Boy, it really was a day of coded bigotry from the right wing pundits on the Sunday talk shows.
First, I got lectured to on CNN by a straight white guy about how offensive it is to compare the gay civil rights struggle to the civil rights movement of the 60s. When I quoted Coretta Scott King equating the gay and African-American struggles he quickly backed down, muttering that Mrs. King was entitled to her own opinion - ya think?
Then Hilary Rosen went on ABC's This Week and had to deal with GOP strategist Mary Matalin's bs about how anti-gay bigots are in dire need of tolerance too. And I can see Matalin's point. America's becoming an increasingly lonely place for haters, now that the country no longer officially sanctions sexism or racism, and is quickly moving to welcome gays as full and equal citizens.
Here's a snippet of Matalin and Rosen, and the video clip follows:
“I think the other side has to be – and the President should urge – a tolerance of views of people who hold this, instead of calling them right-wing extremists,” Matalin concluded.
Stephanopoulos interrupted, saying that President Obama was urging tolerance of opposing views on marriage when he emphasized in the interview with ABC that gay marriage should be an issue reserved for the states.
“Sorry, but straight people don’t need any help tearing down the institution of marriage,” Rosen said. “You’re doing just fine as it is. One in three divorces, come on. The irony is that really gay people are looking to do the most conservative thing. They want to fight in the armed forces, they want to protect our country. And they want to join the institution of marriage, loving commitment couples raising children.”
