Homophobia is the same thing as racism. So gay people don't neccissarily look different than "normal" people, it's the same pointless hate based on superficial criteria. The same goes for hating "nerds," "hippies," people for other countries, sides of town, etc. It's the basic "I need to hate someone I can identify as different" emotion. And from the Balkans to Kashmir, to Indonisia, to America, to Uganda, I can see it tearing the world apart.

As for the gay perspective on the word "gay," it's my experience that like any other population some people are more offended than others. I have a friend who's mother is gay and she can sit there and roll off gay joke after gay joke all night long. I know another guy who only takes offence to "Fag" because it symbolises the time when homosexuals were burned alive at the steak. Other gay people I know are hyper sensitive to anything that can be taken as hurtful.

I myself take the side of the First Amendment. It's your choice if you want to be illiterate or not. I do think that we need to take a collective chill pill though.

Finally, as for the Creed thread, I would take the "I'm gay" modifacation as a "shot across the bow." James could have done far more severe and we all know it.