ROMNEY CAUGHT ON TAPE: DEEP INTERPRETATION

The reality show that is the Romney campaign hit the rocks this week.

What no one has mentioned about the video is that none of the audience even coughed. No one stirred, fidgeted, or looked around. Does that mean they agreed with him? Not necessarily, but neither did they find his remarks outlandish.

And so, in private, these thoughts can be voiced. Hell, Paul Ryan says about the same things into any public microphone he finds live.

This is the ideology, often cloaked, rarely stated, tied with a bow. I admire Romney's boldness in stating it directly. How is he not a conservative now? Those calling on him to double down are the voices he should listen to. Why not have this argument out in the open, finally? Without the code words, without the dressing and drapery.

When the many conservatives pile on Romney now, it's a damn good spectacle. But what else have they been saying all along? About the same.

I'll take that debate. Then let the vote happen. Romney did not back off. Good first step.

ROMNEY AND CAIRO, WHAT IS HE TALKING ABOUT?

Romney's people need to exert message control. I know he's getting slammed for what he said, but it could derive from a combination of bad information and bad advice. Let's look at what happened, even though details are, ahem, sketchy.

UPDATED HERE

Okay, here's the Cairo Embassy statement:

The Embassy of the United States in Cairo condemns the continuing efforts by misguided individuals to hurt the religious feelings of Muslims – as we condemn efforts to offend believers of all religions. Today, the 11th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, Americans are honoring our patriots and those who serve our nation as the fitting response to the enemies of democracy. Respect for religious beliefs is a cornerstone of American democracy. We firmly reject the actions by those who abuse the universal right of free speech to hurt the religious beliefs of others

This is about the notably bad video, Innocence of Muslims. It may or not be made by its poster, Sam Bacile.

The press release above is dated Tues., Sept. 11, 2012. I see no time stamp on it, so I have no idea when it was written. This becomes crucial, and I'll update when I find out, if I can, because now the Republicans are lining up behind Romney's attack on this statement. Sarah Palin, first to flap gums as always, claims it was sent while the Egyptian embassy was being stormed.

They obviously should be doing damage control, because they're all but saying this statement caused the attacks. That's a real stretch.

Here they might be seen as aligning with Koran-burning nut job Terry Jones. He seems to have been pumping this video. No one seems to know a damn thing about this video's true origins, but it got mentioned on Egyptian television after an Arab-language dubbing happened. Somehow Pastor Jones's promotion gets on government radar, as the linked article here reads:

On Wednesday, Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, called Mr. Jones and asked him to consider withdrawing his support for the video, a senior administration official told reporters in a conference call. Mr. Jones’ response was “non-committal,” the administration official said.

Perhaps the statement came out before the rest of it all. I don't know. If so, that's a problem for a blame-the-statement messaging, and backtracking may ensue. Whether chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff should be calling up private citizens and telling them to put a lid on it, that I have the answer to. Er, no. Love him or hate him, this nut job has every right to pull his nuttery. He can light Goodnight Moon, holy books, or a set of encyclopedias on fire in the public square, for all I care.

In Libya, while there was a protest happening in front of the embassy, rumors fly that there may have been a planned attack that used an ordinary protest as cover for the operation. I don't know. If that turns out to be true, then Romney's shot off his mouth too soon.

The White House is saying they did not clear the statement. Fine, if true, and Secretary of State Clinton has basically restated the premise: not a great idea to deliberately insult a people's religion, because we've been supposedly a tolerant nation for oh so long. Unless you happened to be a Native American, or, well, let's not bring all that up now.

So, the timing is crucial. When did the statement go out? Whether the Libyan attack was planned is also crucial, because no cause and effect can be found.

See Also: ROMNEY AND CAIRO UPDATE
ROMNEY LEAK TAPES: DEEP INTERPRETATION

Chris Christie's War on Love

This great moment of Chris Christie's speech choked me up. (Not really.) But it signified an important Rubicon moment in Republican party strategy. Many missed his declaration of the War on Love. Follow closely:

The greatest lesson Mom ever taught me, though, was this one: she told me there would be times in your life when you have to choose between being loved and being respected. She said to always pick being respected, that love without respect was always fleeting — but that respect could grow into real, lasting love.

Now, of course, she was talking about women.

But I have learned over time that it applies just as much to leadership. In fact, I think that advice applies to America today more than ever.

I believe we have become paralyzed by our desire to be loved.

Our Founding Fathers had the wisdom to know that social acceptance and popularity is fleeting and that this country's principles needed to be rooted in strengths greater than the passions and emotions of the times.

Our leaders today have decided it is more important to be popular, to do what is easy and say "yes," rather than to say no when "no" is what's required.

In recent years, we as a country have too often chosen the same path.

It's been easy for our leaders to say not us, and not now, in taking on the tough issues. And we've stood silently by and let them get away with it.

But tonight, I say enough.

....

Tonight, we choose respect over love.

We are not afraid. We are taking our country back.

video at Politico

So, continuing last week's Republican theme of screwed up, twisted views of women, we have Christie saying "All right, Mom, I'll take your advice. Who cares if a woman loves me? What basis is love for a relationship anyway?" And he repeats this as some sort of wisdom of the ages. Jerk.

Then he transfers that sick idea to the politician's relationship with the entire country. Thus, "The people are my bitch, and I must pimp-slap them if they don't give me my money."

And so, the circle is complete! The Conservative mindset is revealed as the smokescreen blows away in the wind. This is a War on Love itself. Hell, according to Christie, even the vaunted founding fathers had no place in their hearts for such a trifling emotion, such piffle. They were as hard and cold as their chiseled stone statues. Forget that part in the Declaration of Independence about friendship with your enemy in peace, and while you're at it, burn their love letters home. No, the people must be hated, loathed, and abused. Severely.

This country needs a strong hand, according to this ideal of governing mouthed by the governor, and if leaders like he are hated and feared, that's the goal. Being loved, or doing something for people that causes you to be loved by them, why that's weakness and failure. Love itself is a sign of something gone terribly wrong, a country utterly lost. It must be stamped out. Specifically, he is saying, "We thrive on your hatred of us!"

And so, from the people who declared the Culture War, we now have the War on Love. Welcome to it.

THY NEIGHBOR'S ASS

I've NEVER, EVER seen the Ten Commandments posted in front of ANY church in my life.

I found a story of an attempt made quite some distance from the church, in New Jersey no less. Not the Bible Belt exactly, and they got them wrong! (There's an extra-points bonus error that the author of this amusing tale missed.) A search around brings up a smattering of these monuments actually in front of churches!

The above is an example of the standard boilerplate black granite, again being unveiled in front of some unsuspecting court house. I think there's a factory, since the blocks of rock all look the same. Note that the Tenth Commandment is shrunk down into, "Thou shalt not covet." This is clearly a big error, and a bearing of false witness in and of itself.

I thought that coveting is what makes people buy shiny new cars. Coveting is the very basis for the advertising industry. Good conservatives believe in coveting as a supreme value, above almost all others. Greed is God in Ayn Rand's world. Knock over those old ladies and grab that brass ring.

So, why do fundamentalist Christians INSIST these slabs be placed in front of court houses? Why not just slap them up on their own grounds, facing outward? Perhaps because that could be bad for business, especially that tiny one about adultery. Without breaking that Commandment, no soap opera would exist. What? The members might get a little squirmy if they had to walk past that holy suggestion every Sunday? Not possible!

The good Christians here have gone out of their way to avoid all that "thy neighbor's ass" wording, which might make 13-year-olds shriek in hysterics. The link above lists a number of translations, only one of which substitutes "donkey" for ass. Donkey? Guffaw.

But no, these people haven't even taken that coy approach, coveting is coveting and they don't like it. Covet a seashell you see all gleaming and pink down the beach, which is free and owned by no one? Stop it this instant. Drop that seashell and run from the wrath of Yahweh.

KANSAS PREACHER-CREATURE CURTIS KNAPP: GOVERNMENT SHOULD KILL GAYS

Murder-lover Curtis Knapp

Good as You tracked down this new lovely antigay screed (audio at link).

Curtis Knapp, pastor of Seneca, Kansas' New Hope Baptist Church:

"Oh, so you're saying we should go out and start killing them? No, I'm saying the government should. They won't, but they should."

Another call for government-run genocide.

And I thought Conservatives thought government couldn't do anything right. A sudden change of ideology when it serves their vampiric cravings for blood.

Related:
TODDLER'S NO-HOMOS-IN-HEAVEN RAP
PROTEST OF CREATURE PREACHER WORLEY
NIGHTMARE NC PREACHER SEAN HARRIS

BRAINWASHED TODDLER SINGS ANTI-GAY HATE JINGLE BEFORE CHURCH (VIDEO)

Children singing in Church to enthusiastic... by f100001838231867

Watch, if you can stomach the poison that's been given this innocent child. "Ain't no homos gonna go to heaven," gets them jumping to their feet and cheering.

Here you have it, a full-on demonstration of why the national far-right crowd opposes anti-bullying laws. They want kids to grow up to be a member of the anti-gay hate patrol, to spew epithets, and possibly to inflict harm verbally, maybe even physically. It's "just kids," after all, isn't it?

You could call it child abuse, but it's so widespread that it just seems part of the air we breathe. Hatred does not come from the air, though, it comes from aping the unevolved apes like the big ones dressed up in these pews.

Related: ANTI-GAY PREACHER PROTEST

(Funny how these things are all coming up now. It's almost like a timed campaign. I'm not a major conspiracy theorist, but Gay Pride celebrations are just around the corner, or going on about now.)

UPDATE: CUE THE MARTYRDOM

Daily news reports:

Since it hit the blogosphere, the church, identified as the Apostolic Truth Tabernacle Church in Greensburg, Indiana, has received harassing phone calls, and its pastor, Jeff Sangl, has even gotten death threats at home, members told TMZ.com.

Filmed: Bribe Pitch From UK Conservative Party Co-treasurer

Can't wait until the film gets posted somewhere without a paywall:

Conservative Party co-treasurer Peter Cruddas has resigned after secretly filmed footage showed him apparently offering access to the prime minister for a donation of £250,000 a year.

Via BBC News.

I find it refreshing that the Conservative co-treasurer simply presents a price, and explains just what amount of access it buys you. This approach cuts out all that SuperDuperPac nonsense we have here.

Why can't America be as efficient as the UK Conservatives? We wonder why the country's lead has been slipping globally!