I don't know that anyone's made this connection yet, but it's noteworthy that Brooklyn, America's hometown, has been the scene for two extravagant displays of bigotry in the last few days.

One, obviously, was Carl Paladino's foray into the fringes of Chasidic Williamsburg with his charming message about dysfunctional gays.

The other, and this one slipped under the radar, was the most recent blighting of the the Borough by Fred Phelps' anti-gay, anti-Jew, anti-everything-of-goodness-and-value Kansas hate church.

Why does this coincidence of timing and place matter?

Because it shows the underlying mindset of the bigot. It's not that big of a step from declaring LGBT Americans 'dysfunctional' and not something you want your children exposed to to picketing funerals and synagogues. The only distinction is one of degree.

That's what New Yorkers need to consider before casting their ballots in November.