Letters to the Editor
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A Marriage Made In Heaven
These guys deserve each other -- Rudy can wave the bloody shirt of 9-11 while Pat reminds America that they deserved it. Go figure.
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Tax exempt???
Is Pat Robertson's 700 Club a religious organization & Christian Coalition tax exempt???
Can the IRS look into this?
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Ugh!
Every Election brings Pat Robertson into the news.
Kinda like looking into a toilet.
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No surprise here
When everyone first started talking about the supposed "rift" between Giuliani, I knew it was bogus. The only people who were surprised were those who, for reasons I can never figure out, actually still believe that right-wing Christianists care about family values and morals and all that.
Nonsense. They use these "character issues" to beat up Democratic candidates, but they only use them in service of their real goal--power and money.
Does anyone really doubt that Robertson would endorse Satan himself if Old Scratch promised to keep the faith-based tax revenues flowing to the likes of Robertson?
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Ask yourself why
The discussion needs to continue with a discussion of the real foundation of today's alliance and what goals these two could possibly have in common.
Many seem to dismiss this endorsement of Giuliani as an attempt by Robertson to gain early access and influence or simply trying to remain relevant. Some argue it's about the Surpreme Court, as if presidential politics is that transparent.
What's really going on here is that Robertson sees Giuliani as the one most likely to continue the hot war between Christianity and Islam, further empowering Israel and working towards the absurdity of the apocalyptic end times prophecies that keep the cash rolling into Christian fundamentalist leadership year after year. For those who haven't seen it, watch the PBS Bill Moyers Journal episode with John Hagee entitled Christians United for Isreal from this October. Robertson and Hagee are part of the cult that has co-opted this presidency and is about to lead our nation into war with Iran in the coming months, very likely using the construct of protecting Israel as a justification. End times indeed.
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Evangelical support and all that glitters isn't gold!
What if it had instead been Rev.Jimmy Swaggart who announced his support for Giuliani? How would the public have reacted to Rudy's endorsement by this other famous evangelical.Sure Rev.Swaggart is now history owing to his greed,lust and of course getting caught,which is simply just some of the predictable overhead in that business - and it is a business,a big one!
But aside from Swaggart's several moral blemishes and his cliche evangelical hypocrisy,Swaggart was not an authoritarian demagogue who while hiding behind the name of Jesus,lusted and conspired for ultimate power over America and even the world.Rudy's friend Pat of course can't make that same claim.Strange thing is none of Guiliani's other supporters seem capable of or concerned with making that analysis.
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Language!!!
The goal of everyone that identifies with progressive politics and are interested in the upcoming U.S. election (and that's a lot of us) I think that is important to remember the power of language in constructing ideas about subjects. For example, this article on Giuliani played into the hands of conservatives and Republicans by using language that could be construed as derisive towards a tolerant world view and by using language that is commonly understood as positive in relationship to foreign policy and/or crime. Well words like "libertine" and "toughness" are not in and of themselves explicitly words that bias towards conservative ideology, they are words that can be bent towards intolerance. The word "libertine" can be used to as an epithet by conservatives that seek to denigrate those of us that value an inclusive and tolerant society and "toughness" is tied in with normative masculine values such as decisivenesses.
Perhaps a better phrasing would have been: "Loyal viewers of Robertson's "700 Club" who militantly oppose abortion and recoil at lifestyles..." or "But conservatives already strongly attracted to the former New York mayor's and 9/11 allure might put their qualms about abortion aside because of Robertson's imprimatur."
Lets be honest with ourselves, the breed of xenophobic, profit-mad, apocalyptic lunatics that have hijacked conservatism in The U.S. (and elsewhere) do not deserve to have linguistic or rhetorical punches pulled for them; and notions of journalistic impartiality (nonsense that that is) must be suspended when dealing with such unutterable threats.
We must not be complacent in our use of language as no quarter will be given for us. Our opponent will use vilifying language to denigrate their opponents at every opportunity and we, as responsible citizens of the world, must not shy away from these tactics. We all want to make a better world, but we may have to get dirty in the process.
Good luck America!
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Dammit I missed words!!!
SORRY!!!!
In those quoted sections I meant to insert the words "inclusive" in place of "libertine" and "pigheadedness" in place of "toughness"
And yes I am aware that these and other text errors detract from my argument but it cold up here and I'm keeping Mr. Whiskey for warmth!
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Worldwarrior support trumps abortion worries!
Maybe that creepy dispensationalist can get Rudi to assasinate Chavez for him.
I wonder if Rudi shares the belief that those 9/11 victims paid the big price for all those queers and commies in NYC?
The Robertson support is the best news yet for the Democratic hopefuls. It wold have been a shame to waste such a resource on an ex-POW or a heathen LDS- and that T.V actor? Why he'd as soon stop the antiChrist as pass on an luch invite to Ellaine's. Gotta go with the strongest divider! Cursed nation is way too unified, huh, Pat, you old hater!
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Anonymous @ 9:58 says Ugh! I tease. no be angry.
Because:
Pat and Rudy go to the 2-seat crapper.
They write graffiti on the wall about,
Endorsement?
O, just a private chat at the shitter?
well,
Pat gets up and pull up his boxer shorts.
"Oh no!" A quarter rolls from his pocket.
Rudy strips-off the britches, stare@shitty.
Ugh!
Rudy throws down into the commode a$-dollar.
Pat ask: "Holy shit Rudy, why you do that?"
Rudy says: "Pat, don't think I'm jumping-in
and down,
into crap.
Ugh!
Rudy will not ruin his britches for a quarter.
Rudy and Pat: Dive into a privy hole together.
Rudy and Pat: Fetch a $1.25 from the outhouse hole.
Ugh!
Stooped.
mea culpa.