Friday, January 04, 2008

Thoughts on Huckabee's Win

Being the political and news junkie that I am, I watched the coverage last night until past midnight, including Mike Huckabee's address after being declared the winner of the GOP caucuses. Huckabee gave a masterful speech and, if one did not know what his real beliefs are and the fact that it was the Christianist evangelicals who vaulted him to victory, one would possibly believe this man is great and saying all the right things about change and unity. However, watching his speech and knowing his real positions, I could only think these things: (1) in his America, there is no place for me as a gay man, (2) if he is elected president the chances that I will ever be a full equal citizen in my lifetime will be greatly reduced, and (3) perhaps I should feel some actual fear. While I don't mean to compare Huckabee to Islamic extremists who kill and use terror, his mindset is much the same and was aptly described by Andrew Sullivan:


The hardest thing to understand about the Jihadists is that they really believe they are doing good. Even as they murder innocents. That’s what God’s sanction will do for you.


Huckabee is dangerous because (A) he sincerely believes God condones his intolerant belief system and (B) from comments I myself have heard him make on national TV, he believes the majority has the right to determine the rights/beliefs for the minority. His views are the opposite of the system the Founding Fathers sought to create. I can only hope the wealthy GOP establishment manages to do a Tonya Harding on him.

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