Bye Bye Brent
Let us hope Oklahoma County Commissioner Brent Rinehart’s loss in Tuesday’s primary election signals a new distaste among some Republican voters here for the state’s motley crew of gay-bashing politicians.
Rinehart, a Republican who represents District 2, was only able to collect 21 percent of the vote Tuesday. His opponents, Brian Maughan, who received 47 percent of the vote, and J.D. Johnston, who received 31 percent of the vote, will face each other in an upcoming Republican runoff.
Rinehart, pictured right, recently made national headlines when he self-published a comic book that disparaged gay people and attacked Oklahoma County Sheriff John Whetsel, Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson, and Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner Jim Roth, a former county commissioner who happens to be gay. Rinehart appeared on national television shows defending his freaky comic book after a public outcry. His anti-gay tirade and appearances on the shows embarrassed the state.
The commissioner’s comic book, crudely drawn and poorly written, promotes a politics of hate, intolerance and scapegoating, echoing a political tradition of gay bashing in the state. Politicians such as State Rep. Sally Kern and U.S. Sens. Jim Inhofe and Tom Coburn, all Republicans, have also participated in disparaging gay people and the so-called, mythical “homosexual agenda” as way to misinform voters and win votes.
Does Rinehart’s poor performance in the primary election mean that a growing number of Republican voters are tired of the politics of gay hate and bigotry? Obviously, Rinehart had other problems going into the election. He faces a trial in September on felony charges that allege he illegally funded his 2004 campaign. But it is encouraging that Republicans did not rally around the gay-bashing Rinehart as they did when Kern was taped arguing that gay people are worse than terrorists. Change in cultural attitudes often comes slow in Oklahoma, but it does eventually arrive.
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Swapping Venom
I still don't understand how you justify marrying who I want as a 'super-right'. Gays are tired of religious fanatics telling us, "You can't marry who you chose because I believe it's wrong!"
Doc Scott
Insults are really intellectually impressive and rational
Doc Scott,
the venom and hatred against homosexuals so blatant
I have made no argument that there is not criticism of homosexualITY. I missed the venom spewed against individual homosexual people. I asked DocHoc to list the quotes, he listed 2, and I responded to them. I don't see your argument responding to what I said; all I see is an insult. The venom is from you, apparently.
We have the 'right to marry someone of the opposite sex' like him? Big deal! We want to right to marry who we want to just like him.
But I don't have the right to marry who I want to. I have the right to marry someone of the opposite sex, just like I said.
You say "big deal", but that proves my point exactly. This is an admission - you want a super-right.
Peace,
Rhology
Rhology has rectal cranial inversion
Thank you, Doc Hoc for pointing out to Rhology what was so obvious to everyone else. I finally read the Rinehart book (it's not even in the same class as comic books so it can't be called such) and found the venom and hatred against homosexuals so blatant, I had to wonder what Rhology read!
R's response to yours shows how narrow-minded so many people are. We have the 'right to marry someone of the opposite sex' like him? Big deal! We want to right to marry who we want to just like him. Not a super-right, just an equal right. We want someone to stop spewing more hatred and venom at us? Again, not a super-right, just courtesy.
Thanks again, Doc Hoc
Doc Scott
going too far
The comic book is a dumb idea and it was poorly executed, but what in it specifically "disparag(es) gay people"?
Where is the hate?
Where is the intolerance?
Please quote it and give page numbers.
You don't think that there is a movement afoot to try to make homosexuality more front-and-center in politics and edjamakashun? You don't think many homosexuals are trying to acquire super-rights for their behavior? Really?
Did you ever read the full transcript or at least listen to Kern's comments, where she laid out her case and led up to the gay people worse than terrorists comment? Just curious whether the crap you're slinging is merely ignorant or rather evidence of poor judgment.
Answers
On page four of the comic book, the character Satan says, "If I can get the kids to believe homosexuality is normal!" This implies that Satan is the main leader the so-called "homosexual agenda." I see this as quite disparaging.
On page five, a character says, "You remember that Drew Edmondson put Oklahoma on record to force the Boy Scouts to accept homosexuals as scout leaders, a pedifile's (sic) dream comes true." This generalization associates homosexuality with pedophilia, and I see that as disparaging as well.
Much of the comic book deals with how Rinehart fought against local rights for gay people. What does this have to do with maintaining roads and bridges as a county commissioner? His focus on criticizing one group of people to stir up or create hatred or anti-gay sentiment is appalling.
Here, again, is the link to the comic book:
http://downloads.newsok.com/documents/rinehartcartoon.pdf
I don't believe gay people are trying to acquire, as you mention, "super rights." Gay rights organizations simply want to end discrimination and intolerance against gay people.
Of course, I've heard Kern's remarks and gone through the full transcript. I've posted the Youtube video on Okie Funk several times. Here is that link again:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFxk7glmMbo
Here's a quote from her remarks:
"Matter of fact, studies show no society that has totally embraced homosexuality has lasted more than, you know, a few decades. So it’s the death knell for this country. I honestly think it’s the biggest threat even, that our nation has, even more so than terrorism or Islam, which I think is a big threat, okay."
Here's a link to the full transcript:
http://www.boxturtlebulletin.com/2008/03/20/1662
didn't work
I thank you for your straight-up answers.
A few comments, I hope you don't mind...
This implies that Satan is the main leader the so-called "homosexual agenda."
Well, biblically, the sources of sin are Satan, the evil desires of fallen flesh, or the world system. Or 2 or 3 of the above. It's a good bet. Again, biblically speaking.
And this is not disparaging of homosexualS, but rather homosexualITY. This is an important difference.
This generalization associates homosexuality with pedophilia
Boy Scout leaders (who are always men) who are pedophiles are somehow not homosexuals? Do they secretly undergo sex change operations? Homo=same, you know. Sex = gender. A man and a boy are of the same gender.
What does this have to do with maintaining roads and bridges as a county commissioner?
I agree with you here, but this has little to do with your original comment.
Looks like you just take offense to his position but you can't explain why, so you sourced the comic book. Were you hoping no one would call you on it or something?
I don't believe gay people are trying to acquire, as you mention, "super rights." Gay rights organizations simply want to end discrimination and intolerance against gay people.
They want the right to change marriage into sthg different.
They have the right to marry now. The right to marry someone of the opposite sex, the same as I have.
More than a few have asked for state or employer assistance for sex-change operations, and then they retreat to their more powerful gay friends when challenged or denied.
They want benefits from employers for their unmarried cohabiting partners, but I couldn't get the same for my male roommate.
Some of them want expansion of hate-crime legislation to increase penalties if you think the wrong thoughts as you commit a crime.
In Canada, they are forcing Pastor Boissoin to publicly apologise for preaching from the Bible about the immorality of homosexuality. I don't get to sue anyone, let alone make anyone publicly apologise or have the gov't impose a heavy fine, if *my* feelings get hurt by someone or if some pastor preaches that sthg I do is wrong. Big deal.
These are super-rights.
Here's a link to the full transcript:
I appreciate the link to the full transcript and I encourage anyone to read the whole thing. The YouTube vid does not tell the whole story.
Peace,
Rhology
Ah, poor thing ...
Rinehart has become almost a cartoon character himself. I almost expect to see Mr. Garrison (from South Park) defending him when the big trial opens in September. Even the dumbest Republican (and the list is long, I know) is going to steer clear of that toxic heap of a man.
Good riddance.