Maybe I should just rename this site to "The Unofficial Paul Hackett Fan Site" and be done with it

Gush gush gush gush gush:

Paul Hackett, the Iraq war veteran and Ohio U.S. Senate candidate who shocked the nation and energized the Democratic Party last summer with his candor, stands by his views on religious fanaticism reported Sunday in the Columbus Dispatch.

“I said it. I meant it. I stand behind it. Equal justice under the law for all regardless of who they are and how they were born is fundamental to our American spirit and our American freedoms. Any person or group that argues that the law should not apply equally to all Americans is, frankly, un-American.”

“The Republican Party has been hijacked by religious fanatics, who are out of touch with mainstream America. Think of the recent comments by Pat Robertson – a religious fanatic by any measure – that the United States should assassinate a democratically elected leader in Venezuela, and that Ariel Sharon’s stroke was divine punishment because Sharon wished to trade land for peace.”

“Since the Republican Party has been utterly unable to stand for something positive, they have created an atmosphere of fear and intimidation, and have pandered to religious fanatics not to vote for something they believe in, but to vote against their fellow Americans with whom they disagree. Those among us who would use religion and politics to divide rather than unite Americans should be ashamed.”

OHIO REPUBLICAN PARTY PRESS RELEASE FOLLOWS:

Ohio GOP Chair Condemns Hackett Hate Speech
Bennett Calls on Democratic Senate Candidate to Apologize

Columbus, OH - Ohio Republican Party Chairman Bob Bennett called today on Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Paul Hackett to publicly apologize for hateful and incendiary remarks about people of faith.

According to The Columbus Dispatch, Hackett accused the overwhelming majority of Ohioans of being “un-American” because they voted to support a constitutional amendment prohibiting gay marriage. He continued:

“The Republican Party has been hijacked by the religious fanatics that, in my opinion, aren’t a whole lot different than Osama bin Laden and a lot of the other religious nuts around the world,” he said. “The challenge is for the rest of us moderate Americans and citizens of the world to put down the fork and spoon, turn off the TV, and participate in the process and try to push back on these radical nuts – and they are nuts.” (Column, “Candid Candidate: Hackett calls ‘em like he sees ‘em,” The Columbus Dispatch, 1/15/06)

Bennett condemned Hackett’s remarks and called on his counterpart, Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern, to join him in denouncing the intolerance and demanding a public apology.

“Paul Hackett’s attempt to compare Christian conservatives to terrorists is abhorrent and completely inappropriate. These intolerant views have no place in the public debate, and I hope his fellow Democrats reject this divisive hate speech. Hackett has shown repeatedly that he will say or do anything to get attention, and it’s unfortunate that views like his are embraced by the Democratic Party. I think, Mr. Hackett, you’ve once again proven who real ‘radical nut’ is.”

The righteous indignation of the wingnuts in Ohio falls into the "If the shoe fits, wear it" category. Comparing Christian conservatives to terrorists is ENTIRELY appropriate. Pat Robertson has called for the assassination of Hugo Chavez, and no one in the Republican party has disavowed his statement. Ann Coulter calls for the murder of Muslim leaders in the middle east, and no one in the Republican party disavows her statements. Rick Santorum draws parallels between gay marriage and bestiality, and no one disavows her statements.

Conservatives in this country have been hatemongering for the last five years, but when someone fights back, they get their delicate lacy knickers in a twist and start fanning themselves with righteous outrage.

Well, I think Hackett is right to tell it like it is. I'm tired of Democrats running scared of the Christofascist Zombie Brigade. That said, I think Hackett needs to have some dialogue about the appropriate place for faith in American political life and American political discourse. But calling these fascists for what they are is perfectly appropriate....and I appluad Hackett for doing so.