I know: I suck.

[MannyGoldstein]

But I am simply blown away, totally blown away, by the profound ignorance demonstrated by Valerie Jarrett when she said that http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=9310491&mesg_id=9310491">being gay is a "lifestyle choice".

Profound. Ignorance.

But it does help me to understand why Obama's for depriving gays of the fundamental right to marry. Unless Jarrett apologizes, it indicates that Obama believes that homosexuality is simply a foolish choice.

Is this any better than rejecting evolutionary theory? I say it's worse - people get killed because of the insane belief that homosexuality is a foolish choice. How many people were killed recently over a disagreement on evolution?

I shudder.

[Rex]

1. I don't know about his believing it is a foolish choice.

But to indicate that yes, he agrees with her puts him on par with fundies saying it is a disease or mental disorder. Which would be very bad and I predict he won't do and will make her apologize or he will come out and apologize himself, for her words.

[Nite Owl]

2. She said that?

She should be fired.

[BlueCheese]

3. Well, it indicates...

... that Obama doesn't mind having people in positions of influence who think that homosexuality is a foolish choice.

Which, I agree, isn't much better than thinking that himself.

[TBF]

4. Hopefully that is just her personal view -

but then again he has given her a lot of responsibility in this administration and he seems to value her input greatly. I find that very troubling.

[tavalon]

12. She's too high up the food chain to express that point of view,

personal or not. She will be resigning or be fired today or there will be big trouble for this administration. This is the comment heard 'round the world.

[TBF]

18. I hope she is fired - I agree it was ludicrous that she thought it

and even worse that she said it at her level.

[bvar22]

20. Naw, she won't be fired unless Fox News or the Teabaggers object.

Track record, you know.

[EFerrari]

5. I have a hard time believing it is ignorance

and not dog whistling.

You're a better man than I am, Manny.

[MannyGoldstein]

7. You may well be right about the dog whistle

Either way, it just blows my mind.

My disillusionment is complete.

[tavalon]

13. I'm holding off on my anger until I see how this plays out

She needs to make a lifestyle choice to spend more time with her family and Obama needs to accept her resignation. If that doesn't happen, then I'm going to be pissed. I mean, yeah, I'm angry at her but I'm holding off on my anger with the administration until the end of business today.

[w4rma]

6. Most people are stupid. She's probably trying to get their votes. (nt)

[whathehell]

15. Neither the "stupid" nor the wise can give her votes..She doesn't hold an elected office. n/t

[Jester Messiah]

8. I don't understand how anyone could think it would be a choice.

Maybe this reveals some ignorance on my part, and if so I apologize, but... I can't fathom signing up voluntarily to deal with all the shit that gets thrown at gay folk. Maybe being gay is just that awesome that it's worth it, but volunteering to be hated and singled out? No way.

[whathehell]

16. If they didn't play it as a "choice' they'd have a harder time

advocating their shitty policies.

It's hard to persecute people who are believed to HAVE no choice.

[nevergiveup]

9. If you read this in the context of what she was saying

it makes zero sense. It doesn't even fit. It was obviously a gaffe. If she truly believes or meant to say this she should be fired but there is really something weird about how she followed the thought she was making with this sentence.

[tavalon]

10. Why do you suck?

This was an unacceptable statement on her part. She needs to apologize without any qualifiers and then she needs to make the lifestyle choice to spend more time with her family. And Obama needs to accept her resignation, post haste.

It's really quite simple.

[MannyGoldstein]

17. Because typically when I post something like this...

I get a barrage of unrecs and nasty posts calling me a hater, PUMA, etc.

[lame54]

11. But you gotta give her points for timing...

:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

[myrna minx]

14. Yes, our children are choosing to be bullied to death.

:puke:

[beforeyoureyes]

19. I am so sorry that we are still dealing with this SH%T

It is pathetic this is where we stand in 2010.

It seems we are almost careening in reverse, at times.

Fuck these people.

[Odin2005]

21. "BUT IT'S JUST ONE SONG!!!"

[xchrom]

22. Well he doe THINK it's not a choice.

He could be persuaded differently at the drop of a hat however.

[walldude]

23. Depending on which way the political wind

is blowing...

[Hannah Bell]

24. not a "foolish" choice. a willful, *evil* choice, according to some fundies. and the *evil*

is the reason it's acceptable to torture or kill gay people.

because they deliberately chose to be evil, you know.

it's a directly analogy to witch-hunting, communist-hunting, etc.

the element of "choice" which demonstrates the person is irredeemable.

[KossackRealityCheck]

25. You are so right! nt