If you thought the expression "girlie men" was bad, check this out:

In a fit of rage, Fumo (D., Phila.) had lashed out at the top Republicans in the Senate, referring to them as "faggots" several times.

"It was a very unfortunate word choice," Fumo said in a prepared statement yesterday. "I am especially sorry about using the term because it is not the way I feel in my heart toward gays."

The incident occurred Wednesday night during a break in the Senate's consideration of a bill to prohibit public officials from owning any stake in gambling ventures. What set Fumo off was a move by the GOP to abruptly cut off debate on the measure. Republicans, Fumo said, had promised Democratic leaders that they would have a chance to offer amendments to make the bill even stronger.

With that opportunity denied, Fumo approached President Pro Tempore Robert C. Jubelirer (R., Blair) and Majority Leader David J. Brightbill (R., Lebanon) when the Senate was at ease and at least four times called them "faggots."

Exactly what was said is unclear, but several witnesses said that Fumo screamed "faggot" so loud that it could be heard throughout the upper chamber.

I'm not quite sure why there hasn't been as much uproar over this remark as there was about Arnold Schwarzenegger's "girlie men" reference. I know that the Pennsylvania legislature is not as important as the California legislature, and obviously, Fumo is hardly as famous as Schwarzenegger.... But I don't think you have to be suffering from paranoia to imagine that there'd be a little more criticism had a Republican state senator called his Democrat opponents "faggots" at the top of his lungs, four times.

I don't expect to see much attention paid to this by leftish bloggers, but many of them were all over the girlie man remark (even though it's by no means settled that the phrase is an anti-gay slur). One such example appeared in David Neiwert's post about fascism:

While anyone audacious enough to protest the proceedings outside was subject to the classic lockup treatment, often in scenarios straight out of a totalitarian state, those partaking of the big pep rally inside were treated to a whole menu of classically fascist mobilizing passions, played out on national television.

Foremost among the appearances of these passions was the convention's most memorable moment: When California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger told the assembled faithful, "For those critics who are so pessimistic about our economy -- don’t be economic girlie men."

Sidney Blumenthal remarked in Salon on the deeper implications of this speech:

Having established his citizenship, Schwarzenegger felt entitled to articulate the Republican credo -- of power over weakness. "If you believe this country, not the United Nations, is the best hope for democracy, then you are a Republican." Thus the immigrant blasted internationalism. "If you believe that we must be fierce and relentless and terminate terrorism, then you are a Republican." Thus he declared the Democrats soft. "And to those critics who are so pessimistic about our economy, I say: Don't be economic girlie men."

So beyond unilateralism, jingoism and social Darwinism lies sexual apprehension. Those who aren't with the program are queer. But the anxiety is even deeper than that of homosexuality. "Girlie man" is a peculiar accusation for being effeminate. It reveals fear of women and their complex values. The name-calling is a frantic effort to suppress nuance, which the action hero fears he may harbor within.

Like Cheney's remark, this brief moment neatly captured a range of emotional appeals from the fascist blueprint: contempt for the weak, the superiority of instinct over reason, the efficacy of will. It also raised the virtue of virile, masculine leadership, as opposed to "effeminate" policy built on wisdom. This mindset disdains intellectual rigor as an affectation of vacillating liberalism.

The "power over weakness" theme went to the heart of Senator Fumo's righteous passion in his demand that Republicans stop acting like economic sissies in regulating ownership of gambling machines.

Fumo, the ranking Democrat on the powerful Appropriations Committee, often speaks passionately for the party on important policy matters. Having been in the minority for most of his 26 years in the Senate, he has often railed against GOP leaders for ramming through legislation. Rarely has it risen to this level of anger.

"The use of the word came with such force and invective behind it that it almost sounded like someone yelling at a football stadium," said Ray Smith, a reporter for the Radio Pennsylvania Network, who was in the chamber at the time.

The words were so out of place that Smith looked around the chamber to gauge the reaction of senators. Many appeared shocked, he said.

Sen. Jeffrey Piccola (R., Dauphin), the majority whip who was just feet from Fumo at the time, said in an interview yesterday that the look in Fumo's eyes was "almost as frightening as the comments."

"He was a man possessed and on the verge of getting out of control," he said.

Fumo, a tough-talking politician who grew up in South Philadelphia, explained yesterday that he "lost his temper in the heat of the moment" because he believed he was lied to about debate procedures on the bill.

After the Senate broke late Wednesday night, Fumo, when asked about the remarks, said, "I made a mistake. I should have called them 'girlie men.' They have no integrity, no guts and no class."

Compared to screaming "faggots!," "girlie men" would have been very weak. Spineless. Equivocal. About on the level of the sissy Republicans who use phrases like that because they're so intimidated by the homo-fascists.

This country needs more real men like Vincent Fumo who dare to stand up to the Republican faggot fascist scum! They must be eliminated -- by any means necessary!

Remember: those who aren't with the program are queer!