Westboro Baptist Church, Fred Phelps, Al Gore, and the Democratic Party

OK, Will. It just struck me as bizarre that an e-mail campaign from 7 years ago, based on some kind of an alleged relationship from 20 years ago, is only now a topic of conversation. And coming out with "Democratic apologists" instead of a "what think you" invites polemic. Bottom line, I'm sick of smears, and sick of a presumption of stupidity on the other side of the aisle; actually, always have been. I can have a nice cup of tea with Edmund Burke over his problems with the "metaphyical abstractions" of the French Revolution. I have little time for the kind of smears that have gained currency on P&R of recent memory.

But perhaps I might have overreached. I'll do a good faith dig, and thanks for the info.

 

It does appear that Edmund was correct concerning both the American and French revolutions.

 

your just being obtuse, I can take a couple minutes to google some links for you, maybe after I finish my coffee

here why don't start by listening to this fellow GOP'er http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1T_7s3x4JoQ

umm yeah but giving gay people the SAME rights as straight people is not giving them special rights

come on every knows that GOP is the anti-gay party, that and the other jesus stuff is how they get votes from trailer trash and red necks, who don't make enough money to care about tax cuts

 

Folks, you can't give anyone rights. You're born with them.

What you can do is give people privileges, this is a specialty of government. Favoring one group over another.

So gays wants the same privileges as straights, not rights.

 

yeah, whatever you want to call it

 

I'm still stuck on this point, which no one seems to have been able to address.

This isn't about legislating special privileges for homosexuals, this is about a core belief that "society" has a moral right to condemn homosexuality.

 

Uhm, no. There is a big difference between a right and a privilege.

You have a right to free speech. I do not have to accord you the privilege of free speech on my property.

You have a right to own property. I do not have to give you some of my property so that you may own some.

Rights and privileges are as different as up and down, black and white.

Will is right about principle with regard to this topic. Not helping or benefiting someone is not hate.

It's these wild far right or far left extremes, love or hate (no such thing as any shades of neutrality etc.) that lead us to fanaticism in religion, in politics, in everything.

 

if person A can do something, and person B cannot for some arbitrary religious reason that is inequality anyway you slice it

weather its a right or privilege , you can play all the word games you want, but its sill bullshit

its just like how people where not legally allowed to marry outside their race a short 40 years in most of the south

giving everyone the SAME privileges isn't giving someone special privileges

the GOP is anti-gay, undercover gay, religious nonsense party and everyone knows it including yourselves

 

Don't cuss at me. It's inappropriate. I understand you are lashing out of frustration, that your position is not based on rational conclusions or principle. You seem to be annoyed at "word games" but they are only games because you are failing to understand what I am writing.

These are your personal problems, not mine. Don't take it out on me.

Privileges are not rights. The government might provide you with a service, but that service is not a right. Learn and understand the difference, because the alternative is to live your life as a victim.

As far as being anti-gay, I am not. As far as being religiously motivated, I am not. But I am Republican. So you need to adjust your paradigm, because it is creating irrational conclusions.

 

umm, no its more like I don't care

is freedom of expression a right? could marriage and relationships fall under that , possibly, but its not really important

the discussion was more about general hypocrisy of the GOP and the hilarious irony of a GOP supporter (little willy) crying about some anti-gay stuff.

dude if you think you are republican after watching your parties response to your precious Ron Paul campaign, then you might just be dense

Republican = Christian, authoritarian , police state , endless war party who happens to dislike gays (although sometimes just on the surface to appeal to red necks)

If that doesn't describe you then guess what, you are not a republican

 

Ron Paul is a Republican. Barry Goldwater was a Republican. Robert Taft was a Republican. That's the cloth I hope people believe I am cut from.

 

I believe Newt Gingrich has expressed a fear and concern about Republicans losing touch with worthwhile ideas.

I'd say this timely thread about Al Gore is indicative of that concern.

 

This post is pretty pathetic, even for you Will.

 

Lots of democratic apologists, but still no one has addressed the main points.

Typical.

 

Will, it seems pretty apparent to me that whether out of a personal change of heart, based in good faith, or a need to pander to a burgeoning constituency, Gore moved from a stand most had at the time of the '88 campaign to a staunch supporter of gay rights. I am not convinced of a love match between Phelps/Westboro and Gore from a 20 year old set of two photographs.

I am more convinced by Gore's actions over the last two decades. In getting a picture of Gore's politics regarding gay and lesbian issues, that picture is extremely clear. The reason Phelps has excoriated Gore as a "fag pimp," and protested at his dad's funeral, is precisely due to Gore's longtime stand on gay rights. A quote, that I think is a decent appraisal:

To the Republican party platform and gay issues, since the incursion of the religious right - Will, I think we both know the answer here.

 

whats the main points?

 

Lots of Republican apologists for that loser Bush in here as well.

Nice to see Gore gets a pass for stuff he's said or done in the past, but Ron Paul gets dragged over the coals.

 

I can't think of anyone in the history of American politics who has been treated as undeservedly well as Grandpa Paul.

It's probably just because no one takes him seriously, but it still feels wrong. He and his campaign are spreading hate and untruths -- and going effectively unchallenged while doing so.

I don't hold Freds statements or actions against Al -- I do hold Al's statements and actions against Al.

Would you willingly attend a fundraiser at Fred's house?

Would you tell a newspaper that homosexuality is not "an acceptable alternative that society should affirm"?

Would you invite Fred to your inauguration?





NP, since you seem to be stuck on BO, here's a blurb for you:

Journalists in the gay and lesbian press are upset with Barack Obama for what one paper calls his disrespect of the local gay media.

Obama failed to grant an interview to the Philadelphia Gay News — the paper made its point this way — by publishing its interview with Hillary Clinton on the right side of its front page and leaving the space for Obama’s interview blank.

​

 

Are you joking or were you listening to Ron Paul's words through some sort of distortion filter? Most of the things the media tried to hang him on were misrepresentations of his positions.

 

Ah... the warm glow of true belief.

Paulista's are a scary bunch; they are like Moonies without flowers.