 Jennifer HemmingsenI'm an op-ed columnist and member of The Gazette's editorial board, writing primarily about Iowa politics, social issues, public safety [...] |
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Exhibit “A” — what you said about the Family Leader
Sioux City businessman Bob Vander Plaats speaks during a news conference in front of the Iowa Judicial building, Friday, Aug. 6, 2010, in Des Moines, Iowa. Vander Plaats said Friday he won't launch a third-party campaign for governor and instead will head an effort to oust three Iowa Supreme Court justices who joined last year's decision legalizing gay marriage. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
As if we needed more evidence of Family Leader supporters’ flailing attempts to keep hate fires burning on issues of same-sex marriage and gay rights, I got more striking examples in my inbox yesterday in response to Wednesday’s column about Bob Vander Plaats’ group’s beef with Iowa Safe Schools’ annual anti-bullying conference.
First, a number of kudos from readers glad I pointed out how desperate the Family Leader seemed in trying to pick a fight with Gov. Terry Branstad for not asking his title be removed from the Iowa Governors Conference on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Youth; how bizarre their attempt to spin the conference as some kind of school-sanctioned Sodom.
“It’s almost sad to watch the group have to contort itself into increasingly uncomfortable-looking positions to keep mining the outrage that has fueled the Family Leader leader’s lukewarm success,” I wrote. A number of you agreed.
A former educator and state legislator commended me on my “guts;” a local high school principal wrote to offer his thanks.
“Our kids deserve schools that are safe and open for everyone,” he wrote. “They face bullying on many fronts. It is so disappointing to see adults join in the bullying as well.”
I heard this from a state legislative staffer: “I see and hear all the hate that comes from across the rotunda, and appreciate someone calling things the way they are.”
And this from One Iowa Executive Director Troy Price: “I don’t think most people out there realize just how far the Family Leader has fallen over the last year, and your column really snaps that into focus.”
Then there was this note, from John, the Leader’s lone defender, with the subject line: “YOUR A LOON- AND YOUR EDITORIAL IS A JOKE! YOUR ARACIST!”
“MADAM- YOUR LOUSY EDITORIAL- REFLECTS TYPLCIAL LIBERAL BIAS- AND IS DISHONEST. YOUR A LIBERAL RACIST- ANTI-CHRISTIAN BIGOT. AND YOUR EDITORIAL IS LIBERAL CRAP! NOTHING BUT A HATCHET JOB TO THE FAMILY LEADER. YOUR A ANTI-CHRISTIAN BIGOT. AND ONE IOWA IS NOT A CIVIL RIGHT GROUP. THEY ARE A PERVERT HOMOSEXUAL EXTREMIST GROUP. AND THE MAJORITY IOF IOWANS DO NOT AGREE WITH YOUR LIBERAL IDIOT VIEWS. AND MOST DO NOT AGREE WITH HOMOSEXUALITY- OHTER THEN HOMOS ARE PERVERTS AND LIBERALS LIKE YOU ARE MORONS.”
And I’m a terrible cook, and I hate kittens and butterflies, and I don’t know all the state capitals, and did I mention I’m an idiot and a moron? But seriously.
I’m happy to have a reasonable conversation about civil rights and same-sex marriage. I welcome it.
But I’m even more convinced today than I was yesterday that reasonable Iowans are overwhelmingly being turned off and turned away by the irrational fire and brimstone rhetoric of anti-gay activists.
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You hate kittens and butterflies *because* you’re a terrible cook. You see, the trick to making a really good kitten with butterfly sauce is to not overcook it.
JOHN, YOUR [CAPSLOCK] KEY SEEMS TO BE STUCK IN THE “ON” POSITION…just as your head seems to be stuck in a dark and smelly place. Here’s hoping you come out for air soon.
As far as Bob Vander Plaats goes, I just keep in mind that Charlie Manson was a “Family Leader”, too.
The less said about Grifter Bob, the better. I look forward to the day when it’s announced that he strangled on his own self-righteousness while attempting to eat a piece of barbecued chicken at a Pizza Ranch fete for Steve King.
Dont forget his pal Lawrence Vander Esch. To give some light to this , did you know his name was expunged from the official Pizza Ranch history? Why didnt Romney go there?
http://siouxcityjournal.com/mobile/article_da1646b2-2ef7-58fa-994e-f44b559baa0d.html
or
Its founded on Christain principals
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pizza_Ranch
or some details here
http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/uncategorized/article_16088e79-7ebe-5d03-aeb1-d3a4e85b25d2.html
or the new history shows only one founder. Honesty?
http://pizzaranch.com/about-us/?id=12
How much you wanna bet that “John” has a lot of pull in his local GOP, may even have received retail political attention from the likes of Bachmann or Santorum, and most certainly has given either his time or money, or both, to the Family What?
I’d really like to know who “John” is…
Learn to spell and pony up your last name “John.” Otherwise don’t be surprised if most people who read your note to Jennifer question whether or not it is worthy of any credibility. I know I certainly don’t give it any.
Lori: I was the one who withheld John’s last name. As a matter of courtesy, I don’t identify readers who write to me without first getting their permission, and I only usually do that when their position makes it relevant (see above: I only positively identified One Iowa Director Troy Price).
Fair enough Jennifer. It simply ticks me off though how many people on this site STILL get away with only posting under their first names, or an obvious pseudonym. And without knowing your perspective, it came across to me as an anonymous note.
The anger and name calling is getting out of control. It is not just about this issue either. It seems to be about every issue, no matter how trivial.
I think there is an article in today’s Gazette about someone who killed two people, leaving an 8 month old child parentless, over a defriending on Facebook.
This is insane.
It never ceases to amaze me how many people claim the ‘majority’ of the public agrees with them, yet offer no proof. Turn off Hannity and enter the real world.