Video: 8-year-old’s controversial message to Michele Bachmann
The mother of an 8-year-old boy has posted a video to Youtube of him telling Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann his gay parent does not “need fixing”.
The interaction takes place at a book signing for the Minnesota Representative’s book “Core of Conviction: My Story”, where the boy, referred to as Elijah, is brought to Bachmann’s stand.
His mother asks him: “Don’t you have something you’d like to say?”
Bachmann leans across the table and apologises for being unable to hear the boy: “You said it OK, but you know I think my ears were too far away.”
As she encourages him to move towards the table, he whispers: “Ms Bachmann, my mommy’s gay but she doesn’t need fixing.”
Bachmann straightens herself up as the mother and child leave the area, waving to the boy.
Many commentators on the video have criticised it as an attempt by the mother, known as Lola, to use her child for a political purpose.
One Youtube user commented: “I think it’s horrible that this mom used her son like this. He obviously has no clue what he’s talking about, and is uncomfortable because he knows that what he is doing puts him in the spotlight for some “unknown” reason.
“I think the mom would have been better served if she had the guts to pass along that message herself instead of using her child as a mouthpiece.”
Another said: “Both sides need to stop using children to get their points across.”
One user asked: “Michelle and her ilk regularly blast gay families, which this young boy is a part of. Should he not be able to defend himself against adults and establishment ideals that harm his emotional wellbeing?”
In the video description, his mother writes: “Video of Michele Bachmann trying to get her photo op in with my 8 year old son. It’s hard to hear but he leans in and tells her that his mom is gay and she doesn’t need fixing. GO ELIJAH! Love that look of shock she gets.
“We were there for an Occupy Myrtle Beach event to mic check Michele Bachmann on another issue. The lgbt issue came up separately. [sic]”
