It’s all about normalizing abnormal behaviour. I’m not saying gay peeps are bad, or should be mistreated AT ALL (I am strongly against that!) but they are just not “normal” and that is ok with me BUT I resent them trying to make me believe that they are normal when they are NOT!

Skunky on April 22, 2010 at 4:48 pm

Wow, I guess nothing is sacred anymore.

Tom Foster on April 22, 2010 at 5:04 pm

Its like sexuality isn’t private behavior any more. What people do in the privacy of their own bedroom is their own business but gays are so neurotic and insecure they feeling compelled to share their sexual orientation with the rest of the world. And do we want kids to know whom people sleep with is now every one’s business?

I don’t think its made the fictional town of Riverdale a better place to live. And the decline of America continues.

NormanF on April 22, 2010 at 5:11 pm

Sure is homophobic in here. Maybe Snow White and Prince Charming shouldn’t push their relationship on unassuming kids either.

Captain Rescue on April 22, 2010 at 5:53 pm

Captain…point out the homophobia. You’re just used to the word shutting down the argument. It’s a canard and we are on to you.

Skunky on April 22, 2010 at 5:56 pm

Sound a bit paranoid there, ma’am. Maybe we should lock our kids in soundproof rooms so they never ever have to see or hear anything that might warp or shatter their terribly fragile and easily-twisted minds. Everything in the world is just doing its best to turn children into smoking drinking raping murdering thieving sodomizing demons of Satan’s army, right? “Oh my god, something that exists is in something made for kids, they’re pushing their evil agenda upon our virgin youth and trying to convert them to the wickedness of something I personally dislike!”

@Skunky: Homosexuality is present throughout the animal kingdom, from our fellow mammals all the way down to fish and even insects. The only reason humans think it’s “abnormal” is because we made up deities that told us it’s “wrong” (and if you look in the Bible it actually says nothing about it, modern interpretations of Sodom and Gomorrah notwithstanding).

It’s such a shame that a country dedicated to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” gets so ravingly angry and fearful of two guys kissing in public.

happyfeet on April 22, 2010 at 5:58 pm

I had an interesting conversation with a homosexual co-worker a few years ago. He claimed that I was homophobic because I refused to “embrace” (his word) or accept his sexuality. I explained to him that he must have misunderstood what the word phobia means. I explained that it’s an irrational fear of something. I explained to him in simple terms that I was not fearful of him or his sexuality, I told him that in fact he lived a sad and empty life. Sad and empty in that GOD created man and woman to live their lives together as one flesh. Of course, he rejected that concept, but still claimed to be a Christian. I can never say for sure whether or not someone is truly a Christian, as only GOD knows what’s in their heart and mind. But I digress, this Kevin Keller character is more than just another cartoon character. It is simply another assault on the mores of those of us who reject homosexuality. As an Evangelical I accept the person and reject the behavior.

Rocky on April 22, 2010 at 6:04 pm

Sure is homophobic in here?!… Dear Captain Rescue, I have a newsflash for you: not being in favor of homosexuality doesn’t equal homophobia just as not being philo-Jewish doesn’t make you an antisemite…

I’m neither for nor against homosexuality… What adult people do in the privacy of their abode is their business… I do object however to the pretensions that homosexuality is just like heterosexuality…

Eliezer on April 22, 2010 at 6:17 pm

DON’T BUY ANY more new Archie branded stuff. Archie Comics wants to push their PC agenda on you, push your own purchasing policy on them.

Today’s comics are worthless anyway…there is nothing uplifting about them.

Archie is supposed to be a wholesome comic. It’s not supposed to be
Dawson’s Creek. Archie is for girls, dreaming about boys. And all the giggling to go along with that. What’s hot about a guy who has no interest in them?Way to destroy the brand, AC. Maybe they can do that faster by introducing aggressive bi-sexual Brenda? She can be a real bully in Betty and Veronica’s neighbourhood. Brenda can even be a strap-on dildo rapist who is eventually exposed as a serial killer! And all that was captured on her homemade snuff films. WOW!

Bet, from here on in, there will be brisk trade in Archie comics, in the pre-queer age.

Never Was An Arrow II on April 22, 2010 at 6:18 pm

“The first one is a FACT. The gay agenda has a plan 10 miles wide…I know…I used to be on the gay’s side…”

I laughed more than I should.

Captain Rescue on April 22, 2010 at 6:20 pm

Keep looking in the mirror Cap’n Tard. I’d laugh too if I looked like you.

I see you can only laugh but not deconstruct my argument. Typical. You got no game…just lame.

Skunky on April 22, 2010 at 6:23 pm

@Skunky: It’s no reason to be an ass towards them either.

@Never Was An Arrow: Wow, way to just assume a long line of ridiculousness. Maybe it’ll also open the door to have characters who defecate on other people’s faces for jollies and a guy who looks like Mohammad. Or Zoophile Zan who goes everywhere with his pet rhinoceros and is always trying to show the girls the joys of humping beasts. Or (le gasp) a character who’s a CONSERVATIVE! *little girl scream*

happyfeet on April 22, 2010 at 6:29 pm

@Skunky: I’m sorry, you’re the one who’s suddenly jumping on the defensive and flinging things at me. Maybe your own self-assurance about how you feel isn’t as strong as you want it to be.

“I don’t dislike gays but I hate that there’s a gay character in a comic where every character is a one-note cardboard cutout” does sound rather anti-gay.

happyfeet on April 22, 2010 at 6:39 pm

Like I said, who people shuck up with is their business. What I object to is their letting me know about it, like it validates what they do together – like I really need to know the details and I would never post them here or anywhere even if it was allowed. The question is why gays feel they can be validated only if we know they sleep together? Us heterosexuals have never seen such a need.

NormanF on April 22, 2010 at 6:50 pm

Because heterosexuals are free to kiss and hug and french and cuddle whenever and wherever they want to, while we can’t even be within two feet of each other without people reacting in a range from clucking in a disapproving way to physically assaulting us. We’re sorry you don’t like it, but sweeping it under the rug and pretending it doesn’t exist is a pretty infantile way of dealing with something.

Stephanie on April 22, 2010 at 6:58 pm

I’m holding out for Islamopanderer Archie with Betty and Veronica in burqas, Reggie suicide bombing, Jugghead on jihad, and Archie beheading infidels at halftime at the homecoming game.

DS_ROCKS! on April 22, 2010 at 6:59 pm

If you’re going to deride Archie Comics for including an openly gay character (as opposed to the forbidden love between Archie and Jughead) then what about Archie’s decades-long polyamorous relationship with Betty and Veronica?

Conor on April 22, 2010 at 7:03 pm

@Skunky: mmmhm, this coming form someone who calls me “crappyfeet” in his very first response.

DS isn’t doing anything except over-reacting to something, as usual. Homosexuality isn’t destroying anything, nor is it poisoning anything. What is poison is the way people like you think and act about this, especially when you need to hide behind religion to make your argument work. I think mankind has advanced sufficiently enough that we don’t need to believe in invisible boogiemen who constantly demand us to be good lest we suffer eternal damnation in a pit of fire ebcause we like someone with the same genitals we have.

happyfeet on April 22, 2010 at 7:06 pm

@NormanF
So if someone says they’re gay, that automatically means they’re also having sex with another male.

Do you assume that any pair of male/female is also having sex?

Wil on April 22, 2010 at 7:11 pm

Wow, you guys are hilarious. You’re against gays being open about their orientation, but straights doing the same is a-okay? Or is a comic built on the romantic shenanigans of two chicks and a dude not demonstrate their orientation? Maybe that’s the HETEROSEXUAL AGENDA being shoved down your throat like a big erect dick and you don’t even notice.

THE GAY AGENDA STRIKES AGAIN on April 22, 2010 at 7:17 pm

“Hey, Parents: Teach Your Kids About Being Gay w/ Archie Comics!”

Actually that should read

“Hey, There’s A New Background Character In Archie Comics Who Is Gay, So I’m Going To Act Like He’s Trying To Destroy America And Convert Our Children To Satanism Because I Like To Knee-Jerk React About Everything! When They Introduce A Character Who Listens To Heavy Metal Music I’ll Say He’s In League With Marilyn Manson And Is Making Our Kids Want To Bite The Heads Off Bats And Murder Preschoolers!”

booga on April 22, 2010 at 7:22 pm

The Gay Agenda is the new Protocols of Zion.

Sirkowski on April 22, 2010 at 7:25 pm

For those who like the older Archie comics and don’t mind getting them on DVD, there are plenty of web sites, including Archie Comics itself, where hundreds and hundreds, maybe thousands of them are available for very low prices.

Even if people like the actual physical hard copies, they are available on eBay, especially if you are willing to accept them in not-great condition, for very reasonable prices. Hopefully this new gay character will not permeate all of the Archie line of comics, just as the New Look does not permeate all of the Archie comics.

The problem is that these politically correct comics exaggerate the role of gays. Are transexuals next? Cross-dressers? Poor misunderstood Muslims?

At least the old Archie comics didn’t have the school Communist in its stories.

Little Al on April 22, 2010 at 7:26 pm

Overreacting just a tad there, Al?

booga on April 22, 2010 at 7:31 pm

And of course in the media, there’s no such thing as a normal looking homosexual, let alone an ugly or weird looking one. Always with the idealisation of “the other”. Do we really HAVE to spend the rest of eternity tip toeing around psychosexual deviancy? It’s like the media saying you can’t call people “crazy” because it might upset the mentally ill…

Jonathan Nolan on April 22, 2010 at 7:52 pm

Spunky: I’ve been on BOTH sides of the fence.

HAHAHA! That’s too easy!

Sirkowski on April 22, 2010 at 7:54 pm

Happyfeet
“(and if you look in the Bible it actually says nothing about it,”

You might want to check;
1 Corinthians 6:9
Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals…

Dan on April 22, 2010 at 8:18 pm

Another instiution of america just got sold out.

Squirrel3D on April 22, 2010 at 9:17 pm

Damn, Dan, you just condemned Skunky to hell.

Sirkowski on April 22, 2010 at 10:07 pm

LOL, you wish Stinkowski. You’ll be serving the devil and I’ll be with my family in heaven. Suck 2 B U!

Skunky on April 22, 2010 at 10:13 pm

I can see that the NAMBLA and GLAAD crowd have shown up. They did their little group meeting, and then went on to Google the sites to do their spam work. We have seen it so many times, whether it is the Neo-Nazis, Islamists, or Howard Zinn fans, or the John Birchers. You get the boilerplate talking points, the attitude, and the generally juvenile mindset. It is more of a feel good thing for them when the tension beads and poppers get old, rather than an effort to persuade.

sorrow01 on April 22, 2010 at 10:14 pm

Huh…this is kind of a tough one. Basically what it comes down to is I don’t see the point of a gay character in Archie. I highly doubt the decision was made as a gesture of inclusiveness, seems more like a marketing ploy: “Hey! We’re hip, we have Teh Gays! See how tolerant we are somebody pleasepleaseplease read us!”

You can argue all day long as to what is normal or not normal. My daughter knows teenage boys and girls like to kiss each other (she sees this on Nick and Disney)but cannot remotely fathom why (which is good, she is only 8). All the grown up couples she knows are male/female. It would never occur to her that boys would want to kiss boys. Someday she will learn that there are gay people and I’m assuming her world will not come to an end. I just don’t see the need for her to know about it now. And, if she did ask me about it now I’d probably just tell her that some people like people that are the same gender and leave it at that (one she gets old enough to know about the sex part I assume she would figure out the logical conclusion).

Having said that, I’m not sure what I’m trying to say, LOL. I guess that life is confusing enough for kids, though I think they are the ones most likely to accept the idea of homosexuality without turning a hair. Knowing there are gay people doesn’t increase your chances of being gay, though it may help someone who is feeling conflicted and alone start to accept themselves.

Bottom line is, if you leave out the sex stuff, I just can’t get that worked up about kids knowing there are gay people.

Amy on April 22, 2010 at 10:20 pm

I would have figured woman-hating Jughead would have been the first to be outed.

But any rate, whether or not the issue of sexuality really belongs in a comic book aimed at pre-pubescent kids, his sexuality is used as a gimmick, especially when Jughead uses it to get revenge on Veronica. I think the gay crowd might find that a bad means of having children discuss any sort of acceptance.

Rocky on April 22, 2010 at 10:23 pm

This is very simple to evaluate for me. If you believe that the G-d of the Bible is the true G-d, the Creator and the Judge–you agree that homosexuality is sin, and an abomination to G-d.
The fact that we now openly embrace all manner of sin as entertainment and acceptable is the dead canary in the coal mine–it’s toxic down here. This comic is just one more example of life in the Howard Stern, Ellen Degenerate, now shameless Kara whatever age. Porn rakes in more money than all pro sports combined. Abandoning faith in G-d exacts a terrible price.
It will continue to get darker and more wicked. Whether you believe in G-d or not, the Judgement Day is coming like a freight train.

BB on April 22, 2010 at 10:30 pm

Can we be adults and honest for just two seconds.

Being Gay is a terrible thing.

Anal sex rips your colon up. Fecal matter gets into your bloodstream via the numerous rips in your colon. This leads to numerous diseases and infections. Even without AIDS gays are much more likely to die from several diseases than heterosexuals.

If it wasn’t for the power they have as a voting block society would shun them as they have throughout history, well most of history.

It’s a death style not a life style.

SMG45ACP on April 22, 2010 at 10:57 pm

SMG45ACP: ummm, lot’s of straight people have anal sex and not all gay people do. Lesbians often do not, but some do and many gay men simply do not. In fact given the low percentage of gay people in the population, the fact that not all of them have anal sex and the high percentage of people who admit to having anal sex, it stands to reason that more heterosexual people have anal sex than homosexual people. After all, you out number us at least 10 to 1.

An argument against anal sex doesn’t begin to explain why it is wrong to be attracted to or to have a life partner of the same sex. So since I don’t have anal sex, my relationship is ok, right? I doubt you’d agree.

Everyone: kids are going to be exposed to gay people because many of us have kids too. Our kids go to school and tell their stories about two moms or two dads and then the secret is out. You can’t protect kids from the knowledge that we exist because we do exist and we attend PTA meetings with our partners and volunteer at field trips and host birthday parties. We don’t have to say anything. I just live my normal life and when someone asks about my husband, I correct that person and say my wife. Otherwise, I’d be lying. Your children see us living lives that look just like their lives (work, soccer practice, etc) except for the gender of the adult partners and that more than any comic will make your kids see how normal we are. So stop imagining us having sex (we likely do less of this than you like to think) and start imagining us working normal jobs, paying taxes and raising families. I do my best not to imagine you people having sex because I think it is disgusting. How about you do the same with us.

Jennifer on April 22, 2010 at 11:19 pm

LOL Jennifer and Conor. Keep telling yourself that heterosexuals and homosexuals can contact aids at the same rate. That’s so early 90’s of you. You want it to so badly be that way but the statistics prove you wrong…but no matter…you’re gonna pretend otherwise.

Three types are most likely to get Aids…homosexual men, bisexuals (because they are more apt to have sex with homosexual men) and drug users.

Wah! You’d rather cry because instead of accepting you’re NOT normal, you’ll circle a square to try to get everyone ELSE to see you as normal. Give it up and just be thankful you have the freedom to live as you want in the USA.

Skunky on April 22, 2010 at 11:29 pm

The heterosexual characters in Archie talk about their relationships, attractions, and dating all the time. One gay character is introduced after decades of the strip and suddenly “homosexual activists are shoving their lifestyles in our faces”? Give me a break. Gay teens are coming out earlier and earlier–as they should, as heterosexual teens “come out” as straight in their early teens. No one’s pushing anything on anyone–if you don’t want your kids to read a comic with a gay character, then don’t buy it.

Scott Spiegel on April 22, 2010 at 11:34 pm

I remember back in the days when Archie was an open, proselytizing Christian in the comics.

Never have understood the term homophobia: I don’t fear gays: I just personally disagree with their lifestyle.

Richard on April 23, 2010 at 12:06 am

You ever meet those old people who are so hateful that everyone’s embarrassed to bring them out in public because they might say something really racist? Like those old Dixiecrats no one likes.

In a few decades, that’s going to be Debbie Schlussel and her followers. Society is pretty much going to hate you all, and you’ll console yourselves by saying that it’s worth it because you’re right, or that you’re following God’s will or whatever you want to think to yourselves.

And that’s fine – no one else is going to like you, so you might as well think up reasons to like yourselves. Heck, there’s even that prophecy in the Bible about how people will scorn true believers. Maybe you’ll feel better about being an outcast if you repeat that line to yourselves once in a while.

And then eventually you’ll die of old age and everyone will secretly be relieved.

Libertarian Bulbasaur on April 23, 2010 at 12:44 am

Hi all …PartI
Hey Skunky, 2 thumbs up to you.
I did not take the time to read all the lovely comments that were Pro Homosexuality as a perfectly normal and natural lifestyle, but i don’t think i needed to. The rehtoric is the same as it has been for the last 20 years Gay is good , Gay is great, let us thank gays for the beauty of the world , only gays are right and if you are not willing to accept this as true you are a homophobe. Welllll i can only say to this one thing BAARRRRRRRFFFFFFFFF.
I have Gay friends and i get along fine with them but they do not go out strutting themselves as perfectly normal and they do not tell me they are good religious christians or Jews ,
Homosexuality is condemned in the Bible thus if you wantto be a good christian or Jew you can not be Gay ( the passage says a man shall not lay with a man as with a woman(speaking of intimacy)gays say I don’t do that ,How can you a man does not have the same anatomy so it is not possible….they then say well JEEEEsus did away with the law of the old testament making everything good… after all it says love your brother ( neighbor) as you love yourself( no understanding here about the difference between love and sexual activity) so all you Gay Christians. stop being foolishyou can not be christians in the true sense of the word and be gay cause jesus said to KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS….. part II It’s natural to be gay

Clay on April 23, 2010 at 1:08 am

And we really think we will eventually defeat Islam when boys are taught by HOMOSEXUALS to be accepting of this deviancy?

CaliforniaScreaming on April 23, 2010 at 1:35 am

Debbie reveals her anti-gay prejudice/bigotry and doesn’t even realise it, as others have pointed out – ‘there is a gay character in Archie Comics, gays actually exist in human society but God forbid comic books acknowledge the fact that gays actually exist in you know real life, and Debbie is not homophobic at all, whatever gave you that idea?’.

The homophobic responses to justify this prejudice as non-prejudice are unintentionally comical and illogical and read like nonsense verse.

Hey Debbie I am sure the Islamists who hate Jews and women and well life itself would likewise be appalled (if they knew of it) that Western comic books have gay characters, they would share your phobia here (even as pedarastry is rampant in the Muslim world) and even use it to justify their contempt and hatred for Western decadence no doubt. Naturally this irony is lost on Debbie and her homophobic echo-chamber. The fact that some people here automatically equate gays with peodophilia only proves the point.

Maybe Debbie you can get together with Michigan Muslim residents and hold a bonfire together and throw Archie comics into the flames, it’s one thing you can all agree on, not so?

Imagine if a comic book introduced a Jewish or Hispanic or Native American character where none had existed before and some readers were up in arms about it, calling for a boycott of the comics, saying it was symptomatic of the decline of America and more in that vein, well that would be bigotry plain and simple. You do the same with the introduction of a gay character and it’s not bigotry somehow! and then people here justify it as non-bigotry through the use of bigoted arguments. So it goes.

Larry70 on April 23, 2010 at 3:34 am

I guess “Don’t ask, don’t tell” will be the next agenda item to appear in Beetle Bailey…

IceNoMore on April 23, 2010 at 4:15 am

Once upon a time…..

Shy Guy on April 23, 2010 at 7:40 am

The homosexuals in the “gay rights movement” are the biggest cowards out there. They will try to bash anything traditionally Western, but when it comes to Islam they bend over backwards to appease it.

Also, like Muslims, gays are not a race, though they like to think they are. It is a behavior and a culture, and people have the right to criticize them, though both Muslims and gays have no tolerance whatsoever for any criticism.

Debbie needs to put up another Predator vs. Alien pick.

JM on April 23, 2010 at 8:42 am

Personally I think the storyline is a good one. I can see a teenaged girl having a huge crush on a guy and not understanding why he doesn’t respond, maybe even thinking there’s something wrong with her, when all it is, is that her crush is gay and isn’t attracted to her. This kind of thing happens. And as another poster said, if you don’t like acknowledging that [gasp] gay teenagers exist….don’t buy the comic! That’s the American way!

justsayin on April 23, 2010 at 8:55 am

A question to all those use the Bible as an argument as homosexuality…
How closely do you follow the Bible?
No shellfish, no sex before marriage, etc…
Honestly curious.

Pete Bone on April 23, 2010 at 10:36 am

God bless ya, Skunky. Your paranoia and ignorance are going to give you enough problems in life without me being all logical and demanding clarity.

But yeah, in summation, who cares if he’s gay, homosexuality is not a choice and a loving God would never condemn you to eternal suffering for it. Later days, people.

Laugh Out Loud!

Conor on April 23, 2010 at 10:52 am

Well, I was going to say it, but then everyone else said it better. So I’ll just say this:

I still don’t understand why some of you seem to feel that gays are ruining the fabric of our society. I mean, it’s an argument that’s thrown around all the time, but what exactly does it mean – HOW are they doing this? How exactly do two men in a relationship = anarchy?

And please spare me this whole “gay agenda” thing – it only works if people ACTUALLY WANT to have sex with people of the same gender. If you don’t want to, then don’t. If someone is physically forcing you to do so, then the issue is that you’re dealing with a rapist, not that you’re dealing with a homosexual. I’m a straight woman with lots of gay friends, and none of them could convince me to have sex with another woman, so I’m not sure how those of you who are so disgusted by the act seem to think that someone would be able to convince you to do it against your will.

hellcat on April 23, 2010 at 11:25 am