Jeremy Walters Thinks AIDS Is God's Punishment For Being Gay

Jeremy Walters is a Republican running for office in Iowa.

As such, it's a given that he is an anti-gay wingnut, though on his campaign website, Walters makes no mention of same-sex marriage or gay rights at all, but focuses instead on economic issues like property taxes, the estate tax and the state budget, as well as gun rights and education.

Taxes and guns, like a good Republican.

But while he doesn't discuss gay issues on his campaign website, his Facebook account is an entirely different story. It's there that Walters quotes Leviticus, and makes the leap to God gave gay people AIDS as a punishment.

Uh huh. Yes he did.


And, of course, now that his ill-informed, oft-times confusing, hate speech has found it's way to the Internet, Walters has decided to offer the Non-Apology-Apology. He regrets the controversial Facebook postings, but says he should have posted them as a comment on others pages, and not on his Facebook wall where, you know, people who find his thought process stupid and disgusting might see them.

But we did see them, and when the statements were made public, they were greeted with outrage by One Iowa, the state’s largest LGBT-rights group, and denounced by Republican Party of Iowa Chairman Matt Strawn. When the party later discovered Walters was scheduled to volunteer at the GOP Iowa State Fair booth, his invitation was rescinded.

Walters had said he would not remove the postings from his Facebook page, but apparently had a change of, well, I want to say heart but I'm not sure he has one. He took the posts down, and changed his privacy settings so that the public can no longer see what he posts. Hate speech will, apparently stay private.

And Jeremy Walters issued a statement to The Iowa Independent:

I am not against people having a gay lifestyle, and the statements made on Facebook have been taken the wrong way. The statement regarding gay homosexuality was not meant to be offensive and I deeply appologize.
As far as the quote from Bible; I was replying to someone elses post. It should have been posted as a comment on their page, not my Facebook wall. I appologize for the mistake and if this statement offened anyone. Both postings have been removed and these comments do not pertain to my campaign or the Republican Party of Iowa. My passion is to listen and learn from the people so I can represent them at the statehouse. Everyone makes mistakes, please forgive me.

Oh, Jeremy, where to begin.

• First: You're a fucktard who doesn't have the sense God gave a jumbo shrimp--which you are not supposed to eat, according to Leviticus, though I think you'll overlook that one since you're most focused on the man-on-man love parts.
• Second: You're a fucktard who doesn't realize that their isn't any such thing as a gay lifestyle. It's life, you moron, life. And it really isn't so very different from yours, except for being infinitely smarter, more well-read, and able to speak coherently.
• Third: You're a fucktard who doesn't seem to see that "gay homosexuality" is redundant. Unless, by saying that you mean as a comparison to gay heterosexually, or straight heterosexuality, or straight homosexuality.
• Fourth: You're a fucktard who doesn't know when to apologize for being a fucktard. You apologize for basically posting your ridiculous world-view where anyone can see it. You apologize because you got caught.
• Fifth: You're a fucktard who doesn't understand that if you want to get elected to office in Iowa, you'd better listen to all Iowans, even the gay homosexual ones and their friends, because, right now, I assure you, they're not interested in listening to you.
• Sixth: You're a fucktard who doesn't know how to spell. It's apologize, not appologize; it's offended, not offened. I suggest that before you continue seeking elective office, you take a course in basic spelling. And basic human decency.

And now, I'd like to apologize myself, for my blatant use of the word "fucktard" over and over...and over...again, but in the spirit of the Non-Apology-Apology, I'll just say, Meh.