Less of an issue

In today's lead editorial, The (Del.) News Journal argues that "Gov. McGreevey should resign his office immediately":

The sudden resignation of New Jersey Gov. James E. McGreevey is not only a political bombshell, it is also a personal tragedy involving bad choices and badly flawed judgments. The fact that he is homosexual — or bisexual since he has fathered children — is less of an issue than putting his unqualified gay lover on the state payroll.

"Less of an issue"? It shouldn't be an issue at all. Yet apparently for the editorial writer(s) it is one — an "issue" that demands immediate resignation.

The editorial does argue that the other "issues" are more damning than the lesser (but still damning) fact that the man is gay. Which I guess means that homophobia is a lesser motivation for its argument.

Same newspaper. Same day. Page B5: "Teens accused of threatening man":

Three New Castle-area teens were arrested Thursday after they allegedly threatened to assault a father and his 20-year-old son with pipes and shovels because the son is gay.

New Castle County police spokesman Cpl. Trinidad Navarro said officers arrived in the first block of N. Kingston Road before violence erupted and arrested the teens. …

According to court records, officers were called to the residence after the three teens allegedly went to the victims' door armed with a 3-foot metal pipe and shovels.

When the 20-year-old looked outside and saw the boys, he called 911.

His father went outside and asked the teens what they were doing at his house.

The father told police the trio told him "they were going to hit him in the head with the pipe and kill him" as well as his son, police said in court records.

Wherever do young people get these hateful attitudes?