Daily Blend: Tuesday, September 04, 2012

Don’t make me describe this. Please.

Mother Jones examines how the Democratic Party’s preoccupation with civil liberties and protections has mostly evaporated after four years in power.
(via @ggreenwald)

Ed Brayton explains how atheists can be harsh critics of Islam whilst still being decent towards Muslims.

Infographic: Walter White/Heisenberg’s body count. (Spoilers?)
(via @pzmyers)

And finally, destroying your faith in humanity, one unbelievably weird slash fiction pairing at a time. (No idea why #5 ^[pictured] isn’t #1.)

If you have any story suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments or send them in.

Tags: Democrats • Democratic Party • Ed Brayton • Chris Stedman • Islam • Islamophobia • Muslims • atheists • Breaking Bad • Walter White • Cracked.com • fan fiction • slash fiction • Harry Potter • Harry Potter • Severus Snape • Teletubbies • X-Men • Charles Xavier • Professor X • Magneto • Hannibal Lecter • Tetris • Death Note • Jonas Brothers • Band of Brothers • Dragon Ball Z • Anne Frank

Cenk Uygur slams liberal hypocrites on Bush vs. Obama

A recent poll shows the sadly obvious: A large number of the same liberals who accused the Bush administration of shredding the Constitution with its heavy-handed war-mongering and counter-terrorism measures are now cheering on the Obama administration as it continues to carry out the exact same policies, sometimes even escalating the violence. Glenn Greenwald has his usually gripping take over at Salon, and meanwhile, here’s Cenk Uygur of The Young Turks ripping into these progressive hypocrites:

My transcript: (click the [+/-] to expand/collapse →)

[−]

CENK UYGUR: The Washington Post/ABC News has a new poll out: “Are you in favor of some of the civil liberties abuses that were happening under Bush and, unfortunately, are continuing to happen under Obama?” And the overall numbers are not interesting. What’s interesting is what Democrats and liberal Democrats answer to these questions. ’Cause remember, they were wildly opposed to these things under Bush.

For example, keeping Guantanamo open: 53% of self-identified liberal Democrats and 67% of moderate or conservative Democrats say that they would like to keep Guantanamo open and they think it’s the right policy.

Now, how does that make any sense? These are the same guys who, under Bush, were saying, “Gah, no, I can’t believe you’re keeping Guantanamo open!” In fact, President Obama, one of his central planks was that he was gonna stop these civil liberties abuses and he was gonna close Guantanamo. Now, to be fair to President Obama, he tried in the beginning, but then, when the Republicans resisted, as usual, he gave up. And when he did, apparently, Democrats and even 53% of “liberal” Democrats said, “Well, okay if President Obama’s in favor of it, then forget it, I’m not gonna think about it anymore.” Independent thought flies out the door. “What does the leader say? The leader says Guantanamo should remain open? Okay, then I’m in favor of that.” That’s pathetic.

How about the use of drones? Well, 77% of Democrats think that using drones is a good idea. Now, I don’t know what they polled on that during the Bush era, and that’s an open question; it’s a little bit more nuanced. But what I don’t think is nuanced is the idea of drone strikes on American citizens without due process.

Now, remember, we told you, former CIA Director Michael Hayden, who had no problem trampling on our civil liberties, the guy who spearheaded the warrantless wiretapping program, said the other day, “Hey, it was funny, ’cause Awlaki – we had to get a court order to make sure that we could listen in on his communications, but we didn’t need to get a court order to execute him.”

Now, if Bush had been executing U.S. citizens abroad without any due process, my guess is liberals would’ve flipped out. I would’ve flipped out. I think it’s a terrible idea. I’m flipping out now! And I’ve done story after story, saying what a bad idea it is.

Well, Democrats approve of drone strikes on American citizens by a 58 to 33 margin. Even liberals, so-called liberals, approve of the strikes 55 to 35. On U.S. citizens, with no trial, no indictment, no due process. They don’t even tell us why they executed the guys; they just generally say in press conferences, “Oh, he was a bad guy; oh, boy, did he work with al-Qaeda!” What are the specifics? “State secrets. Can’t tell you.” It’s pathetic, man.

So, this was supposed to be about principles. It was supposed to be a country of laws. But unfortunately, so many people play Team Democrat, Team Republican, and if you’re leader says that you’re going in this direction, all principles gets^[sic] washed out the door. Did the Republicans do that under Bush? Absolutely, over and over again. And so many of Bush’s policies weren’t even conservative. It didn’t matter. The overspending, the blowing up the deficit, they didn’t care; they’re like, [bowing] “Bush! Bush! Bush!”

And now, unfortunately, so many liberals are doing the same thing with Obama. And then, they’ll go further. “How DARE you criticize Obama? Don’t you know he’s our dear and great leader? You know he once bowled a 300?” Oh, right, that’s the North Korean leader.

That sounds harsh, right? Well, why don’t you think for yourself, then? Why would any liberal who cares about civil liberties be in favor of drone strikes that kill U.S. citizens without any due process? You understand what that means? You trust Obama, ’cause he’s your dear leader, that he’s executing the right guys. What happens when Newt Gingrich is in office? And he says, “Well, ah, you were abroad? I dunno. There was no due process, I didn’t have to go to court, I didn’t have to prove it to anybody. I didn’t even have to reveal my reasons why. I executed you. So what? What you gonna do about it? Well, it’s okay, you agreed to it under Obama.” Terrible, terrible.

And one final note on this is by Glenn Greenwald. It’s about bipartisan consensus, and I think he nails it, there. He says: “One of the most consequential aspects of the Obama legacy is that he has transformed what was once known as ‘right-wing shredding of the Constitution’ into bipartisan consensus.” I think he’s absolutely right about this.

So, it’s one thing when a Republican president abuses these civil liberties and tramples on the Constitution. Then, at least, Democrats, progressives, liberals fight against it. It’s another thing when a Democratic president comes in and says, “No no no, it’s okay, that’s how we do business now. Due process is irrelevant. The Fourth and the Fifth Amendments are gone, they don’t apply anymore.” And Washington all agrees, and they all high-five each other, and they say, “Yes, absolutely! We’ve shredded the Constitution! We all agree.”

And when Democrats and liberals and progressives go along with this, well then it’s over. You’ve done more damage, because now you can’t even question it, and if you question it, you become an extreme fringe guy, and everybody in the mainstream media goes, “Ho-ho, you must be so extreme! The Democrats and the Republicans have agreed to this already! Obviously the Fourth and Fifth Amendments are no longer part of the Constitution. Obviously we can execute U.S. citizens abroad, and let alone all the other citizens of the world. And we don’t even talk about those guys. Those guys can obviously be executed with no due process whatsoever, and we can detain them indefinitely at Guantanamo.”

Us being a beacon of human rights to the world and the right example, the shining city on the hill? It’s gone. The lights are turned out, and the Democrats and Republicans both agreed to it.

While I personally find the vague allusion to Kim Jong-il to be a bit strong, his point is absolutely undeniable: Too many liberals who claim to be all for civil liberties are only too eager to forget about them the second the purportedly liberal Commander-in-Chief says they no longer apply. What’s wrong under one President is wrong under any, regardless of whether their name is followed by an ‘(R)’ or a ‘(D)’. Anyone who attacked President Bush for the way he waged war in Iraq and Afghanistan and integrated the police and surveillance state in the U.S. under the guise of protecting “national security”, but now supports President Obama for doing the exact same things, is little more than an unmitigated hypocrite.

(via @ggreenwald)

Tags: Barack Obama • George Bush • Obama administration • Bush administration • civil liberties • Cenk Uygur • The Young Turks • Democrats • Republicans • liberals • progressives

Chuck Woolery don’t believe in no civil rights or protections

Chuck Woolery

Meet Chuck Woolery. He was once a TV game show host. And he now serves to illustrate the difference between merely being old and being a relic from a bygone era:

"Majority rules," he said, dismissing the idea that minorities need protections. "We were born with natural rights. We don't need civil rights. [African-Americans] don't need civil rights. They don't need them. They have inalienable rights granted by God in the Constitution. I mean, I'm discriminated against all the time. I don't care. It doesn't bother me. [I'm discriminated against] because I'm old. I'm too old to get a job as a game show host. They say, well, the guy's 71 and in five years he'll be 76. And I’m a one per center, and I'm absolutely discriminated against as a one per center."

I don’t support anyone being discriminated against for any reason, of course, but I fully encourage people to treat him as he deserves, and solely on the basis of him being a complete and unrepentant moron.

(via Joe. My. God.)

Tags: Chuck Woolery • African-Americans • Blacks • minorities

Daily Blend: Wednesday, June 01, 2011

Mess in abandoned Detroit crime lab [source]

• Shockingly, Detroit police chief who left a crime lab open to the elements and intruders [pictured], compromising evidence and sensitive information, will not be disciplined.
  (via The Agitator)

• Miami, Florida cops confiscate and destroy cellphones of witnesses who recorded police shootings.
  (via The Agitator)

• Same-sex civil unions begin in Illinois.
  (via @todayspolitics)

• Vox Day: “[A]round 100” children dying from vaccine-preventable illnesses is not enough to warrant vaccinating despite minute risks.

• Planet Earth Doesn't Know How To Make It Any Clearer It Wants Everyone To Leave.

If you have any story suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments or send them in.

Daily Blend: Saturday, May 21, 2011

Wee, it r Doomsday! Just over an hour until the Earth starts opening up in my time zone. (Where are all the news reports of the same happening elsewhere across the globe …?)

• Democratic and Republican leaders agree to extend PATRIOT Act [pictured] for four more years with “as little debate as possible”. Cuz fuck the Bill of Rights, that’s why.

• Turns out the recently passed Rhode Island civil unions bill contains some rather self-defeating religious exemptions that allow virtually anyone to ignore said unions.

• Oh, joy: WND’s Joseph Farah plans to sue Esquire over obvious satire piece depicting Farah as giving up on his Birther lunacy. This’ll be fun to watch.

• Christian science!
  (via @PersonalFailure)

If you have any story suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments or send them in.

Daily Blend: Friday, May 20, 2011

Sen. Martin Golden (R-NY)

Had to cancel my horseback-riding lesson for the first time today. Sadness.

• New York Sen. Martin Golden (R) [pictured] introduces bill to void same-sex marriages from other states. Joe My God notes that it thankfully has no hope of passing.

• Hemant Mehta has a good detailed summary of how a godless high-schooler tried to get his school to comply with the law regarding graduation prayer – and was turned into a town pariah for it. School still let a girl give a 2-minute Christian prayer at an official function. If anything, I’m gleeful at the prospect of that school of fools being sued straight into a gigantic financial crater.

• Christian Anti-Defamation Commission’s Gary Cass attacks “It Gets Better” campaign, saying it gets worse because gays are living a lie and need to turn to Jesus and etc.

• Vox Day, ladies and gentlemen.

If you have any story suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments or send them in.

Supplemental tags: Stupid • It Gets Better

Rhode Island House passes civil unions bill

One more small step for marriage equality, this time in Li’l Rhody:

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Rhode Island's House of Representatives has overwhelmingly passed legislation allowing gay couples to enter into civil unions after a last-ditch effort to turn the initiative into a bill that would allow gay couples to marry failed.

Lawmakers voted 62-11 Thursday to endorse the bill, which now moves to the Senate.

The proposal would allow gay couples to enter into civil unions granting all of the state rights given to married couples under Rhode Island law. It was introduced as a compromise after legislative leaders said gay marriage legislation lacked the votes needed to pass this year.

It’s sad the attempt at resuscitating the full marriage equality bill failed (even though polls show a clear majority of Rhode Islanders, even Catholics, are all for it). But, as always, one step in the right direction is better than one step back. After all, a few more steps and we’ll have covered a full leap.

(via Joe. My. God.)

Teen arrested for recording and asking cop about unwarranted raids

Every now and then, we see some video pop up showing an illegal arrest by some fascist cop who doesn’t like that people have the right to videotape on-duty officers. But rarely do we get to find out what happens next – and even rarer is the victim who not only fully knows his own legal rights, but is able to share the news around and raise awareness about the growing Police State of America. Oh, and this one’s 17, which is just awesome:

From the YouTube page:

Cop tries to steal man’s cellphone on his own property

Here’s another case of a police officer apparently forgetting that recording on-duty cops without interfering is perfectly legal, and all caught on video:

(From what I can tell from the confusing footage and the description: Vallejo, California man starts filming from inside his garage with his cellphone as cops pull over a car and force everyone (3 males, one female, all Black) out at gunpoint. A cop then walks up to him on his property and demands he turn over his phone as “evidence”, threatening him with jail if he refuses. Guy apparently passes his phone off to a friend behind the cop’s back, and video ends. The car occupants were later released under claims of false identity.)

Plenty of bad things happen in this video, but none of them are committed by the bystander. As usual, it’s the cop who overstepped his authority, especially in threatening the man with a prison sentence for actually trying to defend his legal rights. Good on him for standing up to the badged thug in a calm manner.

Of course, it’s only too bad the cop won’t receive the slightest sort of reprimand – if his superiors even hear about his actions at all. If anything, they’ll berate him for not stealing the phone and “accidentally” deleting the embarrassing footage. Thank God for YouTube.

(via @todayspolitics)

Delaware House passes civil unions bill!

Looks like we have one more bit of good news on the LGBT equality front today: The Delaware House of Representatives has voted in favor of allowing gays and lesbians to marry legally declare their togetherness. From the Sussex Countian:

Dover, Del. — Cheers and applause erupted in the House of Representatives chamber this afternoon after lawmakers approved legislation creating civil unions for same-sex couples in Delaware, paving the way for the bill to be signed into law by a governor who also supports the measure.

Senate Bill 30, passed by that chamber last week, creates a civil union designation that entitles same-sex couples to the same rights, benefits and privileges under state law enjoyed by opposite-sex married couples.

When the law takes effect at 10 a.m. Jan. 1, 2012, Delaware will join seven states and Washington, D.C., in recognizing civil unions. Gov. Jack Markell’s staff said he will host a signing ceremony for SB 30 next month.

[…]

The legislation passed with a vote of 26-15.

As usual, any advancement is good advancement on the way to Gaytopia.

(via Joe. My. God.)

LGBT rights tug-of-war in Hawaii and Illinois

Hawaiian state flag, made more … cheery

The last couple of days have brought LGBT Americans a few small steps closer to equality under the law, minus a few potential setbacks. First, Hawaii has become one state less to allow transgender workers to be bullied at work:

Honolulu, Hawaii — The Hawaii Senate approved a bill, previously passed by the House, to ban discrimination based on gender identity and expression in the workplace.

[…]

Equality Hawaii and The Human Rights Campaign worked together to build support for HB 546, which passed by a 22 to 2 vote on Tuesday.

Discrimination against transgender individuals is already illegal in Hawaii for housing, public accommodations and employment, but the ban on employment discrimination has only been established by rulings of the Civil Rights Commission and has not been written into the state statute.

The legislation moves to gay-friendly Democratic Gov. Neil Abercromie. Upon the governor's signature, Hawaii will join 12 states and the District of Columbia to provide transgender employment, house and public accommodation protections.

Welcome news indeed, even if it’s a far cry from the fully inclusive federal-level Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which is being reintroduced in the US Senate today. Given its long, sad history of failure in Congress for nearly two decades now, the bill has only a slim chance of passing through the Senate, although its House variant, which was introduced last week, is certain to meet a prompt death in the far-Right Republican majority.

We’re also seeing a small sign of progress in Illinois, where legislation that would have ensured the right of religious adoption groups to turn away same-sex couples has failed in the State Senate:

Daily Blend: Wednesday, April 2011

Louis Marinelli

• Toronto judge rules Canadian marijuana possession laws are unconstitutional. Ruling might possibly eventually lead to nationally legalized pot.

• Former NOM leader now supports same-sex marriage after encountering actual LGBT people and realizing they aren’t the devil.

• Other than apparently conflating “scam” with “spam”, this Rachel Maddow report on Newt Gingrich’s many self-enriching schemes is pretty good.

• Insane: Chicago public school bans homemade lunches, forces kids to either eat from the cafeteria or go hungry.
  (via The Agitator)

• I’ve always wondered why garbage like Ghost Hunters enjoys such longevity on the History Channel …
  (via @BadAstronomer)

If you have any story suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments or send them in.

Supplemental tags: Satire/Parody • Skepticism

Daily Blend: Thursday, March 03, 2011

Pfc. Bradley Manning

• US Army files 22 additional charges against Pfc. Bradley Manning [pictured], alleged WikiLeaks source, including “aiding the enemy”, which carries a potential death penalty.
  (via @todayspolitics)

• Evil, liberal, anti-Christian ACLU defending students who want to post copies of the Ten Commandments on their lockers.

• Remember Janet Porter’s “fetal testimony” at the Ohio House yesterday? Yeah, most others don’t, either.

• The Stoning of Sally Kern, by … Sally Kern.
  (via Right Wing Watch)

If you have any story suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments or send them in.

Maryland on the brink of legalizing same-sex marriage?

The feisty little Old Line State may be about to become the sixth to grant LGBT folks the right to marry the ones they love over whomever others think they should be coupled with. And unsurprisingly (albeit pleasingly), The Washington Post has come out in favor of marriage equality:

We won't know with certainty for a few days whether Maryland will enact the legislation this year. One key senator with a swing vote - Democrat Joan Carter Conway of Baltimore - says she is praying "real hard" to determine how to vote. But here's something we'd bet on: If state lawmakers don't authorize same-sex marriage this year, they will next year, or the year after that.

Americans, who just 15 years ago opposed same-sex marriage by a margin of about 2.5 to 1, have changed their views with stunning speed. Although a bare plurality continues to express opposition, the opponents skew heavily elderly and less educated, according to surveys by the Pew Research Center. Meanwhile, the number of Americans who favor allowing gays and lesbians to wed has increased sharply. Political independents, who just two years ago were opposed by a considerable margin, are now almost evenly divided. Younger Americans tend to support same-sex marriage, and those under the age of 30 favor it by a large majority.

In Maryland, several formerly undecided lawmakers have listened to the arguments of opponents - and recoiled at the vitriol they heard. State Sen. James Brochin, a Baltimore County Democrat who previously backed same-sex civil unions but not marriage, changed his mind after taking in what he called the "appalling" views of opponents at a Senate hearing. "Witness after witness demonized homosexuals, vilified the gay community and described gays and lesbians as pedophiles," he said in a statement, adding: "For me, the transition to supporting marriage has not been an easy one. But the uncertainty, fear, and second-class status that gays and lesbians have to put up with is far worse and clearly must come to an end."

Which is yet more evidence that compassion happens to people. Hence why most folks who endure injustices, oppression and various other hardships have a knack of turning into liberals.

Anyway, here’s one foreigner with his fingers crossed. Gov. Martin O’Malley has already confirmed that he would enact such legislation if it reached his desk. Go on, Old Liners, make me proud.

Hawaii legislature passes same-sex civil unions

Does lose some of its zest

One might make a crack about this being no surprise coming from a state that’s made its touristic reputation from flowery necklaces and half-naked dancers^*, but personally, I’m just happy to see yet another step in the right direction:

HONOLULU — Hawaii lawmakers approved a bill Wednesday to allow civil unions for same-sex couples, marking an end to what the governor called an "emotional process" for a longtime battleground in the gay rights movement.

Democratic Gov. Neil Abercrombie's office said he intends to sign the bill into law within 10 business days. Civil unions would begin Jan. 1, 2012, making the state the seventh in the nation to grant essentially the same rights of marriage to same-sex couples without authorizing marriage itself.

"I'm overjoyed. I'm so relieved. I'm so happy," said Kristin Bacon of Honolulu, who intends to get a civil union with her partner of 15 years. "We're really representing aloha and the aloha spirit with this vote. I'm thrilled."

Bacon was among a crowd of supporters wearing rainbow-colored lei and stickers saying "Equality" as they cheered, hugged and cried for joy after the Senate's 18-5 vote. The House passed the bill last week.

Gay rights advocates praised the vote as a victory for equal rights in a state known for its diversity and tolerance.

Opponents of the measure, many of them Christians, said civil unions erode the concept of the traditional family and could lead to same-sex marriage.

Of course, that’s exactly what we want … even moreso if it’ll make their self-righteous heads explode.

(via @todayspolitics)

* Yeah, I just had to get that zinger out there. (If you got a problem with that, go bite a lilikoi.)

Daily Blend: Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Sen. Jane Cunningham (R-MO)

• Missouri Sen. Jane Cunningham (R) wants to repeal child labor laws across the state, citing government intrusion.
  (via @todayspolitics)

• Indiana legislature reaffirms its institutionalized anti-gay bigotry.
  (via @jennifurret)

• Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN): Michele Obama’s plan for tax breaks on breast pumps for working mothers is “the new definition of a nanny state”.
  (via Right Wing Watch)

• 5 Ways Hi-Tech Retailers Are Secretly Screwing You.

If you have any story suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments or send them in.

Supplemental tags: Health • Technology • Cracked.com

Daily Blend: Thursday, January 20, 2011

• Hospital visitation rights for same-sex partners now entering into federally mandated effect [pictured]. About damn time. Here’s hoping travesties like these never happen again.

• Guess who spent nearly $200 million to pay for replacements for perfectly good assets unfairly kicked out under “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”?

• Tea Party unpopularity at an all-time high.
  (via @todayspolitics)

• The Buffalo Beast has a list of the 50 most loathsome Americans of 2010. How the hell is Rush Limbaugh not featured? Seriously?
  (via Pharyngula)

• Fair! Balanced! Derp!

If you have any story suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments or send them in.

Maryland set its sights on same-sex marriage

Same-sex marriage

And that queer train keeps on rollin’:

Washington (CNN) -- Maryland is poised to become the sixth state to recognize same-sex marriage as proponents say they believe they have enough support to pass such a measure in the upcoming legislative session.

The expansion of gay rights appears to have gained significant traction as Maryland's General Assembly begins its 90-day session Wednesday. Not only are Democrats optimistic about their chances of approving same-sex marriage, but a leading Republican, sensing momentum on the issue, has instead countered with a proposal to grant civil unions to gay couples.

Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley has publicly stated that he would sign a marriage bill into law. Maryland then would join Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, New Hampshire, Vermont and Washington, D.C., in sanctioning same-sex marriages.

Maryland has been inching toward granting greater rights and protections for members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Last year Democratic state Attorney General Doug Gansler offered a legal opinion recognizing same-sex marriages performed in other jurisdictions.

Who knows; maybe once all the states (or at least, a majority of them) have embraced marriage equality for LGBT people, maybe then it will be recognized at the federal level, too. It’s a certain eventuality at this point, if a frustratingly distant one.

(via @todayspolitics)

Daily Blend: Thursday, September 23, 2010

Rendering of Kosmoceratops

• Refreshingly decent piece over at The Next Web Media about the predicaments of PZ Myers and Christopher Hitchens, and how atheists respond to death and others’ reactions to their own mortality.
  (h/t to Simon Owens)

• Some good news: Miami court of appeals rules the Florida ban on LGBT adoption is unconstitutional.
  (via @BreakingNews)

• Two new dinosaur species discovered in southern Utah: Kosmoceratops [pictured] and Utahceratops (aka Ugly Spikyhead and Ugly Hornface).

• Jon Stewart rebukes Bill O’Reilly’s claims that President Obama doesn’t understand “the folks”: “You’re just making things up.”

• More Fox “News”: Megyn Kelly of America Live derides former President Carter for (brilliantly) criticizing Fox News on The Daily Show, claims Stephen Colbert’s self-paid in-character speech to Congress is a “waste of taxpayer dollars”, keeps pushing that bullshit “New Black Panther Party scandal”, and snidely remarks on how a cop who presumably attacked a 15-year-old boy for having sex with the cop’s 14-year-old daughter (no further details provided) is now facing possible criminal charges – as though what the cop did was supposedly a good thing in proportion to the alleged “offense”.

If you have any story suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments or send them in.

Tags: Simon Owens • atheists • death • mortality • PZ Myers • Christopher Hitchens • Florida • LGBT rights • LGBT adoptions • dinosaurs • Kosmoceratops • Utahceratops • Jon Stewart • Bill O'Reilly • Fox News • Megyn Kelly • Jimmy Carter • Stephen Colbert • New Black Panthers Party • underage sex

Farah vs. same-sex marriage, take #2

Joseph Farah [source: abdiel]

Just last Monday, I covered a historically and legally illiterate column by WorldNetDaily founder Joseph Farah where he claimed that marriage had always been between a man and a woman (which would certainly come as a shock to those ancient Greeks and Romans) and required vaginal-only sexual intercourse in order to be legally established (which is the weirdest argument I’ve ever encountered).

Well, seems like Farah hasn’t filled his weekly quota of spewing nonsense, for he has a new column up that’s really just a collection of the usual absurdities. But, purely for the sake of amusement (hitherto referred to as “the lulz”), let’s take a look.

We start off with some Bible excerpts, which my brain has long since learned to automatically skip, before Farah chimes in:

Marriage is a divinely created institution – a union between one man and one woman.

That's the way God planned it.

I know it sounds old-fashioned to say this, but it's true. And someone has to say it as 21st century man tries to put it asunder.

No, actually, you really don’t. Partially because it’s the furthest thing from true that can be, considering how marriage (including that gay variant) has existed long before Jesus ever (allegedly) came along, and mostly because it’s boring and tedious to hear people like you repeat it over and over again. It’s more than old-fashioned: It’s complete crap.

Marriage is a union between a man and a woman. It will always be so. Were there times in the past, and even in the present in some other cultures, that stretched the definition to permit polygamy? Yes. But, as Jesus put it, "from the beginning it was not so." Was there a time when close relatives married? Yes. But as the human race became fruitful and multiplied, it became unnecessary and frowned upon. Has homosexuality been around for thousands of years of recorded history. Yes. But at no time did any civilized society have the audacity to redefine marriage as a union between people of the same sex – not even Sodom and Gomorrah went that far.

There's a reason for that.