This is so strange I don’t know where to start:

Michigan’s assistant attorney general and his obsessive, hate-filled attacks on the University of Michigan’s gay student body president.

A 2002 graduate of the university, [Assistant Attorney General] Shirvell was also an anti-abortion activist while on campus. There is a lot of raving bigotry afoot, but here’s a good summary of what has taken place on “Chris Armstrong Watch,” a blog Shirvell set up in April to oppose the university’s first openly gay student body president:

Among other things, Shirvell has published blog posts that accuse Armstrong of going back on a campaign promise he made to minority students; engaging in “flagrant sexual promiscuity” with another male member of the student government; sexually seducing and influencing “a previously conservative [male] student” so much so that the student, according to Shirvell, “morphed into a proponent of the radical homosexual agenda;” hosting a gay orgy in his dorm room in October 2009; and trying to recruit incoming first year students “to join the homosexual ‘lifestyle.’”

Shirvell is particularly piqued by Armstrong’s push for gender-neutral housing. He also pickets Armstrong’s house (with a video camera!) and blogs about his friends and his friends’ parents.

In the interview, Cooper gives him the definition of cyberbullying (via the state of Michigan) and of “bigot” (via Merriam-Webster).

It turns out that cyberbullying is a pet cause of Shirvell’s boss, Mike Cox, who has thus far refused to be interviewed on the topic and only issued the statement, “Mr. Shirvell’s personal opinions are his and his alone and do not reflect the views of the Michigan Department of Attorney General. But his immaturity and lack of judgment outside the office are clear.” Amazingly, none of this is considered grounds for firing. As The Michigan Daily points out, “This type of hatred makes Shirvell unsuitable to remain a government official. It will affect his ability to objectively interpret laws - which is the job of the attorney general’s office.”

Video of Anderson Cooper’s interview with Shirvell and more at above (first) link.

Stalking and harassing a stranger because he’s gay = not a disqualification for Asst Attny General in Michigan!

In a stunning act of serendipity, Mike Cox, Shirvell’s boss, has filed a brief in support of Prop 8 and against gay marriage. Coincidence? I think not.