I would strongly posit that influence was a bad thing, unless you think following the example of someone who told a gay professor to die of AIDS is a good thing.
One stupid thing? The person later reiterated their stance as:
"I don’t necessarily hate homosexuals, but do believe in Jack Kemp’s suggestion that they may not be the best teachers of young children in public schools and recognize that the spread of AIDS has a direct causal link back to their activity."