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Tony Perkins: Being Compared To The Klan? That’s Manna From Heaven!

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Editor’s note: This guest post by Scott Wooledge was originally published at Daily Kos and is published here with his permission. Scott Wooledge writes at the Daily Kos under the handle Clarknt67.

So what would you do if a well-respected organization that was instrumental in shutting down the Ku Klux Klan called you on the carpet?

Well, if you’re Tony Perkins from the Family Research Council, you embrace the opportunity as Manna from Heaven! Sunday, I pointed out how ginning up hatred for gay people is a great cash cow for the rabid Fundamentalist crowd. And yesterday, the FRC proves me right by gleefully fundraising off the Southern Poverty Law Center’s naming them a hate group, imploring their followers to give, give, give, give, and of course, give.

The Letter

Tony’s beside himself because people figured out his hate speech sounds a lot like hate speech and categorized him with Ku Klux Klan and Neo-Nazis. But it’s a totally different thing, because Tony is only saying hateful things about gay people, and we all know that’s OK. The letter asks:

How do you feel about you and FRC being lumped in with neo-Nazis, the Ku Klux Klan, racist skinheads, and other radical organizations?

In fact, there is good reason to associate Tony Perkins with the Ku Klux Klan, and it’s not just because he talks about gays in the same manner that Klansmen talk about blacks. It’s because the KKK is in fact, apparently a serious part of their target market for outreach. From Southern Poverty Law Center:

Perkins paid $82,500 to use the mailing list of former Klan chieftain David Duke. The campaign was fined $3,000 (reduced from $82,500) after Perkins and Jenkins filed false disclosure forms in a bid to hide the link to Duke.

Wow, so he does outreach activities to Klansmen, and then lies about it to the Federal Election Council resulting in a $3,000 fine. Is lying on FEC filings “bearing false witness?” Just asking.

So, Tony’s full of “outrage” from this “malicious” association with people that are, in fact, his business associates.

Tony’s panties are also in a bunch because he’s being lumped in with “other radical organizations.” But as I recall, the dude has defended the Uganda “Kill The Gays” bill. Federal Election Council filings show Family Research Council spent $25,000 lobbying on the bills behalf. What exactly would be a bridge too far for Tony Perkins if rounding up and executing gays is kosher? That sounds like a radical agenda to me, maybe I’m out of touch with the kids are saying these days?

But what to do about this? He offers,

“We can let the Left intimidate us into silence. Or…”

Or…? You could take it as a sign from God? You could take a thoughtful moment of quiet prayerful reflection? You could search your soul, and consider if your words and actions are, in fact, hurtful to kind, innocent people and not in keeping with God’s plan and Christ’s teachings for man on Earth? You could have an Epiphany?

No, of course not. Tony had a different reaction. And he’s got a plan, a better plan, the perfect remedy for this is, of course… I love this… wait for it….

Now I urge you to show you won’t be intimidated into silence. Please follow this link to take your place alongside these leaders and others in defense of FRC by making a tax-deductible donation to support our work.

Give, Give, Give, Give, Give!

It’s hard to miss the great big button saying “Consider Donating Today To Stand With FRC” But just in case you do, they offer not one, not two but FOUR additional hotlinks to their donation page.

Yes, give. Donate! Tax-deductible yet. Wait a minute? My tax dollars are subsidizing a hate group? I don’t remember signing on to that!

What So What Is The Truth That Must Not Be Silenced?

Perkins is encouraging folks to “sign the Statement of Support to join the many who are protesting this attempt at censorship.” So, what is this truth that the “ultra-liberal” SPLC is trying to “censor?” Here are some of the messages they need help to continue spreading (all from SPLC):

“homosexuals are overrepresented in child sex offenses”

“homosexuals are attracted in inordinate numbers to boys.”

Huh. Even the lesbians?

“One of the primary goals of the homosexual rights movement is to abolish all age of consent laws and to eventually recognize pedophiles as the ‘prophets’ of a new sexual order.”

Now, I’d been told the primary goal was destroying straight peoples’ marriages. I’m very confused right now. Did I miss a memo?

Mark Potok of the FRC very recently appeared on MSNBC’s “Hardball with Chris Matthews” to claim:

“If you look at the American College of Pediatricians, they say the research is overwhelming that homosexuality poses a danger to children.”

Of course, the American College of Pediatricians is not the respected, mainstream American Academy of Pediatrics, (which says nothing of the kind) but rather a discredited, Christian Fundamentalist breakaway fringe group with no creditability among doctors and scientists or anyone. But quoting junk science from junk scientists is what they do best, when not quoting the ancient Book of Leviticus.

“[t]here is a strong current of pedophilia in the homosexual subculture. … [T]hey want to promote a promiscuous society.”

And Family Research Council’s Yvette Cantu has shared these serioius concerns about gays parenting:

“If they [gays and lesbians] had children, what would happen when they were too busy having their sex parties?”

Silly, everyone needs a night off from the kids, sex parties are just like Bridge Night to the gay community. No problem, you just call the Nanny Service. We’re all so rich, after all. Help is easy to hire.

So what are FRC’s thoughts on gays’ fight for immigration equality? FRC’s Peter Sprigg told Matthews:

“I would much prefer to export homosexuals from the United States than to import them.”

To Uganda no doubt. How about here in the US? Should gays be jailed or executed? FRC’s Peter Sprigg told Chris Matthews:

“I think there would be a place for criminal sanctions on homosexual behavior.” “So we should outlaw gay behavior?” Matthews asked. “Yes,” Sprigg replied.

I wish Matthews had thought to asked Sprigg to weigh in on whether they should be capital offenses.

Seems Family Research Council longs for the good old days. Like when we jailed great artists like Oscar Wilde or heroes like Alan Turing, who may well have saved the free world in WWII, and was thanked by the oppressive hand of government meddling in his love life, until he finally killed himself.

So Is The Family Research Council Bearing False Witness?

In truth, the American Psychological Association, among others, has concluded that “homosexual men are not more likely to sexually abuse children than heterosexual men are.”

Dr. Gregory M. Herek, Ph.D. from UC Davis University of California fleshes out what is the consensus of psychological and medical community in on the University of California website, he says:

The empirical research does not show that gay or bisexual men are any more likely than heterosexual men to molest children. This is not to argue that homosexual and bisexual men never molest children. But there is no scientific basis for asserting that they are more likely than heterosexual men to do so. And, as explained above, many child molesters cannot be characterized as having an adult sexual orientation at all; they are fixated on children.

So wait, they aren’t child molesters by default?

But Why Would They Want To Repeat Such Awful Lies Over And Over?

Herek says it’s all about demagoguery:

Members of disliked minority groups are often stereotyped as representing a danger to the majority’s most vulnerable members. For example, Jews in the Middle Ages were accused of murdering Christian babies in ritual sacrifices. Black men in the United States were often lynched after being falsely accused of raping White women.

Ah, yes, that would be that whole “blood libel” thing.

So that’s why they’re always imploring us to “think of the children!” And why Maggie Gallagher, National Organization for Marriage and other anti-gay groups are always featuring children in their ads! They call that a dog-whistle, don’t they?

Though, oddly, these paragons of propriety didn’t seem to be very thoughtful of the children when they used the kids’ images without permission in their hateful propaganda prompting outrage from the children’s parents.

So Why Is Family Research Council Always On Respectable News Programs?

That’s a really good question, why is a hate group welcomed onto MSNBC? Why are they allowed to go on the TV and spread this nonsense? They wouldn’t invite a well-known Klansman on to discuss affirmative action or neo-Nazi to discuss immigration reform, would they? So why are Tony Perkins and his friends the go-to for gay issues “balance?” Why are the media complicit in helping him spread lies, hate and misinformation from their junk scientists? Why are they helping him bamboozle the ignorant and hateful out of their money?

How about we tell MSNBC to stop inviting them?

Tell CNN too.

Tell ABC here.

Tell CBS here.

You can tell Fox News too, I hear they’re very responsive!

The dude can fundraise to his little choir all he wants off his hateful rhetoric, but he shouldn’t be allowed to weigh in, as though he’s a sane, rational person on matters that concern my civil rights. These snake-oil salesmen demagogues have no place in polite society or the table of serious discussion.

Updated by Clarknt67 at Tue Feb 22, 2011, 12:54:11 PM

My friend David Badash cross-posted my similar article on Maggie Gallagher to his blog. The Maggster herself deigned to post a comment (he assures me it’s authentic). Fun times! Join it here, if you’re inclined.

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News

Harris Goes All in With Fox News, Charlamagne, and Possibly Rogan Interviews

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October 15, 2024

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Vice President Kamala Harris is pulling out all the stops with just three weeks until Election Day and early voting currently underway in dozens of states. As the polls show the race between the Democratic presidential nominee and Donald Trump tightening, Harris is heading into less-friendly territory this week, sitting down for an interview with Fox News on Wednesday, Charlemagne the God Tuesday afternoon, and possibly even Joe Rogan.

Harris reportedly is looking to make gains with male voters, and she will instantly gain access to millions of them—many of whom may not be current supporters— with these interviews.

“Charlamagne, a Black comedian and author who hosts radio program ‘The Breakfast Club,’ is known for his blunt interviews of celebrities,” Reuters reports. “A Harris supporter, he has been critical of her and President Joe Biden in the past and called Democrats ‘cowards’ for ineffectively prosecuting a case against Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.”

READ MORE: ‘Petulant Toddler’ Trump Smacked Down by British Journalist at Chicago Economic Club

Tuesday’s show will be a town hall style event, “recorded live in Detroit, Michigan, a key swing state in this year’s race. It comes amid a busy week for Harris, who is campaigning in the Great Lake State, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin,” USA Today adds. “The radio personality and comedian asked Michigan residents to submit questions before his chat with Harris.”

Charlamagne has eight million monthly listeners. Tuesday’s interview, “We the People: An Audio Town Hall with Kamala Harris” can be heard at 5:00 PM ET on iHeartRadio.

“The interview will offer Harris an opportunity to make her case to his followers, as she works to shore up support with male voters and Black men in particular. Numerous public polls suggest Republican nominee Donald Trump could outperform among young men of all races,” Reuters adds. “On Monday, the vice president released a new set of policy proposals to appeal to Black male voters and her campaign is ramping up outreach to the typically Democratic voting group.”

The Harris campaign is also currently in talks with Joe Rogan, the nation’s number one podcaster whose show, “The Joe Rogan Experience,” has 14.5 million followers.

READ MORE: ‘He’s Not Ok’: Questions of Trump’s ‘Cognitive Decline’ Explode Amid ‘Bizarre Behavior’

Some Harris supporters are wary of her Fox News and possible Rogan interviews, but some say the Vice President should do them.

“Fox News and Rogan in the closing weeks,” notes Adam Carlson, a market researcher and former pollster. “It’s almost as if she was waiting until voters were the most tuned in to do these types of interviews. It’s almost as if her campaign knows what it’s doing.”

“If you hate Fox News & Joe Rogan (as I do), then good,” Carlson also says, “These interviews aren’t for you. You’re already voting for her.”

“Fox News is targeting the small but important block of Rs that don’t like Trump,” he adds. “Rogan is for men & less engaged/low info voters.”

“The goal is to win not placate.”

Matthew Sheffield, a self-described former right-wing operative turned progressive podcaster, adds: “Kamala Harris going on Joe Rogan is a long overdue for a major Dem. He and Alex Cooper occupy similar cultural niches. Rogan is conservative, but he’s not a Fox hack. This group needs to be addressed rather than ceded to Trump. She’s got the facts his audience needs.”

READ MORE: Trump Campaign Furious Walz Using Trump’s Own ‘Reckless, Dangerous Rhetoric’ Against Him

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News

‘Petulant Toddler’ Trump Smacked Down by British Journalist at Chicago Economic Club

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5 hours ago

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October 15, 2024

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Donald Trump sat down for a live interview with the editor-in-chief of Bloomberg News Tuesday afternoon at the Economic Club of Chicago, and quickly grew defensive when questioned about his economic policies as the journalist explained to him how they will harm the American economy.

At one point Trump sat back in his chair and folded his arms in a defensive posture before telling his host,”You’ve been wrong, you’ve been wrong all your life.”

John Micklethwait has served as Bloomberg’s editor-in-chief since 2015 and previously in the same role at The Economist, starting in 2006.

“President Trump,” Micklethwait said, “the markets are looking at the facts. You are making all these promises—latest one was car loans—you’re flooding the thing with giveaways.”

READ MORE: ‘He’s Not Ok’: Questions of Trump’s ‘Cognitive Decline’ Explode Amid ‘Bizarre Behavior’

“I was actually quite kind to you,” Micklethwait continued as Trump tried to interrupt. “I used seven trillion, the upper estimate is 15 trillion,” he said of the debt Trump’s policies could create. “People like The Wall Street Journal, who is hardly a communist organization, have criticized you on this as well.”

Trump interjected, “Yeah, but you don’t know.”

“You are running up enormous debt,” Micklethwait told him.

“What is The Wall Street Journal know? I’m meeting with them tomorrow,” Trump said.

“What does The Wall Street Journal know, they’ve been wrong about everything,” the ex-president, in defensive mode, continued. “So have you, by the way. You are wrong, by the way.”

“You’re trying to turn this, you’re trying to turn this —” Micklethwait interjected before Trump again attacked by saying, “You’ve been wrong.”

“You’re trying to turn you’re trying to turn this into a debate,” the journalist countered. “There are business people —” he added, pointing to the audience.

READ MORE: Trump Abruptly Cancels Another Interview, This Time With a Trump-Friendly CNBC Host

“But you’ve been wrong,” Trump argued. “You’ve been wrong, you’ve been wrong all your life on this stuff.”

Mother Jones’ David Corn responded to the video (below), writing: “This is a man incapable of listening to others. His aides have said that for years. He cannot absorb information that challenges anything in his big brain. It’s hyper-narcissism. And the business class ought to worry about this and not just drool over tax cuts.”

Former Lincoln Project executive director Fred Wellman, also responding to the video, said, “Look how he crosses his arms like a petulant toddler.”

Watch below or at this link.

READ MORE: Trump Campaign Furious Walz Using Trump’s Own ‘Reckless, Dangerous Rhetoric’ Against Him

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OPINION

‘He’s Not Ok’: Questions of Trump’s ‘Cognitive Decline’ Explode Amid ‘Bizarre Behavior’

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October 15, 2024

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Nobel Prize-winning economist, professor, and popular New York Times opinion writer Paul Krugman on Monday published, “Trump Has Become Unmoored in Time.” In it he closes by asking, “what would Trump say about an opponent who, like him, seems stuck in the past, who routinely describes America in ways that suggest that he doesn’t know what year it is?”

On Tuesday Krugman posted a link to his piece on the social media platform X, and wrote: “This was filed before Trump’s bizarre behavior at his latest rallies. Maybe I was too polite in describing one aspect of his cognitive decline.”

Krugman is not alone in calling out what some are calling Donald Trump’s apparent cognitive decline, which seems to have become increasingly obvious over the past few days, and especially since Monday evening.

At a town hall in the suburbs of Philadelphia last night, two medical issues among audience members led the Republican presidential nominee to decide he would no longer take questions (he had taken just a handful) and declare the Q&A over. Instead, Trump said, he would like to play some music. The “impromptu D.J. session,” as The New York Times generously called it, and a “bizarre musical event,” according to NPR, went on for 30 to 40 minutes.

“Let’s not do any more questions. Let’s just listen to music,” Trump told supporters at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center. “Let’s make it into a music ——. Who the hell wants to hear questions, right?”

RELATED: Trump Abruptly Cancels Another Interview, This Time With a Trump-Friendly CNBC Host

South Dakota Republican Governor Kristi Noem, who was acting as the town hall’s host, asked Trump, “Well sir, do you want to play your song and then greet a few people?” After the ex-president, apparently not understanding, questioned her, she explained, “Well, you had said you wanted to close with a specific song.”

The GOP presidential nominee spent the rest of the evening on stage listening to music and occasionally dancing (photo.)

Trump on social media described the evening: “I had a Town Hall in Pennsylvania last night. It was amazing! The Q and A was almost finished when people began fainting from the excitement and heat. We started playing music while we waited, and just kept it going. So different, but it ended up being a GREAT EVENING!”

He also called those who suffered medical emergencies “patriots,” as ABC News reported, which he has done before under similar circumstances.

“‘Would anybody else like to faint?’ Trump said as the second person made their way out of the Expo Center.”

Former Trump White House Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci remarked, “The October surprise is that Trump has completely lost his marbles.”

Even a Fox News reporter found the event “very strange.”

“That thing Trump did last night is not explainable and it is not small,” an apparently concerned U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) wrote. “It shows that he’s increasingly detached from reality. Everyone knows if Biden or Harris did that it would be media mayhem. He’s not ok, and you can’t ignore it anymore.”

READ MORE: Trump Campaign Furious Walz Using Trump’s Own ‘Reckless, Dangerous Rhetoric’ Against Him

Filmmaker and podcaster Andy Ostroy called it, “the craziest shit I’ve ever seen in politics.”

While only a qualified medical professional can make diagnoses, more than a few commenters on social media suggested Trump was “sundowning,” a term the Mayo Clinic describes as “a group of symptoms that occurs at a specific time of the day. These symptoms may affect people with Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia.”

Professor of Politics Jack Pitney, who left the Republican Party when Trump was elected in 2016, is the author of several books including, “Un-American: the Fake Patriotism of Donald J. Trump.”

He writes: “Kristi Noem’s face during Trump’s sundowning episode gives a whole new meaning to Raymond Chandler’s phrase: “that plastic smile people wear when they are trying not to scream.”

Political scientist and professor David Darmofal adds, “I know the symptoms of dementia extremely well from being a caregiver for 7 years. 78-year-old Trump’s father had Alzheimer’s & now he’s showing undeniable symptoms of cognitive decline. I’m begging our national media to address this issue.”

“Donald Trump’s dementia is NOT a political issue,” declared SiriusXM host Dean Obeidallah, “it’s a national security issue. Trump could be easily controlled/manipulated by top aides and foreign leaders to do what they want. This DEMANDS coverage from the corporate media!”

“There is something profoundly broken in our national press corps. Trump clearly had some kind of a mental break last night – those of us who have family members with dementia recognize it. He didn’t know where he was. And they’re pretending it was nothing,” Democratic strategist Laura Chapin said.

Trump’s night did not end with his town hall music event.

In the early morning hours of Tuesday, the ex-president, who remains a convicted felon awaiting sentencing on November 26, lashed out at his Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris—while defending his mental health and attacking her recently-released and very-detailed physician’s report.

“Harris ‘remains in excellent health,’ her physician, Dr. Joshua Simmons, said in a letter on Saturday,” ABC News reported. The report also stated: “She possesses the physical and mental resilience required to successfully execute the duties of the presidency, to include those as Chief Executive, Head of State and Commander in Chief.”

“The doctor pointed to seasonal allergies and hives (urticaria) as a ‘notable’ part of her health history,” ABC added. “He also listed a number of over-the-counter medications used to improve her symptoms, which he said have never been ‘severe.'”

Trump, on his Truth Social platform, proceeded to falsely characterize the details of Harris’s medical report.

“As to her completely desperate request for my Medical Statements, she is dying to see my Cholesterol (which is 180!), I have already provided them, many times, including quite recently, and they were flawless,” Trump claimed. He has never released a thoroughly-detailed medical report.

“However, I have just seen Kamala’s Report, and it is not good. According to her Doctor’s Report, she suffers from ‘urticaria,’ defined as ‘a rash of round, red welts on the skin that itch intensely, sometimes with dangerous swelling.’ She also has ‘allergic rhinitis and allergic conjunctivitis,’ a very messy and dangerous situation. These are deeply serious conditions that clearly impact her functioning. Maybe that is why she can’t answer even the simplest of questions asked by 60 Minutes, and others. What is this all about? I don’t have these problems…”

“…I’ve put out more Medical Exams than any other President in History, and aced two Cognitive Exams (the Doctor stated that my ‘cognitive exams were exceptional!’),” Trump continued. “I am far healthier than Clinton, Bush, Obama, Biden, but especially, Kamala. Also, I am far too busy campaigning to take time, from the 22 days left, as I am using every hour, of every day, campaigning, because we have to take back our Country from the Radical Left people that are destroying it. MAGA2024!”

Right now, “dementia” is trending on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter.

Watch the videos and social media posts above or at this link.

READ MORE: ‘Is He OK?’: Trump’s Dark of Night Rage Posting Backfires

 

 

 

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