Anti-Gay U. S. Olympic Official Quits

While those behind his appointment are claiming ignorance of his anti-gay views, Peter Vidmar who had been appointed as chief of the U. S. Olympic mission for 2012, has resigned. Johnny Weir (at right) among others caused a brief firestorm that led to Vidmar's resignation which I believe was totally appropriate. With a growing number of nations granting full marriage rights to same sex couples and a growing number of out athletes, a homophobe has no place on the Olympic commission which should represent all citizen athletes. The tide of history is turning slowly but steadily against anti-gay bigotry and the Olympic commission needs to embrace the future rather than have its face represented by bigotry. I am beyond over those who seek to inflict their personal religious beliefs on all of society. If they want to do so, then I suggest they move to Afghanistan Uganda or some similar place. Here are highlights from the New York Times:
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Peter Vidmar, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in gymnastics, stepped down Friday as the chief of mission for the 2012 United States Olympic team after a controversy about his public opposition to same-sex marriage.
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He said he resigned because he did not want his personal views to overshadow the athletes. “The sooner we can get back to helping focus on London and our athletes, the better,” Vidmar said in an e-mail.
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Vidmar, a Mormon, was a supporter of Proposition 8, a California ballot measure that defined marriage as being between a man and a woman. He said he was against same-sex marriage for religious reasons, and that his views would not affect his interactions with the United States Olympic team.
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Still, the controversy about his views grew after his appointment. Last Thursday, the openly gay figure skater Johnny Weir called Vidmar’s appointment “disgraceful” in an article on the Web site of The Chicago Tribune.