Happy International Day Against Homophobia

This has been known about for a few years now but here, courtesy of Rabble, is a reminder of the speech that Darrell Reid, former president of Focus On The Family Canada and now Harper's deputy chief of staff, gave in Singapore at a 2003 Focus On The Family seminar. Speaking as a historian, Darrell warned about the correlation between protection of gay rights and the rise of Hiltler and the Nazi party in the 30's :

... in a way I'm ashamed and sorry to be standing before you as a Canadian and telling you this, but my reason for doing so ...is that perhaps our present will never be your future.

There's a very narrow definition of religious rights (in Canada) ... our legal people, our media, our academic elite don't care what you believe (against same sex rights), they just don't want you to talk about it to anybody or act upon it. Now I'm a historian ... the best parallel that I can think of historically is in Germany in the 1930s, as the rise of the Nazi party and Adolf Hitler came to power. You see, Adolf Hitler and his friends didn't care what you believed, you only became dangerous when you talked to somebody else about it, or you acted on it. I believe the same rational is taking place (in Canada.)"

Happy International Day Against Homophobia, Darrel. Here ya go. Try not to eat it all at once this time.






And a very special Happy International Day Against Homophobia greeting to Ratso ,who four days ago "condemned gay marriage and abortion as 'among the most insidious and dangerous challenges' to society."

The Christofascists are closing for the kill

Thought it couldn't happen here? Think again. According to Pie Palace, right-wing, christofascist, homophobic Darrel Reid is back in Ottawa. And, apparently he has taken a seat in the Prime Minister's Office as deputy director of policy and research.

I'm made slightly uncomfortable by this hire because of this guy's CV. Focus on the Family is US-based organization that openly funds its Canadian franchise (if you believe Wikipedia). I'm not sure that I want someone who was effectively a lobbyist sitting so close to our Prime Minister.

I would be more than "slightly uncomfortable" over such an appointment. This is one of those "sneak 'em in and no one will notice" appointments. It also underscores the knowledge possessed by the conservatives that people like Darrel Reid are despised by a wide group of Canadians.

There is a need for people to remind themselves that no matter what Harper appears to be, he has not changed. He owes the religious-right and they intend to collect. Sticking a raving wingnut like Darrel Reid, first as chief-of-staff for Rona Ambrose, and now, right in the Prime Minister's Office, is a clear indication that the social conservatives have the power and the ear of Steve Harper.

(H/T skdadl from comments)