[JackRiddler]

10. Yeah, but 30 years ago it's unlikely Westerwelle would have been open about it.

The head mayor of Berlin Klaus Wowereit is also proudly gay - and an SPD member!

[Gedankenaustausch]

4. I really love German politics

I mean could you imagine a big business pro human rights party in the US. I really hate how the US is so Left or Right, Right or Wrong, Democratic or Conservative, Black and White with EVERY SINGLE ISSUE! I love the democratic party, but sometimes I think everyone should have more wiggle room.

Anyone remember or know about Klaus Wowereit? He is the current mayor of Berlin and in 2001 before he got elected he came out to stop a possible bad situation by the press leaking it. What he said is now a famous pride phrase in Germany "Ich bin schwul und das ist auch so gut!" I am gay, and it is good this way" or as we would say i guess, "I'm gay, and that's ok!" Wowereit was elected in 2001 and is still in office. If I'm not mistaken Berlin is the largest city in the world with a gay mayor... but I'm not 100%. Here's a link to his coming out speech, which got a very good reaction.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9VdhGr4pUc

<edited for grammer>

[Dutch]

5. Westerwelle being gay isn't a problem. His being a right-wing, free marketeering asshole is.

Shame on Langner both for his bigotry and for obscuring this point. But let's not lose sight of the fact that the FDP are anti-worker scum.

[timeforpeace]

7. That's the trouble with leading with your sexuality instead of your brain.

[DetlefK]

9. This is the first time, I heard anyone complain about Westerwelle's sexuality

He is one of the preferred targets of political cabaret (sorta like political stand-up comedy). He gets criticized for his behavior and politics, but his sexuality was always considered off-limits as his private matter.

On the other hand... Klaus Wowereit, the mayor of Berlin, is also gay and very popular throughout Germany. If the SPD recovers, Germany might one day get a gay head of state. :D

[David__77]

11. SPD will not recover.

It has no reason to exist. If people want a centrist party, they'll vote CDU. If they want a progressive party, they'll vote Left.