The Kind-Hearted Smart Aleck

When away from the workplace, people are free to believe as they so choose, no matter how discriminatory or inaccurate those beliefs might be. They're free to believe in God, worship the devil, pray to a stuffed rabbit they call Tiger. However, when at the workplace, while we're still free to believe such things, we can't use them to impose on the freedoms of others. At least, that's what I thought prior to the most recent wedding cake-bakery decision by the Supreme Court, which sided with Colorado baker Jack Phillips and his denial of wedding cake services to gay couples. I'm sorry, but how can we legitimately call ourselves the "land of the free," a believer in the Constitution, if, in professional settings, certain groups of people aren't protected by the law? Jack Phillips is free to believe in the Christian religion, but like everyone else, he has to make some sacrifices when he steps outside of his home and into his workplace. We may be afforde...

Following the seemingly countless mass shootings and President Obama's call to strengthen the nation's gun laws, the Republican Party, led by former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, has come out with an answer to gun violence. Earlier today, Huckabee led the effort by providing the following video clip on his campaign website: "As you all know, I'm a very devoted Christian man. I firmly believe the Bible is the ultimate source of truth. I'm also a firm believer in the Constitution, especially the 2nd Amendment. When I'm having a great day, I'm usually holding a rifle in one hand and a Bible in the other. Even though I'm a lover of guns and Jesus probably wasn't much of a sportsman, the thing Jesus loved yet despised even more than guns was gay people. In Leviticus, Jesus even said, 'Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve,' and this brings me to the real answer, the real reason why we're seeing so many of these mass shootings. It's becaus...

I haven't handed out a douche-of-the-week award in a while, but upon reading an article today, I think it's about time I hand out another, two of them as a matter of fact. In an op-ed for the Canberra City News , Australian Christian Nick Jensen wrote the following: "[My wife Sarah and I would] as a matter of conscience, refuse to recognize the government's regulation of marriage if its definition includes the solemnization of same sex couples. Marriage is the union of a man and a woman before a community in the sight of God. And the marriage of any couple is important to God regardless of whether that couple recognizes God's involvement or authority in it. ...For us, fundamentally, when we got married we signed a contract with the state and that contract was around the current definition of marriage and all the things that comes with it. Man and woman for life, for the sake of children. If it came to be that the definition of the contract was changed, the cont...

Former George W. Bush Press Secretary and current co-host of the Fox News show, The Five , Dana Perino, joined fellow guests Lewis Black and Brad Garrett on The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore this past Thursday, where she uttered something I'm still scratching my head about three days later. When the three guests were discussing the Supreme Court's pending gay marriage decision and conservatives' comments to it, Wilmore noted that some conservatives blamed gay marriage for Hurricane Sandy, the mass killing of animals, 9/11, Sodom and Gomorrah, and 900,000 abortions over the next 30 years. He, Lewis Black, and Brad Garrett all laughed at the notion and poked fun of it along the way. Dana Perino then said, "Some people have blamed climate change for the same kinds of stuff." Hmm... Let's look at that comment a bit more closely. When's the last time someone blamed climate change for Sodom and Gomorrah? Never. When's the last time someone blamed cli...

I've felt for some time that Mike Huckabee has been veering further and further to the side I like to refer to as "crazy town," but based on his most recent such comments, it appears as if the man has now officially lost it and will now be permanently residing in crazy town. During a recent conference call with conservative pastors, organized by the uber-conservative Family Research Council, Huckabee made the following comments: - "Christian convictions are under attack as never before. Not just in our lifetime, but ever before in the history of this great nation. We are moving rapidly towards the criminalization of Christianity." - "If the courts rule that people have a civil right not only to be a homosexual but a civil right to have a homosexual marriage, then a homosexual couple coming to a pastor who believes in biblical marriage who says 'I can't perform that wedding' will now be breaking the law. It's not just saying, 'I...

The more I think about the matter, the more I can't wrap my head around hard-core conservatives' thinking when it comes to sex. This includes: Education, contraception, homosexuality (and with that, gay marriage), and abortion. I can understand perfectly well why most self-described conservatives are against abortion. However, whether one supports or opposes such procedures and whether they are legal or illegal, they are going to occur. I'm not saying it's right or wrong, just am matter-of-factly stating that these procedures aren't ever going to completely vanish from our existence. So, since that's the case, wouldn't it make sense for "pro-lifers" to support measures which would likely decrease the number of abortions yet wouldn't endanger women's freedoms and/or health? Comprehensive sex education has been proven to work far better than abstinence-only education when it comes to preventing unwanted (teenage) pregnancies, and with tha...

I often times find it humorous how far right-wing Republicans, like Rick Santorum, will make the claim that progressives are trying to "redefine" marriage. They'll then also claim that, in the Bible, marriage is between one man and one woman. Sure, that's one form of marriage in the Bible, but let's ignore polygamous marriages and marriages where raped women had to marry their rapists. It's funny how many people seem to cherry-pick what they like and agree with in the Bible (according to their own interpretation), yet attempt to ignore the rest as if it didn't exist. As gay marriage grows in support across the country, however, these same die-hard Republicans have had to try and get a little more creative with their intolerance of the LGBT community, and it seems that most times when this occurs, awkward laughter soon follows. Such was the case when conservative radio show host Hugh Hewitt recently asked former Pennsylvania senator and possible future pr...

For those of you whom don't go to the Berean Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, allow me to introduce you to the preacher of that church, Ron Baity. In light of a federal judge striking down the ban on gay marriage in North Carolina, Mr. Baity said the following during a sermon of his this past Sunday: "If you think for one skinny minute, God is going to stand idly by and allow this to go forward without repercussions, you better back up and rethink this situation. I want you to understand, that is raw, pure blasphemy." He added this: "My friend, we are meriting, we are bringing the judgment of God on this nation as sure as Sodom and Gomorrah was destroyed, don't be surprised at the plagues. Don't be surprised at the judgment of God. You think Ebola is bad now, just wait. If it's not that, it's going to be something else. My friends, I want you to understand, you can't thumb your nose at God, and God turn his head away withou...

Florida Republican Senator and man voted most likely to become an elderly superhero by the name of Mr. Dry-Mouth - Marco Rubio - recently made the following remarks at Catholic University: "[While recognizing that] our history is marred by discrimination against gays and lesbians, traditional marriage has such an extraordinary record of success at raising children. Today, there is a growing intolerance on this issue, intolerance towards those who continue to support traditional marriage. And I promise you that even before this speech is over, I will be attacked as a hater, a bigot or someone who is anti-gay. This intolerance in the name of tolerance is hypocrisy." He also added this: "Supporting the definition of marriage between one man and one woman is not anti-gay, it is pro-traditional marriage. And if support for traditional marriage is bigotry, then Barack Obama was a bigot until just before the 2012 election." I've touched on this issue before, ...

While the Republican Party, on the whole, disapproves of same-sex marriage, if things continue as they've been trending, it will only be a matter of time before same-sex marriage is legal across the country. This is because support for gay marriage is increasing on both sides of the political spectrum as age decreases. According to a recent Pew Research poll, while just 39% of Republicans approve of same-sex marriage, 61% of 18- to 29-year-old Republicans approve of it. That number decreases to 43% among 30- to 49-year-olds, 30% for those between the ages of 50 and 64, and just 22% of Republicans over the age of 65 approve of gay marriage. There's a similar trend with Democrats, although, the numbers are much higher among the older groups. Among 18- to 29-year-olds, 77% approve of same-sex marriage rights. This number decreases slightly to 71% support among 30- to 49-year-olds, 66% for those between the ages of 50 and 64, and 62% of Democrats over the age of 65 approve of g...

On Valentine's Day of all days, news broke that Republican Senators Ted Cruz (Texas) and Mike Lee (Utah) have introduced a bill, entitled, the "State Marriage Defense Act," which would prohibit the federal government from recognizing the marriages of same-sex couples if a particular state doesn't recognize them. This would also be the case for same-sex couples whom have been wed in states which recognize such marriages, but then move to a state which doesn't. Yes, love is certainly in the air! Can you feel it? Ted Cruz can - as he said the following with regard to the bill: "I support traditional marriage. Under President Obama, the federal government has tried to re-define marriage, and to undermine the constitutional authority of each state to define marriage consistent with the values of its citizens. The Obama Administration should not be trying to force gay marriage on all 50 states. We should respect states, and the definition of marriage should be...

While I've never personally watched the show, I think I hear more people talk about the "reality" show Duck Dynasty than I hear them talk about anything else, including their kids. Well, based on recent remarks made by star of the show Phil Robertson to GQ magazine, it appears as if some regular viewers may opt to start watching something else instead. In the interview, Robertson made the following statements: - [When] "everything is blurred on what's right and what's wrong ... sin becomes fine." - "Start with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there - bestiality, sleeping around with this woman and that woman and that woman and those men." - "Don't be deceived. Neither the adulterers, the idolaters, the male prostitutes, the homosexual offenders, the greedy, the drunkards, the slanderers, the swindlers - they won't inherit the kingdom of God. Don't deceive yourself. It's not right." - "It seems...

I just recently got followed (on my Twitter account that is) by Ray Ceo, Jr., who has a blog (ireadray.blogspot.com) which just surpassed 100,000 readers. He asked if I wouldn't mind sending him a guest blog to post on his site, so I did just that. The piece is called, "Getting schooled on gay marriage - brought to you by a child," and can be read at the following link: http://ireadray.blogspot.com/2013/12/getting-school-on-gay-marriage-brought.html

Remember when the Supreme Court overturned the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)? Yes, that was a special moment for many. However, Oklahoma Governor and politician voted most likely to be a wicked witch - Mary Fallin - wasn't as "gay" about DOMA being overturned. You see, the Supreme Court's decision resulted in, amongst other things, service-members with same-sex spouses becoming eligible for federal benefits. Ms. Fallin hated this so much, she announced earlier in the month that state-owned National Guard facilities would no longer allow ANY married couples to apply for spousal benefits. It doesn't matter if the couple is homosexual, heterosexual, or if it involves two women, a guy, a turtle, and a cut-out of Hulk Hogan, the couple wouldn't be eligible for benefits. Ms. Fallin is against gay marriage to such a point that she's come out against the troops. The Oklahoma Governor has one thing going for her, I suppose - she can now say she supports equality, ...

Just yesterday, I wrote about United Methodist Church Reverend Frank Schaefer facing punishment for officiating at his son's gay wedding. Today, he found out what the punishment was going to be - a 30-day suspension and if he doesn't renounce his support for marriage equality at the end of the suspension, he will be defrocked. After hearing about his punishment, Schaefer said this: "[The Church] needs to stop judging people based on their sexual orientation. We have to stop the hate speech. We have to stop treating them as second-class Christians. [...] I will never be silent again, This is what I have to do. [...] I have to minister to those who hurt and that's what I'm doing." Schaefer even added that if any same-sex couple wants him to marry them over the next 30 days, he would do it. I applaud Reverend Schaefer for standing up to the church for his son and the LGBT community. As for the church, the only thing I have to ask is, "What would ...

I just read a story about a United Methodist minister who was recently convicted by a Pennsylvania church of breaking church law by officiating at his son's gay wedding. It's uncertain at this time what kind of punishment Reverend Frank Schaefer will face, but it could be anything from a reprimand to losing his minister's credentials. Well, first of all, I have to say kudos to Reverend Frank Schaefer for choosing love and family over politics. Following the ruling, Schaefer said: "I did not want to make this a protest about the doctrine of the church. I wasn't trying to be an advocate. I just wanted this to be a beautiful family affair, and it was that." I was also struck by something a fellow member of Schaefer's church - Jon Boger - had to say about the events, as he made the following statement: "It's his son. He loves his son. In a way I felt bad for him. But he's also shown no remorse or repentance, nor has he apologized to anyone....

Things could get a little awkward over the holidays at the Cheney's place. Liz Cheney - daughter of former Vice President and Darth Vader clone Dick Cheney - is running for a U.S. Senate seat in Wyoming as a Republican. Even though her sister, Mary, has come out of the closet and is married to Heather Poe, Liz hasn't been coy about her opposition to gay marriage. In response, Ms. Poe shared the following comment on Facebook: "I was watching my sister-in-law on Fox News Sunday (yes Liz, in fifteen states and the District of Columbia you are my sister-in-law) and was very disappointed to hear her say 'I do believe in the traditional definition of marriage.' Liz has been a guest in our home, has spent time and shared holidays with our children, and when Mary and I got married in 2012 - she didn't hesitate to tell us how happy she was for us. To have her now say she doesn't support our right to marry is offensive to say the least. I can't help but...

Another day and another dumb gay-marriage remark made by a die-hard conservative - this time by none other than Lehigh County (Pennsylvania) Commissioner Tom Creighton, who said the following: "The state has a ban on same-sex marriage, so why should the county be offering benefits for same-sex marriage? I don't feel the county should be looking for new ways to give away taxpayer money. Next it could be giving money out to people's pets or whatever. No, it probably won't go that far." Yes, Mr. Creighton just compared same-sex couples getting benefits via the taxpayers to pets receiving benefits. Yes, gay couples receiving equal benefits as straight couples is the same thing as a 65-year old's pet goldfish receiving such benefits. Excuse me for a moment while I attempt to unroll my eyes, which hadn't been rolled up so high since I auditioned for Linda Blair's part in The Exorcist . What is it with Republicans comparing gay marriage to animals? ...

The slippery slope is a fairly popular fallacy used by far-right conservatives when attempting to delegitimize the concept of gay marriage. It usually goes something like this: "Marriage should be between one man and one woman. If we allow gay people to marry, then what? Why not make marrying more than one person at a time legal? Why not make marrying an animal legal? If gay marriage becomes legal, pretty soon polygamy and bestiality will be legal!" Well, GOPers may now want to exclude that bestiality bit from their fallacy, because as a recent story suggests, bestiality doesn't follow gay marriage's lead at all - quite the opposite. Allow me to introduce Ruben Chance James Fox and his wife, Amber Nicole Fox. The fact their last name is the same as that of an animal is merely a coincidence. They're both 23 years old and living in North Carolina. So, what does the young couple like to do in their spare time? Apparently, Ruben enjoys recording his wife having ...

In suburban Philadelphia, Willis D. Bruce Hanes has issued more than 150 same-sex marriage licenses, and Republican Governor Tom Corbett's administration has filed a lawsuit on the matter to invalidate those very marriages. Corbett's attorney's went on to say that the marriage licenses can't be defended in court due to a 1996 law saying that marriage is between a man and a woman, before making this strange and ridiculous comparison: "Had the clerk issued marriage licenses to 12-year-olds in violation of state law, would anyone seriously contend that each 12-year-old ... is entitled to a hearing on the validity of his 'license'?" Before the case comes to a close, I have a feeling Corbett's attorneys will also make the following comparisons to same-sex marriages: - "Had the clerk issued marriage licenses to mannequins in violation of state law, would anyone seriously contend that each mannequin is entitled to hearing on the validity of its...