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(Proudly cross-posted at C4O Democrats)
Wow. Just wow. Ex-Christian-fundamentalist (or "Christianist") Frank Schaeffer explained so well last weekend on D.L. Hughley where we’re at.
Now let me do my best to follow up.
As we saw last week when President Obama reversed the Bush Era restrictions on stem cell research, the religious right has yelled and screamed itself into a corner. While America hasn’t fully recovered yet from "the culture wars", we as a society are quickly moving in that direction. We Americans are more willing to accept science, not reject it. We’re becoming more accepting of LGBT people, not less. We’re becoming more willing to let women make their own health care decisions, not less. Yet somehow, the Republican Party seems stuck in this early 1980s "Moral Majority" mentality. Why?
Basically, they’ve become captive to their drones. They promised the religious right that abortion would be recriminalized, queer people would be thrown in jail, and everyone (not arrested for being "degenerate heathens") would magically accept Jesus as their true lord and savior. And now, the religious right wants those promises fulfilled. And as much as their President Dumbya Bush tried, it wasn’t enough.
However, there’s a problem now. The radical right ideology has failed. Republicans are out of power. And as I mentioned earlier, Americans are getting increasingly sick and tired of the same old "everything will magically get better if we just bash teh gayz & crush teh abortionists & kill off teh feminazis!" song and dance routine.
The Republican Party is defeated. The religious right is irrelevant. So really, why are we still afraid of them?
Why is DOMA still preventing LGBT couples from accessing any basic rights and benefits on the federal level? Why are LGBT solidiers still being expelled from the military under DADT? Why is there still debate over letting women make their own health decisions? And why haven’t we already guaranteed women the same equal rights we give to men? Here’s a news flash: The culture wars are ending, and we are winning.
So as Congress soon considers legislation to end legalized discrimination, expand women’s rights, and overall extend the promise of civil rights for more people, our Democratic leaders need to stop being afraid and start doing the right thing. Same goes for President Obama as he may soon be faced with a decision to actively support these bills. Let the religious right destroy the GOP. They’re a shrinking minority. We somehow managed to win the last two elections for them. And as long as they keep their promises to us, we can do the same for them again in 2010 and 2012.
10 Comments
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Good post, but I have an OT question…
What does the apparently colloquial use of “teh” mean? I have seen it many a time, and it has never been clear to me. I suppose it’s just one of the many manners of speech of the under-30 crowd that I haven’t picked up on, so any help would be great.
Styve,
Bookmark this page - The Urban Dictionary
You’ll find yourself not having to ask questions like that very often.
Teh…
atdleft,
I posted the video of Schaeffer at my site on the 8th. It is important to get it distributed as widely as possible.
so, completely completely off-topic, if i said the religious right was “teh pwned,” would i be geeky or right or both?
Teh
The religious right will keep fighting other peoples rights and to change all of us to have to live the way they want us to because this is how their preachers keep them in tow and get them to give their money. By giving them causes and politics to push and fight the money flows like water into the church plate. The preachers grin as they count the money and prepare the next surmon to whip them up somemore.
Afraid no keeping an eye on them yes. The Center Dems, the DLC yes they have no spines.
Interesting book no mention of the corporate wing of the GOP, maybe he should go on FDL’s book salon.
20 million people watch Rush, buy Ann Coulter books etc they are all the same people we are a nation of 300 million… but..But Glen Beck says they surround me.
Serious we need to start acting like we are the majority.
Why do I get a F****G Nielson ad right on top of the text but underneath the video??? I can’t even unselect it!