The religious phonies who rule our government

[destruction]

The religious phonies who rule our government

By DOUG THOMPSON

May 19, 2006, 09:37

Sadly, homophobia rules in the United State Senate.

I suppose I should expect such intolerance in a legislative body ruled by the Republican Party - the home of racists, bigots and hate. Led by the biggest homophobe of all - President George W. Bush - the GOP continues to represent repression at the highest level.

The latest assault comes at the hands of the Senate Judiciary Committee in a session so heated that Democratic member Russ Feingold stalked out as Chairman Arlen Specter chanted "Good riddance!"

The committee, in a private session, approved a constitutional ban on gay marriage - just the latest Republican assault on liberty - a measure that mandates that marriage is only legal between a man and a woman.

Bush, the homophobe-in-chief, declared the constitutional amendment a major part of his "political capital" after the 2004 election. His fellow homophobes in the Senate appear determined to back his bigoted ways.

I'm not surprised. I worked with enough Republicans while in Washington to realize the party is overrun by gay-bashers, racists and bigots. What they call "family values" is nothing more than a call to arms against anyone who doesn't buy into their limited, hate-filled view of life. What they call decent is nothing more than old-fashioned intolerance at its worst.

These right-wing fanatics tout the Bible when they think they have found an obscure verse that supports their narrow-minded views and then ignore the overall teachings of religion that promote love and tolerance. Not surprisingly, they treat the Constitution with the same, callous disregard.

Bush claims to be a Christian but curses like a sailor, often taking the Lord's name in vain. In fact, "goddamn" is one of Bush's favorite obscenities. At the very least, this is odd behavior for a so-called Christian.

But I don't, for a second, believe Bush is a Christian or a religious man. He is an opportunist who uses religion as a political tool as do far too many of the so-called family-value Republicans who infect Congress like a rampaging cancer.

True Christians would not promote the hate, intolerance and bigotry that come out of Congress. True Christians would not continue to back an illegal invasion of another country, one that had led to the deaths of thousands of American soldiers and many thousands of Iraqi civilians.

True Christians would not try to amend the U.S. Constitution to declare love the sole province of heterosexuals.

True Christianity cannot exist in a Congress ruled by the Republican Party.

© Copyright 2005 Capitol Hill Blue

http://www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/printer_8663.shtml