The Progressive Puppy

Wife-Dumpers Chuck Norris and Fred Thompson Endorse Newt

Newt Gingrich behaves as if his deceit and faithlessness were part of some clever disguise that camouflages his dazzling virtue.  He has pulled the wool over the eyes of religious zealots, many of whom may actually prefer Rick Santorum's brand of squeaky-clean homophobia but see in Newt a more bloodthirsty candidate.  The GOP's fundie base have convinced themselves that Gingrich is a political pit bull capable of ripping out Obama's throat. 

Newt's defiant response when confronted with his many marital infidelities has drawn the admiration of similar-minded hypocrites.  Look!  Two ancient Hollywood icons are shuffling into the media circus, blond trophy wives at their sides ...

Creaky action figure and religious right loon Chuck Norris issued this statement:   "Newt has the heart of a conservative reformer.  We believe Newt’s experience, leadership, knowledge, wisdom, faith and even humility to learn from his failures (personal and public) can return America to her glory days. And he is the best man left on the battlefield who is able to outwit, outplay and outlast Obama and his campaign machine."

Law and Order alum and 2008 presidential primary hopeful Fred Thompson added his croak to the Republican swampland:  "I have come to the growing realization that Newt Gingrich is the guy who can articulate what America is all about."  (If waging war on poor people, demonizing LGBT citizens, insulting black and Latino voters, being relieved of his position as House Speaker over ethics violations, and working for Freddie Mac lobbyists is what "America is all about," our beloved nation is indeed in sorry shape.)

Which brings us to the social conservatives' "most sacred institution" - heterosexual marriage.  Like Gingrich, Norris and Thompson are not opposed to dumping inconvenient (read: aging) spouses for much younger females.  In 1988, the Walker, Texas Ranger star abandoned his first wife of three decades for a former model more than 20 years his junior.  In 2007, Fred Thompson was asked by the Associated Press to name his favorite possession.  Fred replied, "Trophy wife." 

Chuck Norris is 72-years-old, Fred Thompson is 70, and Newt is 69.  The three of them must keep stocks soaring for the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, which markets Viagra.  Predictably, the wizened trio of oft-divorced horndogs are vehemently opposed to any legal recognition for committed same-sex couples.  This isn't surprising since they've never been too keen on honoring their own wedding vows.

Another Gay Youth in Tennessee Bullied To Death

When will it end?

Yet another gay teenager in Tennessee has been driven to suicide in what can only be described as the systematic, fundie-fueled extermination of youngsters who identify as LGBT, tormented to death by classmates parroting the prejudice of right-wing lawmakers and judgmental churches.  14-year-old Phillip Parker of Gordonsville ended his young life last week after experiencing years of relentless anti-gay bullying.  As reported by NewsChannel5,com in Tennessee: 

The family of an openly gay teen who committed suicide Friday said it was a direct result of bullying at school. Now the parents of Phillip Parker have questions for leaders at Gordonsville High School.  "A sweet kind person like Phillip took it out on himself, he killed himself to get out of the pain," said his grandfather, Paul Harris.  At just 14, just a child, 8th grader Phillip Parker felt like life just wasn't worth living.  "Because he was gay, he got mistreated physically, mentally by several people out there at the school, and I am very resentful as a result of it," said Harris.  Parents and grandparents found Phillip's body Friday afternoon, minutes later they found a handwritten note in his trash can that read 'Please help me mom'. ... While these parents and grandparents had no idea, the students at Gordonsville High school bombarded them both with information after Phillip's death. More than hundred teens told them the bullying was obvious, and some said they went to teachers about it.  Now the Parkers want to know why no one from Gordonsville alerted them to the apparent bullying happening in the hallways.

From WBIR:  More than 100 people gathered in Gordonsville on Saturday night, grieving the loss of Phillip.  "He was fun, he was energetic, he was happy," said Gena Parker, Phillip's mother.  To his friends, Phillip was known as the boy who told everyone they're beautiful...  Phillip's family said they reported their concerns over their son's bullying to Gordonsville High School on multiple occasions, but the bullying by a group of students just got worse.  "That's my son," said Phillip's father. "I love him. I miss him. He shouldn't have had to kill himself to be brought to life."

Jonathan Cole at TEP's Grand Divisions writes:  While attending Saturday's conference, H.G. Stovall and I met a former teacher who knew Phillip while he attended Gordonsville Elementary School.  Tears flowed as she told us that Philip had endured years of anti-gay bullying at the school and that bullying in general at Gordonsville Elementary School often goes unaddressed by faculty and staff.  She knew of several students who had to transfer to other schools to escape the harassment.  This educator also knew Phillip had endured anti-gay preaching from the pulpit of his church.

It's over a decade into the 21st century, and this child had to listen to sermons condemning him at his own church.

Facebook comments about the tragedy were mostly supportive of Phillip - but one "Christian" named Chris Mcdade of Lenoir City actually blamed Phillip's death on the "shame" he must have felt over his sexual orientation.  McDade wrote:  "If I were doing something that I was so ashamed of, to the point that I would kill myself over it if I were bullied for it... then I think I'd change what I was doing. It's a choice."  Another user, John Brett Vincent, suggested that Phillip suffered from mental illness:  "Maybe the young man had mental problems that were not associated with the bullying? There is not enough information to make a call as who is to blame."  After piously stating that Phillip's parents were responsible for his suicide (the Parkers, he says, should have put him in a private school), Matthew Rogers of Knoxville writes:  "God did not make the boy gay. That is a lifestyle choice and a strange one to make at age 14."

The attitudes of narrow-minded bigots like Mcdade, Vincent, and Rogers are a major part of the problem.  Their sanctimonious posturing feeds homophobia.  It gives juice to the bullies.  

If you haven't watched the following video by Rick Mercer, now might be a good time to do so:

WSMV.com provides video of the Saturday night vigil for Phillip Parker - but perhaps the memory of this young man would be better served if Gordonsville residents who attended the candlelight service confronted the local pastors that condemn Phillip and other LGBT Americans as "an abomination in the eyes of God."

Related Post:  Tennessee Lawmakers Determined to Protect Anti-Gay Bullies
Related Post:  Tennessee, Forever the Hate State
Related Post:  More Anti-Gay Hate in Tennessee
Related Post:  TN Schools Allow Anti-LGBT Sites, Block Gay-Positive Content

South Carolina's "Values Voters" Choose Defiant Serial Adulterer

Republican voters in the Palmetto State have spoken.  So much for conservative Christian family values.

(Above: Newt Gingrich and his amazingly lifelike third wife, Callista; editorial cartoon courtesy Matt Davies)

Newt Gingrich has signed NOM's anti-equality pledge in which he vows to amend the United States Constitution in order to invalidate all same-sex marriages and civil unions.  He says gays and lesbians choose their sexual orientation like a priest chooses to be celibate.  He says committed same-sex couples should not be allowed to adopt kids and he promises to reinstate Don't Ask, Don't Tell, the military's ban on openly gay service members.

Gingrich is the worst sort of hypocrite - a straight privileged white male who piously judges others while being unfaithful in his own personal relationships.  Newt's second wife has correctly said he "lacks the moral character to be president."

Besides bashing LGBT Americans, Newt is prone to racist fearmongering.  Black and Latino voters beware.

“People like me are what stand between us and Auschwitz. I see evil all around me every day.” - Newt Gingrich

Pastor Father Passes Anti-Gay Hate to Pastor Son

Preaching Homophobia - Bitter Fruit in "Cornerstone" Texas Church

Some apples fall so close to the tree it's surprising they bother to fall at all ...

Below, in the first video, Pastor John Hagee extols the virtues of growing up in the forties without once mentioning racial segregation, mass lynchings, oppressive Jim Crow laws, glossed-over spousal abuse, and beating recalcitrant children as prescribed by the Bible.  Fully aware of his crowd's dull sense of humor, he jokes: "Before 1945, closets were for clothes, not something strange people were coming out of."  Hagee finishes his sermon by calling for a constitutional amendment "to protect the sanctity of marriage" and he warns that without a federal amendment, we can "kiss this country goodbye."  (In a separate clip, the ancient demagogue compares gay couples raising kids to the Mafia - "Go out and kill somebody" - and reminds his rapt sheeple that Charles Manson considered his followers "a family," finally declaring that a family "certainly is not two homosexuals playing house and let's pretend.")  Hagee has also claimed that God created the HIV virus in order to wipe out gay men, and he once insisted that The Lord sent Hurricane Katrina to New Orleans because Heaven was offended by an upcoming LGBT Pride Parade.  (What sort of monstrous Deity do these people worship?)

In the second video you'll see Matthew, the fruit of old John's loins, blaming victims of AIDS for their own death, insinuating that the "unnatural lust" of queer folk is so overwhelming that they "choose" to die horribly.  A snippet:  "People say, ‘well what’s the church’s position on AIDS’?  AIDS is an incurable disease according to medical science but the Bible says that He cured all of our diseases and He by his stripes has healed every one of his children. Here’s the truth about diseases like AIDS, there are people who do contact this dreaded disease by some form of innocent contact, but most of the time it’s a choice."  (In another video, he warns about an imaginary "homosexual agenda" in schools.) 

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One wonders how frequently Hagee The Younger bullied and tormented LGBT youngsters when he was attending school.  If his sermons are any gauge, it was a commonplace occurrence.

The Hagee Christofascists are both proponents of Seven Mountains Donimionism, which advocates for a civil government controlled by religious fanatics - not dissimilar to the regimes in Iran and and Saudi Arabia.

(Pictured Top:  John Hagee, Daniel Lloyd's painting "See Evil, Hear Evil, Speak Evil" - and Matthew Hagee)

Religion Quote of the Week by J.R. Labbe

J.R. Labbe writes on the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (via Texas Freedom Network): 

"It is baffling that so many Christians allow themselves to succumb to the 'Us versus Them' mindset ignited by politics. Jesus didn't care one nit about creating a Christian nation. He was about creating Christians, although that label would have meant nothing to the devout Jew.  He neither asked nor expected government to help him in that mission."

(Editorial cartoons, left to right, courtesy Ron Cobb and David Horsey.)

Tea Party Hounds Are Humping Newt's Leg (and he's loving it)

Progressives have often maintained that Tea Party activists are nothing more than loony Religious Right zealots dressed up in funny hats (and with a pronounced affinity for racist humor) - so it didn't surprise us to learn that the nation's teabaggers are lining up behind Newt Gingrich, who is arguably a nastier candidate than even Rick Santorum. 

Gingrich certainly has the hypocrisy requirement covered.  The adulterous politician probably appeals to what "red-blooded patriots" consider "a real man."  He's rude, loud, old as dirt, and has a history of infidelities that would make Mel Gibson blush.  Even more important, there is literally nothing Newt won't say in order to demonize President Obama. 

Henry J. Reske reports for NewsMax:  Newt Gingrich’s presidential run received another boost Thursday as 100 tea party leaders from 25 states have stepped up to support the former Speaker of the House.  The 100 have formed the Tea Partiers with Newt coalition. The announcement by the Gingrich campaign comes on the heels of reports that Texas Gov. Rick Perry is dropping out of the GOP race and endorsing Gingrich.  "I’ve considered all the candidates, and Speaker Gingrich has the right combination of vision and experience to lead this country out of the economic misery created by government overreach that has been occurring for generations," said Peter Lee, founder of the East Side Tea Party of Orlando, Fla. "It is clear to me and many others in the Tea Party movement that Newt is the Reagan Conservative that America needs – not a Massachusetts Moderate."  (Translation:  "Mitt Romney doesn't show enough hatred for same-sex couples and he's less committed to controlling women's wombs than Gingrich who, let's face it, apparently knows a thing or two about controlling women.")

You'll recall that not long ago the conservative Gingrich derided Occupy Wall Street protesters, telling them to "get a job" and "take a bath."   Members of the 99% Movement should suggest that Newt's current wife Callista be tested regularly for STDs.  There's no telling what bugs she might be picking up from her horndog husband's hiney.