Check Out This Irish Senator's Awesome Smack Down of Russia's Anti-gay Propaganda Ban

Senator David Norris, Ireland's first openly gay person elected to public office, appeared on RT's Worlds Apart program this week to dissect Russia's ever-increasing crackdown on LGBT citizens and their rights.

Explaining that Russia's attitudes towards gay rights are "30 years behind" Western sensibilities, Norris wasted no time in bringing up the "dishonest" campaign that the Russian Orthodox Church and lawmakers have led in trying to "protect children" with the country's anti-gay 'propaganda' ban. 

When host Oksana Boyko explained that perhaps Russia's anti-gay efforts were related more to protecting its cultural "heteronormativity" rather than criminalizing homosexuality or perpetuating discrimination, Norris fired back:

"What about parades, marches banned by the mayor of Moscow? Why was that? What about the people being beaten up, being dragged out of their homes, being tortured, being subject to vicious, brutal attacks by thugs in Moscow with the police standing by. That's hardly equality...what we should be doing is making sure that our family structures are more rational and they reflect the views of everyone in society and that we protect everyone in society. We don't just do lip service for the individual's rights and say "Oh you can be homosexual in a hole in the ground somewhere as long as nobody knows about it, but we're perfectly alright with you being clobbered and battered to death on the streets of Moscow with the police turning the other way'"

It's a 30 minutes segment, but well worth a full watch - especially towards the end when Boyko gets all flustered after being asked about Vladimir Putin's own sexuality in light of his fondness for "galloping around with little small beady eyes, half-naked on a horse."

The 5 Best Smackdowns of Conservative Ignorance in 2013

It’s a slow period for news right now, and I think it’s good to reflect back on the year to remember exactly what went on over these last 365 days.  Especially in politics where the memory for many Americans seems to be extremely short.

So I’m doing a few year-end wrap-up articles, highlighting some of the most outrageous or noteworthy moments from this past year.

This one will cover my picks for the best smackdowns of conservative ignorance in 2013.  By that I mean the stories we covered where someone brilliantly called out conservative ignorance.

I’m going to limit it to my top five for the sake of time and to avoid leaving you scrolling forever.

Alright, let’s get started!

#5: John McCain calls out tea party ignorance during the government shutdown:

• John McCain Calls Out Tea Party Lies, Says GOP “Did the American People a Great Disservice”

#4: President Obama slams Republicans over the government shutdown by simply telling the truth: 

• President Obama Embarrasses Republicans for Their Government Shutdown in Epic Speech 

#3: President Obama targets blatant Republican obstruction in Congress during his presidency: 

• Obama Slams Republicans: “Anything even remotely associated with me, they feel obliged to oppose.”

#2: Elizabeth Warren slams Republicans who held our nation hostage trying to get what they wanted:

• Elizabeth Warren: “Hostage tactics are the last resort for those who can’t otherwise win their fights”

#1: Chris Matthews says what liberals have been saying for years about the conservative attitude toward Obama:

• Chris Matthews Nails It: “It’s Hatred,” Not Politics Behind Strong GOP Opposition to President Obama

Well, there you have it.  Granted, I’m sure many of you might think some of these should be switched, or know of better instances where someone called out conservative ignorance, but hey – this is my list.  These were my favorites of the bunch.

Headed into 2014, you should fully expect more comments such as these, considering the midterm elections that are coming up couldn’t be more important.  Personally, I can’t wait.  If I can say one thing about Republicans, it’s that they seem extremely eager for people who like using common sense and logic to call them out for their ridiculous comments and behavior.

That Awkward Moment

Pastor Mathew Prater tried to use the bible to justify his opposition to marriage equality when he questioned Kevin Rudd on his support for marriage equality on Q&A last night. This is how Mathew looked when Kevin Rudd responded by saying "Well, mate, if I was going to have that view, the Bible also says that slavery is a natural condition."

Rudd 1 Prater 0

You can watch the exchange here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdU3ooAZSH8&feature=youtu.be

BTW What Mathew forgot to to say is that he himself has been divorced. Apparently it's only LGBTI people who should follow the bible.

Mary Cheney Calls Liz Cheney 'Dead Wrong' on Gay Marriage Position

Liz Cheney, a candidate for U.S. Senate in Wyoming, responded to charges from her opponent Mike Enzi that she "aggressively promotes" gay marriage by making this statement on Friday:

“I am strongly pro-life and I am not pro-gay marriage, [I believe] the issue of marriage must be decided by the states, and by the people in the states, not by judges and not even by legislators, but by the people themselves.”

Cheney's sister Mary, who is gay and married Heather Poe last year, responded to her sister's remarks:

Posting on Facebook on Friday evening, Mary Cheney, who is gay and married her longtime partner last year, wrote: “For the record, I love my sister, but she is dead wrong on the issue of marriage.”

Their father, former Vice President Dick Cheney, supports same-sex marriage, and the younger Cheney echoed some of his language on the issue when she added, “Freedom means freedom for everyone.”

“That means that all families — regardless of how they look or how they are made — all families are entitled to the same rights, privileges and protections as every other,” Mary Cheney wrote.

AHT: Let the family meltdown begin!

Supreme Court Denies Request From Virginia's Ken Cuccinelli To Stay Ruling On Sodomy Law

Previously, this past March, the Fourth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in Richmond issued a ruling that declared the state of Virginia's Crimes Against Nature Law to be unconstitutional, citing the decision issued by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2003 during Lawrence v. Texas. The state's blatantly anti-gay attorney general, Ken Cuccinelli, took it upon himself to appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court. The court has yet to decide whether it will hear the appeal. In the meantime, however, Cuccinelli submitted a request for a stay, postponing the Fourth Circuit Court's decision until after the appeal. 

This past Friday, according to the Washington Blade, Chief Justice John Roberts, acting on behalf of the entire court, denied Cuccinelli's request. The Supreme Court is expected to announce its decision of whether or not to hear the case either later this year or in early 2014. Until then, Virginia's "Crimes Against Nature Law" will remain un-enforcable. 

The Fourth Circuit Court's decision comes after attorneys attempted to place William Scott MacDonald, a 47-year-old man, behind bars for soliciting oral sex from a 17-year-old girl. Since no sexual acts actually took place, the state attempted to use its "Crimes Against Nature Law" to do the job. Cuccinelli and others argue that the U.S. Supreme Court's decision during Lawrence v. Texas does not apply in cases where one of the (potential) participants is a minor and the other is an adult. The Fourth Circuit Court disagreed, saying that "while the Lawrence decision prohibited Virginia from applying the sodomy law in cases of consensual sex with someone between 15 and 18, it did not prevent the state legislature from enacting laws banning all sex between adults and people in that age range."

NRA VP Wayne LaPierre is Taken Completely Off Guard in Heated Fox Interview

In an amazing exchange between Fox News host Chris Wallace and NRA head Wayne LaPierre, Wallace tore into a controversial ad that the NRA ran which criticized Obama for providing armed security for his children, while trying to propose new gun legislation for average citizens.

When the ad was released, it soon fell under controversy for trying to suggest that President Obama was being hypocritical in his skepticism of placing armed guards in schools, while his children are provided the same exact security on a day-by-day basis. Wallace immediately confronted LaPierre on the logical inconsistency of this argument, pointing out that the President’s children “face a threat that most children do not face.”

Clearly stunned by Wallace’s forthright attack, LaPierre invoked the Newtown tragedy by responding, “Tell that to the people in Newtown.”

Wallace wasted no time following up.

“Do you really think that the President’s children are the same kind of target as every school child in America? That’s ridiculous and you know it sir.”

LaPierre: “You know, unfortunately I think there are parents all over this school — all over the country that think their kids are entitled to the same amount of protection when they go to school and they want their kids to be safe.”

Wallace: “So they should have Secret Service?”

LaPierre: “No, but what they should have is police officers or certified armed security in those schools to keep people safe.” 

Wallace then argued that armed guards in schools will not protect children “in the shopping mall, in the movie theater, on the street” and criticized the NRA for attempting to introduce divisive class rhetoric into the gun debate. He went on to note that LaPierre himself relies on armed security guards and asked, “Does that make you an elite, and out-of-touch elite, because you have security?” “This idea of an elite class is just nonsense.”

Watch the heated exchange below.

Poor Eric Cantor! It's sad when even Fox News gives you the smackdown!

It took Chris Wallace a mere four sentences to completely dismantle the TEApublican-controlled House during an interview with Eric Cantor earlier today. Of course, Cantor offered excuse after excuse for why the 113th Congress can’t seem to get anything done.  Finally, it appeared Wallace had enough and interjected these questions:

“Rightly or wrongly, none of the bills you passed is going to become law. You have only passed four of 12 appropriations bills you are supposed to pass. We face a government shut down in the fall. Is this the best time to spend your time, passing bills that won’t become law?”

Wallace later added,

“You don’t have common ground with the president and you don’t have common ground with the Senate Republican leadership.  Aren’t we headed for a train wreck?”