I agree, and find it downright creepy, cowardly and disappointing how many people would downvote you for disagreeing with Norris's right-wing [1] anti-gay [2] political views [3], without saying why they agreed with Chuck Norris.
How about Chuck Norris's brave brogrammer fans reply under their own name telling us what they like so much about his political views, instead of downvoting anonymously? Because if you have some anti-gay bigotry you want to spread, at least put your name on it, since that's what Chuck Norris would do. [4]
This is a site about technology, not politics. I downvoted the original comment because it is not a good match for the topic or tone of Hacker News. I downvoted your comment because your tone is even more aggressive and antagonizing, and again, not on topic.
Then there's no point in continuing this. No one's confused by what the headline meant, you've just purposefully read it in bad faith to shoehorn in your complaints about Chuck Norris.
> ".. have overshadowed the mythology in _many American's_ minds"
It's not necessarily either or. Many Americans disagree with his political views but recognize that calling someone the "Chuck Norris of X" does not mean that person shares those views.
edit: as an aside, it is funny how little weight (as a rule) the phrase "Many x do y" carries. Many Americans believe Elvis is still alive. Does that really mean anything? No.
I mean honestly, you're arguing just to argue aren't you? No one's called him a role model, you're extrapolating that out so that someone else has to unwind it. This is diversionary and rude.
Given that the BBC article shows the following...
1 - A woman (presumably his wife) in a "Some People Ar Bi: Get Over It" shirt with his arm around her (and kids).
2 - The kids are at the same time all wearing rainbow ribbons of some kind (presumably supporting the same cause)
3 - He's showing some kind of flowery silvery face paint at the same time...
That it's a very long box to draw that he harbors any kind of discriminatory views on sexuality.
And you know what - given that he is selflessly helping educate a very large number of people, and giving to the community - It's a bloody rude and woefully offtopic point to make.
I'm a fan of Jon Skeet's blog entires, and his occaisional podcast appearances (and the classic - tounge in cheek - going to cause me problems "Of course I'm right, I'm Jon Skeet" quote).
Great work Jon, and I do appreciate the work you've done, and continue doing in the IT world.
I'm really sorry that I implied I thought Jon held Chuck Norris's views, that's not what I meant. Maybe Norris's political views are not widely known in the UK, but I thought that the BBC's title had unfortunate connotations, like comparing a good dad to Bill Cosby. It would be better to compare Jon to Jackie Chan.
My point is just that the memes of people like Chuck Norris, Bill Cosby or Josh Dugger as role models have played themselves out, and the BBC should know that.
You (edit: and the OP) may be unfamiliar with it but there's been an online mythologizing Chuck to be some kind of ultimate badass.[0] To say someone is the "Chuck Norris of X" is not to equate the whole persona of the person to Mr. Norris but to imply extraordinary skill, toughness etc.
I feel it was obvious the title was made in a very light hearted manner and as the piece is uncritical and makes no mention of Norris' views I can't agree that a literal comparison should be made.
Not to mention how calling out every opposing political view from famous people chills discussion and promotes an echo chamber.
Fine if it's technically relevant but I'm sure Chuck has a lot of views most of this forum doesn't agree with but there's no reason in my mind to go on a witch hunt every time someone with an R by their name is mentioned here in any positive light.
Asking if Jon Skeet is a homophobe seems really freaking rude in a nice thread about someone who is (by all appearances) humble and very helpful to many people.
If you can find him saying "heterosexuals should read this obscure information about timezones. Homosexuals should go burn though" then sure, come back and plenty of people will pile on.
> That, for me, says it all. I believe that homosexual love is on a par with heterosexual love. It can be as close, warm, loving, supportive, self-sacrificing and fruitful as heterosexual love. That doesn't mean I have some rose-tinted vision of every gay couple being blissfully happy, of course, any more than I would for straight couples.
> What's important to me (in terms of faith) is that I can't see how God could have anything against the kind of love I see exhibited by the gay couples I'm proud to count as my friends.
> That's why I support gay marriage, rather than just civil unions. To many people it may make no practical difference, but it makes a big difference in emphasis. While there are two tiers, however legally equivalent, there will always be an implied moral inferiority of civil unions - and I find that repulsive. I believe God is happy to bless any loving, informed, consensual, monogamous relationship, no matter what genders are involved.
He seems like a really nice person, and you should be ashamed for your mean, nasty, attack.
I'm sorry for my implication that Jon Skeet is a homophobe. I was frustrated that BBC would make that implication by choosing to compare him with Chuck Norris, instead of say, Jackie Chan. It's like using Bill Cosby as a fatherly role model: the meme has played itself out.
