I've identified these columns as controversial because they generated the most angry letters when first published inSan Diego CityBeat. When possible, I posted those letters in the comments area.

"I hate gay people. I let it be known. . . I don't like homosexuality.
It shouldn't be in the world, or in the United States."

Former NBA player Tim Hardaway

I was troubled by the way the public, the media, the NBA, and the homosexual community all pounced on Tim Hardaway after he made that statement on a Miami radio station a few weeks ago. He was responding to a question about Don Amaechi, the former NBA player who recently wrote a coming-out book detailing his chronicles about being gay in the NBA.

OK, sure, what Tim Hardaway said was as Neanderthalian as a protruding occipital bone, but I must admit to being a little impressed by the old baller. To say what he said, at a time when it is highly dangerous to criticize minority groups publicly, well that took nads. There is just far too much political correctness running around right now, and I can’t help but feel a little glee every time somebody tells the Political Correctness Police to go jump in the lake.

"I used to like you, until I realized you were an ignorant douchebag."
M. Montone

That was the first of about a million angry letters I received in the aftermath of my last column in which I wrote that it was wrong for the NBA to fire Tim Hardaway after making homophobic remarks in a radio interview. This is what he said: "I hate gay people. I let it be known…. I don’t like homosexuality. It shouldn’t be in the world, or in the United States."

While my article didn't agree with his comments, the point was made that it is a bad idea for us, as a country, to silence the voices of those with whom we disagree and that it is wrong to fire someone for saying what he/she believes.

Then a million angry emails rolled in.

I just read a poll that reported 16 percent of California Republicans (as of this writing) support Mitt Romney as the Republican presidential nominee. Sixteen percent! The poll has him tied with Fred Thompson for second place. In Michigan and Massachusetts he's in first place. Christ-in-Hell, the guy won the Iowa Straw poll.

It's inconceivable to consider, but Mitt Romney has a reasonable shot at being our next president. To that I would like to say, "Um, hel-lo! People! Haven't you heard? Mitt Romney is a freaking Mormon, a member of the Jesus Christ Church of Latter Day Saints! Do you know what that means? It means the man is about a dozen french fries short of a combo meal."

"The people of [Iowa] have sent a message to the rest of the country," Romney declared in his straw-poll victory speech.

Oh, Iowa has sent a message, alright--and the message is: Iowans are nuts! They're bonkers! Insane! You have to be several Sundays short of a calendar month to vote for a Mormon for president.