Tuesday, May 05, 2015 7:42:34 PM
Nut at the Museum
Published on Dec 10, 2014 by Armoured Skeptic [ http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1BWMtZbNLVMSFgwSukjqCw / http://www.youtube.com/user/armouredskeptic , http://www.youtube.com/user/armouredskeptic/videos ]
Yes, I misspoke. I record these as I listen to the video for the first time, so this happens.
Neanderthal DNA is more similar to Chimp DNA than Human DNA is to Chimp DNA.
Neanderthal DNA is closer to Human DNA than Chimp DNA is to Human DNA.
Neanderthal DNA sits in the middle, leaning strongly towards human similarity, but Neanderthal DNA is still extremely different from ours.
DonExodus2
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Dragon-Unicorn Dinosaurs from Heaven
Published on Apr 4, 2014 by Armoured Skeptic
dgeypscun
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK3kzqKQS4x509OsIBM4z6g / http://www.youtube.com/user/dgeypscun , http://www.youtube.com/user/dgeypscun/videos
Number0neSon
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TheLivingDinosaur
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Science disproves that Science can Science
Published on Jun 9, 2014 by Armoured Skeptic
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Atheists are a Myth
Published on Jul 26, 2014 by Armoured Skeptic
John Smith
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===
Ted Cruz: Gay Activists and Marriage Equality Supporters Are ‘Liberal Fascists’
Bob Cesca on April 27, 2015
Arguably the most ludicrous book to emerge during the George W. Bush era was hilariously titled, Liberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left, from Mussolini to the Politics of Meaning, by National Review Online editor-at-large Jonah Goldberg. Yes, somehow Goldberg awkwardly contorted the English language to shoehorn a square liberal peg into a round fascism hole and catapult this hooey to number one on The New York Times bestseller list, making it really difficult to decide which was more idiotic: the book’s title or the legion of doofuses who bought it.
Liberal Fascism was really patient zero for what occurred in the Spring and early Summer of 2009 when Glenn Beck, Rick Santelli and other conservatives erupted with inchoate fury, accusing President Obama of being both a socialist and a Nazi. Because as we all know, Nazis love them some mixed-race Harvard-educated leftists. Pegging off Goldberg’s insane coitus of liberalism and fascism, Beck went one step further, suggesting that because “Nazi” was short for “National Socialist,” Adolf Hitler was a socialist, even though liberalism and fascism are entirely incompatible. Unlike American liberalism, fascism is historically an extreme right-wing governmental system characterized by uber-nationalism, militarism and racial purity.
Just because the word “socialist” was in the National Socialist label doesn’t mean Hitler and his cohorts were literally socialists. Indeed, the first groups to be rounded up and incarcerated at Dachau were socialists and leftists. Labels aren’t definitions. For example, it might surprise the usual suspects to learn there’s nothing democratic or republican about the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, aka North Korea. Along those lines, Beck, Goldberg and the rest might be surprised to learn that “hot dogs” don’t contain actual dogs.
Goldberg’s Benito Mussolini, in particular, paraded around as a socialist until after he was elected and then engaged in one of the biggest flip-flops in political history, shedding every last hint of socialism once in power. Turns out — shocker — it’s really difficult to get elected by pitching yourself as a fascist strongman.
In a more modern context, politicians will often take on the political characteristics of whichever party might achieve more votes in a particular district, or they’ll often shift positions or party affiliation depending upon which way the populist winds are blowing. Political reality is a real pisser, isn’t it? In the media, there are countless former morning zoo deejays and local news anchors who are currently masquerading around as bug-eyed paleoconservatives in order to win lucrative syndicated radio or Fox News Channel deals in the face of dwindling local money.
And just when you thought the whole “liberal fascism” meme was so 2009, along comes presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) who said this past weekend [ http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/26/politics/ted-cruz-liberal-fascism-iowa-speech/index.html ]:
There is a liberal fascism that is dedicated to going after believing Christians who follow the biblical teaching on marriage!
We’ve been over and over the marriage issue recently, but this is the first time in a while someone has resurrected the “liberal fascism” myth and hamfistedly crammed it into the debate. To repeat: Jesus said absolutely nothing about refusing service to same-sex weddings because, 1) there was no such thing as same-sex weddings in Jesus’ time, making them impossible to ban, 2) Jesus said nothing whatsoever about homosexuality in general, and 3) because Jesus’ teachings sanction an all-inclusive faith, not a straight-men only club. (It’s important to repeat: the Bible condemned same-sex intercourse in the context of pagan rituals, and not based upon our modern understanding of homosexuality.)
Generally speaking, the Bible and especially the New Testament doesn’t forbid helping so-called sinners. Not only did Jesus go out of his way to embrace alleged sinners and to teach his followers to do the same, but, correct me if I’m wrong, didn’t Jesus die a horrifying, torturous death in service of all sinners? And yet some Christians think it’s all kinds of harrowing to merely sell a damn pizza to a gay couple. Jesus’ narrative, and indeed the reason why he died, has been badly and tragically lost.
I’m still waiting for contrary evidence from anti-gay Christians, and no one has pointed to the passages defining which cake and pizza customers are acceptable, according to the Bible — whether it’s more, less or totally not a sin to bake a cake for a gay wedding as opposed to a second marriage, a marriage involving a bisexual couple or, gasp!, a mixed-race marriage, none of which appear to be a problem for devout Christians even though (weak) biblical arguments could be made against all of the above. That said, it might be interesting in a schadenfreude kind of way to see the GOP field defend the religious liberty of a bakery owner who refuses service to a mixed-raced couple because God said so.
Somehow, opponents of discrimination are considered liberal fascists, whereas relegating an entire demographic of law-abiding citizens to second class status is considered “freedom.” In Ted Cruz’s twisted noggin, up is down, equality is fascism and discrimination is freedom. By the way, Ted Cruz should probably avoid Bill O’Reilly and evangelical anti-gay Pastor Robert Jeffress who each agree that using “biblical teachings” as an argument against marriage equality in a secular society is a big loser — a big loser not unlike like Cruz after he’s forced to drop out of the GOP primaries following Super Tuesday.
Oh, and speaking of losers, we really didn’t have to cover any of this because as soon as Cruz blurted out “fascism,” he officially crapped all over Godwin’s Law [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin%27s_law ], immediately forfeiting the argument.
In the final analysis, religious freedom can easily be bastardized — and has historically been bastardized — as a handy-dandy excuse for a wide range of horrendous things that are sanctioned by religious texts (Hebrew, Christian and Muslim) written at a time when human understanding of the world was comparatively limited. That’s not meant to shame people of faith, but it’s instead meant to shame those who selectively cherrypick passages to suit their own personal phobias and biases — exploiting God’s word as a transparently cynical means of excluding those who desire loving, consensual adult relationships. Cruz and others who claim a biblical justification for discriminating against same-sex couples are essentially bearing false witness, as condemned by the ninth commandment, in service of hatred or fear.
Copyright 2015 The Daily Banter (emphasis in original)
http://thedailybanter.com/2015/04/ted-cruz-accuses-gay-activists-and-marriage-equality-supporters-of-being-liberal-fascists/ [with comments] [also at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bob-cesca/ted-cruz-gay-activists-an_b_7175716.html (with comments)]
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United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Q&A with Ted Cruz
Streamed live on Apr 29, 2015 by USHCCTV [ http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkBZn2orLh310N-Ebbigk0Q / http://www.youtube.com/user/USHCCTV , http://www.youtube.com/user/USHCCTV/videos ]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdyi1Qrlmh4 [with comments]
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Ted Cruz has never seen a 'Hispanic panhandler;' no comment on African-Americans
Republican presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas gestures while he talks at the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC), Wednesday, April 29, 2015, at the National Press Club in Washington.
(AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
Dylan Baddour | April 30, 2015 | Updated: April 30, 2015 6:05pm
Everyone has seen panhandlers.
But Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said has never seen a Hispanic panhandler because Hispanics are too honorable to beg.
The comment came Tuesday [ http://www.politico.com/blogs/politico-live/2012/08/cruz-hispanics-dont-panhandle-131117.html ] while addressing the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Washington D.C.
"Some years ago, I was having lunch with a Hispanic entrepreneur in Austin. He asked me a question. He said, 'When was the last time you saw a Hispanic panhandler?' And that's a great question. You and I grew up in Texas. I don't think I've ever seen a Hispanic panhandler. And the reason is in our community it would be shameful to be begging on the streets."
Two days after making the statement, the Republican presidential contender refused to offer an opinion about African-Americans who beg for money on the street.
Asked Thursday what he thought of them, Cruz turned away without speaking, striding into a senators-only elevator in the Capitol and waiting for the doors to close.
The Tuesday comment has been widely reported, but Cruz has said almost the exact same words before. In 2012, Politico reported [ http://www.politico.com/blogs/politico-live/2012/08/cruz-hispanics-dont-panhandle-131117.html ] "Cruz says Hispanics don't panhandle." He made the comment then on Fox News Sunday.
According to Politico, Cruz said, "A friend of mine, a Hispanic entrepreneur, asked me a question some time ago. He said, 'When is the last time you saw a Hispanic panhandler?' I think it's a great question. I'll tell you, in my life, I never once have seen a Hispanic panhandler because in our community; it would be viewed as shameful to be out on the street begging."
A near perfect match.
It a clear attempt to woo the vote of Hispanic Evangelicals—a battleground demographic for the Republican presidential contenders. Cruz identifies himself as a member of the Hispanic community. His father is Cuban and worked for the revolution [ http://www.nationalreview.com/article/356934/rise-rafael-cruz-robert-costa ] of Fidel Castro before fleeing Cuba at age 18.
But Cruz was born in Canada to a mother from Delaware, and he admits his Spanish is "lousy [ http://video.foxnews.com/v/1678902735001/ted-cruz-on-spanish-debate/ ( http://video.foxnews.com/v/1678902735001/ted-cruz-on-spanish-debate/?#sp=show-clips )]." He attended mostly-Anglo private schools [ http://www.chron.com/news/local_news/article/Some-Latinos-not-impressed-by-Hispanic-Cruz-3946694.php ] in Houston suburbs, and transferred to the Houston Baptist School before going on to Princeton. He challenges the Hispanic community on many hot topics, like militarization of the border, the DREAM Act and immigration reform.
Other Republican presidential contenders, Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio, were in Houston yesterday also trying to win over Hispanic Evangelicals at the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference. Sam Rodriguez, president of the conference, said Republicans would "discard" the Hispanic vote without supporting immigration reform.
Cruz has opposed every national effort at immigration reform—efforts which would have lowered barriers to legal immigration and provided straighter paths to citizenship—but he has not called for the deportation of the estimated 11 million people who've managed to make a home in the U.S. without government sanctions.
But he declined to address [ http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/ted-cruz-tiptoes-around-immigration-hispanic-business-event ] those issues in depth at the chamber of commerce, opting instead for some cozy rhetoric as he snuggled up to the Hispanic community.
"Now if you want people to work their fingers to the bones — hard work — you'll have Hispanic men and women lining up to work hard and provide for their families. Those are all conservative values. And I think the most potent ethos in the Hispanic community is what we believe in. It's the shared value in our community," he said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
© Copyright 2015 Hearst Newspapers, LLC
http://www.chron.com/news/politics/texas/article/Ted-Cruz-has-never-seen-a-Hispanic-panhandler-6233768.php [with comments]
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Ted Cruz charges Obama’s economic policies as disproportionately hurtful to Latinos
Republican presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas gestures while he talks at the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC), Wednesday, April 29, 2015, at the National Press Club in Washington.
(AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
By Elizabeth Llorente
Published April 29, 2015
Fox News Latino
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz took his first major step in advocating for the Hispanic vote by challenging the Obama administration’s economic policies, saying they have disproportionately hurt hardworking Latinos.
Speaking to a roomful of Latino business leaders, advocates and national media in a question-and-answer session hosted by the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, the Texas Republican said that economic growth is the top priority in his campaign, in order to re-ignite business and get “back to the America that we grew up in.”
“(I am committed) to bringing back jobs and economic growth and opportunities,” he said. “I'm campaigning on a simple flat tax where every American can file their taxes on a postcard."
Touching on immigration, Cruz continued to voice his opposition to the Obama administration's plans on addressing the status of millions of undocumented immigrants in the United States.
He said there is a bipartisan agreement outside of Washington that work needs to be done to secure the border, stop illegal immigration and streamline legal immigration.
"I'm the son of an immigrant who came here legally. There is no stronger advocate of legal immigration than I am," he said, reiterating that to pass reform, Congress must focus on a bipartisan agreement.
Cruz added that President Obama and his Democrat counterparts in Congress don't want to actually solve the problems of immigration reform, just use the issue as a scare tactic within the Hispanic community to get votes.
"It is my hope that the next president will lead in bringing people together on a common ground," he said.
Cruz said Americans, regardless of race, gender or ethnicity, fundamentally believe in hard work to expand their opportunities. He said Latinos take pride in earning their keep.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Hispanic panhandler,” he said. “I think it’s because in our community it’s shameful… If you want someone working to the bone, you will have Hispanics lining up.”
Cruz added: “The biggest lie in all of politics is that Republicans are the party of the rich.”
The Wednesday afternoon event marked a departure for Cruz, who has been criticized for rarely taking part in Latino-sponsored events on the national level.
It comes just weeks after the Hispanic Chamber’s president Javier Palomarez assailed Cruz during a meeting with reporters for skipping the organization’s annual legislative summit and not taking part in other chamber events.
Palomarez charged that Cruz was trying to avoid Hispanics for fear of alienating the GOP conservative base.
Cruz's campaign quickly denied the charge, saying the summit had been held at a busy time for the senator, who that week launched his presidential campaign.
“I think the core issue this race will come down to is trust — who do Republican primary voters trust to do what they said they’d do,” Cruz said toward the end of the event. “People are fed up with politicians who say one thing on the campaign trail and then don’t follow through and do what they said.”
Cruz said he can appeal to Latino voters and pointed to the 40 percent of the Latinos who voted for him in Texas when he ran for Senate "at the same time that Romney got clobbered with 27 percent of the Hispanic vote."
"I think our country is in crisis right now. What we are doing is not working," he said. "Millions of people are hurting. The Hispanic community is hurting."
©2015 FOX News Network, LLC
http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/politics/2015/04/29/ted-cruz-charges-obamas-economic-policies-as-disproportionately-hurtful-to/ [with comments]
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Cruz: Obama has 'inflamed' racial tensions
By Adam Levy, CNN
Updated 10:59 AM ET, Thu April 30, 2015
Washington (CNN)—Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz said on Wednesday that President Barack Obama had "inflamed racial tensions" during his time in office.
Speaking to members of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the media, Cruz pointedly attacked the president for repeated missed opportunities to lead on race issues since he came into office.
"He's made decisions that I think have inflamed racial tensions -- that have divided us rather than bring us together," the Texas senator said. "We need leadership that brings us together rather than trying to divide us."
Cruz, who became visibly emotional talking about Baltimore during the hour and a half discussion of an array of issues facing the country, called for prayers for the victims of the violence and a fair investigation to find out what happened to Freddie Gray [ http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/30/us/baltimore-freddie-gray-death-investigation/index.html ]. Gray, a 25-year-old black man, died while in police custody and thrust Baltimore into turmoil.
He cited Vice President Joe Biden's warning to an African-American audience that Republicans would "put you back in chains" during the 2012 campaign as proof of the kind of "incendiary and hateful rhetoric" that splits people apart.
Cruz could offer no specific examples on what he could do as President to address the tensions among minority communities when he was pressed.
"No. 1, most importantly, it comes to tone and language and rhetoric," he said. "Not having the President inflaming racial tensions, rather have the President working to appeal to our shared values."
Making a quick turn to his campaign for the White House, he spoke about his support for criminal justice reform and the president attacking gun owners after the shooting in Sandy Hook rather than focus on violent criminals which he mentioned as a case of division.
Asked again by CNN's Dana Bash for specific examples of how Obama had inflamed racial tensions, Cruz answered with broad reflections on leadership.
"I think he has not used his role as President to bring us together. He has exacerbated racial misunderstandings, racial tensions, from back at the beer summit to a series of efforts to pit Americans against each other," he said. "And part of the problem is the way he advocates for any given plan is to paint ... is to build a straw man of the opposition and then vilify caricatures."
The President, Cruz explained, had vilified people opposed to Obamacare and those who opposes the current Iran nuclear negotiations. He did not cite an example founded from racial conflicts.
Obama, the nation's first African-American president, spoke at length about Baltimore and race Tuesday at the White House.
"There's no excuse for the kind of violence ... It is counterproductive," Obama said of the violent protests.
"Since Ferguson ... we have seen too many instances of what appears to be police officers interacting with individuals -- primarily African-American, often poor -- in ways that have raised troubling questions," Obama said. "This has been a slow-rolling crisis. This has been going on for a long time. This is not new, and we shouldn't pretend that it's new."
© 2015 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.
http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/29/politics/ted-cruz-obama-racial-tensions-election-2016/index.html [with embedded video]
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Ted Cruz Says Obama Has 'Inflamed Racial Tensions' and Divided America; Argues Against 'Vilification' of Police
U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas, pauses as he confirms his candidacy for the 2016 U.S. presidential election race during a speech at Liberty College in Lynchburg, Virginia, March 23, 2015. Cruz, a conservative firebrand who frequently clashes with leaders of his Republican Party, became the first major figure from either party to jump into the 2016 U.S. presidential election race on Monday when he announced his candidacy earlier in the day on Twitter.
(Photo: Reuters/Chris Keane)
By Stoyan Zaimov , Christian Post Reporter
May 1, 2015|11:37 am
GOP presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, has accused President Barack Obama of inflaming racial tensions and dividing America in the wake of the Baltimore riots. Cruz also spoke out against those who "vilify" police officers.
"President Obama, when he was elected, he could have been a unifying leader," Cruz said in a session hosted by the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. He said that instead, Obama "has made decisions that I think have inflamed racial tensions, that have divided us rather than bringing us tougher."
Riots and looting broke out in Baltimore Monday following the death of Freddie Gray, an African-American man who died last month from a spinal injury while in the custody of Baltimore police.
Clashes between protesters and police left 98 officers injured and over 200 people arrested, as rioters vandalized and burned vehicles, businesses and firebombed residents' homes [ http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/baltimore-woman-homeless-jobless-due-rioters-article-1.2202301 ].
The incident is the latest case in the past couple of years where the African-American community has accused police of systematic racism and targeting unarmed young black people.
Cruz argued that it's wrong to portray police officers in a negative light, however.
"The vilification of law enforcement has been fundamentally wrong and it has hurt the minority community," the Texas Republican said, according to Breitbart News [ http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/04/29/ted-cruz-obama-inflamed-race-tensions-vilifying-cops-fundamentally-wrong/ ].
Cruz's criticism of Obama echoes comments made by business magnate Donald Trump, who argued that the president ha failed to have a positive impact on the "thugs who are destroying" the city.
"Our great African-American president hasn't exactly had a positive impact on the thugs who are so happily and openly destroying Baltimore," Trump wrote [ http://www.christianpost.com/news/donald-trump-blames-obama-for-baltimore-riots-says-president-is-failing-to-make-positive-impact-on-thugs-who-are-destroying-the-city-138297/ ] in a Twitter message Monday night.
On Tuesday morning, he urged Obama to act: "President Obama, you have a big job to do. Go to Baltimore and bring both sides together. With proper leadership, it can be done! Do it."
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest has revealed that the president is "very focused" on the issues in Baltimore, but will not be traveling to the city.
"There is significant police presence required to respond to whatever significant event has occurred in that local community," Earnest said, according NBC News [ http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/baltimore-unrest/white-house-says-obama-has-no-immediate-plans-go-baltimore-n351391 ]. "And the president's reluctance to draw resources away from that immediate response is the reason that he often doesn't go right away."
Obama has condemned the violent protests, and said: "There's no excuse for the kind of violence we saw." He added that the incident should force the entire country to "do some soul-searching."
A pastor who serves at a youthful and racially-diverse congregation in Baltimore meanwhile told The Christian Post [ http://www.christianpost.com/news/baltimore-pastor-of-diverse-church-located-just-blocks-from-rioting-says-white-christians-need-to-acknowledge-systemic-racism-138409/ ] that it's time for white Christians to acknowledge the existence of systemic racism in America.
"There are deep systemic issues. There is no surface issue that's really the cause. There's some deep stuff that's been going on that's been going on for a lot of years," Joel Kurz, lead pastor of The Garden Church in Central/West Baltimore, told CP on Wednesday in an interview.
Copyright © 2015 The Christian Post
http://www.christianpost.com/news/ted-cruz-says-obama-has-inflamed-racial-tensions-and-divided-america-argues-against-vilification-of-police-138513/ [with comments]
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The President and Prime Minister of Japan Hold a Joint Press Conference
Published on Apr 28, 2015 by The White House [ http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYxRlFDqcWM4y7FfpiAN3KQ / http://www.youtube.com/user/whitehouse , http://www.youtube.com/user/whitehouse/videos ]
President Obama and Prime Minister Abe of Japan hold a Joint Press Conference in the Rose Garden. April 28, 2015.
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Remarks by President Obama and Prime Minister Abe of Japan in Joint Press Conference
Rose Garden
April 28, 2015
12:10 P.M. EDT
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Good morning, everybody. Please have a seat. Good afternoon. Konnichiwa. Once again, it is an honor to welcome my partner and friend, Prime Minister Abe, back to the White House. I’m told there’s a phrase in Japanese culture that speaks to the spirit that brings us together today. It’s an idea rooted in loyalty. It’s an expression of mutuality, respect and shared obligation. It transcends any specific moment or challenge. It’s the foundation of a relationship that endures. It’s what allows us to say that the United States and Japan stand together. Otagai no tame ni -- “with and for each other.”
This is the essence of the alliance between the United States and Japan -- an alliance that holds lessons for the world. Prime Minister Abe and I had the opportunity yesterday to visit our memorial to President Lincoln, who believed that a great conflict had to be followed with reconciliation. Shinzo, on behalf of the American people, I want to thank you for your visit to Arlington National Cemetery. Your gesture is a powerful reminder that the past can be overcome, former adversaries can become the closest of allies, and that nations can build a future together.
Across seven decades, our nations have become not just allies, but true partners and friends. And that mutual affection will be on display tomorrow when Shinzo becomes the first Japanese Prime Minister to address a joint meeting of Congress. And we are two global partners that stand together for security and human dignity around the world -- opposing Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, providing relief to innocent civilians threatened by ISIL, combating Ebola and promoting global health, and now offering help to the people of Nepal, who are in our prayers today.
This friendship includes my partnership with Prime Minister Abe. Since taking office, I’ve worked to rebalance American foreign policy to ensure that we’re playing a larger and lasting role in the Asia Pacific -- a policy grounded in our treaty alliances, including our treaty with Japan. And I’m grateful to Shinzo for his deep commitment to that alliance. He is pursuing a vision of Japan where the Japanese economy is reinvigorated and where Japan makes greater contributions to security and peace in the region and around the world. So, Shinzo, thank you. I believe the progress we’ve made today will help to guide the U.S.-Japanese partnership for decades to come.
Specifically, we first talked about transforming our security alliance. For the first time in nearly two decades, we’ve updated the guidelines for our defense cooperation. Together, our forces will be more flexible and better prepared to cooperate on a range of challenges, from maritime security to disaster response. Our forces will plan, train and operate even more closely. We’ll expand our cooperation, including on cyber threats and in space. And Japan will take on greater roles and responsibilities in the Asia Pacific and around the world.
Our new guidelines complement our effort to realign U.S. forces across the region, including on Okinawa, in order to lessen the impact of our bases on local communities. And I reaffirmed our commitment to move forward with the relocation of Marines from Okinawa to Guam.
I want to reiterate that our treaty commitment to Japan’s security is absolute, and that Article 5 covers all territories under Japan’s administration, including Senkaku Islands. We share a concern about China’s land reclamation and construction activities in the South China Sea, and the United States and Japan are united in our commitment to freedom of navigation, respect for international law, and the peaceful resolution of disputes without coercion.
We also remain united in pursuit of peaceful denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and addressing North Korean provocations. We fully support Japan’s efforts to resolve the tragedy of North Korea’s abduction of Japanese citizens. During my last visit to Japan, I met with the mother of one of those abductees and she described the awful pain that she has endured, so I know how important this is to the Japanese people. Meanwhile, our growing trilateral cooperation -- with the Republic of Korea, as well as with Australia -- gives us new opportunities to enhance security across the region.
With respect to trade, we reviewed the progress our teams have made towards the Trans-Pacific Partnership. I know that the politics around trade can be hard in both our countries. But I know that Prime Minister Abe, like me, is deeply committed to getting this done, and I’m confident we will. I often point out, for example, that there are many Japanese cars in America. I want to see more American cars in Japan, as well. TPP will help level the playing field. It will be good for the workers of both our countries.
And moreover, TPP will have strong protections for workers and the environment and help us set high standards for trade in the 21st century. Japan and the United States both operate with high standards in our companies and our corporations. We try to be responsible when it comes to corporate citizenship. And high standards will be good for us and good for the region.
Based on the progress we've made, Prime Minister Abe and I discussed how the United States and Japan, as the two largest economies in the TPP negotiations, will now work together to lead our TPP partners to swift and successful conclusions of the broader negotiations.
We also agreed to continue our close coordination on climate change. As the two countries that have made the largest pledges to the Green Climate Fund, we’re committed to helping nations around the world seize the opportunities of transitioning to low-carbon economies. And we discussed the importance of all major economies submitting ambitious targets to reduce emissions so we can reach a strong climate agreement this year in Paris.
And finally, we agreed to keep investing in our people so that they and our countries can reach their full potential. I want to once again commend the Prime Minister for his efforts to bring more Japanese women into the workforce. I can tell you it is very much my view here in the United States and around the world that when women are given opportunity, when they are full-fledged members of the political community and the economic community, when they have opportunity, those countries succeed. It’s good for everybody.
Along with the initiative we launched last year in Tokyo, we’re also aiming to double student exchanges in the coming years. And with the leadership of our better halves -- our wives -- the United States and Japan are helping to lead our global initiative, Let Girls Learn, to give more young women and girls access to education.
So these are just some examples of what it means to be true global partners. And I’m confident that with the steps that we’ve taken today, our alliance will play an even greater role in upholding security, prosperity and human dignity -- not just in the Asia Pacific, but around the world.
So, Prime Minister Abe, arigato gozaimasu. Mr. Prime Minister.
PRIME MINISTER ABE: (As interpreted.) Barack, thank you for inviting me to make an official visit in this commemorative year which marks 70 years after the war. Thank you for inviting me and my wife.
Walking together with you at the Lincoln Memorial, which has witnessed America tread the path of democracy, will be an extraordinary memory to be cherished. We have a dream -- that is to create a world abound in peace and prosperity. To realize this common dream, Japan and the United States will together pave the way towards a new era.
I was able to confirm this strong resolve with President Obama in this milestone year of 70 years after the war. Today, we turned a new page in the history of the U.S.-Japan alliance, which exceeds half a century. This is a Japan-U.S. alliance within the context of the world. Japan and the United States are partners who share basic values, such as freedom, democracy, and basic human rights, and the rule of law. The U.S.-Japan alliance characterized by the firmness of its bond is now indispensable to the peace and stability of not only the Asia Pacific but to the world.
We are united in our resoluteness in opposing unilateral attempts to change the status quo in whatever form. Any dispute should be resolved peacefully based on international law and not through coercion or intimidation. Japan welcomes the United States policy of rebalancing, which emphasizes the Asia Pacific. And President Obama has expressed his support for Japan’s principle of proactive contribution to peace. Through coordination of these two policies, the deterrence of our alliance will no doubt be further strengthened.
Against this backdrop, we have reaffirmed our resolve to steadily move forward with the realignment of the U.S. forces in Japan. The dangers arising from the Futenma Air Station being surrounded by housing and schools should be eliminated by relocation to Henoko as soon as possible. We will move forward with mitigating the impact of the base in Okinawa, founded on a strong relationship of trust between Japan and the United States. It is prosperity that brings peace. These beliefs make us eager to see the early conclusion of the TPP.
On the bilateral outstanding issues, we welcome the fact that significant progress was made. We will continue to cooperate to lead the TPP talks through its last phase. We’ve confirmed that we would work together for the early and successful conclusion of the talks.
In addition, with regard to the situation in East Asia, abduction by North Korea, nuclear missile issues, the situation in the Ukraine, the nuclear issue in Iran, and the threat of terrorism; furthermore, climate change, infectious and communicable diseases, the U.N. Security Council reform -- the world has a multitude of issues facing it. And on these all sorts of issues, we have had a frank and candid exchange of views and we agreed that we would cooperate.
When it comes to the future of Japan and the United States, there are infinite possibilities -- energy, infrastructure, science and technology, space, and, in addition to this, the empowerment of women. We agree that is between President Obama and myself that we would cooperate and move forward in making investments for the future.
I would like to express my due heartfelt respect once again to President Obama and the citizens of the United States who have committed to take on the multitude of challenges of this world and for the unstinting efforts that you are making for the benefit of the peoples of the world.
Yesterday, I visited the JFK Library in Boston. On television, I saw President Kennedy deliver his inauguration speech; it deeply resonated with me and it still has a lingering effect. I recall the following quote: “My fellow citizens of the world, ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of mankind.”
Now, Japan wants to be a country that can respond to such calls. Hand in hand, we want to work together with the United States to spread basic values throughout the world such as those of freedom, democracy, basic human rights and the rule of law. And we want to be a country that can contribute to peace and prosperity of the world.
In visiting the United States, I’ve had a very heartwarming welcome and reception by all citizens of the United States. I’d like to express my heartfelt gratitude.
Lastly, I’d like to emphasize the following. Barack, as we stand here, we will be starting a new era for Japan and the United States. I think that 70 years from now, our children and grandchildren will look back on the talks we had as one of such historical significance. Thank you very much.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Starting with Andrew Beatty of AFP.
Q Thank you very much, Mr. President. First of all, I wanted to know if you think there’s a risk in this more assertive U.S.-Japanese security stands -- if you think there’s a risk that it might be seen as a provocation in Beijing, Pyongyang, or heightened tension in the East China and South China Seas.
And for Mr. Abe, if I may -- you stopped short of a full apology for Japan’s actions during World War II, including with regard the estimated 200,000 women enslaved by Imperial Forces. Would you make an apology for that today? Thank you.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: I think it’s very important to recognize that the U.S.-Japan alliance hasn’t just been good for the United States and Japan; it’s been good for the Asia Pacific region and the world.
The basic foundation of peace, stability, ensuring that territorial borders were respected, freedom of navigation -- all that has underwritten the incredible growth that’s taken place in the Asia Pacific region. China has benefitted from it. It’s on that basis that China became an economic juggernaut that ended up being incorporated into global trade.
And so, no, we don’t think that a strong U.S.-Japan alliance should be seen as a provocation. It should be seen as a continuation of the important work that we’ve done to ensure that you have a stable area where there are diplomatic conflicts, a healthy economic competition. But, largely, we’ve been able to maintain forward progress for a whole host of nations, and our treaty alliances have been critical to that. The U.S. serving as an Asia Pacific power has been critical to that.
And as I’ve said before, we welcome China’s peaceful rise. We think it’s good not only because China is a booming potential market. We think it’s good not only because it allows China potentially to share some burdens with us in helping countries that are not as far along develop. But we think it’s just good that hundreds of millions of Chinese citizens have been able to rise out of poverty at incredible speed over the last several years. They could not have done that had it not been for a stable trading system and world order that is underwritten in large part by the work that our alliances do.
I think it is going to be important for us to continue to adapt to new challenges. So part of the goal here is that the same principles that the alliance was founded on continually update to concerns about cyber threats; that we are nimble and responsive to potential conflicts that may arise because of maritime disputes. But I think we have to do it in a way that brings China and other countries into a common effort to maintain order and peace in the region.
And we are seeking to strengthen military-to-military cooperation with China even as we continue to upgrade our alliance efforts. Obviously, the Republic of Korea is a critical part of our alliance structure, as well. And the trilateral work that we do is going to be also very, very important.
I don't want to minimize, though, the fact that there are some real tensions that have arisen with China around its approach to maritime issues and its claims. But that's not an issue that is arising as a consequence of the U.S.-Japan alliance. It’s primarily a conflict between China and various claimants throughout East Asia and Southeast Asia in which they feel that rather than resolve these issues through normal international dispute settlements, they are flexing their muscles.
And we’ve said to China what we would say to any country in that circumstance: That's the wrong way to go about it. And we will continue to work with all countries in the region, starting with our treaty allies, to make sure that basic international norms continue to be observed.
PRIME MINISTER ABE: (As interpreted.) On the issue of comfort women, I am deeply pained to think about the comfort women who experienced immeasurable pain and suffering as a result of victimization due to human trafficking. This is a feeling that I share equally with my predecessors. The Abe Cabinet upholds the Kono Statement and has no intention to revise it. Based on this position, Japan has made various efforts to provide realistic relief for the comfort women.
Throughout the history of the 20th century, women’s dignity and basic human rights had often been infringed upon during wars. We intend to make the 21st century a world with no human rights violations against women.
I promised at the General Assembly of the United Nations last year that Japan would stand at the fore and lead the international community in eliminating sexual violence during conflicts. For an international framework, including the U.N. Women, Japan provided approximately $12 million in 2014 and decided that it would provide approximately $22 million in 2015.
In any case, the 21st century should be an age where women’s rights is never infringed upon. And that is our strong resolve.
Q (As interpreted.) Thank you very much. I’m from NHK. I’d like to address this question to Prime Minister Abe and President Obama. In the East China Sea and in the South China Sea, China continues to make forays into the oceans. And the Islamic State is still very active. How does the United States and Japan intend to collaborate?
And what do you expect of each other in terms of actions taken by the respective countries? In Japan, with regard to the acceptance of exercise of collective self-defense and the new guidelines, there is a strong concern that Japan will become involved in America’s wars. How does Prime Minister Abe intend to dispel those fears? And what is President Obama’s take on these concerns?
PRIME MINISTER ABE: (As interpreted.) First of all, on extremism and radicalism, which is on the rise, the world community should unite to counter such extremism. Moderation is the best method, is the speech I delivered in Cairo. We have to face extremism. There are moderates who are at the very forefront are facing extremism, and we want to support this.
With the rise of extremism, there are refugees and support to these refugees. And also, through the influx of refugees, there are countries who are faced with difficulties. To these countries, it’s important that we provide support appropriately. And to the moderate countries, we need to tell them that they are not alone, they are not isolated in the international society. The moderate countries should be supported, and we need to express that at all times. I believe that is important.
In the Middle East, there are people who are living there; improving the welfare and livelihood of these people are areas in which we’d like to make efforts. From such a standpoint, the United States and Japan would like to cooperate to respond to the challenges.
Another point. The defense guidelines and with regard to the security legislation that we may be involved, get caught up in wars -- people tend to label this in some cases. It’s very unfortunate. Labeling activities of this kind is not the first time it has occurred. In 1960, when we revised the security treaty, some people said that we would be involved in wars of the United States, and that was the core of the criticism which was aired then.
It's been 55 years since then. This criticism has been proved totally wrong, and that is very clear and evident. History has proved this. Our choice made at the time to revise the security treaty. And in case Japan suffers from aggression between Japan and the United States, we would respond through cooperation.
And in the Far East, to maintain security, Japan’s facilities would be leveraged and U.S. military would leverage these facilities to conduct activities. Through such activities, Japan’s safety was protected and prosperity happened, and safety in the Asia Pacific has been maintained.
To further strengthen this trend, it is provided for through the new guidelines, and seamless response is made possible. And by so doing, the deterrence would be enhanced. The Japan-U.S. alliance would be more efficient and more functional. Deterrence and response capabilities would be heighted as a result. And this would lead to peace and prosperity of Japan, and regional peace and prosperity as well. This is my firm conviction.
In the streamlining of the laws, I should like to explain to the citizens -- and the Parliament -- in a detailed fashion.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Ultimately, the people of Japan and their elected representatives will be making decisions about how best to approach their defense. But I think it's important to note, as Prime Minister Abe said, that we have seen over multiple decades now that Japan is a peace-loving country having absorbed some very difficult lessons from the past. Japan does not engage in aggression on the international stage, or in its region. And that the alliance that has been built with the United States is principally one that seeks to defend our countries from potential attack or aggression.
And what the new defense guidelines, and the collective defense approach that Prime Minister Abe is proposing, it simply upgrades our ability to carry out those core functions. We do share, as people in countries all around the world share, a determination to eliminate the kind of barbaric terrorist acts perpetrated by organizations like ISIL that have resulted in the death of innocent citizens from the United States, from Japan, from other countries and, most of all, from Muslim countries.
And that’s why we have a broad-based coalition designed to defeat ISIL. And we will continue to work with a wide range of countries around the world in our counterterrorism efforts.
Japan’s cooperation in that is vital and appreciated, but there are many ways in which coalition members participate. Japan’s willingness and commitment to provide humanitarian assistance makes an enormous difference in countries that have been destabilized. Japan’s willingness to serve in areas of peacekeeping and working with other countries to rebuild after they’ve been destroyed makes a big difference.
So I think it's important to recognize we do not expect some instant and major transformation in terms of how Japan projects military power, but we do expect that Japan, like all of our allies and like ourselves, will continue to adapt to new threats, understanding that our basic core principle is not territorial ambition, it's not aggression towards others, but it is simply to defend prosperity and liberty and the sovereignty of countries, as we have done for a very long time now -- as we have done together for a very long time.
Chris Jansing.
Q Thank you, Mr. President. As you know, the National Guard is now on the streets of Baltimore -- the latest aftermath in a series of what have been high-profile confrontations between black men and police officers. And there seems to be growing frustration among African American leaders that not enough is being done quickly enough. Marc Morial of the Urban League said, “The U.S. is in a state of emergency of tremendous proportions.” The president of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund says, “We are in the throes of a national crisis.”
Are we in the throes of a national crisis? What are you prepared to do about it, both in terms of Baltimore and the larger picture? And what do you say to critics who say that since the death of Trayvon Martin, you have not been aggressive enough in your response?
And to Prime Minister Abe, how important is a Pacific trade deal to keeping the influence of China in check, both economically and militarily? And do you agree with President Obama when he says that failing to complete a deal will simply further China’s influence? Thank you.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Before I answer the question about Baltimore, I’m going to horn in on your question to Prime Minister Abe.
I’ve been very clear that TPP is good for American businesses and American workers, regardless of what China is doing. And we will make the case on the merits as to why it will open up markets for American goods, American exports, and create American jobs. So this is not simply a defensive agreement, this is something that is going to be part and parcel of our broader economic agenda moving forward. And when 95 percent of the world’s markets are outside our shores, we’ve got to make sure that we’re out there competing. And I’m confident we can compete.
With respect to Baltimore, let me make a couple of points. First, obviously our thoughts continue to be with the family of Freddie Gray. Understandably, they want answers. And DOJ has opened an investigation. It is working with local law enforcement to find out exactly what happened, and I think there should be full transparency and accountability.
Second, my thoughts are with the police officers who were injured in last night’s disturbances. It underscores that that’s a tough job and we have to keep that in mind, and my hope is that they can heal and get back to work as soon as possible.
Point number three, there’s no excuse for the kind of violence that we saw yesterday. It is counterproductive. When individuals get crowbars and start prying open doors to loot, they’re not protesting, they’re not making a statement -- they’re stealing. When they burn down a building, they’re committing arson. And they’re destroying and undermining businesses and opportunities in their own communities that rob jobs and opportunity from people in that area.
So it is entirely appropriate that the mayor of Baltimore, who I spoke to yesterday, and the governor, who I spoke to yesterday, work to stop that kind of senseless violence and destruction. That is not a protest. That is not a statement. It’s people -- a handful of people taking advantage of a situation for their own purposes, and they need to be treated as criminals.
Point number four, the violence that happened yesterday distracted from the fact that you had seen multiple days of peaceful protests that were focused on entirely legitimate concerns of these communities in Baltimore, led by clergy and community leaders. And they were constructive and they were thoughtful, and frankly, didn’t get that much attention. And one burning building will be looped on television over and over and over again, and the thousands of demonstrators who did it the right way I think have been lost in the discussion.
The overwhelming majority of the community in Baltimore I think have handled this appropriately, expressing real concern and outrage over the possibility that our laws were not applied evenly in the case of Mr. Gray, and that accountability needs to exist. And I think we have to give them credit. My understanding is, is you’ve got some of the same organizers now going back into these communities to try to clean up in the aftermath of a handful of criminals and thugs who tore up the place. What they were doing, what those community leaders and clergy and others were doing, that is a statement. That’s the kind of organizing that needs to take place if we’re going to tackle this problem. And they deserve credit for it, and we should be lifting them up.
Point number five -- and I’ve got six, because this is important. Since Ferguson, and the task force that we put together, we have seen too many instances of what appears to be police officers interacting with individuals -- primarily African American, often poor -- in ways that have raised troubling questions. And it comes up, it seems like, once a week now, or once every couple of weeks. And so I think it’s pretty understandable why the leaders of civil rights organizations but, more importantly, moms and dads across the country, might start saying this is a crisis. What I’d say is this has been a slow-rolling crisis. This has been going on for a long time. This is not new, and we shouldn’t pretend that it’s new.
The good news is, is that perhaps there’s some newfound awareness because of social media and video cameras and so forth that there are problems and challenges when it comes to how policing and our laws are applied in certain communities, and we have to pay attention to it and respond.
What’s also good news is the task force that was made up of law enforcement and community activists that we brought together here in the White House have come up with very constructive concrete proposals that, if adopted by local communities and by states and by counties, by law enforcement generally, would make a difference. It wouldn’t solve every problem, but would make a concrete difference in rebuilding trust and making sure that the overwhelming majority of effective, honest and fair law enforcement officers, that they're able to do their job better because it will weed out or retrain or put a stop to those handful who may be not doing what they're supposed to be doing.
Now, the challenge for us as the federal government is, is that we don't run these police forces. I can't federalize every police force in the country and force them to retrain. But what I can do is to start working with them collaboratively so that they can begin this process of change themselves.
And coming out of the task force that we put together, we're now working with local communities. The Department of Justice has just announced a grant program for those jurisdictions that want to purchase body cameras. We are going to be issuing grants for those jurisdictions that are prepared to start trying to implement some of the new training and data collection and other things that can make a difference. And we're going to keep on working with those local jurisdictions so that they can begin to make the changes that are necessary.
I think it’s going to be important for organizations like the Fraternal Order of Police and other police unions and organization to acknowledge that this is not good for police. We have to own up to the fact that occasionally there are going to be problems here, just as there are in every other occupation. There are some bad politicians who are corrupt. There are folks in the business community or on Wall Street who don't do the right thing. Well, there’s some police who aren’t doing the right thing. And rather than close ranks, what we’ve seen is a number of thoughtful police chiefs and commissioners and others recognize they got to get their arms around this thing and work together with the community to solve the problem. And we're committed to facilitating that process.
So the heads of our COPS agency that helps with community policing, they're already out in Baltimore. Our Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division is already out in Baltimore. But we're going to be working systematically with every city and jurisdiction around the country to try to help them implement some solutions that we know work.
And I’ll make my final point -- I’m sorry, Mr. Prime Minister, but this is a pretty important issue for us.
We can't just leave this to the police. I think there are police departments that have to do some soul searching. I think there are some communities that have to do some soul searching. But I think we, as a country, have to do some soul searching. This is not new. It’s been going on for decades.
And without making any excuses for criminal activities that take place in these communities, what we also know is that if you have impoverished communities that have been stripped away of opportunity, where children are born into abject poverty; they’ve got parents -- often because of substance-abuse problems or incarceration or lack of education themselves -- can't do right by their kids; if it’s more likely that those kids end up in jail or dead, than they go to college. In communities where there are no fathers who can provide guidance to young men; communities where there’s no investment, and manufacturing has been stripped away; and drugs have flooded the community, and the drug industry ends up being the primary employer for a whole lot of folks -- in those environments, if we think that we're just going to send the police to do the dirty work of containing the problems that arise there without as a nation and as a society saying what can we do to change those communities, to help lift up those communities and give those kids opportunity, then we're not going to solve this problem. And we’ll go through the same cycles of periodic conflicts between the police and communities and the occasional riots in the streets, and everybody will feign concern until it goes away, and then we go about our business as usual.
If we are serious about solving this problem, then we're going to not only have to help the police, we're going to have to think about what can we do -- the rest of us -- to make sure that we're providing early education to these kids; to make sure that we're reforming our criminal justice system so it’s not just a pipeline from schools to prisons; so that we're not rendering men in these communities unemployable because of a felony record for a nonviolent drug offense; that we're making investments so that they can get the training they need to find jobs. That's hard. That requires more than just the occasional news report or task force. And there’s a bunch of my agenda that would make a difference right now in that.
Now, I’m under no illusion that out of this Congress we're going to get massive investments in urban communities, and so we’ll try to find areas where we can make a difference around school reform and around job training, and around some investments in infrastructure in these communities trying to attract new businesses in.
But if we really want to solve the problem, if our society really wanted to solve the problem, we could. It’s just it would require everybody saying this is important, this is significant -- and that we don't just pay attention to these communities when a CVS burns, and we don't just pay attention when a young man gets shot or has his spine snapped. We're paying attention all the time because we consider those kids our kids, and we think they're important. And they shouldn’t be living in poverty and violence.
That's how I feel. I think there are a lot of good-meaning people around the country that feel that way. But that kind of political mobilization I think we haven’t seen in quite some time. And what I’ve tried to do is to promote those ideas that would make a difference. But I think we all understand that the politics of that are tough because it’s easy to ignore those problems or to treat them just as a law and order issue, as opposed to a broader social issue.
That was a really long answer, but I felt pretty strongly about it.
PRIME MINISTER ABE: (As interpreted.) First of all, on TPP, this is not something that we create out of consciousness about China. The economic growth of the region will be positive and create opportunities for Japan, the United States and the world. The TPP is such that to the eyes of many countries it has to become a model. It should be a model for China in that it's an ambitious attempt to create a new economic sphere in which people, goods, and money will flow freely within the Asia Pacific region. It's a new economic region of freedom, democracy, basic human rights, and rule of law.
With countries that share these universal values, we will be creating new rules. This will benefit regional prosperity and it also has a strategic significance related to regional stability.
On these points, we see completely eye to eye between President Obama and myself. The early conclusion of TPP -- by achieving this, this will work on other countries -- non-members of the TPP -- to follow rules. And I believe that this will lead to prosperity.
Q (As interpreted.) My question is addressed to Prime Minister Abe, as well as President Obama. In relation to the answer that has been given, China is working toward the establishment of the AIIB, and it intends to enhance its influence in the international economy and finance. What is the strategic significance of the early conclusion of the TPP?
And the next question is to President Obama. Do you have confidence, or how do you intend to work on Congress to pass the TPP-related bills? And how confident are you that you’ll be able to pass this bill?
PRIME MINISTER ABE: (As interpreted.) On the TPP, as I mentioned in my answer previously, in the Asia Pacific region this is a region where growth is very prominent. And in such a region, for people and goods and money under proper rules to flow freely, without a doubt we’ll make affluent the countries participating in the TPP, in the Asia Pacific. And the people in the countries will be able to lead affluent lives. I believe this will feed into this.
So for this purpose as well, as soon as possible, with the general public’s understanding, toward early conclusion of the TPP, we’d like to make efforts. And in this context, Japan and the United States -- or with President Barack Obama and myself -- we want to exert leadership to bring about an early conclusion of the TPP.
Furthermore, on the AIIB, in Asia there’s a tremendous demand for infrastructure, and the financial system to respond to this is very important. On this recognition, we see eye to eye between China and myself, and I think this is a point on which we see eye to eye between many countries.
For Japan to participate in the AIIB is a decision that which we have not taken yet. But to create such an enormous financial institution and since this will have an enormous impact on Asian countries, a fair governance is necessary of the institution. In particular, the board to review individual projects and to approve of this is indispensable. And that sustainability, and the environment and society and the impact of this should be considered. We need to secure this.
It’s not only about the lenders, but the borrowing nations. For example, various infrastructure projects may not be sustainable. It may have too much of a burden on the environment. If this is the case, this will be a very negative -- bring negative results for the citizens living in the countries. It will prove to be a burden. And so in that sense, a proper review as to whether lending the money to a country will be of benefit to the country. Rigorous review is very important.
So from such a standpoint, the two points to be secured I believe is very important. So from such a standpoint, Japan and the United States should cooperate, and we need to continue dialogue with China -- and it is my intention to do so.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Let me agree with Prime Minister Abe when it comes to the Asian Infrastructure Bank proposal that's been made by China.
Asia needs infrastructure. There are a lot of countries that have difficulty financing infrastructure, but if they got that infrastructure put in place and developed, they can grow much more rapidly. And that's good for everybody. It’s good for that country. It’s good for the world economy. It’s good for us. We want more markets to be able to get our goods in and sell our services that are some of the best in the world. And China has got a lot of money. It’s been running a big surplus for quite some time. So to the extent that China wants to put capital into development projects around the region, that's a positive. That's a good thing.
So let me be very clear and dispel this notion that we were opposed or are opposed to other countries participating in the Asia Infrastructure Bank. That is simply not true. It sprung up out of one story after the Brits decided that they were going to join up, and then folks have just been running with it. And there have been all these editorials subsequently based on these reports -- not from any official position of the United States government, but from a series of behind-the-scenes quotes.
What we have said and what we said to all the other countries involved is exactly what Prime Minister Abe said, which is, if we're going to have a multilateral lending institution, then you have to have some guidelines by which it’s going to operate. That's how the World Bank operates. That's how the IMF operates. There may be weighted votes in terms of who’s the biggest contributor, but you've got to have some transparency in terms of how the thing is going to operate -- because if not, a number of things can happen. Number one, money could end up flowing that is misused, or it doesn't have high accounting standards, and we don't know what happens to money that is going into projects.
As Prime Minister Abe said, the projects themselves may not be well-designed. They may be very good for the leaders of some countries and contractors, but may not be good for the actual people who live there. And the reason I can say that is because, in the past, some of the efforts of multilateral institutions that the United States set up didn't always do right by the actual people in those countries. And we learned some lessons from that, and we got better at making sure that we were listening to the community and thinking about how this would affect the environment, and whether it was sustainable.
And so our simple point to everybody in these conversations around the Asia Infrastructure Bank is let’s just make sure that we're running it based on best practices, based on what we’ve learned from the entire post-war era and how other multilateral financing mechanisms have worked.
And if, in fact, the Asia Infrastructure Bank that is being set up ends up having those kinds of safeguards, is run in a way that ultimately is actually going to lead to good infrastructure and benefit the borrowing countries, then we're all for it. And we look forward to collaborating with the Asia Infrastructure Bank, just like we do with the Asia Development Bank and with the World Bank on a whole bunch of stuff. So this could be a positive thing.
But if it’s not run well, then it could be a negative thing. And what we don't want to do is just be participating in something and providing cover for an institution that does not end up doing right by its people. Because when these countries borrow money, even from a development bank, for a boondoggle project that doesn’t work, they’re oftentimes still on the hook for paying that money back. And there have been experiences like that across continents and across decades.
With respect to TPP, it’s never fun passing a trade bill in this town because people are understandably concerned about its potential impacts on specific industries but also the general concerns that people have had about globalization and technology displacing workers. We’re addressing those systematically. Here’s what I’m confident about: This will end up being the most progressive trade bill in history. It will have the kinds of labor and environmental and human rights protections that have been absent in previous agreements. It’s going to be enforceable. It’s going to open up markets that currently are not fully open to U.S. businesses. It’s going to be good for the U.S. economy.
And because I always believe that good policy ends up being good politics, I’m confident we’re going to end up getting the votes in Congress. And Congress, by the way, will have a lot of time to review it when and if it’s actually completed. So this whole notion that it’s all secret, they’re going to have 60 days before I even sign it to look at the text, and then a number of months after that before they have to take a final vote.
Thank you very much, everybody.
END
1:09 P.M. EDT
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/04/28/remarks-president-obama-and-prime-minister-abe-japan-joint-press-confere
*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1Wz_ak4XXE [in particular, beginning at the 30:45 mark; with comments], https://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/2015/04/28/president-and-prime-minister-japan-hold-joint-press-conference
--
The President Speaks at the Launch of the My Brother's Keeper Alliance
Published on May 4, 2015 by The White House
President Obama delivers remarks at the launch of the My Brother's Keeper Alliance at Lehman College in the Bronx, NY, May 4, 2015.
*
Remarks by the President at Launch of the My Brother's Keeper Alliance
Lehman College
West Bronx, New York
May 04, 2015
2:56 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Hello, New York! (Applause.) Give Darinel a big round of applause for that introduction. (Applause.) Thank you so much. Thank you. Everybody, please have a seat. We are so proud of Darinel. We want to thank him for being such a great role model for other students here in New York and around the country.
I want to give a shout-out to a friend of mine who happens to be your Assemblyman -- Michael Blake. (Applause.) Where’s Michael? He is around here somewhere. There he is. You got to stand up, Michael. (Laughter.) We're still teaching him about politics. (Applause.) When the President introduces you, you got to stand up. (Laughter.) Get some TV time. (Laughter.)
So Mike grew up in tough circumstances, as well. He worked hard, went to a good college. He joined my campaign, worked in the White House. Now he’s in public office to make sure that other young people like him have every chance in the world. So we couldn't be prouder of him. It's great to see. (Applause.)
So I'm getting practice for Malia and Sasha leaving home. I’ve got all these incredible young people who worked on the White House staff who are now doing all kinds of great things.
I want to thank all the members of Congress and elected officials who are in the house. You’ve got a couple of proud Lehman graduates -- Eliot Engel -- where’s Eliot? (Applause.) There he is. And Jose Serrano. (Applause.) And we've got some more folks -- we've got three other folks from the New York delegation -- Gregory Meeks -- (applause) -- the always dapper Charlie Rangel -- (applause) -- the outstanding Yvette Clarke. (Applause.) And visiting from Florida -- Frederica Wilson. (Applause.) But they all share the same passion that I do, and that is making sure every young person in this country has opportunity.
That’s why we’re all here today. Because we believe in the idea that no matter who you are, no matter what you look like, no matter where you came from, no matter what your circumstances were, if you work hard, if you take responsibility, then America is a place where you can make something of your lives.
And I want to thank Lehman for hosting us here today. And our community college system -- the CUNY system -- our public education institutions, they are all pathways for success. And we're very proud of what they do.
Everything that we’ve done since I've been President, the past six and a half years -- from rescuing the economy to giving more Americans access to affordable health care, to reforming our schools for all of our kids -- it’s been in pursuit of that one goal: creating opportunity for everybody. We can’t guarantee everybody’s success. But we do strive to guarantee an equal shot for everybody who’s willing to work for it.
But what we’ve also understood for too long is that some communities have consistently had the odds stacked against them; that there’s a tragic history in this country that has made it tougher for some. And folks living in those communities, and especially young people living in those communities, could use some help to change those odds.
It’s true of some rural communities where there’s chronic poverty. It’s true of some manufacturing communities that have suffered after factories they depended on closed their doors. It’s true for young people of color, especially boys and young men.
You all know the numbers. By almost every measure, the life chances of the average young man of color is worse than his peers. Those opportunity gaps begin early -- often at birth -- and they compound over time, becoming harder and harder to bridge, making too many young men and women feel like no matter how hard they try, they may never achieve their dreams.
And that sense of unfairness and of powerlessness, of people not hearing their voices, that’s helped fuel some of the protests that we’ve seen in places like Baltimore, and Ferguson, and right here in New York. The catalyst of those protests were the tragic deaths of young men and a feeling that law is not always applied evenly in this country. In too many places in this country, black boys and black men, Latino boys, Latino men, they experience being treated differently by law enforcement -- in stops and in arrests, and in charges and incarcerations. The statistics are clear, up and down the criminal justice system; there’s no dispute.
That’s why one of the many things we did to address these issues was to put together a task force on community policing. And this task force was made up of law enforcement and of community activists, including some who had led protests in Ferguson, some who had led protests here in New York -- young people whose voices needed to be heard. And what was remarkable was law enforcement and police chiefs and sheriffs and county officials working with these young people, they came up with concrete proposals that, if implemented, would rebuild trust and help law enforcement officers do their jobs even better, and keep them and their communities even safer.
And what was clear from this task force was the recognition that the overwhelming majority of police officers are good and honest and fair, and care deeply about their communities. And they put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe. And their loved ones wait and worry until they come through that door at the end of their shift.
As many of you know, New York’s finest lost one of its own today -- Officer Brian Moore, who was shot in the line of duty on Saturday night, passed away earlier today. He came from a family of police officers. And the family of fellow officers he joined in the NYPD and across the country deserve our gratitude and our prayers not just today but every day. They’ve got a tough job. (Applause.)
Which is why, in addressing the issues in Baltimore or Ferguson or New York, the point I made was that if we’re just looking at policing, we’re looking at it too narrowly. If we ask the police to simply contain and control problems that we ourselves have been unwilling to invest and solve, that’s not fair to the communities, it’s not fair to the police. What we gathered here to talk about today is something that goes deeper than policing. It speaks to who we are as a nation, and what we’re willing to do to make sure that equality of opportunity is not an empty word.
Across the country and in parts of New York, in parts of New Jersey, in parts of my hometown in Chicago, there are communities that don’t have enough jobs, don’t have enough investment, don’t have enough opportunity. You’ve got communities with 30, or 40, or 50 percent unemployment. They’ve been struggling long before the economic crisis in 2007, 2008. Communities without enough role models. Communities where too many men who could otherwise be leaders, who could provide guidance for young people, who could be good fathers and good neighbors and good fellow citizens, are languishing in prison over minor, nonviolent drug offenses.
Now, there’s no shortage of people telling you who and what is to blame for the plight of these communities. But I’m not interested in blame. I’m interested in responsibility and I’m interested in results. (Applause.)
That’s why we’ve partnered with cities to get more kids access to quality early childhood education -- no matter who they are or where they’re born. It’s why we’ve partnered with cities to create Promise Zones, to give a booster shot to opportunity. That’s why we’ve invested in ideas from support for new moms to summer jobs for young people, to helping more young people afford a college education.
And that’s why, over a year ago, we launched something we call My Brother’s Keeper -- an initiative to address those persistent opportunity gaps and ensure that all of our young people, but particularly young men of color, have a chance to go as far as their dreams will take them. It’s an idea that we pursued in the wake of Trayvon Martin’s death because we wanted the message sent from the White House in a sustained way that his life mattered, that the lives of the young men who are here today matter, that we care about your future -- not just sometimes, but all the time.
In every community in America, there are young people with incredible drive and talent, and they just don't have the same kinds of chances that somebody like me had. They're just as talented as me, just as smart. They don't get a chance. And because everyone has a part to play in this process, we brought everybody together. We brought business leaders and faith leaders, mayors, philanthropists, educators, entrepreneurs, athletes, musicians, actors -- all united around the simple idea of giving all our young people the tools they need to achieve their full potential.
And we were determined not to just do a feel-good exercise, to write a report that nobody would read, to do some announcement, and then once the TV cameras had gone away and there weren’t protests or riots, then somehow we went back to business as usual. We wanted something sustained. And for more than a year, we’ve been working with experts to identify some of the key milestones that matter most in every young person’s life -- from whether they enter school ready to learn, to whether they graduate ready for a career. Are they getting suspended in school? Can we intervene there? Are they in danger of falling into the criminal justice system? Can we catch them before they do? Key indicators that we know will make a difference. If a child is reading by the third grade at grade level, we know they’ve got a chance of doing better. If they aren’t involved with the criminal justice system and aren’t suspended while they're in school, we know they’ve got a chance of doing better. So there are certain things that we knew would make a difference.
And we’ve looked at which programs and policies actually work in intervening at those key periods. Early childhood education works. Job apprenticeship programs work. Certain mentoring programs work. And we’ve identified which strategies make a difference in the lives of young people, like mentoring, or violence prevention and intervention.
And because we knew this couldn’t be the work of just the federal government, we challenged every community in the country -- big cities, small towns, rural counties, tribal nations -- to publicly commit to implementing strategies to help all young people succeed. And as a result, we’ve already got more than 200 communities across the country who are focused on this issue. They're on board and they're doing great work. They're sharing best practices. They're sharing ideas.
All of this has happened just in the last year. And the response we’ve gotten in such a short amount of time, the enthusiasm and the passion we’ve seen from folks all around the country proves how much people care about this. Sometimes politics may be cynical, the debate in Washington may be cynical, but when you get on the ground, and you talk to folks, folks care about this. They know that how well we do as a nation depends on whether our young people are succeeding. That's our future workforce.
They know that if you've got African American or Latino men here in New York who, instead of going to jail, are going to college, those are going to be taxpayers. They're going to help build our communities. They will make our communities safer. They aren’t part of the problem, they're potentially part of the solution -- if we treat them as such.
So we’ve made enormous progress over the last year. But today, after months of great work on the part of a whole lot of people, we’re taking another step forward, with people from the private sector coming together in a big way. We’re here for the launch of the My Brother’s Keeper Alliance, which is a new nonprofit organization of private sector organizations and companies that have committed themselves to continue the work of opening doors for young people -- all our young people -- long after I’ve left office. (Applause.) It’s a big deal.
I want to thank the former CEO of Deloitte, Joe Echevarria, who’s been involved for a long time. He has taken the lead on this alliance. Joe, stand up. You've done an incredible job. (Applause.) Just like the My Brother’s Keeper overall effort that we launched last year, Joe and My Brother’s Keeper Alliance -- they're all about getting results. They’ve set clear goals to hold themselves accountable for getting those results: Doubling the percentage of boys and young men of color who read at grade level by the third grade. Increasing their high school graduation rates by 20 percent. (Applause.) Getting 50,000 more of those young men into post-secondary education or training.
They’ve already announced $80 million in commitments to make this happen, and that is just the beginning. And they’ve got a great team of young people who helped to work on this, a lot of them from Deloitte. We appreciate them so much. We’re very proud of the great work that they did.
But here’s what the business leaders who are here today -- and Joe certainly subscribes to this -- will tell you, they’re not doing this out of charity. The organizations that are represented here, ranging -- as varied as from Sprint to BET -- they’re not doing it just to assuage society’s guilt. They’re doing this because they know that making sure all of our young people have the opportunity to succeed is an economic imperative.
These young men, all our youth, are part of our workforce. If we don’t make sure that our young people are safe and healthy and educated, and prepared for the jobs of tomorrow, our businesses won’t have the workers they need to compete in the 21st century global economy. Our society will lose in terms of productivity and potential. America won’t be operating at full capacity. And that hurts all of us.
So they know that there’s an economic rationale for making this investment. But, frankly, this is also about more than just economics; it’s about values. It’s about who we are as a people.
Joe grew up about a mile from here, in the Bronx. And as he and I were sitting there, listening to some incredible young men in a roundtable discussion, many of them from this community, their stories were our stories. So, for Joe and I, this is personal, because in these young men we see ourselves.
The stakes are clear. And these stakes are high: At the end of the day, what kind of society do we want to have? What kind of country do we want to be? It’s not enough to celebrate the ideals that we’re built on -- liberty for all, and justice for all and equality for all. Those can’t just be words on paper. The work of every generation is to make those ideals mean something concrete in the lives of our children -- all of our children.
And we won’t get there as long as kids in Baltimore or Ferguson or New York or Appalachia or the Mississippi Delta or the Pine Ridge Reservation believe that their lives are somehow worth less.
We won’t get there when we have impoverished communities that have been stripped away of opportunity, and where, in the richest nation on Earth, children are born into abject poverty.
We won’t be living up to our ideals when their parents are struggling with substance abuse, or are in prison, or unemployed, and when fathers are absent, and schools are substandard, and jobs are scarce and drugs are plentiful. We won’t get there when there are communities where a young man is less likely to end up in college than jail, or dead -- and feels like his country expects nothing else of him.
America’s future depends on us caring about this. If we don’t, then we will just keep on going through the same cycles of periodic conflict. When we ask police to go into communities where there’s no hope, eventually something happens because of the tensions between societies and these communities -- and the police are just on the front lines of that.
And people tweet outrage. And the TV cameras come. And they focus more on somebody setting fire to something or turning over a car than the peaceful protests and the thoughtful discussions that are taking place. And then some will argue, well, all these social programs don’t make a difference. And we cast blame. And politicians talk about poverty and inequality, and then gut policies that help alleviate poverty or reverse inequality. (Applause.)
And then we wait for the next outbreak or problem to flare up. And we go through the same pattern all over again. So that, in effect, we do nothing.
There are consequences to inaction. There are consequences to indifference. And they reverberate far beyond the walls of the projects, or the borders of the barrio, or the roads of the reservation. They sap us of our strength as a nation. It means we’re not as good as we could be. And over time, it wears us out. Over time, it weakens our nation as a whole.
The good news is, it doesn’t have to be this way. We can have the courage to change. We can make a difference. We can remember that these kids are our kids. “For these are all our children,” James Baldwin once wrote. “We will all profit by, or pay for, whatever they become.”
And that’s what My Brother’s Keeper is about, that’s what this alliance is about. And we are in this for the long haul. We’re going to keep doing our work at the White House on these issues. Sometimes it won’t be a lot of fanfare. I notice we don’t always get a lot of reporting on this issue when there’s not a crisis in some neighborhood. But we’re just going to keep on plugging away. And this will remain a mission for me and for Michelle not just for the rest of my presidency, but for the rest of my life. (Applause.)
And the reason is simple. Like I said before -- I know it’s true for Joe; it’s true for John Legend, who was part of our roundtable; it’s true for Alonzo Mourning who is here, part of our board -- we see ourselves in these young men.
I grew up without a dad. I grew up lost sometimes and adrift, not having a sense of a clear path. And the only difference between me and a lot of other young men in this neighborhood and all across the country is that I grew up in an environment that was a little more forgiving. And at some critical points, I had some people who cared enough about me to give me a second chance, or a third chance, or give me a little guidance when I needed it, or to open up a door that might otherwise been closed. I was lucky.
Alex Santos is lucky, too. Where’s Alex? Alex is here. Stand up, Alex. (Applause.) So Alex was born in Puerto Rico, grew up in Brooklyn and the Bronx, in some tough neighborhoods. When he was 11, he saw his mom’s best friend, a man he respected and looked up to, shot and killed. His older brothers dropped out of school, got caught up in drugs and violence. So Alex didn’t see a whole lot of options for himself, couldn’t envision a path to a better future. He then dropped out of school.
But then his mom went back to school and got her GED. She set an example. That inspired Alex to go back and get his GED. Actually, it’s more like she stayed on him until he went back. (Laughter.) And I know, because just like I was lucky, I also had a mom who used to get on my case about my studies. So I could relate. But this is what Alex says about his mom: “She made me realize that no matter what, there’s a second chance in life.”
So, today, Alex is getting his GED. He’s developed a passion for sports. His dream is to one day work with kids as a coach and set an example for them. He says he never thought he could go to college; now he believes he can. All Alex wants to be is a good role model for his younger brothers, Carlos and John, who are bright and hardworking and doing well in school. And he says, “They matter so much to my life, and I matter to theirs.”
So, Alex, and his brothers, and all the young people here, all the young ones who are out there struggling -- the simple point to make is: You matter. You matter to us.
It was interesting during the roundtable, we asked these young men -- incredible gifted young men, like Darinel -- asked them, what advice would you give us? And they talked about mentor programs and they talked about counseling programs and guidance programs in schools. But one young man -- Malachi -- he just talked about, we should talk about love. (Applause.) Because Malachi and I shared the fact that our dad wasn’t around, and that sometimes we wondered why he wasn’t around and what had happened.
But really that's what this comes down to is, do we love these kids? (Applause.) See if we feel like because they don't look like us, or they don't talk like us, or they don't live in the same neighborhood as us that they're different, that they can't learn, or they don't deserve better, or it’s okay if their schools are rundown, or it’s okay if the police are given a mission just to contain them rather than to encourage them, then it’s not surprising that we're going to lose a lot of them.
But that's not the kind of country I want to live in. That's not what America is about. So my message to Alex and Malachi and Darinel, and to all the young men out there and young boys who aren’t in this room, haven’t yet gotten that helping hand, haven’t yet gotten that guidance -- I want you to know you matter. You matter to us. You matter to each other. There’s nothing, not a single thing, that’s more important to the future of America than whether or not you and young people all across this country can achieve their dreams.
And we are one people, and we need each other. We should love every single one of our kids. And then we should show that love -- not just give lip-service to it, not just talk about it in church and then ignore it, not just have a seminar about it and not deliver.
It’s hard. We’ve got an accumulation of not just decades but, in some cases, centuries of trauma that we're having to overcome. But if Alex is able to overcome what he’s been through, then we as a society should be able to overcome what we’ve been through. If Alex can put the past behind him and look towards the future, we should be able to do the same.
I’m going to keep on fighting, and everybody here is going to keep on fighting to make sure that all of our kids have the opportunity to make of their lives what they will. Today is just the beginning. We’re going to keep at this for you, the young people of America, for your generation and for all the generations to come.
So, thank you. God bless you. God bless all of you. God bless America. (Applause.)
END
3:27 P.M. EDT
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/05/04/remarks-president-launch-my-brothers-keeper-alliance
*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9_RYZ_54A4 [with comments], https://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/2015/05/04/president-speaks-launch-my-brothers-keeper-alliance
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Bobby Jindal Advocates Unholy Alliance of Fundamentalists and Big Business to Back Discrimination
By Ian Reifowitz
Posted: 04/28/2015 12:51 pm EDT Updated: 04/28/2015 9:59 pm EDT
Bobby Jindal wants to be relevant. Yes, he wants to be president, but given where the soon-to-be-former governor of Louisiana stands in recent polling, Jindal needs to make sure he can walk before he can seriously run. After previously trying to be the sensible Republican who criticized [ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/13/bobby-jindal-gop_n_2121511.html ] those within the party who say "stupid" things, he's now gone ahead and abandoned that anti-stupid position.
You see, Jindal is quite perturbed at the fact that, in Indiana [ http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/04/05/1375188/-The-religious-right-hates-the-Indiana-RFRA-compromise-That-s-why-it-s-good-news ] and Arkansas [ http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/04/02/1375225/-Arkansas-governor-signs-revised-religious-freedom-act-into-law ], corporations forced fundamentalist conservatives to back down from their attempts to enshrine in law the absolute right of anyone to deny gay people equal treatment if doing so would offend their religious beliefs. Jindal has decided that the way to differentiate himself from the rest of the Republican presidential field is to show that he is more loyal than anyone else to his Christian conservative beliefs, and especially more loyal to them than fellow governors Pence and Hutchinson of Indiana and Arkansas, respectively. That's why he's more excited than ever to support [ http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/04/14/1377705/-Bobby-me-too-Jindal-prioritizes-hate-nbsp-law ] the kind of "religious liberty" bill from which those states ultimately turned away. Jindal clearly thinks [ http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/unpopular-home-jindal-traction-2016-30449418 ] that he can be the most Christian conservative of them all, and then, just maybe, he can actually gain some traction for his as-yet-undeclared campaign for the White House.
That's the context for the op-ed piece Jindal wrote for Thursday's New York Times [ http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/23/opinion/bobby-jindal-im-holding-firm-against-gay-marriage.html ]. One must read the whole thing in order to truly appreciate his, er, passion on the issue. But his overarching theme is that the business community was wrong to bring pressure against this kind of legislation, and that they should "stand shoulder to shoulder with those fighting for religious liberty" against those who expound a "misguided, government-dictating ideology." That's how Jindal characterizes those "left-wing activists" and "radical liberals" who support those radical, liberal principles of equal rights for and equal treatment of all citizens.
Jindal spoke about religious liberty and urged us "all [to] tolerate people who disagree with us." But his definition of these terms makes no sense. You want toleration for your religious beliefs? Fine. You have every right to hold your religious beliefs free from government punishment. No one should be sanctioned for what they believe. That is religious toleration. But religious freedom should not mean you are free to act in a way that harms others, even if that action is motivated by your religious beliefs. Your right to religious freedom should end where my nose begins -- that is, when you affect other people, specifically when you harm their freedom and their rights. As I've written [ http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/02/01/1360899/-Religious-freedom-gives-me-the-constitutional-right-to-violate-your-constitutional-rights-Right ] previously, religious freedom shouldn't give you the right to violate someone else's rights.
Yes, we know that LGBT folks aren't a protected class according to current federal law or in the laws of most states, but I'm arguing on moral and ethical grounds here, on the grounds of what the law should be. Given that one cannot refuse to serve customers because of their race or, ahem, religion, then one should also be precluded from refusing to serve customers because of their sexual orientation.
And -- since we're puncturing false equivalencies here -- requiring people to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding, so long as we're talking about essentially the same product they'd produce for any other wedding, is not the same thing as forcing, for example, a Jewish baker to bake a cake that says, "Hitler was right," for a Nazi wedding. (Do such things even exist?) Why not? Because that baker presumably wasn't making "Hitler was right" cakes for other weddings either. Businesses can choose what products they make or sell, but they shouldn't be able to discriminate when it comes to who can buy them.
Having taken apart Jindal's false definition of religious liberty, I want to explore another part of his piece that really galled me. First, he went all in on the "corporations are people, my friend" quackery [ http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/08/11/1005846/-VIDEO-Mitt-Romney-says-corporations-are-people ] put forth by the likes of Mitt Romney:
Why shouldn't an individual or business< have the right to cite, in a court proceeding, religious liberty as a reason for not participating in a same-sex marriage ceremony that violates a sincerely held religious belief?
You know when they should have that right, Bobby? When I see a business frog-marched on a perp walk after having been convicted of a crime. That's when. Businesses aren't people, and they don't have beliefs. But that wasn't all. Here's what got me even more worked up:
As a nation we would not compel a priest, minister or rabbi to violate his conscience and perform a same-sex wedding ceremony. But a great many Americans who are not members of the clergy feel just as called to live their faith through their businesses.
I try, as a rule, to maintain a certain standard of professionalism in my writing. In this case... OMFG. While I compose myself, take a look at what Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote [ http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/06/30/1310551/-In-Hobby-Lobby-Supremes-grant-religious-objection-rights-to-for-profit-corporations ] in her brilliant dissent in the Hobby Lobby case, which also pertains to the above quotation from Jindal. Ginsburg decried the decision because, echoing Jindal's thinking, it "holds that commercial enterprises, including corporations, along with partnerships and sole proprietorships, can opt out of any law (saving only tax laws) they judge incompatible with their sincerely held religious beliefs."
Such an approach, says Ginsburg, "forgets that religious organizations exist to serve a community of believers. For-profit corporations do not fit that bill." She also cites a prior Supreme Court verdict to make the point that "for-profit corporations are different from religious non-profits in that they use labor to make a profit, rather than to perpetuate [the] religious value[s] [shared by a community of believers]."
There, I'm feeling a bit better. The wisdom of RBG does have a calming effect. To address Jindal specifically, I'd add that his claim that baking cakes or taking pictures -- for a profit -- is how people "liv[e] their faith" is absurd. Living one's faith in Christianity, I would argue, means carrying out the kinds of principles so many of us, no matter our religion, have always admired in Jesus' teachings: charity, compassion, love. Pursuing a profit? On that, I'll cite Matthew 6:24:
No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
More than absurd, Jindal's attempt to connect business and religion, specifically Christianity, reflects a cynical, right-wing talking point that conservatives have pushed [ http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/15/opinion/sunday/a-christian-nation-since-when.html ] going back to the 1930s -- when laissez-faire conservatism was under attack for having caused the Great Depression, and businesses sought to promote "a new ideology that combined elements of Christianity with an anti-federal libertarianism."
It's worth noting that Jindal, in addition to his primary focus on making sure fundamentalists can live their faith by treating the gays as second-class citizens, also used the platform of The New York Times to claim that "since I became governor in 2008, Louisiana has become one of the best places to do business in America." The reality is somewhat different. Although it did perform better than the U.S. as a whole during Jindal's first year in office, by the time his policies actually took effect (i.e., from 2009 through 2013, the most recent year for which data is available), Louisiana's economic growth lagged behind that of the national economy pretty badly. (Data for 2009 through 2012 can be seen here [ http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2014/feb/27/bobby-jindal/bobby-jindal-says-louisianas-growth-has-outpaced-n/ ], and 2013 here [ http://search.bea.gov/search?query=GDP+by+state&commit=Go&utf8=%E2%9C%93&affiliate=u.s.bureauofeconomicanalysis ].) As for job creation, from January 2011 through January 2015, Louisiana came in [ http://www.salon.com/2015/04/23/scott_walker_forever_tarnished_republican_governors_have_tanked_the_gop_brand/ ] 32nd out of 50 states -- but, hey, that was three spots better than Scott Walker's Wisconsin! Additionally, Jindal turned the $1-billion annual surplus that greeted his first inauguration into a deficit now projected [ http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/07/us/governors-tactics-at-center-of-louisiana-budget-vortex.html ] to be $1.6 billion for next year. Hey, that does sound a lot like another Southern governor who rode a coalition of business and religious conservatives to the presidency. But I don't think Jindal wants to draw too many parallels between himself and George W. Bush.
Back to religious liberty. I respect religion. I recognize that for many people it is more than just important; it is the thing that defines them. People have every right to believe what they want, to worship how they want, and to practice their faith according to the tenets and traditions they hold dear. What I don't respect is people, like Bobby Jindal, who attempt to use religion for political gain.
Beyond politicians, what I also don't respect is people who attempt to use religion to hurt someone else. You don't like gay marriage? Fine. Don't get gay-married. But if you want to have a business and operate in the public sphere, then you've got to treat all your fellow citizens equally. Even better would be to treat each of them as you would wish to be treated. That's a rule that should sound [ https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+7%3A12&version=ESV ] familiar to someone as knowledgeable of the New Testament as Bobby Jindal. I know it's a rule by which I strive to live.
Copyright ©2015 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ian-reifowitz/bobby-jindal-advocates-un_b_7162824.html [with comments]
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The power of Christ may compel U.S. bishops to adopt exorcism ritual book
A promotional image from the 1973 hit movie "The Exorcist."
Bishop Michael J. Sis, left, of San Angelo, Texas and Bishop Peter J. Jugis, right, of Charlotte, N.C., pray at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops annual fall meeting in Baltimore, Monday, Nov. 10, 2014.
(AP Photo/Steve Ruark)
By Meredith Somers - The Washington Times - Monday, November 10, 2014
BALTIMORE — The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops on Tuesday is set to debate and vote on the adoption of the first-ever English translation of the ritual book “Exorcisms and Related Supplications.”
The idea of exorcism, or the expulsion of evil spirits from a person, gained attention earlier this year after Pope Francis’ touch apparently calmed a woman who had been thought by some to be possessed. The Vatican quickly said that the pontiff had not conducted an exorcism for the woman.
The translation of the ritual book is one of five action items up for approval this week at the Conference’s annual General Assembly, where 450 American bishops have gathered.
According to a summary, the book is largely about “the rite of major exorcism … [and] while this text affirms the reality of evil in the world, it even more so affirms the sovereignty of Christ to overcome any and all evil.”
The action item was approved for consideration during a June meeting of the Committee on Divine Worship, and includes five modifications suggested by committee members, including:
• Substituting “Zion” for the word “Sion.”
• Changing the phrase “rise up to help me” to “arise in my defense.”
• Replacing the phrase “who give the forsaken a home to live in and lead captives into prosperity” with “who give the desolate a home to dwell in and lead prisoners into prosperity.”
One change that was not approved during this summer’s meeting was to omit the clause “with God’s permission.” The reason, according to the summary, is that “this appears to be more theological speculation and not settled doctrine, especially since the difference between God’s active and passive will is not made clear.”
Monday’s introduction of the action item did not include discussion, but Bishop Michael Bransfield of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, West Virginia, expressed concern about priests obtaining copies of the text for themselves and using it without “proper ritual.”
The action item requires a two-thirds vote by the Latin Church members along with “recognition” by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.
© Copyright 2014 The Washington Times, LLC
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/nov/10/us-bishops-to-consider-exorcism-book-at-annual-mee/ [with comments]
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Andrew Demeter, Vlogger, Interviews Westboro Baptist's Shirley Phelps
By JamesMichael Nichols
Posted: 04/28/2015 2:15 pm EDT Updated: 04/28/2015 3:59 pm EDT
What would you say to the Westboro Baptist Church if you had the chance to speak to one of its leaders?
YouTube vlogger Andrew Demeter [ http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCKfnF5ZL54Bvxkfy6ZuikA / http://www.youtube.com/user/TeenTake , http://www.youtube.com/user/TeenTake/videos ], 17, recently had the opportunity to sit down with the Shirley Phelps and talk one-on-one about her beliefs surrounding the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. Shirley Phelps is the daughter of the late Fred Phelps, the Westboro Baptist Church founder who passed away in March 2014 [ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/20/westboro-baptist-fred-phelps-death-statement-_n_5002608.html ].
Maintaining a calm demeanor throughout the entire interview, Demeter doesn't shy away from an open dialogue about questions we all have about Westboro, even telling Phelps at one point, "Well Shirley, if you're going to Heaven, I am more than happy to go to Hell."
The Huffington Post chatted with Demeter about his interview with Phelps this week.
The Huffington Post: Why did you decide to interview Shirley?
Andrew Demeter: In the past few months, I've brainstormed a list of some 25 newsmakers and other influencers who I want to interview at some point in the near future. Having already interviewed diverse characters like Fran Drescher, John McAfee and Nancy Pelosi, among others, Shirley was simply next on the list. My goal for the interview was simple: to attempt to understand the "rationale" of a hate-monger. This, however, soon proved futile as I was seeking out logic and reason where it wasn't meant to be found. Another motivation for interviewing Shirley was to uncover from where her hatred [stemmed].
How did you get Shirley to agree to the interview?
Surprisingly, Shirley agreed to the interview with relative haste. I had contacted her via Twitter weeks beforehand to no avail, but after following up we scheduled a convenient date and time. I began surfing the web for additional research, binge-watching documentaries and other interviews, and immersing myself (from afar) into the Westboro Baptist Church's culture.
What do you want viewers to take away from your interview?
The underlying message of this interview is the paradox that religion may incur violence. It is abysmal to justify hateful actions with mere words once inscribed on ancient tablets and parchment paper.
At the end of the interview, Demeter tells Phelps that he "respects her on a human level" and would have given her a hug if they weren't conducting the interview through Skype.
Head here [ http://www.youtube.com/user/TeenTake/videos ] to see more from Demeter, including interviews with Fran Drescher, John McAfee, and Nancy Pelosi.
Parts of this interview have been modified and/or condensed.
Copyright ©2015 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/28/andrew-demeter-shirley-phelps_n_7161868.html [with comments], http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7dONnMURkw [with comments; as embedded]
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March 17, 2015
https://www.facebook.com/WATE6OnYourSide/photos/a.205213286178001.59558.112945508738113/967566943275961 [with comments]
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Fox News Priest Defames Atheists As People Who Can’t Be Trusted To Hold Office
Michael Luciano on April 28, 2015
One of the more noxious opinions about humans is the belief that without a deity, we homo sapiens would be adrift in a sea of immorality, sans the moral compass necessary to navigate our way out of it. This offensive take was most recently espoused by Fox News’ resident clergyman, Fr. Jonathan Morris, who appeared on the weekend version of Fox & Friends, which, if the hosts’ banter is any indication, has a mean viewer age of five years old. After oddly claiming that politicians “can’t fake religion,” Morris served up this familiar tripe when discussing elected officials and faith [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbT8RRW2Ick (next below, as embedded; with comments)]:
“It’s a belief in God, it’s a belief that there are eternal consequences for your actions. And I think that a leader that doesn’t have that — a set of core beliefs that help him to make justice an important part of his life and his decisions because he knows that there are eternal consequences, well, it’s somebody that it’s hard to trust.”
You know who’s really hard to trust? People who, apparently for no other reason than they feel they’re being watched by a celestial Big Brother every second of every day, don’t do harm to others. If the threat of eternal damnation and the inducement of eternal reward is the only thing keeping an elected official – or anyone – from acting injuriously toward others, then that person is morally corrupt.
Here it becomes too tempting not to recall an exchange [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RfUj09pWfM (next below; with comments)]
Marty: I mean can you imagine if people didn’t believe [in god] – the things they’d get up to?
Rust: Exact same thing they do now. Just out in the open.
Marty: Bull. Shit. It’d be a fucking freakshow of murder and debauchery, and you know it.
Rust: If the only thing keeping a person decent is the expectation of divine reward, then that person, brother, is a piece of shit. And I’d like to get as many of them out in the open as possible.
As it turns out, religion in fact doesn’t make people more moral [ http://www.livescience.com/47799-morality-religion-political-beliefs.html ].
One of the reasons more atheists aren’t “out in the open” is because many of them rightly fear reprisal thanks to people like Jonathan Morris, who reinforce the idea that nonbelievers are morally deficient and therefore untrustworthy. Even though Morris said that politicians “can’t fake religion,” we know this not to be the case.
At present, there are zero openly atheist members in the entire 535-person United States Congress. With about 4% of the U.S. population identifying as atheist or agnostic [ http://religions.pewforum.org/reports ], that there would be a complete lack on nonbelievers in such a large and relatively well-educated body strains credulity. Indeed, according to the American Humanist Association, there are at least 24 members of Congress who’ve privately acknowledged being atheists [ http://thedailybanter.com/2014/08/dear-atheists-congress-stop-cowards-come-closet/ ] but who cannot do so openly because it would be tantamount to political suicide [ http://thedailybanter.com/2014/05/guess-the-type-of-person-more-americans-would-vote-for-over-an-atheist/ ].
This is why campaigns such as last week’s Openly Secular [ http://www.openlysecular.org/ ] effort are important for the normalization of atheism. It’s a pushback against the misconceptions peddled by Morris and his ilk that atheists are suspect. But like a believing version of Rust Cohle, Morris should stop promoting this narrative so as to encourage more atheists to get out into the open so he and everyone else can see that atheists are no more immoral than their believing peers.
Copyright 2015 The Daily Banter (emphasis in original)
http://thedailybanter.com/2015/04/fox-news-priest-defames-atheists-as-people-who-cant-be-trusted-to-hold-office/ [with comments]
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Russian priest performs exorcism on dog
Published on Feb 14, 2013 by Alex Sunseticy [ http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCue6D3i6lmtV1ZatLfI1-aw , http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCue6D3i6lmtV1ZatLfI1-aw/videos ]
Priest bravely casts a demon out of a dog. The owner pleased.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-xatNh8XTA [with comments] [via/title, image and translated description taken from http://www.deathandtaxesmag.com/228648/russian-priest-performs-exorcism-on-dog/ (with comment)]
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Atheists mourn the slaying of a second Bangladeshi blogger in a month
The Bangladesh national flag waves in front of a cloudy sky.
Photo courtesy of Akash Islam at Bengali Wikipedia, via Wikimedia Commons ( http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AShahbag.JPG )
Kimberly Winston
March 31, 2015
(RNS) Atheists, humanists and other nonbelievers are speaking out against the brutal slaying of an atheist blogger in Bangladesh, the second such killing in a month.
Washiqur Rahman, 27, was attacked and killed Monday morning [ http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2015/03/30/396320221/bangladeshi-blogger-hacked-to-death-2-alleged-attackers-arrested ] (March 30) in the capital city of Dhaka by three men wielding knives or other sharp weapons. Police say they have two suspects in custody, both students at religious schools.
The attack comes a month after the machete slaying of Avijit Roy [ http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2015/02/27/389481931/bangladeshi-american-blogger-hacked-to-death-in-dhaka ], a Bangladeshi-American blogger, in the same city. Roy, who was 42, was the founder of the Mukto-Mona, or “Free-Mind,” blog that promoted secularism in the Muslim-majority country.
Rahman had expressed support for Roy and his work on social media, attracting the attention of extremists.
“Violent Islamic extremists think they will scare their critics into silence and submission,” said Paul Fidalgo, communications director of the Center for Inquiry [ http://www.centerforinquiry.net/ ], a U.S.-based secular advocacy organization that has worked with Bangladeshi bloggers on issues of free speech.
But, he added in a statement [ http://www.centerforinquiry.net/newsroom/washiqur_rahman_statement/ ], “their barbarity will only serve to strengthen the unity and resolve of those who believe in the fundamental right to free expression, which includes the right to criticize, question, and reject religion.”
The American Humanist Association [ http://americanhumanist.org/ ], an advocacy organization for nonbelievers, also condemned the attacks.
“The vicious nature of these two murders underscores the oppression and harassment faced by humanists around the world,” its communications director, Maggie Ardiente, said in a statement [ http://americanhumanist.org/news/details/2015-03-statement-on-the-murder-of-humanist-blogger-oyasiqur ].
Rahman’s death comes as American Atheists [ http://atheists.org/ ] prepares to welcome Ayaan Hirsi Ali as keynote speaker at its annual convention in Memphis, Tenn., April 2-5.
Ali, an atheist, was working on a documentary critical of Islam with Theo van Gogh [ http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/02/arts/provocateurs-death-haunts-the-dutch-.html ] when he was killed by an extremist in 2004. Asif Mohiuddin [ http://www.dw.de/i-have-to-help-the-people-of-bangladesh/a-17581354 ], another Bangladeshi blogger who has been critical of religion in his country, will be a featured speaker there as well.
Both have received death threats for their work, said Danielle Muscato, an American Atheists spokeswoman.
“We are unashamedly intolerant — intolerant of murder, intolerant of the message this terrorism sends to other atheists in Bangladesh and around the world, and intolerant of the fact that bigotry is protected by theocrats here in America,” Muscato said.
Mohiuddin survived an attack in 2013 and knew Rahman.
“I liked him for his satire, his sense of humor,” Mohiuddin told the BBC [ http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-32112433 ]. “He was a wonderful blogger and I’m very … upset right now.”
Rory Fenton, a British atheist and activist, recently visited Bangladesh and found atheist writers there willing to speak out after Roy’s death. But Rahman’s slaying, Fenton wrote in The Independent [ http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/atheists-are-being-hacked-to-death-in-bangladesh-and-soon-there-will-be-none-left-10144599.html ], may have a chilling effect. Unlike Roy, Rahman was not well-known, and it was his support of Roy’s work — not his own statements — that seems to have sparked the attack.
“The message sent by his murder was clear,” Fenton wrote. “‘This is beyond just insulting the Prophet. They don’t want anyone to question any authority, it doesn’t even have to be insulting; they will silence you.'”
© 2015 Religion News LLC
http://www.religionnews.com/2015/03/31/atheists-mourn-slaying-second-bangladeshi-blogger-month/ [with comments] [also at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/04/washiqur-rahman-blogger-killed_n_6980150.html (with comments)]
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Top Ten Creationist Arguments
Uploaded on Dec 30, 2009 by TheThinkingAtheist [ http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeYP27qLtfUMY1b1Cyy3WdQ / http://www.youtube.com/user/TheThinkingAtheist , http://www.youtube.com/user/TheThinkingAtheist/videos ]
We hear the same Creationist arguments SO OFTEN, we decided to assemble our 10 favorites and address them here. Feel free to use this video as a response to the Creationists in your circle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSxgnu3Hww8 [with (over 88,000) comments]
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DeLay: 'God Created This Nation And God Created The Constitution'
Submitted by Kyle Mantyla on Wednesday, 10/30/2013 12:18 pm
During a service last weekend, John Hagee [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/john-hagee ] spent a half hour interviewing [ https://www.getv.org/Videos/Watch/7d534a1b-71d4-4e1c-bf11-b277d75062ac?title=Pastor_Hagee_Special_with_Guest_Speaker_Tom_DeLay ] former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/tom-delay ] during which DeLay revealed that God has commissioned him to write a book and promised him that he'll play a role in the coming spiritual revival.
Hagee praised DeLay for being victorious over the Devil by beating the corruption charges that ended his political career, while DeLay asserted that God was the author of the United States Constitution.
"Jesus died for our freedom," DeLay said [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-BOKFXyWI8 (below, as embedded; with comments)]. "And Jesus destroyed Satan so that we could be free and that is manifested in what is called the Constitution of the United States. God created this nation and God created the Constitution; it is written on biblical principles."
DeLay went on to recount a recent experience he had in which he spent four hours "on a conference call with the Lord" during which God told DeLay that he is to write a book called "Shut It Down" about the need for Constitutional revival. On top of that, God also told DeLay that He has heard the voice of His people and that "my awakening is beginning," in which DeLay will play a role:
© 2013 People For the American Way
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/delay-god-created-nation-and-god-created-constitution
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Tom DeLay: Christians Must Fight For The Right To Discriminate 'With Every Ounce Of Our Being'
Submitted by Kyle Mantyla on Tuesday, 4/7/2015 12:11 pm
Tom DeLay appeared on Steve Malzberg [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/steve-malzberg ]'s Newsmax program yesterday [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYE7vN80pjY (next below; comments disabled)]
"This is the result of the gay agenda," DeLay said. "We're now seeing what the gay agenda is all about ... What they're trying to do is to undermine religious liberty so that they become an accepted sexual orientation. That's what's going on here and we have got to fight this battle to the bitter end because once you let the government dictate to you what you believe and what your values are, then this country's finished."
"This isn't about discrimination," he continued. "We love people that have chosen to be homosexuals. The problem is we abhor the sin."
DeLay went on to say that if he owned a business, he'd have no problem serving a gay customer, provided that he didn't know about their sexual orientation.
"But if he comes in and asks me to undermine my values," he said [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXe3TWqc0Tw (below, as embedded; with comments)], "undermine my religious liberty, then I have the right to stand up for what I believe in and not serve him. It's not discrimination; it's the government telling us how we are to act, what we are to believe, and that has got to be fought with every ounce of our being":
© 2015 People For the American Way
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/tom-delay-christians-must-fight-right-discriminate-every-ounce-our-being
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Bachmann: Rapture Imminent Thanks To Gay Marriage & Obama
Submitted by Brian Tashman on Monday, 4/20/2015 12:30 pm
In an interview with End Times [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/topics/end-times ] broadcaster Jan Markell [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/jan-markell ] that was aired this weekend [ http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/understanding-the-times/player/lawlessness-global-transformation-how-it-sets-the-stage-part-2-462502.html ], former Rep. Michele Bachmann [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/michele-bachmann ] said that people should “not despair but rejoice” that the world has reached the “midnight hour” and that “we in our lifetimes potentially could see Jesus Christ returning to earth and the Rapture of the church.”
The former Republican congresswoman from Minnesota said that President Obama’s policies, including support for marriage equality and nuclear negotiations with Iran, are to blame for the world’s imminent demise. “We need to realize how close this clock is to getting towards the midnight hour,” Bachmann said. “Barack Obama is intent, it is his number one goal, to ensure that Iran has a nuclear weapon.”
Bachmann made similar comments in the first half of her interview with Markell, which aired last week, insisting that Obama’s presidency will bring about natural and economic disasters [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/bachmann-god-will-punish-us-economic-disasters-natural-disasters-due-obama-presidency ] along with the arrival of the Last Days [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/bachmann-end-times-are-here-thanks-obama ].
[audio ( https://soundcloud.com/rightwingwatch/bachmann-last-days-are-here-rejoice ) embedded]
After Bachmann said that Obama intends to “lift up the agenda of radical Islam,” Markell added that legal abortion and marriage equality for gays and lesbians are bringing about divine punishment on America. “You are right,” Bachmann responded, lamenting that God will soon lift His “hedge of protection” over “pagan” America “and we will suffer the consequences as a result.” “That’s why so many Christians I think are sad and despairing because we know what the word of God says,” she said. “But it is also a chastening as individual believers for our good and that, to me, is extremely exciting.”
[audio ( https://soundcloud.com/rightwingwatch/bachmann-obama-to-blame-for-end-times ) embedded]
© 2015 People For the American Way
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/bachmann-rapture-imminent-thanks-gay-marriage-obama
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Mike Huckabee Defends Ex-Gay Therapy, Warns Gay Rights Will Outlaw Christianity: 'God Help Us All'
Submitted by Brian Tashman on Thursday, 4/23/2015 1:15 pm
In a conference call with conservative pastors today organized by the anti-gay Family Research Council [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/organizations/family-research-council , http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/tony-perkins ], Mike Huckabee [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/mike-huckabee ] let loose with a litany of falsehoods about how marriage equality will lead to the “criminalization of Christianity” and demanded that states simply defy the Supreme Court [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/topics/supreme-court ] if it strikes down bans on same-sex marriage [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/topics/marriage-equality ].
“Christian convictions are under attack as never before,” Huckabee said in the call, which was meant to rally pastors to participate in the FRC’s upcoming “Stand for Marriage” event [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/anti-lgbt-group-gay-marriage-violates-separation-church-and-state ]. “Not just in our lifetime, but ever before in the history of this great nation. We are moving rapidly towards the criminalization of Christianity.”
The former governor and likely GOP presidential candidate predicted that the government will bring “criminal charges” against those who oppose gay rights and pastors who preach against gay marriage. He even defended ex-gay therapy, claiming that the government is barring chaplains from telling those they counsel to “seek assistance” for a “homosexual lifestyle.”
Huckabee also blasted the “ruling class” and “donor class” for treating opponents of gay rights as “pariahs,” adding that “supposedly conservative donors and conservative office holders are running away from the issue.”
(Audio note: Because of apparent technical difficulties with the conference call, there are beeping noises throughout the call signifying participants dialing in.)
[audio ( https://soundcloud.com/rightwingwatch/huckabee-gay-rights-will-criminalize-christianity ) embedded]
Huckabee told the pastors that no matter what politicians or the polls say about the legalization of gay marriage, God is against it and so they should stand strong against the “small minority pushing this agenda.”
Huckabee claimed that if same-sex marriage bans are struck down nationwide, any pastor who refuses to conduct a same-sex wedding would be breaking the law.
“If the courts rule that people have a civil right not only to be a homosexual but a civil right to have a homosexual marriage, then a homosexual couple coming to a pastor who believes in biblical marriage who says ‘I can’t perform that wedding’ will now be breaking the law,” he said. “It’s not just saying, ‘I’m sorry you have a preference.’ No, you will be breaking the law subject to civil for sure and possible criminal penalties for violating the law…. If you do practice biblical convictions and you carry them out and you do what you’ve been led by the spirit of God to do, your behavior will be criminal.”
This, of course, is a categorically untrue claim that has not materialized in any of the dozens of states where marriage equality has been adopted.
“God help us all,” he said.
[audio ( https://soundcloud.com/rightwingwatch/huckabee-god-help-us-all-if-gay-marriage-becomes-legal-pastors-prosecuted ) embedded]
© 2015 People For the American Way
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/mike-huckabee-defends-ex-gay-therapy-warns-gay-rights-will-outlaw-christianity-god-help-us-a
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Revolution! Anti-Gay Activists Threaten Uprising If Supreme Court Approves Marriage Equality
Submitted by Brian Tashman on Friday, 4/24/2015 1:25 pm
Speaking from the pulpit of the New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in May 2004, Focus on the Family [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/organizations/focus-family ] founder James Dobson [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/james-dobson ] called for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to ban same-sex marriage. Dobson’s words were simulcast into churches across the country [ http://m.christianpost.com/news/battle-for-marriage-leading-evangelicals-press-for-federal-marriage-amendment-20256/ ] as part of a “Battle for Marriage [ http://m.christianpost.com/news/battle-for-marriage-leading-evangelicals-press-for-federal-marriage-amendment-20256/ ]” rally that just happened to coincide with President George W. Bush’s hard-fought reelection campaign. Three months earlier, the president himself had announced [ http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/02/24/elec04.prez.bush.transcript/ ] to the nation that “to prevent the meaning of marriage from being changed forever, our nation must enact a constitutional amendment to protect marriage in America.”
Opposition to same-sex marriage emerged as a key component of the president’s reelection strategy that year, as the Bush campaign worked with Religious Right leaders, including Dobson [ http://www.pfaw.org/media-center/publications/dobson-s-choice ], to marshal conservative voters to the polls to back state constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage and other unions. Ballot measures in 11 states, all successful, aided the president’s reelection bid [ http://www.theatlantic.com/daily-dish/archive/2009/10/reihan-defends-rove/195700/ ] and helped to swing the momentum, for a time, to the side of the anti-gay Right.
While a federal constitutional amendment banning marriage for gay and lesbian couples had failed to clinch the required votes from either [ http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/15/us/senators-block-initiative-to-ban-same-sex-unions.html?scp=4&sq=&pagewanted=all ] house [ http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d108:h.j.res.00106: ] of Congress, after the 2004 election, Dobson stressed [ http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2005/january/21.60.html ] that “mainstream Americans” supported such an amendment, knowing that they “could not stand idly by while the radical gay agenda was forced down their throats.”
A decade later, Dobson left Focus on the Family, reportedly [ http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/17/business/media/17dobson.html ] in part because the organization he had founded refused to give a leadership position to his divorced son. Dobson and his son Ryan [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/ryan-dobson ] now host a radio program called “Family Talk [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/organizations/family-talk ]” and Focus has moved on under the less fiery leadership of Jim Daly [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/jim-daly ]. Ted Haggard, the pastor of the church where Dobson spoke at the 2004 “Battle for Marriage,” eventually left his post after acknowledging [ http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/01/29/lkl.ted.haggard/ ] that he had relationships with men. An architect of Bush’s 2004 re-election strategy, Ken Mehlman, announced six years later that he is gay [ http://www.theguardian.com/world/richard-adams-blog/2010/aug/26/ken-mehlman-gay-marriage-republican ]. Another Bush campaign strategist, Karl Rove [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/karl-rove ], said [ http://www.msnbc.com/martin-bashir/karl-roves-romancewith-rewriting-his-hist ] in 2013 that he could see a future GOP presidential nominee endorsing gay marriage.
Public opinion has also changed dramatically in the decade since Bush’s reelection. Polling now consistently [ http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/support-gay-marriage-reaches-record-high/story?id=30507803 ] shows majority support [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/another-poll-should-terrify-anti-gay-activists ] for marriage equality, which is legal in 37 states [ http://www.freedomtomarry.org/states/ ].
This dramatic shift toward marriage equality may culminate this year when the Supreme Court hears arguments in Obergefell v. Hodges, a collection of cases challenging the constitutionality of the remaining state-level bans on same-sex marriage.
But the Religious Right is not ready to give up what was, until recently, a winning culture-war issue.
Now, as even many conservative pundits are predicting that the Supreme Court will strike down the remaining state bans on same-sex marriage, Religious Right leaders are preparing their response.
In a conference call with other movement figures, Dobson was steadfast in his opposition [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/james-dobson-gay-marriage-will-lead-civil-war ]. If the Supreme Court strikes down the state bans and states across the country fail to convene “a state constitutional convention to re-examine the Constitution” on marriage, Dobson warned, “we’re going to see a general collapse in the next decade or two.”
Worse, Dobson said, there could be a war: “Talk about a Civil War, we could have another one over this.”
[audio ( https://soundcloud.com/rightwingwatch/dobson-civil-war-on-horizon-if-scotus-backs-marriage-equality ) embedded]
This style of apocalyptic rhetoric surrounding the Supreme Court’s upcoming decision is not uncommon in a movement whose leaders are preparing to commit civil disobedience and calling on states to defy the court if it issues a broad ruling in favor of marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples.
Manhattan Declaration
The Religious Right’s current strategy in the fight against marriage equality — claiming to be the real victims while making wild warnings about imminent anti-Christian persecution — was previewed in the 2009 signing of the Manhattan Declaration and the campaign against the Shepard-Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act the same year.
Warning that America is on the brink of turning into a Nazi-like state where religious freedom is a thing of the past, a group of Roman Catholic and evangelical leaders, including prominent Religious Right figures, signed The Manhattan Declaration [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/topics/manhattan-declaration ], pledging their commitment to civil disobedience in the face of what they described as the tyranny of gay rights laws and legal abortion.
Signers asserted that supporters of gay marriage and abortion rights are bent on trampling their religious freedoms. They compared themselves to Christian martyrs, civil rights leaders like Martin Luther, resisters to Nazi tyranny [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/manhattan-martyrdom-declaration-dobson-vows-leave-america ], heavenly angels [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/manhattan-declaration-press-conference-little-glimpse-heaven ] and the signers of the Declaration of Independence [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/manhattan-declaration-were-all-courageous-heroes ]. One of the declaration’s architects, the late Religious Right leader Chuck Colson, worried [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/manhattan-declaration-press-conference-little-glimpse-heaven ] that Christians in America would soon end up in jail [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/youre-all-going-jail-friendly-warning-charles-colson-southern-baptist-convention ], while Dobson wondered [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/manhattan-martyrdom-declaration-dobson-vows-leave-america ] if Americans will be forced to “leave this beloved country and spend the rest of our lives in exile.”
That same year, Religious Right activists launched a relentless, but unsuccessful, campaign against the Shepard-Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which expanded the federal hate crimes law to include crimes motivated by the victim’s sexual orientation or gender identity. The Right alleged that the bill [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/5-years-after-passage-hate-crimes-law-religious-rights-dire-predictions-still-havent-come-tr ] would criminalize Christian teachings and the Bible, throw pastors in jail, quash free speech and legalize pedophilia and other illegal sex acts. In the five years following the law’s enactment, none of the wild predictions [ http://www.pfaw.org/rww-in-focus/senate-prepares-to-take-hate-crimes-bill-far-right-s-inflammatory-claims-should-not-be- ] about its effects have come close to materializing. But that hasn’t stopped the Religious Right from recycling the very same discredited claims to warn against nationwide marriage equality.
For example, Rick Scarborough [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/rick-scarborough ], a prominent Texas pastor and activist with close ties to politicians including Sen. Ted Cruz [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/ted-cruz/ted-cruz , http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/ted-cruz ], has repeated his unfounded claims [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/ted-cruz-agrees-pastors-may-soon-be-hauled-jail-hate-crime ] about the 2009 hate crimes act almost verbatim when discussing the potential dangers of legalizing same-sex marriage. As did Mike Huckabee, who told pastors [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/mike-huckabee-defends-ex-gay-therapy-warns-gay-rights-will-outlaw-christianity-god-help-us-a (the item just above)] on a conference call that preaching against homosexuality will be criminalized. Just this month, Scarborough warned that if gay couples are no longer barred from marriage, preaching from the Bible will become a crime [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/scarborough-gay-marriage-will-make-it-illegal-share-gospel ] and anti-gay conservatives will be thrown [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/rick-scarborough-congressmen-back-plan-go-jail-defy-gay-marriage ] in [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/james-dobson-does-not-understand-bisexuality-thats-orgies ] jail [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/rick-scarborough-conservatives-must-fight-until-we-die-against-gay-marriage ]. Five years ago, he made almost exactly the same dire warning [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/5-years-after-passage-hate-crimes-law-religious-rights-dire-predictions-still-havent-come-tr ] about the hate crimes act.
Influential Religious Right groups including the American Renewal Project [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/organizations/american-renewal-project ], led by GOP organizer David Lane [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/david-lane ], and the Family Research Council are asking pastors to tell their congregations that marriage equality could bring about the end of freedom [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/meet-david-lane-anti-gay-christian-nation-extremist-rnc ] and, according to Lane, “a complete moral breakdown [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/christian-nation-activist-david-lane-asks-pastors-pray-anti-marriage-equality-miracle ].” Lane has previously warned that legal equality for LGBT people will eventually lead to America’s “utter destruction” and even terrorist attacks [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/meet-david-lane-anti-gay-christian-nation-extremist-rnc ].
Others have taken to likening themselves to Jews living in Nazi Germany [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/barber-staver-cal-state-persecuting-christians-nazis-did-jews ] and African Americans during the Jim Crow era [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/fischer-opposition-arizonas-legal-discrimination-law-jim-crow-discrimination-against-christi ].
The Religious Right’s apocalyptic rhetoric about marriage equality has only become more incendiary as many of the ban’s defenders begin to expect that they will lose at the Supreme Court.
Nazi Germany, Jim Crow comparisons
Increasingly, Religious Right leaders have been portraying the push for equal rights for the LGBT community as a fascist, Nazi-style movement that will usher in a wave of oppression. And much like how Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement resisted Jim Crow, these activists argue, conservatives must also defy gay rights laws that they view as equally if not more oppressive.
Bryan Fischer [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/bryan-fischer ], the conservative radio host and former American Family Association [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/organizations/american-family-association ] spokesman, regularly claims that gay people are modern-day [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/fischer-gay-activists-are-modern-day-nazi-stormtroopers ] Nazis [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/fischer-gays-are-nazis ] and to blame for the rise of Nazism in Germany [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/fischer-gays-responsible-nazi-party ], asserting that Adolf Hitler [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/afas-fischer-outdoes-himself ] was “an active homosexual” who recruited gays into his cause because “homosexual soldiers basically had no limits and the savagery and brutality they were willing to inflict on whomever Hitler sent them after.”
Family Research Council President Tony Perkins [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/tony-perkins ] has also wondered when gay rights supporters will “start rolling out the boxcars to start hauling off Christians [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/tony-perkins-says-gay-rights-advocates-want-anti-christian-holocaust-will-start-rolling-out- ].”
[audio ( https://soundcloud.com/rightwingwatch/perkins-holocaust-against-christians-by-gays-in-the-making ) embedded]
Mat Staver [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/mat-staver ], chairman of the conservative legal advocacy group Liberty Counsel [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/organizations/liberty-counsel ], has likened a potential pro-equality Supreme Court ruling to the infamous Dred Scott decision [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/staver-supreme-court-pro-marriage-ruling-would-deserve-no-more-respect-dred-scott ] and urged people to defy such a ruling [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/mat-staver-will-disobey-scotus-marriage-equality-ruling-just-hed-refuse-turn-jew-over-nazis ] just as they would “if the government forced you turn over a Jew in Nazi Germany.” Staver, who has warned about the prospect of “forced homosexuality [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/mat-staver-accuses-obama-backing-forced-abortion-funding-and-forced-homosexuality ]” and repeatedly [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/mat-staver-demonic-gay-rights-advocates-are-acting-terrorists ] compared [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/mat-staver-gays-just-hamas-terrorists ] gays to terrorists, insists [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/barber-and-staver-fight-against-gay-marriage-next-civil-rights-movement ] that the Supreme Court could spark a new Civil Rights Movement, this time to oppose gay rights [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/mat-staver-second-american-revolution-needed-stop-gay-marriage ].
An alarming number of anti-gay activists have compared themselves to Dietrich Bonhoeffer [ http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2015/04/14/3646532/conservatives-comparing-anti-lgbt-crusade-pastors-attempt-assassinate-hitler/ ], a Lutheran theologian who was executed for defying Nazi rule. “This is a Dietrich Bonhoeffer moment for every preacher in America,” Scarborough told participants [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/rick-scarborough-conservatives-must-fight-until-we-die-against-gay-marriage ] in the recent activist conference call hosted by Dobson. Staver offered a similar message to conservatives [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/mat-staver-demonic-gay-rights-advocates-are-acting-terrorists ] in a recent radio interview: “This is a Bonhoeffer moment.”
David Lane has said that Christians in America “must risk martyrdom [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/republican-presidential-hopefuls-favorite-christian-nation-extremist ]” over the issue of marriage equality. Likewise, American Family Association governmental affairs director Sandy Rios [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/sandy-rios ] has repeatedly [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/sandy-rios-you-must-prepare-martyrdom-if-gay-marriage-becomes-legal ] urged [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/sandy-rios-tells-conservative-christians-prepare-martyrdom ] opponents of gay rights to “prepare for martyrdom.”
Conservative pundit Glenn Beck [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/glenn-beck-0 ] told his show’s viewers this year that gay rights advocacy is leading to concentration camps [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/beck-criticism-indianas-religious-freedom-law-will-lead-concentration-camps ] and “a Christian holocaust [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/beck-modern-day-nazis-are-leading-inquisition-will-become-christian-holocaust ].” Other conservative commentators have similarly suggested that gay people are pushing for anti-Christian persecution [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/barber-criticism-indiana-law-laying-groundwork-nazi-persecution-christians ] and genocide [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/conservative-columnist-warns-imminent-genocide-christians-us ].
The persecution theme seems to have struck a chord. Leading GOP figures including Sen. Rand Paul [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/rand-paul-0 ] of Kentucky and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, along with several Republican congressmen, all appear in a film [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/republican-leaders-join-anti-gay-extremists-insane-documentary ] to be released this year that alleges that the gay rights movement plans to outlaw Christianity [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/sen-rand-paul-and-gop-congressmen-appear-new-trailer-anti-gay-documentary ]. Huckabee has repeatedly [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/mike-huckabee-gay-marriage-lies-reminiscent-nazi-germany ] invoked [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/mike-huckabee-abortion-rights-worse-nazi-holocaust-gay-marriage-dooms-america ] Nazi tyranny while discussing gay rights, and even said that the gay community seeks to ultimately destroy churches and the Gospel [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/mike-huckabee-gay-community-wont-rest-until-there-are-no-more-churches ]. Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz accused gay rights supporters of waging a “jihad” against freedom [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/ted-cruz-gay-community-waging-jihad-against-religious-freedom , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmoGgziNTS0 (next below, as embedded; with comments)].
Even more frequently, anti-gay activists maintain that gay rights will usher in a new form of slavery and Jim Crow.
“Apparently someone forgot to tell the Stormtroopers in the homosexual movement about the Civil War, the Civil Rights Movement, and freedom of both will and conscience,” Fischer said [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/paranoia-rama-gays-invading-disney-world-obamacare-worse-911-very-evil-sex-ed ] last year. “The leaders of the Gay Gestapo have become our new slave masters. They can now send us to the hole if we refuse the massa’s demands.”
Fischer has also charged that gay rights measures violate the constitutional ban on slavery [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/bryan-fischer-clarifying-indianas-religious-freedom-law-will-lead-slavery ], and even declared [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/fischer-gay-jim-crow-laws-mean-christians-are-new-blacks ] that as a result of gay rights, “Jim Crow is alive and well, we’ve got Jim Crow laws right back in operation, Christians are the new blacks.”
Some activists are calling for an anti-gay [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/barber-and-staver-fight-against-gay-marriage-next-civil-rights-movement ] version [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/far-right-pundit-we-need-anti-gay-rosa-parks-martin-luther-king-jr ] of [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/anti-gay-activists-we-need-our-rosa-parks ] Rosa Parks. One even suggested that gay marriage opponents should follow in the footsteps of the “sidewalk counselors [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/anti-gay-activists-we-need-our-rosa-parks ]” who stand outside of abortion clinics in order to dissuade women from entering.
Brian Brown [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/brian-brown ], the head of the National Organization for Marriage [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/organizations/national-organization-for-marriage ], has similarly claimed that gay rights advocates are practicing an “anti-religious” version of Jim Crow [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/brian-brown-gay-rights-activists-reviving-jim-crown-anti-christian-bigotry ], while Fox News pundit and RedState editor Erick Erickson [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/erick-erickson ] has said [ http://mediamatters.org/blog/2014/08/08/foxs-erick-erickson-countries-with-marriage-equ/200366 ] that “gay rights activists use the tactics of Bull Connor to push for what they declare civil rights.”
Revolution
Perkins, the Family Research Council leader, is one of the most visible and vocal figures in the Religious Right, frequently appearing on national television and hosting his own daily radio show. Perkins also organizes an annual conference, the Values Voter Summit, which brings top Republican politicians together with Religious Right activists. But despite his veneer of respectability, Perkins is just as extreme as activists considered to be on the far-right fringe: He has spoken out in defense of Uganda’s “kill the gays” measure [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/why-would-mainstream-conservative-think-tank-praise-kill-gays-law ] and called gay rights supporters Satanic [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/perkins-gay-activists-are-intolerant-hateful-vile-spiteful-pawns-devil ], among other things [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/congressman-tony-perkins ].
Perkins has also taken to warning that if the Supreme Court sides with marriage equality advocates, the U.S. will see a full-blown revolution.
Perkins warned [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/perkins-if-scotus-legalizes-gay-marriage-it-could-lead-revolution , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xH4PE2QcVp8 (below, as embedded; with coments)] in 2012 that if the Supreme Court were to strike down same-sex marriage bans throughout the country, “I’m telling you what, I think you will create a firestorm of opposition. I think that could be the straw that broke the camel’s back, when you look at a nation that is so divided along these moral and cultural issues that you could have — I hate to use the word — a revolt, a revolution. I think you could see Americans saying, ‘you know what, enough of this,’ and I think it could explode and just break this nation apart.”
“They’re sowing the seeds of the dissolution of our republic,” Perkins said of gay marriage supporters [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/tony-perkins-says-marriage-equality-will-lead-dissolution-republic ] in 2014. “I think there’s coming a point that they’re going to push Christians to a point where they’re not going to be pushed anymore, and I think we’re very quickly coming to that point.”
As the Supreme Court considered a pair of marriage cases in 2013, Perkins said that the threat of a revolution [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/perkins-revolution-possible-if-court-goes-too-far-marriage-equality-cases ] may keep the justices from striking down same-sex marriage bans:
I believe the court will push as far as they think they can without creating a social upheaval or a political upheaval in this country. They’re smart people, I think, they understand how organizations and how societies work and if you get your substructure out of kilter with the superstructure, if you get government out of whack with where the people are and it goes too far, you create revolution. I think you could see a social and cultural revolution if the court goes too far on this.
Just last month, Perkins again predicted that the Supreme Court could trigger an uprising [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/tony-perkins-gay-marriage-ruling-will-trigger-uprising ] with a ruling in favor of marriage equality: “If the court imposes upon the nation a redefinition of marriage, I don’t think the nation is going to accept it, I absolutely don’t, and the conflict that is going to come as a result of it.”
Perkins may not find much support [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/tony-perkins-will-have-lonely-revolution-against-gay-marriage ] for his anti-gay revolution from the public at large, but he may find his some willing participants in his fellow Religious Right leaders.
Liberty Counsel founder Mathew Staver has claimed that a Supreme Court ruling favorable to marriage equality would take the country “back to the days of the American Revolution [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/mat-staver-second-american-revolution-needed-stop-gay-marriage ]” and create the “groundswell of a potential new American Revolution [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/staver-were-seeing-beginning-groundswell-potential-new-american-revolution ].”
“Martin Luther [King] was always speaking of non-violent protest and I would hope that’s what we would do here but you never know what happens,” he cautioned.
Staver warns that an adverse Supreme Court ruling, along with President Obama’s pro-gay-rights policies [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/barber-staver-obama-pushing-america-toward-civil-war ] and the possible passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/staver-enda-will-incite-revolution-turn-restrooms-free-alls ], would have [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/staver-scotus-ruling-marriage-equality-will-have-catastrophic-consequence-human-existence ] “catastrophic consequence[s] for our religious freedom, for the very function of the family, for marriage, for our human existence, for civil society and for any area of our liberty.”
“The church and people of faith and values need to rise up” against such a ruling, he said [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/staver-church-must-rise-if-supreme-court-backs-marriage-equality ] in 2013. “We just simply cannot allow this to become the law of the land.”
The previous year, Staver warned that marriage equality “could be the unraveling of the United States” and trigger a civil war [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/staver-supreme-court-could-spark-second-revolution-and-civil-war-over-marriage-equality ]:
This is the thing that revolutions literally are made of. This would be more devastating to our freedom, to our religious freedom, to the rights of pastors and their duty to be able to speak and to Christians around the country, then anything that the revolutionaries during the American Revolution even dreamed of facing. This would be the thing that revolutions are made of. This could split the country right in two. This could cause another civil war. I’m not talking about just people protesting in the streets, this could be that level because what would ultimately happen is a direct collision would immediately happen with pastors, with churches, with Christians, with Christian ministries, with other businesses, it would be an avalanche that would go across the country.
After the Supreme Court struck down a key portion of DOMA, Staver declared that the country was “crossing into the realm of rebellion, we’re crossing into the realm of revolution.”
The Alabama Example
After the Supreme Court’s Windsor decision led to a string of federal court decisions striking down bans on same-sex marriage, Religious Right leaders pleaded for governors and other state officials to openly flout the rulings.
Perkins said that states should not “listen to these courts” that make decisions “inconsistent with scripture [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/tony-perkins-marriage-equality-rulings-will-throw-our-country-tailspin ].” Staver agreed, claiming that the states must defy any court which has “literally lost their mind [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/mat-staver-homosexuality-very-deadly-and-damaging ].”
Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor and presidential candidate, said state and local officials should simply refuse to enforce such rulings [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/huckabee-urges-states-ignore-rulings-marriage-equality-abortion-rights-church-state-separati ], explaining: “Well, the courts have spoken and it’s an important voice, but it’s not the voice of God and the Supreme Court isn’t God.”
[audio ( https://soundcloud.com/rightwingwatch/huckabee-states-should-ignore-roe-v-wade-marriage-equality-rulings ) embedded]
Finally, they found their answer in Roy Moore [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/roy-moore ], the elected chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court.
Moore emerged as a conservative hero over a decade ago, when he defied orders to remove a Ten Commandments monument that he installed in the courthouse rotunda during his previous term as chief justice. When the standoff eventually led to Moore losing his post, he parlayed his newfound fame into two unsuccessful gubernatorial campaigns and even a presidential “exploratory committee.” Moore also launched his own far-right legal advocacy group, the Foundation for Moral Law [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/organizations/foundation-for-moral-law ].
Moore returned to the court after winning a statewide election in 2012 and two years later, he once again made national headlines when he ordered state probate judges, who are responsible for issuing marriage licenses, to disregard a Bush-appointed federal judge’s decision striking down the state’s ban on same-sex marriage. Moore demanded that the state flout the ruling, saying that it had no need to implement the decision.
Moore has contended that gay marriage will “destroy the very foundation on which this country was built [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/roy-moore-evolution-and-gay-marriage-incompatible-constitution ]” and “destroy this country [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/roy-moore-warns-government-determined-destroy-country ],” warning that the country will “suffer” divine judgment for embracing Satanic gay rights [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/moore-god-punishing-america-sins-abortion-and-gay-marriage ]. “No society is prepared to deal with the problems arising out of same-sex marriages: child abuse, adoption, divorce, foster care, alimony, and the list could go on and on,” Moore told one anti-marriage-equality rally [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/alabamas-notorious-anti-gay-chief-justice-wants-state-defy-federal-courts-marriage ]. In his prior stint as chief justice, he wrote that homosexuality is an “inherent evil” and “criminal lifestyle” [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/roy-moore-2002-homosexuality-evil-abhorrent-and-destructive-criminal-lifestyle ] that “should never be tolerated.”
Insisting that his personal reading of the Bible trumps the federal court’s ruling [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/roy-moores-showdown-courts-over-gay-marriage-tied-work-neo-confederate-leader ], Moore believes that any decision which contravenes his understanding of God’s law [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/roy-moore-institution-marriage-god-ordained-under-sustained-attack-federal-judges ] is inherently unconstitutional since the Constitution, he claims, is based on divine precepts.
His case against marriage equality is simple [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/roy-moore-will-stop-alabama-turning-sodom-and-gomorrah ]: “Homosexuality is wrong and we all know it. Marriage of the same sex is wrong and we all know it.” Moore’s legal advocacy organization, now led by his wife, defended his order to probate judges by explaining [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/anti-lgbt-groups-cheer-roy-moores-standoff-federal-courts ] that “homosexual conduct is still sin, and we must stand firm for what is right.”
Conservative politicians hailed Moore. The head of the Alabama GOP thanked Moore for saving the state from God’s wrath [ http://algop.org/alabama-dare-defend-rights/ ]; Religious Right preacher Cindy Jacobs [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/cindy-jacobs ] said God had told her [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/roy-moores-acolytes-5-ways-anti-gay-activists-have-lionized-alabamas-chief-justice ] that He is using Moore “to reverse what Satan has done”; NOM’s Brian Brown praised Moore’s “principled stand” against “tyranny” [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/nom-praises-roy-moore-standing-against-judicial-tyranny-marriage ]; and Bryan Fischer said that Moore acted “in the finest tradition of Martin Luther King, Jr. [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/fischer-roy-moore-modern-day-martin-luther-king-jr ]” by "waging the civil rights battle of this decade.”
Moore took his show to the road, telling a rally in Texas [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/roy-moore-hopes-he-doesnt-have-sacrifice-his-life-stop-gay-marriage ] held in his honor that he hopes he will not have to “give his life” in the fight against gay marriage. He warned at a Family Research Council event [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/roy-moore-scotus-gay-marriage-ruling-paves-way-government-take-your-children ] that the government will soon legalize “parent-and-child” marriages and justify “taking your children simply by the same logic they’re following.”
“Christians need to stand up and do their duty to God as their duty to their country,” he said.
Some Republicans and their allies in the Religious Right hope that Moore’s defiant stance will serve as a model for the rest of the country.
A bill introduced in Texas [ http://www.texasobserver.org/bill-aims-to-bar-texas-clerks-from-issuing-same-sex-marriage-licenses/ ] not only declares that the state does not have to follow any U.S. Supreme Court ruling on marriage equality, but it goes one step further by blocking funding for the issuance of marriage licenses to same-sex couples. The bill would go so far as to punish state employees who issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, barring such employees from “a salary, pension, or other employee benefit.”
In North Carolina, a group of Republican lawmakers want to create a religious exemption [ http://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2015/02/24/lawmakers-say-court-officials-able-avoid-marriage-duties-due-religious-beliefs/23939067/ ] for officials in charge of issuing marriage licenses who don’t want to follow a recent court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage. Staver’s group, Liberty Counsel, filed a lawsuit [ http://libertycounsel.com/breaking-news-liberty-counsel-defends-magistrates-facing-jail/ ] “requesting emergency protection from the state courts for any magistrate who refuses to issue a marriage license to a same-sex couple.”
GOP lawmakers in Oklahoma reacted to a court ruling striking down their state’s marriage ban by proposing a bill which would remove any judge [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/oklahoma-advances-extremist-lawmakers-bill-fire-any-clerk-who-follows-gay-marriage-rulings ] who issues a marriage license to a same-sex couple and deny salaries, benefits and pensions to any state employees involved in marrying gay couples. Another bill in Oklahoma would remove judges from the marriage licenses process altogether [ https://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/it-s-a-scandal-it-s-an-outrage-oklahoma-legislator-wants-to-restrict ] and instead restrict marriage duties to “an ordained or authorized preacher or minister of the Gospel, priest or other ecclesiastical dignitary of any denomination who has been duly ordained or authorized by the church to which he or she belongs to preach the Gospel, or a rabbi.”
End of the Line
While social conservative leaders have mostly focused on the purported repercussions of a decision that they see as unfavorable, they also have a plan in case the court sides with their arguments: demand that states roll back same-sex marriage rights and re-impose bans [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/anti-gay-activists-vow-repeal-marriage-equality-laws-across-country-if-they-win-scotus ] previously removed by the voters, lawmakers or courts.
For now, though, right-wing leaders will be focused on doing what they always do: misleading their supporters about the so-called dangers of gay rights, making reckless charges of religious persecution, and supporting unconstitutional means to promote their discriminatory goals.
However, Dobson and his allies do see the silver lining of legal gay marriage. In a conversation with Dobson the week before the Supreme Court’s oral arguments in the marriage cases, pastor Jim Garlow [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/jim-garlow ] and former National Organization for Marriage president Maggie Gallagher [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/maggie-gallagher ] predicted that Americans will ultimately reject gay marriage once the country experiences its horrible consequences; that is, if America is able to survive that long [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/anti-gay-activists-reduced-hoping-future-generations-will-repeal-gay-marriage-if-america-sur ].
© 2015 People For the American Way
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/revolution-anti-gay-activists-threaten-uprising-if-supreme-court-approves-marriage-equality
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Santorum & Huckabee Join Anti-Gay Extremists In Vowing To Resist Marriage Equality Ruling
Submitted by Miranda Blue on Friday, 4/24/2015 2:05 pm
Likely GOP presidential candidates Rick Santorum [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/rick-santorum ] and Mike Huckabee have joined more than 200 anti-gay activists in signing a pledge [ http://defendmarriage.org/signers ] vowing to resist any Supreme Court ruling in favor of marriage equality.
The pledge, which was co-written by Mat Staver of the right-wing legal group Liberty Counsel [ http://www.lc.org/index.cfm?PID=14100&PRID=1543 ] and Deacon Keith Fournier [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/keith-fournier ], a Catholic activist who recently argued that marriage equality is quite literally an attack of the Devil [ https://stream.org/attack-marriage-diabolical/ ], recycles the language of a similar document circulated by right-wing groups when the Supreme Court took up a previous set of marriage cases in 2013. Staver and a number of other activists introduced the current pledge at a press conference this morning [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/rick-scarborough-dismisses-growing-support-marriage-equality-likening-it-support-segregation ].
Along with Huckabee and Santorum, signers include former House GOP leader Tom Delay; big players in the Religious Right including John Hagee, Samuel Rodriguez [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/samuel-rodriguez ] and Focus on the Family’s James Dobson; and fringe anti-gay activists including Peter LaBarbera [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/peter-labarbera ], Matt Barber [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/matt-barber ], Cindy Jacobs, Linda Harvey [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/linda-harvey ] and Bradlee Dean [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/bradlee-dean ].
Comparing any sweeping decision in favor of marriage equality to the Dred Scott case, the activists vow that they will not recognize such a decision and indicate that they would try to convince national and state executive branches not to enforce it.
The full text of the pledge [ http://defendmarriage.org/pledge-in-solidarity-to-defend-marriage ]:
We stand together in defense of marriage and the family and society founded upon them. While we come from a variety of communities and hold differing faith perspectives, we are united in our common affirmation of marriage.
On the matter of marriage, we stand in solidarity. We affirm that marriage and family have been inscribed by the Divine Architect into the order of Creation. Marriage is ontologically between one man and one woman, ordered toward the union of the spouses, open to children and formative of family. Family is the first vital cell of society, the first government, and the first mediating institution of our social order. The future of a free and healthy society passes through marriage and the family.
Marriage as existing solely between one man and one woman precedes civil government. Though affirmed, fulfilled, and elevated by faith, the truth that marriage can exist only between one man and one woman is not based on religion or revelation alone, but on the Natural Law, written on the human heart and discernible through the exercise of reason. It is part of the natural created order. The Natural Law is what Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., referred to as a higher law or a just law in his famous Letter from Birmingham Jail.
Marriage is the preeminent and the most fundamental of all human social institutions. Civil institutions do not create marriage nor can they manufacture a right to marry for those who are incapable of marriage. Society begins with marriage and the family.
We pledge to stand together to defend marriage for what it is, a bond between one man and one woman, intended for life, and open to the gift of children.
The institutions of civil government should defend marriage and not seek to undermine it. Government has long regulated marriage for the true common good. Examples, such as the age of consent, demonstrate such a proper regulation to ensure the free and voluntary basis of the marriage bond. Redefining the very institution of marriage is improper and outside the authority of the State. No civil institution, including the United States Supreme Court or any court, has authority to redefine marriage.
As citizens united together, we will not stand by while the destruction of the institution of marriage unfolds in this nation we love. The effort to redefine marriage threatens the essential foundation of the family.
Experience and history have shown us that if the government redefines marriage to grant a legal equivalency to same-sex couples, that same government will then enforce such an action with the police power of the State. This will bring about an inevitable collision with religious freedom and conscience rights. The precedent established will leave no room for any limitation on what can constitute such a redefined notion of marriage or human sexuality. We cannot and will not allow this to occur on our watch. Religious freedom is the first freedom in the American experiment for good reason.
Conferring a moral and legal equivalency to any relationship other than marriage between a man and a woman, by legislative or judicial fiat, sends the message that children do not need a mother and a father. As a policy matter, such unions convey the message that moms and dads are completely irrelevant to the well-being of children. Such a policy statement is unconscionable and destructive. Authorizing the legal equivalency of marriage to same-sex couples undermines the fundamental rights of children and threatens their security, stability, and future.
Neither the United States Supreme Court nor any court has authority to redefine marriage and thereby weaken both the family and society. Unlike the Legislative Branch that has the power of the purse and the Executive Branch which has the figurative power of the sword, the Judicial Branch has neither. It must depend upon the Executive Branch for the enforcement of its decisions.
As the Supreme Court acknowledged in the 1992 decision of Planned Parenthood v. Casey, its power rests solely upon the legitimacy of its decisions in the eyes of the people. If the decisions of the Court are not based on the Constitution and reason, and especially if they are contrary to the natural created order, then the people will lose confidence in the Court as an objective arbiter of the law. If the people lose respect for the Court, the Court’s authority will be diminished.
The Supreme Court was wrong when it denied Dred Scott his rights and said, “blacks are inferior human beings.” And the Court was wrong when Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes wrote in Buck v. Bell, “three generations of imbeciles are enough,” thus upholding Virginia’s eugenics law that permitted forced sterilization. Shamefully, that decision was cited during the Nuremburg trials to support the Nazi eugenic holocaust.
In these earlier cases, the definition of “human” was at issue. Now the definition of “marriage” is at issue. The Constitution does not grant a right to redefine marriage — which is nonsensical since marriage intrinsically involves a man and a woman. Nor does the Constitution prohibit states from affirming the natural created order of male and female joined together in marriage.
We will view any decision by the Supreme Court or any court the same way history views the Dred Scott and Buck v. Bell decisions. Our highest respect for the rule of law requires that we not respect an unjust law that directly conflicts with higher law. A decision purporting to redefine marriage flies in the face of the Constitution and is contrary to the natural created order. As people of faith we pledge obedience to our Creator when the State directly conflicts with higher law. We respectfully warn the Supreme Court not to cross this line.
We stand united together in defense of marriage. Make no mistake about our resolve. While there are many things we can endure, redefining marriage is so fundamental to the natural order and the common good that this is the line we must draw and one we cannot and will not cross.
© 2015 People For the American Way
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/santorum-huckabee-join-anti-gay-extremists-vowing-resist-marriage-equality-ruling
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Devil-fearing mum faces life in jail for drowning girl during 'exorcism'
DEVIL-FEARING: Tamara Artemova drowned her daughter during a makeshift exorcism after becoming convinced she was possessed by Satan
[CEN]
LIFE SENTENCE: Artemova faces years behind bars if she is found to be sane following psychiatric evaluation
[CEN]
A MUM who drowned her young daughter after becoming convinced she was possessed by Satan is facing life behind bars.
By Siba Jackson / Published 30th April 2015
Devil-fearing Tamara Artemova carried out the makeshift exorcism on Natella, three, in the bathroom at their apartment in Russia.
Artemova, 40, told cops how she filled the bath with “holy water” in a bid to “wash the devil away” after seeing “hate” in her daughter’s eyes.
Natella’s lifeless body was discovered by Artemova’s horrified husband, Borys, 45, when he returned from work.
The tragic tot was rushed to hospital but docs were unable to save her.
Prosecutors told a court in central Russia: "When questioned the woman said she had been trying to exorcise the girl's demons because she was possessed.
"She said that she had filled the bath with holy water and hoped that if the girl drank enough it would wash the devil away.”
Shocked neighbour Nail Abdulov, 54, told how mum-of-three Artemova had become “obsessed” with Natella, her youngest child.
Mr Abdulov said: "She kept saying the Devil had taken control of the girl and that she was evil.
"I once asked her why she thought so and she said the girl had 'hate in her eyes'."
Artemova denies murder and has been sent for psychiatric evaluation.
If found to be sane, she faces life in jail for infanticide.
A police spokesman said: "When arrested she showed no remorse for what she had done, although she said she hadn't meant to kill her."
Copyright ©2015 Northern and Shell Media Publications
http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/439510/Devil-fearing-mum-faces-life-in-jail-for-drowning-girl-during-exorcism [with comments]
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Right-Wing Pundits: Obama Persecuting Bachmann With 'End Times' Joke
Submitted by Brian Tashman on Tuesday, 4/28/2015 10:50 am
At the White House Correspondents Dinner this weekend, President Obama made a joke [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyGLOT9Ewhk&t=307 (next below; the particular joke beginning at the 5:07 mark; with comments)]
“The blood moons of 2014 and 2015 are forewarnings of what is to come in 2016,” author Mark Blitz [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/mark-biltz ] told WND. “President Obama, I believe, was only half joking when he made his comments.”
Another Religious Right commentator, Carl Gallups, said, “Regardless of how uncomfortable Bachmann’s comments might have made some feel, the biblical fact is that when a nation turns its back on Israel and at the same time celebrates, promotes, and legalizes homosexual marriage it is inviting end of days judgment upon itself.”
Radio host Jan Markell, on whose show Bachmann made the remarks, at least saw the bright side of Obama’s joke, telling WND: “God has His way of getting out a message about the end-of-days scenario.”
“The Bible is filled with exciting information about living life today and in the future, both in this life and in the life to come,” Bachmann told WND. “Any message that brings people closer to God’s wonderful plans for our lives is a good thing.
“God’s word is true and brings freedom and wholeness to all who read it and believe in Him.”
...
“Rarely has this nation witnessed the kind of hubris, arrogance and callousness as we did at the President’s Correspondents Dinner. President Obama and his left-wing supporters in the media think it is absolutely hilarious that his policies could have fostered in an apocalyptic atmosphere in the earth,” said Richardson, author of New York Times-bestseller “The Islamic Antichrist” and director of the film “End Times Eye Witness.”
...
“I am rarely offended by good humor, especially upon consideration of the context in which it is spoken. But I think what is unnerving about Obama to so many Christians is his consistent mocking of Christianity, the scriptures, the basic Christian message, and even the Judeo-Christian heritage of America. A quick search on Google reveals the veracity of these concerns,” said Gallups, author of “The Final Warning: Understanding the Trumpet Days of Revelation.”
...
Markell said she has known Bachmann for 20 years as a woman whose primary goal is “glorifying God and getting people into the Kingdom.”
“To see her hammered and trashed by the left, and even some on the right such as ‘The Christian Post,’ is very grievous,” said Markell, co-author of “Trapped In Hitler’s Hell” with Holocaust survivor Anita Dittman, which has also been made into a film.
“What is there about a godly Christian woman that is so offensive to so many today when they are simply telling the truth as Michele is?”
But two solid weeks of trash talking has accomplished more to get Bachmann’s message out than any single interview on a Christian radio station ever could, Markell said.
“God has His way of getting out a message about the end-of-days scenario. If he has to use a donkey such as the left-wing outfits that have trashed Michele for two weeks, then I thank God for His creativity,” she said. “One way or another, He will get His message out that He is coming soon. I am thankful that Michele Bachmann and I, who have teamed up for many years, can be used in this manner. God is calling all watchmen on the wall.”
Joseph Farah, WND founder, chief editor and CEO, believes Obama’s mocking of Bachmann is just the latest example of his disdain for anyone who actually believes what he reads in the Bible and is willing to discuss it publicly.
“Michele Bachmann, like me, was profoundly impacted by the stunning revelations of the New York Times-bestseller ‘The Harbinger’ by Jonathan Cahn about the way America has been inadvertently re-enacting an ancient script written and played out during the fall of Israel,” Farah said.
“To Obama and most other non-Christians, this is just silly superstitious stuff – the kind of thing you make jokes about for cheap laughs at the White House Correspondents Dinner. But remember who the cheap laughs come from – people who look at what Obama has done over the last six years and see success, progress, achievement, prosperity, wisdom. If that’s what you see in Obama’s America, then you will surely think it’s funny that the nation is threatened by God’s judgment for disobedience and turning from His ways.
“Time will tell who is right – and I don’t think it will be a long time before we know,” Farah added.
...
“Regardless of how uncomfortable Bachmann’s comments might have made some feel, the biblical fact is that when a nation turns its back on Israel and at the same time celebrates, promotes, and legalizes homosexual marriage it is inviting end of days judgment upon itself,” Gallups added. “The Word of God is clear concerning these matters.”
...
“Michele Bachmann is absolutely right that the church needs to be like the sons of Issachar who had an understandings of the times so they knew what Israel ought to do,” Biltz said. He said the church needs to “wake up to the times we are in,” as 2016 “will be one of the most pivotal years in prophetic history. The blood moons of 2014 and 2015 are forewarnings of what is to come in 2016. President Obama, I believe, was only half joking when he made his comments.”
© 2015 People For the American Way
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/right-wing-pundits-obama-persecuting-bachmann-end-times-joke
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Mat Staver: Anti-Gay Activists, Like Rosa Parks, Won't 'Walk To The Back Of The Bus'
Submitted by Brian Tashman on Friday, 5/1/2015 10:40 am
On Tuesday’s edition of Voice of Christian Youth America (VCY America) [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/organizations/voice-christian-youth-america-vcy-america ]'s “Crosstalk [ http://www.vcyamerica.org/blog/2015/04/28/marriage-on-trial-at-the-supreme-court ],” Liberty Counsel’s Mat Staver urged the owners of an Oregon bakery who were fined for violating the state’s non-discrimination law when they denied service to a gay customer to refuse to pay the fine in an act of civil disobedience against an “unjust law.”
“If the government wants to come in and put Rosa Parks on the back of the bus, Rosa Parks shouldn’t move to the back of the bus,” Staver said. “If they are wanting to take Christians and put you on the back of the bus because of your faith, you shouldn’t voluntarily walk to the back of the bus.”
[audio ( https://soundcloud.com/rightwingwatch/staver-need-anti-gay-rosa-parks ) embedded]
He also addressed claims that the arguments in favor of the same-sex marriage bans are similar to the ones made defending bans on interracial marriage [ http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2014/02/26/3333161/religious-liberty-racist-anti-gay/ ], which were also said to be based on moral, biblical teachings [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/frcs-craig-james-stumped-question-likening-gay-marriage-bans-anti-miscegenation-laws ] and not discriminatory in nature [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loving_v._Virginia#Decision ]. Staver dubiously suggested that while homosexuality “has always been, up until recently been, described through millennia of human history as a crime against nature,” racial bias is not rooted in history.
“There is nothing historically or throughout our long history of Judeo-Christianity that says that someone who’s got dark skin can’t marry someone who’s got white skin or lighter color skin. That’s never been rooted in our history, that’s never been rooted in natural law, that’s never been rooted in millennia of human history,” Staver said. “Marriage is objectively, to use a philosophical term, ontologically, the union of a man and a woman. If you can’t get that right, good grief, how can you be a judge on any court?”
When host Jim Schneider [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/jim-schneider ] asked Staver if he agrees with Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore’s claim that “same-sex marriage will be the ultimate destruction of our country,” Staver replied that he “100 percent agree[s].”
[audio ( https://soundcloud.com/rightwingwatch/staver-racism-not-rooted-in-history-unlike-anti-gay-bias ) embedded]
© 2015 People For the American Way
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/mat-staver-anti-gay-activists-rosa-parks-wont-walk-back-bus
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Institute On The Constitution Warns God Will Destroy America If SCOTUS Backs Gay Marriage
Submitted by Miranda Blue on Friday, 5/1/2015 11:20 am
Last month, the Institute on the Constitution [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/organizations/institute-constitution ], the Christian reconstructionist group [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/god-and-christian-reconstructionists-larry-klayman-s-revolution ] led by longtime Roy Moore ally [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/roy-moores-showdown-courts-over-gay-marriage-tied-work-neo-confederate-leader ] Michael Peroutka [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/ten-commandments-and-4300-year-old-dinosaur-michael-peroutka-s-web-christian-nation-influenc ], joined a Supreme Court amicus brief warning the justices that if they decide to strike down state-level bans on marriage equality, “it could bring God’s judgment on the Nation.”
IOC’s Jake MacAulay [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/jake-macauley ], who came to Peroutka’s group from the ministry of fiery Minnesota pastor Bradlee Dean [ http://www.bluestemprairie.com/bluestemprairie/2013/10/former-bradlee-dean-associate-jake-macaulay-still-working-for-institute-on-the-constitution.html ], drove home this point in a video this week [ http://www.theamericanview.com/is-the-supreme-court-the-god-of-marriage/ , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AlxTDIa3Kk (below, as embedded; with comments)], in which he warns that it would be “very wrong and very dangerous” for the Supreme Court to back marriage equality, because “to attempt to change that which is eternal and forever fixed by the Creator is to do nothing less than make the claim that you are God.”
“Psalm Two warns that when the judges and the rulers of the earth throw off God’s law and take it upon themselves to make their own rules for right and wrong, they will be dashed to pieces like a rod of iron striking a clay pot,” MacAulay warns. “Regrettably we seem to be setting ourselves up for this very lesson. Unless our government officials start obeying God and stop ‘playing god,’ this is a lesson we will experience fully.”
Now to attempt to change that which is eternal and forever fixed by the Creator is to do nothing less than make the claim that you are God. This is very wrong and very dangerous, and the Supreme Court of these United States is now considering taking this very same dangerous step.
While there are many conclusions that can be drawn as we witness this cultural degradation, one comes most immediately to my mind. When a culture discards the Word of God as the standard for what is right and what is wrong, and relegates these determinations to fallen men, the results are as predictable as they are terrible.
In the time of the founding of America, when a Biblical worldview was predominant in the American people, this connection between following the commandments and peaceable existence was clearly known, easily understood and evidentially experienced in the American culture. Undoubtedly, living prosperously by living righteously is what Jefferson meant when he used the phrase “pursuit of happiness”.
Psalm Two warns that when the judges and the rulers of the earth throw off God’s law and take it upon themselves to make their own rules for right and wrong, they will be dashed to pieces like a rod of iron striking a clay pot.
Regrettably we seem to be setting ourselves up for this very lesson. Unless our government officials start obeying God and stop “playing god,” this is a lesson we will experience fully.
© 2015 People For the American Way
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/institute-constitution-warns-god-will-destroy-america-if-scotus-backs-gay-marriage
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Alan Keyes: Gay Marriage Ruling A 'Just Cause For War'
Submitted by Brian Tashman on Friday, 5/1/2015 11:40 am
Joining other Religious Right activists [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/revolution-anti-gay-activists-threaten-uprising-if-supreme-court-approves-marriage-equality (above)] who warn that the Supreme Court will spark a civil [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/james-dobson-gay-marriage-will-lead-civil-war ] war [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/staver-supreme-court-could-spark-second-revolution-and-civil-war-over-marriage-equality ] if the it strikes down bans on same-sex marriage, Alan Keyes [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/alan-keyes ] writes [ http://www.wnd.com/2015/04/high-court-tool-of-tyrannical-elitist-prejudice/ ] in WorldNetDaily today that a ruling in favor of gay rights will “be just cause for war.”
Keyes claims that such a decision “will be an attack on the very foundation of constitutional government, of by and for the people of the United States” that, “like the Dred Scott decision that heralded the onset of the first Civil War,” will “bring the nation to the brink” and represent “a high crime and misdemeanor that effectively dissolves the just bonds of government between and among the states, and among the individuals who compose the people of the United States.”
The United States Supreme Court may presently make a decision discarding marriage as an unalienable (natural) right. By defect of reason and respect for the Constitution, the decision will return the people of this country to the condition of constantly impending war characteristic of the human condition when and wherever the just premises of government are abandoned.
A decision degrading the natural right of marriage, endowed by the Creator, to the status of a fiat right, fabricated by government, will be unconstitutional on the face of it, because it disparages an antecedent right, retained by the people, which disparagement is explicitly prohibited by the U.S. Constitution’s Ninth amendment. Under present circumstances, the decision will also invite conflict on account of the openly flaunted prejudice of two of the justices participating in it.
...
If the United States Supreme Court presumes to impose any redefinition of marriage on the states, respectively, or the people, without addressing the issue of unalienable right it involves, with reasoning that respects God-endowed right (which is the logic by which the American people asserted, and still claim to possess and exercise, sovereign authority over themselves), the Court’s decision will be an attack on the very foundation of constitutional government, of by and for the people of the United States. It will be a high crime and misdemeanor that effectively dissolves the just bonds of government between and among the states, and among the individuals who compose the people of the United States. It will therefore be just cause for war.
Like the Dred Scott decision that heralded the onset of the first Civil War, the Court’s action will bring the nation to the brink, whence “nothing but confusion and disorder will follow. …” If the justices do not tread carefully, their temerity could very well set in motion the death throes of what is still supposed to be their country. “Forbid it, Almighty God!”
© 2015 People For the American Way
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/alan-keyes-gay-marriage-ruling-just-cause-war
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Rick Wiles Warns Of 'Fireball From Space' If Supreme Court Strikes Down Gay Marriage Bans
Submitted by Brian Tashman on Friday, 5/1/2015 1:20 pm
End Times broadcaster Rick Wiles [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/rick-wiles ] spoke with Mat Staver of Liberty Counsel on his “Trunews [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/organizations/trunews ]” program yesterday [ http://www.trunews.com/thursday-april-30-2015-matt-staver-ann-corcoran/ ] about what will happen to the United States if the Supreme Court strikes down bans on same-sex marriage. Unsurprisingly, neither was optimistic.
“Now the communists rule this nation,” Wiles said in a monologue before his interview with Staver, “and everywhere communism takes control, they go after the churches and they kill the pastors and they demolish the church buildings and they reeducate the church children. That’s what’s coming to America. It’s already started.”
“We are at the end of the road as a nation,” he warned. “If the Supreme Court dares to defy Almighty God one more time, I’m telling you it will be the last time.”
“I believe I am speaking under the unction of the Holy Spirit,” he continued. “I’m telling you there will be swift, sudden and devastating consequences for the United States of America. America will be brought to its knees, there will be pain and suffering at a level we’ve never seen in this country. The word that I hear in my spirit is ‘fire.’ I do not know if it refers to riots or looting or war on American soil or a fireball from space. I simply know that a sweeping, consuming fire will come across the United States of America and this country will be charred and burned.”
He told his listeners to “prepare for the fire that will sweep across America if the United States Supreme Court dares to defy God one more time and rule that homosexual marriage is a constitutional right.”
[audio ( https://soundcloud.com/rightwingwatch/wiles-fireball-will-destroy-america-over-gay-marriage ) embedded]
Wiles also stated that gay marriage is proof that Satan is “alive and well” and using his minions to “shut down Christianity in this nation.”
“Life may change radically in 60 days,” he said. “I’m talking about the fast-moving, radical homosexual movement that has captured control of the American political system, the corporate world, the news media, the entertainment industry and the educational system. This is a takeover and it is anti-God, it is anti-Christ. The same-sex marriage case before the U.S. Supreme Court is not about same-sex marriage, it is about the criminalization and the elimination of biblical Christianity in the United States of America.”
[audio ( https://soundcloud.com/rightwingwatch/wiles-satanists-using-gay-marriage-to-destroy-gay-marriage ) embedded]
Warning that “the fate of the United States of America will be decided over the next two months,” Wiles told Staver that “a Supreme Court decision recognizing homosexual marriage as a right will be the final nail in America’s coffin. The last society that attempted to slide into this level of immorality and debauchery were the twin cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and they did not have a happy ending.”
“Brace for impact if it goes against God’s divine order of marriage,” Wiles said of the potential ruling, predicting severe “divine repercussions.”
Staver agreed with Wiles’ assertion that “America’s future is hanging in the balance.”
“There’s no question it’s hanging in the balance,” Staver said. “What we have here is a potential catastrophic collision with religious freedom and the undermining of the family.” He added that a marriage ruling will be even more consequential than Roe v. Wade because it will “promote and exalt” same-sex relationships by putting them “on a pedestal and hope people aspire to it.”
[audio ( https://soundcloud.com/rightwingwatch/wiles-gay-marriage-the-final-nail-in-the-coffin-for-america ) embedded]
© 2015 People For the American Way (emphasis in original)
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/rick-wiles-warns-fireball-space-if-supreme-court-strikes-down-gay-marriage-bans
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Knight: Gay People 'Stealing The Moral Capital Of Marriage'
Submitted by Miranda Blue on Friday, 5/1/2015 4:16 pm
Conservative commentator Robert Knight [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/robert-knight ] is not optimistic about the Supreme Court’s upcoming decision in a set of marriage equality cases, telling a West Virginia radio program yesterday that “unless God intervenes, the court looks poised to create a brand-new right to gay marriage out of the Constitution, which is just literally insane and absurd.”
Knight was particularly annoyed by Justice Kennedy’s comments [ http://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/14-556q1_7l48.pdf ] about marriage conferring “dignity” and “ennoblement” to gay couples. “I was thinking about that,” he told [ http://www.800wvhu.com/onair/the-tom-roten-morning-show-675/the-left-registering-illegals-to-vote-13550886/ ] Huntington-based talk radio host Tom Roten, “and I thought, the way you’re doing that is by stealing the moral capital of marriage and conveying it to other relationships that aren’t anything like it. That is not ennobling them, that is transferring moral capital.”
“It’s like taking a losing team, and they feel bad about their losing record,” he explained, “so they say, okay, now they’re going to have the same record as this winning team over here so everybody feels better.”
[audio ( https://soundcloud.com/rightwingwatch/knight-gay-people-stealing-the-moral-capital-of-marriage ) embedded]
Knight was also upset that the only children discussed during the Supreme Court arguments were children being raised by gay parents. “What about the vast impact on children across America if gay marriage is legalized?” he asked. “Think of the textbook changes. Think of what schools will be teaching directly against the beliefs of millions of American parents. I mean, we’re putting a counterfeit in the law, we’re going to use the law to impose it on the country.”
Although the attorneys arguing on behalf of marriage equality at the court explicitly noted [ http://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/14-556q1_7l48.pdf ] that clergy in marriage equality states are not required to marry same-sex couples, Knight falsely claimed that Solicitor General Donald Verrilli had said that question should be left to the states.
“Think in the free country of ours, they’re casually talking about using the power of the state to force pastors to bless something that the Bible says is an abomination,” he said. “We are really in an insane age here when it’s come to that. And unless the American people rise up and say ‘enough,’ it’s just going to get worse.”
© 2015 People For the American Way
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/knight-gay-people-stealing-moral-capital-marriage
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Cliff Kincaid: Marriage Equality 'Lunacy' Putting Us On 'A Road To Ruin'
Submitted by Miranda Blue on Monday, 5/4/2015 12:39 pm
One week before the Supreme Court heard arguments in a set of marriage equality cases last month, Accuracy In Media [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/organizations/accuracy-media ]’s Cliff Kincaid [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/cliff-kincaid ] convened a collection of fringe anti-gay activists [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/barber-revolution-hand-if-scotus-legalizes-gay-marriage ], including Matt Barber and Peter LaBarbera, to address the issue at a press conference.
Kincaid opened up the event with a PowerPoint presentation [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yddzIJ-SCs (next below; no comments yet)],
“The reason we’re doing this is not just to make people laugh, but we’re trying to make a critical point about this issue, that it really is insanity to try to pretend that there’s no difference between the sexes and that people can just marry other people for any apparent reason at all,” he said. “And it’s not going to stop with one man marrying another man or one woman marrying another woman. If we go down this road, it’s a road to ruin, we don’t really know where it’s going to end up yet.”
“But we believe it is a form of lunacy, of insanity, for the Supreme Court to even consider declaring under the Constitution that there’s some constitutional right to gay marriage,” he concluded [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZhDL9NYsGE (next below, as embedded; with comments)].
Later, in a presentation [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-QfxLPZNP0 (next below; with comments)]
“Well, of course we care about these people,” Kincaid said [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toCPyjTBP20 (below, as embedded; with comments)]. “We care about them a lot and we care about them so much we want to see them free of disease and returned to a normal, healthy lifestyle.”
This led him to quote the British author Paul Johnson, who lamented in a 2006 book [ http://www.familyresearchinst.org/2009/01/october-2006/ ] that the decriminalization of homosexuality had “made it possible for homosexuals to organize openly into a powerful lobby,” creating “a monster in our midst, powerful and clamoring, flexing its muscles, threatening, vengeful and vindictive towards anyone who challenges its outrageous claims, and bent on making fundamental — and to most of us horrifying — changes to civilized patterns of sexual behaviour.”
A Supreme Court ruling striking down marriage equality bans, Kincaid said, “would be a violation not only of the Constitution, but a violation of natural law, a violation of science and biology.”
“Not only that,” he added, “it would represent the victory really of only one or two percent of the population…yet it looks like they have positions of power in the major media, corporations, academia and, of course, government.”
© 2015 People For the American Way
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/cliff-kincaid-marriage-equality-lunacy-putting-us-road-ruin
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The Credibility of Faith
Uploaded on Aug 19, 2009 by DarkMatter2525 [ http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLhtZqdkjshgq8TqwIjMdCQ / http://www.youtube.com/user/DarkMatter2525 , http://www.youtube.com/user/DarkMatter2525/videos ]
Religious people, how could we possibly trust you? Look at your history.
Music credits (in order of appearance):
Handel - "Sarabande"
Gaate - "Bruremarsj fra Jamtland"
Love Spirals Downwards - "Illusory Me"
Radiohead - "Reckoner"
Santa Esmeralda - "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood"
Ravel - "Bolero"
Terje Rypdal - "Mystery Man"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVusPTM0P9o [with comments]
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God Apologizes to the Internets
Uploaded on Sep 5, 2009 by DarkMatter2525
I just wanted to bitch about religion. I know...so unlike me!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8StcCed5AI [with comments]
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Muhammad's Worst Enemy
Uploaded on May 19, 2010 by DarkMatter2525
A drawing of Muhammad & his worst enemy. Music: "Sunburn" by Muse. I uploaded a large picture of my drawing here: http://www.mediafire.com/view/2nqg5m2mgqt/Muhammad+and+His+Greatest+Enemy+%28large%29.jpg / http://www.mediafire.com/download/2nqg5m2mgqt/Muhammad+and+His+Greatest+Enemy+%28large%29.jpg#1 You can also see it on Facebook here (smaller picture): https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=158546&id=100000661204155 If you want the original, I'll probably put it up on Ebay (It's too controversial for the charity auction. We don't want to alienate potential donors. I will, however, donate other artworks to dpr's charity blogtv.). If I put it on Ebay, I'll announce it in a future video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ja_4neDpiY [with comments]
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What Would Neocon Jesus Do?
Uploaded on Sep 7, 2010 by DarkMatter2525
Feel free to share this with any bat-shit insane Neocon Tea Bagger hypocrites you encounter. They pretend to be fiscal conservatives while advocating immense spending on hate and bigotry (war); they claim to be for freedom, yet advocate the building of walls; they claim to be patriots, yet threaten a revolution; and they've hijacked Christianity as their religion, yet heed none of Jesus' teachings. They make America look bad.
I don't address atheism in this video, and I do realize that there are atheists who disagree with it, but know this: if most of the people who agree with you on a specific issue are insane religious extremists, then maybe that's a good indicator that you're on the wrong side of the issue.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgN9wFNOV_g [with comments]
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Atheist Comedy - The Meaning of Life
Uploaded on Sep 19, 2010 by DarkMatter2525
Fun fact #1: I had trouble uploading this video (about the "meaning of life"); for some reason, it froze at 42%. Tell me that doesn't freak you out (for those of you who don't know why it should freak you out, watch "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"). Fun fact #2: Edward Cullen is in this video. Can you find him? I was going to do a Twilight spoof, but gave up on it. Still, I thought it would be funny to reuse the characters from it.
Most religions scoff at what they have deemed as the "atheistic worldview" (what they think atheists think) because they believe it has no "meaning". Well, I've heard religious people describe what they believe to be the meaning of our lives...and I find it utterly demeaning and pathetic: to honor an egomaniac who created us just to thank, praise, and love Him - or else?! REAL love is unconditional. And when someone is requested to praise, it is meaningless, disingenuous. Could they not even dream up a god who wasn't bound by the most petty of human emotions: arrogance, jealousy, anger, etc...basically, an attention whore?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6_9QmM6TfE [with comments]
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Grappling Ignorance
Uploaded on Nov 9, 2010 by DarkMatter2525
Jesus was the atheist of his time.
These two YouTubers are worth your sub:
GrapplingIgnorance
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKPAF7Ud5sF1tiVA5iTDcFg / http://www.youtube.com/user/GrapplingIgnorance , http://www.youtube.com/user/GrapplingIgnorance/videos
rationalwarrior
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-czfmoz22-H6c9P0_aMlzA / http://www.youtube.com/user/rationalwarrior , http://www.youtube.com/user/rationalwarrior/videos
He's not the only one. Other atheists have been bullied offline by their jobs as well...many others.
I never thought about this until this incident, because such maliciousness doesn't come naturally to me, but I have real power over Christians - real power. I interview them; I hire them; they give me their financial details, their residential and professional histories, their social security numbers; I rent real estate to them, high demand real estate that I can rent to anyone I want; they've even used their religion as a selling point to try to convince me to choose them, oblivious that they were trying to sell themselves to an atheist. The livelihoods of entire Christians families depend on my good will...me...an atheist. And as their neighbors are tossed into the streets by the greedy corporations who they would want to remain unchecked and unregulated, my tenants enjoy the attentiveness and security brought to them by an atheist who they would gleefully condemn to hell. I would never, ever discriminate against or negatively affect someone because they're a Christian, or a Muslim, or a Jew. And I do this knowing full well that many of them wouldn't do the same for me. To my integrity and my conscience, I relinquish the power I have over them, the same power they would seek to use against me.
Being immersed in this debate for over a decade, in real life and on YouTube, has caused me to meet thousands of Christians and atheists. I can tell you one counterintuitive thing I've witnessed time and time again over the years: atheists are far, far more Christ-like than most Christians could ever hope to be. Jesus was the atheist of his time. The powers that be tried to shut him up too, but that didn't work. Now, it seems many Christians have done a 180. My friend, the atheist high school teacher, the same man who Jesus Christ would've befriended, would also be tossed out on the street by some of Jesus' misguided modern day followers, who call themselves Christians while knowing nothing of Jesus' teachings. But things are getting better. At least they'll no longer burn him at the stake. But would they if they could?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8ivrcVSdaM [with comments]
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If God Were a Car
Uploaded on Nov 19, 2010 by DarkMatter2525
Please consider supporting my work through Patreon here: http://www.patreon.com/DarkMatter2525
Theists, if you can understand why I wouldn't buy a car from these people, then you can understand why I won't buy God from you. SHOW ME THE MONEY! You ever notice that people never argue for the existence of things that actually exist? Why is that? Maybe it's because that's fucking dumb. If it exists, and we know about it, then there's a definite - and usually easy - way to show it that is apparent to EVERYONE. Apologists are trying to sell the invisible/intangible car.
I am subbed to these very cool people, and so should you be:
http://www.youtube.com/lovingdoubt
[see e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNraRKkl6EI (with comments)]
ProportionalResponse
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxX_RJ-TFnVBku7FJjYhNrw / http://www.youtube.com/user/ProportionalResponse , http://www.youtube.com/user/ProportionalResponse/videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qahB7mYhLxs [with (over 5,000) comments]
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Creationists Fail Again
Uploaded on Feb 8, 2011 by DarkMatter2525
"Oops" ~ Creationists
We tried to tell them, but they just didn't listen. I probably should have pointed out that the Kepler telescope uses the transit method to find planets, which means it can't see the planet until it is "eclipsing" its star. In order for that to happen, it has to be at the perfect angle between us and its star. This means that Kepler is only capable of seeing a TINY fraction of the planets that are near us. That, too, greatly adds to the numbers of planets we can safely assume are out there. Ouch, Creationists...ouch.
Kepler science chief William Borucki at the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Washington D.C. estimates that there are at least 50 billion planets in our galaxy with around 500 million residing in habitable zones. The data was extrapolated from Kepler's findings. I also drew a similar conclusion from the data, thus considered my video cautious and conservative. That's why I comfortably posted the video without fear of it turning into an exaggerated arsenic lifeform story, or a "missing link" story. (thank you, bdwilson1000 [ http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4YU4J4Pbc8RTvMGoPevWmQ / http://www.youtube.com/user/bdwilson1000 , http://www.youtube.com/user/bdwilson1000/videos ], for bringing Borucki's quotes to my attention)
Music: "Ghost in the Circuit" by Velvet Acid Christ
Another good video on this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlEDoO3w5CY
If you lost Rhymemaiden1, she's here:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIALPbm65KOlfUhmy1KMg1g / http://www.youtube.com/user/WildwoodClaire1 , http://www.youtube.com/user/WildwoodClaire1/videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMUDXO4xkW8 [with (over 8,000) comments]
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Bill Lytell: Our Sign Says "Male Leadership"
Published on Apr 6, 2015 by Bad Preachers [ http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCC17_zVPF9VN9gGS-D3jGeA / http://www.youtube.com/user/BadPreachers , http://www.youtube.com/user/BadPreachers/videos ]
Bill Lytell [pastor, Gospel Baptist Church, Bonita Springs, Florida ( http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/09/pastor-male-leadership_n_7025192.html {with comments})] extolls the virtues of Male Leadership (and holsters in the men's room).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkL81KiGZOg [with comments]
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Anti-Gay State Rep Outed By Guy He Was Trying To Pick Up On Grindr
Rep. Randy Boehning, R-Fargo
[ http://www.eonline.com/news/651578/nd-lawmaker-who-voted-against-gay-rights-bill-outed-after-sending-dick-pic-on-grindr-here-s-what-he-said ]
by Dan Savage • Apr 28, 2015 at 12:14 pm
What's funnier than a straight anti-gay bigot named "Breda" (Breed-ä) [ http://www.thestranger.com/blogs/slog/2015/04/27/22121927/heres-what-you-should-do-instead-of-getting-gay-married ]? A closeted gay Republican elected official named "Randy Boehning."
Grand Forks Herald [ http://www.grandforksherald.com/news/politics/3732464-nd-lawmaker-claims-disclosure-explicit-photo-was-retaliation-vote ]:
A North Dakota lawmaker who sent an explicit photo of himself to another man says the exchange being made public is retaliation for a recent vote against expanding gay rights. State Rep. Randy Boehning, a 52-year-old Republican legislator from Fargo, says a Capitol employee told him a fellow lawmaker vowed to out him as gay if he continued to vote against bills granting gays legal protections against discrimination. Boehning refused to identify at this point who he believes is behind the purported political payback for his vote against Senate Bill 2279, the third such bill defeated in the past six years by North Dakota legislators.
Ha ha. No. Randy Boehning wasn't outed by a political operative. The Gay Mafia, of which I am a member (Laurie Bell [ https://twitter.com/NWBelle77/status/593116123358318592 ] just outed me as a member), didn't out Randy Boehning. Neil Patrick Harris didn't get his gal pal Ellen to do it. This American hero did it:
The exchange came to light when Dustin Smith, a 21-year-old Bismarck man with no known connections to the Capitol, contacted The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead earlier this month, saying he recognized Boehning from a gay dating smartphone app called Grindr. Chatting under the user name Top Man!, Boehning sent Smith sexually suggestive messages and, in the early morning hours of March 12, an unsolicited photo of his penis, according to exchanges reviewed by The Forum. "How can you discriminate against the person you're trying to pick up?" Smith said in a recent interview.
So it wasn't the Gay Mafia. It was the much, much younger man Randy Boehning was trying to pick up on Grindr who recognized the state legislator and then decided to do the right thing and out the hypocritical bastard. There aren't a lot of 21-year-old guys on Grindr who could pick one of their state legislators out of a lineup—so, hey, props to the political aware and politically righteous Dustin Smith. He done good.
What does Randy Boehning have to say for himself?
1. On sending dick pics: "That’s what we do, exchange pics.” Amongst other things. (See also: spit, spunk, barbs, rings.)
2. On voting against protections for gay people even though he's gay people himself: "Boehning... voted against multiple attempts to extend protected-class status to include sexual orientation because he doesn't believe his south Fargo constituents support it."
3. On being out of the closet now: "Boehning, who is not married, said there are people who know he is gay, but many of his family members and friends do not. He said Saturday he is also attracted to women and was relieved to come out because he no longer has to worry about being outed. 'The 1,000-pound gorilla has been lifted,' he said."
Wait a second—Randy Boehning is attracted to women too? My apologies to the bisexual community for opening this post with a thoughtless act of bisexual erasure. Like this bi guy told Tracy Clark-Flory in a piece she wrote for Salon [ http://www.salon.com/2011/08/28/bisexuality_2/ ] about bisexual invisibility in 2011...
“Whenever, say, some prominent heterosexually married male public figure has a same-sex affair, literally everyone rolls their eyes at the ‘closeted homosexual,’” he says. “I’m not sure I remember ever hearing someone seriously entertain the possibility that the philanderer was bisexual.”
Hey, everyone, let's not literally roll our eyes and call Randy Boehning a closeted gay Republican elected official—and that's just what most people are calling him—instead let's strike a blow for bisexual visibility by literally rolling our eyes and calling him a closeted bisexual Republican elected official instead.
So, yeah, Randy Boehning is all yours, bisexual community! Enjoy him!
© Index Newspapers LLC (emphasis in original)
http://www.thestranger.com/blogs/slog/2015/04/28/22128658/anti-gay-state-rep-outed-by-guy-he-was-trying-to-pick-up-on-grindr [with comments]
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Pat Robertson Has Advice
By Curtis M. Wong
Posted: 04/27/2015 4:50 pm EDT Updated: 04/27/2015 4:59 pm EDT
Pat Robertson is at it again.
No stranger to anti-gay remarks [ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/18/pat-robertson-gays-die-out_n_6345454.html ], the conservative televangelist advised one of his "700 Club" viewers to forgive her husband of 11 years after he apparently cheated on her [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/pat-robertson-forgive-husbands-gay-affair-unless-hes-habitual-homosexual ] with a male friend he'd met at their church when they were drunk, Right Wing Watch first reported.
Today on “The 700 Club [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/organizations/700-club , http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/organizations/christian-broadcasting-network-0 ],” Pat Robertson [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/pat-robertson ] told a viewer to forgive her husband of 11 years who cheated on her with a male friend from church. The viewer explained that her husband said he was drunk and that the affair was a mistake, and she asked Robertson for advice on how to handle the situation.
“Well, hey, drunk, he didn’t know what he was dealing with,” Robertson said [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0scxxvDUcmY (next below, as embedded; with comments)]. “She says, ‘Should I forgive?’ Of course you should. If he were this way all the time, if he’s a habitual drunk, if he’s a habitual homosexual, if he’s a habitual philanderer, then by all means take a hike. But one time, 11 years, don’t throw all of that away.”
In the same broadcast, Robertson told a concerned mother to "pray that God will straighten out [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/pat-robertson-god-can-straighten-out-your-gay-daughter-camp ]" her teenage lesbian daughter, who recently came out of the closet.
When a “700 Club” viewer asked Pat Robertson today how she can convince her daughter, who recently introduced her to her girlfriend, to “give up the LGBT lifestyle,” the televangelist told the viewer to “pray that God will straighten her out [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETYTV0b-0Tg (next below, as embedded; with comments)]” because “it may be a phase she’s going through.”
“A little teenage girl doesn’t know what dress she’s supposed to wear much less what kind of sex she’s supposed to be,” he said, seemingly confusing sexual orientation with gender identity.
Robertson then lamented the purported “pressure” to be gay: “There’s so much lesbian stuff, I mean, lesbian this, lesbian the other, so much homosexual — the media is pushing this as hard as they can possibly push it. I don’t know what to do, maybe get her in a camp, a Christian camp in the summer where they are really on fire for the Lord and maybe she will straighten things out.”
The comments aren't particularly surprising given Robertson's outspoken opposition to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. Earlier this month, he slammed a Washington state judge's ruling [ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/18/florist-gay-wedding-discrimination_n_6709808.html ] that a florist had discriminated against a gay couple by refusing to provide flowers [ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/04/washington-florist-gay-wedding_n_3866614.html ] for their wedding, claiming it was somehow indicative of society's eventual embrace of bestiality.
He asked, “To tell a florist that she’s got to provide flowers for a particular kind of wedding? What if somebody wanted to marry his dog [ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/19/pat-robertson-gay-wedding-florist-_n_6715396.html ]? She’s got to have flowers for that?"
Copyright ©2015 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/27/pat-robertson-gay-affair-advice_n_7154618.html [with comments]
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Power Corrupts
Published on Aug 23, 2014 by DarkMatter2525
No mind - no matter how powerful - could ever honestly claim to be free from deception, or unknown unknowns.
The problem with using the bible as "proof" of God’s existence and nature, is that even if all the events within its pages actually occurred, it could still not prove God for the simple reason this video points out: God might not be the God you think He is, or even the God He thinks He is. The most likely scenario, however, is that He is a construct of the people.
Man created God in his image.
Try to watch this video in HD if you can. It makes a huge difference.
Some critiques deserve answers. I'll do that at the bottom of this description.
This video is the pilot episode of “Power Corrupts”. Whether or not I make any more episodes, and eventually seasons, will largely be determined by you. I will consider this video’s view count, rating, and comments when making my decision to continue or not. Thanks for watching! Please share it with others if you enjoyed it.
[Episode 2 next below]
Please sub to these excellent people:
GrapplingIgnorance:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKPAF7Ud5sF1tiVA5iTDcFg / http://www.youtube.com/user/GrapplingIgnorance , http://www.youtube.com/user/GrapplingIgnorance/videos
MeridianFrost:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXsfXD489azogR0cMgFQI-g / http://www.youtube.com/user/MeridianFrost , http://www.youtube.com/user/meridianfrost/videos
Royalty-free music used:
“Deep Atmospheres” by Mystic Crock
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/1136328/deep-atmospheres
“Introverted” by Mystic Crock
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/1136330/introverted
“Ascend” by Of The I
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/881299/of-the-i-ascend
“Maribo” by Mystic Crock
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/1136334/maribo
“Confused Reality” by Mystic Crock
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/1136331/confused-reality
“Grandpa’s Watch” by St. Adam
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/418886/grandpa-s-watch
One interesting critique is that removing someone's memories will remove who they are, thereby making it pointless to test them. My response is that in our daily activities, we usually need not actually recall the memories that factored into those activities. You know the alphabet, for instance, but how well do you remember learning it, and need you recall those memories in order to read these words? This is why, in the cartoon, I leave the subconscious intact. Of course, this is entirely fictional, and as the professor said "all CURRENT memories" will be removed, so by "current" perhaps that could mean anything that would hinder the perception of godhood, like the knowledge that you're being tested.
Another interesting point is that power doesn't actually corrupt, it accentuates, makes you more of who you are. I don't really have a response to this other than "power corrupts" is a bit of a saying and in this case the semantics seem negligible, seeing as how the purpose of the test would remain intact. In either interpretation, they're trying to find out "who Yahweh really is".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pA5PlJiqOnk [with (over 8,000) comments]
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Where No God Treads
Published on Oct 30, 2014 by DarkMatter2525
God will tell me, and I will tell you. All religious belief flows from that sentiment. Beware of it, for it has been used to manipulate countless people and instills unfounded assumptions of the unknowable in each of us, causing us to presuppose the very nature of our own experiences.
[Episode 1 just above; Episode 3 next below]
My good friend, MeridianFrost, voiced the Professor. Check out his channel if you’re interested in commentary from an intelligent agnostic atheist perspective, one which doesn’t pull any punches:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXsfXD489azogR0cMgFQI-g / http://www.youtube.com/user/meridianfrost , http://www.youtube.com/user/meridianfrost/videos
Royalty-free music used (in order of appearance):
“Desert Ghost” by Master of the Subway Ninjas
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/758159/desert-ghost
“Love Theme” by Daniel Bautista
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/81034/love-theme
“Alexey Morozov - The Arctic” by Black Angel
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/953055/alexey-morozov-the-arctic
“Eternal Drift Through Space” by Master of the Subway Ninjas
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/758496/eternal-drift-through-space
“Awakening” by Mystic Crock
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/1136329/awakening
“Wizards Battle (Action)” by Grégoire Lourme
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/989074/wizards-battle-action
“Siberia” by Master of the Subway Ninjas
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/1105641/siberia
"Expanding Minds" by A Field of Blue
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/1121169/expanding-minds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocgZaDmvYPw [with comments]
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God's Worst Idea
Published on Mar 20, 2015 by DarkMatter2525
A perfect god would know better...
[Episodes 1 and 2 above]
GrapplingIgnorance:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKPAF7Ud5sF1tiVA5iTDcFg / http://www.youtube.com/user/GrapplingIgnorance , http://www.youtube.com/user/GrapplingIgnorance/videos
TheGoddamnPodcast:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTVhlcAJKXIsUXxQfe_gVBQ , http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTVhlcAJKXIsUXxQfe_gVBQ/videos
C0ct0pusPrime:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu5FNKd06zxitYJe_6RfdwA / http://www.youtube.com/user/C0ct0pusPrime , http://www.youtube.com/user/C0ct0pusPrime/videos
Royalty-free music used:
“Become Death” by Jahzzar
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/1195311/become-death
“Perfect Chaos” by Jefra
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/1173835/perfect-chaos-original-mix
“High Speed City” by Marco Margna
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/1160276/high-speed-city
“Voyager 7” by Bane Djakovic
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/1195457/voyager-7
“Rise of Atlantis” by Sundancer
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/1162980/rise-of-atlantis
“A Lidless Lense” by Floating Isle
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/1163234/floating-isle-a-lidless-lense
A rich person will not flaunt their wealth if they wish to find true love.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdqGySMrCoc [with comments]
===
Teaching Yoga In Schools Doesn't Violate Religious Freedom, Court Rules
Ariel Skelley via Getty Images
By Brian Melley
Posted: 04/06/2015 2:40 pm EDT Updated: 04/06/2015 3:59 pm EDT
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Yoga taught in a San Diego County school system is not a gateway to Hinduism and doesn't violate the religious rights of students or their parents, a California appeals court ruled Friday.
The 4th District Court of Appeal in San Diego upheld a lower court ruling that tossed out a family's lawsuit that tried to block Encinitas Union School District from teaching yoga as an alternative to traditional gym classes.
"While the practice of yoga may be religious in some contexts, yoga classes as taught in the district are, as the trial court determined, 'devoid of any religious, mystical, or spiritual trappings,'" the court wrote in a 3-0 opinion.
Stephen and Jennifer Sedlock and their two children had brought the lawsuit claiming yoga promoted Hinduism and inhibited Christianity. They were disappointed with the ruling and considering their options.
"No other court in the past 50 years has allowed public school officials to lead children in formal religious rituals like the Hindu liturgy of praying to, bowing to, and worshipping the sun god," attorney Dean Broyles said in a statement.
Paul V. Carelli IV, a lawyer for the district, said there were no rituals occurring in the classroom and no one was worshipping the sun or leading Hindu rites. The district said the practice is taught in a secular way to promote strength, flexibility and balance.
Yoga is now taught at schools across the country, but the district is believed to be the first with full-time yoga teachers at all schools.
A three-year grant from the K.P. Jois Foundation, a nonprofit group that promotes Ashtanga yoga, provides twice-weekly, 30-minute classes to the district's 5,600 students.
About 30 families opted out of the classes begun in 2011.
© 2015 Associated Press
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/06/school-yoga-religious-freedom_n_7011708.html [with comments]
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Rev. Franklin Graham Repeats His Call To Discriminate Against Muslims and Blame Obama For ISIS
Posted by Ellen on April 26, 2015
Apparently, Fox News loved Rev. Franklin Graham’s amateur prescription for fighting ISIS so much, the “fair and balanced” network got him to do it on prime time. This time, Graham worked in an “Obama’s a secret Muslim” dog whistle while he was at it.
You may recall that on April 20, Graham – who has not a single credential [ http://www.samaritanspurse.org/our-ministry/franklin-graham-biography/ ] in national security, terrorism or combat – gave his completely unqualified opinions for all of the above on The Real Story with Gretchen Carlson [ http://www.newshounds.us/rev_franklin_graham_demands_discrimination_against_muslims_in_order_to_win_war_on_terror_blames_obama_for_isis_042115 , http://mediamatters.org/video/2015/04/20/on-fox-franklin-graham-calls-for-halt-to-immigr/203344 ]. Apparently, the suits at Fox News loved his remarks so much, they found a pretext for him to do it all over again on The O’Reilly Factor.
Host Eric Bolling teed up the attacks for Graham by asking, “Why is President Obama so silent on all the atrocities going on against the Christians around the world?”
GRAHAM: I can’t answer that question. …As a youth, his influence was Islam. His father was a Muslim and his stepfather was a Muslim, he went to Muslim schools so growing up, his impressions as a young man came from Islam, not the Christian faith. So that may have something to do with it, I don’t know.
Actually, President Obama’s father, who left the family when his son was two, was an atheist [ http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/muslim.asp ]. Fox’s own Alan Colmes has corrected the record [ http://www.newshounds.us/fox_expert_gabriel_s_ridiculously_false_explanation_of_obama_s_muslim_upbringing_011415 ] on Fox News previously. Yet Bolling let Graham’s falsehood stand.
Instead, Bolling further validated Graham’s “credentials” by asking, “Did (Obama) make a mistake pulling troops out of Iraq too soon?”
“No question,” “national security expert” Graham replied. “As a result, we now have ISIS. …And now we have a mess on our hands and the president and his policies are responsible for this.”
“General” Graham called the airstrikes against ISIS “almost too little, too late.” He also said, “I’m afraid, the United States is going to have to put troops back into Iraq which I would hate to see. But that may be the only way to defeat ISIS."
Bolling also prodded Graham to attack Obama as anti-Christian. “Why would he be calling out Christians in history” Bolling asked, referring to Obama's remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast [ http://www.newshounds.us/fox_ridiculously_accuses_obama_of_spreading_isis_propaganda_at_prayer_breakfast_010615 ] and the Easter Prayer Breakfast [ http://www.newshounds.us/fox_guest_goes_birther_attacking_obama_s_easter_prayer_breakfast_remarks_040815 ]?
Graham used that as an opportunity to both attack Muslims and boast about his own Christ-like qualities (just pay no attention to how he was deliberately slandering his fellow Christian who happens to be President of the U.S.).
GRAHAM: I don’t understand where he’s coming from, who’s advising him. …God will forgive any one of their sins if they’re willing to put their faith and trust in his son, Jesus Christ. And as a Christian, I want to follow Christ and I want to emulate Christ and I want to do good to all men.
Islam – the God of Islam – requires you to die for him. My God, the god that I worship, he died for me. And he’s willing to save me and forgive me if I put my faith and trust in his son. But Islam, the Muslims want to emulate their prophet Mohammed. Mohammed raped, he murdered, he killed and so we’re seeing the followers of Islam emulate the prophet Mohammed.
Even if you give Graham the benefit of the doubt that he was not blowing another “secret Muslim” dog whistle there, Graham was clearly inferring that Obama’s softness on Islam could get us all killed.
GRAHAM: And it’s not just the Muslims in the Middle East. We have to be careful of the Muslims in this country. We need to stop the immigration. We need immigration reform, but stop the immigration of Muslims coming to this country from countries that have active terrorist cells. If we don’t stop that, we’re going to regret that because we will be importing that into this country. Sooner or later, we’re going to see a major terrorist attack …just like we saw what happened in Kenya recently. …That could happen in this country. And so I hope that our politicians will close the door to these people.
Bolling never challenged a word.
Watch it below, from the April 24 The O’Reilly Factor, via Media Matters [ http://mediamatters.org/video/2015/04/24/on-fox-franklin-graham-warns-we-have-to-be-care/203419 ].
[video embedded]
Copyright 2015 NewsHounds (emphasis in original)
http://www.newshounds.us/rev_franklin_graham_repeats_his_call_to_discriminate_against_muslims_and_blame_obama_for_isis_042615 [with comments]
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University Finally Condemns White Freakout Over 'Problem Of Whiteness' Class
The Arizona Republic
By Catherine Thompson
Published April 29, 2015, 5:23 PM EDT
Arizona State University condemned the backlash to a course on the "problem of whiteness" for the first time in public on Monday, months after the class rose to national attention [ http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/fox-arizona-state-problem-whiteness ] and its professor received threats [ http://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/cryptic-letter-lee-bebout-asu-problem-of-whiteness ] from white supremacists.
ASU administrator James Rund criticized "hate speech" incidents that have occurred on campus [ http://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/letters/2015/04/26/ignoring-hate-speech-silence/26340801/ ] this semester in a joint statement with Jake Bennett, the director of Arizona's Anti-Defamation League, and George Dean, the president and CEO of the Greater Phoenix Urban League.
"There have been a series of hate speech incidents over recent weeks in Tempe and Mesa, orchestrated by Neo-Nazi groups and hate preachers," read the statement, published in The Arizona Republic. "This behavior and these sentiments do not reflect the values of our community."
The statement didn't specify which incidents the signers were referring to. But as TPM has previously reported, a white nationalist group called the National Youth Front launched a campaign against the class [ http://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/angelo-john-gage-asu-problem-of-whiteness ] that involved flooding ASU President Michael Crow with emails, distributing fliers branding the course's professor, Lee Bebout, as "Anti-White," and protesting the course on campus [ http://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/robert-poe-asu-neo-nazis ].
The Arizona Republic also pointed to anti-LGBT and anti-Muslim demonstrations that took place this month on or near ASU's Tempe and Mesa campuses as an impetus for the statement.
Crow also addressed the backlash to the "problem of whiteness" class [ http://www.statepress.com/article/2015/04/asu-president-michael-crow-takes-stance-on-controversy-surrounding-problem-of-whiteness-course ] last week in an interview with the university's student newspaper, The State Press.
"These individuals outside the University who said these things, they can say whatever they want,” Crow told the publication. “We repudiate what they say, but we can’t stop them from saying it; they can say whatever they want.”
Read the full statement below via the Arizona Republic:
There have been a series of hate speech incidents over recent weeks in Tempe and Mesa, orchestrated by Neo-Nazi groups and hate preachers. Some of the incidents included anti-Black, anti-immigrant, anti-LGBT and anti-Muslim speech and intimidation. This behavior and these sentiments do not reflect the values of our community.
We the undersigned have joined together to express our opposition to the presence and activities of hate groups in our community. We are deeply concerned about recent manifestations of hate. As community leaders, we have united to underscore our common value of working together to create a community of respect.
Our shared fundamental principles require us to speak out when we see hate around us. Ignoring the presence of hate speech, with its accompanying literature and social media does not make its vile message disappear. We will not sit idly by when hate raises its ugly head in our community. Not only are we united in denouncing hate, but we are united in supporting a community that is committed to the free exchange of ideas, the principles of inclusion and the celebration of diversity.
— Jake Bennett, ADL Arizona
— James Rund, ASU administration
— George Dean, Urban League
— And 22 other co-signers
© 2015 TPM Media LLC
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/asu-condemns-white-nationalists [with comments]
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Franklin Graham Furious That Marvel's Iceman Is Gay
Submitted by Brian Tashman on Thursday, 4/23/2015 2:00 pm
Franklin Graham [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/franklin-graham ] is outraged by the news that the character Iceman will come out as gay [ http://www.theverge.com/2015/4/21/8462897/iceman-x-men-gay-bobby-drake-brian-michael-bendis ] in a new issue of “X-men” issue. The Religious Right leader took to his Facebook page today to lament that Marvel is using Iceman in an attempt “to indoctrinate our young people to accept this destructive lifestyle.”
Graham has previously praised Russian President Vladimir Putin for criminalizing speech [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/franklin-graham-endorses-vladimir-putins-anti-gay-crackdown ] that is perceived as pro-gay “propaganda” directed at young people.
© 2015 People For the American Way
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/franklin-graham-furious-iceman-gay
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Russia: Siberian 'Witch' Saved From Oven Exorcism
People watch as an effigy of a witch is burnt in a bonfire at the Basque port town of Mundaka
Reuters
By Jack Moore
March 7, 2014 18:59 GMT
A Russian woman was saved from being burnt alive in a Siberian stove after a couple accused her of being a witch during a drinking session.
The police managed to intervene just as the couple were forcing the woman headfirst into a stove in an abandoned building, Zabaikalsky regional police said.
The unnamed woman, 46, was taken to hospital with severe facial and hand burns, said police in a statement.
According to a report in the Moscow Times, the couple both had criminal records.
The female member of the couple, 41, has been taken to a psychiatric unit and an investigation has been launched into the attack.
It is unclear what had made the couple believe that the woman was a witch.
© Copyright 2014 IBTimes Co., Ltd.
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/russia-siberian-witch-saved-oven-exorcism-1439381 [no comments yet]
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Who Killed Jesus? (All Together Podcast)
Getty Images
By Paul Raushenbush
Posted: 04/02/2015 3:16 pm EDT Updated: 04/02/2015 9:59 pm EDT
Welcome to this week’s ALL TOGETHER, the podcast dedicated to exploring how ethics, religion and spiritual practice is informing our personal lives, our communities and our world. ALL TOGETHER is hosted by Paul Raushenbush, executive editor of HuffPost Religion. You can download All Together on iTunes [ https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/huffpost-religion/id925426606 ], or Stitcher. Podcast produced by Katelyn Bogucki and edited by Jorge Corona.
On one Friday every spring, Christians around the world stop and reflect on the crucifixion of Jesus. Pilgrims in Jerusalem follow the steps of Jesus on the Via Dolorosa (the way of suffering), churches hold reflections on the seven last words uttered by Jesus on the cross, and in some places around the world, penitents even place themselves on the cross to experience for themselves some of Jesus’ suffering.
There is a mystery in this solemn Friday that precedes Easter. Questions about the exact theological and spiritual meaning of what happened on the cross have been debated for the last 2,000 years. Throughout the year, Christians intone that Jesus died for the sins of humanity, but what exactly does that mean? What spiritual truth is revealed on what Christians call ‘Good Friday’, and what political significance did the crucifixion have for those living 2,000 years ago and today. The answer to these questions hinges on one not-so-simple question: Who killed Jesus, and why?
Last year Raushenbush wrote a piece called "The Thing I Never Want to hear on Good Friday Again [ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-raushenbush/good-friday-anti-semitism_b_5169053.html ]" about scripture that is read in church on that day that blames the Jews for the death of Jesus and which has lead to horrific anti-Semitic violence over the years. This is just one example of how important the question of the death of Jesus is.
On today's All Together Raushenbush speaks with Tony Jones [ http://tonyj.net/ ] who has just released a new book provocatively called: Did God Kill Jesus [ http://www.amazon.com/Did-God-Kill-Jesus-Searching/dp/0062297961 ]?
Raushenbush is then joined by Lisa Anderson and Amichai Lau-Lavie who are helping to organize a large interfaith gathering happening this week in New York called Freedom's Feast [ http://labshul.org/th_event/saturday-night-second-seder-older-kids-and-adults ]. Lisa Anderson is a Senior Director of engagement at Auburn Theolgoical Seminary and a Ph.D. candidate at Union Theological Seminary and Amichai Lau-Lavie is the founding director of Storahtelling Inc, the spiritual leader of Lab/Shul, and a Rabinical student at Jewish Theological Seminary.
[audio ( https://soundcloud.com/huffpost-religion/who-killed-jesus ) embedded]
Copyright ©2015 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/02/who-killed-jesus-podcast_n_6991806.html [with comments]
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What It's Like To Be Crucified: Danish Filmmaker Lasse Spang Olsen's Spiritual Journey To The Philippines
Danish national Lasse Spang Olsen stays nailed to a cross to re-enact the crucifixion of Jesus Christ in San Pedro Cutud village, Pampanga province, northern Philippines on Friday, April 18, 2014. Church leaders and health officials have spoken against the practice which mixes Roman Catholic devotion with folk belief, but the annual rites continue to draw participants and huge crowds.
(AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
By Carol Kuruvilla
Posted: 04/03/2015 2:06 pm EDT Updated: 04/03/2015 2:59 pm EDT
Last year on Good Friday, Lasse Spang Olsen was crucified in the Philippines [ http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/18/us-philippines-crucifixion-idUSBREA3H08520140418 ].
The Danish filmmaker and stunt performer from Copenhagen raised eyebrows in 2014 when he joined several devout Filipino Catholics in northern Pampanga province for the annual crucifixions. The bloody display has been condemned by health officials, and the Catholic Church calls it a "distortion of the Easter message [id.]," but that hasn’t stopped thousands of onlookers from traveling to Pampanga to watch the men grimace in agony.
But Olsen was different. The Philippine Star [ http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2014/04/20/1313962/dane-steals-limelight-pampanga-crucifixion ] described the scene:
Unlike some of the other local “Kristos” or penitents who cried out when they were nailed to wooden crosses, Olsen only grimaced and closed his eyes. He also remained silent as his cross was raised by costumed centurions. His cross stood erect for a few minutes before he was brought down.
Foreigners are usually banned from participating in the ritual. But Olsen was reportedly allowed in after presenting a liability waiver from the Danish embassy.
HuffPost Religion reached out to Olsen one year later to ask about his story. His response has been edited for clarity and length.
Here is Lasse Spang Olsen’s story.
*
I am Danish and live in Copenhagen. I'm 50 years old.
Denmark is not a religious country -- or even a religiously diverse country. Generally, everybody is just Protestant. Almost nobody goes to church regularly. I've never been religious and was not raised to go to church or believe in God.
I saw a movie about stuntmen when I was 4 years old and since then, I knew that it was the job I should have. At the age of 12, I carried out my first professional stunt job on a film.
Since then, I’ve worked as a stuntman and stunt coordinator for more than 400 films. I was also educated as a cinematographer, producing and directing a number of documentaries and feature films. That's what I focus on now.
Like anyone else, I don’t like pain. However, I have suffered many broken bones and have received stitches at the hospital 29 different times after stunt accidents. I’ve always thought that I had a fairly relaxed attitude to pain, although I do not like to get hurt. But that was before I decided to get crucified.
Philippine Christian devotee Ruben Enaje (C), grimaces in pain as he is nailed to the cross by men dressed as Roman soldiers during a re-enactment of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on Good Friday in San Fernando City, Pampanga province, north of Manila on March 29, 2013.
Three years ago, I made a documentary in the Philippines called "My Best Crucifixion." It is about Ruben Enaje, a man who has been crucified 28 times. I followed him for quite a while, to film him and try to understand why he wanted to be crucified.
I found out that a very important reason, for him at least, was to make a deal with God. I found it very interesting that -- if you believe enough in God –- you can achieve some sort of agreement with him (or her) to get something in return for being crucified. This is what most people in the Philippines seem to do when they let themselves be crucified. Almost everyone has a reason and a deal handy before they do it. Of course they are very religious, but at the same time they have something they want in return from God.
Many of them talk to God or Jesus while being crucified. I found this very fascinating and exciting. I really wanted to try talking to God. But at the same time, as I watched the crucifixions take place, I thought that it seemed very repulsive and certainly not something I could see myself ever doing.
In 2012, however, I fell on the kitchen floor in great pain. I had developed a serious heart problem. If my daughter hadn’t happened to be nearby and call the ambulance, I might have died right there.
I've been close to death many times in my work as a stuntman, but it was different this time. As I lay there on the operating table, the doctor told me that if I wanted to say goodbye, I’d need to do it now. It was possible that I would never wake up again.
It dawned on me then, after years of flirting with death, that I really did not want to die. But here I was. Was that really it? I felt sad that I did not believe in God. Because this would have been a good time to pray.
I found it strange that I was so unready for death. As a stuntman with lots of accidents behind me, I should have been better prepared. But I was really missing someone to talk to.
As the anesthesia kicked in, I decided then and there that next time I am to die, I will be better prepared. That I will have someone to talk to.
Luckily, the operation was successful. As I recovered, I started thinking about Ruben in the Philippines, who was talking to God as he was being crucified. He was so religious that he had direct contact with God. I wanted that, too.
The problem was, since I’ve never been religious at all, I didn’t know how to get in touch with God or Jesus. But I thought that it probably was not that hard to learn. It couldn’t be harder than getting a diving certificate or a race-car license.
I wanted to see if a non-religious person like me could learn to be religious, and in doing so, learn to talk to God. And to see how far I’d come, I would test myself in the most extreme way -– by getting crucified.
I went into training to become a believer. I had to convert to Catholicism and show the organizers in the Philippines that I really meant it.
I thought I would become religious if I just wanted it enough. I went through six weeks of religious training –- praying, going to church, struggling to understand the Bible. When I had read the entire book from cover to cover, it dawned on me: This was not going to work. I believed too much in natural science and logic. The Bible seemed completely untrustworthy and full of contradictions.
I very much liked to come to church. I learned to pray, and it was really good. I just did not believe it. And that was, of course, a problem. Crucifixion is a very serious matter for those organizing the event, and they won’t allow any media stunts.
But I really wanted to learn the faith with all my heart, and I think the organizers could see and feel that I did this with all my heart.
Danish film maker Lasse Spang Olsen grimaces as he is nailed to a cross during the a re-enactment of the Crucifixion of Christ during Good Friday celebrations in the village of Cutud, Pampanga, north of Manila on April 18, 2014.
It took eight months for me to get the proper permits to be crucified. Then, I had to get my "Jesus clothes." A blacksmith made me four long nails for my crucifixion. Luckily, I didn’t have to use the long-haired wig that the other participants use.
The place where you are crucified is like a mixture of a festive flea market and the Pope's funeral. There are children and candy shops, stalls with food and drink. It’s a very nice and expectant mood, mixed with a deep religious sentiment. It's a really old and very serious feeling.
When I came up on the cross and got the four nails through the hands and feet, it hurt so much. I thought I was used to pain from all my accidents. I thought four holes in my body would be nothing. But I think it hurt so much because I was on a cross.
Since I was born, I have always been told that the cross is very serious matter, a place where Jesus died. So when I climbed up and was crucified on the cross, something happened. My body did not like it. I was quite clear in my head and tried to pray, but I could not remember all the English prayers I had learned. Then I tried to pray in Danish. And when the language changed, something happened.
There was a complete peace without pain. There was direct line through. Just like when you talk to a child on the phone and hear them shake their head. I should have hung there for two minutes, but ended up staying for 14 minutes because I had such a good conversation with something that was not within myself.
Lasse Spang Olsen is carried on a stretcher by medical personnel after being nailed to a cross.
I felt like what I experienced was probably the same feeling that people who are very religious have with God. It's hard to put into words. At that time, I had no concept or picture of a god, at least not as specific as the other people who were getting crucified. But it was through the cross, through the church and through Jesus that I achieved this strange and very intense contact with something greater than myself.
So when the Filipinos call this something “God,” I will also call it speaking to God, though the image in my head probably looks different.
One can tell me that it was the endorphins or pain that created the feeling of connection to the divine. But I have tried the effect of endorphins many times. This was a completely different feeling -- and it is still there. It was probably one of the greatest experiences of my life.
God can be so many things. If you ask me if I believe in God, then you will get a resounding "yes.” I have spoken to him or her, whoever it is. But I would NOT call myself religious and I will never try to convert others to believe in something they do not want to believe in. I still don't go to church regularly. But I haven’t stopped praying.
And today I know, the next time I face death, I will have someone to talk to.
*
Editor's Note: We are simply documenting one man’s journey. HuffPost does not endorse spiritual practices that involve violence or self-harm. If you are considering harming yourself as part of such a practice, we encourage you to speak with spiritual leaders in your community. If you are considering self-harm in any other context, please call 1-800-DONTCUT for the S.A.F.E. Alternatives hotline [ http://www.selfinjury.com/ ].
Copyright ©2015 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/03/lasse-spang-olsen-crucified_n_6999964.html [with comments]
--
Ben Carson's May 4 Announcement
Streamed live on May 4, 2015 by RealBenCarson [ http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf-Z2xaIyTUWp2h1lS1rhhw / http://www.youtube.com/user/realbencarson , http://www.youtube.com/user/realbencarson/videos ]
Live from Detroit Music Hall. Join us at https://www.bencarson.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15XbHdkkuhA [with comments]
===
This Video is a Universe
Published on Apr 4, 2015 by DarkMatter2525
As the starter of time, assumptions are made about you in this video. As the creator, assumptions are made about me too. As the person who caused the events herein to progress, dear viewer, you are in the unique position to observe which assumptions are accurate and justifiable, and which are not. Extrapolate.
These animations take a lot of time and effort, and I could never afford to give them the attention they require if not for the people who support me though Patreon.
Please consider supporting my efforts here:
https://www.patreon.com/DarkMatter2525
(I get 95% of your contribution).
Usually, I list the Patrons who support me at the end of my videos, but this video had to end a very specific way, so I couldn't do it this time. That's a rarity. I hope you all understand. I can still list you here, however, so please accept my thanks:
http://universevideopatrons.blogspot.com
Royalty-free music used:
"Clouds" by Sundancer
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/1162986/clouds
"Dancing in the Rain" by Sundancer
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/1162987/dancing-in-the-rain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDdiCYTK160 [with comments]
===
in addition to (linked in) the post to which this is a reply and preceding and (other) following, see also (linked in):
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=50160881 and following;
http://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=111062407 and preceding and following
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Published on Dec 10, 2014 by Armoured Skeptic [ http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1BWMtZbNLVMSFgwSukjqCw / http://www.youtube.com/user/armouredskeptic , http://www.youtube.com/user/armouredskeptic/videos ]
Yes, I misspoke. I record these as I listen to the video for the first time, so this happens.
Neanderthal DNA is more similar to Chimp DNA than Human DNA is to Chimp DNA.
Neanderthal DNA is closer to Human DNA than Chimp DNA is to Human DNA.
Neanderthal DNA sits in the middle, leaning strongly towards human similarity, but Neanderthal DNA is still extremely different from ours.
DonExodus2
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdJPfbkRdcRxPyWEv3I-DLg / http://www.youtube.com/user/DonExodus2 , http://www.youtube.com/user/DonExodus2/videos
Ask me a question: http://ask.fm/ArmouredSkeptic
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End-theme: Strange Ways, Silent Partner - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-6PUE5urgg
All images, sounds and loops are royalty-free.
Everything else is covered under fair-use.
I'm off to enjoy a glass of Whiskey and a Cigar.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdQsZ_46ios [with (over 6,000) comments]
--
Dragon-Unicorn Dinosaurs from Heaven
Published on Apr 4, 2014 by Armoured Skeptic
dgeypscun
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK3kzqKQS4x509OsIBM4z6g / http://www.youtube.com/user/dgeypscun , http://www.youtube.com/user/dgeypscun/videos
Number0neSon
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAdLiE4lruGhOqdhaK8c-CQ / http://www.youtube.com/user/Number0neSon , http://www.youtube.com/user/Number0neSon/videos
TheLivingDinosaur
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe17o0PQX4LK7AvAaARxqwQ / http://www.youtube.com/user/TheLivingDinosaur , http://www.youtube.com/user/TheLivingDinosaur/videos
End-theme: Strange Ways, Silent Partner - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-6PUE5urgg
All images, sounds and loops are royalty-free.
Everything else is covered under fair-use.
I'm off to enjoy a glass of Whiskey and a Cigar.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-gPoazlkoQ [with (over 4,000) comments]
--
Science disproves that Science can Science
Published on Jun 9, 2014 by Armoured Skeptic
End-theme: Strange Ways, Silent Partner - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-6PUE5urgg
All images, sounds and loops are royalty-free.
Everything else is covered under fair-use.
I'm off to enjoy a glass of Whiskey and a Cigar.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxLzmoidR5M [with (over 6,000) comments]
--
Atheists are a Myth
Published on Jul 26, 2014 by Armoured Skeptic
John Smith
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgEV0L6OzYFBMKib8RYwiDQ / http://www.youtube.com/user/SkepticReview ,
http://www.youtube.com/user/SkepticReview/videos
Creationist Cat
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQpltQMhYFvyeS5M6P0Zg-Q / http://www.youtube.com/user/creationistcat , http://www.youtube.com/user/creationistcat/videos
End-theme: Strange Ways, Silent Partner - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-6PUE5urgg
All images, sounds and loops are royalty-free.
Everything else is covered under fair-use.
I'm off to enjoy a glass of Whiskey and a Cigar.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcZJVfw_GOo [with (over 8,000) comments]
===
Ted Cruz: Gay Activists and Marriage Equality Supporters Are ‘Liberal Fascists’
Bob Cesca on April 27, 2015
Arguably the most ludicrous book to emerge during the George W. Bush era was hilariously titled, Liberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left, from Mussolini to the Politics of Meaning, by National Review Online editor-at-large Jonah Goldberg. Yes, somehow Goldberg awkwardly contorted the English language to shoehorn a square liberal peg into a round fascism hole and catapult this hooey to number one on The New York Times bestseller list, making it really difficult to decide which was more idiotic: the book’s title or the legion of doofuses who bought it.
Liberal Fascism was really patient zero for what occurred in the Spring and early Summer of 2009 when Glenn Beck, Rick Santelli and other conservatives erupted with inchoate fury, accusing President Obama of being both a socialist and a Nazi. Because as we all know, Nazis love them some mixed-race Harvard-educated leftists. Pegging off Goldberg’s insane coitus of liberalism and fascism, Beck went one step further, suggesting that because “Nazi” was short for “National Socialist,” Adolf Hitler was a socialist, even though liberalism and fascism are entirely incompatible. Unlike American liberalism, fascism is historically an extreme right-wing governmental system characterized by uber-nationalism, militarism and racial purity.
Just because the word “socialist” was in the National Socialist label doesn’t mean Hitler and his cohorts were literally socialists. Indeed, the first groups to be rounded up and incarcerated at Dachau were socialists and leftists. Labels aren’t definitions. For example, it might surprise the usual suspects to learn there’s nothing democratic or republican about the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, aka North Korea. Along those lines, Beck, Goldberg and the rest might be surprised to learn that “hot dogs” don’t contain actual dogs.
Goldberg’s Benito Mussolini, in particular, paraded around as a socialist until after he was elected and then engaged in one of the biggest flip-flops in political history, shedding every last hint of socialism once in power. Turns out — shocker — it’s really difficult to get elected by pitching yourself as a fascist strongman.
In a more modern context, politicians will often take on the political characteristics of whichever party might achieve more votes in a particular district, or they’ll often shift positions or party affiliation depending upon which way the populist winds are blowing. Political reality is a real pisser, isn’t it? In the media, there are countless former morning zoo deejays and local news anchors who are currently masquerading around as bug-eyed paleoconservatives in order to win lucrative syndicated radio or Fox News Channel deals in the face of dwindling local money.
And just when you thought the whole “liberal fascism” meme was so 2009, along comes presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) who said this past weekend [ http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/26/politics/ted-cruz-liberal-fascism-iowa-speech/index.html ]:
There is a liberal fascism that is dedicated to going after believing Christians who follow the biblical teaching on marriage!
We’ve been over and over the marriage issue recently, but this is the first time in a while someone has resurrected the “liberal fascism” myth and hamfistedly crammed it into the debate. To repeat: Jesus said absolutely nothing about refusing service to same-sex weddings because, 1) there was no such thing as same-sex weddings in Jesus’ time, making them impossible to ban, 2) Jesus said nothing whatsoever about homosexuality in general, and 3) because Jesus’ teachings sanction an all-inclusive faith, not a straight-men only club. (It’s important to repeat: the Bible condemned same-sex intercourse in the context of pagan rituals, and not based upon our modern understanding of homosexuality.)
Generally speaking, the Bible and especially the New Testament doesn’t forbid helping so-called sinners. Not only did Jesus go out of his way to embrace alleged sinners and to teach his followers to do the same, but, correct me if I’m wrong, didn’t Jesus die a horrifying, torturous death in service of all sinners? And yet some Christians think it’s all kinds of harrowing to merely sell a damn pizza to a gay couple. Jesus’ narrative, and indeed the reason why he died, has been badly and tragically lost.
I’m still waiting for contrary evidence from anti-gay Christians, and no one has pointed to the passages defining which cake and pizza customers are acceptable, according to the Bible — whether it’s more, less or totally not a sin to bake a cake for a gay wedding as opposed to a second marriage, a marriage involving a bisexual couple or, gasp!, a mixed-race marriage, none of which appear to be a problem for devout Christians even though (weak) biblical arguments could be made against all of the above. That said, it might be interesting in a schadenfreude kind of way to see the GOP field defend the religious liberty of a bakery owner who refuses service to a mixed-raced couple because God said so.
Somehow, opponents of discrimination are considered liberal fascists, whereas relegating an entire demographic of law-abiding citizens to second class status is considered “freedom.” In Ted Cruz’s twisted noggin, up is down, equality is fascism and discrimination is freedom. By the way, Ted Cruz should probably avoid Bill O’Reilly and evangelical anti-gay Pastor Robert Jeffress who each agree that using “biblical teachings” as an argument against marriage equality in a secular society is a big loser — a big loser not unlike like Cruz after he’s forced to drop out of the GOP primaries following Super Tuesday.
Oh, and speaking of losers, we really didn’t have to cover any of this because as soon as Cruz blurted out “fascism,” he officially crapped all over Godwin’s Law [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin%27s_law ], immediately forfeiting the argument.
In the final analysis, religious freedom can easily be bastardized — and has historically been bastardized — as a handy-dandy excuse for a wide range of horrendous things that are sanctioned by religious texts (Hebrew, Christian and Muslim) written at a time when human understanding of the world was comparatively limited. That’s not meant to shame people of faith, but it’s instead meant to shame those who selectively cherrypick passages to suit their own personal phobias and biases — exploiting God’s word as a transparently cynical means of excluding those who desire loving, consensual adult relationships. Cruz and others who claim a biblical justification for discriminating against same-sex couples are essentially bearing false witness, as condemned by the ninth commandment, in service of hatred or fear.
Copyright 2015 The Daily Banter (emphasis in original)
http://thedailybanter.com/2015/04/ted-cruz-accuses-gay-activists-and-marriage-equality-supporters-of-being-liberal-fascists/ [with comments] [also at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bob-cesca/ted-cruz-gay-activists-an_b_7175716.html (with comments)]
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United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Q&A with Ted Cruz
Streamed live on Apr 29, 2015 by USHCCTV [ http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkBZn2orLh310N-Ebbigk0Q / http://www.youtube.com/user/USHCCTV , http://www.youtube.com/user/USHCCTV/videos ]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdyi1Qrlmh4 [with comments]
--
Ted Cruz has never seen a 'Hispanic panhandler;' no comment on African-Americans
Republican presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas gestures while he talks at the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC), Wednesday, April 29, 2015, at the National Press Club in Washington.
(AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
Dylan Baddour | April 30, 2015 | Updated: April 30, 2015 6:05pm
Everyone has seen panhandlers.
But Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said has never seen a Hispanic panhandler because Hispanics are too honorable to beg.
The comment came Tuesday [ http://www.politico.com/blogs/politico-live/2012/08/cruz-hispanics-dont-panhandle-131117.html ] while addressing the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Washington D.C.
"Some years ago, I was having lunch with a Hispanic entrepreneur in Austin. He asked me a question. He said, 'When was the last time you saw a Hispanic panhandler?' And that's a great question. You and I grew up in Texas. I don't think I've ever seen a Hispanic panhandler. And the reason is in our community it would be shameful to be begging on the streets."
Two days after making the statement, the Republican presidential contender refused to offer an opinion about African-Americans who beg for money on the street.
Asked Thursday what he thought of them, Cruz turned away without speaking, striding into a senators-only elevator in the Capitol and waiting for the doors to close.
The Tuesday comment has been widely reported, but Cruz has said almost the exact same words before. In 2012, Politico reported [ http://www.politico.com/blogs/politico-live/2012/08/cruz-hispanics-dont-panhandle-131117.html ] "Cruz says Hispanics don't panhandle." He made the comment then on Fox News Sunday.
According to Politico, Cruz said, "A friend of mine, a Hispanic entrepreneur, asked me a question some time ago. He said, 'When is the last time you saw a Hispanic panhandler?' I think it's a great question. I'll tell you, in my life, I never once have seen a Hispanic panhandler because in our community; it would be viewed as shameful to be out on the street begging."
A near perfect match.
It a clear attempt to woo the vote of Hispanic Evangelicals—a battleground demographic for the Republican presidential contenders. Cruz identifies himself as a member of the Hispanic community. His father is Cuban and worked for the revolution [ http://www.nationalreview.com/article/356934/rise-rafael-cruz-robert-costa ] of Fidel Castro before fleeing Cuba at age 18.
But Cruz was born in Canada to a mother from Delaware, and he admits his Spanish is "lousy [ http://video.foxnews.com/v/1678902735001/ted-cruz-on-spanish-debate/ ( http://video.foxnews.com/v/1678902735001/ted-cruz-on-spanish-debate/?#sp=show-clips )]." He attended mostly-Anglo private schools [ http://www.chron.com/news/local_news/article/Some-Latinos-not-impressed-by-Hispanic-Cruz-3946694.php ] in Houston suburbs, and transferred to the Houston Baptist School before going on to Princeton. He challenges the Hispanic community on many hot topics, like militarization of the border, the DREAM Act and immigration reform.
Other Republican presidential contenders, Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio, were in Houston yesterday also trying to win over Hispanic Evangelicals at the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference. Sam Rodriguez, president of the conference, said Republicans would "discard" the Hispanic vote without supporting immigration reform.
Cruz has opposed every national effort at immigration reform—efforts which would have lowered barriers to legal immigration and provided straighter paths to citizenship—but he has not called for the deportation of the estimated 11 million people who've managed to make a home in the U.S. without government sanctions.
But he declined to address [ http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/ted-cruz-tiptoes-around-immigration-hispanic-business-event ] those issues in depth at the chamber of commerce, opting instead for some cozy rhetoric as he snuggled up to the Hispanic community.
"Now if you want people to work their fingers to the bones — hard work — you'll have Hispanic men and women lining up to work hard and provide for their families. Those are all conservative values. And I think the most potent ethos in the Hispanic community is what we believe in. It's the shared value in our community," he said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
© Copyright 2015 Hearst Newspapers, LLC
http://www.chron.com/news/politics/texas/article/Ted-Cruz-has-never-seen-a-Hispanic-panhandler-6233768.php [with comments]
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Ted Cruz charges Obama’s economic policies as disproportionately hurtful to Latinos
Republican presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas gestures while he talks at the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC), Wednesday, April 29, 2015, at the National Press Club in Washington.
(AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
By Elizabeth Llorente
Published April 29, 2015
Fox News Latino
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz took his first major step in advocating for the Hispanic vote by challenging the Obama administration’s economic policies, saying they have disproportionately hurt hardworking Latinos.
Speaking to a roomful of Latino business leaders, advocates and national media in a question-and-answer session hosted by the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, the Texas Republican said that economic growth is the top priority in his campaign, in order to re-ignite business and get “back to the America that we grew up in.”
“(I am committed) to bringing back jobs and economic growth and opportunities,” he said. “I'm campaigning on a simple flat tax where every American can file their taxes on a postcard."
Touching on immigration, Cruz continued to voice his opposition to the Obama administration's plans on addressing the status of millions of undocumented immigrants in the United States.
He said there is a bipartisan agreement outside of Washington that work needs to be done to secure the border, stop illegal immigration and streamline legal immigration.
"I'm the son of an immigrant who came here legally. There is no stronger advocate of legal immigration than I am," he said, reiterating that to pass reform, Congress must focus on a bipartisan agreement.
Cruz added that President Obama and his Democrat counterparts in Congress don't want to actually solve the problems of immigration reform, just use the issue as a scare tactic within the Hispanic community to get votes.
"It is my hope that the next president will lead in bringing people together on a common ground," he said.
Cruz said Americans, regardless of race, gender or ethnicity, fundamentally believe in hard work to expand their opportunities. He said Latinos take pride in earning their keep.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Hispanic panhandler,” he said. “I think it’s because in our community it’s shameful… If you want someone working to the bone, you will have Hispanics lining up.”
Cruz added: “The biggest lie in all of politics is that Republicans are the party of the rich.”
The Wednesday afternoon event marked a departure for Cruz, who has been criticized for rarely taking part in Latino-sponsored events on the national level.
It comes just weeks after the Hispanic Chamber’s president Javier Palomarez assailed Cruz during a meeting with reporters for skipping the organization’s annual legislative summit and not taking part in other chamber events.
Palomarez charged that Cruz was trying to avoid Hispanics for fear of alienating the GOP conservative base.
Cruz's campaign quickly denied the charge, saying the summit had been held at a busy time for the senator, who that week launched his presidential campaign.
“I think the core issue this race will come down to is trust — who do Republican primary voters trust to do what they said they’d do,” Cruz said toward the end of the event. “People are fed up with politicians who say one thing on the campaign trail and then don’t follow through and do what they said.”
Cruz said he can appeal to Latino voters and pointed to the 40 percent of the Latinos who voted for him in Texas when he ran for Senate "at the same time that Romney got clobbered with 27 percent of the Hispanic vote."
"I think our country is in crisis right now. What we are doing is not working," he said. "Millions of people are hurting. The Hispanic community is hurting."
©2015 FOX News Network, LLC
http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/politics/2015/04/29/ted-cruz-charges-obamas-economic-policies-as-disproportionately-hurtful-to/ [with comments]
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Cruz: Obama has 'inflamed' racial tensions
By Adam Levy, CNN
Updated 10:59 AM ET, Thu April 30, 2015
Washington (CNN)—Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz said on Wednesday that President Barack Obama had "inflamed racial tensions" during his time in office.
Speaking to members of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the media, Cruz pointedly attacked the president for repeated missed opportunities to lead on race issues since he came into office.
"He's made decisions that I think have inflamed racial tensions -- that have divided us rather than bring us together," the Texas senator said. "We need leadership that brings us together rather than trying to divide us."
Cruz, who became visibly emotional talking about Baltimore during the hour and a half discussion of an array of issues facing the country, called for prayers for the victims of the violence and a fair investigation to find out what happened to Freddie Gray [ http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/30/us/baltimore-freddie-gray-death-investigation/index.html ]. Gray, a 25-year-old black man, died while in police custody and thrust Baltimore into turmoil.
He cited Vice President Joe Biden's warning to an African-American audience that Republicans would "put you back in chains" during the 2012 campaign as proof of the kind of "incendiary and hateful rhetoric" that splits people apart.
Cruz could offer no specific examples on what he could do as President to address the tensions among minority communities when he was pressed.
"No. 1, most importantly, it comes to tone and language and rhetoric," he said. "Not having the President inflaming racial tensions, rather have the President working to appeal to our shared values."
Making a quick turn to his campaign for the White House, he spoke about his support for criminal justice reform and the president attacking gun owners after the shooting in Sandy Hook rather than focus on violent criminals which he mentioned as a case of division.
Asked again by CNN's Dana Bash for specific examples of how Obama had inflamed racial tensions, Cruz answered with broad reflections on leadership.
"I think he has not used his role as President to bring us together. He has exacerbated racial misunderstandings, racial tensions, from back at the beer summit to a series of efforts to pit Americans against each other," he said. "And part of the problem is the way he advocates for any given plan is to paint ... is to build a straw man of the opposition and then vilify caricatures."
The President, Cruz explained, had vilified people opposed to Obamacare and those who opposes the current Iran nuclear negotiations. He did not cite an example founded from racial conflicts.
Obama, the nation's first African-American president, spoke at length about Baltimore and race Tuesday at the White House.
"There's no excuse for the kind of violence ... It is counterproductive," Obama said of the violent protests.
"Since Ferguson ... we have seen too many instances of what appears to be police officers interacting with individuals -- primarily African-American, often poor -- in ways that have raised troubling questions," Obama said. "This has been a slow-rolling crisis. This has been going on for a long time. This is not new, and we shouldn't pretend that it's new."
© 2015 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.
http://www.cnn.com/2015/04/29/politics/ted-cruz-obama-racial-tensions-election-2016/index.html [with embedded video]
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Ted Cruz Says Obama Has 'Inflamed Racial Tensions' and Divided America; Argues Against 'Vilification' of Police
U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas, pauses as he confirms his candidacy for the 2016 U.S. presidential election race during a speech at Liberty College in Lynchburg, Virginia, March 23, 2015. Cruz, a conservative firebrand who frequently clashes with leaders of his Republican Party, became the first major figure from either party to jump into the 2016 U.S. presidential election race on Monday when he announced his candidacy earlier in the day on Twitter.
(Photo: Reuters/Chris Keane)
By Stoyan Zaimov , Christian Post Reporter
May 1, 2015|11:37 am
GOP presidential candidate Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, has accused President Barack Obama of inflaming racial tensions and dividing America in the wake of the Baltimore riots. Cruz also spoke out against those who "vilify" police officers.
"President Obama, when he was elected, he could have been a unifying leader," Cruz said in a session hosted by the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. He said that instead, Obama "has made decisions that I think have inflamed racial tensions, that have divided us rather than bringing us tougher."
Riots and looting broke out in Baltimore Monday following the death of Freddie Gray, an African-American man who died last month from a spinal injury while in the custody of Baltimore police.
Clashes between protesters and police left 98 officers injured and over 200 people arrested, as rioters vandalized and burned vehicles, businesses and firebombed residents' homes [ http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/baltimore-woman-homeless-jobless-due-rioters-article-1.2202301 ].
The incident is the latest case in the past couple of years where the African-American community has accused police of systematic racism and targeting unarmed young black people.
Cruz argued that it's wrong to portray police officers in a negative light, however.
"The vilification of law enforcement has been fundamentally wrong and it has hurt the minority community," the Texas Republican said, according to Breitbart News [ http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/04/29/ted-cruz-obama-inflamed-race-tensions-vilifying-cops-fundamentally-wrong/ ].
Cruz's criticism of Obama echoes comments made by business magnate Donald Trump, who argued that the president ha failed to have a positive impact on the "thugs who are destroying" the city.
"Our great African-American president hasn't exactly had a positive impact on the thugs who are so happily and openly destroying Baltimore," Trump wrote [ http://www.christianpost.com/news/donald-trump-blames-obama-for-baltimore-riots-says-president-is-failing-to-make-positive-impact-on-thugs-who-are-destroying-the-city-138297/ ] in a Twitter message Monday night.
On Tuesday morning, he urged Obama to act: "President Obama, you have a big job to do. Go to Baltimore and bring both sides together. With proper leadership, it can be done! Do it."
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest has revealed that the president is "very focused" on the issues in Baltimore, but will not be traveling to the city.
"There is significant police presence required to respond to whatever significant event has occurred in that local community," Earnest said, according NBC News [ http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/baltimore-unrest/white-house-says-obama-has-no-immediate-plans-go-baltimore-n351391 ]. "And the president's reluctance to draw resources away from that immediate response is the reason that he often doesn't go right away."
Obama has condemned the violent protests, and said: "There's no excuse for the kind of violence we saw." He added that the incident should force the entire country to "do some soul-searching."
A pastor who serves at a youthful and racially-diverse congregation in Baltimore meanwhile told The Christian Post [ http://www.christianpost.com/news/baltimore-pastor-of-diverse-church-located-just-blocks-from-rioting-says-white-christians-need-to-acknowledge-systemic-racism-138409/ ] that it's time for white Christians to acknowledge the existence of systemic racism in America.
"There are deep systemic issues. There is no surface issue that's really the cause. There's some deep stuff that's been going on that's been going on for a lot of years," Joel Kurz, lead pastor of The Garden Church in Central/West Baltimore, told CP on Wednesday in an interview.
Copyright © 2015 The Christian Post
http://www.christianpost.com/news/ted-cruz-says-obama-has-inflamed-racial-tensions-and-divided-america-argues-against-vilification-of-police-138513/ [with comments]
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The President and Prime Minister of Japan Hold a Joint Press Conference
Published on Apr 28, 2015 by The White House [ http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYxRlFDqcWM4y7FfpiAN3KQ / http://www.youtube.com/user/whitehouse , http://www.youtube.com/user/whitehouse/videos ]
President Obama and Prime Minister Abe of Japan hold a Joint Press Conference in the Rose Garden. April 28, 2015.
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Remarks by President Obama and Prime Minister Abe of Japan in Joint Press Conference
Rose Garden
April 28, 2015
12:10 P.M. EDT
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Good morning, everybody. Please have a seat. Good afternoon. Konnichiwa. Once again, it is an honor to welcome my partner and friend, Prime Minister Abe, back to the White House. I’m told there’s a phrase in Japanese culture that speaks to the spirit that brings us together today. It’s an idea rooted in loyalty. It’s an expression of mutuality, respect and shared obligation. It transcends any specific moment or challenge. It’s the foundation of a relationship that endures. It’s what allows us to say that the United States and Japan stand together. Otagai no tame ni -- “with and for each other.”
This is the essence of the alliance between the United States and Japan -- an alliance that holds lessons for the world. Prime Minister Abe and I had the opportunity yesterday to visit our memorial to President Lincoln, who believed that a great conflict had to be followed with reconciliation. Shinzo, on behalf of the American people, I want to thank you for your visit to Arlington National Cemetery. Your gesture is a powerful reminder that the past can be overcome, former adversaries can become the closest of allies, and that nations can build a future together.
Across seven decades, our nations have become not just allies, but true partners and friends. And that mutual affection will be on display tomorrow when Shinzo becomes the first Japanese Prime Minister to address a joint meeting of Congress. And we are two global partners that stand together for security and human dignity around the world -- opposing Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, providing relief to innocent civilians threatened by ISIL, combating Ebola and promoting global health, and now offering help to the people of Nepal, who are in our prayers today.
This friendship includes my partnership with Prime Minister Abe. Since taking office, I’ve worked to rebalance American foreign policy to ensure that we’re playing a larger and lasting role in the Asia Pacific -- a policy grounded in our treaty alliances, including our treaty with Japan. And I’m grateful to Shinzo for his deep commitment to that alliance. He is pursuing a vision of Japan where the Japanese economy is reinvigorated and where Japan makes greater contributions to security and peace in the region and around the world. So, Shinzo, thank you. I believe the progress we’ve made today will help to guide the U.S.-Japanese partnership for decades to come.
Specifically, we first talked about transforming our security alliance. For the first time in nearly two decades, we’ve updated the guidelines for our defense cooperation. Together, our forces will be more flexible and better prepared to cooperate on a range of challenges, from maritime security to disaster response. Our forces will plan, train and operate even more closely. We’ll expand our cooperation, including on cyber threats and in space. And Japan will take on greater roles and responsibilities in the Asia Pacific and around the world.
Our new guidelines complement our effort to realign U.S. forces across the region, including on Okinawa, in order to lessen the impact of our bases on local communities. And I reaffirmed our commitment to move forward with the relocation of Marines from Okinawa to Guam.
I want to reiterate that our treaty commitment to Japan’s security is absolute, and that Article 5 covers all territories under Japan’s administration, including Senkaku Islands. We share a concern about China’s land reclamation and construction activities in the South China Sea, and the United States and Japan are united in our commitment to freedom of navigation, respect for international law, and the peaceful resolution of disputes without coercion.
We also remain united in pursuit of peaceful denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and addressing North Korean provocations. We fully support Japan’s efforts to resolve the tragedy of North Korea’s abduction of Japanese citizens. During my last visit to Japan, I met with the mother of one of those abductees and she described the awful pain that she has endured, so I know how important this is to the Japanese people. Meanwhile, our growing trilateral cooperation -- with the Republic of Korea, as well as with Australia -- gives us new opportunities to enhance security across the region.
With respect to trade, we reviewed the progress our teams have made towards the Trans-Pacific Partnership. I know that the politics around trade can be hard in both our countries. But I know that Prime Minister Abe, like me, is deeply committed to getting this done, and I’m confident we will. I often point out, for example, that there are many Japanese cars in America. I want to see more American cars in Japan, as well. TPP will help level the playing field. It will be good for the workers of both our countries.
And moreover, TPP will have strong protections for workers and the environment and help us set high standards for trade in the 21st century. Japan and the United States both operate with high standards in our companies and our corporations. We try to be responsible when it comes to corporate citizenship. And high standards will be good for us and good for the region.
Based on the progress we've made, Prime Minister Abe and I discussed how the United States and Japan, as the two largest economies in the TPP negotiations, will now work together to lead our TPP partners to swift and successful conclusions of the broader negotiations.
We also agreed to continue our close coordination on climate change. As the two countries that have made the largest pledges to the Green Climate Fund, we’re committed to helping nations around the world seize the opportunities of transitioning to low-carbon economies. And we discussed the importance of all major economies submitting ambitious targets to reduce emissions so we can reach a strong climate agreement this year in Paris.
And finally, we agreed to keep investing in our people so that they and our countries can reach their full potential. I want to once again commend the Prime Minister for his efforts to bring more Japanese women into the workforce. I can tell you it is very much my view here in the United States and around the world that when women are given opportunity, when they are full-fledged members of the political community and the economic community, when they have opportunity, those countries succeed. It’s good for everybody.
Along with the initiative we launched last year in Tokyo, we’re also aiming to double student exchanges in the coming years. And with the leadership of our better halves -- our wives -- the United States and Japan are helping to lead our global initiative, Let Girls Learn, to give more young women and girls access to education.
So these are just some examples of what it means to be true global partners. And I’m confident that with the steps that we’ve taken today, our alliance will play an even greater role in upholding security, prosperity and human dignity -- not just in the Asia Pacific, but around the world.
So, Prime Minister Abe, arigato gozaimasu. Mr. Prime Minister.
PRIME MINISTER ABE: (As interpreted.) Barack, thank you for inviting me to make an official visit in this commemorative year which marks 70 years after the war. Thank you for inviting me and my wife.
Walking together with you at the Lincoln Memorial, which has witnessed America tread the path of democracy, will be an extraordinary memory to be cherished. We have a dream -- that is to create a world abound in peace and prosperity. To realize this common dream, Japan and the United States will together pave the way towards a new era.
I was able to confirm this strong resolve with President Obama in this milestone year of 70 years after the war. Today, we turned a new page in the history of the U.S.-Japan alliance, which exceeds half a century. This is a Japan-U.S. alliance within the context of the world. Japan and the United States are partners who share basic values, such as freedom, democracy, and basic human rights, and the rule of law. The U.S.-Japan alliance characterized by the firmness of its bond is now indispensable to the peace and stability of not only the Asia Pacific but to the world.
We are united in our resoluteness in opposing unilateral attempts to change the status quo in whatever form. Any dispute should be resolved peacefully based on international law and not through coercion or intimidation. Japan welcomes the United States policy of rebalancing, which emphasizes the Asia Pacific. And President Obama has expressed his support for Japan’s principle of proactive contribution to peace. Through coordination of these two policies, the deterrence of our alliance will no doubt be further strengthened.
Against this backdrop, we have reaffirmed our resolve to steadily move forward with the realignment of the U.S. forces in Japan. The dangers arising from the Futenma Air Station being surrounded by housing and schools should be eliminated by relocation to Henoko as soon as possible. We will move forward with mitigating the impact of the base in Okinawa, founded on a strong relationship of trust between Japan and the United States. It is prosperity that brings peace. These beliefs make us eager to see the early conclusion of the TPP.
On the bilateral outstanding issues, we welcome the fact that significant progress was made. We will continue to cooperate to lead the TPP talks through its last phase. We’ve confirmed that we would work together for the early and successful conclusion of the talks.
In addition, with regard to the situation in East Asia, abduction by North Korea, nuclear missile issues, the situation in the Ukraine, the nuclear issue in Iran, and the threat of terrorism; furthermore, climate change, infectious and communicable diseases, the U.N. Security Council reform -- the world has a multitude of issues facing it. And on these all sorts of issues, we have had a frank and candid exchange of views and we agreed that we would cooperate.
When it comes to the future of Japan and the United States, there are infinite possibilities -- energy, infrastructure, science and technology, space, and, in addition to this, the empowerment of women. We agree that is between President Obama and myself that we would cooperate and move forward in making investments for the future.
I would like to express my due heartfelt respect once again to President Obama and the citizens of the United States who have committed to take on the multitude of challenges of this world and for the unstinting efforts that you are making for the benefit of the peoples of the world.
Yesterday, I visited the JFK Library in Boston. On television, I saw President Kennedy deliver his inauguration speech; it deeply resonated with me and it still has a lingering effect. I recall the following quote: “My fellow citizens of the world, ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of mankind.”
Now, Japan wants to be a country that can respond to such calls. Hand in hand, we want to work together with the United States to spread basic values throughout the world such as those of freedom, democracy, basic human rights and the rule of law. And we want to be a country that can contribute to peace and prosperity of the world.
In visiting the United States, I’ve had a very heartwarming welcome and reception by all citizens of the United States. I’d like to express my heartfelt gratitude.
Lastly, I’d like to emphasize the following. Barack, as we stand here, we will be starting a new era for Japan and the United States. I think that 70 years from now, our children and grandchildren will look back on the talks we had as one of such historical significance. Thank you very much.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Starting with Andrew Beatty of AFP.
Q Thank you very much, Mr. President. First of all, I wanted to know if you think there’s a risk in this more assertive U.S.-Japanese security stands -- if you think there’s a risk that it might be seen as a provocation in Beijing, Pyongyang, or heightened tension in the East China and South China Seas.
And for Mr. Abe, if I may -- you stopped short of a full apology for Japan’s actions during World War II, including with regard the estimated 200,000 women enslaved by Imperial Forces. Would you make an apology for that today? Thank you.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: I think it’s very important to recognize that the U.S.-Japan alliance hasn’t just been good for the United States and Japan; it’s been good for the Asia Pacific region and the world.
The basic foundation of peace, stability, ensuring that territorial borders were respected, freedom of navigation -- all that has underwritten the incredible growth that’s taken place in the Asia Pacific region. China has benefitted from it. It’s on that basis that China became an economic juggernaut that ended up being incorporated into global trade.
And so, no, we don’t think that a strong U.S.-Japan alliance should be seen as a provocation. It should be seen as a continuation of the important work that we’ve done to ensure that you have a stable area where there are diplomatic conflicts, a healthy economic competition. But, largely, we’ve been able to maintain forward progress for a whole host of nations, and our treaty alliances have been critical to that. The U.S. serving as an Asia Pacific power has been critical to that.
And as I’ve said before, we welcome China’s peaceful rise. We think it’s good not only because China is a booming potential market. We think it’s good not only because it allows China potentially to share some burdens with us in helping countries that are not as far along develop. But we think it’s just good that hundreds of millions of Chinese citizens have been able to rise out of poverty at incredible speed over the last several years. They could not have done that had it not been for a stable trading system and world order that is underwritten in large part by the work that our alliances do.
I think it is going to be important for us to continue to adapt to new challenges. So part of the goal here is that the same principles that the alliance was founded on continually update to concerns about cyber threats; that we are nimble and responsive to potential conflicts that may arise because of maritime disputes. But I think we have to do it in a way that brings China and other countries into a common effort to maintain order and peace in the region.
And we are seeking to strengthen military-to-military cooperation with China even as we continue to upgrade our alliance efforts. Obviously, the Republic of Korea is a critical part of our alliance structure, as well. And the trilateral work that we do is going to be also very, very important.
I don't want to minimize, though, the fact that there are some real tensions that have arisen with China around its approach to maritime issues and its claims. But that's not an issue that is arising as a consequence of the U.S.-Japan alliance. It’s primarily a conflict between China and various claimants throughout East Asia and Southeast Asia in which they feel that rather than resolve these issues through normal international dispute settlements, they are flexing their muscles.
And we’ve said to China what we would say to any country in that circumstance: That's the wrong way to go about it. And we will continue to work with all countries in the region, starting with our treaty allies, to make sure that basic international norms continue to be observed.
PRIME MINISTER ABE: (As interpreted.) On the issue of comfort women, I am deeply pained to think about the comfort women who experienced immeasurable pain and suffering as a result of victimization due to human trafficking. This is a feeling that I share equally with my predecessors. The Abe Cabinet upholds the Kono Statement and has no intention to revise it. Based on this position, Japan has made various efforts to provide realistic relief for the comfort women.
Throughout the history of the 20th century, women’s dignity and basic human rights had often been infringed upon during wars. We intend to make the 21st century a world with no human rights violations against women.
I promised at the General Assembly of the United Nations last year that Japan would stand at the fore and lead the international community in eliminating sexual violence during conflicts. For an international framework, including the U.N. Women, Japan provided approximately $12 million in 2014 and decided that it would provide approximately $22 million in 2015.
In any case, the 21st century should be an age where women’s rights is never infringed upon. And that is our strong resolve.
Q (As interpreted.) Thank you very much. I’m from NHK. I’d like to address this question to Prime Minister Abe and President Obama. In the East China Sea and in the South China Sea, China continues to make forays into the oceans. And the Islamic State is still very active. How does the United States and Japan intend to collaborate?
And what do you expect of each other in terms of actions taken by the respective countries? In Japan, with regard to the acceptance of exercise of collective self-defense and the new guidelines, there is a strong concern that Japan will become involved in America’s wars. How does Prime Minister Abe intend to dispel those fears? And what is President Obama’s take on these concerns?
PRIME MINISTER ABE: (As interpreted.) First of all, on extremism and radicalism, which is on the rise, the world community should unite to counter such extremism. Moderation is the best method, is the speech I delivered in Cairo. We have to face extremism. There are moderates who are at the very forefront are facing extremism, and we want to support this.
With the rise of extremism, there are refugees and support to these refugees. And also, through the influx of refugees, there are countries who are faced with difficulties. To these countries, it’s important that we provide support appropriately. And to the moderate countries, we need to tell them that they are not alone, they are not isolated in the international society. The moderate countries should be supported, and we need to express that at all times. I believe that is important.
In the Middle East, there are people who are living there; improving the welfare and livelihood of these people are areas in which we’d like to make efforts. From such a standpoint, the United States and Japan would like to cooperate to respond to the challenges.
Another point. The defense guidelines and with regard to the security legislation that we may be involved, get caught up in wars -- people tend to label this in some cases. It’s very unfortunate. Labeling activities of this kind is not the first time it has occurred. In 1960, when we revised the security treaty, some people said that we would be involved in wars of the United States, and that was the core of the criticism which was aired then.
It's been 55 years since then. This criticism has been proved totally wrong, and that is very clear and evident. History has proved this. Our choice made at the time to revise the security treaty. And in case Japan suffers from aggression between Japan and the United States, we would respond through cooperation.
And in the Far East, to maintain security, Japan’s facilities would be leveraged and U.S. military would leverage these facilities to conduct activities. Through such activities, Japan’s safety was protected and prosperity happened, and safety in the Asia Pacific has been maintained.
To further strengthen this trend, it is provided for through the new guidelines, and seamless response is made possible. And by so doing, the deterrence would be enhanced. The Japan-U.S. alliance would be more efficient and more functional. Deterrence and response capabilities would be heighted as a result. And this would lead to peace and prosperity of Japan, and regional peace and prosperity as well. This is my firm conviction.
In the streamlining of the laws, I should like to explain to the citizens -- and the Parliament -- in a detailed fashion.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Ultimately, the people of Japan and their elected representatives will be making decisions about how best to approach their defense. But I think it's important to note, as Prime Minister Abe said, that we have seen over multiple decades now that Japan is a peace-loving country having absorbed some very difficult lessons from the past. Japan does not engage in aggression on the international stage, or in its region. And that the alliance that has been built with the United States is principally one that seeks to defend our countries from potential attack or aggression.
And what the new defense guidelines, and the collective defense approach that Prime Minister Abe is proposing, it simply upgrades our ability to carry out those core functions. We do share, as people in countries all around the world share, a determination to eliminate the kind of barbaric terrorist acts perpetrated by organizations like ISIL that have resulted in the death of innocent citizens from the United States, from Japan, from other countries and, most of all, from Muslim countries.
And that’s why we have a broad-based coalition designed to defeat ISIL. And we will continue to work with a wide range of countries around the world in our counterterrorism efforts.
Japan’s cooperation in that is vital and appreciated, but there are many ways in which coalition members participate. Japan’s willingness and commitment to provide humanitarian assistance makes an enormous difference in countries that have been destabilized. Japan’s willingness to serve in areas of peacekeeping and working with other countries to rebuild after they’ve been destroyed makes a big difference.
So I think it's important to recognize we do not expect some instant and major transformation in terms of how Japan projects military power, but we do expect that Japan, like all of our allies and like ourselves, will continue to adapt to new threats, understanding that our basic core principle is not territorial ambition, it's not aggression towards others, but it is simply to defend prosperity and liberty and the sovereignty of countries, as we have done for a very long time now -- as we have done together for a very long time.
Chris Jansing.
Q Thank you, Mr. President. As you know, the National Guard is now on the streets of Baltimore -- the latest aftermath in a series of what have been high-profile confrontations between black men and police officers. And there seems to be growing frustration among African American leaders that not enough is being done quickly enough. Marc Morial of the Urban League said, “The U.S. is in a state of emergency of tremendous proportions.” The president of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund says, “We are in the throes of a national crisis.”
Are we in the throes of a national crisis? What are you prepared to do about it, both in terms of Baltimore and the larger picture? And what do you say to critics who say that since the death of Trayvon Martin, you have not been aggressive enough in your response?
And to Prime Minister Abe, how important is a Pacific trade deal to keeping the influence of China in check, both economically and militarily? And do you agree with President Obama when he says that failing to complete a deal will simply further China’s influence? Thank you.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Before I answer the question about Baltimore, I’m going to horn in on your question to Prime Minister Abe.
I’ve been very clear that TPP is good for American businesses and American workers, regardless of what China is doing. And we will make the case on the merits as to why it will open up markets for American goods, American exports, and create American jobs. So this is not simply a defensive agreement, this is something that is going to be part and parcel of our broader economic agenda moving forward. And when 95 percent of the world’s markets are outside our shores, we’ve got to make sure that we’re out there competing. And I’m confident we can compete.
With respect to Baltimore, let me make a couple of points. First, obviously our thoughts continue to be with the family of Freddie Gray. Understandably, they want answers. And DOJ has opened an investigation. It is working with local law enforcement to find out exactly what happened, and I think there should be full transparency and accountability.
Second, my thoughts are with the police officers who were injured in last night’s disturbances. It underscores that that’s a tough job and we have to keep that in mind, and my hope is that they can heal and get back to work as soon as possible.
Point number three, there’s no excuse for the kind of violence that we saw yesterday. It is counterproductive. When individuals get crowbars and start prying open doors to loot, they’re not protesting, they’re not making a statement -- they’re stealing. When they burn down a building, they’re committing arson. And they’re destroying and undermining businesses and opportunities in their own communities that rob jobs and opportunity from people in that area.
So it is entirely appropriate that the mayor of Baltimore, who I spoke to yesterday, and the governor, who I spoke to yesterday, work to stop that kind of senseless violence and destruction. That is not a protest. That is not a statement. It’s people -- a handful of people taking advantage of a situation for their own purposes, and they need to be treated as criminals.
Point number four, the violence that happened yesterday distracted from the fact that you had seen multiple days of peaceful protests that were focused on entirely legitimate concerns of these communities in Baltimore, led by clergy and community leaders. And they were constructive and they were thoughtful, and frankly, didn’t get that much attention. And one burning building will be looped on television over and over and over again, and the thousands of demonstrators who did it the right way I think have been lost in the discussion.
The overwhelming majority of the community in Baltimore I think have handled this appropriately, expressing real concern and outrage over the possibility that our laws were not applied evenly in the case of Mr. Gray, and that accountability needs to exist. And I think we have to give them credit. My understanding is, is you’ve got some of the same organizers now going back into these communities to try to clean up in the aftermath of a handful of criminals and thugs who tore up the place. What they were doing, what those community leaders and clergy and others were doing, that is a statement. That’s the kind of organizing that needs to take place if we’re going to tackle this problem. And they deserve credit for it, and we should be lifting them up.
Point number five -- and I’ve got six, because this is important. Since Ferguson, and the task force that we put together, we have seen too many instances of what appears to be police officers interacting with individuals -- primarily African American, often poor -- in ways that have raised troubling questions. And it comes up, it seems like, once a week now, or once every couple of weeks. And so I think it’s pretty understandable why the leaders of civil rights organizations but, more importantly, moms and dads across the country, might start saying this is a crisis. What I’d say is this has been a slow-rolling crisis. This has been going on for a long time. This is not new, and we shouldn’t pretend that it’s new.
The good news is, is that perhaps there’s some newfound awareness because of social media and video cameras and so forth that there are problems and challenges when it comes to how policing and our laws are applied in certain communities, and we have to pay attention to it and respond.
What’s also good news is the task force that was made up of law enforcement and community activists that we brought together here in the White House have come up with very constructive concrete proposals that, if adopted by local communities and by states and by counties, by law enforcement generally, would make a difference. It wouldn’t solve every problem, but would make a concrete difference in rebuilding trust and making sure that the overwhelming majority of effective, honest and fair law enforcement officers, that they're able to do their job better because it will weed out or retrain or put a stop to those handful who may be not doing what they're supposed to be doing.
Now, the challenge for us as the federal government is, is that we don't run these police forces. I can't federalize every police force in the country and force them to retrain. But what I can do is to start working with them collaboratively so that they can begin this process of change themselves.
And coming out of the task force that we put together, we're now working with local communities. The Department of Justice has just announced a grant program for those jurisdictions that want to purchase body cameras. We are going to be issuing grants for those jurisdictions that are prepared to start trying to implement some of the new training and data collection and other things that can make a difference. And we're going to keep on working with those local jurisdictions so that they can begin to make the changes that are necessary.
I think it’s going to be important for organizations like the Fraternal Order of Police and other police unions and organization to acknowledge that this is not good for police. We have to own up to the fact that occasionally there are going to be problems here, just as there are in every other occupation. There are some bad politicians who are corrupt. There are folks in the business community or on Wall Street who don't do the right thing. Well, there’s some police who aren’t doing the right thing. And rather than close ranks, what we’ve seen is a number of thoughtful police chiefs and commissioners and others recognize they got to get their arms around this thing and work together with the community to solve the problem. And we're committed to facilitating that process.
So the heads of our COPS agency that helps with community policing, they're already out in Baltimore. Our Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division is already out in Baltimore. But we're going to be working systematically with every city and jurisdiction around the country to try to help them implement some solutions that we know work.
And I’ll make my final point -- I’m sorry, Mr. Prime Minister, but this is a pretty important issue for us.
We can't just leave this to the police. I think there are police departments that have to do some soul searching. I think there are some communities that have to do some soul searching. But I think we, as a country, have to do some soul searching. This is not new. It’s been going on for decades.
And without making any excuses for criminal activities that take place in these communities, what we also know is that if you have impoverished communities that have been stripped away of opportunity, where children are born into abject poverty; they’ve got parents -- often because of substance-abuse problems or incarceration or lack of education themselves -- can't do right by their kids; if it’s more likely that those kids end up in jail or dead, than they go to college. In communities where there are no fathers who can provide guidance to young men; communities where there’s no investment, and manufacturing has been stripped away; and drugs have flooded the community, and the drug industry ends up being the primary employer for a whole lot of folks -- in those environments, if we think that we're just going to send the police to do the dirty work of containing the problems that arise there without as a nation and as a society saying what can we do to change those communities, to help lift up those communities and give those kids opportunity, then we're not going to solve this problem. And we’ll go through the same cycles of periodic conflicts between the police and communities and the occasional riots in the streets, and everybody will feign concern until it goes away, and then we go about our business as usual.
If we are serious about solving this problem, then we're going to not only have to help the police, we're going to have to think about what can we do -- the rest of us -- to make sure that we're providing early education to these kids; to make sure that we're reforming our criminal justice system so it’s not just a pipeline from schools to prisons; so that we're not rendering men in these communities unemployable because of a felony record for a nonviolent drug offense; that we're making investments so that they can get the training they need to find jobs. That's hard. That requires more than just the occasional news report or task force. And there’s a bunch of my agenda that would make a difference right now in that.
Now, I’m under no illusion that out of this Congress we're going to get massive investments in urban communities, and so we’ll try to find areas where we can make a difference around school reform and around job training, and around some investments in infrastructure in these communities trying to attract new businesses in.
But if we really want to solve the problem, if our society really wanted to solve the problem, we could. It’s just it would require everybody saying this is important, this is significant -- and that we don't just pay attention to these communities when a CVS burns, and we don't just pay attention when a young man gets shot or has his spine snapped. We're paying attention all the time because we consider those kids our kids, and we think they're important. And they shouldn’t be living in poverty and violence.
That's how I feel. I think there are a lot of good-meaning people around the country that feel that way. But that kind of political mobilization I think we haven’t seen in quite some time. And what I’ve tried to do is to promote those ideas that would make a difference. But I think we all understand that the politics of that are tough because it’s easy to ignore those problems or to treat them just as a law and order issue, as opposed to a broader social issue.
That was a really long answer, but I felt pretty strongly about it.
PRIME MINISTER ABE: (As interpreted.) First of all, on TPP, this is not something that we create out of consciousness about China. The economic growth of the region will be positive and create opportunities for Japan, the United States and the world. The TPP is such that to the eyes of many countries it has to become a model. It should be a model for China in that it's an ambitious attempt to create a new economic sphere in which people, goods, and money will flow freely within the Asia Pacific region. It's a new economic region of freedom, democracy, basic human rights, and rule of law.
With countries that share these universal values, we will be creating new rules. This will benefit regional prosperity and it also has a strategic significance related to regional stability.
On these points, we see completely eye to eye between President Obama and myself. The early conclusion of TPP -- by achieving this, this will work on other countries -- non-members of the TPP -- to follow rules. And I believe that this will lead to prosperity.
Q (As interpreted.) My question is addressed to Prime Minister Abe, as well as President Obama. In relation to the answer that has been given, China is working toward the establishment of the AIIB, and it intends to enhance its influence in the international economy and finance. What is the strategic significance of the early conclusion of the TPP?
And the next question is to President Obama. Do you have confidence, or how do you intend to work on Congress to pass the TPP-related bills? And how confident are you that you’ll be able to pass this bill?
PRIME MINISTER ABE: (As interpreted.) On the TPP, as I mentioned in my answer previously, in the Asia Pacific region this is a region where growth is very prominent. And in such a region, for people and goods and money under proper rules to flow freely, without a doubt we’ll make affluent the countries participating in the TPP, in the Asia Pacific. And the people in the countries will be able to lead affluent lives. I believe this will feed into this.
So for this purpose as well, as soon as possible, with the general public’s understanding, toward early conclusion of the TPP, we’d like to make efforts. And in this context, Japan and the United States -- or with President Barack Obama and myself -- we want to exert leadership to bring about an early conclusion of the TPP.
Furthermore, on the AIIB, in Asia there’s a tremendous demand for infrastructure, and the financial system to respond to this is very important. On this recognition, we see eye to eye between China and myself, and I think this is a point on which we see eye to eye between many countries.
For Japan to participate in the AIIB is a decision that which we have not taken yet. But to create such an enormous financial institution and since this will have an enormous impact on Asian countries, a fair governance is necessary of the institution. In particular, the board to review individual projects and to approve of this is indispensable. And that sustainability, and the environment and society and the impact of this should be considered. We need to secure this.
It’s not only about the lenders, but the borrowing nations. For example, various infrastructure projects may not be sustainable. It may have too much of a burden on the environment. If this is the case, this will be a very negative -- bring negative results for the citizens living in the countries. It will prove to be a burden. And so in that sense, a proper review as to whether lending the money to a country will be of benefit to the country. Rigorous review is very important.
So from such a standpoint, the two points to be secured I believe is very important. So from such a standpoint, Japan and the United States should cooperate, and we need to continue dialogue with China -- and it is my intention to do so.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Let me agree with Prime Minister Abe when it comes to the Asian Infrastructure Bank proposal that's been made by China.
Asia needs infrastructure. There are a lot of countries that have difficulty financing infrastructure, but if they got that infrastructure put in place and developed, they can grow much more rapidly. And that's good for everybody. It’s good for that country. It’s good for the world economy. It’s good for us. We want more markets to be able to get our goods in and sell our services that are some of the best in the world. And China has got a lot of money. It’s been running a big surplus for quite some time. So to the extent that China wants to put capital into development projects around the region, that's a positive. That's a good thing.
So let me be very clear and dispel this notion that we were opposed or are opposed to other countries participating in the Asia Infrastructure Bank. That is simply not true. It sprung up out of one story after the Brits decided that they were going to join up, and then folks have just been running with it. And there have been all these editorials subsequently based on these reports -- not from any official position of the United States government, but from a series of behind-the-scenes quotes.
What we have said and what we said to all the other countries involved is exactly what Prime Minister Abe said, which is, if we're going to have a multilateral lending institution, then you have to have some guidelines by which it’s going to operate. That's how the World Bank operates. That's how the IMF operates. There may be weighted votes in terms of who’s the biggest contributor, but you've got to have some transparency in terms of how the thing is going to operate -- because if not, a number of things can happen. Number one, money could end up flowing that is misused, or it doesn't have high accounting standards, and we don't know what happens to money that is going into projects.
As Prime Minister Abe said, the projects themselves may not be well-designed. They may be very good for the leaders of some countries and contractors, but may not be good for the actual people who live there. And the reason I can say that is because, in the past, some of the efforts of multilateral institutions that the United States set up didn't always do right by the actual people in those countries. And we learned some lessons from that, and we got better at making sure that we were listening to the community and thinking about how this would affect the environment, and whether it was sustainable.
And so our simple point to everybody in these conversations around the Asia Infrastructure Bank is let’s just make sure that we're running it based on best practices, based on what we’ve learned from the entire post-war era and how other multilateral financing mechanisms have worked.
And if, in fact, the Asia Infrastructure Bank that is being set up ends up having those kinds of safeguards, is run in a way that ultimately is actually going to lead to good infrastructure and benefit the borrowing countries, then we're all for it. And we look forward to collaborating with the Asia Infrastructure Bank, just like we do with the Asia Development Bank and with the World Bank on a whole bunch of stuff. So this could be a positive thing.
But if it’s not run well, then it could be a negative thing. And what we don't want to do is just be participating in something and providing cover for an institution that does not end up doing right by its people. Because when these countries borrow money, even from a development bank, for a boondoggle project that doesn’t work, they’re oftentimes still on the hook for paying that money back. And there have been experiences like that across continents and across decades.
With respect to TPP, it’s never fun passing a trade bill in this town because people are understandably concerned about its potential impacts on specific industries but also the general concerns that people have had about globalization and technology displacing workers. We’re addressing those systematically. Here’s what I’m confident about: This will end up being the most progressive trade bill in history. It will have the kinds of labor and environmental and human rights protections that have been absent in previous agreements. It’s going to be enforceable. It’s going to open up markets that currently are not fully open to U.S. businesses. It’s going to be good for the U.S. economy.
And because I always believe that good policy ends up being good politics, I’m confident we’re going to end up getting the votes in Congress. And Congress, by the way, will have a lot of time to review it when and if it’s actually completed. So this whole notion that it’s all secret, they’re going to have 60 days before I even sign it to look at the text, and then a number of months after that before they have to take a final vote.
Thank you very much, everybody.
END
1:09 P.M. EDT
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/04/28/remarks-president-obama-and-prime-minister-abe-japan-joint-press-confere
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1Wz_ak4XXE [in particular, beginning at the 30:45 mark; with comments], https://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/2015/04/28/president-and-prime-minister-japan-hold-joint-press-conference
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The President Speaks at the Launch of the My Brother's Keeper Alliance
Published on May 4, 2015 by The White House
President Obama delivers remarks at the launch of the My Brother's Keeper Alliance at Lehman College in the Bronx, NY, May 4, 2015.
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Remarks by the President at Launch of the My Brother's Keeper Alliance
Lehman College
West Bronx, New York
May 04, 2015
2:56 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Hello, New York! (Applause.) Give Darinel a big round of applause for that introduction. (Applause.) Thank you so much. Thank you. Everybody, please have a seat. We are so proud of Darinel. We want to thank him for being such a great role model for other students here in New York and around the country.
I want to give a shout-out to a friend of mine who happens to be your Assemblyman -- Michael Blake. (Applause.) Where’s Michael? He is around here somewhere. There he is. You got to stand up, Michael. (Laughter.) We're still teaching him about politics. (Applause.) When the President introduces you, you got to stand up. (Laughter.) Get some TV time. (Laughter.)
So Mike grew up in tough circumstances, as well. He worked hard, went to a good college. He joined my campaign, worked in the White House. Now he’s in public office to make sure that other young people like him have every chance in the world. So we couldn't be prouder of him. It's great to see. (Applause.)
So I'm getting practice for Malia and Sasha leaving home. I’ve got all these incredible young people who worked on the White House staff who are now doing all kinds of great things.
I want to thank all the members of Congress and elected officials who are in the house. You’ve got a couple of proud Lehman graduates -- Eliot Engel -- where’s Eliot? (Applause.) There he is. And Jose Serrano. (Applause.) And we've got some more folks -- we've got three other folks from the New York delegation -- Gregory Meeks -- (applause) -- the always dapper Charlie Rangel -- (applause) -- the outstanding Yvette Clarke. (Applause.) And visiting from Florida -- Frederica Wilson. (Applause.) But they all share the same passion that I do, and that is making sure every young person in this country has opportunity.
That’s why we’re all here today. Because we believe in the idea that no matter who you are, no matter what you look like, no matter where you came from, no matter what your circumstances were, if you work hard, if you take responsibility, then America is a place where you can make something of your lives.
And I want to thank Lehman for hosting us here today. And our community college system -- the CUNY system -- our public education institutions, they are all pathways for success. And we're very proud of what they do.
Everything that we’ve done since I've been President, the past six and a half years -- from rescuing the economy to giving more Americans access to affordable health care, to reforming our schools for all of our kids -- it’s been in pursuit of that one goal: creating opportunity for everybody. We can’t guarantee everybody’s success. But we do strive to guarantee an equal shot for everybody who’s willing to work for it.
But what we’ve also understood for too long is that some communities have consistently had the odds stacked against them; that there’s a tragic history in this country that has made it tougher for some. And folks living in those communities, and especially young people living in those communities, could use some help to change those odds.
It’s true of some rural communities where there’s chronic poverty. It’s true of some manufacturing communities that have suffered after factories they depended on closed their doors. It’s true for young people of color, especially boys and young men.
You all know the numbers. By almost every measure, the life chances of the average young man of color is worse than his peers. Those opportunity gaps begin early -- often at birth -- and they compound over time, becoming harder and harder to bridge, making too many young men and women feel like no matter how hard they try, they may never achieve their dreams.
And that sense of unfairness and of powerlessness, of people not hearing their voices, that’s helped fuel some of the protests that we’ve seen in places like Baltimore, and Ferguson, and right here in New York. The catalyst of those protests were the tragic deaths of young men and a feeling that law is not always applied evenly in this country. In too many places in this country, black boys and black men, Latino boys, Latino men, they experience being treated differently by law enforcement -- in stops and in arrests, and in charges and incarcerations. The statistics are clear, up and down the criminal justice system; there’s no dispute.
That’s why one of the many things we did to address these issues was to put together a task force on community policing. And this task force was made up of law enforcement and of community activists, including some who had led protests in Ferguson, some who had led protests here in New York -- young people whose voices needed to be heard. And what was remarkable was law enforcement and police chiefs and sheriffs and county officials working with these young people, they came up with concrete proposals that, if implemented, would rebuild trust and help law enforcement officers do their jobs even better, and keep them and their communities even safer.
And what was clear from this task force was the recognition that the overwhelming majority of police officers are good and honest and fair, and care deeply about their communities. And they put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe. And their loved ones wait and worry until they come through that door at the end of their shift.
As many of you know, New York’s finest lost one of its own today -- Officer Brian Moore, who was shot in the line of duty on Saturday night, passed away earlier today. He came from a family of police officers. And the family of fellow officers he joined in the NYPD and across the country deserve our gratitude and our prayers not just today but every day. They’ve got a tough job. (Applause.)
Which is why, in addressing the issues in Baltimore or Ferguson or New York, the point I made was that if we’re just looking at policing, we’re looking at it too narrowly. If we ask the police to simply contain and control problems that we ourselves have been unwilling to invest and solve, that’s not fair to the communities, it’s not fair to the police. What we gathered here to talk about today is something that goes deeper than policing. It speaks to who we are as a nation, and what we’re willing to do to make sure that equality of opportunity is not an empty word.
Across the country and in parts of New York, in parts of New Jersey, in parts of my hometown in Chicago, there are communities that don’t have enough jobs, don’t have enough investment, don’t have enough opportunity. You’ve got communities with 30, or 40, or 50 percent unemployment. They’ve been struggling long before the economic crisis in 2007, 2008. Communities without enough role models. Communities where too many men who could otherwise be leaders, who could provide guidance for young people, who could be good fathers and good neighbors and good fellow citizens, are languishing in prison over minor, nonviolent drug offenses.
Now, there’s no shortage of people telling you who and what is to blame for the plight of these communities. But I’m not interested in blame. I’m interested in responsibility and I’m interested in results. (Applause.)
That’s why we’ve partnered with cities to get more kids access to quality early childhood education -- no matter who they are or where they’re born. It’s why we’ve partnered with cities to create Promise Zones, to give a booster shot to opportunity. That’s why we’ve invested in ideas from support for new moms to summer jobs for young people, to helping more young people afford a college education.
And that’s why, over a year ago, we launched something we call My Brother’s Keeper -- an initiative to address those persistent opportunity gaps and ensure that all of our young people, but particularly young men of color, have a chance to go as far as their dreams will take them. It’s an idea that we pursued in the wake of Trayvon Martin’s death because we wanted the message sent from the White House in a sustained way that his life mattered, that the lives of the young men who are here today matter, that we care about your future -- not just sometimes, but all the time.
In every community in America, there are young people with incredible drive and talent, and they just don't have the same kinds of chances that somebody like me had. They're just as talented as me, just as smart. They don't get a chance. And because everyone has a part to play in this process, we brought everybody together. We brought business leaders and faith leaders, mayors, philanthropists, educators, entrepreneurs, athletes, musicians, actors -- all united around the simple idea of giving all our young people the tools they need to achieve their full potential.
And we were determined not to just do a feel-good exercise, to write a report that nobody would read, to do some announcement, and then once the TV cameras had gone away and there weren’t protests or riots, then somehow we went back to business as usual. We wanted something sustained. And for more than a year, we’ve been working with experts to identify some of the key milestones that matter most in every young person’s life -- from whether they enter school ready to learn, to whether they graduate ready for a career. Are they getting suspended in school? Can we intervene there? Are they in danger of falling into the criminal justice system? Can we catch them before they do? Key indicators that we know will make a difference. If a child is reading by the third grade at grade level, we know they’ve got a chance of doing better. If they aren’t involved with the criminal justice system and aren’t suspended while they're in school, we know they’ve got a chance of doing better. So there are certain things that we knew would make a difference.
And we’ve looked at which programs and policies actually work in intervening at those key periods. Early childhood education works. Job apprenticeship programs work. Certain mentoring programs work. And we’ve identified which strategies make a difference in the lives of young people, like mentoring, or violence prevention and intervention.
And because we knew this couldn’t be the work of just the federal government, we challenged every community in the country -- big cities, small towns, rural counties, tribal nations -- to publicly commit to implementing strategies to help all young people succeed. And as a result, we’ve already got more than 200 communities across the country who are focused on this issue. They're on board and they're doing great work. They're sharing best practices. They're sharing ideas.
All of this has happened just in the last year. And the response we’ve gotten in such a short amount of time, the enthusiasm and the passion we’ve seen from folks all around the country proves how much people care about this. Sometimes politics may be cynical, the debate in Washington may be cynical, but when you get on the ground, and you talk to folks, folks care about this. They know that how well we do as a nation depends on whether our young people are succeeding. That's our future workforce.
They know that if you've got African American or Latino men here in New York who, instead of going to jail, are going to college, those are going to be taxpayers. They're going to help build our communities. They will make our communities safer. They aren’t part of the problem, they're potentially part of the solution -- if we treat them as such.
So we’ve made enormous progress over the last year. But today, after months of great work on the part of a whole lot of people, we’re taking another step forward, with people from the private sector coming together in a big way. We’re here for the launch of the My Brother’s Keeper Alliance, which is a new nonprofit organization of private sector organizations and companies that have committed themselves to continue the work of opening doors for young people -- all our young people -- long after I’ve left office. (Applause.) It’s a big deal.
I want to thank the former CEO of Deloitte, Joe Echevarria, who’s been involved for a long time. He has taken the lead on this alliance. Joe, stand up. You've done an incredible job. (Applause.) Just like the My Brother’s Keeper overall effort that we launched last year, Joe and My Brother’s Keeper Alliance -- they're all about getting results. They’ve set clear goals to hold themselves accountable for getting those results: Doubling the percentage of boys and young men of color who read at grade level by the third grade. Increasing their high school graduation rates by 20 percent. (Applause.) Getting 50,000 more of those young men into post-secondary education or training.
They’ve already announced $80 million in commitments to make this happen, and that is just the beginning. And they’ve got a great team of young people who helped to work on this, a lot of them from Deloitte. We appreciate them so much. We’re very proud of the great work that they did.
But here’s what the business leaders who are here today -- and Joe certainly subscribes to this -- will tell you, they’re not doing this out of charity. The organizations that are represented here, ranging -- as varied as from Sprint to BET -- they’re not doing it just to assuage society’s guilt. They’re doing this because they know that making sure all of our young people have the opportunity to succeed is an economic imperative.
These young men, all our youth, are part of our workforce. If we don’t make sure that our young people are safe and healthy and educated, and prepared for the jobs of tomorrow, our businesses won’t have the workers they need to compete in the 21st century global economy. Our society will lose in terms of productivity and potential. America won’t be operating at full capacity. And that hurts all of us.
So they know that there’s an economic rationale for making this investment. But, frankly, this is also about more than just economics; it’s about values. It’s about who we are as a people.
Joe grew up about a mile from here, in the Bronx. And as he and I were sitting there, listening to some incredible young men in a roundtable discussion, many of them from this community, their stories were our stories. So, for Joe and I, this is personal, because in these young men we see ourselves.
The stakes are clear. And these stakes are high: At the end of the day, what kind of society do we want to have? What kind of country do we want to be? It’s not enough to celebrate the ideals that we’re built on -- liberty for all, and justice for all and equality for all. Those can’t just be words on paper. The work of every generation is to make those ideals mean something concrete in the lives of our children -- all of our children.
And we won’t get there as long as kids in Baltimore or Ferguson or New York or Appalachia or the Mississippi Delta or the Pine Ridge Reservation believe that their lives are somehow worth less.
We won’t get there when we have impoverished communities that have been stripped away of opportunity, and where, in the richest nation on Earth, children are born into abject poverty.
We won’t be living up to our ideals when their parents are struggling with substance abuse, or are in prison, or unemployed, and when fathers are absent, and schools are substandard, and jobs are scarce and drugs are plentiful. We won’t get there when there are communities where a young man is less likely to end up in college than jail, or dead -- and feels like his country expects nothing else of him.
America’s future depends on us caring about this. If we don’t, then we will just keep on going through the same cycles of periodic conflict. When we ask police to go into communities where there’s no hope, eventually something happens because of the tensions between societies and these communities -- and the police are just on the front lines of that.
And people tweet outrage. And the TV cameras come. And they focus more on somebody setting fire to something or turning over a car than the peaceful protests and the thoughtful discussions that are taking place. And then some will argue, well, all these social programs don’t make a difference. And we cast blame. And politicians talk about poverty and inequality, and then gut policies that help alleviate poverty or reverse inequality. (Applause.)
And then we wait for the next outbreak or problem to flare up. And we go through the same pattern all over again. So that, in effect, we do nothing.
There are consequences to inaction. There are consequences to indifference. And they reverberate far beyond the walls of the projects, or the borders of the barrio, or the roads of the reservation. They sap us of our strength as a nation. It means we’re not as good as we could be. And over time, it wears us out. Over time, it weakens our nation as a whole.
The good news is, it doesn’t have to be this way. We can have the courage to change. We can make a difference. We can remember that these kids are our kids. “For these are all our children,” James Baldwin once wrote. “We will all profit by, or pay for, whatever they become.”
And that’s what My Brother’s Keeper is about, that’s what this alliance is about. And we are in this for the long haul. We’re going to keep doing our work at the White House on these issues. Sometimes it won’t be a lot of fanfare. I notice we don’t always get a lot of reporting on this issue when there’s not a crisis in some neighborhood. But we’re just going to keep on plugging away. And this will remain a mission for me and for Michelle not just for the rest of my presidency, but for the rest of my life. (Applause.)
And the reason is simple. Like I said before -- I know it’s true for Joe; it’s true for John Legend, who was part of our roundtable; it’s true for Alonzo Mourning who is here, part of our board -- we see ourselves in these young men.
I grew up without a dad. I grew up lost sometimes and adrift, not having a sense of a clear path. And the only difference between me and a lot of other young men in this neighborhood and all across the country is that I grew up in an environment that was a little more forgiving. And at some critical points, I had some people who cared enough about me to give me a second chance, or a third chance, or give me a little guidance when I needed it, or to open up a door that might otherwise been closed. I was lucky.
Alex Santos is lucky, too. Where’s Alex? Alex is here. Stand up, Alex. (Applause.) So Alex was born in Puerto Rico, grew up in Brooklyn and the Bronx, in some tough neighborhoods. When he was 11, he saw his mom’s best friend, a man he respected and looked up to, shot and killed. His older brothers dropped out of school, got caught up in drugs and violence. So Alex didn’t see a whole lot of options for himself, couldn’t envision a path to a better future. He then dropped out of school.
But then his mom went back to school and got her GED. She set an example. That inspired Alex to go back and get his GED. Actually, it’s more like she stayed on him until he went back. (Laughter.) And I know, because just like I was lucky, I also had a mom who used to get on my case about my studies. So I could relate. But this is what Alex says about his mom: “She made me realize that no matter what, there’s a second chance in life.”
So, today, Alex is getting his GED. He’s developed a passion for sports. His dream is to one day work with kids as a coach and set an example for them. He says he never thought he could go to college; now he believes he can. All Alex wants to be is a good role model for his younger brothers, Carlos and John, who are bright and hardworking and doing well in school. And he says, “They matter so much to my life, and I matter to theirs.”
So, Alex, and his brothers, and all the young people here, all the young ones who are out there struggling -- the simple point to make is: You matter. You matter to us.
It was interesting during the roundtable, we asked these young men -- incredible gifted young men, like Darinel -- asked them, what advice would you give us? And they talked about mentor programs and they talked about counseling programs and guidance programs in schools. But one young man -- Malachi -- he just talked about, we should talk about love. (Applause.) Because Malachi and I shared the fact that our dad wasn’t around, and that sometimes we wondered why he wasn’t around and what had happened.
But really that's what this comes down to is, do we love these kids? (Applause.) See if we feel like because they don't look like us, or they don't talk like us, or they don't live in the same neighborhood as us that they're different, that they can't learn, or they don't deserve better, or it’s okay if their schools are rundown, or it’s okay if the police are given a mission just to contain them rather than to encourage them, then it’s not surprising that we're going to lose a lot of them.
But that's not the kind of country I want to live in. That's not what America is about. So my message to Alex and Malachi and Darinel, and to all the young men out there and young boys who aren’t in this room, haven’t yet gotten that helping hand, haven’t yet gotten that guidance -- I want you to know you matter. You matter to us. You matter to each other. There’s nothing, not a single thing, that’s more important to the future of America than whether or not you and young people all across this country can achieve their dreams.
And we are one people, and we need each other. We should love every single one of our kids. And then we should show that love -- not just give lip-service to it, not just talk about it in church and then ignore it, not just have a seminar about it and not deliver.
It’s hard. We’ve got an accumulation of not just decades but, in some cases, centuries of trauma that we're having to overcome. But if Alex is able to overcome what he’s been through, then we as a society should be able to overcome what we’ve been through. If Alex can put the past behind him and look towards the future, we should be able to do the same.
I’m going to keep on fighting, and everybody here is going to keep on fighting to make sure that all of our kids have the opportunity to make of their lives what they will. Today is just the beginning. We’re going to keep at this for you, the young people of America, for your generation and for all the generations to come.
So, thank you. God bless you. God bless all of you. God bless America. (Applause.)
END
3:27 P.M. EDT
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/05/04/remarks-president-launch-my-brothers-keeper-alliance
*
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9_RYZ_54A4 [with comments], https://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/2015/05/04/president-speaks-launch-my-brothers-keeper-alliance
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Bobby Jindal Advocates Unholy Alliance of Fundamentalists and Big Business to Back Discrimination
By Ian Reifowitz
Posted: 04/28/2015 12:51 pm EDT Updated: 04/28/2015 9:59 pm EDT
Bobby Jindal wants to be relevant. Yes, he wants to be president, but given where the soon-to-be-former governor of Louisiana stands in recent polling, Jindal needs to make sure he can walk before he can seriously run. After previously trying to be the sensible Republican who criticized [ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/13/bobby-jindal-gop_n_2121511.html ] those within the party who say "stupid" things, he's now gone ahead and abandoned that anti-stupid position.
You see, Jindal is quite perturbed at the fact that, in Indiana [ http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/04/05/1375188/-The-religious-right-hates-the-Indiana-RFRA-compromise-That-s-why-it-s-good-news ] and Arkansas [ http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/04/02/1375225/-Arkansas-governor-signs-revised-religious-freedom-act-into-law ], corporations forced fundamentalist conservatives to back down from their attempts to enshrine in law the absolute right of anyone to deny gay people equal treatment if doing so would offend their religious beliefs. Jindal has decided that the way to differentiate himself from the rest of the Republican presidential field is to show that he is more loyal than anyone else to his Christian conservative beliefs, and especially more loyal to them than fellow governors Pence and Hutchinson of Indiana and Arkansas, respectively. That's why he's more excited than ever to support [ http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/04/14/1377705/-Bobby-me-too-Jindal-prioritizes-hate-nbsp-law ] the kind of "religious liberty" bill from which those states ultimately turned away. Jindal clearly thinks [ http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/unpopular-home-jindal-traction-2016-30449418 ] that he can be the most Christian conservative of them all, and then, just maybe, he can actually gain some traction for his as-yet-undeclared campaign for the White House.
That's the context for the op-ed piece Jindal wrote for Thursday's New York Times [ http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/23/opinion/bobby-jindal-im-holding-firm-against-gay-marriage.html ]. One must read the whole thing in order to truly appreciate his, er, passion on the issue. But his overarching theme is that the business community was wrong to bring pressure against this kind of legislation, and that they should "stand shoulder to shoulder with those fighting for religious liberty" against those who expound a "misguided, government-dictating ideology." That's how Jindal characterizes those "left-wing activists" and "radical liberals" who support those radical, liberal principles of equal rights for and equal treatment of all citizens.
Jindal spoke about religious liberty and urged us "all [to] tolerate people who disagree with us." But his definition of these terms makes no sense. You want toleration for your religious beliefs? Fine. You have every right to hold your religious beliefs free from government punishment. No one should be sanctioned for what they believe. That is religious toleration. But religious freedom should not mean you are free to act in a way that harms others, even if that action is motivated by your religious beliefs. Your right to religious freedom should end where my nose begins -- that is, when you affect other people, specifically when you harm their freedom and their rights. As I've written [ http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/02/01/1360899/-Religious-freedom-gives-me-the-constitutional-right-to-violate-your-constitutional-rights-Right ] previously, religious freedom shouldn't give you the right to violate someone else's rights.
Yes, we know that LGBT folks aren't a protected class according to current federal law or in the laws of most states, but I'm arguing on moral and ethical grounds here, on the grounds of what the law should be. Given that one cannot refuse to serve customers because of their race or, ahem, religion, then one should also be precluded from refusing to serve customers because of their sexual orientation.
And -- since we're puncturing false equivalencies here -- requiring people to bake a cake for a same-sex wedding, so long as we're talking about essentially the same product they'd produce for any other wedding, is not the same thing as forcing, for example, a Jewish baker to bake a cake that says, "Hitler was right," for a Nazi wedding. (Do such things even exist?) Why not? Because that baker presumably wasn't making "Hitler was right" cakes for other weddings either. Businesses can choose what products they make or sell, but they shouldn't be able to discriminate when it comes to who can buy them.
Having taken apart Jindal's false definition of religious liberty, I want to explore another part of his piece that really galled me. First, he went all in on the "corporations are people, my friend" quackery [ http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/08/11/1005846/-VIDEO-Mitt-Romney-says-corporations-are-people ] put forth by the likes of Mitt Romney:
Why shouldn't an individual or business< have the right to cite, in a court proceeding, religious liberty as a reason for not participating in a same-sex marriage ceremony that violates a sincerely held religious belief?
You know when they should have that right, Bobby? When I see a business frog-marched on a perp walk after having been convicted of a crime. That's when. Businesses aren't people, and they don't have beliefs. But that wasn't all. Here's what got me even more worked up:
As a nation we would not compel a priest, minister or rabbi to violate his conscience and perform a same-sex wedding ceremony. But a great many Americans who are not members of the clergy feel just as called to live their faith through their businesses.
I try, as a rule, to maintain a certain standard of professionalism in my writing. In this case... OMFG. While I compose myself, take a look at what Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote [ http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/06/30/1310551/-In-Hobby-Lobby-Supremes-grant-religious-objection-rights-to-for-profit-corporations ] in her brilliant dissent in the Hobby Lobby case, which also pertains to the above quotation from Jindal. Ginsburg decried the decision because, echoing Jindal's thinking, it "holds that commercial enterprises, including corporations, along with partnerships and sole proprietorships, can opt out of any law (saving only tax laws) they judge incompatible with their sincerely held religious beliefs."
Such an approach, says Ginsburg, "forgets that religious organizations exist to serve a community of believers. For-profit corporations do not fit that bill." She also cites a prior Supreme Court verdict to make the point that "for-profit corporations are different from religious non-profits in that they use labor to make a profit, rather than to perpetuate [the] religious value[s] [shared by a community of believers]."
There, I'm feeling a bit better. The wisdom of RBG does have a calming effect. To address Jindal specifically, I'd add that his claim that baking cakes or taking pictures -- for a profit -- is how people "liv[e] their faith" is absurd. Living one's faith in Christianity, I would argue, means carrying out the kinds of principles so many of us, no matter our religion, have always admired in Jesus' teachings: charity, compassion, love. Pursuing a profit? On that, I'll cite Matthew 6:24:
No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
More than absurd, Jindal's attempt to connect business and religion, specifically Christianity, reflects a cynical, right-wing talking point that conservatives have pushed [ http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/15/opinion/sunday/a-christian-nation-since-when.html ] going back to the 1930s -- when laissez-faire conservatism was under attack for having caused the Great Depression, and businesses sought to promote "a new ideology that combined elements of Christianity with an anti-federal libertarianism."
It's worth noting that Jindal, in addition to his primary focus on making sure fundamentalists can live their faith by treating the gays as second-class citizens, also used the platform of The New York Times to claim that "since I became governor in 2008, Louisiana has become one of the best places to do business in America." The reality is somewhat different. Although it did perform better than the U.S. as a whole during Jindal's first year in office, by the time his policies actually took effect (i.e., from 2009 through 2013, the most recent year for which data is available), Louisiana's economic growth lagged behind that of the national economy pretty badly. (Data for 2009 through 2012 can be seen here [ http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2014/feb/27/bobby-jindal/bobby-jindal-says-louisianas-growth-has-outpaced-n/ ], and 2013 here [ http://search.bea.gov/search?query=GDP+by+state&commit=Go&utf8=%E2%9C%93&affiliate=u.s.bureauofeconomicanalysis ].) As for job creation, from January 2011 through January 2015, Louisiana came in [ http://www.salon.com/2015/04/23/scott_walker_forever_tarnished_republican_governors_have_tanked_the_gop_brand/ ] 32nd out of 50 states -- but, hey, that was three spots better than Scott Walker's Wisconsin! Additionally, Jindal turned the $1-billion annual surplus that greeted his first inauguration into a deficit now projected [ http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/07/us/governors-tactics-at-center-of-louisiana-budget-vortex.html ] to be $1.6 billion for next year. Hey, that does sound a lot like another Southern governor who rode a coalition of business and religious conservatives to the presidency. But I don't think Jindal wants to draw too many parallels between himself and George W. Bush.
Back to religious liberty. I respect religion. I recognize that for many people it is more than just important; it is the thing that defines them. People have every right to believe what they want, to worship how they want, and to practice their faith according to the tenets and traditions they hold dear. What I don't respect is people, like Bobby Jindal, who attempt to use religion for political gain.
Beyond politicians, what I also don't respect is people who attempt to use religion to hurt someone else. You don't like gay marriage? Fine. Don't get gay-married. But if you want to have a business and operate in the public sphere, then you've got to treat all your fellow citizens equally. Even better would be to treat each of them as you would wish to be treated. That's a rule that should sound [ https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+7%3A12&version=ESV ] familiar to someone as knowledgeable of the New Testament as Bobby Jindal. I know it's a rule by which I strive to live.
Copyright ©2015 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ian-reifowitz/bobby-jindal-advocates-un_b_7162824.html [with comments]
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The power of Christ may compel U.S. bishops to adopt exorcism ritual book
A promotional image from the 1973 hit movie "The Exorcist."
Bishop Michael J. Sis, left, of San Angelo, Texas and Bishop Peter J. Jugis, right, of Charlotte, N.C., pray at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops annual fall meeting in Baltimore, Monday, Nov. 10, 2014.
(AP Photo/Steve Ruark)
By Meredith Somers - The Washington Times - Monday, November 10, 2014
BALTIMORE — The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops on Tuesday is set to debate and vote on the adoption of the first-ever English translation of the ritual book “Exorcisms and Related Supplications.”
The idea of exorcism, or the expulsion of evil spirits from a person, gained attention earlier this year after Pope Francis’ touch apparently calmed a woman who had been thought by some to be possessed. The Vatican quickly said that the pontiff had not conducted an exorcism for the woman.
The translation of the ritual book is one of five action items up for approval this week at the Conference’s annual General Assembly, where 450 American bishops have gathered.
According to a summary, the book is largely about “the rite of major exorcism … [and] while this text affirms the reality of evil in the world, it even more so affirms the sovereignty of Christ to overcome any and all evil.”
The action item was approved for consideration during a June meeting of the Committee on Divine Worship, and includes five modifications suggested by committee members, including:
• Substituting “Zion” for the word “Sion.”
• Changing the phrase “rise up to help me” to “arise in my defense.”
• Replacing the phrase “who give the forsaken a home to live in and lead captives into prosperity” with “who give the desolate a home to dwell in and lead prisoners into prosperity.”
One change that was not approved during this summer’s meeting was to omit the clause “with God’s permission.” The reason, according to the summary, is that “this appears to be more theological speculation and not settled doctrine, especially since the difference between God’s active and passive will is not made clear.”
Monday’s introduction of the action item did not include discussion, but Bishop Michael Bransfield of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, West Virginia, expressed concern about priests obtaining copies of the text for themselves and using it without “proper ritual.”
The action item requires a two-thirds vote by the Latin Church members along with “recognition” by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.
© Copyright 2014 The Washington Times, LLC
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/nov/10/us-bishops-to-consider-exorcism-book-at-annual-mee/ [with comments]
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Andrew Demeter, Vlogger, Interviews Westboro Baptist's Shirley Phelps
By JamesMichael Nichols
Posted: 04/28/2015 2:15 pm EDT Updated: 04/28/2015 3:59 pm EDT
What would you say to the Westboro Baptist Church if you had the chance to speak to one of its leaders?
YouTube vlogger Andrew Demeter [ http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCKfnF5ZL54Bvxkfy6ZuikA / http://www.youtube.com/user/TeenTake , http://www.youtube.com/user/TeenTake/videos ], 17, recently had the opportunity to sit down with the Shirley Phelps and talk one-on-one about her beliefs surrounding the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. Shirley Phelps is the daughter of the late Fred Phelps, the Westboro Baptist Church founder who passed away in March 2014 [ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/20/westboro-baptist-fred-phelps-death-statement-_n_5002608.html ].
Maintaining a calm demeanor throughout the entire interview, Demeter doesn't shy away from an open dialogue about questions we all have about Westboro, even telling Phelps at one point, "Well Shirley, if you're going to Heaven, I am more than happy to go to Hell."
The Huffington Post chatted with Demeter about his interview with Phelps this week.
The Huffington Post: Why did you decide to interview Shirley?
Andrew Demeter: In the past few months, I've brainstormed a list of some 25 newsmakers and other influencers who I want to interview at some point in the near future. Having already interviewed diverse characters like Fran Drescher, John McAfee and Nancy Pelosi, among others, Shirley was simply next on the list. My goal for the interview was simple: to attempt to understand the "rationale" of a hate-monger. This, however, soon proved futile as I was seeking out logic and reason where it wasn't meant to be found. Another motivation for interviewing Shirley was to uncover from where her hatred [stemmed].
How did you get Shirley to agree to the interview?
Surprisingly, Shirley agreed to the interview with relative haste. I had contacted her via Twitter weeks beforehand to no avail, but after following up we scheduled a convenient date and time. I began surfing the web for additional research, binge-watching documentaries and other interviews, and immersing myself (from afar) into the Westboro Baptist Church's culture.
What do you want viewers to take away from your interview?
The underlying message of this interview is the paradox that religion may incur violence. It is abysmal to justify hateful actions with mere words once inscribed on ancient tablets and parchment paper.
At the end of the interview, Demeter tells Phelps that he "respects her on a human level" and would have given her a hug if they weren't conducting the interview through Skype.
Head here [ http://www.youtube.com/user/TeenTake/videos ] to see more from Demeter, including interviews with Fran Drescher, John McAfee, and Nancy Pelosi.
Parts of this interview have been modified and/or condensed.
Copyright ©2015 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/28/andrew-demeter-shirley-phelps_n_7161868.html [with comments], http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7dONnMURkw [with comments; as embedded]
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March 17, 2015
https://www.facebook.com/WATE6OnYourSide/photos/a.205213286178001.59558.112945508738113/967566943275961 [with comments]
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Fox News Priest Defames Atheists As People Who Can’t Be Trusted To Hold Office
Michael Luciano on April 28, 2015
One of the more noxious opinions about humans is the belief that without a deity, we homo sapiens would be adrift in a sea of immorality, sans the moral compass necessary to navigate our way out of it. This offensive take was most recently espoused by Fox News’ resident clergyman, Fr. Jonathan Morris, who appeared on the weekend version of Fox & Friends, which, if the hosts’ banter is any indication, has a mean viewer age of five years old. After oddly claiming that politicians “can’t fake religion,” Morris served up this familiar tripe when discussing elected officials and faith [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbT8RRW2Ick (next below, as embedded; with comments)]:
“It’s a belief in God, it’s a belief that there are eternal consequences for your actions. And I think that a leader that doesn’t have that — a set of core beliefs that help him to make justice an important part of his life and his decisions because he knows that there are eternal consequences, well, it’s somebody that it’s hard to trust.”
You know who’s really hard to trust? People who, apparently for no other reason than they feel they’re being watched by a celestial Big Brother every second of every day, don’t do harm to others. If the threat of eternal damnation and the inducement of eternal reward is the only thing keeping an elected official – or anyone – from acting injuriously toward others, then that person is morally corrupt.
Here it becomes too tempting not to recall an exchange [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RfUj09pWfM (next below; with comments)]
between Rust and Marty on season one of HBO’s True Detective:
Marty: I mean can you imagine if people didn’t believe [in god] – the things they’d get up to?
Rust: Exact same thing they do now. Just out in the open.
Marty: Bull. Shit. It’d be a fucking freakshow of murder and debauchery, and you know it.
Rust: If the only thing keeping a person decent is the expectation of divine reward, then that person, brother, is a piece of shit. And I’d like to get as many of them out in the open as possible.
As it turns out, religion in fact doesn’t make people more moral [ http://www.livescience.com/47799-morality-religion-political-beliefs.html ].
One of the reasons more atheists aren’t “out in the open” is because many of them rightly fear reprisal thanks to people like Jonathan Morris, who reinforce the idea that nonbelievers are morally deficient and therefore untrustworthy. Even though Morris said that politicians “can’t fake religion,” we know this not to be the case.
At present, there are zero openly atheist members in the entire 535-person United States Congress. With about 4% of the U.S. population identifying as atheist or agnostic [ http://religions.pewforum.org/reports ], that there would be a complete lack on nonbelievers in such a large and relatively well-educated body strains credulity. Indeed, according to the American Humanist Association, there are at least 24 members of Congress who’ve privately acknowledged being atheists [ http://thedailybanter.com/2014/08/dear-atheists-congress-stop-cowards-come-closet/ ] but who cannot do so openly because it would be tantamount to political suicide [ http://thedailybanter.com/2014/05/guess-the-type-of-person-more-americans-would-vote-for-over-an-atheist/ ].
This is why campaigns such as last week’s Openly Secular [ http://www.openlysecular.org/ ] effort are important for the normalization of atheism. It’s a pushback against the misconceptions peddled by Morris and his ilk that atheists are suspect. But like a believing version of Rust Cohle, Morris should stop promoting this narrative so as to encourage more atheists to get out into the open so he and everyone else can see that atheists are no more immoral than their believing peers.
Copyright 2015 The Daily Banter (emphasis in original)
http://thedailybanter.com/2015/04/fox-news-priest-defames-atheists-as-people-who-cant-be-trusted-to-hold-office/ [with comments]
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Russian priest performs exorcism on dog
Published on Feb 14, 2013 by Alex Sunseticy [ http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCue6D3i6lmtV1ZatLfI1-aw , http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCue6D3i6lmtV1ZatLfI1-aw/videos ]
Priest bravely casts a demon out of a dog. The owner pleased.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-xatNh8XTA [with comments] [via/title, image and translated description taken from http://www.deathandtaxesmag.com/228648/russian-priest-performs-exorcism-on-dog/ (with comment)]
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Atheists mourn the slaying of a second Bangladeshi blogger in a month
The Bangladesh national flag waves in front of a cloudy sky.
Photo courtesy of Akash Islam at Bengali Wikipedia, via Wikimedia Commons ( http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AShahbag.JPG )
Kimberly Winston
March 31, 2015
(RNS) Atheists, humanists and other nonbelievers are speaking out against the brutal slaying of an atheist blogger in Bangladesh, the second such killing in a month.
Washiqur Rahman, 27, was attacked and killed Monday morning [ http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2015/03/30/396320221/bangladeshi-blogger-hacked-to-death-2-alleged-attackers-arrested ] (March 30) in the capital city of Dhaka by three men wielding knives or other sharp weapons. Police say they have two suspects in custody, both students at religious schools.
The attack comes a month after the machete slaying of Avijit Roy [ http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2015/02/27/389481931/bangladeshi-american-blogger-hacked-to-death-in-dhaka ], a Bangladeshi-American blogger, in the same city. Roy, who was 42, was the founder of the Mukto-Mona, or “Free-Mind,” blog that promoted secularism in the Muslim-majority country.
Rahman had expressed support for Roy and his work on social media, attracting the attention of extremists.
“Violent Islamic extremists think they will scare their critics into silence and submission,” said Paul Fidalgo, communications director of the Center for Inquiry [ http://www.centerforinquiry.net/ ], a U.S.-based secular advocacy organization that has worked with Bangladeshi bloggers on issues of free speech.
But, he added in a statement [ http://www.centerforinquiry.net/newsroom/washiqur_rahman_statement/ ], “their barbarity will only serve to strengthen the unity and resolve of those who believe in the fundamental right to free expression, which includes the right to criticize, question, and reject religion.”
The American Humanist Association [ http://americanhumanist.org/ ], an advocacy organization for nonbelievers, also condemned the attacks.
“The vicious nature of these two murders underscores the oppression and harassment faced by humanists around the world,” its communications director, Maggie Ardiente, said in a statement [ http://americanhumanist.org/news/details/2015-03-statement-on-the-murder-of-humanist-blogger-oyasiqur ].
Rahman’s death comes as American Atheists [ http://atheists.org/ ] prepares to welcome Ayaan Hirsi Ali as keynote speaker at its annual convention in Memphis, Tenn., April 2-5.
Ali, an atheist, was working on a documentary critical of Islam with Theo van Gogh [ http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/02/arts/provocateurs-death-haunts-the-dutch-.html ] when he was killed by an extremist in 2004. Asif Mohiuddin [ http://www.dw.de/i-have-to-help-the-people-of-bangladesh/a-17581354 ], another Bangladeshi blogger who has been critical of religion in his country, will be a featured speaker there as well.
Both have received death threats for their work, said Danielle Muscato, an American Atheists spokeswoman.
“We are unashamedly intolerant — intolerant of murder, intolerant of the message this terrorism sends to other atheists in Bangladesh and around the world, and intolerant of the fact that bigotry is protected by theocrats here in America,” Muscato said.
Mohiuddin survived an attack in 2013 and knew Rahman.
“I liked him for his satire, his sense of humor,” Mohiuddin told the BBC [ http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-32112433 ]. “He was a wonderful blogger and I’m very … upset right now.”
Rory Fenton, a British atheist and activist, recently visited Bangladesh and found atheist writers there willing to speak out after Roy’s death. But Rahman’s slaying, Fenton wrote in The Independent [ http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/atheists-are-being-hacked-to-death-in-bangladesh-and-soon-there-will-be-none-left-10144599.html ], may have a chilling effect. Unlike Roy, Rahman was not well-known, and it was his support of Roy’s work — not his own statements — that seems to have sparked the attack.
“The message sent by his murder was clear,” Fenton wrote. “‘This is beyond just insulting the Prophet. They don’t want anyone to question any authority, it doesn’t even have to be insulting; they will silence you.'”
© 2015 Religion News LLC
http://www.religionnews.com/2015/03/31/atheists-mourn-slaying-second-bangladeshi-blogger-month/ [with comments] [also at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/04/washiqur-rahman-blogger-killed_n_6980150.html (with comments)]
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Top Ten Creationist Arguments
Uploaded on Dec 30, 2009 by TheThinkingAtheist [ http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeYP27qLtfUMY1b1Cyy3WdQ / http://www.youtube.com/user/TheThinkingAtheist , http://www.youtube.com/user/TheThinkingAtheist/videos ]
We hear the same Creationist arguments SO OFTEN, we decided to assemble our 10 favorites and address them here. Feel free to use this video as a response to the Creationists in your circle.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSxgnu3Hww8 [with (over 88,000) comments]
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DeLay: 'God Created This Nation And God Created The Constitution'
Submitted by Kyle Mantyla on Wednesday, 10/30/2013 12:18 pm
During a service last weekend, John Hagee [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/john-hagee ] spent a half hour interviewing [ https://www.getv.org/Videos/Watch/7d534a1b-71d4-4e1c-bf11-b277d75062ac?title=Pastor_Hagee_Special_with_Guest_Speaker_Tom_DeLay ] former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/tom-delay ] during which DeLay revealed that God has commissioned him to write a book and promised him that he'll play a role in the coming spiritual revival.
Hagee praised DeLay for being victorious over the Devil by beating the corruption charges that ended his political career, while DeLay asserted that God was the author of the United States Constitution.
"Jesus died for our freedom," DeLay said [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-BOKFXyWI8 (below, as embedded; with comments)]. "And Jesus destroyed Satan so that we could be free and that is manifested in what is called the Constitution of the United States. God created this nation and God created the Constitution; it is written on biblical principles."
DeLay went on to recount a recent experience he had in which he spent four hours "on a conference call with the Lord" during which God told DeLay that he is to write a book called "Shut It Down" about the need for Constitutional revival. On top of that, God also told DeLay that He has heard the voice of His people and that "my awakening is beginning," in which DeLay will play a role:
© 2013 People For the American Way
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/delay-god-created-nation-and-god-created-constitution
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Tom DeLay: Christians Must Fight For The Right To Discriminate 'With Every Ounce Of Our Being'
Submitted by Kyle Mantyla on Tuesday, 4/7/2015 12:11 pm
Tom DeLay appeared on Steve Malzberg [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/steve-malzberg ]'s Newsmax program yesterday [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYE7vN80pjY (next below; comments disabled)]
to defend Indiana's "religious freedom" law against the attacks from people who "have chosen to be homosexuals," saying that conservative Christians [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/topics/anti-gay ] must be ready to "fight this battle to the bitter end."
"This is the result of the gay agenda," DeLay said. "We're now seeing what the gay agenda is all about ... What they're trying to do is to undermine religious liberty so that they become an accepted sexual orientation. That's what's going on here and we have got to fight this battle to the bitter end because once you let the government dictate to you what you believe and what your values are, then this country's finished."
"This isn't about discrimination," he continued. "We love people that have chosen to be homosexuals. The problem is we abhor the sin."
DeLay went on to say that if he owned a business, he'd have no problem serving a gay customer, provided that he didn't know about their sexual orientation.
"But if he comes in and asks me to undermine my values," he said [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXe3TWqc0Tw (below, as embedded; with comments)], "undermine my religious liberty, then I have the right to stand up for what I believe in and not serve him. It's not discrimination; it's the government telling us how we are to act, what we are to believe, and that has got to be fought with every ounce of our being":
© 2015 People For the American Way
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/tom-delay-christians-must-fight-right-discriminate-every-ounce-our-being
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Bachmann: Rapture Imminent Thanks To Gay Marriage & Obama
Submitted by Brian Tashman on Monday, 4/20/2015 12:30 pm
In an interview with End Times [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/topics/end-times ] broadcaster Jan Markell [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/jan-markell ] that was aired this weekend [ http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/understanding-the-times/player/lawlessness-global-transformation-how-it-sets-the-stage-part-2-462502.html ], former Rep. Michele Bachmann [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/michele-bachmann ] said that people should “not despair but rejoice” that the world has reached the “midnight hour” and that “we in our lifetimes potentially could see Jesus Christ returning to earth and the Rapture of the church.”
The former Republican congresswoman from Minnesota said that President Obama’s policies, including support for marriage equality and nuclear negotiations with Iran, are to blame for the world’s imminent demise. “We need to realize how close this clock is to getting towards the midnight hour,” Bachmann said. “Barack Obama is intent, it is his number one goal, to ensure that Iran has a nuclear weapon.”
Bachmann made similar comments in the first half of her interview with Markell, which aired last week, insisting that Obama’s presidency will bring about natural and economic disasters [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/bachmann-god-will-punish-us-economic-disasters-natural-disasters-due-obama-presidency ] along with the arrival of the Last Days [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/bachmann-end-times-are-here-thanks-obama ].
[audio ( https://soundcloud.com/rightwingwatch/bachmann-last-days-are-here-rejoice ) embedded]
After Bachmann said that Obama intends to “lift up the agenda of radical Islam,” Markell added that legal abortion and marriage equality for gays and lesbians are bringing about divine punishment on America. “You are right,” Bachmann responded, lamenting that God will soon lift His “hedge of protection” over “pagan” America “and we will suffer the consequences as a result.” “That’s why so many Christians I think are sad and despairing because we know what the word of God says,” she said. “But it is also a chastening as individual believers for our good and that, to me, is extremely exciting.”
[audio ( https://soundcloud.com/rightwingwatch/bachmann-obama-to-blame-for-end-times ) embedded]
© 2015 People For the American Way
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/bachmann-rapture-imminent-thanks-gay-marriage-obama
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Mike Huckabee Defends Ex-Gay Therapy, Warns Gay Rights Will Outlaw Christianity: 'God Help Us All'
Submitted by Brian Tashman on Thursday, 4/23/2015 1:15 pm
In a conference call with conservative pastors today organized by the anti-gay Family Research Council [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/organizations/family-research-council , http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/tony-perkins ], Mike Huckabee [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/mike-huckabee ] let loose with a litany of falsehoods about how marriage equality will lead to the “criminalization of Christianity” and demanded that states simply defy the Supreme Court [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/topics/supreme-court ] if it strikes down bans on same-sex marriage [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/topics/marriage-equality ].
“Christian convictions are under attack as never before,” Huckabee said in the call, which was meant to rally pastors to participate in the FRC’s upcoming “Stand for Marriage” event [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/anti-lgbt-group-gay-marriage-violates-separation-church-and-state ]. “Not just in our lifetime, but ever before in the history of this great nation. We are moving rapidly towards the criminalization of Christianity.”
The former governor and likely GOP presidential candidate predicted that the government will bring “criminal charges” against those who oppose gay rights and pastors who preach against gay marriage. He even defended ex-gay therapy, claiming that the government is barring chaplains from telling those they counsel to “seek assistance” for a “homosexual lifestyle.”
Huckabee also blasted the “ruling class” and “donor class” for treating opponents of gay rights as “pariahs,” adding that “supposedly conservative donors and conservative office holders are running away from the issue.”
(Audio note: Because of apparent technical difficulties with the conference call, there are beeping noises throughout the call signifying participants dialing in.)
[audio ( https://soundcloud.com/rightwingwatch/huckabee-gay-rights-will-criminalize-christianity ) embedded]
Huckabee told the pastors that no matter what politicians or the polls say about the legalization of gay marriage, God is against it and so they should stand strong against the “small minority pushing this agenda.”
Huckabee claimed that if same-sex marriage bans are struck down nationwide, any pastor who refuses to conduct a same-sex wedding would be breaking the law.
“If the courts rule that people have a civil right not only to be a homosexual but a civil right to have a homosexual marriage, then a homosexual couple coming to a pastor who believes in biblical marriage who says ‘I can’t perform that wedding’ will now be breaking the law,” he said. “It’s not just saying, ‘I’m sorry you have a preference.’ No, you will be breaking the law subject to civil for sure and possible criminal penalties for violating the law…. If you do practice biblical convictions and you carry them out and you do what you’ve been led by the spirit of God to do, your behavior will be criminal.”
This, of course, is a categorically untrue claim that has not materialized in any of the dozens of states where marriage equality has been adopted.
“God help us all,” he said.
[audio ( https://soundcloud.com/rightwingwatch/huckabee-god-help-us-all-if-gay-marriage-becomes-legal-pastors-prosecuted ) embedded]
© 2015 People For the American Way
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/mike-huckabee-defends-ex-gay-therapy-warns-gay-rights-will-outlaw-christianity-god-help-us-a
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Revolution! Anti-Gay Activists Threaten Uprising If Supreme Court Approves Marriage Equality
Submitted by Brian Tashman on Friday, 4/24/2015 1:25 pm
Speaking from the pulpit of the New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in May 2004, Focus on the Family [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/organizations/focus-family ] founder James Dobson [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/james-dobson ] called for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to ban same-sex marriage. Dobson’s words were simulcast into churches across the country [ http://m.christianpost.com/news/battle-for-marriage-leading-evangelicals-press-for-federal-marriage-amendment-20256/ ] as part of a “Battle for Marriage [ http://m.christianpost.com/news/battle-for-marriage-leading-evangelicals-press-for-federal-marriage-amendment-20256/ ]” rally that just happened to coincide with President George W. Bush’s hard-fought reelection campaign. Three months earlier, the president himself had announced [ http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/02/24/elec04.prez.bush.transcript/ ] to the nation that “to prevent the meaning of marriage from being changed forever, our nation must enact a constitutional amendment to protect marriage in America.”
Opposition to same-sex marriage emerged as a key component of the president’s reelection strategy that year, as the Bush campaign worked with Religious Right leaders, including Dobson [ http://www.pfaw.org/media-center/publications/dobson-s-choice ], to marshal conservative voters to the polls to back state constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage and other unions. Ballot measures in 11 states, all successful, aided the president’s reelection bid [ http://www.theatlantic.com/daily-dish/archive/2009/10/reihan-defends-rove/195700/ ] and helped to swing the momentum, for a time, to the side of the anti-gay Right.
While a federal constitutional amendment banning marriage for gay and lesbian couples had failed to clinch the required votes from either [ http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/15/us/senators-block-initiative-to-ban-same-sex-unions.html?scp=4&sq=&pagewanted=all ] house [ http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d108:h.j.res.00106: ] of Congress, after the 2004 election, Dobson stressed [ http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2005/january/21.60.html ] that “mainstream Americans” supported such an amendment, knowing that they “could not stand idly by while the radical gay agenda was forced down their throats.”
A decade later, Dobson left Focus on the Family, reportedly [ http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/17/business/media/17dobson.html ] in part because the organization he had founded refused to give a leadership position to his divorced son. Dobson and his son Ryan [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/ryan-dobson ] now host a radio program called “Family Talk [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/organizations/family-talk ]” and Focus has moved on under the less fiery leadership of Jim Daly [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/jim-daly ]. Ted Haggard, the pastor of the church where Dobson spoke at the 2004 “Battle for Marriage,” eventually left his post after acknowledging [ http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/01/29/lkl.ted.haggard/ ] that he had relationships with men. An architect of Bush’s 2004 re-election strategy, Ken Mehlman, announced six years later that he is gay [ http://www.theguardian.com/world/richard-adams-blog/2010/aug/26/ken-mehlman-gay-marriage-republican ]. Another Bush campaign strategist, Karl Rove [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/karl-rove ], said [ http://www.msnbc.com/martin-bashir/karl-roves-romancewith-rewriting-his-hist ] in 2013 that he could see a future GOP presidential nominee endorsing gay marriage.
Public opinion has also changed dramatically in the decade since Bush’s reelection. Polling now consistently [ http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/support-gay-marriage-reaches-record-high/story?id=30507803 ] shows majority support [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/another-poll-should-terrify-anti-gay-activists ] for marriage equality, which is legal in 37 states [ http://www.freedomtomarry.org/states/ ].
This dramatic shift toward marriage equality may culminate this year when the Supreme Court hears arguments in Obergefell v. Hodges, a collection of cases challenging the constitutionality of the remaining state-level bans on same-sex marriage.
But the Religious Right is not ready to give up what was, until recently, a winning culture-war issue.
Now, as even many conservative pundits are predicting that the Supreme Court will strike down the remaining state bans on same-sex marriage, Religious Right leaders are preparing their response.
In a conference call with other movement figures, Dobson was steadfast in his opposition [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/james-dobson-gay-marriage-will-lead-civil-war ]. If the Supreme Court strikes down the state bans and states across the country fail to convene “a state constitutional convention to re-examine the Constitution” on marriage, Dobson warned, “we’re going to see a general collapse in the next decade or two.”
Worse, Dobson said, there could be a war: “Talk about a Civil War, we could have another one over this.”
[audio ( https://soundcloud.com/rightwingwatch/dobson-civil-war-on-horizon-if-scotus-backs-marriage-equality ) embedded]
This style of apocalyptic rhetoric surrounding the Supreme Court’s upcoming decision is not uncommon in a movement whose leaders are preparing to commit civil disobedience and calling on states to defy the court if it issues a broad ruling in favor of marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples.
Manhattan Declaration
The Religious Right’s current strategy in the fight against marriage equality — claiming to be the real victims while making wild warnings about imminent anti-Christian persecution — was previewed in the 2009 signing of the Manhattan Declaration and the campaign against the Shepard-Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act the same year.
Warning that America is on the brink of turning into a Nazi-like state where religious freedom is a thing of the past, a group of Roman Catholic and evangelical leaders, including prominent Religious Right figures, signed The Manhattan Declaration [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/topics/manhattan-declaration ], pledging their commitment to civil disobedience in the face of what they described as the tyranny of gay rights laws and legal abortion.
Signers asserted that supporters of gay marriage and abortion rights are bent on trampling their religious freedoms. They compared themselves to Christian martyrs, civil rights leaders like Martin Luther, resisters to Nazi tyranny [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/manhattan-martyrdom-declaration-dobson-vows-leave-america ], heavenly angels [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/manhattan-declaration-press-conference-little-glimpse-heaven ] and the signers of the Declaration of Independence [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/manhattan-declaration-were-all-courageous-heroes ]. One of the declaration’s architects, the late Religious Right leader Chuck Colson, worried [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/manhattan-declaration-press-conference-little-glimpse-heaven ] that Christians in America would soon end up in jail [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/youre-all-going-jail-friendly-warning-charles-colson-southern-baptist-convention ], while Dobson wondered [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/manhattan-martyrdom-declaration-dobson-vows-leave-america ] if Americans will be forced to “leave this beloved country and spend the rest of our lives in exile.”
That same year, Religious Right activists launched a relentless, but unsuccessful, campaign against the Shepard-Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which expanded the federal hate crimes law to include crimes motivated by the victim’s sexual orientation or gender identity. The Right alleged that the bill [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/5-years-after-passage-hate-crimes-law-religious-rights-dire-predictions-still-havent-come-tr ] would criminalize Christian teachings and the Bible, throw pastors in jail, quash free speech and legalize pedophilia and other illegal sex acts. In the five years following the law’s enactment, none of the wild predictions [ http://www.pfaw.org/rww-in-focus/senate-prepares-to-take-hate-crimes-bill-far-right-s-inflammatory-claims-should-not-be- ] about its effects have come close to materializing. But that hasn’t stopped the Religious Right from recycling the very same discredited claims to warn against nationwide marriage equality.
For example, Rick Scarborough [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/rick-scarborough ], a prominent Texas pastor and activist with close ties to politicians including Sen. Ted Cruz [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/ted-cruz/ted-cruz , http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/ted-cruz ], has repeated his unfounded claims [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/ted-cruz-agrees-pastors-may-soon-be-hauled-jail-hate-crime ] about the 2009 hate crimes act almost verbatim when discussing the potential dangers of legalizing same-sex marriage. As did Mike Huckabee, who told pastors [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/mike-huckabee-defends-ex-gay-therapy-warns-gay-rights-will-outlaw-christianity-god-help-us-a (the item just above)] on a conference call that preaching against homosexuality will be criminalized. Just this month, Scarborough warned that if gay couples are no longer barred from marriage, preaching from the Bible will become a crime [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/scarborough-gay-marriage-will-make-it-illegal-share-gospel ] and anti-gay conservatives will be thrown [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/rick-scarborough-congressmen-back-plan-go-jail-defy-gay-marriage ] in [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/james-dobson-does-not-understand-bisexuality-thats-orgies ] jail [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/rick-scarborough-conservatives-must-fight-until-we-die-against-gay-marriage ]. Five years ago, he made almost exactly the same dire warning [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/5-years-after-passage-hate-crimes-law-religious-rights-dire-predictions-still-havent-come-tr ] about the hate crimes act.
Influential Religious Right groups including the American Renewal Project [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/organizations/american-renewal-project ], led by GOP organizer David Lane [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/david-lane ], and the Family Research Council are asking pastors to tell their congregations that marriage equality could bring about the end of freedom [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/meet-david-lane-anti-gay-christian-nation-extremist-rnc ] and, according to Lane, “a complete moral breakdown [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/christian-nation-activist-david-lane-asks-pastors-pray-anti-marriage-equality-miracle ].” Lane has previously warned that legal equality for LGBT people will eventually lead to America’s “utter destruction” and even terrorist attacks [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/meet-david-lane-anti-gay-christian-nation-extremist-rnc ].
Others have taken to likening themselves to Jews living in Nazi Germany [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/barber-staver-cal-state-persecuting-christians-nazis-did-jews ] and African Americans during the Jim Crow era [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/fischer-opposition-arizonas-legal-discrimination-law-jim-crow-discrimination-against-christi ].
The Religious Right’s apocalyptic rhetoric about marriage equality has only become more incendiary as many of the ban’s defenders begin to expect that they will lose at the Supreme Court.
Nazi Germany, Jim Crow comparisons
Increasingly, Religious Right leaders have been portraying the push for equal rights for the LGBT community as a fascist, Nazi-style movement that will usher in a wave of oppression. And much like how Martin Luther King Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement resisted Jim Crow, these activists argue, conservatives must also defy gay rights laws that they view as equally if not more oppressive.
Bryan Fischer [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/bryan-fischer ], the conservative radio host and former American Family Association [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/organizations/american-family-association ] spokesman, regularly claims that gay people are modern-day [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/fischer-gay-activists-are-modern-day-nazi-stormtroopers ] Nazis [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/fischer-gays-are-nazis ] and to blame for the rise of Nazism in Germany [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/fischer-gays-responsible-nazi-party ], asserting that Adolf Hitler [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/afas-fischer-outdoes-himself ] was “an active homosexual” who recruited gays into his cause because “homosexual soldiers basically had no limits and the savagery and brutality they were willing to inflict on whomever Hitler sent them after.”
Family Research Council President Tony Perkins [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/tony-perkins ] has also wondered when gay rights supporters will “start rolling out the boxcars to start hauling off Christians [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/tony-perkins-says-gay-rights-advocates-want-anti-christian-holocaust-will-start-rolling-out- ].”
[audio ( https://soundcloud.com/rightwingwatch/perkins-holocaust-against-christians-by-gays-in-the-making ) embedded]
Mat Staver [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/mat-staver ], chairman of the conservative legal advocacy group Liberty Counsel [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/organizations/liberty-counsel ], has likened a potential pro-equality Supreme Court ruling to the infamous Dred Scott decision [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/staver-supreme-court-pro-marriage-ruling-would-deserve-no-more-respect-dred-scott ] and urged people to defy such a ruling [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/mat-staver-will-disobey-scotus-marriage-equality-ruling-just-hed-refuse-turn-jew-over-nazis ] just as they would “if the government forced you turn over a Jew in Nazi Germany.” Staver, who has warned about the prospect of “forced homosexuality [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/mat-staver-accuses-obama-backing-forced-abortion-funding-and-forced-homosexuality ]” and repeatedly [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/mat-staver-demonic-gay-rights-advocates-are-acting-terrorists ] compared [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/mat-staver-gays-just-hamas-terrorists ] gays to terrorists, insists [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/barber-and-staver-fight-against-gay-marriage-next-civil-rights-movement ] that the Supreme Court could spark a new Civil Rights Movement, this time to oppose gay rights [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/mat-staver-second-american-revolution-needed-stop-gay-marriage ].
An alarming number of anti-gay activists have compared themselves to Dietrich Bonhoeffer [ http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2015/04/14/3646532/conservatives-comparing-anti-lgbt-crusade-pastors-attempt-assassinate-hitler/ ], a Lutheran theologian who was executed for defying Nazi rule. “This is a Dietrich Bonhoeffer moment for every preacher in America,” Scarborough told participants [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/rick-scarborough-conservatives-must-fight-until-we-die-against-gay-marriage ] in the recent activist conference call hosted by Dobson. Staver offered a similar message to conservatives [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/mat-staver-demonic-gay-rights-advocates-are-acting-terrorists ] in a recent radio interview: “This is a Bonhoeffer moment.”
David Lane has said that Christians in America “must risk martyrdom [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/republican-presidential-hopefuls-favorite-christian-nation-extremist ]” over the issue of marriage equality. Likewise, American Family Association governmental affairs director Sandy Rios [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/sandy-rios ] has repeatedly [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/sandy-rios-you-must-prepare-martyrdom-if-gay-marriage-becomes-legal ] urged [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/sandy-rios-tells-conservative-christians-prepare-martyrdom ] opponents of gay rights to “prepare for martyrdom.”
Conservative pundit Glenn Beck [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/glenn-beck-0 ] told his show’s viewers this year that gay rights advocacy is leading to concentration camps [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/beck-criticism-indianas-religious-freedom-law-will-lead-concentration-camps ] and “a Christian holocaust [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/beck-modern-day-nazis-are-leading-inquisition-will-become-christian-holocaust ].” Other conservative commentators have similarly suggested that gay people are pushing for anti-Christian persecution [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/barber-criticism-indiana-law-laying-groundwork-nazi-persecution-christians ] and genocide [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/conservative-columnist-warns-imminent-genocide-christians-us ].
The persecution theme seems to have struck a chord. Leading GOP figures including Sen. Rand Paul [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/rand-paul-0 ] of Kentucky and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, along with several Republican congressmen, all appear in a film [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/republican-leaders-join-anti-gay-extremists-insane-documentary ] to be released this year that alleges that the gay rights movement plans to outlaw Christianity [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/sen-rand-paul-and-gop-congressmen-appear-new-trailer-anti-gay-documentary ]. Huckabee has repeatedly [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/mike-huckabee-gay-marriage-lies-reminiscent-nazi-germany ] invoked [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/mike-huckabee-abortion-rights-worse-nazi-holocaust-gay-marriage-dooms-america ] Nazi tyranny while discussing gay rights, and even said that the gay community seeks to ultimately destroy churches and the Gospel [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/mike-huckabee-gay-community-wont-rest-until-there-are-no-more-churches ]. Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz accused gay rights supporters of waging a “jihad” against freedom [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/ted-cruz-gay-community-waging-jihad-against-religious-freedom , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmoGgziNTS0 (next below, as embedded; with comments)].
Even more frequently, anti-gay activists maintain that gay rights will usher in a new form of slavery and Jim Crow.
“Apparently someone forgot to tell the Stormtroopers in the homosexual movement about the Civil War, the Civil Rights Movement, and freedom of both will and conscience,” Fischer said [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/paranoia-rama-gays-invading-disney-world-obamacare-worse-911-very-evil-sex-ed ] last year. “The leaders of the Gay Gestapo have become our new slave masters. They can now send us to the hole if we refuse the massa’s demands.”
Fischer has also charged that gay rights measures violate the constitutional ban on slavery [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/bryan-fischer-clarifying-indianas-religious-freedom-law-will-lead-slavery ], and even declared [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/fischer-gay-jim-crow-laws-mean-christians-are-new-blacks ] that as a result of gay rights, “Jim Crow is alive and well, we’ve got Jim Crow laws right back in operation, Christians are the new blacks.”
Some activists are calling for an anti-gay [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/barber-and-staver-fight-against-gay-marriage-next-civil-rights-movement ] version [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/far-right-pundit-we-need-anti-gay-rosa-parks-martin-luther-king-jr ] of [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/anti-gay-activists-we-need-our-rosa-parks ] Rosa Parks. One even suggested that gay marriage opponents should follow in the footsteps of the “sidewalk counselors [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/anti-gay-activists-we-need-our-rosa-parks ]” who stand outside of abortion clinics in order to dissuade women from entering.
Brian Brown [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/brian-brown ], the head of the National Organization for Marriage [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/organizations/national-organization-for-marriage ], has similarly claimed that gay rights advocates are practicing an “anti-religious” version of Jim Crow [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/brian-brown-gay-rights-activists-reviving-jim-crown-anti-christian-bigotry ], while Fox News pundit and RedState editor Erick Erickson [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/erick-erickson ] has said [ http://mediamatters.org/blog/2014/08/08/foxs-erick-erickson-countries-with-marriage-equ/200366 ] that “gay rights activists use the tactics of Bull Connor to push for what they declare civil rights.”
Revolution
Perkins, the Family Research Council leader, is one of the most visible and vocal figures in the Religious Right, frequently appearing on national television and hosting his own daily radio show. Perkins also organizes an annual conference, the Values Voter Summit, which brings top Republican politicians together with Religious Right activists. But despite his veneer of respectability, Perkins is just as extreme as activists considered to be on the far-right fringe: He has spoken out in defense of Uganda’s “kill the gays” measure [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/why-would-mainstream-conservative-think-tank-praise-kill-gays-law ] and called gay rights supporters Satanic [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/perkins-gay-activists-are-intolerant-hateful-vile-spiteful-pawns-devil ], among other things [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/congressman-tony-perkins ].
Perkins has also taken to warning that if the Supreme Court sides with marriage equality advocates, the U.S. will see a full-blown revolution.
Perkins warned [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/perkins-if-scotus-legalizes-gay-marriage-it-could-lead-revolution , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xH4PE2QcVp8 (below, as embedded; with coments)] in 2012 that if the Supreme Court were to strike down same-sex marriage bans throughout the country, “I’m telling you what, I think you will create a firestorm of opposition. I think that could be the straw that broke the camel’s back, when you look at a nation that is so divided along these moral and cultural issues that you could have — I hate to use the word — a revolt, a revolution. I think you could see Americans saying, ‘you know what, enough of this,’ and I think it could explode and just break this nation apart.”
“They’re sowing the seeds of the dissolution of our republic,” Perkins said of gay marriage supporters [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/tony-perkins-says-marriage-equality-will-lead-dissolution-republic ] in 2014. “I think there’s coming a point that they’re going to push Christians to a point where they’re not going to be pushed anymore, and I think we’re very quickly coming to that point.”
As the Supreme Court considered a pair of marriage cases in 2013, Perkins said that the threat of a revolution [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/perkins-revolution-possible-if-court-goes-too-far-marriage-equality-cases ] may keep the justices from striking down same-sex marriage bans:
I believe the court will push as far as they think they can without creating a social upheaval or a political upheaval in this country. They’re smart people, I think, they understand how organizations and how societies work and if you get your substructure out of kilter with the superstructure, if you get government out of whack with where the people are and it goes too far, you create revolution. I think you could see a social and cultural revolution if the court goes too far on this.
Just last month, Perkins again predicted that the Supreme Court could trigger an uprising [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/tony-perkins-gay-marriage-ruling-will-trigger-uprising ] with a ruling in favor of marriage equality: “If the court imposes upon the nation a redefinition of marriage, I don’t think the nation is going to accept it, I absolutely don’t, and the conflict that is going to come as a result of it.”
Perkins may not find much support [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/tony-perkins-will-have-lonely-revolution-against-gay-marriage ] for his anti-gay revolution from the public at large, but he may find his some willing participants in his fellow Religious Right leaders.
Liberty Counsel founder Mathew Staver has claimed that a Supreme Court ruling favorable to marriage equality would take the country “back to the days of the American Revolution [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/mat-staver-second-american-revolution-needed-stop-gay-marriage ]” and create the “groundswell of a potential new American Revolution [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/staver-were-seeing-beginning-groundswell-potential-new-american-revolution ].”
“Martin Luther [King] was always speaking of non-violent protest and I would hope that’s what we would do here but you never know what happens,” he cautioned.
Staver warns that an adverse Supreme Court ruling, along with President Obama’s pro-gay-rights policies [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/barber-staver-obama-pushing-america-toward-civil-war ] and the possible passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/staver-enda-will-incite-revolution-turn-restrooms-free-alls ], would have [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/staver-scotus-ruling-marriage-equality-will-have-catastrophic-consequence-human-existence ] “catastrophic consequence[s] for our religious freedom, for the very function of the family, for marriage, for our human existence, for civil society and for any area of our liberty.”
“The church and people of faith and values need to rise up” against such a ruling, he said [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/staver-church-must-rise-if-supreme-court-backs-marriage-equality ] in 2013. “We just simply cannot allow this to become the law of the land.”
The previous year, Staver warned that marriage equality “could be the unraveling of the United States” and trigger a civil war [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/staver-supreme-court-could-spark-second-revolution-and-civil-war-over-marriage-equality ]:
This is the thing that revolutions literally are made of. This would be more devastating to our freedom, to our religious freedom, to the rights of pastors and their duty to be able to speak and to Christians around the country, then anything that the revolutionaries during the American Revolution even dreamed of facing. This would be the thing that revolutions are made of. This could split the country right in two. This could cause another civil war. I’m not talking about just people protesting in the streets, this could be that level because what would ultimately happen is a direct collision would immediately happen with pastors, with churches, with Christians, with Christian ministries, with other businesses, it would be an avalanche that would go across the country.
After the Supreme Court struck down a key portion of DOMA, Staver declared that the country was “crossing into the realm of rebellion, we’re crossing into the realm of revolution.”
The Alabama Example
After the Supreme Court’s Windsor decision led to a string of federal court decisions striking down bans on same-sex marriage, Religious Right leaders pleaded for governors and other state officials to openly flout the rulings.
Perkins said that states should not “listen to these courts” that make decisions “inconsistent with scripture [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/tony-perkins-marriage-equality-rulings-will-throw-our-country-tailspin ].” Staver agreed, claiming that the states must defy any court which has “literally lost their mind [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/mat-staver-homosexuality-very-deadly-and-damaging ].”
Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor and presidential candidate, said state and local officials should simply refuse to enforce such rulings [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/huckabee-urges-states-ignore-rulings-marriage-equality-abortion-rights-church-state-separati ], explaining: “Well, the courts have spoken and it’s an important voice, but it’s not the voice of God and the Supreme Court isn’t God.”
[audio ( https://soundcloud.com/rightwingwatch/huckabee-states-should-ignore-roe-v-wade-marriage-equality-rulings ) embedded]
Finally, they found their answer in Roy Moore [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/roy-moore ], the elected chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court.
Moore emerged as a conservative hero over a decade ago, when he defied orders to remove a Ten Commandments monument that he installed in the courthouse rotunda during his previous term as chief justice. When the standoff eventually led to Moore losing his post, he parlayed his newfound fame into two unsuccessful gubernatorial campaigns and even a presidential “exploratory committee.” Moore also launched his own far-right legal advocacy group, the Foundation for Moral Law [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/organizations/foundation-for-moral-law ].
Moore returned to the court after winning a statewide election in 2012 and two years later, he once again made national headlines when he ordered state probate judges, who are responsible for issuing marriage licenses, to disregard a Bush-appointed federal judge’s decision striking down the state’s ban on same-sex marriage. Moore demanded that the state flout the ruling, saying that it had no need to implement the decision.
Moore has contended that gay marriage will “destroy the very foundation on which this country was built [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/roy-moore-evolution-and-gay-marriage-incompatible-constitution ]” and “destroy this country [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/roy-moore-warns-government-determined-destroy-country ],” warning that the country will “suffer” divine judgment for embracing Satanic gay rights [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/moore-god-punishing-america-sins-abortion-and-gay-marriage ]. “No society is prepared to deal with the problems arising out of same-sex marriages: child abuse, adoption, divorce, foster care, alimony, and the list could go on and on,” Moore told one anti-marriage-equality rally [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/alabamas-notorious-anti-gay-chief-justice-wants-state-defy-federal-courts-marriage ]. In his prior stint as chief justice, he wrote that homosexuality is an “inherent evil” and “criminal lifestyle” [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/roy-moore-2002-homosexuality-evil-abhorrent-and-destructive-criminal-lifestyle ] that “should never be tolerated.”
Insisting that his personal reading of the Bible trumps the federal court’s ruling [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/roy-moores-showdown-courts-over-gay-marriage-tied-work-neo-confederate-leader ], Moore believes that any decision which contravenes his understanding of God’s law [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/roy-moore-institution-marriage-god-ordained-under-sustained-attack-federal-judges ] is inherently unconstitutional since the Constitution, he claims, is based on divine precepts.
His case against marriage equality is simple [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/roy-moore-will-stop-alabama-turning-sodom-and-gomorrah ]: “Homosexuality is wrong and we all know it. Marriage of the same sex is wrong and we all know it.” Moore’s legal advocacy organization, now led by his wife, defended his order to probate judges by explaining [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/anti-lgbt-groups-cheer-roy-moores-standoff-federal-courts ] that “homosexual conduct is still sin, and we must stand firm for what is right.”
Conservative politicians hailed Moore. The head of the Alabama GOP thanked Moore for saving the state from God’s wrath [ http://algop.org/alabama-dare-defend-rights/ ]; Religious Right preacher Cindy Jacobs [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/cindy-jacobs ] said God had told her [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/roy-moores-acolytes-5-ways-anti-gay-activists-have-lionized-alabamas-chief-justice ] that He is using Moore “to reverse what Satan has done”; NOM’s Brian Brown praised Moore’s “principled stand” against “tyranny” [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/nom-praises-roy-moore-standing-against-judicial-tyranny-marriage ]; and Bryan Fischer said that Moore acted “in the finest tradition of Martin Luther King, Jr. [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/fischer-roy-moore-modern-day-martin-luther-king-jr ]” by "waging the civil rights battle of this decade.”
Moore took his show to the road, telling a rally in Texas [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/roy-moore-hopes-he-doesnt-have-sacrifice-his-life-stop-gay-marriage ] held in his honor that he hopes he will not have to “give his life” in the fight against gay marriage. He warned at a Family Research Council event [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/roy-moore-scotus-gay-marriage-ruling-paves-way-government-take-your-children ] that the government will soon legalize “parent-and-child” marriages and justify “taking your children simply by the same logic they’re following.”
“Christians need to stand up and do their duty to God as their duty to their country,” he said.
Some Republicans and their allies in the Religious Right hope that Moore’s defiant stance will serve as a model for the rest of the country.
A bill introduced in Texas [ http://www.texasobserver.org/bill-aims-to-bar-texas-clerks-from-issuing-same-sex-marriage-licenses/ ] not only declares that the state does not have to follow any U.S. Supreme Court ruling on marriage equality, but it goes one step further by blocking funding for the issuance of marriage licenses to same-sex couples. The bill would go so far as to punish state employees who issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, barring such employees from “a salary, pension, or other employee benefit.”
In North Carolina, a group of Republican lawmakers want to create a religious exemption [ http://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2015/02/24/lawmakers-say-court-officials-able-avoid-marriage-duties-due-religious-beliefs/23939067/ ] for officials in charge of issuing marriage licenses who don’t want to follow a recent court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage. Staver’s group, Liberty Counsel, filed a lawsuit [ http://libertycounsel.com/breaking-news-liberty-counsel-defends-magistrates-facing-jail/ ] “requesting emergency protection from the state courts for any magistrate who refuses to issue a marriage license to a same-sex couple.”
GOP lawmakers in Oklahoma reacted to a court ruling striking down their state’s marriage ban by proposing a bill which would remove any judge [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/oklahoma-advances-extremist-lawmakers-bill-fire-any-clerk-who-follows-gay-marriage-rulings ] who issues a marriage license to a same-sex couple and deny salaries, benefits and pensions to any state employees involved in marrying gay couples. Another bill in Oklahoma would remove judges from the marriage licenses process altogether [ https://www.au.org/blogs/wall-of-separation/it-s-a-scandal-it-s-an-outrage-oklahoma-legislator-wants-to-restrict ] and instead restrict marriage duties to “an ordained or authorized preacher or minister of the Gospel, priest or other ecclesiastical dignitary of any denomination who has been duly ordained or authorized by the church to which he or she belongs to preach the Gospel, or a rabbi.”
End of the Line
While social conservative leaders have mostly focused on the purported repercussions of a decision that they see as unfavorable, they also have a plan in case the court sides with their arguments: demand that states roll back same-sex marriage rights and re-impose bans [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/anti-gay-activists-vow-repeal-marriage-equality-laws-across-country-if-they-win-scotus ] previously removed by the voters, lawmakers or courts.
For now, though, right-wing leaders will be focused on doing what they always do: misleading their supporters about the so-called dangers of gay rights, making reckless charges of religious persecution, and supporting unconstitutional means to promote their discriminatory goals.
However, Dobson and his allies do see the silver lining of legal gay marriage. In a conversation with Dobson the week before the Supreme Court’s oral arguments in the marriage cases, pastor Jim Garlow [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/jim-garlow ] and former National Organization for Marriage president Maggie Gallagher [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/maggie-gallagher ] predicted that Americans will ultimately reject gay marriage once the country experiences its horrible consequences; that is, if America is able to survive that long [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/anti-gay-activists-reduced-hoping-future-generations-will-repeal-gay-marriage-if-america-sur ].
© 2015 People For the American Way
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/revolution-anti-gay-activists-threaten-uprising-if-supreme-court-approves-marriage-equality
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Santorum & Huckabee Join Anti-Gay Extremists In Vowing To Resist Marriage Equality Ruling
Submitted by Miranda Blue on Friday, 4/24/2015 2:05 pm
Likely GOP presidential candidates Rick Santorum [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/rick-santorum ] and Mike Huckabee have joined more than 200 anti-gay activists in signing a pledge [ http://defendmarriage.org/signers ] vowing to resist any Supreme Court ruling in favor of marriage equality.
The pledge, which was co-written by Mat Staver of the right-wing legal group Liberty Counsel [ http://www.lc.org/index.cfm?PID=14100&PRID=1543 ] and Deacon Keith Fournier [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/keith-fournier ], a Catholic activist who recently argued that marriage equality is quite literally an attack of the Devil [ https://stream.org/attack-marriage-diabolical/ ], recycles the language of a similar document circulated by right-wing groups when the Supreme Court took up a previous set of marriage cases in 2013. Staver and a number of other activists introduced the current pledge at a press conference this morning [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/rick-scarborough-dismisses-growing-support-marriage-equality-likening-it-support-segregation ].
Along with Huckabee and Santorum, signers include former House GOP leader Tom Delay; big players in the Religious Right including John Hagee, Samuel Rodriguez [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/samuel-rodriguez ] and Focus on the Family’s James Dobson; and fringe anti-gay activists including Peter LaBarbera [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/peter-labarbera ], Matt Barber [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/matt-barber ], Cindy Jacobs, Linda Harvey [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/linda-harvey ] and Bradlee Dean [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/bradlee-dean ].
Comparing any sweeping decision in favor of marriage equality to the Dred Scott case, the activists vow that they will not recognize such a decision and indicate that they would try to convince national and state executive branches not to enforce it.
The full text of the pledge [ http://defendmarriage.org/pledge-in-solidarity-to-defend-marriage ]:
We stand together in defense of marriage and the family and society founded upon them. While we come from a variety of communities and hold differing faith perspectives, we are united in our common affirmation of marriage.
On the matter of marriage, we stand in solidarity. We affirm that marriage and family have been inscribed by the Divine Architect into the order of Creation. Marriage is ontologically between one man and one woman, ordered toward the union of the spouses, open to children and formative of family. Family is the first vital cell of society, the first government, and the first mediating institution of our social order. The future of a free and healthy society passes through marriage and the family.
Marriage as existing solely between one man and one woman precedes civil government. Though affirmed, fulfilled, and elevated by faith, the truth that marriage can exist only between one man and one woman is not based on religion or revelation alone, but on the Natural Law, written on the human heart and discernible through the exercise of reason. It is part of the natural created order. The Natural Law is what Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., referred to as a higher law or a just law in his famous Letter from Birmingham Jail.
Marriage is the preeminent and the most fundamental of all human social institutions. Civil institutions do not create marriage nor can they manufacture a right to marry for those who are incapable of marriage. Society begins with marriage and the family.
We pledge to stand together to defend marriage for what it is, a bond between one man and one woman, intended for life, and open to the gift of children.
The institutions of civil government should defend marriage and not seek to undermine it. Government has long regulated marriage for the true common good. Examples, such as the age of consent, demonstrate such a proper regulation to ensure the free and voluntary basis of the marriage bond. Redefining the very institution of marriage is improper and outside the authority of the State. No civil institution, including the United States Supreme Court or any court, has authority to redefine marriage.
As citizens united together, we will not stand by while the destruction of the institution of marriage unfolds in this nation we love. The effort to redefine marriage threatens the essential foundation of the family.
Experience and history have shown us that if the government redefines marriage to grant a legal equivalency to same-sex couples, that same government will then enforce such an action with the police power of the State. This will bring about an inevitable collision with religious freedom and conscience rights. The precedent established will leave no room for any limitation on what can constitute such a redefined notion of marriage or human sexuality. We cannot and will not allow this to occur on our watch. Religious freedom is the first freedom in the American experiment for good reason.
Conferring a moral and legal equivalency to any relationship other than marriage between a man and a woman, by legislative or judicial fiat, sends the message that children do not need a mother and a father. As a policy matter, such unions convey the message that moms and dads are completely irrelevant to the well-being of children. Such a policy statement is unconscionable and destructive. Authorizing the legal equivalency of marriage to same-sex couples undermines the fundamental rights of children and threatens their security, stability, and future.
Neither the United States Supreme Court nor any court has authority to redefine marriage and thereby weaken both the family and society. Unlike the Legislative Branch that has the power of the purse and the Executive Branch which has the figurative power of the sword, the Judicial Branch has neither. It must depend upon the Executive Branch for the enforcement of its decisions.
As the Supreme Court acknowledged in the 1992 decision of Planned Parenthood v. Casey, its power rests solely upon the legitimacy of its decisions in the eyes of the people. If the decisions of the Court are not based on the Constitution and reason, and especially if they are contrary to the natural created order, then the people will lose confidence in the Court as an objective arbiter of the law. If the people lose respect for the Court, the Court’s authority will be diminished.
The Supreme Court was wrong when it denied Dred Scott his rights and said, “blacks are inferior human beings.” And the Court was wrong when Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes wrote in Buck v. Bell, “three generations of imbeciles are enough,” thus upholding Virginia’s eugenics law that permitted forced sterilization. Shamefully, that decision was cited during the Nuremburg trials to support the Nazi eugenic holocaust.
In these earlier cases, the definition of “human” was at issue. Now the definition of “marriage” is at issue. The Constitution does not grant a right to redefine marriage — which is nonsensical since marriage intrinsically involves a man and a woman. Nor does the Constitution prohibit states from affirming the natural created order of male and female joined together in marriage.
We will view any decision by the Supreme Court or any court the same way history views the Dred Scott and Buck v. Bell decisions. Our highest respect for the rule of law requires that we not respect an unjust law that directly conflicts with higher law. A decision purporting to redefine marriage flies in the face of the Constitution and is contrary to the natural created order. As people of faith we pledge obedience to our Creator when the State directly conflicts with higher law. We respectfully warn the Supreme Court not to cross this line.
We stand united together in defense of marriage. Make no mistake about our resolve. While there are many things we can endure, redefining marriage is so fundamental to the natural order and the common good that this is the line we must draw and one we cannot and will not cross.
© 2015 People For the American Way
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/santorum-huckabee-join-anti-gay-extremists-vowing-resist-marriage-equality-ruling
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Devil-fearing mum faces life in jail for drowning girl during 'exorcism'
DEVIL-FEARING: Tamara Artemova drowned her daughter during a makeshift exorcism after becoming convinced she was possessed by Satan
[CEN]
LIFE SENTENCE: Artemova faces years behind bars if she is found to be sane following psychiatric evaluation
[CEN]
A MUM who drowned her young daughter after becoming convinced she was possessed by Satan is facing life behind bars.
By Siba Jackson / Published 30th April 2015
Devil-fearing Tamara Artemova carried out the makeshift exorcism on Natella, three, in the bathroom at their apartment in Russia.
Artemova, 40, told cops how she filled the bath with “holy water” in a bid to “wash the devil away” after seeing “hate” in her daughter’s eyes.
Natella’s lifeless body was discovered by Artemova’s horrified husband, Borys, 45, when he returned from work.
The tragic tot was rushed to hospital but docs were unable to save her.
Prosecutors told a court in central Russia: "When questioned the woman said she had been trying to exorcise the girl's demons because she was possessed.
"She said that she had filled the bath with holy water and hoped that if the girl drank enough it would wash the devil away.”
Shocked neighbour Nail Abdulov, 54, told how mum-of-three Artemova had become “obsessed” with Natella, her youngest child.
Mr Abdulov said: "She kept saying the Devil had taken control of the girl and that she was evil.
"I once asked her why she thought so and she said the girl had 'hate in her eyes'."
Artemova denies murder and has been sent for psychiatric evaluation.
If found to be sane, she faces life in jail for infanticide.
A police spokesman said: "When arrested she showed no remorse for what she had done, although she said she hadn't meant to kill her."
Copyright ©2015 Northern and Shell Media Publications
http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/439510/Devil-fearing-mum-faces-life-in-jail-for-drowning-girl-during-exorcism [with comments]
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Right-Wing Pundits: Obama Persecuting Bachmann With 'End Times' Joke
Submitted by Brian Tashman on Tuesday, 4/28/2015 10:50 am
At the White House Correspondents Dinner this weekend, President Obama made a joke [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyGLOT9Ewhk&t=307 (next below; the particular joke beginning at the 5:07 mark; with comments)]
about ex-Rep. Michele Bachmann’s repeated [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/bachmann-end-times-are-here-thanks-obama ] refrain [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/bachmann-rapture-imminent-thanks-gay-marriage-obama ] that he is bringing about the Last Days, and the former Minnesota congresswoman is not pleased. She and other Religious Right pundits told [ http://www.wnd.com/2015/04/bachmann-wars-with-obama-over-end-of-world/ ] the End Times outlet WorldNetDaily [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/organizations/worldnetdaily ] that the president’s joke was an act of anti-Christian persecution and suggested that people who disagree with Bachmann’s remarks are really denouncing all of Christianity.
“The blood moons of 2014 and 2015 are forewarnings of what is to come in 2016,” author Mark Blitz [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/mark-biltz ] told WND. “President Obama, I believe, was only half joking when he made his comments.”
Another Religious Right commentator, Carl Gallups, said, “Regardless of how uncomfortable Bachmann’s comments might have made some feel, the biblical fact is that when a nation turns its back on Israel and at the same time celebrates, promotes, and legalizes homosexual marriage it is inviting end of days judgment upon itself.”
Radio host Jan Markell, on whose show Bachmann made the remarks, at least saw the bright side of Obama’s joke, telling WND: “God has His way of getting out a message about the end-of-days scenario.”
“The Bible is filled with exciting information about living life today and in the future, both in this life and in the life to come,” Bachmann told WND. “Any message that brings people closer to God’s wonderful plans for our lives is a good thing.
“God’s word is true and brings freedom and wholeness to all who read it and believe in Him.”
...
“Rarely has this nation witnessed the kind of hubris, arrogance and callousness as we did at the President’s Correspondents Dinner. President Obama and his left-wing supporters in the media think it is absolutely hilarious that his policies could have fostered in an apocalyptic atmosphere in the earth,” said Richardson, author of New York Times-bestseller “The Islamic Antichrist” and director of the film “End Times Eye Witness.”
...
“I am rarely offended by good humor, especially upon consideration of the context in which it is spoken. But I think what is unnerving about Obama to so many Christians is his consistent mocking of Christianity, the scriptures, the basic Christian message, and even the Judeo-Christian heritage of America. A quick search on Google reveals the veracity of these concerns,” said Gallups, author of “The Final Warning: Understanding the Trumpet Days of Revelation.”
...
Markell said she has known Bachmann for 20 years as a woman whose primary goal is “glorifying God and getting people into the Kingdom.”
“To see her hammered and trashed by the left, and even some on the right such as ‘The Christian Post,’ is very grievous,” said Markell, co-author of “Trapped In Hitler’s Hell” with Holocaust survivor Anita Dittman, which has also been made into a film.
“What is there about a godly Christian woman that is so offensive to so many today when they are simply telling the truth as Michele is?”
But two solid weeks of trash talking has accomplished more to get Bachmann’s message out than any single interview on a Christian radio station ever could, Markell said.
“God has His way of getting out a message about the end-of-days scenario. If he has to use a donkey such as the left-wing outfits that have trashed Michele for two weeks, then I thank God for His creativity,” she said. “One way or another, He will get His message out that He is coming soon. I am thankful that Michele Bachmann and I, who have teamed up for many years, can be used in this manner. God is calling all watchmen on the wall.”
Joseph Farah, WND founder, chief editor and CEO, believes Obama’s mocking of Bachmann is just the latest example of his disdain for anyone who actually believes what he reads in the Bible and is willing to discuss it publicly.
“Michele Bachmann, like me, was profoundly impacted by the stunning revelations of the New York Times-bestseller ‘The Harbinger’ by Jonathan Cahn about the way America has been inadvertently re-enacting an ancient script written and played out during the fall of Israel,” Farah said.
“To Obama and most other non-Christians, this is just silly superstitious stuff – the kind of thing you make jokes about for cheap laughs at the White House Correspondents Dinner. But remember who the cheap laughs come from – people who look at what Obama has done over the last six years and see success, progress, achievement, prosperity, wisdom. If that’s what you see in Obama’s America, then you will surely think it’s funny that the nation is threatened by God’s judgment for disobedience and turning from His ways.
“Time will tell who is right – and I don’t think it will be a long time before we know,” Farah added.
...
“Regardless of how uncomfortable Bachmann’s comments might have made some feel, the biblical fact is that when a nation turns its back on Israel and at the same time celebrates, promotes, and legalizes homosexual marriage it is inviting end of days judgment upon itself,” Gallups added. “The Word of God is clear concerning these matters.”
...
“Michele Bachmann is absolutely right that the church needs to be like the sons of Issachar who had an understandings of the times so they knew what Israel ought to do,” Biltz said. He said the church needs to “wake up to the times we are in,” as 2016 “will be one of the most pivotal years in prophetic history. The blood moons of 2014 and 2015 are forewarnings of what is to come in 2016. President Obama, I believe, was only half joking when he made his comments.”
© 2015 People For the American Way
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/right-wing-pundits-obama-persecuting-bachmann-end-times-joke
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Mat Staver: Anti-Gay Activists, Like Rosa Parks, Won't 'Walk To The Back Of The Bus'
Submitted by Brian Tashman on Friday, 5/1/2015 10:40 am
On Tuesday’s edition of Voice of Christian Youth America (VCY America) [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/organizations/voice-christian-youth-america-vcy-america ]'s “Crosstalk [ http://www.vcyamerica.org/blog/2015/04/28/marriage-on-trial-at-the-supreme-court ],” Liberty Counsel’s Mat Staver urged the owners of an Oregon bakery who were fined for violating the state’s non-discrimination law when they denied service to a gay customer to refuse to pay the fine in an act of civil disobedience against an “unjust law.”
“If the government wants to come in and put Rosa Parks on the back of the bus, Rosa Parks shouldn’t move to the back of the bus,” Staver said. “If they are wanting to take Christians and put you on the back of the bus because of your faith, you shouldn’t voluntarily walk to the back of the bus.”
[audio ( https://soundcloud.com/rightwingwatch/staver-need-anti-gay-rosa-parks ) embedded]
He also addressed claims that the arguments in favor of the same-sex marriage bans are similar to the ones made defending bans on interracial marriage [ http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2014/02/26/3333161/religious-liberty-racist-anti-gay/ ], which were also said to be based on moral, biblical teachings [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/frcs-craig-james-stumped-question-likening-gay-marriage-bans-anti-miscegenation-laws ] and not discriminatory in nature [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loving_v._Virginia#Decision ]. Staver dubiously suggested that while homosexuality “has always been, up until recently been, described through millennia of human history as a crime against nature,” racial bias is not rooted in history.
“There is nothing historically or throughout our long history of Judeo-Christianity that says that someone who’s got dark skin can’t marry someone who’s got white skin or lighter color skin. That’s never been rooted in our history, that’s never been rooted in natural law, that’s never been rooted in millennia of human history,” Staver said. “Marriage is objectively, to use a philosophical term, ontologically, the union of a man and a woman. If you can’t get that right, good grief, how can you be a judge on any court?”
When host Jim Schneider [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/jim-schneider ] asked Staver if he agrees with Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore’s claim that “same-sex marriage will be the ultimate destruction of our country,” Staver replied that he “100 percent agree[s].”
[audio ( https://soundcloud.com/rightwingwatch/staver-racism-not-rooted-in-history-unlike-anti-gay-bias ) embedded]
© 2015 People For the American Way
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/mat-staver-anti-gay-activists-rosa-parks-wont-walk-back-bus
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Institute On The Constitution Warns God Will Destroy America If SCOTUS Backs Gay Marriage
Submitted by Miranda Blue on Friday, 5/1/2015 11:20 am
Last month, the Institute on the Constitution [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/organizations/institute-constitution ], the Christian reconstructionist group [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/god-and-christian-reconstructionists-larry-klayman-s-revolution ] led by longtime Roy Moore ally [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/roy-moores-showdown-courts-over-gay-marriage-tied-work-neo-confederate-leader ] Michael Peroutka [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/ten-commandments-and-4300-year-old-dinosaur-michael-peroutka-s-web-christian-nation-influenc ], joined a Supreme Court amicus brief warning the justices that if they decide to strike down state-level bans on marriage equality, “it could bring God’s judgment on the Nation.”
IOC’s Jake MacAulay [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/jake-macauley ], who came to Peroutka’s group from the ministry of fiery Minnesota pastor Bradlee Dean [ http://www.bluestemprairie.com/bluestemprairie/2013/10/former-bradlee-dean-associate-jake-macaulay-still-working-for-institute-on-the-constitution.html ], drove home this point in a video this week [ http://www.theamericanview.com/is-the-supreme-court-the-god-of-marriage/ , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AlxTDIa3Kk (below, as embedded; with comments)], in which he warns that it would be “very wrong and very dangerous” for the Supreme Court to back marriage equality, because “to attempt to change that which is eternal and forever fixed by the Creator is to do nothing less than make the claim that you are God.”
“Psalm Two warns that when the judges and the rulers of the earth throw off God’s law and take it upon themselves to make their own rules for right and wrong, they will be dashed to pieces like a rod of iron striking a clay pot,” MacAulay warns. “Regrettably we seem to be setting ourselves up for this very lesson. Unless our government officials start obeying God and stop ‘playing god,’ this is a lesson we will experience fully.”
Now to attempt to change that which is eternal and forever fixed by the Creator is to do nothing less than make the claim that you are God. This is very wrong and very dangerous, and the Supreme Court of these United States is now considering taking this very same dangerous step.
While there are many conclusions that can be drawn as we witness this cultural degradation, one comes most immediately to my mind. When a culture discards the Word of God as the standard for what is right and what is wrong, and relegates these determinations to fallen men, the results are as predictable as they are terrible.
In the time of the founding of America, when a Biblical worldview was predominant in the American people, this connection between following the commandments and peaceable existence was clearly known, easily understood and evidentially experienced in the American culture. Undoubtedly, living prosperously by living righteously is what Jefferson meant when he used the phrase “pursuit of happiness”.
Psalm Two warns that when the judges and the rulers of the earth throw off God’s law and take it upon themselves to make their own rules for right and wrong, they will be dashed to pieces like a rod of iron striking a clay pot.
Regrettably we seem to be setting ourselves up for this very lesson. Unless our government officials start obeying God and stop “playing god,” this is a lesson we will experience fully.
© 2015 People For the American Way
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/institute-constitution-warns-god-will-destroy-america-if-scotus-backs-gay-marriage
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Alan Keyes: Gay Marriage Ruling A 'Just Cause For War'
Submitted by Brian Tashman on Friday, 5/1/2015 11:40 am
Joining other Religious Right activists [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/revolution-anti-gay-activists-threaten-uprising-if-supreme-court-approves-marriage-equality (above)] who warn that the Supreme Court will spark a civil [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/james-dobson-gay-marriage-will-lead-civil-war ] war [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/staver-supreme-court-could-spark-second-revolution-and-civil-war-over-marriage-equality ] if the it strikes down bans on same-sex marriage, Alan Keyes [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/alan-keyes ] writes [ http://www.wnd.com/2015/04/high-court-tool-of-tyrannical-elitist-prejudice/ ] in WorldNetDaily today that a ruling in favor of gay rights will “be just cause for war.”
Keyes claims that such a decision “will be an attack on the very foundation of constitutional government, of by and for the people of the United States” that, “like the Dred Scott decision that heralded the onset of the first Civil War,” will “bring the nation to the brink” and represent “a high crime and misdemeanor that effectively dissolves the just bonds of government between and among the states, and among the individuals who compose the people of the United States.”
The United States Supreme Court may presently make a decision discarding marriage as an unalienable (natural) right. By defect of reason and respect for the Constitution, the decision will return the people of this country to the condition of constantly impending war characteristic of the human condition when and wherever the just premises of government are abandoned.
A decision degrading the natural right of marriage, endowed by the Creator, to the status of a fiat right, fabricated by government, will be unconstitutional on the face of it, because it disparages an antecedent right, retained by the people, which disparagement is explicitly prohibited by the U.S. Constitution’s Ninth amendment. Under present circumstances, the decision will also invite conflict on account of the openly flaunted prejudice of two of the justices participating in it.
...
If the United States Supreme Court presumes to impose any redefinition of marriage on the states, respectively, or the people, without addressing the issue of unalienable right it involves, with reasoning that respects God-endowed right (which is the logic by which the American people asserted, and still claim to possess and exercise, sovereign authority over themselves), the Court’s decision will be an attack on the very foundation of constitutional government, of by and for the people of the United States. It will be a high crime and misdemeanor that effectively dissolves the just bonds of government between and among the states, and among the individuals who compose the people of the United States. It will therefore be just cause for war.
Like the Dred Scott decision that heralded the onset of the first Civil War, the Court’s action will bring the nation to the brink, whence “nothing but confusion and disorder will follow. …” If the justices do not tread carefully, their temerity could very well set in motion the death throes of what is still supposed to be their country. “Forbid it, Almighty God!”
© 2015 People For the American Way
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/alan-keyes-gay-marriage-ruling-just-cause-war
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Rick Wiles Warns Of 'Fireball From Space' If Supreme Court Strikes Down Gay Marriage Bans
Submitted by Brian Tashman on Friday, 5/1/2015 1:20 pm
End Times broadcaster Rick Wiles [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/rick-wiles ] spoke with Mat Staver of Liberty Counsel on his “Trunews [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/organizations/trunews ]” program yesterday [ http://www.trunews.com/thursday-april-30-2015-matt-staver-ann-corcoran/ ] about what will happen to the United States if the Supreme Court strikes down bans on same-sex marriage. Unsurprisingly, neither was optimistic.
“Now the communists rule this nation,” Wiles said in a monologue before his interview with Staver, “and everywhere communism takes control, they go after the churches and they kill the pastors and they demolish the church buildings and they reeducate the church children. That’s what’s coming to America. It’s already started.”
“We are at the end of the road as a nation,” he warned. “If the Supreme Court dares to defy Almighty God one more time, I’m telling you it will be the last time.”
“I believe I am speaking under the unction of the Holy Spirit,” he continued. “I’m telling you there will be swift, sudden and devastating consequences for the United States of America. America will be brought to its knees, there will be pain and suffering at a level we’ve never seen in this country. The word that I hear in my spirit is ‘fire.’ I do not know if it refers to riots or looting or war on American soil or a fireball from space. I simply know that a sweeping, consuming fire will come across the United States of America and this country will be charred and burned.”
He told his listeners to “prepare for the fire that will sweep across America if the United States Supreme Court dares to defy God one more time and rule that homosexual marriage is a constitutional right.”
[audio ( https://soundcloud.com/rightwingwatch/wiles-fireball-will-destroy-america-over-gay-marriage ) embedded]
Wiles also stated that gay marriage is proof that Satan is “alive and well” and using his minions to “shut down Christianity in this nation.”
“Life may change radically in 60 days,” he said. “I’m talking about the fast-moving, radical homosexual movement that has captured control of the American political system, the corporate world, the news media, the entertainment industry and the educational system. This is a takeover and it is anti-God, it is anti-Christ. The same-sex marriage case before the U.S. Supreme Court is not about same-sex marriage, it is about the criminalization and the elimination of biblical Christianity in the United States of America.”
[audio ( https://soundcloud.com/rightwingwatch/wiles-satanists-using-gay-marriage-to-destroy-gay-marriage ) embedded]
Warning that “the fate of the United States of America will be decided over the next two months,” Wiles told Staver that “a Supreme Court decision recognizing homosexual marriage as a right will be the final nail in America’s coffin. The last society that attempted to slide into this level of immorality and debauchery were the twin cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and they did not have a happy ending.”
“Brace for impact if it goes against God’s divine order of marriage,” Wiles said of the potential ruling, predicting severe “divine repercussions.”
Staver agreed with Wiles’ assertion that “America’s future is hanging in the balance.”
“There’s no question it’s hanging in the balance,” Staver said. “What we have here is a potential catastrophic collision with religious freedom and the undermining of the family.” He added that a marriage ruling will be even more consequential than Roe v. Wade because it will “promote and exalt” same-sex relationships by putting them “on a pedestal and hope people aspire to it.”
[audio ( https://soundcloud.com/rightwingwatch/wiles-gay-marriage-the-final-nail-in-the-coffin-for-america ) embedded]
© 2015 People For the American Way (emphasis in original)
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/rick-wiles-warns-fireball-space-if-supreme-court-strikes-down-gay-marriage-bans
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Knight: Gay People 'Stealing The Moral Capital Of Marriage'
Submitted by Miranda Blue on Friday, 5/1/2015 4:16 pm
Conservative commentator Robert Knight [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/robert-knight ] is not optimistic about the Supreme Court’s upcoming decision in a set of marriage equality cases, telling a West Virginia radio program yesterday that “unless God intervenes, the court looks poised to create a brand-new right to gay marriage out of the Constitution, which is just literally insane and absurd.”
Knight was particularly annoyed by Justice Kennedy’s comments [ http://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/14-556q1_7l48.pdf ] about marriage conferring “dignity” and “ennoblement” to gay couples. “I was thinking about that,” he told [ http://www.800wvhu.com/onair/the-tom-roten-morning-show-675/the-left-registering-illegals-to-vote-13550886/ ] Huntington-based talk radio host Tom Roten, “and I thought, the way you’re doing that is by stealing the moral capital of marriage and conveying it to other relationships that aren’t anything like it. That is not ennobling them, that is transferring moral capital.”
“It’s like taking a losing team, and they feel bad about their losing record,” he explained, “so they say, okay, now they’re going to have the same record as this winning team over here so everybody feels better.”
[audio ( https://soundcloud.com/rightwingwatch/knight-gay-people-stealing-the-moral-capital-of-marriage ) embedded]
Knight was also upset that the only children discussed during the Supreme Court arguments were children being raised by gay parents. “What about the vast impact on children across America if gay marriage is legalized?” he asked. “Think of the textbook changes. Think of what schools will be teaching directly against the beliefs of millions of American parents. I mean, we’re putting a counterfeit in the law, we’re going to use the law to impose it on the country.”
Although the attorneys arguing on behalf of marriage equality at the court explicitly noted [ http://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/14-556q1_7l48.pdf ] that clergy in marriage equality states are not required to marry same-sex couples, Knight falsely claimed that Solicitor General Donald Verrilli had said that question should be left to the states.
“Think in the free country of ours, they’re casually talking about using the power of the state to force pastors to bless something that the Bible says is an abomination,” he said. “We are really in an insane age here when it’s come to that. And unless the American people rise up and say ‘enough,’ it’s just going to get worse.”
© 2015 People For the American Way
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/knight-gay-people-stealing-moral-capital-marriage
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Cliff Kincaid: Marriage Equality 'Lunacy' Putting Us On 'A Road To Ruin'
Submitted by Miranda Blue on Monday, 5/4/2015 12:39 pm
One week before the Supreme Court heard arguments in a set of marriage equality cases last month, Accuracy In Media [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/organizations/accuracy-media ]’s Cliff Kincaid [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/cliff-kincaid ] convened a collection of fringe anti-gay activists [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/barber-revolution-hand-if-scotus-legalizes-gay-marriage ], including Matt Barber and Peter LaBarbera, to address the issue at a press conference.
Kincaid opened up the event with a PowerPoint presentation [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yddzIJ-SCs (next below; no comments yet)],
which included a Photoshop of the Supreme Court’s more liberal wing wearing straightjackets to illustrate the “critical point” that “it really is insanity” to allow marriage equality.
“The reason we’re doing this is not just to make people laugh, but we’re trying to make a critical point about this issue, that it really is insanity to try to pretend that there’s no difference between the sexes and that people can just marry other people for any apparent reason at all,” he said. “And it’s not going to stop with one man marrying another man or one woman marrying another woman. If we go down this road, it’s a road to ruin, we don’t really know where it’s going to end up yet.”
“But we believe it is a form of lunacy, of insanity, for the Supreme Court to even consider declaring under the Constitution that there’s some constitutional right to gay marriage,” he concluded [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZhDL9NYsGE (next below, as embedded; with comments)].
Later, in a presentation [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-QfxLPZNP0 (next below; with comments)]
on “how the Republican party is going gay,” Kincaid read derisively a passage from the Republican National Committee’s 2013 “Growth and Opportunity Project [ http://goproject.gop.com/RNC_Growth_Opportunity_Book_2013.pdf ]” report, which called on the party to campaign among LGBT people and “demonstrate we care about” them.
“Well, of course we care about these people,” Kincaid said [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toCPyjTBP20 (below, as embedded; with comments)]. “We care about them a lot and we care about them so much we want to see them free of disease and returned to a normal, healthy lifestyle.”
This led him to quote the British author Paul Johnson, who lamented in a 2006 book [ http://www.familyresearchinst.org/2009/01/october-2006/ ] that the decriminalization of homosexuality had “made it possible for homosexuals to organize openly into a powerful lobby,” creating “a monster in our midst, powerful and clamoring, flexing its muscles, threatening, vengeful and vindictive towards anyone who challenges its outrageous claims, and bent on making fundamental — and to most of us horrifying — changes to civilized patterns of sexual behaviour.”
A Supreme Court ruling striking down marriage equality bans, Kincaid said, “would be a violation not only of the Constitution, but a violation of natural law, a violation of science and biology.”
“Not only that,” he added, “it would represent the victory really of only one or two percent of the population…yet it looks like they have positions of power in the major media, corporations, academia and, of course, government.”
© 2015 People For the American Way
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/cliff-kincaid-marriage-equality-lunacy-putting-us-road-ruin
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The Credibility of Faith
Uploaded on Aug 19, 2009 by DarkMatter2525 [ http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLhtZqdkjshgq8TqwIjMdCQ / http://www.youtube.com/user/DarkMatter2525 , http://www.youtube.com/user/DarkMatter2525/videos ]
Religious people, how could we possibly trust you? Look at your history.
Music credits (in order of appearance):
Handel - "Sarabande"
Gaate - "Bruremarsj fra Jamtland"
Love Spirals Downwards - "Illusory Me"
Radiohead - "Reckoner"
Santa Esmeralda - "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood"
Ravel - "Bolero"
Terje Rypdal - "Mystery Man"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVusPTM0P9o [with comments]
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God Apologizes to the Internets
Uploaded on Sep 5, 2009 by DarkMatter2525
I just wanted to bitch about religion. I know...so unlike me!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8StcCed5AI [with comments]
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Muhammad's Worst Enemy
Uploaded on May 19, 2010 by DarkMatter2525
A drawing of Muhammad & his worst enemy. Music: "Sunburn" by Muse. I uploaded a large picture of my drawing here: http://www.mediafire.com/view/2nqg5m2mgqt/Muhammad+and+His+Greatest+Enemy+%28large%29.jpg / http://www.mediafire.com/download/2nqg5m2mgqt/Muhammad+and+His+Greatest+Enemy+%28large%29.jpg#1 You can also see it on Facebook here (smaller picture): https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=158546&id=100000661204155 If you want the original, I'll probably put it up on Ebay (It's too controversial for the charity auction. We don't want to alienate potential donors. I will, however, donate other artworks to dpr's charity blogtv.). If I put it on Ebay, I'll announce it in a future video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ja_4neDpiY [with comments]
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What Would Neocon Jesus Do?
Uploaded on Sep 7, 2010 by DarkMatter2525
Feel free to share this with any bat-shit insane Neocon Tea Bagger hypocrites you encounter. They pretend to be fiscal conservatives while advocating immense spending on hate and bigotry (war); they claim to be for freedom, yet advocate the building of walls; they claim to be patriots, yet threaten a revolution; and they've hijacked Christianity as their religion, yet heed none of Jesus' teachings. They make America look bad.
I don't address atheism in this video, and I do realize that there are atheists who disagree with it, but know this: if most of the people who agree with you on a specific issue are insane religious extremists, then maybe that's a good indicator that you're on the wrong side of the issue.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgN9wFNOV_g [with comments]
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Atheist Comedy - The Meaning of Life
Uploaded on Sep 19, 2010 by DarkMatter2525
Fun fact #1: I had trouble uploading this video (about the "meaning of life"); for some reason, it froze at 42%. Tell me that doesn't freak you out (for those of you who don't know why it should freak you out, watch "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"). Fun fact #2: Edward Cullen is in this video. Can you find him? I was going to do a Twilight spoof, but gave up on it. Still, I thought it would be funny to reuse the characters from it.
Most religions scoff at what they have deemed as the "atheistic worldview" (what they think atheists think) because they believe it has no "meaning". Well, I've heard religious people describe what they believe to be the meaning of our lives...and I find it utterly demeaning and pathetic: to honor an egomaniac who created us just to thank, praise, and love Him - or else?! REAL love is unconditional. And when someone is requested to praise, it is meaningless, disingenuous. Could they not even dream up a god who wasn't bound by the most petty of human emotions: arrogance, jealousy, anger, etc...basically, an attention whore?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6_9QmM6TfE [with comments]
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Grappling Ignorance
Uploaded on Nov 9, 2010 by DarkMatter2525
Jesus was the atheist of his time.
These two YouTubers are worth your sub:
GrapplingIgnorance
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKPAF7Ud5sF1tiVA5iTDcFg / http://www.youtube.com/user/GrapplingIgnorance , http://www.youtube.com/user/GrapplingIgnorance/videos
rationalwarrior
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-czfmoz22-H6c9P0_aMlzA / http://www.youtube.com/user/rationalwarrior , http://www.youtube.com/user/rationalwarrior/videos
He's not the only one. Other atheists have been bullied offline by their jobs as well...many others.
I never thought about this until this incident, because such maliciousness doesn't come naturally to me, but I have real power over Christians - real power. I interview them; I hire them; they give me their financial details, their residential and professional histories, their social security numbers; I rent real estate to them, high demand real estate that I can rent to anyone I want; they've even used their religion as a selling point to try to convince me to choose them, oblivious that they were trying to sell themselves to an atheist. The livelihoods of entire Christians families depend on my good will...me...an atheist. And as their neighbors are tossed into the streets by the greedy corporations who they would want to remain unchecked and unregulated, my tenants enjoy the attentiveness and security brought to them by an atheist who they would gleefully condemn to hell. I would never, ever discriminate against or negatively affect someone because they're a Christian, or a Muslim, or a Jew. And I do this knowing full well that many of them wouldn't do the same for me. To my integrity and my conscience, I relinquish the power I have over them, the same power they would seek to use against me.
Being immersed in this debate for over a decade, in real life and on YouTube, has caused me to meet thousands of Christians and atheists. I can tell you one counterintuitive thing I've witnessed time and time again over the years: atheists are far, far more Christ-like than most Christians could ever hope to be. Jesus was the atheist of his time. The powers that be tried to shut him up too, but that didn't work. Now, it seems many Christians have done a 180. My friend, the atheist high school teacher, the same man who Jesus Christ would've befriended, would also be tossed out on the street by some of Jesus' misguided modern day followers, who call themselves Christians while knowing nothing of Jesus' teachings. But things are getting better. At least they'll no longer burn him at the stake. But would they if they could?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8ivrcVSdaM [with comments]
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If God Were a Car
Uploaded on Nov 19, 2010 by DarkMatter2525
Please consider supporting my work through Patreon here: http://www.patreon.com/DarkMatter2525
Theists, if you can understand why I wouldn't buy a car from these people, then you can understand why I won't buy God from you. SHOW ME THE MONEY! You ever notice that people never argue for the existence of things that actually exist? Why is that? Maybe it's because that's fucking dumb. If it exists, and we know about it, then there's a definite - and usually easy - way to show it that is apparent to EVERYONE. Apologists are trying to sell the invisible/intangible car.
I am subbed to these very cool people, and so should you be:
http://www.youtube.com/lovingdoubt
[see e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNraRKkl6EI (with comments)]
ProportionalResponse
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxX_RJ-TFnVBku7FJjYhNrw / http://www.youtube.com/user/ProportionalResponse , http://www.youtube.com/user/ProportionalResponse/videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qahB7mYhLxs [with (over 5,000) comments]
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Creationists Fail Again
Uploaded on Feb 8, 2011 by DarkMatter2525
"Oops" ~ Creationists
We tried to tell them, but they just didn't listen. I probably should have pointed out that the Kepler telescope uses the transit method to find planets, which means it can't see the planet until it is "eclipsing" its star. In order for that to happen, it has to be at the perfect angle between us and its star. This means that Kepler is only capable of seeing a TINY fraction of the planets that are near us. That, too, greatly adds to the numbers of planets we can safely assume are out there. Ouch, Creationists...ouch.
Kepler science chief William Borucki at the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Washington D.C. estimates that there are at least 50 billion planets in our galaxy with around 500 million residing in habitable zones. The data was extrapolated from Kepler's findings. I also drew a similar conclusion from the data, thus considered my video cautious and conservative. That's why I comfortably posted the video without fear of it turning into an exaggerated arsenic lifeform story, or a "missing link" story. (thank you, bdwilson1000 [ http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4YU4J4Pbc8RTvMGoPevWmQ / http://www.youtube.com/user/bdwilson1000 , http://www.youtube.com/user/bdwilson1000/videos ], for bringing Borucki's quotes to my attention)
Music: "Ghost in the Circuit" by Velvet Acid Christ
Another good video on this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlEDoO3w5CY
If you lost Rhymemaiden1, she's here:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIALPbm65KOlfUhmy1KMg1g / http://www.youtube.com/user/WildwoodClaire1 , http://www.youtube.com/user/WildwoodClaire1/videos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMUDXO4xkW8 [with (over 8,000) comments]
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Bill Lytell: Our Sign Says "Male Leadership"
Published on Apr 6, 2015 by Bad Preachers [ http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCC17_zVPF9VN9gGS-D3jGeA / http://www.youtube.com/user/BadPreachers , http://www.youtube.com/user/BadPreachers/videos ]
Bill Lytell [pastor, Gospel Baptist Church, Bonita Springs, Florida ( http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/09/pastor-male-leadership_n_7025192.html {with comments})] extolls the virtues of Male Leadership (and holsters in the men's room).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkL81KiGZOg [with comments]
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Anti-Gay State Rep Outed By Guy He Was Trying To Pick Up On Grindr
Rep. Randy Boehning, R-Fargo
[ http://www.eonline.com/news/651578/nd-lawmaker-who-voted-against-gay-rights-bill-outed-after-sending-dick-pic-on-grindr-here-s-what-he-said ]
by Dan Savage • Apr 28, 2015 at 12:14 pm
What's funnier than a straight anti-gay bigot named "Breda" (Breed-ä) [ http://www.thestranger.com/blogs/slog/2015/04/27/22121927/heres-what-you-should-do-instead-of-getting-gay-married ]? A closeted gay Republican elected official named "Randy Boehning."
Grand Forks Herald [ http://www.grandforksherald.com/news/politics/3732464-nd-lawmaker-claims-disclosure-explicit-photo-was-retaliation-vote ]:
A North Dakota lawmaker who sent an explicit photo of himself to another man says the exchange being made public is retaliation for a recent vote against expanding gay rights. State Rep. Randy Boehning, a 52-year-old Republican legislator from Fargo, says a Capitol employee told him a fellow lawmaker vowed to out him as gay if he continued to vote against bills granting gays legal protections against discrimination. Boehning refused to identify at this point who he believes is behind the purported political payback for his vote against Senate Bill 2279, the third such bill defeated in the past six years by North Dakota legislators.
Ha ha. No. Randy Boehning wasn't outed by a political operative. The Gay Mafia, of which I am a member (Laurie Bell [ https://twitter.com/NWBelle77/status/593116123358318592 ] just outed me as a member), didn't out Randy Boehning. Neil Patrick Harris didn't get his gal pal Ellen to do it. This American hero did it:
The exchange came to light when Dustin Smith, a 21-year-old Bismarck man with no known connections to the Capitol, contacted The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead earlier this month, saying he recognized Boehning from a gay dating smartphone app called Grindr. Chatting under the user name Top Man!, Boehning sent Smith sexually suggestive messages and, in the early morning hours of March 12, an unsolicited photo of his penis, according to exchanges reviewed by The Forum. "How can you discriminate against the person you're trying to pick up?" Smith said in a recent interview.
So it wasn't the Gay Mafia. It was the much, much younger man Randy Boehning was trying to pick up on Grindr who recognized the state legislator and then decided to do the right thing and out the hypocritical bastard. There aren't a lot of 21-year-old guys on Grindr who could pick one of their state legislators out of a lineup—so, hey, props to the political aware and politically righteous Dustin Smith. He done good.
What does Randy Boehning have to say for himself?
1. On sending dick pics: "That’s what we do, exchange pics.” Amongst other things. (See also: spit, spunk, barbs, rings.)
2. On voting against protections for gay people even though he's gay people himself: "Boehning... voted against multiple attempts to extend protected-class status to include sexual orientation because he doesn't believe his south Fargo constituents support it."
3. On being out of the closet now: "Boehning, who is not married, said there are people who know he is gay, but many of his family members and friends do not. He said Saturday he is also attracted to women and was relieved to come out because he no longer has to worry about being outed. 'The 1,000-pound gorilla has been lifted,' he said."
Wait a second—Randy Boehning is attracted to women too? My apologies to the bisexual community for opening this post with a thoughtless act of bisexual erasure. Like this bi guy told Tracy Clark-Flory in a piece she wrote for Salon [ http://www.salon.com/2011/08/28/bisexuality_2/ ] about bisexual invisibility in 2011...
“Whenever, say, some prominent heterosexually married male public figure has a same-sex affair, literally everyone rolls their eyes at the ‘closeted homosexual,’” he says. “I’m not sure I remember ever hearing someone seriously entertain the possibility that the philanderer was bisexual.”
Hey, everyone, let's not literally roll our eyes and call Randy Boehning a closeted gay Republican elected official—and that's just what most people are calling him—instead let's strike a blow for bisexual visibility by literally rolling our eyes and calling him a closeted bisexual Republican elected official instead.
So, yeah, Randy Boehning is all yours, bisexual community! Enjoy him!
© Index Newspapers LLC (emphasis in original)
http://www.thestranger.com/blogs/slog/2015/04/28/22128658/anti-gay-state-rep-outed-by-guy-he-was-trying-to-pick-up-on-grindr [with comments]
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Pat Robertson Has Advice
By Curtis M. Wong
Posted: 04/27/2015 4:50 pm EDT Updated: 04/27/2015 4:59 pm EDT
Pat Robertson is at it again.
No stranger to anti-gay remarks [ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/18/pat-robertson-gays-die-out_n_6345454.html ], the conservative televangelist advised one of his "700 Club" viewers to forgive her husband of 11 years after he apparently cheated on her [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/pat-robertson-forgive-husbands-gay-affair-unless-hes-habitual-homosexual ] with a male friend he'd met at their church when they were drunk, Right Wing Watch first reported.
Today on “The 700 Club [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/organizations/700-club , http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/organizations/christian-broadcasting-network-0 ],” Pat Robertson [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/pat-robertson ] told a viewer to forgive her husband of 11 years who cheated on her with a male friend from church. The viewer explained that her husband said he was drunk and that the affair was a mistake, and she asked Robertson for advice on how to handle the situation.
“Well, hey, drunk, he didn’t know what he was dealing with,” Robertson said [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0scxxvDUcmY (next below, as embedded; with comments)]. “She says, ‘Should I forgive?’ Of course you should. If he were this way all the time, if he’s a habitual drunk, if he’s a habitual homosexual, if he’s a habitual philanderer, then by all means take a hike. But one time, 11 years, don’t throw all of that away.”
In the same broadcast, Robertson told a concerned mother to "pray that God will straighten out [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/pat-robertson-god-can-straighten-out-your-gay-daughter-camp ]" her teenage lesbian daughter, who recently came out of the closet.
When a “700 Club” viewer asked Pat Robertson today how she can convince her daughter, who recently introduced her to her girlfriend, to “give up the LGBT lifestyle,” the televangelist told the viewer to “pray that God will straighten her out [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETYTV0b-0Tg (next below, as embedded; with comments)]” because “it may be a phase she’s going through.”
“A little teenage girl doesn’t know what dress she’s supposed to wear much less what kind of sex she’s supposed to be,” he said, seemingly confusing sexual orientation with gender identity.
Robertson then lamented the purported “pressure” to be gay: “There’s so much lesbian stuff, I mean, lesbian this, lesbian the other, so much homosexual — the media is pushing this as hard as they can possibly push it. I don’t know what to do, maybe get her in a camp, a Christian camp in the summer where they are really on fire for the Lord and maybe she will straighten things out.”
The comments aren't particularly surprising given Robertson's outspoken opposition to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. Earlier this month, he slammed a Washington state judge's ruling [ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/18/florist-gay-wedding-discrimination_n_6709808.html ] that a florist had discriminated against a gay couple by refusing to provide flowers [ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/04/washington-florist-gay-wedding_n_3866614.html ] for their wedding, claiming it was somehow indicative of society's eventual embrace of bestiality.
He asked, “To tell a florist that she’s got to provide flowers for a particular kind of wedding? What if somebody wanted to marry his dog [ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/19/pat-robertson-gay-wedding-florist-_n_6715396.html ]? She’s got to have flowers for that?"
Copyright ©2015 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/27/pat-robertson-gay-affair-advice_n_7154618.html [with comments]
===
Power Corrupts
Published on Aug 23, 2014 by DarkMatter2525
No mind - no matter how powerful - could ever honestly claim to be free from deception, or unknown unknowns.
The problem with using the bible as "proof" of God’s existence and nature, is that even if all the events within its pages actually occurred, it could still not prove God for the simple reason this video points out: God might not be the God you think He is, or even the God He thinks He is. The most likely scenario, however, is that He is a construct of the people.
Man created God in his image.
Try to watch this video in HD if you can. It makes a huge difference.
Some critiques deserve answers. I'll do that at the bottom of this description.
This video is the pilot episode of “Power Corrupts”. Whether or not I make any more episodes, and eventually seasons, will largely be determined by you. I will consider this video’s view count, rating, and comments when making my decision to continue or not. Thanks for watching! Please share it with others if you enjoyed it.
[Episode 2 next below]
Please sub to these excellent people:
GrapplingIgnorance:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKPAF7Ud5sF1tiVA5iTDcFg / http://www.youtube.com/user/GrapplingIgnorance , http://www.youtube.com/user/GrapplingIgnorance/videos
MeridianFrost:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXsfXD489azogR0cMgFQI-g / http://www.youtube.com/user/MeridianFrost , http://www.youtube.com/user/meridianfrost/videos
Royalty-free music used:
“Deep Atmospheres” by Mystic Crock
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/1136328/deep-atmospheres
“Introverted” by Mystic Crock
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/1136330/introverted
“Ascend” by Of The I
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/881299/of-the-i-ascend
“Maribo” by Mystic Crock
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/1136334/maribo
“Confused Reality” by Mystic Crock
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/1136331/confused-reality
“Grandpa’s Watch” by St. Adam
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/418886/grandpa-s-watch
One interesting critique is that removing someone's memories will remove who they are, thereby making it pointless to test them. My response is that in our daily activities, we usually need not actually recall the memories that factored into those activities. You know the alphabet, for instance, but how well do you remember learning it, and need you recall those memories in order to read these words? This is why, in the cartoon, I leave the subconscious intact. Of course, this is entirely fictional, and as the professor said "all CURRENT memories" will be removed, so by "current" perhaps that could mean anything that would hinder the perception of godhood, like the knowledge that you're being tested.
Another interesting point is that power doesn't actually corrupt, it accentuates, makes you more of who you are. I don't really have a response to this other than "power corrupts" is a bit of a saying and in this case the semantics seem negligible, seeing as how the purpose of the test would remain intact. In either interpretation, they're trying to find out "who Yahweh really is".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pA5PlJiqOnk [with (over 8,000) comments]
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Where No God Treads
Published on Oct 30, 2014 by DarkMatter2525
God will tell me, and I will tell you. All religious belief flows from that sentiment. Beware of it, for it has been used to manipulate countless people and instills unfounded assumptions of the unknowable in each of us, causing us to presuppose the very nature of our own experiences.
[Episode 1 just above; Episode 3 next below]
My good friend, MeridianFrost, voiced the Professor. Check out his channel if you’re interested in commentary from an intelligent agnostic atheist perspective, one which doesn’t pull any punches:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXsfXD489azogR0cMgFQI-g / http://www.youtube.com/user/meridianfrost , http://www.youtube.com/user/meridianfrost/videos
Royalty-free music used (in order of appearance):
“Desert Ghost” by Master of the Subway Ninjas
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/758159/desert-ghost
“Love Theme” by Daniel Bautista
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/81034/love-theme
“Alexey Morozov - The Arctic” by Black Angel
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/953055/alexey-morozov-the-arctic
“Eternal Drift Through Space” by Master of the Subway Ninjas
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/758496/eternal-drift-through-space
“Awakening” by Mystic Crock
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/1136329/awakening
“Wizards Battle (Action)” by Grégoire Lourme
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/989074/wizards-battle-action
“Siberia” by Master of the Subway Ninjas
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/1105641/siberia
"Expanding Minds" by A Field of Blue
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/1121169/expanding-minds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocgZaDmvYPw [with comments]
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God's Worst Idea
Published on Mar 20, 2015 by DarkMatter2525
A perfect god would know better...
[Episodes 1 and 2 above]
GrapplingIgnorance:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKPAF7Ud5sF1tiVA5iTDcFg / http://www.youtube.com/user/GrapplingIgnorance , http://www.youtube.com/user/GrapplingIgnorance/videos
TheGoddamnPodcast:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTVhlcAJKXIsUXxQfe_gVBQ , http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTVhlcAJKXIsUXxQfe_gVBQ/videos
C0ct0pusPrime:
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu5FNKd06zxitYJe_6RfdwA / http://www.youtube.com/user/C0ct0pusPrime , http://www.youtube.com/user/C0ct0pusPrime/videos
Royalty-free music used:
“Become Death” by Jahzzar
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/1195311/become-death
“Perfect Chaos” by Jefra
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/1173835/perfect-chaos-original-mix
“High Speed City” by Marco Margna
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/1160276/high-speed-city
“Voyager 7” by Bane Djakovic
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/1195457/voyager-7
“Rise of Atlantis” by Sundancer
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/1162980/rise-of-atlantis
“A Lidless Lense” by Floating Isle
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/1163234/floating-isle-a-lidless-lense
A rich person will not flaunt their wealth if they wish to find true love.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdqGySMrCoc [with comments]
===
Teaching Yoga In Schools Doesn't Violate Religious Freedom, Court Rules
Ariel Skelley via Getty Images
By Brian Melley
Posted: 04/06/2015 2:40 pm EDT Updated: 04/06/2015 3:59 pm EDT
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Yoga taught in a San Diego County school system is not a gateway to Hinduism and doesn't violate the religious rights of students or their parents, a California appeals court ruled Friday.
The 4th District Court of Appeal in San Diego upheld a lower court ruling that tossed out a family's lawsuit that tried to block Encinitas Union School District from teaching yoga as an alternative to traditional gym classes.
"While the practice of yoga may be religious in some contexts, yoga classes as taught in the district are, as the trial court determined, 'devoid of any religious, mystical, or spiritual trappings,'" the court wrote in a 3-0 opinion.
Stephen and Jennifer Sedlock and their two children had brought the lawsuit claiming yoga promoted Hinduism and inhibited Christianity. They were disappointed with the ruling and considering their options.
"No other court in the past 50 years has allowed public school officials to lead children in formal religious rituals like the Hindu liturgy of praying to, bowing to, and worshipping the sun god," attorney Dean Broyles said in a statement.
Paul V. Carelli IV, a lawyer for the district, said there were no rituals occurring in the classroom and no one was worshipping the sun or leading Hindu rites. The district said the practice is taught in a secular way to promote strength, flexibility and balance.
Yoga is now taught at schools across the country, but the district is believed to be the first with full-time yoga teachers at all schools.
A three-year grant from the K.P. Jois Foundation, a nonprofit group that promotes Ashtanga yoga, provides twice-weekly, 30-minute classes to the district's 5,600 students.
About 30 families opted out of the classes begun in 2011.
© 2015 Associated Press
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/06/school-yoga-religious-freedom_n_7011708.html [with comments]
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Rev. Franklin Graham Repeats His Call To Discriminate Against Muslims and Blame Obama For ISIS
Posted by Ellen on April 26, 2015
Apparently, Fox News loved Rev. Franklin Graham’s amateur prescription for fighting ISIS so much, the “fair and balanced” network got him to do it on prime time. This time, Graham worked in an “Obama’s a secret Muslim” dog whistle while he was at it.
You may recall that on April 20, Graham – who has not a single credential [ http://www.samaritanspurse.org/our-ministry/franklin-graham-biography/ ] in national security, terrorism or combat – gave his completely unqualified opinions for all of the above on The Real Story with Gretchen Carlson [ http://www.newshounds.us/rev_franklin_graham_demands_discrimination_against_muslims_in_order_to_win_war_on_terror_blames_obama_for_isis_042115 , http://mediamatters.org/video/2015/04/20/on-fox-franklin-graham-calls-for-halt-to-immigr/203344 ]. Apparently, the suits at Fox News loved his remarks so much, they found a pretext for him to do it all over again on The O’Reilly Factor.
Host Eric Bolling teed up the attacks for Graham by asking, “Why is President Obama so silent on all the atrocities going on against the Christians around the world?”
GRAHAM: I can’t answer that question. …As a youth, his influence was Islam. His father was a Muslim and his stepfather was a Muslim, he went to Muslim schools so growing up, his impressions as a young man came from Islam, not the Christian faith. So that may have something to do with it, I don’t know.
Actually, President Obama’s father, who left the family when his son was two, was an atheist [ http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/muslim.asp ]. Fox’s own Alan Colmes has corrected the record [ http://www.newshounds.us/fox_expert_gabriel_s_ridiculously_false_explanation_of_obama_s_muslim_upbringing_011415 ] on Fox News previously. Yet Bolling let Graham’s falsehood stand.
Instead, Bolling further validated Graham’s “credentials” by asking, “Did (Obama) make a mistake pulling troops out of Iraq too soon?”
“No question,” “national security expert” Graham replied. “As a result, we now have ISIS. …And now we have a mess on our hands and the president and his policies are responsible for this.”
“General” Graham called the airstrikes against ISIS “almost too little, too late.” He also said, “I’m afraid, the United States is going to have to put troops back into Iraq which I would hate to see. But that may be the only way to defeat ISIS."
Bolling also prodded Graham to attack Obama as anti-Christian. “Why would he be calling out Christians in history” Bolling asked, referring to Obama's remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast [ http://www.newshounds.us/fox_ridiculously_accuses_obama_of_spreading_isis_propaganda_at_prayer_breakfast_010615 ] and the Easter Prayer Breakfast [ http://www.newshounds.us/fox_guest_goes_birther_attacking_obama_s_easter_prayer_breakfast_remarks_040815 ]?
Graham used that as an opportunity to both attack Muslims and boast about his own Christ-like qualities (just pay no attention to how he was deliberately slandering his fellow Christian who happens to be President of the U.S.).
GRAHAM: I don’t understand where he’s coming from, who’s advising him. …God will forgive any one of their sins if they’re willing to put their faith and trust in his son, Jesus Christ. And as a Christian, I want to follow Christ and I want to emulate Christ and I want to do good to all men.
Islam – the God of Islam – requires you to die for him. My God, the god that I worship, he died for me. And he’s willing to save me and forgive me if I put my faith and trust in his son. But Islam, the Muslims want to emulate their prophet Mohammed. Mohammed raped, he murdered, he killed and so we’re seeing the followers of Islam emulate the prophet Mohammed.
Even if you give Graham the benefit of the doubt that he was not blowing another “secret Muslim” dog whistle there, Graham was clearly inferring that Obama’s softness on Islam could get us all killed.
GRAHAM: And it’s not just the Muslims in the Middle East. We have to be careful of the Muslims in this country. We need to stop the immigration. We need immigration reform, but stop the immigration of Muslims coming to this country from countries that have active terrorist cells. If we don’t stop that, we’re going to regret that because we will be importing that into this country. Sooner or later, we’re going to see a major terrorist attack …just like we saw what happened in Kenya recently. …That could happen in this country. And so I hope that our politicians will close the door to these people.
Bolling never challenged a word.
Watch it below, from the April 24 The O’Reilly Factor, via Media Matters [ http://mediamatters.org/video/2015/04/24/on-fox-franklin-graham-warns-we-have-to-be-care/203419 ].
[video embedded]
Copyright 2015 NewsHounds (emphasis in original)
http://www.newshounds.us/rev_franklin_graham_repeats_his_call_to_discriminate_against_muslims_and_blame_obama_for_isis_042615 [with comments]
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University Finally Condemns White Freakout Over 'Problem Of Whiteness' Class
The Arizona Republic
By Catherine Thompson
Published April 29, 2015, 5:23 PM EDT
Arizona State University condemned the backlash to a course on the "problem of whiteness" for the first time in public on Monday, months after the class rose to national attention [ http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/fox-arizona-state-problem-whiteness ] and its professor received threats [ http://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/cryptic-letter-lee-bebout-asu-problem-of-whiteness ] from white supremacists.
ASU administrator James Rund criticized "hate speech" incidents that have occurred on campus [ http://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/letters/2015/04/26/ignoring-hate-speech-silence/26340801/ ] this semester in a joint statement with Jake Bennett, the director of Arizona's Anti-Defamation League, and George Dean, the president and CEO of the Greater Phoenix Urban League.
"There have been a series of hate speech incidents over recent weeks in Tempe and Mesa, orchestrated by Neo-Nazi groups and hate preachers," read the statement, published in The Arizona Republic. "This behavior and these sentiments do not reflect the values of our community."
The statement didn't specify which incidents the signers were referring to. But as TPM has previously reported, a white nationalist group called the National Youth Front launched a campaign against the class [ http://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/angelo-john-gage-asu-problem-of-whiteness ] that involved flooding ASU President Michael Crow with emails, distributing fliers branding the course's professor, Lee Bebout, as "Anti-White," and protesting the course on campus [ http://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/robert-poe-asu-neo-nazis ].
The Arizona Republic also pointed to anti-LGBT and anti-Muslim demonstrations that took place this month on or near ASU's Tempe and Mesa campuses as an impetus for the statement.
Crow also addressed the backlash to the "problem of whiteness" class [ http://www.statepress.com/article/2015/04/asu-president-michael-crow-takes-stance-on-controversy-surrounding-problem-of-whiteness-course ] last week in an interview with the university's student newspaper, The State Press.
"These individuals outside the University who said these things, they can say whatever they want,” Crow told the publication. “We repudiate what they say, but we can’t stop them from saying it; they can say whatever they want.”
Read the full statement below via the Arizona Republic:
There have been a series of hate speech incidents over recent weeks in Tempe and Mesa, orchestrated by Neo-Nazi groups and hate preachers. Some of the incidents included anti-Black, anti-immigrant, anti-LGBT and anti-Muslim speech and intimidation. This behavior and these sentiments do not reflect the values of our community.
We the undersigned have joined together to express our opposition to the presence and activities of hate groups in our community. We are deeply concerned about recent manifestations of hate. As community leaders, we have united to underscore our common value of working together to create a community of respect.
Our shared fundamental principles require us to speak out when we see hate around us. Ignoring the presence of hate speech, with its accompanying literature and social media does not make its vile message disappear. We will not sit idly by when hate raises its ugly head in our community. Not only are we united in denouncing hate, but we are united in supporting a community that is committed to the free exchange of ideas, the principles of inclusion and the celebration of diversity.
— Jake Bennett, ADL Arizona
— James Rund, ASU administration
— George Dean, Urban League
— And 22 other co-signers
© 2015 TPM Media LLC
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/asu-condemns-white-nationalists [with comments]
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Franklin Graham Furious That Marvel's Iceman Is Gay
Submitted by Brian Tashman on Thursday, 4/23/2015 2:00 pm
Franklin Graham [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/category/people/franklin-graham ] is outraged by the news that the character Iceman will come out as gay [ http://www.theverge.com/2015/4/21/8462897/iceman-x-men-gay-bobby-drake-brian-michael-bendis ] in a new issue of “X-men” issue. The Religious Right leader took to his Facebook page today to lament that Marvel is using Iceman in an attempt “to indoctrinate our young people to accept this destructive lifestyle.”
Graham has previously praised Russian President Vladimir Putin for criminalizing speech [ http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/franklin-graham-endorses-vladimir-putins-anti-gay-crackdown ] that is perceived as pro-gay “propaganda” directed at young people.
© 2015 People For the American Way
http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/franklin-graham-furious-iceman-gay
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Russia: Siberian 'Witch' Saved From Oven Exorcism
People watch as an effigy of a witch is burnt in a bonfire at the Basque port town of Mundaka
Reuters
By Jack Moore
March 7, 2014 18:59 GMT
A Russian woman was saved from being burnt alive in a Siberian stove after a couple accused her of being a witch during a drinking session.
The police managed to intervene just as the couple were forcing the woman headfirst into a stove in an abandoned building, Zabaikalsky regional police said.
The unnamed woman, 46, was taken to hospital with severe facial and hand burns, said police in a statement.
According to a report in the Moscow Times, the couple both had criminal records.
The female member of the couple, 41, has been taken to a psychiatric unit and an investigation has been launched into the attack.
It is unclear what had made the couple believe that the woman was a witch.
© Copyright 2014 IBTimes Co., Ltd.
http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/russia-siberian-witch-saved-oven-exorcism-1439381 [no comments yet]
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Who Killed Jesus? (All Together Podcast)
Getty Images
By Paul Raushenbush
Posted: 04/02/2015 3:16 pm EDT Updated: 04/02/2015 9:59 pm EDT
Welcome to this week’s ALL TOGETHER, the podcast dedicated to exploring how ethics, religion and spiritual practice is informing our personal lives, our communities and our world. ALL TOGETHER is hosted by Paul Raushenbush, executive editor of HuffPost Religion. You can download All Together on iTunes [ https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/huffpost-religion/id925426606 ], or Stitcher. Podcast produced by Katelyn Bogucki and edited by Jorge Corona.
On one Friday every spring, Christians around the world stop and reflect on the crucifixion of Jesus. Pilgrims in Jerusalem follow the steps of Jesus on the Via Dolorosa (the way of suffering), churches hold reflections on the seven last words uttered by Jesus on the cross, and in some places around the world, penitents even place themselves on the cross to experience for themselves some of Jesus’ suffering.
There is a mystery in this solemn Friday that precedes Easter. Questions about the exact theological and spiritual meaning of what happened on the cross have been debated for the last 2,000 years. Throughout the year, Christians intone that Jesus died for the sins of humanity, but what exactly does that mean? What spiritual truth is revealed on what Christians call ‘Good Friday’, and what political significance did the crucifixion have for those living 2,000 years ago and today. The answer to these questions hinges on one not-so-simple question: Who killed Jesus, and why?
Last year Raushenbush wrote a piece called "The Thing I Never Want to hear on Good Friday Again [ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-raushenbush/good-friday-anti-semitism_b_5169053.html ]" about scripture that is read in church on that day that blames the Jews for the death of Jesus and which has lead to horrific anti-Semitic violence over the years. This is just one example of how important the question of the death of Jesus is.
On today's All Together Raushenbush speaks with Tony Jones [ http://tonyj.net/ ] who has just released a new book provocatively called: Did God Kill Jesus [ http://www.amazon.com/Did-God-Kill-Jesus-Searching/dp/0062297961 ]?
Raushenbush is then joined by Lisa Anderson and Amichai Lau-Lavie who are helping to organize a large interfaith gathering happening this week in New York called Freedom's Feast [ http://labshul.org/th_event/saturday-night-second-seder-older-kids-and-adults ]. Lisa Anderson is a Senior Director of engagement at Auburn Theolgoical Seminary and a Ph.D. candidate at Union Theological Seminary and Amichai Lau-Lavie is the founding director of Storahtelling Inc, the spiritual leader of Lab/Shul, and a Rabinical student at Jewish Theological Seminary.
[audio ( https://soundcloud.com/huffpost-religion/who-killed-jesus ) embedded]
Copyright ©2015 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/02/who-killed-jesus-podcast_n_6991806.html [with comments]
--
What It's Like To Be Crucified: Danish Filmmaker Lasse Spang Olsen's Spiritual Journey To The Philippines
Danish national Lasse Spang Olsen stays nailed to a cross to re-enact the crucifixion of Jesus Christ in San Pedro Cutud village, Pampanga province, northern Philippines on Friday, April 18, 2014. Church leaders and health officials have spoken against the practice which mixes Roman Catholic devotion with folk belief, but the annual rites continue to draw participants and huge crowds.
(AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
By Carol Kuruvilla
Posted: 04/03/2015 2:06 pm EDT Updated: 04/03/2015 2:59 pm EDT
Last year on Good Friday, Lasse Spang Olsen was crucified in the Philippines [ http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/18/us-philippines-crucifixion-idUSBREA3H08520140418 ].
The Danish filmmaker and stunt performer from Copenhagen raised eyebrows in 2014 when he joined several devout Filipino Catholics in northern Pampanga province for the annual crucifixions. The bloody display has been condemned by health officials, and the Catholic Church calls it a "distortion of the Easter message [id.]," but that hasn’t stopped thousands of onlookers from traveling to Pampanga to watch the men grimace in agony.
But Olsen was different. The Philippine Star [ http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2014/04/20/1313962/dane-steals-limelight-pampanga-crucifixion ] described the scene:
Unlike some of the other local “Kristos” or penitents who cried out when they were nailed to wooden crosses, Olsen only grimaced and closed his eyes. He also remained silent as his cross was raised by costumed centurions. His cross stood erect for a few minutes before he was brought down.
Foreigners are usually banned from participating in the ritual. But Olsen was reportedly allowed in after presenting a liability waiver from the Danish embassy.
HuffPost Religion reached out to Olsen one year later to ask about his story. His response has been edited for clarity and length.
Here is Lasse Spang Olsen’s story.
*
I am Danish and live in Copenhagen. I'm 50 years old.
Denmark is not a religious country -- or even a religiously diverse country. Generally, everybody is just Protestant. Almost nobody goes to church regularly. I've never been religious and was not raised to go to church or believe in God.
I saw a movie about stuntmen when I was 4 years old and since then, I knew that it was the job I should have. At the age of 12, I carried out my first professional stunt job on a film.
Since then, I’ve worked as a stuntman and stunt coordinator for more than 400 films. I was also educated as a cinematographer, producing and directing a number of documentaries and feature films. That's what I focus on now.
Like anyone else, I don’t like pain. However, I have suffered many broken bones and have received stitches at the hospital 29 different times after stunt accidents. I’ve always thought that I had a fairly relaxed attitude to pain, although I do not like to get hurt. But that was before I decided to get crucified.
Philippine Christian devotee Ruben Enaje (C), grimaces in pain as he is nailed to the cross by men dressed as Roman soldiers during a re-enactment of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on Good Friday in San Fernando City, Pampanga province, north of Manila on March 29, 2013.
Three years ago, I made a documentary in the Philippines called "My Best Crucifixion." It is about Ruben Enaje, a man who has been crucified 28 times. I followed him for quite a while, to film him and try to understand why he wanted to be crucified.
I found out that a very important reason, for him at least, was to make a deal with God. I found it very interesting that -- if you believe enough in God –- you can achieve some sort of agreement with him (or her) to get something in return for being crucified. This is what most people in the Philippines seem to do when they let themselves be crucified. Almost everyone has a reason and a deal handy before they do it. Of course they are very religious, but at the same time they have something they want in return from God.
Many of them talk to God or Jesus while being crucified. I found this very fascinating and exciting. I really wanted to try talking to God. But at the same time, as I watched the crucifixions take place, I thought that it seemed very repulsive and certainly not something I could see myself ever doing.
In 2012, however, I fell on the kitchen floor in great pain. I had developed a serious heart problem. If my daughter hadn’t happened to be nearby and call the ambulance, I might have died right there.
I've been close to death many times in my work as a stuntman, but it was different this time. As I lay there on the operating table, the doctor told me that if I wanted to say goodbye, I’d need to do it now. It was possible that I would never wake up again.
It dawned on me then, after years of flirting with death, that I really did not want to die. But here I was. Was that really it? I felt sad that I did not believe in God. Because this would have been a good time to pray.
I found it strange that I was so unready for death. As a stuntman with lots of accidents behind me, I should have been better prepared. But I was really missing someone to talk to.
As the anesthesia kicked in, I decided then and there that next time I am to die, I will be better prepared. That I will have someone to talk to.
Luckily, the operation was successful. As I recovered, I started thinking about Ruben in the Philippines, who was talking to God as he was being crucified. He was so religious that he had direct contact with God. I wanted that, too.
The problem was, since I’ve never been religious at all, I didn’t know how to get in touch with God or Jesus. But I thought that it probably was not that hard to learn. It couldn’t be harder than getting a diving certificate or a race-car license.
I wanted to see if a non-religious person like me could learn to be religious, and in doing so, learn to talk to God. And to see how far I’d come, I would test myself in the most extreme way -– by getting crucified.
I went into training to become a believer. I had to convert to Catholicism and show the organizers in the Philippines that I really meant it.
I thought I would become religious if I just wanted it enough. I went through six weeks of religious training –- praying, going to church, struggling to understand the Bible. When I had read the entire book from cover to cover, it dawned on me: This was not going to work. I believed too much in natural science and logic. The Bible seemed completely untrustworthy and full of contradictions.
I very much liked to come to church. I learned to pray, and it was really good. I just did not believe it. And that was, of course, a problem. Crucifixion is a very serious matter for those organizing the event, and they won’t allow any media stunts.
But I really wanted to learn the faith with all my heart, and I think the organizers could see and feel that I did this with all my heart.
Danish film maker Lasse Spang Olsen grimaces as he is nailed to a cross during the a re-enactment of the Crucifixion of Christ during Good Friday celebrations in the village of Cutud, Pampanga, north of Manila on April 18, 2014.
It took eight months for me to get the proper permits to be crucified. Then, I had to get my "Jesus clothes." A blacksmith made me four long nails for my crucifixion. Luckily, I didn’t have to use the long-haired wig that the other participants use.
The place where you are crucified is like a mixture of a festive flea market and the Pope's funeral. There are children and candy shops, stalls with food and drink. It’s a very nice and expectant mood, mixed with a deep religious sentiment. It's a really old and very serious feeling.
When I came up on the cross and got the four nails through the hands and feet, it hurt so much. I thought I was used to pain from all my accidents. I thought four holes in my body would be nothing. But I think it hurt so much because I was on a cross.
Since I was born, I have always been told that the cross is very serious matter, a place where Jesus died. So when I climbed up and was crucified on the cross, something happened. My body did not like it. I was quite clear in my head and tried to pray, but I could not remember all the English prayers I had learned. Then I tried to pray in Danish. And when the language changed, something happened.
There was a complete peace without pain. There was direct line through. Just like when you talk to a child on the phone and hear them shake their head. I should have hung there for two minutes, but ended up staying for 14 minutes because I had such a good conversation with something that was not within myself.
Lasse Spang Olsen is carried on a stretcher by medical personnel after being nailed to a cross.
I felt like what I experienced was probably the same feeling that people who are very religious have with God. It's hard to put into words. At that time, I had no concept or picture of a god, at least not as specific as the other people who were getting crucified. But it was through the cross, through the church and through Jesus that I achieved this strange and very intense contact with something greater than myself.
So when the Filipinos call this something “God,” I will also call it speaking to God, though the image in my head probably looks different.
One can tell me that it was the endorphins or pain that created the feeling of connection to the divine. But I have tried the effect of endorphins many times. This was a completely different feeling -- and it is still there. It was probably one of the greatest experiences of my life.
God can be so many things. If you ask me if I believe in God, then you will get a resounding "yes.” I have spoken to him or her, whoever it is. But I would NOT call myself religious and I will never try to convert others to believe in something they do not want to believe in. I still don't go to church regularly. But I haven’t stopped praying.
And today I know, the next time I face death, I will have someone to talk to.
*
Editor's Note: We are simply documenting one man’s journey. HuffPost does not endorse spiritual practices that involve violence or self-harm. If you are considering harming yourself as part of such a practice, we encourage you to speak with spiritual leaders in your community. If you are considering self-harm in any other context, please call 1-800-DONTCUT for the S.A.F.E. Alternatives hotline [ http://www.selfinjury.com/ ].
Copyright ©2015 TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/04/03/lasse-spang-olsen-crucified_n_6999964.html [with comments]
--
Ben Carson's May 4 Announcement
Streamed live on May 4, 2015 by RealBenCarson [ http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf-Z2xaIyTUWp2h1lS1rhhw / http://www.youtube.com/user/realbencarson , http://www.youtube.com/user/realbencarson/videos ]
Live from Detroit Music Hall. Join us at https://www.bencarson.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15XbHdkkuhA [with comments]
===
This Video is a Universe
Published on Apr 4, 2015 by DarkMatter2525
As the starter of time, assumptions are made about you in this video. As the creator, assumptions are made about me too. As the person who caused the events herein to progress, dear viewer, you are in the unique position to observe which assumptions are accurate and justifiable, and which are not. Extrapolate.
These animations take a lot of time and effort, and I could never afford to give them the attention they require if not for the people who support me though Patreon.
Please consider supporting my efforts here:
https://www.patreon.com/DarkMatter2525
(I get 95% of your contribution).
Usually, I list the Patrons who support me at the end of my videos, but this video had to end a very specific way, so I couldn't do it this time. That's a rarity. I hope you all understand. I can still list you here, however, so please accept my thanks:
http://universevideopatrons.blogspot.com
Royalty-free music used:
"Clouds" by Sundancer
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/1162986/clouds
"Dancing in the Rain" by Sundancer
http://www.jamendo.com/en/track/1162987/dancing-in-the-rain
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDdiCYTK160 [with comments]
===
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Greensburg, KS - 5/4/07
"Eternal vigilance is the price of Liberty."
from John Philpot Curran, Speech
upon the Right of Election, 1790
F6
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