If YOU were President, how would you go about dealing with

[prostock69]

the rift in America regarding the gay marriage issue and the Christian Taliban issue (especially if you are a Christian)? And when I say
Christian Taliban, I mean Christian Fundamentalists who want to change our constitution to reflect the laws of the bible and impose those laws on all people.

As the new President, you can't ignore them like they don't exist. This forces them into hiding only to grow stronger and meaner. As the economy tanks even more, more and more people are going to turn to churches for support, which is happening as I write this. So as the Christian Taliban grows bigger and stronger, how would you bring everyone together to tackle this issue? I am just curious to see what people's ideas are.

[Cattledog]

1. Evangelicals may make a strong comeback in 2012

if Obama is wrapped up in silly issues like Warren's prayer that ignite the "culture wars" and divide Progressives. Then where will we be?

[polichick]

5. All the more reason NOT to legitimize their con men leaders.

[AllentownJake]

6. I wonder if Obama had never invited him

Would there be a controversy now? Would progressives be divided? Would there be a culture war reignition if he buckles under pressure to disinvite him?

Would there be talking heads saying Obama snubbed Rick Warren by not inviting him? Not fucking likley.

[CTyankee]

12. I think Obama truly feels this was a gesture of inclusivity that would serve him well in

getting his whole agenda accomplished. The results of his decision to include Warren at the Inaural remain to be seen.

Obama knows that if he excluded Warren, nobody would say he snubbed Warren. I think Obama views this gesture as an opportunity for him. Otherwise, he wouldn't have done it...

[AllentownJake]

21. Than Obama is either Naive

or craven. Don't know which is worse.

[whistler162]

26. Or Obama is a H**L of a lot smarter than....

you or I ocmbined.

WHich is the most likely case.

[CTyankee]

27. I'd say neither, but he may be wrong in what he thinks his outcome will be.

The guy ran the best political campaign I've ever seen and I've been around a long time. I don't think he did this naively. And I don't think he's craven. He has an idea about how to get at the polarization of our society and he thinks he knows how to solve it. As I said, we'll see...

[Cattledog]

24. Good point on inclusive!

[Solon]

2. Well, since its already after the election, and I'm in office, I'd come out in support of gay...

marriage and implore every American to think about it, that it doesn't negatively affect your marriage, yet secures the rights of a minority that has been treated horribly in this country. But hey, that's just me. Then I would push to legalize it nationwide.

In other words, I'd would fight the Christian Taliban here, head on, Americans will make their own judgments.

[alwysdrunk]

8. So like the OP said you would ignore them and act like they don't exist

No one who thinks like you will ever be elected president.

[Solon]

11. I wouldn't ignore them, I would CONFRONT THEM, there's a difference...

they should be confronted, on their own hypocrisy, on their bigotry. I would try to expose them for the dipshits they are. I would use my office as President for as a Public Platform saying: "This is enough, we don't need, nor want, people to use and abuse religion to hate others. All Americans deserve equal respect and equal rights regardless of Sexual Orientation."

[AllentownJake]

13. Yes we do seem to have alot of Neville Chamberlin's on here

[Solon]

14. Notice that I didn't get any response back...

he either disagrees, or agrees. He probably agrees, but doesn't want to admit it.

[AllentownJake]

15. I'm surprised I didn't get any responses to my deportation idea

Seems like the optimal solution. Let the fundamentalist on both sides, who the only thing they disagree with is the name of their God, take each other out.

[Solon]

16. Sounds like a good idea to me, though I must admit, doesn't sound practical...

So I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree on that particular issue. :)

[AllentownJake]

18. Probably cheaper than sending troops there

:rofl:

[alwysdrunk]

31. I don't really disagree

I think there should be more people out there saying exactly what you just said. It's just a political reality that no one saying that will be elected president. Not in 2008. They wouldn't be considered "electable" and would be basically be a "vanity candidate" like Al Sharpton. I hate that that's true, but it's true.

[Solon]

32. I would settle for a guy who lied himself into office, and then pulled a 180 while there...

There is precedence for this, FDR ran on a rather moderate platform, and as soon as he was elected into office, he adopted large sections of the Socialist Party's platform, much of which became the "New Deal".

[alwysdrunk]

35. So, a pro-gay Manchurian Candidate basically.

Fair enough. The OP asked what would YOU do.

Still, it is more than unreasonable to expect Obama or anyone else to be that. I personally don't think it will have to come to that, gay marriage will be here before anyone who could do that would actually try.

[Jamastiene]

Somebody has to stand up to them sooner or later.

That is what I would do too.

If someone doesn't stand up to them at some point, and instead we keep giving them inch after inch while they take mile after mile, we might as well plan on giving up any progress we've made anywhere, because they'll take us all the way back to the stone age.

[AllentownJake]

3. Deportation to Afghanistan

and let the Gods sort them out.

[polichick]

4. First of all, it's critical to show great respect for the Constitution...

...by holding those who have trampled it accountable and by making sure EVERY American enjoys full rights.

Beyond that, as president I would use the bully pulpit to call out the con men/Taliban (not by name, but by deeds) and to ask mainstream Christians to speak out for what Jesus really taught.

I would give national attention to ministers who respect the Constitution and all Americans.

That's just a beginning...

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

7. First I'd work on the economy

because that is something everyone agrees must be fixed. Getting people mortgage relief and getting people jobs (or allowing them to keep existing jobs) will generate a lot of support from across the political spectrum. By coming up with a New Deal style retooling of our economy, we have people turning to government for solutions. The next thing I would do would be work on the global warming issue, educating our public on the real peril and stress the need of using science to solve this. By stressing the common need of survival, I would be making sure that any anti-science ideas from the Christian Taliban sound as if they don't want the world to survive. This will peel away many followers, leaving only the Endtime Handmaiden-types who think the Rapture will happen any day now. Finally, I would take the opportunity to educate the public on what homosexuality is. This may sound stupid, but many seem to think pedophiles are the same as homosexuals. There is also the quaint notion that homosexuals don't have strong and lasting relationships. I'd spotlight long term relationships that homosexuals have had--like the lovely lesbian couple who married in SF after having been together over 50 years. I'd mention how heartbreaking it must have been for a beloved actor like Raymond burr to have to hide his long term relationship and how he gave away all that he owned before his death to make sure that his partner would have what a married surviving spouse would acquire as a matter of course. I'd make sure that a gay was Secretary of the Navy, and pragmatically suggest that allowing gays to serve openly in the military is a patriotic and practical idea.

[AllentownJake]

9. First of all when you are dealing with fundamentalist of any stripe

There is no outreach that can be done by anyone that will get them to change their mind...that is why they are called fundamentalist. They don't change their minds. If they changed their minds they wouldn't be relying on a 2000 year old book where the wheel barrow is advanced technology as the source of all good knowledge.

The way you defeat these people is marginalize them into smaller and smaller communities till eventually they are like the Amish fighting against electricity. You don't marginalize them by offering them a seat at a table or by honoring them. That is how you empower them and to be quite frank they think you are weak for doing it. They don't respect you more they respect you less when you reach out to them because obviously your principles aren't that important to you as they are to them. So in addition to empowering them you also embolden them

I say hit them with the tax code when they endorse political candidates. Wage war on them. Smoke them out. No Quarter.

[elkston]

10. I'd ignore the issue and say it was State's Rights subject.

I would also come out against any kind of Constitutional amendment that tried to define marraige.

[Blarch]

17. The Taliban have peeled the face off a live person.

many times.

Let me know when the right wing start doing that. Jeeesh. This shit is getting old.

[AllentownJake]

19. Ok,

Maybe didn't peel the face off...but you get the gist

http://gaylife.about.com/od/hatecrimes/Hate_Crimes.htm

[JerseygirlCT]

20. I'd enlist some very eloquent people to join me,

and I'd take a stand for what is right, not what is expedient or what people are ready to do.

I think a firm commitment and a very good explanation of why - even a good explanation of why in Christian terms for those who need to hear it that way - combined with all else he brings to the table on all matter of issues - would go a long, long way.

[Bucky]

22. Great question. I agree that fundamentalists should be engaged in a respectful debate

But as I wouldn't make Col Sanders the guest of honor in the Chicken Coop's Annual Holiday Feast, I wouldn't invite a leading advocate of intolerance to pray for God's blessings in the opening ceremonies for my administration.

I would invite people like Rick Warren to the White House, ask them to join in anti-poverty councils, engage him in interfaith outreaches, maybe let him light up a candle one night for the White House Kwanzaa menorah. I believe in constructive, respectful engagement; I believe in civility.

I just don't think you have to spit in some of your supporters' faces to get there.

[AllentownJake]

23. Most reasonable post I've seen in 2 days.

[lunatica]

25. It's the Constitution stupid (just using a phrase here)

Separation of Church and State. I would open a national debate on the Constitution and the wisdom, or lack thereof, of allowing the Church to govern in a country that accept all religions (even Santeria) but who's government is based on the deliberate separation of Church and State and has explicitly stated that the Church cannot govern. Period. Let the recriminations, accusations, hysteria and rumble fly. The dust will settle and our Constitution will come out stronger for it by dint of being placed in it's rightful position as the foundation of our Democracy.

As far as I know there is no group of people in this country who actively advocates against religion per se or against the right and freedom to pursue one's religious choices. All people who belong to any religion have all the rights that everyone is

Although personally I don't see how being born into a religion is anything close to the idea behind the words 'freedom of religion' since most people don't really choose their religion. But I guess the same can be said for one's political inclinations.

[LWolf]

28. I would honor the separation of church and state.

I would go so far as to do everything I could to make that separation a deep, wide, unbridgeable chasm.

And I would do so in the name of protecting religious freedom.

[Fire Walk With Me]

29. Great question.

It's possible that Obama is already doing so. These things require scrutiny, so bringing them into the light of public awareness is very important. The time is obviously right for positive change (an African-American in the White House!) and outrage against Proposition 8 and similar; at this time, we seem to be in critical mass, or some sort of pinion into greater equality and freedom, and the empetus must be followed. Outrage against Bush and his bullies and love of torture and mocking the public have quite naturally resulted in people being uncomfortable, then rebellious against such things. Now we're working to change things so it's less likely that BushCo can happen again. This goes for the religious bullies as well.

I think "you're soaking in it" ;) It's happening already, and will continue to do so.

[Lyric]

30. I'd uphold the Constitution as it was written, and tell people that sometimes liberty

means allowing people we disapprove of to be free too.

The First Amendment says no making laws based on religious dogma. The Fourteenth Amendment guarantees equal protection under the law. Banning gay marriage violates both, because there IS no rational justification for opposing it that isn't rooted in religion, and we are DEFINITELY being treated unequally before the law.

If they don't like the Constitution, they can try to amend it. Until then, the rule of law must prevail.

[Phredicles]

33. Step 1 would involve the installation of lion habitats in the larger stadiums,

But then there are plenty of other reasons why I'm probably not a viable political candidate.:evilgrin:

[Chan790]

34. That's easy:

1.) Universal marriage equality.
2.) Constitutional amendment codifying a right to privacy and reproductive freedom.

3.) Watch all the fundies self-immolate.

Now can we address some real issues like healthcare, the environment and the economy?

[Kitsune]

36. Step 1: Tax mega-churches.

No free lunch for con artists.