Musician John Rich, of country duo Big and Rich, said on the Steve Gill radio show (loooong MP3 clip here) that he supported Fred Thompson for president because he agreed with him on issues like gay marriage. Rich said of the institution:"I think if you legalize that, you've got to legalize some other things that are pretty unsavory. You can call me a radical, but how can you tell an aunt that she can't marry her nephew if they are really in love and sharing the bills? How can you tell them they can't get married, but something else that's unnatural can happen?"
Ah, yes, the "it will lead to incest and/or bestiality" anti-gay marriage argument. It's been a while since that old chestnut was trotted out.
Rich later issued this statement: "My earlier comments on same-sex marriage don't reflect my full views on the broader issues regarding tolerance and the treatment of gays and lesbians in our society. I apologize for that and wish to state clearly my views. I oppose same-sex marriage because my father and minister brought me up to believe that marriage is an institution for the union of a man and a woman. However, I also believe that intolerance, bigotry and hatred are wrong. People should be judged based on their merits, not on their sexual orientation. We are all children of God and should be valued and respected."
Despite his furious back-tracking, he did call homosexuality "unnatural" and compare it to incest, and we're thinking Big & Rich's gay and gay-friendly fans (we know some!) aren't going to forget this.
And yet, we also have a feeling he's not going to feel a quarter the blow-back the Dixie Chicks did for questioning the President . . .
Reader Comments ( Page 2 of 3)
16. To say that we ARE animals IS the very self serving rationalizing of which I speak....
All anchors away now!!!
Only if their consciences allows them to act as animals....which is my whole point.......
We can say and do anything we want to JUST LIKE THE ANIMALS..........
Good night....
KrautKnabe at 8:19PM on Oct 29th 2007
17. KrautKnabe:
"To say that we ARE animals IS the very self serving rationalizing of which I speak....
All anchors away now!!!
Only if their consciences allows them to act as animals....which is my whole point.......
We can say and do anything we want to JUST LIKE THE ANIMALS.........."
That's taking it a bit far, I think. No one's saying that.
Besides, there are ways that other animals have us beat. When was the last time that you've heard of an animal other than a human that orchestrated the deaths of millions of its kind?
Can you imagine a gerbil going on a mass-murdering spree?
Tem at 8:25PM on Oct 29th 2007
18. To Linda at Post 10, who said:
"What people do in the sanctity of their home is THEIR BUSINESS."
Linda:
What people do in the sanctity of their homes is their own business. However, when the gay movement tries to change social mores, and make homosexuality more acceptable, the issue is no longer about what individuals want to do in the privacy of their own bedroom.
kulari94 at 8:39PM on Oct 29th 2007
19. To Linda at Post 10, who said: "What people do in the sanctity of their home is THEIR BUSINESS."
Linda:
The gay rights movement is not about two individuals doing what they want to do in the privacy of their own home. The gay rights movement is seeking to change social mores and mainstream homosexuality. The ultimate goal of the gay rights movement is to achieve legal, moral and religous parity with heterosexuality. That's why so many people are opposed to the gay movement. The gay movement does not want to be left alone - it wants you to accept homosexuality.
kulari94 at 8:51PM on Oct 29th 2007
20. I'm going to answer this question and then reprise my Good night...
'Yes'...as a farm boy, I have seen not only Gerbils, Guinea Pigs, Rabbits and others go on killing sprees and kill entire Hatches of their own and others but I have seen many animals kill by the dozens and hundreds even from chickens to wild and feral animals. It is intrinsic.
The point is that we as Humans are endowed with conscience and tend to want to excuse our chosen conduct by minimizing our existence with rationalization such as there is no accountability since there is no God and we are only animals that just appeared from nothingness and evolved from apes so let's just go at it......
It's a big gamble to take since nothing yet according to every principle of logic and science can come from nothing....
KrautKnabe at 9:23PM on Oct 29th 2007
21. “The gay rights movement is not about two individuals doing what they want to do in the privacy of their own home. The gay rights movement is seeking to change social mores and mainstream homosexuality.”
Do they want sex in the street or are they asking for tolerance of what they do in the privacy of their own homes?
“The ultimate goal of the gay rights movement is to achieve legal, moral and religous parity with heterosexuality.”
They SHOULD have legal parity with heterosexuals. Morality and religion are private matters. Those things are open to debate, but nobody can force you to change your way of thinking.
“That's why so many people are opposed to the gay movement. The gay movement does not want to be left alone - it wants you to accept homosexuality.”
Accept them how? Are gays trying to force you to change your way of religious views? Are they trying to force you to let them be married in *your* church? What exactly are they asking for that would hurt you in any way?
Tatiana at 9:36PM on Oct 29th 2007
22. “The point is that we as Humans are endowed with conscience and tend to want to excuse our chosen conduct by minimizing our existence with rationalization such as there is no accountability since there is no God and we are only animals that just appeared from nothingness and evolved from apes so let's just go at it...…”
The conscience is a function of the physical brain. Our brains are highly developed, and that gives us the ability to make informed decisions.
Where do you get this “no accountability” stuff? Do you really believe that because I don’t embrace religion, I think you should be allowed to do things that hurt other people? If you believe that, there’s no point in debating with you. The fact that I’m genetically related to the other creatures is irrelevant to ethics and morals. I want to live in a society where I am respected for my humanity, so I adhere to the social contract and I respect others for their humanity. Is that really so hard for you to grasp?
Tatiana at 9:47PM on Oct 29th 2007
23. It is a physical function that 7 billion people and nigh on 26 Billion previously were somehow just mysteriously pro generated to appear with somehow......
Pro generation always happens with no source to initiate or perpetuate......
You are so unbelievably self deluded it's beyond, beyond ridiculously absurd. I wouldn't consider....
You are more closely genetically "related" to a Banana than the vast majority of creatures in the Animal realm and I have no interest nor desire to debate you. You are woefully ill equipped.
Furthermore, that is not the purpose of this Blogsite.
KrautKnabe at 10:47PM on Oct 29th 2007
24. From: ray at 4:26PM on Oct 29th 2007
7. Responding to Tatiana (5):
If the man or woman next door abuses his spouse and/or children, am I to ignore it? After all, it will not affect my marriage! Is that your threshold for involvement? Only when it hurts me?
How pathetic!
If it is wrong, then, it is wrong and we should not be compelled to stay quiet. If you think it is right or acceptable, then say so. But, do not justify it by saying that it does not hurt you! That is a pathetic reason for tolerance.
V -Child and spousal abuse are crimes, Ray. Being gay is not.
Your analogy is, to be charitable, flawed.
Ventrue at 11:48PM on Oct 29th 2007
25. On homosexuality, I accept the viewpoint of the Roman Catholic Church, that homosexuality is arrested development. When people grow up, they outgrow it.
Ronald B. Zeh at 11:51PM on Oct 29th 2007
26. It's a big gamble to take since nothing yet according to every principle of logic and science can come from nothing....
KrautKnabe at 9:23PM on Oct 29th 2007
Evidently you've never heard of quantum mechanics.
The understanding of evolution, which you seem to be referring to requires more than cursory attention.
You need a thorough understanding of molecular genetics and that requires a lot of other science courses beginning with above average grades in college algebra and trigonometry and calculus so you can take the physics and chemistry and biochemistry and cellular physiology and embryology that enables you to understand evolution.
If you do that you should also develop scientific intuition, an offshoot of algebraic thinking, and it will aid you in what now seem to be irresolvable issues like the one I captioned.
As to your 'come from nothing' comment, a god can't come from nothing either.
Also if you are only talking about it in a human language, a god can't be omnipotent either.
An omnipotent god can't create a more powerful god than itself nor could it create a rock so heavy it could not lift it.
Human syllogistic logic can't address irresistable forces pitted against immovable objects. This is more formalized by Kurt Godel in the Incompleteness Theorem.
Saying all things come from god still won't address where god came from and why he can't be all powerful and be spoken of logically.
The church's answer is usually a paraphrasal of 'shut up or we'll kill you'.
That is precisely why science doesn't address god and why god has to be addressed by faith - because a god can't be addressed by logic.
Someday, maybe. The branch of physics known as m-theory is revealing a great deal about reality that will almost certainly result in a paradigm shift in the near future. How this will affect people's faith, I don't know.
Clif Kuplen at 12:52AM on Oct 30th 2007
27. I have all of those things in sufficiency, I possess that knowledge to a far greater degree than you and will not be pulled into a volley with a Pseudo Atheist that serves only the purpose of feeding the Psycho Pathology of the Anti Social Narcissist on the other side of the keyboard.
This is exactly why I keep trying to evade such discussions with the Pseudo Atheists on these Blogs and reserve them for interested parties of sincerity. I don't want to "play in" to their condition or be part and parcel to it as a responsible Mental Health person.
Also, This is the end of my contribution to the comment. It was intended to be some time ago.
Anyone can clearly see how a man and woman are functionally made. You may choose to apply them any way you like but not without Consequences..
Con sequences....(Con),..To oppose or go against. (Sequence), The order of things.
KrautKnabe at 1:25AM on Oct 30th 2007
28. To KrautKnabe-
Your logic and ability to verbalize scientific truth is amazing. I stand in awe.
Thank you for your non prejudiced well thought out comments and for not allowing yourself to be sucked into the whole debate idea. This is a blog. You are an excellent blogger.
Gay rights advocates are not all about the "sanctity of their homes". There are many that are out to shock and dismay people. I don't even believe that a lot of what I see out in public, San Fran and Key West are wonderful examples, is legitimate homosexuality. I think a lot of people get caught up in drugs, possibly not a great support system in place in their lives and they just go with the flow. They "act" like they're gay. The gay couples I know don't go out of their way to offend people that do hold religious values. They may not like to discuss religion in any form but they mostly just avoid the topic and they don't set out to gross people out in public.
CSER at 5:54AM on Oct 30th 2007
29. It appears that every time a person states his/her belief that does not line up with the "parrots" they are attacked publicly. Rich had every right to state his belief. The thought police are trashing him AND the south. You are as bigoted as anyone I've ever read. All Southerners practice incest, huh?????????? I guess all yankees are pedophiles, and all westeners are gay?
Patricia Dunn at 7:08AM on Oct 30th 2007
30. Amazingly enough, the Musik Mafia website - of which, Big and Rich were instrumental in creating - calls the Mafia "music without prejudice." I guess he meant racial prejudice by having his token Cowboy Troy in the limited mafia group. Rich is no more than just another GOP hypocrite, pandering with one hand and spewing hate at the same time.
Carol W at 9:19AM on Oct 30th 2007