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Greg Rikaart talks about his Twitter war with fellow soap star Melissa Reeves over anti-gay Chick-fil-A
Greg Rikaart, who plays Kevin Fisher on the CBS soap The Young and the Restless, found himself in Chick-fil-A war with Melissa Reeves of NBC’s Days of Our Lives who publicly showed her support of the fast food chain that is publicly against gay marriage and has donated millions in recent years to anti-gay causes.
Rikaart called Reeves out on Twitter and in a column he wrote for Huffington Post.
Rikaart tells TV Guide: “I did get a lot of support but the general tone of political discourse in this country is very disheartening. I was getting challenged by some people for having attacked Melissa Reeves when, frankly, what I said was anything but an attack. I expressed my disappointment that she has aligned herself with a company that promotes hatred and bigotry, and I stand by that. I welcome a conversation with her. It’s the only way people on different sides of an issue can meet in the middle and understand each other’s point of view. I would have loved that opportunity with Melissa but she blocked me from her Twitter account. [Reeves subsequently blocked everybody by shutting down the account.]
He adds: “No one is saying that Melissa Reeves doesn’t have a right to free speech. Dan Cathy, the president of Chick-fil-A, is also entitled to his opinions and beliefs but he’s funding organizations that are hate groups, organizations that want to criminalize homosexuality in this country and throughout the world, and that’s where Melissa Reeves’ alignment is really disappointing to me. I am proud to stand up and be an advocate for LGBT rights. This is the last hurdle of the civil rights movement. I’m glad this is such a hot-button issue. I’m glad people are so impassioned about it, even the people who are against equality for all Americans because they are reacting out of fear, fear that the LGBT community is winning. And it is winning! Part of why I stand up and am proud to be an advocate is because this is less about grownups than it is about children. This is no different than kids being bullied in a schoolyard. People wonder why there is an epidemic of bullying in this country. Well, it’s because kids are learning it from the grownups, from people like Melissa Reeves who is a grown-up bully. I believe in respecting everyone’s religious beliefs but those beliefs don’t belong anywhere near my rights or anyone else’s.”
Comments
(All comments are reviewed before being published, and I review submissions several times per day.)
manhattan mick says:
Right on, Mr. Rikaart! Nice to see someone in the spotlight standing up and calling out Melissa Reeves, and everyone else who supports bigotry. Too often celebrities get a pass on their discriminatory behavior. Just as many celebs keep their heads down, afraid of hurting their careers by speaking out. Well done! And though I’ve never watched The Young and the Restless, I’ll look for you now. Keep up the good work.
Larry says:
Greg seems like such an intelligent young man,his words were very articulate and well said with alot of thought and passion behind them.
Mike says:
I have liked him from day one on Y&R which I don’t watch anymore and I thank him for calling her out and to see her cowardice after the fact, she certainly has her right to hate speech, but, he has his to call her out on it as well.
Joe says:
Good job, Greg! When anyone confronts bigotry, they are automatically labeled to be in “attack” mode. Funny that it never is the other way around. I don’t know who Reeves is, and I don’t care to. As my Mom used to say, she’s as thick in the head as a pig is in the ass. :-]
JOHN FERRIE says:
I HAD AN INCIDENT WITH SCOTT REEVES LAST YEAR.I WENT TO GO TO SEE HIS SHOW IN BOSTON.SECURITY WALKED UP TO ME AND MY LEGALLY BLIND FRIEND AND SAID SCOTT REEVES SAID YOU CANT SEE THE SHOW.I REMEMBERED TELLING HIM I WAS GAY ON MYSPACE,SO I SAID I THINK HE IS HOMOPHOBIC.THE NEXT THING I KNOW HE COMES OUTSIDE AND GIVES ME 2 VIP PASSES FOR THE NEXT NIGHT IN CONN.HE SAID IT WAS ALL A MISUNDERSTANDING.SO ME AND MY FRIEND WENT TO THE SHOW.I STILL HAD QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT THEY DID TO ME.I WENT ON TWITTER TO ASK HIM AND HE BLOCKED ME.I READ SOME ARTICLES ON THE WEB WHERE HE SAID HE WOULD NEVER PLAY A GAY ROLE.I ALSO FOUND OUT HE IS VERY RELIGIOUS!HIS CHURCH DOES NOT APPROVE OF GAY PEOPLE.HIS CHURCH HAS A WEBPAGE WWWGRACECHAPEL.NET
with missy on this says:
i with melissa on this there way to much express their gays lesbos going hell rember bible says man and women they need read bible
JOHN FERRIE says:
EVERYONE HAS THERE OPINION ON THE GAY SUBJECT!I DON’T BELIEVE EVERYTHING THE BIBLE SAYS.I DO BELIEVE PEOPLE LIKE TO USE IT AS A WEAPON TO HURT OTHER PEOPLE!SOMEONES BELIEFS ARE NOT GOING TO DICTATE MY LIFE!SOME PEOPLE DON’T BELIEVE IN GOD AT ALL!I THINK YOU SHOULD WORRY ABOUT HOW YOU LIVE YOUR LIFE AND STAY OUT OF OTHER PEOPLES!IT IS ON THING TO PRAY TO GOD,BUT IT IS ANOTHER TO PLAY GOD!YOU DON’T HAVE THE RIGHT TO VIOLATE OTHER PEOPLES LIVES USING THE BIBLE!I DON’T CARE WHAT ANYONE THINKS,GOD WILL DECIDE NOT YOU!
Kieran says:
I love the illiterate person who posted on August 28th…..
Del Lawson says:
Well said, Greg! A support and applaud your views. Please continue to speak out.