Midland’s moment
McCance
Facebook, Clint McCance, and a teaching moment about hate. But was anything learned? BY DAVID KOON
T
he way former Midland School Board vice president Clint McCance filled that intoxicating little window at the top of his Facebook page — the one that urges users to reveal What’s On Your Mind? — is pretty much indefensible, except maybe by the flintiest of homophobes and religious zealots. For those who never read what McCance wrote but despised him for what they heard he said, or never read it and defended him as a warrior of Christ anyway (and there were plenty of both), his comments appear below, taken from the screenshot captured in October by his Facebook friend and fellow Midland High School alum Anthony
Turner. Turner eventually forwarded those screenshots to gay and lesbian advocacy groups and the media. They were later broadcast around the world. McCance, apparently upset that some had suggested people wear purple to honor 11 gay kids from all across the nation who committed suicide in September of that year after being bullied at school, originally posted: “Seriously they want me to wear purple because five queers committed suicide. 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 fact that they sinned and killed thereselves because of their sin. REALLY PEOPLE.” Later, after a Facebook friend chided him for saying
THE SPARK: McCance’s comment on Facebook, which set off an international furor.
10 MARCH 2, 2011 • ARKANSAS TIMES
what he did, McCance came back with: “No because being a fag doesnt give you the right to ruin the rest of our lives. If you get easily offended by being called a fag then dont tell anyone you are a fag. Keep that shit to yourself. I dont care how people decide to live their lives. They dont bother me if they keep it to thereselves. It pisses me off though that we make a special purple fag day for them. I like that fags cant procreate. I also enjoy the fact that they often give each other aids and die. If you arent against it, you might as well be for it.” Later still, after the same poster berated McCance, asking him what he would think if someone talked about one of his children that way, McCance posted this: “I would disown my kids if they were gay. They will not be wel-