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News and commentary about the anti-gay lobby“Now you must raise your children up in a world where that union of man and box turtle is on the same legal footing as man and wife…”
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobbyOctober 9th, 2011
The American Family Association’s Bryan Fischer, who has stated that the First Amendment’s religious freedoms should only apply to Evangelical Christians and not to Mormons or Muslims, was given a very visible speaking slot at yesterday’s Values Voter Summit immediately following GOP presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Romney just happens to be one of those Mormons that Fischer believes isn’t protected by the First Amendment. Romney took his turn at the podium to call out Fischer on his “poisonous language.”
Our values ennoble the citizen and they strengthen the nation. We should remember that decency and civility are values too. One of the speakers who will follow me today, has crossed that line I think. Poisonous language does not advance our cause. It has never softened a single heart nor changed a single mind. The blessings of faith carry the responsibility of civil and respectful debate. The task before us is to focus on the conservative beliefs and the values that unite us. Let no agenda, narrow our vision or drive us apart. We have important work to accomplish.
A very mild rebuke, given to very mild applause — all of which serves to illustrate Romney’s difficulties in retaining his frontrunner status in the Republican race for the nomination. But as timid as that rebuke was, it certainly elicited a howl from the bully who is now outraged of the “public attack,” and like all bullies who get caught, he responds screaming that someone else started it:
Dr. Robert Jeffress started the fracas on Friday by referring to Mormonism as a “cult” in interviews with reporters after he introduced and endorsed Gov. Rick Perry on Friday.
According to MSNBC, Gov. Romney’s people got in touch with Bill Bennett and they decided to tag team – Bennett would kneecap Dr. Jeffress first and then Mitt would kneecap me right before I took the podium after his speech.
Here’s how Politico reported it:
“Rather than answering Jeffress directly, Romney came to the summit on Saturday and rebuked another hardline social conservative: Bryan Fischer, a controversial official at the American Family Association who has disparaged Mormonism, as well as homosexuality, Islam and more.
And there’s this nice touch:
I spoke immediately after Romney, who apparently was goaded into attacking me by the New York Times, the Boston Globe and other media outlets who wrote eagerly about the anticipated brawl. Here’s the breathless headline, for instance, from the Deseret News: “Mitt Romney vs. Mormon critic Bryan Fischer: Showdown Saturday?”
Ya see? The reference to The Deseret News conclusively proves that the Mormon Church put Romney up to the “attack.”
Bullies typically scream the loudest when they are startled by their target rising up to defend themselves, no matter how tentatively. Romney mildly suggested that Fischer went too far in a timid half-dozen sentences. Fischer’s cri de coeur goes on for more than nine hundred words. That means that Romney’s mild slap stung Fischer pretty hard. And I have a feeling Fischer still isn’t done crying.
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Ryan
October 9th, 2011
This whole thing is so pathetic. Romney can barely even manage to stand up for himself. If Fischer hadn’t attacked Mormons, obviously Romney wouldn’t have said anything. With the poor economy, I think Obama’s chances of reelection are very poor and gays should be very nervous indeed. Not only will he not have any friends in charge, but it’s looking more and more likely that we’ll have full-on enemies. It’s a huge black eye to this country that one major political party celebrates people as evil as Fischer or Perkins.
Cowboy
October 9th, 2011
Why didn’t Mr. Romney mention Fischer by name? This bitch-slapping is hardly worthy of someone who would be President of the free world.
Regan DuCasse
October 9th, 2011
Yeah, Romney being all offended IS because Fischer dissed the Mormons.
Otherwise the gutlessness in the ranks of the GOP is predictable.
And I really can’t stand gutless people.
Bill T.
October 9th, 2011
They are all wolves in sheep’s clothing. “Ye shall know them by their fruits.”
Cowboy
October 9th, 2011
I can only conjecture, but if someone dissed New Jersians like Fischer (and much of the audience there) did the Mormons, I think Governor Christie would use words I can even type.
Perhaps Romney needs a little NJ moxie or a spine.
Priya Lynn
October 9th, 2011
Cowboy said “This bitch-slapping is hardly worthy of someone who would be President of the free world”.
It doesn’t matter who’s elected president, he’s not going to be “President of the free world”. The free world doesn’t kowtow to the U.S. and its arrogant to think it does.
PLAINTOM
October 9th, 2011
Actually his mild rebuke should be translated to “Please don’t pick on my religious cult, we hate gays and women’s rights just as much as you do. Let us work together on this broader agenda.”
Cowboy
October 9th, 2011
Forgive the arrogance…I should have meant just being presidential.
Marauder
October 10th, 2011
I’d disagree that Romney has a frontrunner status to retain – I’ve been closely following the news about the Republican candidates for months and I don’t think there’s been a clear frontrunner for the last several weeks at least. Romney was only considered a frontrunner early on, in my personal opinion, because he had more name recognition than the other candidates.
Christopher
October 10th, 2011
Bill T – a correction: Bugs Bunny would have said “wolves in CHEAP clothing”!
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