A Reply to Tony Perkins and the Persecuting Church

On May 28, 2009, in Civil Rights, Gay Rights, Human Rights, Peter Roskam, by RSR
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I receive daily messages from Tony Perkins’ Family Research Council, a Christian group “dedicated to the promotion of marriage and family and the sanctity of human life in national policy”. Or in my interpretation a Republican front group designed to distract the gullible with fear of  gay marriage and the like so that they will vote against their own economic interests and support the Republican pro-corporate agenda. Usually these days they are ranting about how gay marriage and the Obama Administration are destroying the world. I subscribe to the newsletter because it helps me keep track of the mischief of the wingnuts. Today’s issue was particularly mean-spirited:

Immigration Law: Leahy’s Passport to Same-Sex ‘Marriage’
Under its cheery name, The Uniting American Families Act, lies yet another attack on marriage at the expense of U.S. taxpayers. As part of the movement to give same-sex partners special privileges, Sen. Pat Leahy (D-Vt.) introduced a bill, S. 424, to allow any gay or lesbian foreigner who is currently dating an American to immigrate to the U.S. on the same basis as foreign spouses. Like a married couple, these homosexuals would be eligible for “permanent resident status” under the current immigration law.

Although Leahy frames the policy as an anti-discrimination measure, the truth is, this weakens our federal law and chips away at the unique status of marriage. For the federal government to recognize homosexual pairs in any way, shape, or form is a violation of the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). If the liberal leadership wants to repeal DOMA, then they should do so with a recorded vote of Congress–not let it just die of a thousand cuts.

“Homosexual pairs”? These are human beings you ass.

This is just plain inhuman. Telling people that they can’t marry then telling them they can’t be together because they’re not married. Tony Perkins is just plain evil.

And of course we can’t expect any help from our own Congressman Roskam. Roskam has already shown himself to be an opponent of equality for LGBT people. Don’t expect his vote if S.424 makes it to the House.

So, Tony Perkins, this video is for you (Hat tip to Turning Left and to the video’s creators. It is really cute).

Fuck you, Tony. And Fuck you, Peter for your votes on ENDA and hate crimes.

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Peter Roskam Throws Hissy Fit on House Floor Over Taxes on Dead Rich Folks

On May 22, 2009, in Economic Justice, Estate Tax, Middle Class, Peter Roskam, Poverty, by RSR
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Received a Tweet from Peter Roskam  wanting to know what I thought about his floor speeech regarding the estate tax, which Peter and other wingnuts like to call the “death tax”.

Well. I always want to do my part to help my Congressman so here goes.

First off,  I was  pleased to hear him name publicly one by one the interest groups to which he is beholden: U.S. Chamber, National Association of Manufacturers, etc.

I was also impressed by Peter’s emotion, the passion that this issue arouses in him. Thought his hairpiece was going to fly off at the end ;) .

What troubles me deeply, however, is that it it is only taxes on rich people that can get Peter aroused this way.  Not homeless veterans on the streets of DuPage County, not children in Wood Dale without adequate health care, not torture and illegal detention authorized by the President and Vice President in Washington. Nope. Just taxes on rich white people in Wheaton, or in this case, rich dead white people in Wheaton.

The truth about the estate tax, which Peter Roskam is unwilling to share with you, is that the estate tax will affect only 0.24 percent of all people who die in 2009, individuals who die with an estate valued at $3.5 million or more or married couples (heterosexual) with an estate of $7 million or more. What’s really sad is that Peter Roskam has chosen to use his seat in Congress, OUR seat in Congress, to represent the financial interests of only that tiny fraction of the residents of his district.

Repealing the estate tax, as Roskam, would have us do, would cost billions in reduced revenue, necessitating either increased taxes on the poor and middle class or major reductions in spending. Cuts to the bloated defense budget, of course, are off limits, to Peter and his Republican colleagues, so cuts would have to be made for things like college financial aid, food stamps, Medicare, veterans services, childrens’ health care – all those programs to help poor and middle class families that Peter has fought against so vigorously during his time in office. More than likely, it would be a combination of both increased taxes and reduced services that would be required to give this expensive gift to a few very wealthy dead people.

So, thanks, Peter for letting me know about your speech.  I honestly have to say though that I didn’t care for it much.

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The Sermon and the Speech

On March 23, 2008, in Presidential Race 2008, Wingnuts, by RSR
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I’m a little bit behind the rest of the country in considering the sermon by Barack Obama’s former pastor Jeremiah Wright that some are using in an attempt to brand Obama himself as racist and in considering “The Speech” in which Obama responded to these critics and engage in a broader discussion about race in America.

Thanks to Austin Mayor for drawing my attention to the The Truth About Trinity United Church of Christ where I was able to hear the words of Pastor Wright in their true context. After listening to him at length today, I don’t find anything objectionable about his words at all. I’d have to say he was spot-on accurate. I am not a church-goer but listening to him made me kind of wish I’d been going to his. This man doesn’t pull any punches but he is by no means a racist. He simply speaks the truth about the injustice that persists in our society and our world and for that he gets branded as racist and anti-American by those with a vested interest in preserving the status quo.

After listening to Pastor Wright, I listened to Obama’s speech in its entirety. Though not particularly energizing, it was eloquent, and I thought he did a good job. I do have qualms though about the Obama wanting to distance himself from Wright and his sermon. I have been frustrated with Obama for not having taken on the Bush administration more vigorously since his election to the Senate. I feel the same frustration when I hear him reject Wright’s words, which were angry but true.

But perhaps this reticence of Obama to speak the unvarnished truth to power that frustrates me so much is what, in the end, may make him a great President. I favor Rev. Wright’s approach but a leader like Wright can never be President. We need men like Dr. Wright out there to challenge us, to tug at our collective conscience. But we need a President who will be President to all people, who will actually work to heal the division in this country and help us move forward, someone who actually IS “a uniter and not a divider”. I don’t how know anyone can listen to Barack Obama and not believe that he has that potential.

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Desperate, Unprincipled Wingnuts Attempt to Smear Obama as Terrorist

On March 23, 2008, in Presidential Race 2008, Wingnuts, by RSR
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This kind of bullshit really pisses me off. Illinois Review has no shame, propagating this stuff the way they do.

They are trumpeting some supposed connection, which they never describe, between Barack Obama and Rashid Khalidi, an AMERICAN CITIZEN of Palestinian descent and the Edward Said Professor of Arab Studies at Columbia University.

Khalidi is an opponent of the invasion and occupation of Iraq and has defended the right of the Palestinian people to resist Israeli Occupation.

Well last time I checked, the Constitution of the United States permitted Americans to express ideas contrary to government policy and the Republican Party platform. Mr. Kkalidi’s ideas do not make him a terrorist nor do they make Obama one by some hypothetical association. And furthermore, I happen to agree with Khalidi on those points and that doesn’t make me a terrorist either.

This is modern-day McCarthyism and it is reprehensible. It also makes IR look totally ridiculous.

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“The Combine” Directs TV News to Trumpet Republican Vulnerabilities

On March 11, 2008, in Congressional Elections, Wingnuts, by RSR
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A Diersen Headline at Illiinoize reports that “The Combine” has directed local TV news organizations to highlight potentially vulnerable Republican Congressional seats in light of Saturday’s victory by Bill Foster over Jim Oberweis. Now, RubberStampRoskam has obtained, through sources that wish to remain anonymous, a shocking photograph of The Combine meeting secretly with reporters and media executives. We are told that The Combine was purchased by and is acting under the direction of George Soros.

the-combine.JPG

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