XXL club owner Mark Ames has made a heartfelt apology today, following his promise to boycott Muslim businesses after the death toll in Afghanistan rose to 300.
The entrepreneur stressed that his comments were propelled by emotional involvement in the on-going conflict and were actually directed at Muslim extremists who oppose Western liberty, including gay equality.
“I would like to make an unreserved apology to all Muslims whom I offended by my post on my Facebook wall,” he told PinkPaper.com in a statement.
“Firstly, I was directing my anger at extremists and I should have chosen my wording more carefully. It was written in anger at what I had viewed, and I should have taken time to think about this and not be reactionary.
He added: “I also went on to state that I would boycott all Muslim businesses; again this was said in anger and in haste. Many people know that I have conservative views, but I must stress I am not a racist, xenophobe or anti-Islamic.
“I have had a long term relationship with someone who has Middle-Eastern origins and have mixed race family members. I wrote in anger and sadness at what is taking place in the UK and abroad and from having friends in the Armed forces who have been affected personally by ongoing conflict.”
He also promised to donate funds from XXL Pride weekend to charity Iraqi LGBT.
“Due to the fact that I have caused so much offence and hurt within this community I am making this public apology along with the profits of XXL Pride weekend to the Iraqi LGBT group in London in light of the recent LGBT safe houses being raided. I would also like to add that my partner has helped me type this statement as I suffer from Dyslexia.”
Despite criticism from figureheads like Peter Tatchell, some people defended Ames’ opinion.
One person wrote on the PinkPaper.com site: “I think you are silly and pathetic to attack an individual for defending the people who put their lives on the line for us to live in a FREE society.”
Ames recently hosted XXL Bear Pride across his successful venues in London and Birmingham, which raised much-needed money for homeless charity the Albert Kennedy Trust and the British Heart foundation.