Graeblyn, savaging and defaming an innocent man's reputation when he has just died is hate speech. There is nothing vile about comparing it to the people who engage in hate speech and hate crimes against homosexuals. Such behavior is loathsome no matter who it is directed at.

You need to re-read the context of my use of the term "fag bashing." I'm talking about the people who engage in that behavior and call it that themselves. You used the word "fag' in your post. Does that make your post "vile"? Nope. If a bunch of White Power morons were chanting "DIE NIGGERS" would the news media be "vile" for playing a recording of them saying it? Of course not. It is exactly the same thing.

It is THEIR term, not mine, and that is why it was used in that context.

There is nothing "vile" at all about the comparison. Trying to destroy the reputation of great men or women who loved their country and did great things for their country discourages OTHER great men or women in the future from devoting themselves to serving and improving the country. The costs of that are enormous. It is a big reason we have such a pathetic corps of politicians these days. The good people don't want to suffer this kind of indignity.

I would argue that destroying the reputations of great patriots and thereby discouraging other people from serving their country is at LEAST as harmful and heinous as murdering and torturing a single person.

It is absolutely absurd to blame Ronald Reagan for even a SINGLE death to HIV/AIDS.

There are countless other severe ailments that are far more deadly which CANNOT be avoided through lifestyle choices (not using drugs and not having casual, unprotected sex). When it comes to cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer's, etc. you have no such simple options for avoidance.

It is absolutely ridiculous and hateful to blame a President for deaths to a virus he had absolutely no control over. Even the criticism that he was "slow" to push for funding is ridiculous. You can armchair quarterback all day long but the reality is that there were FAR MORE IMPORTANT issues the country had to deal with at that time and in the end, Reagan pushed for and obtained over $8 billion in funding for HIV/AIDS research.