Recent Posts

hate

Michele Bachmann compares letter from Muslims to Hitler’s Mein Kampf

by The Big E on December 12, 2012 · 0 comments

Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) built her following by going on right wing radio and spouting the crazy and spreading the fear as well as the conspiracy theories on right wing radio. Personally, I think she feels safe there. Safe to tell everyone how she really feels about issues.

When she’s on right wing radio, she likes to talk about the insidious threat to our national security of “creeping sharia law.”

Think Progress has the details:

On a conservative radio program over the weekend, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) went on an anti-Muslim tirade, making accusations about Muslims that ranged from the offensive to the absurd. Within her long conversation with host Jan Markell and co-host Eric Barger, Bachmann suggested that Americans read Islamic study materials to learn about Muslims’ supposed plot to conquer Western civilization, comparing the tactic to reading Adolf Hitler’s infamous book, Mein Kampf.

During the interview, Bachmann said she had proof that there was creeping sharia law – or, Islamic law – infiltrating the United States. That proof? A letter signed by groups of Muslim-Americans asking the Department of Homeland Security to stop distributing anti-Muslim materials:

BACHMANN: That’s right. That’s why we need to know what their belief system is; we need to know what they truly believe. That’s why the most important thing a person could do in WWII was to read the book that the leader of Germany wrote.

BARGER: Mein Kampf.

BACHMANN: Because he laid out very clearly what his intention was, he wasn’t hiding it, the Islamist does the same thing. They do not hide it, they lay it out very clearly. But what we’ve never seen before is the United States aiding and abetting that goal.


facebooktwittergoogle_plusredditpinterestlinkedinmail

{ 0 comments }

Hate-filled, racist Republican vision of America crumbled last Tuesday

by The Big E on November 13, 2012 · 4 comments

Remember how Republican candidates this past election lauded the Real Americans they’d meet in some podunk Republican stronghold? Remember how this implied that all of us Americans who live on the West Coast or in cities or in the North East of the US weren’t Real Americans?

I found this tweet from Minnesotans for Marriage campaign manager Andy Parrish interesting:


This fits the Fox News Republican Tea Party narrative that only the God-fearing, immigrant hating, gay hating, Obama haters are real Americans. The demographic problem with this narrative is a majority of Americans now live in metropolitan areas.

But I think Parrish’s quip get to something deeper. The racist, hate-filled right wing vision of his America was mostly destroyed last Tuesday. Gay Marriage is the law in 3 more states. Obama won despite a weak economy and the bazillions of dollars spent by SuperPACs to buy this election for Mitt Romney. A diarist at Daily Kos nailed it>:

Let me share this brief back and forth I had today in one of the forums I frequent, with a severely conservative, Christian man I assume from the context of previous postings, to be in the 50-60 year old range.  Let’s call him Bob and it all started with this question:
Bob – Is it America voting for President, or immigrants? Are immigrants really American, or just trying to be American?

Vent – America is immigrants. Without immigrants, there is no America, there are no Founding Fathers, there is no Constitution. Nuff said!

Bob – Obviously the exemplary argument.

Vent – Sorry if you hate what America is but those are the facts. The only “real” American’s are Native Americans. Everyone else is either an immigrant, a descendent of immigrants or a descendent of slavery.

Bob – It looks like you are the one that hates America for what it is, or was, or whatever. There is evidence that white people were in America prior to the “Native” Americans. The cave in Utah had tall red headed people in them, killed by “Natives”. The magical land bridge the “Natives” crossed from Russia, into Alaska, and etc….

At this point I realized we’d run out of tin foil on aisle 4 and as I walked away from the computer I laughed thinking, “this is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”  But then my laughter turned to confusion and then sadness as I began to process what he was really trying to say to me.  I obviously understood he was in mourning over the loss but as I dwelled on this brief exchange, I began to realize that it’s about much more than his candidate simply not winning and far beyond any political party.  This was much deeper than all of that.

What Bob had really lost in this election was his vision of America.  The vision that had been preserved since before he was born and the vision he grew up fighting to preserve.  Now, we’re not talking about a “Romney” vision of America where it’s about making the rich, richer with more trickle down economics.  No, he was talking about an America of, by and for white people.  With the re-election of Barack Obama, he saw his vision of America crumble for good and it’s the same vision that all of conservatism saw crumble.

The depths of depression and soul searching going on in the GOP is rooted in that thinking.  For them it’s the same.  It’s not just losing an election.  This election was special.  This election was for all the marbles but not because they want to cut spending or balance the budget for fear of rising debt. No, that’s just a smoke screen for the agenda that has survived for way to long.
[my emphasis]

facebooktwittergoogle_plusredditpinterestlinkedinmail

{ 4 comments }

Teach Our Children Well

by Peabody on May 27, 2012 · 0 comments

When adults declare that some people are less worthy than others of the full rights of citizenship because of their race, or gender, or sexual orientation, do we ever stop to consider the lessons of hatred and bigotry that are imparted to our children?

At first, I was reluctant to distribute the attached video; it is incendiary and WAY over the top. But on further reflection, I realize that sometimes it takes a message that is grossly exaggerated to get a point across:

When we see images of Nazi Youth blindly following a leader who would put Jews in concentration camps, we understand how hatred and bigotry are spread from generation to generation. When we see church-goers following a Pastor who would put “lesbians and queers” in concentration camps, or another Pastor who teaches that “God Hates Fags”, do we not realize that they, too, are sowing the seeds for another generation of hate?

Is it any wonder, then, that one can so easily find images of hate and prejudice on the internet? Any wonder a young man can state he’d be okay with our government executing homosexuals?

As the campaign over the Marriage Discrimination Amendment proceeds, will they be aware of the messages they are sending to the children, the ones who will inevitably be exposed to the scare ads that millions of out-of-state dollars will buy on our TV, radio, print, and internet?

By spreading messages that loving same-sex couples are less than worthy of the full protections of our government, including the protections of legal recognition of their relationships, then these groups are, in actuality, spreading a message of exclusion, bigotry, and hate — and make no mistake, our children will be watching.

facebooktwittergoogle_plusredditpinterestlinkedinmail

{ 0 comments }

Homophobes crawl out from underneath their rocks for Anoka school board meeting

by The Big E on January 11, 2012 · 0 comments

The Anoka-Hennepin School Board met last night and heard testimony from the public about their proposed rewrite of their LGBT policy. Their district has garnered national attention for the high rate of LGBT teen suicides, the consequent lawsuits and their utterly tone deaf response to the needs of their LGBT students. Their actions and their proposed policy indicate they may be beyond tone deaf and may be fueling the suffering of LGBT students in their district.

Of course, the right wing nut jobs crawled out from under the rocks under which they live to push their agenda of hate. Laurie Thompson from the bizarrely named Parents Action League led the charge against showing any compassion toward LGBT students.

The [Parents Action League's] Laurie Thompson, of Andover, said the board is retreating from promises to stick with the current policy and that LGBT advocates using lawsuits to get their way.

“If you appease them now, they will only be back with another lawsuit to gain more advances into our public schools,” she asserted. “They will not rest until they have completed their goal of ‘queering the curriculum.’”
(MPR)

!ZOMG! Not Teh Gayz Agenda of World Domination!?! Will all Anoka-Hennepin students be forced to gay marry by the Queer Conspiracy?

Swede Jebus save us.

– Picture of Laurie Thompson from City Pages

facebooktwittergoogle_plusredditpinterestlinkedinmail

{ 0 comments }

Bachmann doesn’t hate muslims, they are just props in her conspiracy theories

by The Big E on December 23, 2011 · 0 comments

In Rep. Michele Bachmann’s (R-MN) conspiracy theories, muslims are often the bad guys. Her latest is that Iran will nuke Israel. She has claimed on numerous occasions that Iran has stated on the record that they will nuke Israel once their nuclear weapons program produces a warhead. Her conspiracy theory has been repeatedly debunked, but the truth rarely if ever matters for her.

A feud inside the GOP presidential field provoked Michele Bachmann to defend her hard line on Iran on Saturday while insisting that she doesn’t “hate Muslims.”

Bachmann repeated variations on that phrase in at least three cities during her 99 county bus tour of Iowa.
“I don’t hate Muslims.  I love the American people.  And as president of the United States, my goal will be to keep America safe, free, and sovereign,” Bachmann told reporters Saturday morning  in Estherville.

The unusually personal self-defense is the latest element in a back-and-forth with U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, who criticized Bachmann on national television Friday night.

Appearing on NBC’s “Tonight Show,” Paul said Bachmann “doesn’t like” Muslims.

“She hates Muslims,” Paul added. “She wants to go get ‘em.”

The origins of the feud go back to Thursday’s Fox News debate, in Sioux City, where Paul and Bachmann locked horns over how to handle the prospect of a nuclear Iran.
(MSNBC)

Bachmann doesn’t hate muslims. She doesn’t hate Teh Gayz. She doesn’t hate anyone.

They are just props in her fear-mongering and hate-mongering.

facebooktwittergoogle_plusredditpinterestlinkedinmail

{ 0 comments }

Islamophobes freak out because muslims might build mosque in Plymouth

by The Big E on August 19, 2011 · 0 comments

The Plymouth, MN Planning Commission heard testimony about a proposed mosque.  Unsurprisingly, the racist Islamophobes were there to share their fear and hatred.  Let’s begin with Connie Sambor’s testimony:

Connie Sambor told the planning commission that there already is a community center in Plymouth, and it doesn’t need another. Then things got weird:

“How soon we forget the horrors of 9/11 and subsequent reminders of the Shoe Bomber, Underwear Bomber, the Times Square bomber, the Fort Hood massacre,” Sambor said.

“This,” she went on, “is an ideology that wants to destroy–” before she was cut off by a commissioner, who tried to remind her that the meeting was not meant for political statements.

Sambor tried to make one last point, which in theory is a reference to land use: “They can find a more appropriate place than downtown Plymouth for this,” she said.

Unreasoning hatred has no place in Minnesota.  The baseless fear-mongering of these Islamophobes has no place in Minnesota.

Next up was the rantings of Jeff Baumann (pictured above):

It sounds like not everyone wants to “hang out.” Jeff Baumann, of Coon Rapids, said he was raised in Saudi Arabia and is “very, very informed about Islam.” Baumann said he’d fought against Shariah mortgages and attended a board meeting of TiZA, the Islamic charter school.

As Baumann began to read from a book about Islam, he was interrupted, and again Commission Chairman Jim Davis tried to interject with the purpose of the meeting.

“Land use, aiding the enemy, is treason,” Baumann said.

“These are not my enemies, sir,” Davis said.

Baumann continued, and eventually Davis had his microphone cut, with several others in attendance yelling at Baumann, “Sit down!”

So … building a mosque in America is treason?  The stupid, it hurts.  Please make it stop.

facebooktwittergoogle_plusredditpinterestlinkedinmail

{ 0 comments }

Target CEO Steinhafel’s flim flammery: pro Tom Emmer, neutral on marriage discrimination

by The Big E on June 14, 2011 · 0 comments

In 2010, Target gave $150,000 to support the campaign of homophobic Republican MN-GOV candidate Tom Emmer.  They paid a steep price.  The backlash probably cost them far more than the $150K they donated.

Have they learned their lesson?

While I was in Barcelona last week, Target CEO Gregg Steinhafel told shareholders the company would remain neutral instead of actively support right wing hate:

Minneapolis-based retailer Target told investors on Wednesday that the company will not be taking sides on the anti-gay marriage amendment slated for the 2012 ballot. The shareholders meeting in Pittsburgh, the first held since a nationwide boycott targeted the stores last fall over its corporate contributions to Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer, drew protesters critical of the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision and members of the LGBT community. Target’s announcement comes as Twin Cities LGBT Pride festivities get under way – an event for which Target is a major sponsor.

The boycott last year had a real effect on Target’s bottom line.  Plus, they lost out on a huge deal because Lady Gaga canceled her exclusive release deal with them because of Target’s pro-hate stance.  Lady Gaga disc sold over 1 million CDs in the first week.

So … does changing from actively supporting homophobia to neutral equal any real change?  Twin Cities Pride doesn’t think so:

“Our Board of Directors was appalled this week to learn that Target has publicly stated a neutral position on the Constitutional amendment to define marriage as between one man and one woman.”

The group says it will use the opportunity to educate Target about the amendment and solicited comments on its Facebook page to send to Target. Those comments ran the gamut.

“I don’t like how it is seeming that Target is jumping on the ‘band-wagon’ when it benefits them, but then jumping off or feigning neutrality when asked to stand by their actions,” wrote one community member. “You can’t have your cake and eat it too Target. Choosing to throw themselves in the ring politically and by sponsoring Pride, I feel, opens them up for needing to state where they are on this issue.”
(MN Independent)


facebooktwittergoogle_plusredditpinterestlinkedinmail

{ 0 comments }

Target CEO Gregg Steinhafel – Flip-Flopping Phony

by TwoPuttTommy on June 9, 2011 · 0 comments

Ever since Target decided to wade in on the MN-GOV election last year with a big check for notoriously anti-gay Tom Emmer, I haven’t shopped there.  And I’m hardly the only one; for instance, check out the YouTube below.

Why Target’s CEO – Greg Steinhafel – hasn’t been fired is beyond me.  And it’s not that Steinhafel – personally – is a big donor to the Mn GOP and GOP candidates – it’s his money, and it’s his right to donate to who he wants.  It’s that Steinhafel is the guy who apparently has “The Buck Stops THERE!!!” sign on his desk.  Steinhafel has given me no reason to once again shop at Target; if anything, his actions make me more determined that until Steinfels goes, I don’t go to Target.

Steinfel’s latest Mea Nota Culpa?  From CityPages.com:

Now, CEO Gregg Steinhafel is telling Target shareholders that the company isn’t taking a position on the gay marriage ban campaign now getting cranked up ahead of the 2012 elections.

“We are going to be neutral on that particular issue, as we would be on other social issues that have polarizing points of view,” Steinhafel says.

So, why is that a complete BS?  From the Strib:

(Steinhafel) said Target will stay politically neutral when it comes to social issues such as gay marriage but wants “a seat at the table” when it comes to business issues such as credit-card swipe fees, health care, tax and trade issues.

“…business issues…”? “…BUSINESS ISSUES..”??!?

Apparently, in the cruel and cold-hearted conservative world Steinhafel lives, the happiness and well-being of employees that happen to love someone of the same sex and want the same right to wed as everyone else isn’t a “business issue.”

Maybe Steinhafel thinks The Bradlee Dean Anti-Marriage Amendment is a “social issue” – I think not.  It’s a human rights issue.  

If Steinhafel wants Target Corp’s Corporate Treasury donating to candidates based on their business beliefs, he better be sending Target dough to help defeat The Bradlee Dean Anti-Marriage Amendment.

Or he’d better not be sending anything from Target Corp’s Corporate Treasury to anybody.

Once Steinhafel quits these flip-flopping “contortions” (that’s what CityPages calls ‘em; go on over there for their take AND links to some coverage City Pages has given Steinhafel’s FUBAR) he might just mend a few fences and regain a few customers.

Of course, if Target Corp simply decided to (stuff)-can Steinhafel, and replace him with someone that isn’t the cold-hearted conservative Steinhafel is, they might regain a lot.


facebooktwittergoogle_plusredditpinterestlinkedinmail

{ 0 comments }

Who are the ‘democrats’ who voted for discrimination and hate?

by rachel_nygaard on May 22, 2011 · 0 comments

Last night, the Marriage Discrimination Amendment (aka the the Bradlee Dean Amendment) passed the house floor. There were a total of 3 democrats who voted for this hate filled bill (2 representatives and 1 senator). This proposed amendment to the state constitution will now go to the voters in the 2012 general election. We now have time to contemplate our support for democrats who don’t support our ideals. Who are these politicians who voted to put hate into our constitution?
Dittrich
Representative Dittrich (47A – Champlin): This year Rep Dittrich has voted against a woman’s right to choose, voted to the ‘voting reform’ (voter id), and voted to put discrimination into our state constitution. Looking back at her voting record, it appears that she usually votes for every GOP amendment. Here are a few:

Voted for voter ID amendment
Voted against min wage increase
Voted against providing resident tuition for undocumented immigrants who provide evidence they plan to become a perminent resident.
Voted against clean water legacy act
Voted against stem cell research

Representative Koenen (20B – Clara City)Koenen This year has voted against a woman’s right to choose and the marriage amendment. In previous years, voted with the GOP on numerous amendments. Here are a few:

Voted against sex education in schools
Voted for voter ID amendment
Voted against providing resident tuition for undocumented immigrants who provide evidence they plan to become a perminent resident.
Voted against domestic partner death rights
Voted against stem cell research

Senator Stumpf (01 – Plummer)Stumpf This year, Senator Stumpf has voted to block a woman’s right to choose and for the marriage amendment. Senator Stumpf has an extensive ‘not voted’ record over the years – almost every bill/amendment listed in Rep Dittmer and Koenen’s votes with the GOP list are listed as ‘not voted’ for Senator Stumpf. Here are some votes he was present for:

Voted to end the prohibition on new nuclear power plants
Voted against domestic partner death rights

Again, I remind the state DFL, there is NO room for discrimination or hate in our party. This is a party of inclusion. Voting to restrict the rights of others is NOT acceptable – whether for access to medical care or spending the life with someone you love. Politicians that vote to block these rights should not be supported by the Democratic Party.

As if we weren’t all fired up already, this is the kind of discrimination we will be fighting for the 2012 elections.
Senator Limmer (R) in 2009 put forth an amendment to the anti-bullying in schools bill:

Vote to adopt an amendment to SF 971 that specifies that nothing in the parent bill shall be construed to mean that the state of Minnesota condones homosexuality or bisexuality and that nothing shall be construed to mean that education institutions are permitted to promote homosexuality or bisexuality or require them to be taught as “acceptable lifestyles.”


facebooktwittergoogle_plusredditpinterestlinkedinmail

{ 0 comments }

Who are the ‘democrats’ who voted for discrimination and hate?

by rachel_nygaard on May 22, 2011 · 0 comments

Last night, the Marriage Discrimination Amendment (aka the the Bradlee Dean Amendment) passed the house floor. There were a total of 3 democrats who voted for this hate filled bill (2 representatives and 1 senator). This proposed amendment to the state constitution will now go to the voters in the 2012 general election. We now have time to contemplate our support for democrats who don’t support our ideals. Who are these politicians who voted to put hate into our constitution?
Dittrich
Representative Dittrich (47A – Champlin): This year Rep Dittrich has voted against a woman’s right to choose, voted to the ‘voting reform’ (voter id), and voted to put discrimination into our state constitution. Looking back at her voting record, it appears that she usually votes for every GOP amendment. Here are a few:

Voted for voter ID amendment
Voted against min wage increase
Voted against providing resident tuition for undocumented immigrants who provide evidence they plan to become a perminent resident.
Voted against clean water legacy act
Voted against stem cell research

Representative Koenen (20B – Clara City)Koenen This year has voted against a woman’s right to choose and the marriage amendment. In previous years, voted with the GOP on numerous amendments. Here are a few:

Voted against sex education in schools
Voted for voter ID amendment
Voted against providing resident tuition for undocumented immigrants who provide evidence they plan to become a perminent resident.
Voted against domestic partner death rights
Voted against stem cell research

Senator Stumpf (01 – Plummer)Stumpf This year, Senator Stumpf has voted to block a woman’s right to choose and for the marriage amendment. Senator Stumpf has an extensive ‘not voted’ record over the years – almost every bill/amendment listed in Rep Dittmer and Koenen’s votes with the GOP list are listed as ‘not voted’ for Senator Stumpf. Here are some votes he was present for:

Voted to end the prohibition on new nuclear power plants
Voted against domestic partner death rights

Again, I remind the state DFL, there is NO room for discrimination or hate in our party. This is a party of inclusion. Voting to restrict the rights of others is NOT acceptable – whether for access to medical care or spending the life with someone you love. Politicians that vote to block these rights should not be supported by the Democratic Party.

As if we weren’t all fired up already, this is the kind of discrimination we will be fighting for the 2012 elections.
Senator Limmer (R) in 2009 put forth an amendment to the anti-bullying in schools bill:

Vote to adopt an amendment to SF 971 that specifies that nothing in the parent bill shall be construed to mean that the state of Minnesota condones homosexuality or bisexuality and that nothing shall be construed to mean that education institutions are permitted to promote homosexuality or bisexuality or require them to be taught as “acceptable lifestyles.”


facebooktwittergoogle_plusredditpinterestlinkedinmail

{ 0 comments }

← Previous Entries