“Messages of hate, bigotry, and government control over people’s lives are not Republican or Christian,” Republican Douglas County Commissioner Abe Laydon said with a straight face.
To give this dude credit, from the rest of the quote in the article it sounds like he’s genuinely standing up against this sort of hate, and I expect it’s at a very tangible personal cost. I find it almost unbelievable that anyone who genuinely opposes hate of a sort that’s become a part of the absolute fabric of modern conservatism could still be a Republican, but apparently this dude is the exception. I hope he has the sense to get out now, but I’ll take what genuine progress I can get given I’ve largely written off most conservatives as a lost cause.
Generally I’d agree, but the guy being quoted here isn’t the candidate in question. From what we know in the article he isn’t gay himself (though it’s certainly possible), nor does it mention anything about people he personally knows being gay. Given only the context of the article, it sounds like he’s genuinely just standing up for gay folks despite what his party overwhelmingly preaches. If that’s indeed the case I think he deserves credit. And like I said, I hope this leads him toward realizing that his party is a lost cause for genuinely compassionate people and that he should take this opportunity to jump ship.
Sure, but this sort of tells you the core essence of that party. A lack of empathy. As long as it doesn’t affect them personally, they’re happy to ignore others’ suffering.
I completely agree - the party is absolutely wretched on a fundamental level and needs to be voted out of relevance. Like I replied to another comment here, however, it sounds like the guy being quoted here (not the gay Republican candidate) is just some guy speaking out against the hate in his party. From the limited context given in the article, he’s not doing it because of anyone in his personal life (though that could turn out to be the case). There’s obviously some cognitive dissonance there for him to think he’s going to change their minds, but I give him credit for even trying.
To give this dude credit, from the rest of the quote in the article it sounds like he’s genuinely standing up against this sort of hate, and I expect it’s at a very tangible personal cost. I find it almost unbelievable that anyone who genuinely opposes hate of a sort that’s become a part of the absolute fabric of modern conservatism could still be a Republican, but apparently this dude is the exception. I hope he has the sense to get out now, but I’ll take what genuine progress I can get given I’ve largely written off most conservatives as a lost cause.
He’s a conservative. He only opposes the hate that personally affects him.
Generally I’d agree, but the guy being quoted here isn’t the candidate in question. From what we know in the article he isn’t gay himself (though it’s certainly possible), nor does it mention anything about people he personally knows being gay. Given only the context of the article, it sounds like he’s genuinely just standing up for gay folks despite what his party overwhelmingly preaches. If that’s indeed the case I think he deserves credit. And like I said, I hope this leads him toward realizing that his party is a lost cause for genuinely compassionate people and that he should take this opportunity to jump ship.
Sure, but this sort of tells you the core essence of that party. A lack of empathy. As long as it doesn’t affect them personally, they’re happy to ignore others’ suffering.
I completely agree - the party is absolutely wretched on a fundamental level and needs to be voted out of relevance. Like I replied to another comment here, however, it sounds like the guy being quoted here (not the gay Republican candidate) is just some guy speaking out against the hate in his party. From the limited context given in the article, he’s not doing it because of anyone in his personal life (though that could turn out to be the case). There’s obviously some cognitive dissonance there for him to think he’s going to change their minds, but I give him credit for even trying.
Guy must have been in a coma since the small sliver of time in the 90s after Bush senior and before Bob Dole decided that the real enemy was teachers.