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Republicans Predict Fraud, Bestiality if Gay Marriage Is Legalized

Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, told a group of Tea Party supporters on a conference call that gay marriage would be a slippery slope to polygamy and bestiality. “When you say it’s not a man and a woman anymore, then why not, you know, somebody has a love for an animal or-?"

In a 2003 interview, former presidential primary candidate Rick Santorum mentioned it, along with pedophilia. “In every society, the definition of marriage has not ever, to my knowledge, included homosexuality,” Santorum told The Associated Press. “It’s not, you know, man on child, man on dog, or whatever the case may be. It is one thing.”

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Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) on Wednesday appeared to suggest a link between the Supreme Court's rulings on gay marriage and marriage between a human and a non-human. "It is difficult, because if we have no laws on this, people will take it to one extension further -- does it have to be humans?" Paul said Wednesday in an interview with Glenn Beck.

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Dr. Ben Carson: "Marriage is between a man and a woman. It's a well-established, fundamental pillar of society and no group, be they gays, be they NAMBLA, be they people who believe in bestiality -- it doesn't matter what they are, they don't get to change the definition."

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Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) on Thursday became the latest politician to defend Phil Robertson, a cast member of the reality show "Duck Dynasty" who was suspended from the television network A&E after making graphic anti-gay comments and saying African-Americans were "singing and happy" before civil rights in the South. "

“Phil Robertson and his family are great citizens of the State of Louisiana. The politically correct crowd is tolerant of all viewpoints, except those they disagree with. I don’t agree with quite a bit of stuff I read in magazine interviews or see on TV. But I also acknowledge that this is a free country and everyone is entitled to express their views."

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Sarah Palin: "Free speech is an endangered species. Those “intolerants” hatin’ and taking on the Duck Dynasty patriarch for voicing his personal opinion are taking on all of us."

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Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) joined Jindal and Palin in defending Robertson, writing on his Facebook page Thursday:

"Phil expressed his personal views and his own religious faith; for that, he was suspended from his job. In a free society, anyone is free to disagree with him--but the mainstream media should not behave as the thought police censoring the views with which they disagree."

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Losing Your TV Job Is Not a First Amendment Issue

Sigh. I can’t believe we have to explain this, over and over, every time a media figure loses a job (or just gets a for-show suspension) over saying something stupid, but: Losing your job for saying something that embarrasses your private employer–even if that is a media outlet–is not a free speech issue. It is not a First Amendment issue. It may be dumb, it may be justified, but it is not a constitutional violation. People changing the channel or not buying your products because of what you said is not “censorship”; nor is losing a business deal for same.

Cable TV is not the government, thank God. But apparently some politicians both inside and outside the government could stand to reread the First Amendment. http://entertainment.time.com/2013/12/19/losing-your-tv-job-is-not-a-f
irst-amendment-issue/#ixzz2nwqxxgff

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“Don’t be deceived. Neither the adulterers, the idolaters, the male prostitutes, the homosexual offenders, the greedy, the drunkards, the slanderers, the swindlers—they won’t inherit the kingdom of God. Don’t deceive yourself. It’s not right … “

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This is a fascinating glimpse into the fundamentalist mind. You’ll notice that, for the fundamentalist, all sin – when it comes down to it - starts with sex. This sexual obsession, as the Pope has rightly diagnosed it, is a mark of neurotic fundamentalism in Islam and Judaism as well as Christianity. And if all sin is rooted in sex, then the homosexual becomes the most depraved and evil individual in the cosmos. So you get this classic statement about sin: “Start with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there.”

This emphasis is absolutely not orthodox Christianity. There is nothing primary about sexual sin as such in Christian doctrine. It sure can be powerfully sinful – but it’s not where sin starts. And to posit gay people as the true source of all moral corruption is to use eliminationist rhetoric and demonizing logic to soften up a small minority of people for exclusion, marginalization and, at some point, violence.

If you think I’m hyperventilating, ask yourself what the response would be if in talking about sin, Phil Robertson had said, “Start with Jewish behavior …” The argument would be totally recognizable, once very widespread, and deeply disturbing. What we’re seeing here – and it’s very much worth debating – is how fundamentalist religion seizes on recognizable, immoral minorities to shore up its own sense of righteousness. You can gussy it up – but it’s right there in front of our nose.

Then Robertson says something that tells us nothing except he has never had an honest conversation with a gay person about what it is to be gay. He simply assumes that all men must be heterosexual, and that making themselves have sex with another man must be so horrifying it mystifies him:

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“It seems like, to me, a vagina—as a man—would be more desirable than a man’s anus. That’s just me. I’m just thinking: There’s more there! She’s got more to offer. I mean, come on, dudes! You know what I’m saying? But hey, sin: It’s not logical, my man. It’s just not logical.”

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No, it isn’t logical if it were a choice for a straight guy. But it isn’t. All we’re seeing here is the effect of cultural isolation. Mr Robertson would not be happy – indeed, rightly be extremely offended – if I reduced his entire family life and marriage to sex with a vagina.

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The quack is back.

A&E announced Friday that it will "resume filming" the hit reality television show "Duck Dynasty" with star Phil Robertson following his indefinite suspension from the network last week for comments he made in an interview with GQ Magazine about gays, non-Christians, and African Americans. The network also promised it would work with Robertson to promote "unity, tolerance and acceptance among all people." A&E announced the decision to end Robertson's suspension with a statement provided to the Hollywood Reporter.

"Duck Dynasty is not a show about one man's views. It resonates with a large audience because it is a show about family… a family that America has come to love. As you might have seen in many episodes, they come together to reflect and pray for unity, tolerance and forgiveness. These are three values that we at A+E Networks also feel strongly about," the statement said. "So after discussions with the Robertson family, as well as consulting with numerous advocacy groups, A&E has decided to resume filming Duck Dynasty later this spring with the entire Robertson family."


In the interview, which appeared in the January issue of GQ, Robertson compared gay sex to "bestiality," implied non-Christian societies are more murderous, and suggested African-Americans were "happy" during the Jim Crow era. A&E's statement acknowledged the comments reflect Robertson's "personal views based on his own beliefs, and his own personal journey."

"While Phil’s comments made in the interview reflect his personal views based on his own beliefs, and his own personal journey, he and his family have publicly stated they regret the 'coarse language' he used and the mis-interpretation of his core beliefs based only on the article," said the statement. "He also made it clear he would 'never incite or encourage hate.' We at A+E Networks expressed our disappointment with his statements in the article, and reiterate that they are not views we hold."

Along with announcing the end of Robertson's suspension, A&E said it will launch a "national public service campaign" that will air on the network and will be dedicated to "promoting unity, tolerance and acceptance among all people." Additionally, an unnamed "A&E source" told the Hollywood Reporter that the network will work with Robertson and his family "to promote tolerance moving forward." http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/a-e-ends-duck-dynasty-star-phil-
robertson-s-suspension

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