Monthly archives: November, 2006

Hypocrisy

The Haggard mess is just another example of right wing hypocrisy. The religious wrong preaches drivel that would be laughable if people didn’t take them so seriously. The saddest part of all this is that the more liberal main stream churches are so timid about refuting the evangelicals misinterpretations of the Bible. It is so the right time to give up on guns and gays and begin to preach that peace and social justice are what Jesus taught. Old Testament – “Thou shat not”. New Testament – “Blessed are they…”


Looking Haggard and Drawn

Ted HaggardThis story adds a new category to Turning Left: Evangelicals. And this story fits nicely into three categories: Evangelicals, Republicans, and GLBT.

By now Ted’s story is well known. George W. confidant, president of the 30 million-member National Association of Evangelicals, the largest evangelical group in America, a man who wielded influence on Capitol Hill and condemned both gay marriage and homosexuality, resigned on Thursday after a male prostitute reported that he had drug-fueled trysts with Haggard.

Haggard, who is also founder and senior pastor of the 14,000-member New Life Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado, a man of truth to the last, admits to receiving a massage from Jones after being referred to him by a Denver hotel, and that he bought meth for himself from the man. However, he says he never had sex with Jones, and never used the drugs. “I was tempted, but I never used it,” the 50-year-old Haggard told reporters from his vehicle while leaving his home with his wife and three of his five children.

Jones, who advertises himself as an escort only in gay publications or on gay web sites, scoffed at the idea that Haggard learned of him through an employee at a hotel. “No concierge in Denver would have referred me,” he said.

Haggards web site boasts of his popularity with the media, securing his place as a true leader in the Evangelical community:

Pastor Ted has been interviewed by Barbara Walters, Tom Brokaw, Bill O’Reilly, Chris Matthews, and more. Time included Pastor Ted in their list of the 25 Most Influential Evangelicals in America. Harper’s says, “No pastor in America holds more sway over the political direction of evangelicalism than does Pastor Ted.”

Any day, perhaps, but today. AP reports, “Jones did not immediately return calls from The Associated Press on Friday.”


Kerry Apologizes. Boehner pulls, well…, a Boehner

John Kerry apologized today for his “botched joke” today. All that fuss because he left out the word “us” from his planned speech:

I can’t overstress the importance of a great education. Do you know where you end up if you don’t study, if you aren’t smart, if you’re intellectually lazy? You end up getting us stuck in a war in Iraq.”

That was the planned statement, and he’s said it many times in previous speeches. This time, however, he botched it.

U.S. Newswire reports that Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid released the following statement on House Majority Leader John Boehner’s decision to blame the troops for Republican failures in Iraq.

“John Boehner ought to be ashamed. He’s blaming our troops for failures in Iraq. If he wants to cast blame, he can start by looking in the mirror because he and his Congressional Republican colleagues have rubberstamped the Bush Administration’s failed policy for nearly four years. Our troops in Iraq have performed bravely. It’s political leaders like Congressman Boehner and Donald Rumsfeld, who have failed. I expect President Bush and Congressional Republicans, who demanded John Kerry apologize, hold their own party’s majority leader to a much higher standard. There’s no spinning his disparaging comments. He made them. He needs to apologize.”

The remarks?

House Majority Leader John Boehner: Wolf, I understand that, but let’s not blame what’s happening in Iraq on Rumsfeld.

Wolf Blitzer: But he’s in charge of the military.

House Majority Leader John Boehner: But the fact is the generals on the ground are in charge and he works closely with them and the president.

Boehner should be House Majority Leader for a few more days. After that, well, let’s see what happens Tuesday.

In the meantime, since Republicans are always poised to “Swift boat” Democrats for every grammatical error, let’s not forget the education president, father of No Child Left Behind, and enjoy these priceless gems from U.S. Commander in Chief, the POTUS himself, George W. Bush:

“Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we.”

George Bush at signing of defense appropriations bill, August 5, 2004

“I mean, if you’ve ever been a governor of a state, you understand the vast potential of broadband technology, you understand how hard it is to make sure that physics, for example, is taught in every classroom in the state. It’s difficult to do. It’s, like, cost-prohibitive.”

Washington, D.C., June 24, 2004

“I’m honored to shake the hand of a brave Iraqi citizen who had his hand cut off by Saddam Hussein.”

Washington, D.C., May 25, 2004

“The illiteracy level of our children are appalling.”

Washington, D.C., Jan. 23, 2004

And, perhaps the greatest testimony to his presidency:

“I’m the master of low expectations.”

Aboard Air Force One, June 4, 2003

What a country.