Anti-Gay Marriage People are Idiots

From CTV.ca:

Bob MacCready's already written to Canadian Liberal MPs who support allowing gays to marry, telling them he thinks it's against God's own law and everything that's decent.

Because, y'know, nothing screams indecency and blasphemy like allowing two people who love each other to get married. Personally, I always thought Jesus had a lot more to say about hypocrites and judgmental people--but hey, I was raised by a Witch. What do I know about morals?

MacCready's married daughter lives in London, Ont., with his four grandchildren and he once considered moving to Canada to be close to them.

"We're very concerned about the way things are going there," he said in a recent telephone interview from his home in Media, Pa. "How is it going to be for my grandchildren growing up?"

I'm really not sure where to start on this one. "How is it going to be for my grandchildren growing up" if gays are allowed to marry? What the hell kind of a question is that? What does he expect to change?

"The United States is the great nation it is because of its moral code. Canada isn't even considered a Christian nation anymore and they seem OK with that. It's more of a melting pot. That doesn't make any sense to me."

Wow. Mrs. Wyman, I--just wow. Give me a second to get my bearings....
Okay. So the United States is a great nation because of its "moral code", whatever that's supposed to mean. This is supposed to be contrasted with Canada because... they're not Christian? What? Morality is not the same as Christianity, lady. But if you can't even comprehend the idea of a secular nation, with a diversity of religions, I can't really put much faith in your mental prowess.

"You'd be surprised how many people consider it kinky and think it's the beginning of a rotting in this society," said Wyman.

"The economy is going to fall apart. Once the morals start to go, then health care is going to go."

This is a highly effective method of arguing: blurt out statements so bizarre, so ridiculous, so completely non-sensical, that it stuns the brains of your opponents and they can't reply. Just how is gay marriage supposed to be linked to the economy? Why do you think that allowing gay marriage means getting rid of health care? She says she's contemplating moving back to Ohio--down to a country ruled by a party that wants to get rid of gay marriage and health care.

"It's corrupt. I don't know where [Prime Minister Paul] Martin's getting this authority."

Here's a hint: he's the Prime Minister!

But in support of these lunatics we hear, from PlanetOut via Yahoo! News, that the Pope has declared gay marriage "evil".

He also likens abortion to genocide, which didn't make any sense when I heard it the first time.
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The Wayback Machine: It's Not Just for Sherman Anymore

Hey, remember Afghanistan? Y'know, that last country we "liberated" from a tyrannical regime we set up in the first place? Ever wonder how they're faring with all that new-found freedom and democracy?

As it turns out, not so great. From the New York Times:

Three years after the United States drove the Taliban out of Afghanistan and vowed to rebuild, the war-shattered country ranked 173rd of 178 countries in the United Nations 2004 Human Development Index, according to a new report from the United Nations.

It was trailed only by a few countries in sub-Saharan Africa: Burundi, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and Sierra Leone.

...

"The fragile nation could easily tumble back into chaos," concluded the authors of the study, led by Shahrbanou Tadjbakhsh, the report's editor in chief. "The basic human needs and genuine grievances of the people, lack of jobs, health, education, income, dignity and opportunities for participation must be met."

Huh! Y'know, from the sounds of that, it almost sounds as if they're no better off for our bombing their country, torturing their suspected terrorists (read: farmers and children), and destroying their infrastructure. Surely there must be some mistake! Oh, here:

More than 54 percent of school-age children are enrolled, including four million high school students. The economy is making great strides, with growth of 16 percent in nondrug gross domestic product in 2003 and predicted growth of 10 to 12 percent annually for the next decade.

Take a good look at that last sentence. Notice how they slip in the word "nondrug" in there? That's cause over a third of the country's economy is from opium.

"Well, sure," you say, "but even so, a 16 percent growth in the rest of the economy is great. Those guys must be rich over there!" As it turns out, not so much. According to the AP,

most of the country's income is being mopped up by warlords with strong political and military connections, creating a dangerous gap between rich and poor and between the cities and the countryside. Half of all Afghans are poor, it said.

"Well," you might say, "what about those wonderful schoolchildren? Surely having a little over half of their children in school is a good thing, right?" And I might agree with you. Except if you read on again in the NYT article, you'll see this little tidbit:

Afghanistan now has the worst education system in the world, the report concluded.

I'm not so happy for them now. How about you?
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What I like to think of as "Die Hard: the Musical"
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From Editor and Publisher:

He [James Guckert, aka Jeff Gannon, aka whoring shill] criticized the MSNBC show Hardball and radio host Don Imus for doing segments in the past two days on him without seeking his input.

"I wasn't even given a chance to respond. Chris Matthews' show didn't make any effort to reach out to me, which is disturbing," he said. "He asked Pat Buchanan to comment on some things [about him] that that Pat Buchanan has no information on."

When reminded that he had made a point of saying to E&P that he would no longer talk to the press, Guckert said that should not have stopped those shows from seeking him out of journalistic fairness. "Does that mean they don't try to talk to me?" he added.

Two things come to mind when reading this pabulum.
First: Why does this guy think he's fit to preach to actual reporters (or at least credentialized ones) on how they ought to be doing their jobs?
Second: What the hell does he expect? He refuses to address the accusations by with a flippant "I'm not commenting... because there's just so much stuff out there", he makes a point of saying he won't talk to the press, and then he thinks that they should come and ask him what he thinks? Why? So he can once again refuse to answer any relevant questions?

UPDATE:
Gannon is considering suing those who uncovered the story for "political assassination".

AMERICAblog's response? "Bring it on."
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Robo-Toddler Learns to Walk Like a Human

However, for the sci-fi paranoids among us (we know who you are), there's this reassurance that our society shan't become as foretold in Gattaca.
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My chest hurts.

"Extremists using Iraq for recruitment and training, CIA chief says"
No! Really?
I'd always thought they were just having festive get-togethers.

"Oh, Ahmed, darling, you simply must try the gyros. It's divine!"
"Only Allah is divine! Apostate!"

Then there's the gem of a fact that the newspapers keep reporting that the Palestinians are accusing Israel of breaking the cease-fire. Never mind that there have been multiple mortar strikes, thwarted suicide bombings, and other attacks already perpetrated by Hamas, Fatah, and others.
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From "Fables"

SON: Is it a parade?
MOM: I don't think so. Maybe a demonstration?
DAD: No, they're all too white to be black pride, or Latino pride, or Asian pride.
MOM: They're all well-dressed. Could they be gay pride?
DAD: I doubt it. Their suits are way too conservative.
SON: And they have all those guns.
DAD: Oh my god! You're right! It finally happened! It's the Young Republicans!
DAD: They're marching in--taking over New York!
MOM: Just like when they marched on Paris in '39.
SON: Weren't those the Nazis?
MOM: Is there a difference?
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Moses was the first terrorist
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Tunak Tunak Tun

CHORUS:
Tunak Tunak Tun
Tunak Tunak Tun
Tunak Tunak Tun
Da Da Da
x5

Dholna Vajje Tumbe Vaali Taar
Sun Dil Di Pukaar
Aaja Kar Layieh Pyaar
x4
Dholna...!

CHORUS x4

*
Duniya Yaara Rang Birangi
Na Eh Bheri Na Eh Changi
x4
Sun Yaara Bole Ik Taya
Mehndi Da Yaara

CHORUS x4

Dholna Kadeh Mere Nal Hass
Mainu Dil Valli Dass
Nahin Taan Teri Meri Bass
x4
Dholna...!

CHORUS x4

Dholna Tu Chann Mein Chakor
Sadde Varga Na Hor
Rab Hath Saddi Dor
x4
Dholna...!

CHORUS x4

Repeat *

CHORUS x4

Love, it seems that the strings of the Tumbe are calling
Listen to the cry of my heart
Come here, I love you

My love...!




In the world, many things arise
There may be good things, there may be bad things

Listen to this (the tombe's) sound,
Friend of Mehndi!



Love, it's time to laugh with me
Please teach me this feeling
Your feeling of uncertainty comes between us

My love...!



Like the moon in the night sky
No one can replace you
We two are in the palm of God's hand

My love...!

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Hate them so much....

I am filled with a churning loathing.

[Edited to update a dead link]
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