War on Religion? Give Me A Break!

I don’t know about you, but I’m sick and tired of hearing right wing extremists spouting that any effort for equality is a war on religion. Here are a two cases in point that drive me crazy. Texas State Representative Louie Gohmert believes that the Employee Non-Discrimination Act clearly proves Obama’s war on religion and opponents of The Affordable Care Act (AKA “Obamacare”) believe that forcing private organizations that use state funds to pay for employee birth control is another sign of Obama’s war on religion.

Let’s look at these for what they really are. The ENDA is a proposed bill that would prohibit discrimination on the basis of someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity. We currently have laws that prevent discrimination hiring practices against race, faith, gender, or physical handicap. What this shows is that this nation, over time, came to realize that discrimination in any form was unjust. In fact, 26 states currently have some form of state law that prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

To claim that the ENDA is proof of an attack against religion is absurd. The ENDA promises equal protection under law for every citizen in the nation. How could that goal possibly be connected to a war on religion? Isn’t religion, in theory anyway, supposed to come to the defense of those being mistreated? Not according to people like Representative Gohmert from Texas. But then again Gohmert isn’t really trying to defend his religious principles; he’s advocating bigotry against gay and transgendered people.

As for private organizations being forced to pay for employee birth control thanks to “Obamacare,” they too have it wrong. Churches are exempt from this, as they should be, but church sponsored organizations that utilize government money are not. Just like every other citizen and public organization that accepts money from the government, they too must follow the law. The government isn’t forcing people to use contraceptives, even though a majority of people including Catholics do. In fact, “28 states already impose such requirements,” which shows that this, once again, isn’t indicative of Obama’s war on religion.

There is a war in America, but it isn’t a war against religion. It’s a right wing extremist war against homosexuals and those who don’t prescribe to their views with hatred and prejudice at its very core. I just wish they would call it what it is. Though the Westboro Baptist Church is filled with a bunch of loons, at least they don’t hide their hatred. They are upfront about it. I can respect that more than politicians using the veil of religion to mask their bigotry.

If you want to hate me or someone else, then just hate. You’re free to do so in this country, but you’re not free to deny me or anyone else in this country equal protection under the law, and whether some people want to admit it or not, The Constitution of the United States of America proclaims we are all created equal.

“Game On”: Rick Santorum Video

I found this video courtesy of Towleroad, depicting one family’s music video endorsing Rick Santorum. After watching it, I knew I had to share it. Immediately.

With lyrical gems as “we’ve got a man who understands God gave the Bill of Rights” and “there is hope for our nation again; maybe the first time since Ronald Reagan,” who wouldn’t want to support Santorum as well as drink the cyanide laced punch provided at the video’s after party?

This video totally creeped me out. Anybody else?

Democrats for Santorum

I found this video and had to share. Second City Network released a comedy sketch ad campaign urging Democrats to vote for Santorum in open primary states.

While I think Obama would trounce Santorum if Santorum did somehow get the Republican presidential nomination, I still don’t know if what this video proposes is a good idea. I want Santorum as far from The White House as possible.

The video made me chuckle though.

(video via Joemygod)

Santorum: Obama is a “Phony” Christian

Just when I think Rick Santorum can’t possibly seem any more like scum and any less like a viable presidential candidate, he opens his mouth and spews even more vitriol and idiocy.

According to ABC News, at a recent speaking engagement to a Tea Party group in Pennsylvania, Santorum had this to say about President Obama:

The ‘president’s agenda’ is ‘not about you… It’s not about your quality of life. It’s not about your job…It’s about some phony ideal, some phony theology…Oh, not a theology based on the Bible, a different theology, but no less a theology.’”

Obviously, Santorum is trying to garner votes through false information and fear. Obama is a Christian, and even if he wasn’t, would it really matter in the grand scheme of things? Nowhere in the Constitution does it state that the President must be a Christian. Our country has no national religion and “claims” to believe in the separation of the Church and the State. Therefore, the President’s religion shouldn’t be a factor, yet it always seems to be!

And Santorum knows how to play to that. He calls his opposition un-Christian and, by proxy, anti-American. Do we really want someone like this to even have a shot at the presidency?

Of course, representatives from Santorum’s camp understand how counter-productive his statement was and are now attempting damage control as you can see in the following statement:

‘The President says he’s a Christian and Rick believes that and has even said so publicly many times,’ National Communications Director Hogan Gidley said in a statement. ‘Rick was talking about the President’s belief in the secular theology of government — and how believing that theology is dangerous because government theology teaches that it’s perfectly fine (to) take away our individual God-given rights and freedoms. Our founders wrote the Constitution to protect our individual rights and freedoms, but it’s clear that President Obama believes the government should control your life. Rick Santorum believes in the Constitution and will always fight to protect our freedoms.’”

What I learn from this is that Santorum (and his camp) doesn’t want the government to run our lives; they want religious government, which would be what Santorum would bring to The White House, to run our lives.

That isn’t the nation our forefathers wanted. They had first-hand knowledge of the fate of the people when religion and government ruled as one. Do we really want that? Santorum does.

HBO Takes on Sarah Palin in “Game Change”

HBO released a trailer for its new movie Game Change, which tells the story of the 2008 presidential election featuring McCain and Palin. Julianne Moore takes on the role of the former Alaskan Governor and no doubt had a great time portraying the wacky wing nut wannabe Vice President.

Based on the trailer (which I’ve included below), I can’t wait to see the movie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPhh7mch5zo

(story via Towleroad)

NH Governor Will Veto GOP Attempt to Repeal Gay Marriage

John Lynch, Republican Governor of New Hampshire, announced during his State of the State address that he would veto any attempt by the state’s lawmakers to repeal gay marriage, as reported in Queerty.

You can listen to what Governor Lynch had to say below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihYeYcCFIZk

Thankfully, in a state where Republicans have the majority, enough state Republicans share Governor Lynch’s sentiment, such as Republican Representative Steve Winter, who had this to say to the Concord Monitor:

I’m for liberty and freedom, leaving people alone so long as they don’t harm or defraud other people…I believe what people do with their lives, how they select their mates, is none of my business and none of the state’s business.”

It’s nice to know that there are politicians out there who listen to the wishes of their constituents. As I’ve posted before, most citizens in New Hampshire don’t want to repeal the marriage equality law and have even fought back with their own campaign.

It’s my hope that the politicians in New Hampshire continue to do the right thing and not let the ignorance and prejudice of some politicians to destroy equality in New Hampshire.

Santorum Surges to Third Place, Promises to Annul Gay Marriages

Republican Presidential hopeful Rick Santorum has risen to third place in Iowa polls. Now with 16% of the projected votes, which is a far cry of where he was previously, Santorum’s surge in Iowa has me deeply concerned.

First of all, I think he’s an idiot as I’ve claimed here, here, and here, but I’m concerned for more than just his lack of an intelligent quotient. Santorum has recently courted several “evangelical leaders within [Iowa]” and is using the standard hot topics of same sex marriage, abortion, and the threat of Islam  to garner favor with the 99 counties in Iowa.

Santorum isn’t dealing with important issues such as the economic crisis, health care, education, and rising unemployment. Instead, he has stoked the flames of fear many social conservatives have–that the gays will destroy traditional marriage, babies will be haphazardly aborted, and that Islam will take over our borders.

While I would normally scoff at platforms such as this, Santorum appears to be stirring up the pot enough in Iowa to rise in the polls. His tactic of fear and ignorance is working!

Santorum still has a lot of ground to cover to take over Romney and Paul, who are currently tied for first, but he’s gaining some steam.

If he does win the nomination, he not only plans to repeal DADT but to annul gay marriages that are currently legal in some states. ThinkProgress reported on this as well as on an interview between MSNBC’s Chuck Todd and Santorum on the subject of gay marriage. During the interview Santorum had this to say, “I think marriage has to be one thing for everybody. We can’t have 50 different marriage laws in this country, you have to have one marriage law.” When asked if he would make same-sex couples, who were currently married according to their state’s laws, get divorced, he responded by saying, “their marriage would be invalid.”

I wonder what happened to the GOP’s desire to limit the role of the federal government in a person’s private life and for acknowledging the rights of the states? I guess Santorum doesn’t buy into those Republican tenets, does he?

Tweeting Ignorance: Ron Paul’s Newsletters

Ron Paul's Tweeted Newsletters

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don’t you just love it when someone makes broad generalizations about a community based upon the actions of a few? I had hoped Ron Paul would prove better than that, even though I knew better. Perhaps it’s his recent rise in the polls, with only a few points separating him from Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich, but it seems Paul is falling in step with bad mouthing the gay community just like his fellow Republican presidential hopefuls.

Sigh.

(story via Towleroad)

 

Perry’s New Anti-Gay Ad

Rick Perry released a new ad today in Iowa to try and drum up more supporters for his Republican Presidential nod. Although recent polls show Newt Gingrich in first place (who saw that one coming?), Perry no doubt believes his attacks against homosexuals, Obama, and public school prayer will help him win some votes among the extremely conservative.

In the ad, Perry promises to “end Obama’s war on religion” and “fight against liberal attacks on our religious heritage.”

Once again, Perry has things bass ackwards. No war against religion exists. The religious fundamentalists are simply ticked that they aren’t getting their way–that their versions of morality aren’t adopted by the nation as a whole.

Perry says in his video “faith once made America strong,” but he forgets that faith wasn’t prescribed upon the country’s founding for a reason.

(video via ThinkProgress)

Perry Hates Obama Speaking for Gay Rights Worldwide

Earlier today, President Obama issued a memorandum calling for nations to help promote “the fair treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people worldwide,” as reported by ThinkProgress. The President even spoke before the United Nations where he expressed that he was “deeply concerned by the violence and discrimination targeting LGBT persons around the world — whether it is passing laws that criminalize LGBT status, beating citizens simply for joining peaceful LGBT pride celebrations, or killing men, women, and children for their perceived sexual orientation.”

Naturally, Perry took arms against this plea for basic human rights across the planet.

Perry had this to say about Obama’s call for human rights:

This administration’s war on traditional American values must stop… [and] This is just the most recent example of an administration at war with people of faith in this country. Investing tax dollars promoting a lifestyle many Americas of faith find so deeply objectionable is wrong…President Obama has again mistaken America’s tolerance for different lifestyles with an endorsement of those lifestyles. I will not make that mistake.”

I didn’t realize American values and basic human rights were two different things because according to Perry they are. Whether Perry or any other uber conservative wants to admit it or not, this country was founded on basic human rights. Those rights were fought for and were why we ultimately separated from Britain. We wanted to right to be who we were, to worship as we pleased, to live freely without unjust representation and taxation, and to live in a land for the people and by the people.

Perry (and many others) falsely believe that their Christian beliefs are the be-all and-end-all. Well, that’s just not the way it is. I’m a Christian, but I don’t force my Christianity on anyone else. I also don’t expect every single person to believe as I do much less support gay rights. Everyone has their beliefs. But just because I’m not straight nor Muslim doesn’t mean I don’t think straight Muslims have inalienable rights in this country (or the world) either.

Persecuting people for any reason should never be tolerated, and this is something President Obama is taking a stand on. While I for one would like Obama to take a stronger stand on gay rights in America, I’m still pleased he made this statement for the world wide community.

If Perry had his way, though, persecuting people who aren’t Christian or follow his set of morality would be A-OK.