Sidebar: Get a Clue, Drew (Updated)

Some of my friends tell me to lay off Bryan White on this blog because it appears I may be “obsessed” with him. Well, I don’t see it that way, this blog was started to counter his. It was not an indictment of him, and I try not to be unduly judgmental. I don’t think of him as a “bad” person, I just don’t agree with him. I also appreciate PolitiFact and feel Bryan is trying to undermine them (and am looking forward to his supposed “objective” evidence of their left-wing bias). As I’ve progressed in this, however, I’ve also come to the conclusion I should try to diminish the emphasis on his blog in favor of other issues that interest me.

Yesterday something came to my attention  that will compel me to decrease that emphasis even more. It was on CNN’s AC360 and what really struck me was how blogs can be used against others in despicable ways. It was happening “close to home” in Michigan as well—I am a University of Michigan alumnus and my primary residence is in Michigan.

One of Andrew's posters displayed wherever Chris is.

The author of the blog, Andrew Shirvell, is an assistant to (or works in the office of) the Michigan Attorney General, Mike Cox, who himself is a quite right-wing Conservative Republican. The blog is called Chris Armstrong Watch, and is right here on Blogspot. Chris Armstrong is the (elected) president of the University of Michigan Student Association, and is openly gay. Andrew Shirvell uses his Blogspot forum to bash Chris, who he calls (over and over) a “radical homosexual activist, racist, elitist, and liar.”

I read through Andrew’s blog and found it quite disturbing. It was mostly a Chris Armstrong gossip rant. Andrew sounded embittered, angry, judgmental. He kept talking about an honor society called the Order of Angell, which Chris promised not to join when he was running for the MSA, but did anyway. Gerald Ford and Bo Schembechler both claim membership in the Order of Angell, and Andrew’s claims about it being a racist organization are one-sided and unforgiving. Most importantly, however, Andrew does not really produce any evidence of Chris’s “radical homosexual agenda”; neither does he truly explain his motivation for targeting him. It really seems to be only about Andrew’s hatred of him. The question in my mind is: what is driving this intense hatred?   As I watched him being interviewed by Anderson Cooper, I could feel my gay-dar go off the dial.....

At the end of one of Andrew’s posts he states:

“….Christian students and other interested parties who voice reasoned opposition to Armstrong's plans will undoubtedly be treated to a vicious campaign of intimidation and harassment.

Nevertheless, as the Bible says, "Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you [falsely] because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you" Matthew 5:11-12.”

I guess Chris Armstrong has been blessed too, as in reading in the blog it becomes clear Andrew has in reverse? IT IS CHRIS who is being insulted and having evils uttered against him, by Andrew.  I guess Andrew is ignoring the New Testament teachings, particularly Matthew Chapter 7, Verses 1-5:

Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

 Getting back to my Gay-dar....

What do other commenters/posters seem to be saying about Andrew? Well, here’s a sample. I hope Andrew is reading them, because this is the predominant view of how his blog and preoccupation with Chris Armstrong are making him look:

From the local University of Michigan publication, Michigan Daily:

“…shrivell reminds me of an "onion " headline..."anti gay pastor suspiciously well informed about gays”

“…Yes, clearly Andrew Shirvell sounds like a self-hating closet case.”

“...Drew is certainly terrified of the "gay agenda" imposing "radical homosexuality" onto his strong Christian and Republican values. But, didn't Ken Mehlman feel the same way. Just sayin'. It's okay Drew, we know you're on the DL, and you'll be a card carrying member of our agenda-seeking movement very soon.”

“...How gay is Andrew Shirvell?”

More from another Michigan Daily article on Armstrong and Shirvell:

“...Why does Shirvell care so much? I'd put money on the fact he's in the closet. How many times does this situation have to happen before people realize the people that have the biggest problem with homosexuals are homosexuals themselves.”

"...Yeah, I'm with the comments here suggesting that Shirvell is, himself, a self-hating obsessive closet case. Why else would this sad little man take such baffling hateful aim on a college kid?"

"...Also, it's quite obvious that Mr. Shirvell is a closeted gay. He has built-up anger that really needs to be released."

"...Shirvell is most likely a deeply closeted, self-loathing gay man himself. So often the most fervent anti-gay bigots are themselves gay. One need only look to Dr George Rekers, Roy Cohn & Ken Melman for prime examples of this phenomena."

"...Add Foley, Craig, Haggard and now Shirvill to that list. How long until we discover Shirvill's Wide Stance?"

FROM CNN:

"…I would like to see Shirvell tested by Dr. Henry Adams from University of Georgia. He proved that latent homosexuality is usually the cause of extreme reactions to homosexuality. Shirvell is obviously so unstable, he should not be in his position."

"…yup, gay. case closed, move on..."

"…Andrew Shirvell = Closet Case (Seriously. How many straight guys you know who spend their spare time worrying about gay boys???)"

"…This guy just really needs to come out of the closet..."

"…I tend to think that Andrew Shrivel got turned down by Chris Armstrong when Andrew probably hit on him and this is the way he is expressing his frustration of being rejected."

"…Someone close the closet door please..."

"…Shirvell claims he is a "Christian" exercising his free speech rights. He is exercising his rights but not as a Christian."

"… Radical extremist homosexual agenda: Lower tuition…Better dorms…Getting hotpockets back at the cafeteria. Christian Freedom Fighter Agenda (of God): Stalking…Harassment…Obsession…Character assassination…Declaring things the antichrist..."

"…Ths guy is sooooooooooooooo gay :)"

"…I think he wants a date with this guys he's stalking and doesnt know how to ask him."

"…This loopy Assistant DA seems sort of gay himself with his high voice pitch and mannerisms so to compensate, perhaps he is running this childish hate campaign against the student assembly president. This tool needs to find a more productive outlet in his life."   

I watched the interview with Anderson Cooper too, and that was how Andrew impressed me as well. I could think of no other reason for this crazed fascination with a “college kid.” It won’t be long before Chris is out of college and in the real world; wonder what Andrew Shirvell will do then? Whatever he does, I actually don’t want Mike Cox to fire him, because next thing you know, he’ll move to San Francisco, where he can really deplore the radical gay agenda, and he might also prove to be dangerous.

As for me, I don't want to be compared in any way, shape or form to this Andrew Shirvell.  So I may be letting Bryan off the hook a bit....but not a lot.  Stay tuned.

Postscript:  Since the time I wrote this, Andrew Shirvell either was suspended or took a leave of absence from the Michigan AG office.  He has also blocked access to his blog.  Please see my latest post for further info.