Homophobic Arkansas school board member Clint McCance tells Anderson Cooper he plans to resign

The string of recent suicides by gay kids has focused a spotlight on the bullying epidemic in this country. While we have seen compassion from many, we are seeing the true colors of others like Clint McCance, vice president of the Midland School District in Pleasant Plains, Arkansas.

He has made some of the most horrific comments on Facebook that I have ever seen from a grown man. He was responding to a request that students wear purple in support of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth who might be considering suicide:

Seriously they want me to wear purple because five queers killed themselves. The only way im wearin it for them is if they all commit suicide. I cant believe the people of this world have gotten this stupid. We are honoring the face that they sinned and killed thereselves because of their sin. REALLY PEOPLE.

He also wrote when responding to comments: “No because being a (slur) doesn’t give you the right to ruin the rest of our lives.  If you get easily offended by being called a (slur) then don’t tell anyone you are a (slur). Keep that (expletive) to yourself.  I don’t care how people decide to live their lives. They don’t bother me if they keep it to thereselves.  It pisses me off though that we make a special purple (gay slur) day for them. I like that (slur) cant procreate.  I also enjoy the fact that they often give each other aids and die.  If you aren’t against it, you might as well be for it.”

He said a lot more. He uses the words “queers” and “fags” left and right and writes that if one of his two children were gay, he’d run them off. And, of course. he is doing all of this because the bible tells him so.

The backlash was instant and McCance says he has had death threats and had to have his wife and kids go into hiding.

Anderson Cooper has been covering the hell out of the story this week and last night, landed an exclusive interview with McCance. I was just riveted to it. The man knows he went too far and said: ”I made some very ignorant comments and did not realize just how ignorant they were. I’m sorry I’ve hurt people with my comments. I’m sorry I made those ignorant comments and hurt people on a broad spectrum.”

As you watch the interview, you’ll see that McCance is just now processing all of this. He’s not ready to say he’ll not kick his kids out if they are gay but the one things he seems to get, I think, is that his words are exactly the kind of thing that can push vulnerable kids over the edge.

Obviously this man has no business having anything to do with a school district and, I think, should get some counseling. It chills me to the bone when i see this kind of ignorance but it’s out there, all over the place. I’m glad people like Anderson Cooper are reporting on it in an intelligent and thoughtful way.