Religious Right Hits Another Low on Gay Marriage

[Bob Geiger]

Well, at least we know that James Dobson's Focus on the Family (FOF) occasionally showers Republicans with a little hateful smearing along with their usual Democratic targets.

While researching some anti-gay assertions made by Kansas Republican Sam Brownback on the Senate floor yesterday, I stumbled across this charming little ad about same-sex marriage being run by FOF against Chuck Hagel (R-NE):



Isn't that sweet?

"It is a painful but very real truth. Homosexual marriages intentionally create motherless families or fatherless families," reads the newspaper ad. "But a compassionate society would not deliberately deny a child a mother or father."

And here's the money line:

"Yet Sen. Hagel has stated his intentions to vote against the Marriage Protection Amendment if it survives a filibuster and comes up for a vote."

It continues…

"Every child understands how important a mom and a dad are. But apparently Sen. Hagel needs a reminder. Please call or fax his office today, and urge him to support the Marriage Protection Amendment."

It then gives every way of contacting each of Hagel's offices. And lest you think they're just picking on Hagel, they've also targeted a number of Senators they believe may be winnable votes on the bigoted legislation including Democratic Senators Pryor and Lincoln of Arkansas, Landrieu of Louisiana and Republicans Collins and Snowe of Maine.

"If the future of marriage and the family is important to you, please commit to contacting your elected officials right away," says FOF on their web site.

I guess the Religious Right figured they weren't being successful enough at just getting their minions to hate the gay community on general principles of bigotry -- now they need to fool people into thinking gay folks hate children.

Heck of a God these people worship.

You can reach Bob Geiger at [email protected] and read more from him at Democrats.com.

[BR_Parkway]

1. So Congress passing a law allowing me to get tax breaks would

automatically change my body to where my partner and I could procreate??

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. If you want to make sure every child has two parents,

why not ban divorce? Of course, personally, I'd rather have parents who really cared about me-really loved me- and wouldn't care if there were one or two, nor what the gender was.

[Momgonepostal]

13. And pre-marital sex, while we're at it...

There are far more children children without fathers due to divorce or sex outside of marriage than there would EVER be due to gay marriage.

[displacedtexan]

3. That would really piss me off if I were a single parent. Hold it...

It pisses me off anyway!

[sinkingfeeling]

4. So, is the GOP going to free all the millions of mothers and fathers

rotting in our jails? How about releasing the mothers and fathers of the National Guard to get out of Iraq and back home? Aren't they just the most 'compassionate' society ever?

Edited: left out a word

[Beware the Beast Man]

5. That is the stupidest rationale I have ever heard.

Tell that to the millions of orphans and foster children in this country.
Blow it out your ass, Dobson.

[msatty99]

6. Why do you hate America...

that is the level of this attack.

I agree, however, with a poster on another site who contended that the left has
nothing to worry about and that this movement for an amendment, at this moment in
time, does the conservatives much more harm than good.

Everyone sees it for the sham it is.

The interesting thing to me is that our legislature might be so spineless as to
actually cave on it. I would not be surprised. Disgusted, yes. But not surprised.

I think USA is REALLY getting fed up with the 'ruling party'.

[The Wizard]

32. They know it won't pass

It creates space from the unpopular pResident if they vote against it, and they will.

[MAX 1]

7. If they want...

If they want to protect , preserve and defend marriage more than their own Oath of office, especially when it comes to matters of the Constitution, then maybe they need to discuss:

WHY IS DIVORCE STILL LEGAL?

ESPECIALLY if we are going to soon be declared a Christian Nation that only speaks English and chips it's people like cattle.

[sui generis]

8. most gay traditional families these days

also have nurturing siblings, aunts, uncles, grandparents, friends of the family and their own supportive friends.

The boogey man here is that a child raised by gay parents is "deprived" from contact with both sexes, which is just blatantly wrong.

If anything, gay parents are even MORE aware of it than a heterosexual couple whose Dad or Mom may be a 100% travel road warrior, or a 60 - 70 hour workweek+commute absent parent.

Why don't we hear anything from Dobson on just plain old bad parenting? He's a dick, and I don't mean that in a nice way.

[LibDemAlways]

9. Where do they come up with this crap?

My daughter's best friend would love to have a mom and dad at home. Unfortunately, dad skipped out years ago and mom currently lives with a boyfriend whose own two kids live with his ex-wife and her new husband.

Another kid in the neighborhood lives with his dad because his mom died a painful death from cancer a few years ago.

A boy my daughter knows lives with his dad. His parents' divorce was messy, and his mom now lives 3000 miles away.

When I was volunteering at school the other day a woman came into the office to pick up her son. The woman was the boy's biological father who has recently had sex-change surgery.

Marriages end every day for a variety of reasons. Most adults still try to do right by their children and provide for them the best they can. I have no doubt that gay parents are every bit as loving as straight parents - married or not. Every parent makes mistakes. No one is perfect. These wingnut stone throwers ought to hang their heads in shame.

[kevinbgoode]

10. Oh..so is Daddy Dobson recommending

that any "father" or "mother" who commits a crime be exempt from jail sentences in order to not deprive the child of parenting?

[Norrin Radd]

45. Also, any father or mother serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, or anywhere else

are not allowed to get blown up, or they are depriving their children.

[youngdem]

11. This ad is running in Louisiana also

Except with senator Landrieu in the spot light. I was absolutely appalled when I read this ad in our local papers, it is an attack on not only gay marriage, but also on single parents. Does this country and the so called "right" have nothing else better to worry about? Never mind that was a stupid rhetorical question, of course they don't.

[Supersedeas]

49. showing their true colors--where is the self-righteous indignation about

Divorce.

[Marnieworld]

12. Who actually believes this shit?

As many here have already pointed out it, to follow this logic automatically eliminates divorce when there are children.

Most of all I want to point out that this arguement is based on the assumption that marriage= couples with children. What about marriages without children (like mine)? Are we automatically preventing children from having two parents? Is my marriage therefore nullified? Does this mean that gay marriage is acceptable to them as long as there are no children? Does this mean that the ammendment that they really should be trying to get prevents gays from adopting children and if they have their own and then decide to be with someone of the same sex they should lose their children?

This is insanity based on a belief in a society that doesn't exist.

Using children to justify their desire to codify hatred. Have these people no shame?

[proud2BlibKansan]

14. These people absolutely disgust me

What has happened to our society that this crap is tolerated??

[Skittles]

39. it is sickening

gawd I f***ing DESPISE conservatives - the same ones supporting this ad don't give a SHIT about creating parent-less children in IRAQ

[TwentyFive]

15. Can anybody do a great parody of this ad?

This ad is so misguided and over the top, it really deserves its' own parody.

Something like, "Doesn't President Bush care about telling the truth to little children?" or better yet, "Why does pResident Bush destroy 10% of America's families to save his own failed presidency and maintain his corrupt grip on power?"

[rfranklin]

16. "Compassionate Conservatives" always cause hurt and pain...

to someone else with their "values."

[Coexist]

17. they ran the same ad in Florida with Senator Nelson's name on it.

I imagine they are spreading this around.

Lovely.

[Fire Walk With Me]

18. I would have rather had decent gay parents than the wreck I grew up in.

Considering that, I'd be willing to reset and try it out.

Fix the problems with heterosexual people before worrying about destroying others. Stop avoiding responsibility for your own problems through attacking others.

[HockeyMom]

40. I was fortunate to see the difference as a child

between my horrible home life with two straight parents and my cousin's loving home life with his Mom and her partner. I used to cry myself to sleep at night listening to the fighting and dishes crashing, wishing I could run away and live with my Gay Aunt's family instead.

The gender of the parents makes no difference whatsoever. It is what is in their hearts, but of course all these bigots cannot see that. They have no hearts.

[David Zephyr]

19. Chuck Hagel is the finest Republican Senator that party has.

He opposed the war in Iraq from the beginning. He makes John McCain look like a fraud.

[JWS]

20. Awwww, look at that sad face...

You don't won't that kid to have 2 daddies do you? Funny how this topic always comes up during an election year, don't the Repugs know they're being played like a piano?

[ComerPerro]

22. They would rather the kid not have a father at all

than to have "two daddies"

[Peanutcat]

21. I just wish someone would explain to me--

How denying gays the right to marry protects marriage?

[ComerPerro]

23. Its outright fraud, because they take statistics about kids who

live in single-parent households, and try to apply that to homes run by a gay family.

[OCDDAVID]

25. Hear me out on this...

Even though this kind of garbage pisses me off to no end I am trying not to blow my lid about it. I have a feeling that the more we shout about how inane, bigoted, and homophobic this crap is the more it's going to become an us against them mentality in their eyes. This in turn will give them more ot an incentive to get off their racist asses and vote. Let sleeping dogs lie I say.

http://IHateRedState.com

[iamjoy]

33. Well, Single Parents Must Be Gay

or hate their children. After all, if you really loved your child you'd stay with his/her abusive slob of a father or cheating bitch of a mother. If not, you either don't love your child (well, we won't assume THAT) or you must be gay.

Isn't that how it works?

:sarcasm:

[mwooldri]

51. And with the way divorce is going... how many single parents?

If these guys really want children to have a mum and a dad, then why not fix divorce? Perhaps they should stick to the catholic line and have no divorce and no remarriage? Ah but no, because as someone else put it, they're x-tians.

For some people, Ethics seems to be a place NE of London, England.

Mark.

[aquart]

24. How do they feel about the orphans of the Iraq war?

Many children have been left without mothers or fathers because the parent wore a US uniform and was blown to bits.

Where's the campaign to protect those children? Don't they deserve both parents?

[Stand and Fight]

26. This is thoroughly disgusting... This idea of a constitutional amendment..

It's outrageous that these people can continue to spread their hatred in the name of protecting children! The ONLY foster parent that I was ever happen with or came to love was gay. I'm now a married well-adjusted member of the ever-drowning middle class, and I can look back on my experiences in a gay foster home as a significant factor as to why I have turned out the way I have.

This religious right nonsense attacking gays and trumpetted by the idiot-in-chief is very saddening, but I want members of the GLBT community to know that I don't feel threatened in my marriage and neither does my wife. I want them to know along with the rest of America that gay Americans are just as good of parents -- if not better -- than heterosexuals. Children are not at all threatened by members of the GLBT community as much as they are by the political tactics and religious zealotry of the religious right.

President Bush -- you vile and idiotic beast -- do take note of that.

[gaspee]

27. They ran this ad in RI

with Chafee as the target. They should know better. He voted agasint it last time and has stated clearly he'll vote against it again. Let them waste their money.

RI is pretty gay friendly. Mayor of Providence is gay and while you get the asshole shock jocks making fun of him, he's pretty popular. RI is one of 5 states not to have an anti-gay marriage ammendment to our constitution and some members of the state house have voluntarily submitted legislation to make gay marriage legal. RI may very well be the first state to voluntarily make gay marriage legal.

Anyone out there who wants to get away from jesus land where you're made to feel like a freak, RI's a pretty good place to live for everyone, not just glbt.

[bdamomma]

48. us Rhode Islanders are pretty open minded

I am glad I come from a state like that, let's keep it that way.

[gademocrat7]

28. Dobson and his ilk are evil.

What a charlatan.

[Roland99]

29. So, children now miraculously just appear before man/woman get married?

:wtf:


What a STUPID ad!

[Maestro]

30. Absolutely disgusting!

The reason for some many one parent homes are so numerous and homosexuality is probably the reason which affects one parent homes the least, if any.

[Canuckistanian]

31. Who wants Chuck Hagel to say ANYTHING about your family?

It's none of his fucking business.

[muntrv]

34. religious right is a terrorist organization.

[Stephist]

35. You know what is more sad than this?

Focus On the Dobsons didn't feel the need to make the same ad for our "Democratic" senator Ben Nelson because they know he is in their back pockets.

Unless the adds are only for Republicans in which case I should apologize to Ben. I should but I won't.

[Stephist]

36. Have you dated your Daughter lately?

From the The Focus On the Dobsons website http://www.focusonyourchild.com/relation/art1/A0001857.html
Katie giggles as she waits for her date to come around and open the car door. The pair enters an ice cream shop. She sits down at the table as her date gently pushes in her chair. He takes her hand from across the table and asks, "What flavor would you like tonight, Sugar?" Katie smiles and says, "I'll have chocolate, Daddy."

More and more fathers are becoming aware of their influence and regularly dating their daughters... :o

[ForeverWinter]

44. Pretty ironic...

...since their one of their own arguements against gay marriage is "What's next? Marry your cat? A child? Ten other people?" And then dating your daughter is encouraged! WTF?

From the The Focus On the Dobsons website http://www.focusonyourchild.com/relation/art1/A0001857....
Katie giggles as she waits for her date to come around and open the car door. The pair enters an ice cream shop. She sits down at the table as her date gently pushes in her chair. He takes her hand from across the table and asks, "What flavor would you like tonight, Sugar?" Katie smiles and says, "I'll have chocolate, Daddy."

[Bear down under]

37. Just how do they do that?

I thought the reason why gay marriages -- indeed all gay people -- should be banned was precisely that they *didn't* lead to children and so put the survival of the human race at risk?

[MADem]

38. a compassionate society would not deliberately deny a child a mother

or father, eh??? Well, really, then, sounds like it's past time for not permitting anyone with kids to go to Iraq, based on that logic! Yeah, that's the ticket. Of course, what about not denying parents the joys of their children when they get blown up by an IED?

They kinda screw themselves with that OR word, anyway. They should have said mother AND father to make their bigoted point.

And, nothing against the pouting little snot who posed for the ad, but he doesn't inspire pity from me at all, just from a visual, visceral perspective. He looks like a little shit who's mad because he didn't get his way. Whaddaya wanna bet they bought the photo from stock? Incredible!! A schlocky, sloppy, hate-job!

[noahmijo]

41. Just curious does Dobson even have a family of his own?

You know since he has self appointed himself an expert in the matters of the family and all.


Ever notice how most of these family expert bastards from the Christian right are not married and have no children?

A fuckin thawed caveman would have more concept of reality than these buffoons.

[lostnfound]

42. Yes, and he believes in showing his penis to his son in the shower..

in order to ensure that his son understand what being a man is..and doesn't become effeminate. You know, as a last resort, in case the rough-tough treatment that he suggests doesn't work well enough.

And then recommending it to others in a book.

He has children. Scary, isn't it?

[lostnfound]

43. Typical rightwing thinking that form, not substance, is what matters

What does it mean to have parents? Why, it means having one person with breasts who cooks your meals, and another with a penis who orders you around.

If you don't have those two things, you are deprived.

This is soooo bizarre.

[IronLionZion]

46. So all single parents will get government issued spouses?

Know any well-behaved children that need to be adopted? :evilgrin:

[dave420]

47. The logic makes no sense.

How is stopping two people who can't reproduce getting married going to harm the children? Surely he should focus on stopping gay couples from adopting (as he clearly doesn't like that), and stopping people with kids from getting divorced. That would address the fears he seems to be suffering from. But no - it's all about getting married, which is far from the same as having kids.

What a fucking travesty.

[Rocknrule]

50. If it were 50 years ago

the ad would say "Doesn't Senator _______ care about every child having a mother and father of the same race?"
:puke:

[PegDAC]

52. Dobson

Needs to "Focus on His OWN Damn Family", and leave the rest of us alone!

:grr:

[anewdeal]

53. two parents are better than one

sometimes people use no logic at all.