Tory MEP says homophobia “does not exist”

Further to Ella’s post, more evidence of backwardness from the Tories, via Pink News:

Roger Helmer, Conservative MEP for the East Midlands, wrote on his blog: “‘Homophobia’ is merely a propaganda device designed to denigrate and stigmatise those holding conventional opinions, which have been held by most people through most of recorded history.

“It is frightening evidence of the way in which political correctness is threatening our freedom.”

Helmer, who is honorary chairman of the right-wing Freedom Association, added: “It is creating ‘thought crimes’, where merely to hold a conventional opinion is seen, in itself, to be unacceptable and reprehensible. I’m sorry, but I don’t buy it.”

You can read the full blog post here; his rather feeble justification for his assertions is that, etymologically speaking, “homophobia” is an irrational fear of homosexuals, and no one irrationally fears homosexuals, so it’s all a load of cobblers designed to stop people with, um, really reasonable views using said views to inform really, er, progressive, liberating and humanitarian laws such as that banning homosexual marriage. The bastards.