Erick Erickson Of Red State, CNN, Exposed As Homophobic, Racist, By Jon Stewart, Change.org
Blogger Erick Erickson’s homophobic, racist, disgusting diatribes are inconsistent with the high standards of journalism CNN portends to uphold.
A few weeks ago while I was on vacation, the exceptional Michael A, Jones, Change.org’s Gay Rights blogger, took on CNN and its decision to hire one of the most right-wing bloggers, Erick Erickson, founder of RedState.com. In, “CNN’s Anti-Gay Hiring FAIL,” Michael wrote,
“Say there’s a political commentator out there who has called women’s rights activists Nazis, called Michelle Obama a “Marxist harpy wife,” said that President Obama only won his Nobel Peace Prize because of “affirmative action,” and called the U.S. Department of Education’s Safe Schools Czar “profoundly sick and immoral” because of his sexual orientation. Should this guy be rewarded with a promotion?”
“Given the state of political cynicism these days, do we really need someone who has called former Supreme Court Justice David Souter a “goat fucking child molester” on one of the largest news channels in the world? The answer is, overwhelmingly, NO.”
“And who can forget Erickson’s comments advocating that Tea Party folks go down to their state legislator’s office and beat their representatives and senators to a bloody pulp. Specifically, Erickson was referencing Washington state legislators. “At what point do the people tell the politicians to go to hell? At what point do they get off the couch, march down to their state legislator’s house, pull him outside, and beat him to a bloody pulp for being an idiot?”
Michael offers many more examples, but you get the drift. So did almost 5,000 Change.org readers, who signed his petition. You should too. Please, sign the Change.org petition, “Tell CNN: Keep Anti-Gay, Racist, Sexist Commentators Off the Air.”
Now, The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart joins the conversation about the epic fail that was hiring Erick Erickson. Watch:
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I tried taking on Erickson myself, in December of 2008. In his personal blog, “Confessions of a Political Junkie” Erick Erickson wrote a piece titled, “Gay Rights Proponents Act Like the Third Reich.” In it, Erickson writes,
“Yes, I know about Goodwin’s law, but comparing gay rights activists to the Nazis is fitting. They’ve gone from being persecuted to persecuting. Of course, they’ll say it is all in the fight for their civil rights — much like the Nazis needed to go after people to make things right.”
(Gotta love how he starts with the “Goodwin’s Law” part, especially since it’s Godwin’s Law…)
On his blog, I responded. Here is the conversation (Erickson is “Erick-Woods”):
David Badash on December 5th, 2008
Erick,
Let me get this straight: If a homosexual tries to stand up for his civil rights, he is acting like a Nazi? Is that what you’re saying? I’d like to understand better your thoughts. Perhaps you could clarify a bit more, or provide some more examples?
Thanks.
Erick-Woods on December 5th, 2008
David, how exactly is trying to have people fired because their wives gave money to a ballot measure standing up for a civil right?
Oh, and it is not a civil right.
David Badash on December 6th, 2008
Erick,
My point is simply this: You’re a lawyer. You know full well that far-reaching over-generalizations are in no one’s interest, are generally incorrect, and are at best unfair. Now, amend your rhetoric to read “SOME gay rights activists have gone from being persecuted to persecuting.†MAYBE I’ll give you some latitude.
But you also know, as a lawyer, that your words are inaccurate, incorrect, and, given your reach and position, dangerously incendiary.
I hope you’ll be clearer, more accurate, and work toward making things on both sides of this argument better. If not, you’re just attempting to monetize people’s emotions, a rather dishonorable vocation, don’t you think?
Erick-Woods on December 6th, 2008
Ironic that I’m being lectured on my speech on this.
And then, responding to another reader’s comments:
Erick-Woods on December 7th, 2008
“And more importantly when did the use of these tactics get elevated to Nazi style?”
When the gay rights movement turned into a gay reich movement. All dissenters must be driven from their jobs, churches must be torn down, the IRS must be sicked on non-profit institutions, etc.
Like I said, Erickson has no place on CNN.
(H/T to timzero4 for the video.)
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After weeks of “chaos” within the House Republican conference that led to a down-to-the-wire near-shutdown of the federal government, U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) has spent the past two days vowing to oust Speaker Kevin McCarthy for reaching across the aisle to pass legislation keeping the government running.
Gaetz’s own future is in question with some of his Republican colleagues vowing to expel him should an unfavorable report be released by the House Ethics Committee on his possible sexual misconduct and illicit behaviors including possible drug use and possible public corruption.
“Several Republicans,” CNN’s Manu Raju reports, are “expected to back motion to eject McCarthy,” who “will very likely” need Democrats to keep his Speakership.
“House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries has not said if his caucus would join right-wing Republicans to help topple McCarthy or if Democrats might support him in exchange for political or legislative favors,” Reuters reported late Monday afternoon. “Democrats, in theory, could demand that McCarthy honor his spending deal with Biden, drop the impeachment inquiry, or hold votes on gun and immigration legislation.”
But Gaetz already has three publicly declared votes to oust Speaker McCarthy. In addition to himself, far right Republican Rep. Eli Crane of Arizona responded “Let’s roll” Sunday afternoon to Gaetz’s announcement he would file a “motion to vacate” against McCarthy.
And U.S. Rep. Bob Good of Virginia has also declared he would “never” vote to let McCarthy keep the Speaker’s gavel.
Other far right Republicans, including U.S. Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Byron Donalds, and Chip Roy, have indicated they would not support ousting McCarthy, at least not right now.
But Gaetz may have time on his side.
READ MORE: ‘Part of the Authoritarian Playbook’: Trump’s Courthouse Rant Slammed by Fascism Scholars
While he on Monday acknowledged he probably doesn’t have the votes yet, the math could line up differently by the end of the week.
The Senate will not be in session after Wednesday, with many Senators expected to travel to California for the funeral of U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein.
“This could create some level of havoc on House side — dozens of [House] members will also want to fly out to SF,” noted Washington Post congressional reporter Paul Kane. “Maybe even McCarthy, but mostly House Dems. If the motion to vacate vote is Wednesday or Thursday, attendance could be haphazard.”
RIGHT WING EXTREMISM
‘Sodom and Gomorrah’: ND Republican Unleashes Anti-LGBTQ Christian Nationalist Rant Calling for ‘Christ Is King’ Laws
North Dakota state Representative Brandon Prichard, a Republican who co-sponsored legislation that was passed in to law that bans all gender confirming surgeries and medication for minors in his state, went on an anti-LGBTQ Christian nationalist tirade including a call for state ordinances to declare “Jesus Christ is King.”
“Every conservative state should put into code that Jesus Christ is King and dedicate their state to Him. Force RINOs to say no to Jesus and then brutalize them in elections. We need a government of Christians, not fakers,” wrote Rep. Pritchard Sunday evening.
Pushback came swiftly, from politicos including former Republican and former U.S. Rep. Joe Walsh, who responded saying, “Not in this country. Never. Our Constitution won’t allow it. And that’s a damn good thing. Shame on you.”
Rep. Pritchard’s remarks in recent days have taken on a similarly strong Christian nationalist theme.
READ MORE: ‘Part of the Authoritarian Playbook’: Trump’s Courthouse Rant Slammed by Fascism Scholars
“Here is a simple test to determine if you are conservative: Should the church of Satan or satanic temple be allowed the freedom to worship in the same way as Christians? If you answer yes, you need to rethink your claimed political identity because you are not conservative,” he wrote Friday.
Later that same day he added, “Real conservatives will never put the constitution above natural law. The constitution is only useful insofar as it forces our government to limit power and pursue objective truth. It is a powerful means to an end, nothing more, nothing less.”
Over the weekend Pritchard issued a call to ban pornography, saying it “serves no positive benefit in society, destroys men, and treats women as objects.”
A social media account that appears to be for the adult site Just for Fans mocked him, writing on social media, “If you want to cancel an account, please contact our customer service department.”
READ MORE: McCarthy ‘Could Be a Former Speaker by the End of This Week’: Report
Also over the weekend Pritchard called for any Republican who thinks children should be allowed to attend drag shows be “censured or expelled from the party.”
He then wrote he was “extremely disappointed” with North Dakota State University “over their decision to have two homecoming kings and NO homecoming queen. People will be mad when I introduce a bill next session to say that state-funded schools cannot pick homecoming royalty of the same sex, but I didn’t start the fight.”
Pritchard also declared, “All schools should have LGBTQ history taught and lesson one should be Sodom and Gomorrah.”
Monday morning the lawmaker claimed, “All I want is to buy some land, raise a family, and mind my own business. Everything changes when you realize the left is militantly against this existence and will do everything to destroy our families and religion. We must take power or risk being controlled, it’s simple.”
The North Dakota state constitution requires lawmakers to take an oath that reads: “‘I do solemnly swear (or affirm as the case may be) that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of North Dakota; and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office of _________ according to the best of my ability, so help me God’ (if an oath), (under pains and penalties of perjury) if an affirmation, and any other oath, declaration, or test may not be required as a qualification for any office or public trust.”
Inside New York’s State Supreme Court in Manhattan, Donald Trump unleashed his anger on the first day of Attorney General Letitia James’ $250 million civil fraud lawsuit that has already led to the judge ordering the ex-president’s business licenses be revoked and his businesses dissolved.
One of Trump’s rants was highly-criticized by a fascism expert who compared it to language used by authoritarian strongmen including “Mussolini, Hitler, Berlusconi, Erdogan.”
Trump told reporters Monday the New York fraud case “is a continuation of the single greatest witch hunt of all time.” He described Justice Arthur Engoron as a “rogue judge” and Attorney General James as a “racist attorney general” and a “horror show,” and the case against him “a scam” and “a sham.”
READ MORE: McCarthy ‘Could Be a Former Speaker by the End of This Week’: Report
Trump, at an NYC courthouse, attacks the judge and prosecutors involved in his fraud case pic.twitter.com/LqjNW7x5AC
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 2, 2023
Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a New York University professor of history and Italian studies, responded to Trump’s remarks, saying “the witch hunt/victimhood rhetoric is part of the authoritarian playbook and was/is used by the following corrupt leaders: Mussolini, Hitler, Berlusconi, Erdogan. If extended to the whole country being victimized, add Putin, Xi, and more.”
Fascism expert Federico Finchelstein, a historian and history department chair at New York’s New School for Social Research, responded to Trump’s comments: “Fascist lies are about the projection onto others of what fascists are/do. Trump today as usual displayed his wannabe fascist mindset.”
Sherrilyn Ifill, the former President and Director-Counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund (LDF) exclaimed, “So he’s in the courthouse calling the judge ‘rogue’ and calling the prosecutor ‘racist.’ Not on the steps outside the courthouse (bad enough) but inside the very courthouse.”
Trump also told reporters at the courthouse Monday that he’s been indicted because he’s running for president. Multiple reports have revealed he announced his White House run in an effort to avoid prosecution.
Donald Trump: “The reason I got indicted was that I ran. If I didn’t run, I would be sitting at a beach like Biden does every time even though he is supposed to be working.” pic.twitter.com/cPxrlAxJ8B
— Republican Accountability (@AccountableGOP) October 2, 2023
Watch the videos above or at this link.
‘Part of the Authoritarian Playbook’: Trump’s Courthouse Rant Slammed by Fascism Scholars
McCarthy ‘Could Be a Former Speaker by the End of This Week’: Report
‘Sodom and Gomorrah’: ND Republican Unleashes Anti-LGBTQ Christian Nationalist Rant Calling for ‘Christ Is King’ Laws
Gaetz Needs Just Five Republicans to Oust McCarthy – He Already Has Three
Gaetz Needs Just Five Republicans to Oust McCarthy – He Already Has Three
‘Sodom and Gomorrah’: ND Republican Unleashes Anti-LGBTQ Christian Nationalist Rant Calling for ‘Christ Is King’ Laws
‘Part of the Authoritarian Playbook’: Trump’s Courthouse Rant Slammed by Fascism Scholars
McCarthy ‘Could Be a Former Speaker by the End of This Week’: Report
‘I’m Broke’: One Day Before Shutdown and With No Plan McCarthy Says He Has ‘Nothing’ in His ‘Back Pocket’
News11 hours ago‘Part of the Authoritarian Playbook’: Trump’s Courthouse Rant Slammed by Fascism Scholars
News14 hours agoMcCarthy ‘Could Be a Former Speaker by the End of This Week’: Report
RIGHT WING EXTREMISM8 hours ago‘Sodom and Gomorrah’: ND Republican Unleashes Anti-LGBTQ Christian Nationalist Rant Calling for ‘Christ Is King’ Laws
News6 hours agoGaetz Needs Just Five Republicans to Oust McCarthy – He Already Has Three