Press Release: Mitt Romney's "Jeremiah Wright" problem

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - JANUARY 9, 2012
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Alumni of Bob Jones University
Contact: Jeffrey Hoffman (646) 271-5980

NEW YORK, NY, JANUARY 9, 2012: Mitt Romney has a preacher problem down in South Carolina. Republican presidential hopefuls have long coveted endorsement by the Chancellor of Bob Jones University, Bob Jones III. Every serious Republican candidate since Ronald Reagan has made the pilgrimage to Greenville, South Carolina's "Fortress of Faith." In 2008, Mitt Romney enthusiastically accepted the Bob Jones endorsement: "We're proud to have Dr Jones' support and look forward to working with him to communicate Governor Romney's message of conservative change to voters," Romney spokesman William Holley said.

SO, WHO IS BOB JONES? Standing on the steps of the White House in 1980, Bob Jones III once told an AP reporter:

I’m sure this will be greatly misquoted but it would not be a bad idea to bring the swift justice today that was brought in Israel’s day against murder and rape and homosexuality. I guarantee it would solve the problem post-haste if homosexuals were stoned, if murderers were immediately killed as the Bible commands.

For over three decades, Bob Jones has shouted his hatred and homophobia from the chapel platform of Bob Jones University, regularly equating homosexuality with bestiality, murder, rape, theft and child molestation in his daily rants to the thousands of students as young as junior high age in his audience. To this day, he has never apologized for the views he expressed to the Associated Press in 1980.

Today, Mitt Romney's campaign has disavowed its previous attempts to woo gay voters. Is this the same Mitt Romney who told Bay Windows newspaper that "I'll be better than Ted (Kennedy) for gay rights?"

A group of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students, alumni and faculty have compiled a video and have established a new blog to document the rampant homophobia at Bob Jones University, at lgbt-bju.org. This group asks Governor Romney to repudiate the endorsement of Bob Jones III in the last election and to join us in demanding an apology by signing our petition, which can be found online at change.org.

Lbgt-bju.org offers confidential support and advice to those within the fundamentalist lifestyle who may be questioning their sexuality or gender or who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. Media inquiries should be directed to Jeffrey Hoffman, a public spokesperson for this group.

Why is the Tea Party against gay marriage?

Photo at left from Strollerderby.



Why does the Tea Party Movement, those self-styled Champions of Freedom, oppose the freedom of two people of whatever gender getting married?

Why should the government dictate who gets married? Isn't this against the whole Tea Party idea of limited government?

Actually, it seems the Tea Party is confused. They want limited government, except when women and gays are involved. (i.e. abortion and gay marriage) They want the government to control the womb and the bedroom.

So, the "limited government" mantra is an outright lie. They actually want to expand government by making church law into secular law, as in the gay marriage example. [1]

At base, gay marriage (as some gay radicals like to tell us) is a fundamentally conservative desire; a wholesome, domestic desire to conform and assimilate. A desire to take one's place in the suburbs alongside the BBQ grill, white picket fence and SUV, with the regulation two kids and a dog. (Other radicals, while somewhat acknowledging the point, regard "assimilation" as a non-issue.) Isn't a "tamed" gay community a more non-threatening one, as far as the suburbanite Republicans are concerned? (And if not, why not?)

Glenn Greenwald caught Charles Krauthammer in a huge Tea-Partier fib in a recent column, in which he claimed that the majority of the USA is against gay marriage.

No, that isn't true, and Glenn has the stats to prove it:

A new CNN poll has found that most Americans think gays and lesbians should have a constitutional right to get married. . . . As polling-statistics blogger Nate Silver points out, the margin of error [as well as the poll's status as the first to find majority approval] means we can't assume that a majority of Americans support gay marriage, but it is "no longer safe to say that opposition to same-sex marriage is the majority position.

And even among Krauthammer's own GOP droogs (I know, he claims he is "Independent"--and does anybody really believe that?), the issue is rather volatile, with younger Republicans breaking ranks in record numbers (according to the Washington Post):

A growing number of Republicans are breaking with the party's traditional stance to publicly state their support for same-sex marriage, a shift strategists say stems as much from demographics as from the renewed focus on economics and the "tea party" movement.

A solid majority of adults younger than 30 - about six in 10 - support the right of gay and lesbian couples to legally wed, according to a Washington Post poll in February.

And hey, ain't simply the youngsters! Check it out:

A number of prominent Republicans have been more outspoken, stating that they support same-sex marriage rights. They include Meghan McCain, daughter of Sen. John McCain (Ariz.); "The View" commentator Elizabeth Hasselbeck; former first lady Laura Bush and former vice president Dick Cheney.

Ted Olson, solicitor general under Bush, was part of the legal team that successfully challenged Proposition 8, California's voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage. And this week, former Republican operative Ken Mehlman disclosed that he is gay and that he will be raising money to support Olson's effort.

Also at play is the rise of the libertarian-leaning tea party movement. Many of the movement's leaders have said they oppose government intervention on marriage issues, while others say their concerns about taxation and the size of government supercede concerns over social issues.[2]

(I think the smarter Republicans also want some of that gay Hollywood money, whatcha think?)

This is a wedge issue, and we need to hit it as hard as we can: Are you in favor of equal rights for everyone? Then, you are in favor of gay marriage, period. If you oppose it, you discriminate. The End. No discussion. Dress it up however you want, but that is the bottom line.

And, dear Tea Partiers, when you say these hypocritical things, we will slice and dice you: You are a bigot and a discriminator. Period. Whatever else you say will be viewed in this light, as a hateful bigot not to be trusted.

Either get with the Ted Olsons and honor the legacy of the Republican Party, Abe Lincoln, et. al. --or get out of the way and declare yourselves a THIRD PARTY.

And I am brave enough to belong to a Third Party, so how about you be brave enough to break away, too?

At every juncture, at every opportunity, we must call them bigoted haters. I mean, on this issue, they have proven this is exactly what they are.

~*~

[1] As the secularists never tire of reminding us: We could also limit government by taxing the churches and keeping religion (like, any religious opposition to abortion and gay marriage) OUT of government in all respects. Think of the money generated by taxing churches and church property, including any schools openly generating profits(yes, Notre Dame, I'm lookin at you.) (NOTE: I would NOT approve of taxing day-care centers, thrift stores, hospices, soup kitchens, refugee resettlement services, or other bona fide charitable operations under the church umbrella. This would force the rich people looking for tax deductions to give directly to these organizations, not to the endless CAPITAL CAMPAIGN or BUILDING FUND, to build even bigger, better, prettier churches.)

[2] Proud of McCain, Hasselbeck, etc. Let's see some more ideological defections from gutsy, popular Republicans!

South Carolina drops out of campaign to attract gay tourists

Left: Mr Natural, by R. Crumb.

~*~

This embarrassing local issue has already been covered at Feministe and Joe.My.God. (among other blogs)... And here is the Greenville News version:

State drops out of campaign to attract gay tourists

July 11, 2008

COLUMBIA — South Carolina’s state tourism agency has dropped out of an effort to attract gay tourists.

The State newspaper of Columbia reported Friday the Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department had joined a campaign tied to gay pride week celebrations in London that included ads saying “South Carolina is so gay.”

The newspaper says Atlanta, Boston and New Orleans were also part of the campaign.

The state agency said Thursday it would not pay a fee of nearly $5,000 to participate in the ad campaign.

Director Chad Prosser says an agency advertising manager had signed off on the contract proposed by the state’s London advertising coordinator.

Prosser says the agency will require more review of future overseas advertising.

Greenville Sen. David Thomas called for an audit, after learning of the matter.

AND THAT'S IT, my friends. No reporting AT ALL about WHY this advertising might prove problematic. It's just UNDERSTOOD.

It's UNDERSTOOD that Prosser and Thomas DON'T WANT GAYS TO VISIT THE STATE. Otherwise, what is the problem? We target all kinds of other groups of people for their tourism dollars, don't we? Gold Wing Road Riders Association just had their huge "Wing Ding" convention here--didn't somebody invite them?

(Is the Greenville News something, or what? Not for nothing do some call it the Green-Vile News.)