Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Prop8 opponents compared to Al Qaeda

With full page ads in the NY Times, the Pro-8 forces are trying to suppress free speech by trying to redefine legitimate, peaceful public protests as "mob rule". The Human Rights campaign takes it on at Demand the Truth. The FACT is that there have been only a few isolated incidents of violence against churches. But to say this is part of the movement is a blatant lie. So what else is new from these people? On the KPFA morning show, they did an interview with Seamus Hassan for the Pro-8 side, and our own Susan Russell for the No-on-8 side. Susan reports that pro-8 forces are now comparing gay rights activists to Al Qaeda and saying that any non-gay opponents of Prop 8 are violent radical secularists.

Go read Susan's blog for the transcript.

(Updated) This obviously a coordinated talking point for these guys--they were relentlessly on message for the campaign and now they are relentless on message equating free speech to terrorism. Read here a response to Pat Boone's recent interview, where Boone equated gay activists with the Mumbai bombers, calling us "sexual jihadists".

My more extended comments at Daily Kos and TPM

11 comments:

Wormwood's Doxy said...

Susan reports that pro-8 forces are now comparing gay rights activists to Al Qaeda and saying that any non-gay opponents of Prop 8 are violent radical secularists.

Damn! I didn't get the memo. I was probably at church when they tried to deliver it...

Doxy

Ann said...

We have it running at Episcopal Cafe´ too - with a comment from Susan here.

Anonymous said...

I think this might be helpful as background: just like Stonewall, it terrifies and amazes anti-Gay forces when we actually resist.

The Mormons had no clue a backlash was coming. The RC archbishop of SF has a new letter out expressing the same astonishment that anyone could possibly have been hurt or offended by anything he said or did.

Can you imagine their fevered consultations? "They're invading our churches! They're burning the Book of Mormon! It's mob rule! Head for the hills, it's al Qaeda! We could be Mumbai!

"Quick, let's buy ads in big newspapers so we can turn the media against them. NO MOB RULE!"

They're freaking out like New York cops on Sheridan Square in '69.

But consider; while these men go hysterical, we still have the upper hand. So let's use it.

No excuses; call in Gay. Your rights depend on it! Call in Gay.

Anonymous said...

As DailyKos points out, the Fundagelicals have a long history of this: recall Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson blaming Teh Gays for 9/11, in the days right after. >:-(

Anonymous said...

I think Josh is right, they are panicking.bullies hate it when the queers stand up for themselves.

Susan Russell thinks they are laying the groundwork to protest any adverse court decisions (I am not sanguine about the court decision myself); I think this makes sense. They are still disciplined, though, as the terrorism talking point seems very coordinated. and defensive animals are very very dangerous.

The Newsweek article shows that the media is starting to look behind the curtain. The religious haters aren't quite the invincible monolith in control that they used to be. This is good. we need to keep the momentum and keep them off balance.

IT

Cany said...

What a load of hooey!

At least, with me, they got 1 of three right:

violent? Nope, committed to non violence only.

radical? Yep.

secularist? Ppffffft!

Branding. That is all it is. It won't work.

MarkBrunson said...

It will work, if we don't respond, and with more than the middle-class politeness that completely destroyed the anti-Prop8 campaign.

People are not basically good when you get them in a mob!

These people are trying to get us killed. They are monsters who will stop at nothing.

Anonymous said...

Time to embed another video, FofJ mods:

Jon Stewart just took Mike (F)uckabee to school! Pwned!

So sweeeeeeet! :-D

David said...

That's it. Might as well change my middle name to Hussein :P

Buncha gits...

(But one thing comes to mind. I'm rather of the opinion that waving around the "terrorist" meme is getting pretty stale for most people, except the small minority of true, radical-right nutcases. I think it'll backfire on 'em. What do y'all say ?)

IT said...

Yes I'm hoping that they have jumped the shark.

Anonymous said...

Here's the link to The Daily Show segment:

Jon Stewart pwning Mike Huckabee, re Same-Sex Marriage

What I particularly appreciate, is that Stewart ISN'T just playing this for laughs (though he gets some yuk-yuks in there, of course). JS is genuinely moved by the plight of those who are (obviously) his own LGBT friends. It's personal to him, and he NEVER lets Huckabee make this an abstract "difference of opinion" to be dismissed. Watch it, and see what I mean!