[Wizard.]

There's a difference between ignorant homophobia and wanting gay people to "burn" and "die" well I never knew someone could change completely within a 4 year time period. A leopard never changes their spots and Burnley are just being greedy bastards because he is their only striker and got them in the premiere league. #BoycottBurnley

[Brother Leon]

People can change. In Secondary school I was anti gay marriage and felt that nothing was changing my mind. Four years later, I was marching for gay rights and supporting the cause. Everyone matures at different rates. That said, he looks a twat, so...

[Jamie89]

Originally Posted by Brother Leon

People can change. In Secondary school I was anti gay marriage and felt that nothing was changing my mind. Four years later, I was marching for gay rights and supporting the cause. Everyone matures at different rates. That said, he looks a twat, so...

Originally Posted by Ammi

...hmmm, I don't know anything about this guy or his life/the environment and influences that he's had in childhood etc or through his early teen life with his peers etc...the comments are fairly awful, I know...but this was 4 years ago that he made them..?...we know people have mind-sets like this/have prejudices/intolerances and ignorances etc../we know that but are we to say that it's not more about progressing and those mind-sets being changed...about the human he is now, not the one he was 4 years ago..and he's saying that, it's not him now or anything like him and isn't that the most important thing here, that he's re-assessed his thoughts..it would be sad if he were judged forever for this because, then what would be the goal to change 'ist' mind-sets and surely that's the thing...if once having those thoughts, they're then going to be the thing that continues to define you, no matter what you feel now, just doesn't seem right .... anyways as I say, I don't know anything about this person but if his apology and his words now are indeed sincere and true..then it's his words now that I'm looking at more than his words and the person of 4 years ago...because that wold be real change of a 'hateful' mindset....

I do think people's views can change, but the things he said weren't just general comments against issues such as gay marriage that he may have changed his stance on, or signs of immaturity, they were really hateful comments, extreme in my view, and saying things like 'burn' and 'die'... and that apology, it smacks of PR to me. It's so clever, the way it's worded and structured. And it's actually made me more angry reading it tbh. I mean I could be wrong obviously, I don't know this person, but that's how I feel looking at it, and the underlying message will be that it's OK to say the kinds of things he said as long as someone writes you a good apology note afterwards...?
Like I said I do think people can change, but I also think that when it's people in the public eye, there should be consequences for stuff like this. It's not even so much about punishing him, but sending a message to the people that look up to him, so they see that there are consequences that can effect their lives and careers (and obviously just that it's wrong etc), that can't be solved as quickly and easily as he seems to be trying to do.

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Jamie89

I do think people's views can change, but the things he said weren't just general comments against issues such as gay marriage that he may have changed his stance on, or signs of immaturity, they were really hateful comments, extreme in my view, and saying things like 'burn' and 'die'... and that apology, it smacks of PR to me. It's so clever, the way it's worded and structured. And it's actually made me more angry reading it tbh. I mean I could be wrong obviously, I don't know this person, but that's how I feel looking at it, and the underlying message will be that it's OK to say the kinds of things he said as long as someone writes you a good apology note afterwards...?
Like I said I do think people can change, but I also think that when it's people in the public eye, there should be consequences for stuff like this. It's not even so much about punishing him, but sending a message to the people that look up to him, so they see that there are consequences that can effect their lives and careers (and obviously just that it's wrong etc), that can't be solved as quickly and easily as he seems to be trying to do.

...I do understand what you're saying about the apology, Jamie...but then if he didn't make it either, so he's fairly damned if he does and damned if he doesn't but doing it was the right thing obviously..it's not the words though..they mean nothing, it's how he is now and his mind-set now and his actions now and do they in any way connect to the four years ago person or are completely changed..?..that's hat I don't know and that's what he'll now have a lifetime of trying to 'prove', I guess....'hate' can be said but it's not always meant and not always felt, just bad judgement of moments in his life etc...I do agree that it's a good thing for people to look at things like this and consequences of words on social sites etc...

[Jamie89]

Originally Posted by Ammi

...I do understand what you're saying about the apology, Jamie...but then if he didn't make it either, so he's fairly damned if he does and damned if he doesn't but doing it was the right thing obviously..it's not the words though..they mean nothing, it's how he is now and his mind-set now and his actions now and do they in any way connect to the four years ago person or are completely changed..?..that's hat I don't know and that's what he'll now have a lifetime of trying to 'prove', I guess....'hate' can be said but it's not always meant and not always felt, just bad judgement of moments in his life etc...I do agree that it's a good thing for people to look at things like this and consequences of words on social sites etc...

I think part of me kind of feels that that's how it should be in this situation To show that saying things like that isn't easily solvable. Like yes he should give an apology but he should also be punished in a way that will send a strong message to his fans. As far as he's concerned personally, maybe he doesn't hold those views now, I don't know, it just doesn't sit right with me for that to be the end of it because it makes it too easy to backtrack, and the effect of saying the kinds of things he said can cause a lot of damage to people reading them. It's like anything, whenever there's a video on youtube for example, that's related to anything to do with gay issues, you always get the same horrible comments and they can be really damaging for young people reading them, even if the commenters don't really mean them or regret them a few years later. And I can't help but wonder if in a situation like this, if nothing much happens about it, would that be any kind of a deterrent to those other people?

[Novo]

Originally Posted by Riley.

There's a difference between ignorant homophobia and wanting gay people to "burn" and "die" well I never knew someone could change completely within a 4 year time period. A leopard never changes their spots and Burnley are just being greedy bastards because he is their only striker and got them in the premiere league. #BoycottBurnley

Vokes is a striker

[letmein]

Well, no gay child should end up looking like Pete Burns.

Second, what a mess.

Third, they need to start teaching children in school at a young age the dangers of social media and how whatever they post is out there for life and will come back to haunt them forever. Then give them examples.

[Ammi]

...hmmm, I don't know anything about this guy or his life/the environment and influences that he's had in childhood etc or through his early teen life with his peers etc...the comments are fairly awful, I know...but this was 4 years ago that he made them..?...we know people have mind-sets like this/have prejudices/intolerances and ignorances etc../we know that but are we to say that it's not more about progressing and those mind-sets being changed...about the human he is now, not the one he was 4 years ago..and he's saying that, it's not him now or anything like him and isn't that the most important thing here, that he's re-assessed his thoughts..it would be sad if he were judged forever for this because, then what would be the goal to change 'ist' mind-sets and surely that's the thing...if once having those thoughts, they're then going to be the thing that continues to define you, no matter what you feel now, just doesn't seem right .... anyways as I say, I don't know anything about this person but if his apology and his words now are indeed sincere and true..then it's his words now that I'm looking at more than his words and the person of 4 years ago...because that wold be real change of a 'hateful' mindset....

[arista]

Yes he only wanted Gays to Burn and Die?
Back in 2012 tweet

He says he longer wants Gays dead
plus he is being payed mega money , now

[MB.]

Originally Posted by arista

Yes he only wanted Gays to Burn and Die?

Oh well that's fine then

[VanessaFeltz.]

Originally Posted by arista

He says he longer wants Gays dead

thats cute and generous of him

[VanessaFeltz.]

He should say sorry to pete burns then i will forgive him