Gingrich On Prop 8 Protests: "Gay And Secular Fascism ... Prepared To Use Violence"

Media Matters reports on a Fox News discussion between Bil O'Reilly and Newt Gingrich on protests against the California gay marriage ban:

O'REILLY: OK, now, the culture war. I know you've been flying around the country, and you're doing stuff. In the last three or four days, this is really nasty stuff. I mean, you know, hyper -- we're gonna show you some of the video. A woman getting a cross smashed out of her hand. We had a church in Michigan invaded by gay activists. We're gonna show you the video on Monday of that -- we have exclusively. We had a guy in Sacramento fired from his job. We had boycotts called on restaurants.

I mean, it is getting out of control, very few days after the election. How do you assess that?

GINGRICH: Look, I think there is a gay and secular fascism in this country that wants to impose its will on the rest of us, is prepared to use violence, to use harassment. I think it is prepared to use the government if it can get control of it. I think that it is a very dangerous threat to anybody who believes in traditional religion. And I think if you believe in historic Christianity, you have to confront the fact. And, frank -- for that matter, if you believe in the historic version of Islam or the historic version of Judaism, you have to confront the reality that these secular extremists are determined to impose on you acceptance of a series of values that are antithetical, they're the opposite, of what you're taught in Sunday school.

For a dose of reality, here is video of some of the protests:

Comments

[Blue in NH]

Newt: just shut up and go away. Your "Contract on America" failed. You are irrelevant.

[Woodmist]

Newt, your religious fascism is an open wound in this nation. You can believe what yoiu want but you have no right to deprive others of anything. Yes, let's talk about ugly, shall we. Like the Brooks brothers riot in Florida, like Dobson and Ralph Redd, Like man-on-dog Santorum. Spare us your laughable piety. I don't see anyone's marriage in jeopardy if gay marriage is allowed. Geezez, Newt, are you afraid your 3rd wife would leave you for another woman? Gah!

[misspronounced]

another take on this:

http://www.pushback.org/2008/11/17/newt-on-tolerance/

[keepemhonest]

I think Newt is a closet homosexual.

[IamPhenom]

What Republicans will never understand is that the more you demonize and restrict the rights of a certain group because you don't like the color of their skin or who they sleep with, the more the rest of the country sees injustice and wants to help them. This is exactly what happened with the civil rights struggle.

[IamPhenom]

Newt is just engaging in the never-ending Republican "Southern strategy". They want all the hillbillies and racists to believe their lifestyle is under attack. The same demonization they are using today against gay people was once used against black people. The racist Southern whites in the old days were told those evil liberals wanted to do things like integrate schools and give black people equal rights.

This is what Republicans do; divide America. That is their only hope for winning elections. They have no vision. They have no ideas. They have no desire for a united country.

[mrasgram]

correction they still demonize blacxk people not once did

[IamPhenom]

True, but now they do it with code words like "tied to radicals", or by playing clips of Reverend Wright.

....or they blame black people for the economic problems by saying it was caused by the Democrats pushing for more minority home ownership (the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977).

[Raptor99]

Gingrich says: "Look, I think there is a gay and secular fascism in this country that wants to impose its will on the rest of us, is prepared to use violence, to use harassment. I think it is prepared to use the government if it can get control of it." Isn't that exactly what the overzealous religious right does, especially for the last 8 years?
Further: "I think that it is a very dangerous threat to anybody who believes in traditional religion." What about those who don't? Are they less deserving of a fair and equal America? Should athiests and agnostics not be allowed to marry as well? What if another's religion varies just slightly?
Aren't all of these types of arguments the exact point of the separation of church and state?

[LesserFool2]

"Gingrich" (1964) says: "Look, I think there is a black and secular fascism in this country that wants to impose its will on the rest of us, is prepared to use violence, to use harassment. I think it is prepared to use the government if it can get control of it."

Funny how right-wingers use similar excuses/rationales to oppose social progress. But, it's still the same old reactionary bulls**t.

[Pupadup4oBama]

He is projecting­....he is taking the fault away from him and the rest of the neocons, and projecting it on to these poor people who just want to live their lives (not poor as in not rich, but poor as in their rights not being accepted or realized).
Newt, why do you care what these people do??? Did you want anyone telling you that YOU couldn't call your wife while she was in a hospital bed with cancer and say you wanted a divorce to what...mar­ry your mistress was it?

[ItsJen]

Oh, dear. The gays are getting out of control. Whatever shall we do?

Newt Gingrich: Worst Person in the Worllllllllllllld.

[LaKane]

"I think there is a.... fascism in this country that wants to impose its will on the rest of us"

Sweet, glorious, almost seductive irony.

[commonsenselives]

So true. If irony was a bone, we'd ALL be choking on it.

[RTIII]

Since this man can't be shut-up, he needs to be shouted down - politely, of course. Someone needs to rebutt this guy EVERY TIME he opens his flippin trap.
.

[bonofide]

What a maroon.
-----Bugs Bunny

[ivyconservative87]

When he admitted to cheating on his former wife, was that an example of "traditional religion?"

[lesterbud]

I do remember what I was taught in Sunday School - but I am happy to say that I out grew what those awful people were trying to fill me with I worked my way out from the exclusionary doctrine, bigotry and fear mongering meant to enslave you to the church for life. I got wise to the constant begging for money so that the church could do God's work, which included recruiting more sheep so they could raise more money so they could go on missions so they could recruit more sheep so they could raise more money so they could build a bigger building so they could recruit more sheep so they could raise more money so they could start a television station so they could recruit more sheep so they could raise more money....
I don't need to follow the latest in a long line of myths aimed at controlling peoples ideas and money. I would rather spend my time, money and sweat helping those in need. I would rather devote my talents to finding ways to help sick people. I do not have the patience to suffer fools that want to tell me who to fear because they are different, what to eat on Fridays, what underwear to wear, that I must wear a little hat or that I have to kneel facing a certain direction several times a day. There is nothing, in itself, praiseworthy about belief. Especially as it is used to beat people

[wedgie]

These guys always use criticisms that are best applied to themselves.

**

[levibatgirl]

Stop projecting Nostradumass.

[lmnop13]

I know, right?! This election cycle has shown that the right wing really gets their philospher­s/soothsay­ers mixed up don't they?