oh, them wacky "values" voters

[sisyphusshrugged]

I'm sure you've all seen the fawning letter of support Bob Jones (of the eponymous University, still out there training Christian leaders who believe that judaism, catholicism and miscegenation are offenses to God since Our Fearless Leader first kneeled down before their elders and assured them that he shared their values in his first campaign) has sent to the White House pointing out that he, as a representative Christian, expects his moral values to be reflected in the next Bush administration.

Which, you know, seems like a fairly safe bet, on balance.

Unfortunately, the "values" vote isn't about balance.

For instance, they're having a hard time wrapping their minds around the fact that (although he has since recanted) Gonzales once said something mean about Priscilla Owens' endearing habit of forgetting that the state of Texas and not God was signing her paycheck.

She also took an oath (I'm sure she chose the one with God in it, aren't you?) which she was breaking, but God digs that, I guess.

An anti-abortion group Thursday accused President Bush of ignoring his anti-abortion principles in nominating White House counsel Alberto Gonzales for the post of attorney general.

"As a Texas Supreme Court justice, Gonzales' rulings implied he does not view abortion as a heinous crime," said Judie Brown, president of the American Life League, in a written statement.

Bush announced Wednesday that he had chosen his long-time friend to replace Attorney General John Ashcroft, who is stepping down. (Bush picks Gonzales to head Justice Department)

Gonzales has worked with Bush since he was the governor of Texas -- serving as Bush's general counsel, then as Texas Secretary of State before Bush appointed him to the state's highest court. (Gonzales political fortunes tied to Bush's)

As a member of the court, Gonzales ruled with the majority that some teenage girls should not be required to get parental permission for an abortion.

In his opinion on the ruling, Gonzales wrote, "While the ramifications of such a law may be personally troubling to me as a parent, it is my obligation as a judge to impartially apply the laws of this state without imposing my moral view on the decisions of the legislature."

Brown said that "choosing not to rule against abortion, in any situation, is the epitome of denying justice for an entire segment of the American population -- pre-born babies in the womb."

She also cited a 2001 interview with the Los Angeles Times in which Gonzales was asked whether his personal view of abortion would play a role in his vetting of judges.

He responded, "There are no litmus tests for judicial candidates. ... My own personal feelings about (abortion) don't matter. ... The question is, what is the law, what is the precedent, what is binding in rendering your decision. Sometimes, interpreting a statute, you may have to uphold a statute that you may find personally offensive. But as a judge, that's your job."

Said Brown, "Gonzales' position is clear: The personhood of the pre-born human being is secondary to technical points of law, and that is a deadly perspective for anyone to take. ...

"Why is President Bush betraying the babies? Justice begins with protecting the most vulnerable in our midst. Please, Mr. President -- just say no to the unjust views of Alberto Gonzales."

You'd think his support for torturing enemies of the state or people somebody thinks might be enemies of the state would be enough for them, wouldn't you?

Got news for you, kids. You want to screw pretty much anyone or anything in this country, you just drop off a list with Mr. Rove and he'll get it taken care of.

You want to screw with Republican hopes of increasing their percentage of the hispanic vote, you're gonna have to render it unto Caesar, 'cause you're screwed.

Took a whole week, too.

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Comments

[gngrmyrsn.livejournal.com]

And aaaaaway we go!

Depending on how much damage they do to civilization in the process, there might be enough gallows humor in the Republican party tearing itself apart over the next four years to get me through the next four years.

You'd think his support for torturing enemies of the state or people somebody thinks might be enemies of the state would be enough for them, wouldn't you?

You would unless you live under that weird "love thy neighbor as thyself unless they're somewhat different from you and then you can rationalize burning their house down and killing all of them because they're sub-human (or something)" double standard which the fundis seem incredibly able to live with. I have no idea how they do it. At the very least, you think they'd wonder if it can happen to that guy over there, it could happen to me and shouldn't I be doing everything in my power to keep that from happening? But no, that doesn't seem to be in operation here. Weird, but true.

Now, I don't know where Mr. Gonzalez's family hails from, but many Hispanics in LA are legal refugees from regimes that sponsor torture and mass murder, many have been tortured, and I don't know that they'll close ranks with this guy. They might on race, hard to tell, but overall I'd say these are not people who condone torture anymore than I do.

And I do get so very sick of the bush junta trumpeting its record on race. Their record is to find the worst possible people for the jobs and then make a big deal about their race. And Colin Powell, I think he's a Pod Person, because this can't be the same guy we knew in the late 1980s.

[jmhm.livejournal.com]

As I understand it he comes from a family of mexican-american migrant workers from Texas.