Texas Republican Senate Candidate Claims That Being Gay Is A Choice That Will Be Punished By God

[Are_grits_groceries]

Texas Republican Senate Candidate Claims That Being Gay Is A Choice That Will Be Punished By God

Texas Republican senate candidates Craig James, a former NFL player, and Ted Cruz went after former Dallas mayor Tom Leppert (R) for marching in a gay pride parade during a debate yesterday in an effort to portray Leppert as “pro-gay” and out of touch with conservative values. Both men pledged to stay away from gay festivities if elected and James went so far as to suggest that being gay is a choice that will be punished by God:

MODERATOR: Are you saying Mayor Leppert is in favor of gay marriage?
CRUZ: What I am saying is that when a mayor of a city chooses twice to march in a parade celebrating gay pride, that’s a statement – and it’s not a statement I agree with.

JAMES: I think right now in this country, our moral fiber is sliding down a slope that is going to be hard to stop if we don’t stand up with leaders who don’t go ride in gay parades. I can assure you I will never ride in a gay parade. And I hear what you’re saying, Tom, but leaders – our kids out there people need to see examples.
MODERATOR: Do you think people choose to be gay?
JAMES: I think it’s a choice, I do.
MODERATOR: It’s not in the genes?
JAMES: I think that you have to make that choice. But in that case right there, they are going to have to answer to the Lord for their actions. We should not give benefits to those civil unions.
<snip>
http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2012/02/23/431445/texas-republican-senate-candidate-claims-that-being-gay-is-a-choice-that-will-be-punished-by-god/

As if I needed another reason to hate Craig James.

He's a 2bit former analyst for ESPN who was awful. He was a running back at SMU, and though he denies it, I'd bet cash money he was on the take too.
His son wasn't a great payer, but with Daddy's help he got a D1 football scholarship to ?texas Tech. When baby couldn't play, James was all over the TT coaching staff with advice. He finally got the coach fired, albeit with a dumb move or two by the coach.
James is a slug who isn't worth the time to pour salt on.

[w8liftinglady]

1. oy. more Texas love for their fellow man.

Tom Leppert was a decent mayor,albeit a republican. He tended to drop party when dealing with dallas issues.

Screw Craig. He is a total asshole.

[Angry Dragon]

2. bigots grow well in Texas

Not everyone in Texas is a bigot
I have met a lot of sane people in Texas

[Happyhippychick]

3. Being Republican is a choice that is being punished by G-d.

[sadbear]

4. James has a bit of college football notoriety in Texas.

Nobody here likes him. Not even republicans. He is a douchebag among douchebags.

[OriginalGeek]

5. Wasn't Craig James part of the reason

SMU got the death penalty for recruiting violations?

Even if he was completely innocent of that, fuck that guy. He sure isn't innocent of being a bigot.

[Are_grits_groceries]

7. He claims he never did anything wrong

when he played there. MEH!

[RKP5637]

6. These guys and those like them really seem to get their rocks off bashing gays. I bet a

psychological evaluation of them would turn up some very interesting facts.

[superpatriotman]

8. Who cares what they have to say?

pictures:

Craig James (Two first names?)

?
Ted Cruz (Cruise?)

Both MAY be judged by their deeds. No one knows for sure.

[gratuitous]

9. Very nice, Mr. James

A choice that will be punished by God, but apparently Mr. James isn't quite persuaded as he's willing to take over for God in the here and now (also, there is the possibility, however slight, that God doesn't feel the same way Mr. James does, in which case Craig's righteous smiting needs to happen pronto before those gays get away with it).

It's an odd thing, though, to be running for public office while publicly proclaiming that not all citizens and taxpayers are entitled to share in the benefits of the society they fund. Sounds like Mr. James is in favor of special rights for some people.

[LiberalFighter]

10. Why should these creatins care what happens to people they don't know?

They should worry about their own soul. Which I doubt they have.

[Initech]

11. Stephen Colbert was right - they're in full on Gran Torino mode at this point.

"Get off my lawn!!!!!!!" And such.