(Lansing-MPRN) Many Democrats are attacking comments made on the House floor on Wednesday they say are derogatory toward the LGBT community. “Even California – the land of fruits and nuts – has deregulated this industry,” said state Rep. Al Pscholka (R-Stevensville), who was speaking about a bill he sponsored related to installing residential stairway chairlifts.
“I probably shouldn’t have said that,”
Pscholka said after a pause. A number of other lawmakers audibly laughed after the comment. Rep. Jeremy Moss – one of two openly gay Democrats in the state House – says the comment was “beneath the dignity of the House.”
“Gay people don’t refer to themselves as ‘fruits,’ and don’t want to be referred to as ‘fruits,’” said Moss. “Words matter. And words can hurt. And it was really a stupid thing to say.”
Moss says he would like Pscholka to apologize for the comment. The liberal group Progress Michigan has also called on Pscholka to apologize.
State Rep. Jon Hoadley (D-Kalamazoo), the other openly gay lawmaker in the House, said he “cringed” when he heard the statement. But he called Pscholka a “good guy” who was probably not out to hurt people with the words. In lieu of an apology, Hoadley’s calling on Pscholka to support legislation that would add LGBT protections to Michigan’s civil rights law.
“I think that a good law does a lot more than a bad joke”
