The GOP Now Stands for a Return of the Jim Crow Mindset

The image above from a Facebook posting sums up thing pretty well: the Republican Party is now the party of hate, bigotry, racism and the mistreatment of other citizens - all done under the cloak of supposed "sincere religious beliefs."  The Christofascists are a cancer on American society and they must be defeated and driven from both the political arena and from polite society. 

Duck Dynasty Ratings Tank for Season Premier

While the swamp fever ridden members of the far right and the Christofascist ranks have continued to vigorously supporting the batshitery of Phil Robertson of Duck Dynasty, the most important critics - i.e., TV viewers - seem to be voting against Robertson's homophobia, racism and male chauvinist pig beliefs by turning the channel dial to something other than Duck Dynasty.   Americans Against the Tea Party has details:

It seems that homophobia, racism, Islamophobia, and suggesting that people marry teenagers is not what Americans want in a role model. Fundamentalist whack-job Phil Robertson and his merry band of fauxbillies saw their ratings plummet with the beginning of season five.

While conservatives were expecting their hero to enjoy a healthy boost in popularity due to his support of “real” American “Christian” values, they instead found Bibleman and crew losing about 28% of their viewership compared to the previous season premier.

While fake Christians have staunchly defended him to the point of lunacy (even if they hadn’t read the interview), after Robertson’s remarks that people with darker skin were happier in the Jim Crowe era, likenings of homosexuality to a predisposition toward animal fornication, comments that the Chinese and Muslims have been trying to take over the world for the past eighty years, and suggestions that men should go out and bag a fifteen year old wife, Americans seem to finally be realizing what sort of person their “role model” truly happens to be.

If the flight from Duck Dynasty continues to hold, then perhaps Americans are less easily duped that I sometimes think is the case.

Arkansas GOP State Rep: Slavery ‘May Actually Have Been a Blessing in Disguise’ for Blacks

The prior post mentioned the racism that permeates so much of today's Republican Party.  Want an example?  Well, for starters there's Arkansas Republican State Representative Jon Hubbard (pictured above) who has taken GOP batshitery to new heights in his self published book Letters to the Editor: Confessions of a Frustrated Conservative (self-published means that he paid to have it printed because he likely could find no one to publish it).  One of Hubbard's premises in the book is that slavery was good for blacks.  That's right, according to Hubbard being owned by others and treated as a piece of chattel the same as an animal or a piece of furniture was a "blessing in disguise" for blacks.  I swear that you could not make stuff up that would be any more insane that what passes as intelligence and leadership in today's Republican Party.   Gawker looks at Hubbard's shocking bigotry.  Here are excerpts:

We spend an awful lot of time condemning slavery, but have you ever stopped to think about the good it did?  No, because you're not a monster. Luckily, Republican State Representative Jon Hubbard of Arkansas has you covered. In his self-published book, Letters to the Editor: Confessions of a Frustrated Conservative, he explains the bright side of slavery:

The institution of slavery that the black race has long believed to be an abomination upon its people may actually have been a blessing in disguise. The blacks who could endure those conditions and circumstances would someday be rewarded with citizenship in the greatest nation ever established upon the face of the Earth.

Well, gosh, when you put it that way. Hubbard goes on to argue that a life of slavery would have been "likely much better" than a life back in Africa: "Knowing what we know today about life on the African continent, would an existence spent in slavery have been any crueler than a life spent in sub-Saharan Africa?"

As first discovered by Michael Cook of Talk Business, Hubbard's book is shockingly backwards for anyone — let alone a state representative. His worldview is grounded in centuries-old racism, including the stereotypes that blacks are lazy, unintelligent, and generally unproductive members of society.

Hubbard wonders if it will "ever become possible for black people in the United States of America to firmly establish themselves as inclusive and contributing members of society within this country."

Even school integration was a bad thing, as blacks simply can't "learn to appreciate the value of a good education."

What's really frightening is that a majority of today's Republicans probably agree with Hubbard - yes, including Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan.   Yet some people - including some readers of this blog - wonder why I cannot be a Republican.   Oh, and I can just imagine what Hubbard thinks of LGBT Americans.

 

Gay Salt Lake City Club Hit With Flaming Projectiles

A gay club in Salt Lake City was hit by a shower of flaming projectiles while patron were gathered in an outdoor courtyard.  The identity of the assailants and their motives remain unknown.  What is known is that the attack had to be deliberate and that it was obvious to the attackers that people were gathered in the courtyard and might have been injured.  Thankfully, no one was injured.  Both the Salt Lake Tribune and ABC 4 News have details.  First, highlights from the Tribune coverage:

Salt Lake City fire investigators Thursday were searching for people responsible for launching flaming debris at a gay nightclub.

Fire spokesman Jasen Asay said about 12:35 a.m., three or four people in their late teens or early 20s launched multiple flaming projectiles at Club JAM, 751 N. 300 West. The projectiles started the fence on fire, but club patrons acted quickly and dumped pitchers of water on the flames, Asay said.

 Others chased the culprits, who fled to a red or maroon Pontiac Grand Am sedan and drove off.

ABC 4 News has more:

A crowd at a popular Salt Lake City gay club is attacked by flaming projectiles.

Fernando Noriega explains to ABC 4 what happened early Thursday morning at Club JAM at 751 North 300 West. "So we had at least 30 to 40 people here,” said Noriega. “Everybody’s congregated to about here. All the tables were set up. It was very busy.”

Noriega says everyone was having a great time until something on fire came flying over the fence. "All the sudden we saw something bright,” said Noriega. “I thought they were fireworks on the floor."

The crowd quickly realized that wasn't the case when several more flaming projectiles went flying through the crowd.

Noriega said, "Out of a group of 30 people, all of those flares to be hitting at the same time we don't know how, everyone was very lucky."

 Both Mower and Noriega say there's no way you couldn't have known the patio was packed.

Noriega said, "Even from here you can't miss the fact there's lots of people there. You can hear the people; see the people so you know there are people in there. It was definitely malicious. They definitely knew what they were doing."

Tony Perkins may be trying to milk the shooting at FRC headquarters to claim it is Christians who are persecuted, but the reality is that it's the Christianists like Perkins, Peter Sprigg, Maggie Gallagher and others who set the stage for almost constant attacks on gays somewhere around the country any given week. 

Birthers Still Question Obama's Place of Birth

As noted before on this blog, to be a member of the GOP today - especially the Tea Party branch of the party - one needs to be either insane, have had a lobotomy or have an IQ of the trainable retarded. Objective facts and modern knowledge are irrelevant to those who doggedly cling to ignorance, bigotry and prejudice. One would think that Obama's release of a long form copy of his Hawaiian birth certificate would have ended the birther debate. But not so. Birtherism is alive and well and springs in my view from the less than subtle racism that is now an ingrained part of the mindset of the GOP base. These folks cannot tolerate that the nation is moving on and that a minority can be president, that gays might deserve equality under the law, and that American exceptionalism is a myth that was never fully founded in fact. The Washington Post looks at the continued lunacy of the far right. Here are some highlights:

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It proves nothing. It could be fake. It’s all so fishy. Aren’t there multiple layers on the scanned document released by the White House? Why did it take so long to produce? The people who do not believe that President Obama was born in the United States showed Wednesday that a good conspiracy theory is like a coal mine fire: something that can’t be doused in a day.
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The president, pestered by “birthers” since he began running for the White House, finally felt compelled to try to put an end to the controversy, providing his original birth certificate for the first time.
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“Yes, in fact, I was born in Hawaii, August 4, 1961, in Kapiolani Hospital,” Obama told the White House press corps, before going on to demand an end to the “silliness” about his birthplace that he fears has distracted the country from urgent policy matters involving wars, the federal debt and the economy.
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The birthers, far from chastised, found themselves newly energized and freshly suspicious. “It raises far more questions than it answers,” said Joseph Farah, editor in chief of WorldNetDaily and birther extraordinaire, almost breathless between media interviews.
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But it is the nature of a conspiracy theory that all information must pass through a very discerning, yet simple, filter. Information that is confirmational is accepted; that which is contradictory is rejected.
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Conspiracy theories have the self-sustaining gift of ramification: They sprout new tendrils, like a mad vine that has invaded from another continent. For the committed conspiracy theorist, there is always another angle to explore, another anomaly to scrutinize.
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At one hotbed of birtherism, the certificate appeased no one. “You know as well as I do that you can produce a fraudulent form,” said Sharon Guthrie, legislative director for Texas state Rep. Leo Berman (R), who has introduced a bill that would require that anyone running in Texas for president provide an original birth certificate proving American citizenship.
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The Rev. Jesse Jackson said Wednesday night that the birthers use “coded and covert rhetoric to stir up racial fears,” as part of a broader attempt to delegitimize Obama and push back against civil rights and equal rights. “It’s a code word: ‘He’s not one of us,’ ” Jackson said, giving his view of the birther mind-set. “ ‘He wasn’t born here. He’s not a Christian. He’s a Muslim, we don’t worship the same god.’ It’s a very coded designation to try undermine his legitimacy.” Jackson added, “ ‘Birther’ is a kind label for a much deeper and toxic movement.”
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It’s easier psychologically to come up with a rationalization than it is to admit that you were wrong,” said Ronald Lindsay, president of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, in Amherst, N.Y., publisher of the myth-debunking magazine The Skeptical Inquirer.
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“If you have a pre-commitment to a certain point of view, and that point of view is important for your identity — if you are emotionally attached to it — your emotion is going to shape your reasoning process. You’ll be presented with facts, but you’ll find some way to minimize the significance of those fact,” Lindsay said.
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If the USA is in decline - and I would argue that it is - it is in large part because of the far right and its open embrace of ignorance, prejudice and a dumbing down of education so that Christianist beliefs are not challenged by modern science and knowledge which make it clear that Bible inerrancy is a lie.

Safe Schools Act Reintroduced in U. S. Senate With GOP Sponsor

The Safe Schools Improvement Act has been reintroduced in the United States Senate by Senator Bob Casey (D-PA)and lead cosponsor Senator. Mark Kirk (R-IL) - along with 15 other cosponsors. This is the first time that a Senate bill specifically addressing bullying and harassment due to actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity has been introduced with bipartisan support. I applaud Senator Kirk and members of the GOP supporting the bill's introduction. While legislation of this type should be a non-issue to sentient, rational individuals, the forces of the Christianist dark side of the Force, if you will, consistently oppose any legislation that might impede the ability of Christo-fascists to make life a living Hell for LGBT Teens. It's certainly not something that I believe Christ would support, but its indicative of the foul and perverse poison Christianity has become under the harlots of the professional Christian set and hate groups such as Family Research Council and the American Family Association. Here are highlights from the Windy City Times:
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The Safe Schools Improvement Act, which is endorsed by the over 80 members of the GLSEN-led National Safe Schools Partnership, would require schools to implement comprehensive anti-bullying policies that address bullying and harassment and ensure the safety and well-being of all their students. In the last Congress, the Senate and House versions finished the Congress with, respectively, 17 and 131 bipartisan cosponsors. A bipartisan House bill is also expected to be introduced in the coming weeks by Rep. Linda Sanchez.
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"Anti-LGBT harassment hurts the children of both Democrats and Republicans, as do all of the forms of bullying and harassment addressed by this important bill," GLSEN Executive Director Eliza Byard said. "Senators Casey and Kirk show we all share a common vision of schools that keep students safe and focused on learning.
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Said Sen. Casey: "I am pleased to introduce the Safe Schools Improvement Act to help ensure that every child receives a quality education that builds self-confidence. This bill is a crucial step towards ensuring that no child is so afraid to go to school that he or she stays home for fear of bullying."
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Nearly two-thirds of middle and high school students (65%) said they had been bullied in school in the past year, according to From Teasing to Torment: School Climate in America, a 2005 report from GLSEN and Harris Interactive that surveyed more than 3,000 students. Students at schools with a comprehensive anti-bullying policy similar to the one required by the Safe Schools Improvement Act were less likely than other students to report a serious harassment problem at their school (33% vs. 44%).
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LGBT students experience bullying and harassment at an even more alarming rate. Nearly 9 out of 10 LGBT students (84.6%) said they've been harassed in the past year because of their sexual orientation and 63.7% because of their gender expression.
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"Every child has a right to a safe place to learn," said NEA President Dennis Van Roekel. "NEA strongly supports the Safe Schools Improvement Act and ridding schools of bullying and harassment. Our children are America's greatest resource. And as educators, we want nothing more than to create a climate of civility and respect for all students, including LGBT students, in every public school."

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It would be wonderful if the bill passes both houses of Congress, but for that to happen politicians will need to stop prostituting themselves to Christianist extremists and put the welfare of children and youths first. Sadly, that may be expecting too much from today's GOP.

GOP's Rigell, Who Has Faced OSHA Fines, Seeks Fewer Regulations

To me, Scott Rigell (pictured to the right in the photo), GOP candidate for Virginia's 2nd congressional district, represents some of the worse attributes of the Christianists. He claims to be a deeply religious Christian, but is better defined by those whom he hates and dislikes - gays, blacks, non-Christians, Jews, immigrants, Hispanics, etc. - and has no regard for the safety and well being of others. Not exactly Christian behavior, but all too typical of the Christianists. This hypocrisy is underscored by Rigell's desire for LESS regulation of businesses - including his own - even though he has a history of being fined for having unsafe work conditions at his auto dealership. Yep, he wears his religion on his sleeve, but doesn't give a flip about the safety of his employees. Then there's the hypocrisy of his attacks on Nye for voting for the stimulus plan - even though Rigell benefited to the tune of $400,000 from the plan as he slid up to the government trough like a hog and gladly took money from the "cash for clunkers" program. Fortunately, a new poll shows that Glenn Nye is closing in the polls and the sleazy and disingenuous Rigell may yet go down to defeat. First some highlights from the Virginian Pilot on Rigell's unsafe work environment for his employees:
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Republican businessman Scott Rigell, who has made streamlining government regulation of businesses a centerpiece of his congressional campaign, has faced problems with federal safety regulations that resulted in thousands of dollars in fines over the past 16 years at two of his auto dealerships, according to federal records.
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The violations cited at Rigell's dealerships include improper storage of combustible materials and compressed gas containers, electrical equipment placed too close to hazards, improper grounding of metal cans, not enough eyewash stations, a faulty electrical cord and not using a required surge protector.
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The violations were cited during surprise inspections. The two dealerships originally were cited for 13 violations categorized by OSHA as serious and ordered to pay $17,525 in fines, but the penalties were reduced and one violation was dropped during the appeals process.
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Rigell has spoken repeatedly about his concern that too many government regulations are choking entrepreneurs. His statements on the campaign trail have focused primarily on shortening the time required to gain approval of new projects.
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He said Monday that OSHA rules are among those that need to be examined. "I don't single out OSHA regulations... but every single area, including OSHA, should be reviewed and, to the degree possible, tightened up - still with that absolute pursuit of protecting the American worker," he said.
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I'm sure that in Rigell's mind, employees are expendable - just like gays and others in society he dislikes - and replaceable, so why let their safety get in the way of making money. The Virginian Pilot also has coverage on the closing poll results. Here are some highlights:
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With a week remaining in the combative 2nd Congressional District election, the contest is a dead heat between U.S. Rep. Glenn Nye, a Democrat, and Republican challenger Scott Rigell, according to a new poll of likely voters.
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The telephone survey found that Rigell was favored by 41.5 percent, Nye by 41 percent, and 12 percent were undecided. The third candidate, independent Kenny Golden, was backed by 5 percent.
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"Voters are in a pretty sour mood," said CNU political science professor Quentin Kidd, who supervised the poll. "But they aren't completely sold on the idea of getting rid of Nye and hiring Rigell. Rigell is in the better position because he doesn't have to defend the status quo, but for some reason voters are hesitating on him."
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Maybe voters are figuring out that a vote for Rigell is like a vote for Pat Robertson or a robber baron of old who in his greed detests the"little people."

Sandra Day O’Connor to Weigh in on Far Right Demonization of Justices in Iowa

As a number of bloggers have noted and as the Des Moines Register has reported, a far right Christianist PAC inappropriately named Common Sense PAC which has the announced goal of unseating the three justices of the Iowa Supreme Court who face a retention vote on Nov. 2: David Baker, Michael Streit and Chief Justice Marsha Ternus. Their sin? Joining in the unanimous ruling that struck down Iowa's ban on same sex marriage. As is the norm, the members of the PAC claim that they are opposed to an "out of control judiciary" - except, of course, when the ignorant theocrats agree with a court's ruling. Then, the complaints mysteriously vanish.
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Now an unexpected force is moving on to the scene in Iowa - former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor who was often viewed as that Court's swing vote. O'Connor very much opposes an elected judiciary - something the opponents of the Iowa justices support - and having lived in both Alabama and Texas where judges and justices are elected, I agree with her - and Timothy Kincaid. Appointed judges and justices have their flaws, but generally some level of minimum competence is preserved (I take exception in respect to two judges on the Norfolk Circuit Court when I state this opinion). With an elected judiciary, all bets are off and money and campaigning skills count as opposed to potential competence on the bench. I recall one Alabama judge who pretty much everyone came to deem to be literally insane after he was elected to the bench. Fortunately, he was ultimately removed from office, but not before doing a great deal of damage to litigants and discrediting the legal system in general. Box Turtle Bulletin has some details on O'Connor's involvement in Iowa. Here are some highlights:
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For 25 years Sandra Day O’Connor’s opinion mattered more than just about anyone in the country. Appointed in 1981 to be the first woman to sit on the Supreme Court, O’Connor was positioned such that half the court was more conservative and half the court was less so. There were very few decisions in which O’Connor was on the losing side and a great many where her judicial thinking determined the course of the nation’s laws.
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Upon retiring, O’Connor was asked what she predicted for the court in the 21st Century. The jurist replied that just as matters of race had dominated the court during the 20th Century, the upcoming years would focus on matters of sexual orientation.
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Now, even though she has stepped down from the SCOTUS, O’Connor will be – at least tangentially – addressing same sex marriage.
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Next week the Iowa State Bar Association will host a panel to discuss judicial appointment, and O’Connor will come to advocate for experience, temperament, and merit as qualifiers rather than populist appeal. Sandra Day O’Connor will take part in a panel discussion Sept. 8 advocating judge retention based on merits rather than political whim.
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I agree with her that the people are best served by having one governmental branch that is not subject to the whim of the latest political trend or the most affluent contributor.

Concerned Women Attack Chelsea Clinton for Marrying - the Horrors - A Jew

Never at a loss for words in their perverted quest to make the USA a Bible beating, Kool-Aid drinking theocracy, the bitches at Concerned Women for America have reached a new low - or at least another low, since they are in general such lying sleaze bags that they achieve many lows. Now, these godly, self-anointed bitches are attacking Chelsea Clinton for - oh the absolute horror - marrying a man of Jewish descent. Heaven forbid that people be judged based on their character or personal attributes. For the good bitches at CWFA, the only thing that matters is whether or not one is a far right Christian who hates gays, Jews, Muslims - indeed practically everyone else in the world. I know many individuals of the Jewish faith that on a daily basis act in a more Christ like manner towards others compared to the hate filled Christofascists at CWFA. (In my view, CWFA offers yet another reason not to call one's self a Christian nowadays). Here are some highlights from CWFA's screed authored by uber-bitch, Janice Crouse Shaw, taking Chelsea to task for marry someone Shaw obviously views as just a descendant of Christ killing Jews (NOTE: Shaw cites far right nutcase Al Mohler as one of her "experts"):
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When asked about the significance of her daughter, Chelsea, marrying Marc Mezvinsky, who is Jewish, and thus being married in an interfaith union, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton responded, “Over the years, so many of the barriers that prevented people from getting married, crossing lines of faith or color or ethnicity have just disappeared.” True, the barriers have disappeared, but serious difficulties remain.
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Observers have noted that both Clinton and Mezvinsky were raised in homes where religious faith was central to family life and questioned whether one or the other would convert and how they would reconcile the practice of their different faiths.
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While intermarriage indicates a “high degree of assimilation and tolerance,” it also means “the declining role of faith and religious identity in the minds of many young Americans,” according to Allan Schwartz, in the “Emotional Challenges of Interfaith Marriage.” In her classic book, The Good Marriage: How and Why Love Lasts, Judith Wallerstein reports that couples set the stage for conflict, bitterness, and misunderstanding as they make the emotional and psychological separation from their families’ religious heritage. Problems begin as early as the planning of the wedding ceremony, where different traditions are in conflict, especially when certain symbols of faith “evoke powerful emotional responses.”
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“When the level of doctrinal commitment is low, the barriers to interfaith marriage are correspondingly far less significant.” What this comes down to is that typically traditional “practices” and “activities” are simply adjusted and adapted — this is a gentle way of saying they get “watered down” to the point of irrelevance; central beliefs of committed adherents pose a larger, more difficult challenge, since they are far less amenable to compromise. As noted by Dr. Mohler, theological differences matter, and decisions that are made by a couple over the course of a lifetime — especially in raising children — affect the marriage.
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For the true Christian believer, this means a life lived in light of Christ’s singular claim that He is “the way, the truth, and the life.” Taking His claim seriously, that He is the only way to the Father (John 14:6), means that all decisions are made in light of His teaching and commands. This includes His teaching that marriage is intended by God to be a life-long covenant — not just between the couple, but sealed by God and witnessed by fellow believers in the couples’ church community. That said, real Christian marriage includes a commitment to follow Christ, both in lifestyle and in childrearing.
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Religion that is not practiced is little more than a set of myths and of no more significance than the fairy tales told to toddlers at bedtime. Faith that does not make demands on behavior is not faith at all. Inevitably, a lack of unity in faith entails multiple problems on both the little and the large issues that couples continuously encounter as they face the task of building a strong, meaningful, harmonious marriage. How could it possibly be otherwise?
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Shaw does unwittingly get one thing right but ascribes it to Chelsea rather than to CWFA as is more appropriate - as practiced by the Christianists, their version of Christianity is a distorted set of fear and hate based myths that ought to be given no more significance than the fairy tales.

GOP Tea Party Racists and Homophobes

From the get go I have maintained that the GOP Tea Party and tea bagging crowd - as well as the "family values" organizations allied with many of them - are largely populated by crazies, racists and homophobes. As yet more evidence, some tea party members hurled the F-word and N-word at members of Congress today. Talking Points Memo for full coverage . Will the MSM focus on this and grow that balls needed to expose just how dangerous these people are? Not surprisingly, the GOP leadership has not condemned this behavior.

Anti-gay pastors Go After Houston Mayoral Candidate Annise Parker

The anti-gay bigots seem to never rest in their jihad against LGBT citizens. Now the bigots - who are never content to keep their prejudice to themselves - have turned their sights on Houston mayoral candidate Annise Parker (pictured at left) who is in a run off election for mayor of Houston. Whether or not someone is capable and a good citizen means nothing to these homophobes who can never see beyond one's sexual orientation. The irony, of course, is that in my experience most LGBT citizens that I know follow the Gospel message of how to treat other people far accurately than the falsely self-righteous and the professional Christian set. These demagogues are resorting to the usual tactics of fear mongering and lies - certainly not Christian attributes. Here are some highlights from the Houston Chronicle:

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A cluster of socially conservative Houstonians is planning a campaign to discourage voters from choosing City Controller Annise Parker in the December mayoral runoff because she is a lesbian, according to multiple ministers and conservatives involved in the effort. The group is motivated by concerns about a “gay takeover” of City Hall, given that two other candidates in the five remaining City Council races are also openly gay, as well as national interest driven by the possibility that Houston could become the first major U.S. city to elect an openly gay woman.
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Another primary concern is that Parker or other elected officials would seek to overturn a 2001 city charter amendment that prohibits the city from providing benefits to the domestic partners of gay and lesbian employees. “The bottom line is that we didn't pick the battle, she did, when she made her agenda and sexual preference a central part of her campaign,” said Dave Welch, executive director of the Houston Area Pastor Council, numbering more than 200 senior pastors in the Greater Houston area.
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Parker's opponent, former City Attorney Gene Locke, strongly distanced himself from a previous anti-gay attack against her that ultimately proved to have been a hoax. But he has made recent efforts to court some of the staunch social conservatives who are either actively planning on attacking Parker's sexuality or strongly considering it. He appeared at the Pastor Council's annual gala last Friday and was encouraged several times by State Sen. Dan Patrick, R-Houston, a featured speaker, to stand for conservative values.

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Parker has tread carefully in her candidacy for mayor, stressing frequently that she is running not as a gay candidate but as a qualified city official who's won election six times. In a televised debate last month, she voiced “no current plans” to revisit the city charter amendment if elected, although she said the city will need to offer benefits to the same-sex partners of its employees “at some point.” Parker campaign manager Adam Harris said Locke's overtures to Hotze and others represented a “desperate and extreme act.”
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“Houston deserves real leadership, not someone who will cut a deal with anyone and go to any extreme” to be elected, Harris said.

Pat Robertson Disgraces Region Yet Again

Pat Robertson, Hampton Roads' leading snake oil merchant, homophobe and bigot extraordinaire, has shot off his mouth and humiliated the region yet again. Just what we do not need in a harsh economic down turn - give the area the appearance of being inhabited by nutcases who are unwelcoming to anyone who is not a raving bigot and religious fanatic. The irony in brother Pat's latest remarks is that the alleged agenda of Islam that he describes looks an awful lot like the Christianists' own agenda of fusing religion and politics and subjugating anyone who does not conform to the Christian equivalent of sharia law. Here's what Mr. Christo-fascist had to say via ThinkProgress:

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On his 700 Club TV show yesterday, Pat Robertson claimed that Islam is “not a religion,” but “a violent political system bent on the overthrow of the governments of the world and world domination”:

ROBERTSON: That is the ultimate aim. And they talk about infidels and all this, but the truth is that’s what the game is. So you are dealing with not a religion. You’re dealing with a political system. And I think we should treat it as such and treat its adherences as such as we would members of the Communist Party or members of some fascist group. Well, it’s a tragedy. Our hearts go out to the families who suffered. But those in the Army should be held on account for the fact they let this man loose.
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Ironically, I met with some Muslim clients today who are hard working, law abiding constructive citizens. Unfortunately, they have to continue to worry about anti-Muslim backlash whipped up by bigots like Robertson. What is truly frightening, of course, is that there are so many Christian Right Neanderthals who think just like Robertson. As FireDogLake notes:

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[I]t’s more than a little rich for Pat to call Islam oppressive when he’s been working for decades to turn America into a theocracy where gays can’t touch each other, and women are meek subservient breeders who must carry all pregnancies to term regardless of rape/incest/health risks/unexpelled miscarriage.

Christianists React to California Supreme Court Refusal to Stay Ruling

As predicted, the disingenuous Christianist mouth pieces are having vapors over the California Supreme Court's refusal to stay its May 15, 2008, ruling striking down all California laws banning gay marriage. From their statements it is crystal clear that in their view minorities have no rights whatsoever unless the majority of the population is gracious enough to allow them to have them. Thus, under their reasoning, Jews, Muslims, blacks, and others could have their rights curtailed if the majority decided to enact constitutional amendments depriving them of legal rights and status. The mindset of these people is akin to what happened in Nazi Germany where the majority was turned against the Jewish minority with the Holocaust and mass murder being the ultimate result. These people are neither Christian nor moral. Would that the mainstream media would challenge them on their arguments and the natural outcome of the mob majority rule that they espouse. Here are some examples via the Christianist news service, CNSNews.com of the demagoguery of professional homophobes, Rick Scarborough and Tony Perkins (pictured at left) who make a nice living by shaking down the sheeple for money:

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Rick Scarborough, president of the conservative group Vision America, issued a news release on Wednesday blasting the ruling as "an affront to democracy.""I don't know why they don't just hang a sign outside the California Supreme Court building that says, 'Until further notice, representative government hereby suspended by court order,'" Scarborough stated."Two weeks ago, the California high court created a 'right' to homosexual marriage out of thin air," he noted. "In so doing, the majority declared unconstitutional a 2000 referendum for a statute providing that marriage in California consists only of the union of a man and a woman."

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"Not only is the court saying that homosexuals must have a right they've never had before in California, but that enforcement of its edict can't wait five months for the people to be heard," he declared. "Never in the annals of judicial tyranny has an activist court made such a brazen move. "I would not be surprised if pro-family forces launch a drive to recall the justices who committed this crime against democracy," Scarborough added.

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But Tony Perkins, president of the conservative Family Research Council, told Cybercast News Service that he was "sharply critical" of the decision to withhold the stay."Once again, the California Supreme Court has shown contempt for the democratic process by ignoring more than 1.1 million California voters who signed petitions placing a constitutional amendment on the ballot this November," Perkins stated."Today's ruling underscores the need for passage of the marriage protection amendment," he noted. "Without the amendment's passage, the high court's ruling will have far-reaching consequences for children, the family, religious liberties, businesses and every facet of society.

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Once gays achieve full civil legal rights, one has to wonder what bigots like Scarborough and Perkins will do for a living. What new minority group will become the target of their un-Christian hatred in order that the prejudiced and/or gullible can be fleeced of money?