Listening to Senate GOP leader Randy Richardville talk about the Senate Republicans is like listening to the Iraqi Information Minister talk about the Republican Guard.
##“The Republican** Guard is in full control.”
##The Republican** caucus is not “pro-bullying.” (MIRS, 11/14/11)
Hmm. Denial much?
For those who are unaware, Senate Republicans recently passed an “anti-bullying” bill that allows religious and moral exceptions. In other words, if you believe Jesus is telling you to beat the hell out of the girly boy sitting next to you in class, then Senate Republicans want to make sure you have the right to express that belief. The consequences of this proposed legislation are clear:
##The religious / moral exception adds legitimacy to their crazy contingent who kill people. The Republican Party of Michigan is sympathetic to violence done in the name of religious and moral convictions. Dr. Tiller’s assassination is an example of these right-wingers who feel that their moral convictions are more important than another person’s life.
##The bill would strengthen the GOP architecture of law based on socially conservative religion.
##The bill refuses to recognize vulnerable groups such as lgbt youth, on the basis that there should not be a special rule for the lgbt population. (Which is interesting, since the lgbt population has special rules for things like marriage and health benefits.)
##The bill comes after House GOP Rep Tom McMillin introduced a bill that would prevent local municipality and school districts from having civil rights laws that are more expansive than state law. By carving out the religious exception AND denying the high risk level of lgbt youth, the Senate Republicans seek to built a state where no level of local authority could protect lgbt citizens against religious harassment.
When called out on the legislation by Gretchen Whitmer and the other Dems, Richardville had this to say:
“I guess she needs some media, because obviously, no one in this caucus is pro-bullying and to suggest that means you just need attention. But being defeated as badly as they were in the last election, probably is part of that. … it’s a typical minority strategy and when you’re in the minority — a superminority — I guess you have to do something to get attention”
(emphasis (and indignation) mine)
So there you have it. There’s nothing wrong with the legislation. It’s just that Democrats don’t like the moral exception because we’re the minority party.
Republican Senators are not “pro-bullying” in the same way that they are not anti-black, anti-hispanic, anti-gay, anti-woman, anti-education, anti-worker, anti-environment, anti-muslim, and anti-science. We know this because they tell us that it’s obvious.
Well my Republican friends, I do not believe that word means what you think it means.
**It’s just a coincidence. Really.
