Statement of Bahaghari LGBT Organization on the Manny Pacquiao debacle.
First, you insult LGBT community by saying “mas masahol pa sa hayop (worse than animals)”, comparing homosexual people to animals and justifying it by using your faith, even quoting Bible verses and claiming it to justify your statement against LGBT people. Then you gave your apology, saying you are sorry and that you “love” the LGBT community and you will pray for us.
Manny, we don’t need that kind your love or tolerance which is given while actually defaming and degrading our community at the same time.
Your faith has nothing to with our rights. Our right to choose the one that we want to be with, and to form a relationship has nothing to do with the “acceptance” that we deserve. It is humanity, Manny. We, LGBT people, deserve equal rights and treatment just like everyone else.
But then there’s you who think of it as a given, as an infallible and eternal word from someone above by your picking out of specific phrases as weapon to target and attack people like us. (e.g. that gay marriage is wrong because the Bible tells you so).
We’re sick of hearing about select parts of the Bible as justification of bigotry, ignorance and self-righteousness. There are all sorts of practices promoted and condoned in the Bible, including slavery, keeping women as concubines, polygamy (yes, Moses and Abraham had several wives) and incest (sleeping with daughters to beget more children).
We respect you for your success in the boxing ring, but as a politician and even as a human being, you still has a lot to learn. Even in Congress, you have been maligned as an incompetent congressman; we can actually count in one hand your attendance in Congress.
Now that you are running for a higher post, the least you can do is educate yourself before opening your mouth because – as this experience should show you – you don’t just shame yourself, but you also shame the people who believe in you.
Spread love and acceptance, not bigotry and hate.
