Bigot of the Week
Congratulations Virginia Republicans! Your nominee for Governor, current Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, is a pretty nasty piece of work in his own right (aggressively anti-choice, virulently homophobic, suing to destroy the Affordable Care Act, trying to gut the EPA’s powers…) Somehow, you managed to find a candidate for Lieutenant Governor who is at least as horrifying.
Minister-turned-politician E.W. Jackson is charm free and worse. After decades as a Democrat, he made headlines a few years ago with a very public refutation of the party and a baffling insistence that the GOP was “better for the black community.” (Bonus facts: he called support of Democrats “slavish devotion” and predicted a black landslide for Romney — what a madcap!) A Baptist bishop and founder of Exodus Faith Ministries, Jackson turned to politics and founded the creepily-named S.T.A.N.D. (Staying True To America’s National Destiny — he and Michele Bachmann must be close friends with the way they re-write history). He ran unsuccessfully for the GOP nomination for Senate in 2012; last week the state GOP convention gave him the nod for Virginia’s second-in-command.
Jackson has a rabidly homophobic history — that obsession makes you wonder what’s in his closet behind those well-pressed bishop’s robes; could it be Marcus Bachmann? Just a couple of choice quotes:
Their minds are perverted, they’re frankly very sick people psychologically, mentally and emotionally and they see everything through the lens of homosexuality. When they talk about love they’re not talking about love, they’re talking about homosexual sex.
Homosexuality is a horrible sin, it poisons culture, it destroys families, it destroys societies; it brings the judgment of God unlike very few things that we can think of… It’s an authoritarian, totalitarian spirit.
He has also repeatedly compared Planned Parenthood to the KKK. He calls the national Democratic platform “worthy of the Antichrist” and calls Democratic leaders “slave masters” for assuming that African Americans might actually vote in their own best interests. (Another fun fact: Jackson defends the 3/5 black citizenship clause in the original U.S. Constitution as “anti-slavery.” Isn’t he witty?) Sadly, he reminds me of Clarence Thomas. The lateral oppression be bears down on the black community is nothing less than shameful! Am I the only one that sees his internalized racism? Does it feel as though the GOP is tokenizing Jackson? Just asking.
Virginia is a reddish state, but in statewide elections the Democrats have been trending. (Obama took the commonwealth in 2012.) Let’s hope reason prevails and the Cuccinelli-Jackson 19th Century Hate Parade fails to launch.
Dishonorable mention this week goes to those scamps at the Boy Scouts of America. They surely hoped to get some better press yesterday when they voted not to consider gay scouts completely disgusting. Unfortunately, by saying vaguely that they won’t deny membership “on the basis of sexual orientation alone” they give local troops plenty of leeway to oust gay scouts for any number of imagined transgressions. More significantly, by refusing to even consider allowing LGBT adults to serve in any leadership capacity, the Scouts play into the disgusting gay=pedophile myth. Rather than embrace equality, they cowardly BSA has created a confusing mishmash worthy of DADT, set up gay scouts to fail, and embraced ignorance and prejudice. That’s quite the achievement — is there a badge for that?
Social Justice For All 
Reblogged this on Central Oregon Coast NOW.
Nancy, thank you for reblogging this sad article.
“Another fun fact: Jackson defends the 3/5 black citizenship clause in the original U.S. Constitution as “anti-slavery.” Isn’t he witty?”
Um, Jackson is an idiot but it actually was anti-slavery; maybe you skipped that in history class. The South wanted to count each slave — who couldn’t vote — as 1 citizen for purposes of representation, and the North would have none of it, wanting them to be counted as 0 citizens. 3/5 the compromise they reached.
Well the South knew that if they were on able to count the slaves that the more populace North would have a greater representation in Congress than the South. The South was afraid they could be outvoted on slavery issue, and other items they considered state’s rights.
The most frustrating thing about people like this is that I really don’t think SOME of them believe the things they are saying but are merely trying to make headlines. The impact these people have on the GOP’s treatment of people of color and women and gay people is that it is almost giving them permission. Sort of like saying “well a black guy compared today’s society with slavery so we can use that too” or these people are good for grand standing and buffoonery because that is a role they are comfortable with and good at. Not only that but it takes away from leaders of color who are really trying to make a difference in communities of color. I don’t see solutions as being democratic or republican we just need solutions and if they happen to be republican I would be fine with that what I am not okay with is saying “black people need Jesus, or get rid of welfare, or we need to get rid of gay people or anything else extreme or nutty. What we need are solutions which produce results in areas of education, poverty, and crime. I think the GOP is making the same mistake they made in the last election with the fear mongering and the extremism because most people do not want to be told what to do. Black people voted in the highest numbers in history because they were dissuaded. Society is changing for the better and they need better tactics than marching out every person of color who is willing to stand against the Dems while simultaneously alienating the group they belong to. It will not work people today like MODERATION! I might add as well that to even compare today’s society a little bit to slavery is completely disrespectful the things they had to endure i would never dream of making a mockery of considering that I have had access to a great education, I can read whatever I want, I do not have to worry about being lynched or whipped for getting out of line, I have other work opportunities besides back breaking labor that i do for free, I do not have to worry about being raped by my “owner” and having his child, and I can express my self freely. I would say compared to the times of slavery my life is quite good. Not to say that racism and prejudice no longer exist but I feel like I have many options and choices and I think that is what equality under the law is, it does not mean that we are all the same with the same abilities or strengths but in the country we call home that we pay taxes in we should all have the ability to make the same choices and have the same options. – Madeline K
Madeline, I must confess that I cried reading this! Do you have any idea of how proud I am of you? You totally understand how dangerous men like Jackson are. His internalized racism, homophobia, and underlying misogyny ONLY help to sustain a white dominant culture. Now do you see why I want you to be President? You are and always have been absolutely brilliant. Sending you all my love, Michael
“Is there a badge for that?” Maybe it’s the “red badge of courage.” The BSA ran away from the fight to create a diverse and inclusive organization. There could be redemption for the BSA as there was for Henry. But first the BSA must win redemption for turning its back on boys and men (and women) who are gay.
It’s hard to believe, however, that the BSA will get it figured out before they become totally irrelevant and implode upon the weight of their own arrogance and hubris. They were great once, it’s sad to see the mighty fail, yet this Eagle Scout sheds no tear. I’ve moved on very well without them as have my millennial children who have little tolerance for anything that is not diverse or inclusive. There are so many other and better opportunities for children that are inclusive and welcoming of diversity. Maybe instead of fighting to get in, folks should be running to get out.
Bruce, you are very clearly testament to the amazing power of critical thinking the BSA was once able to endow youth with. What has been exceedingly disturbing for me today is the choir of voices celebrating the BSA as heroes of inclusion, when in fact they are still practicing disgraceful and hypocritical discrimination.
Apparently ol’ Bishop Loonytunes is feeling the heat. Did you see his rebuttal to the Daily Caller? He said, “every one of those comments has a context and were spoken in my role as a minister, not as a candidate.” (Mark Sanford should have tried that! “My actions were conducted as a sexy hiker, not as governor.”)
Apparently Jackson thinks he can just wall off his whole personal history since it involves his CAREER as a minister. I don’t think that’s what separation of church and state is supposed to mean…
I had not seen that. Wow! That makes feel like I need a Silkwood Shower now!
And his initials spell EW! It’s perfect!
LOL! I never even put that together. That is perfect.
You beat me to it. EW, as in ewwwwwww, leapt out at me after reading the wrong-Reverend Jackson’s deeply offensive comments.
I guess the good lord knows what to call Jackson. 🙂