James Dobson is a dangerous idiot

So CNN -- so often ridiculed by the right for alleged (and unsubstantiated) liberal biases -- has given a high-profile platform to Focus on the Family's James Dobson, the bigoted proponent of oppression, repression, and suppression in the name of his own "traditional values".

In a piece at CNN.com, Dobson attacks "the liberal press" for falsely identifying popular support for same-sex marriage; claims that the Senate's opponents of the proposed constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage "turned their backs on this most basic social institution" (i.e., marriage as defined narrowly by Dobson and his bigoted ilk); finds an overall "bias against the family" (i.e., as defined narrowly by Dobson and his bigoted ilk) everywhere he looks in "the mainstream televised news networks"; ridicules the states'-rights argument that has long been a key conservative cause, claiming that having 50 states making their own laws with respect to same-sex marriage would "would create utter chaos" (which it wouldn't -- states are already free to make their own laws with respect to many issues); suggests that "activist judges" on the left (he likely doesn't think there are any on the right) would not respect the will of the people (i.e., are anti-democratic, with democracy defined narrowly by Dobson and his bigoted ilk); and -- yes, believe it or not, you can read it for yourself -- compares the movement to ban same-sex marriage to the movement to abolish slavery (more precisely, the British abolitionist movement of the evangelical William Wilberforce).

And, lest I forget, there's this: "If the battle to protect marriage takes even five more years, liberal judges and activists will have destroyed this 5,000-year-old institution, which was designed by the Creator, Himself. Even now, they are close to achieving that coveted objective."

Where, oh where, to begin? Dobson's bigotry, supported by his own brand of Christianity, speaks for itself. This is a man who is blinded by hatred, both hatred of gays and lesbians as somehow sub-human and hatred of his political opponents. He hides behind something as noble as abolitionism, but, as Shakespeare's Sister puts it, "none too few Americans of any color would take exception to our horrendous history of slavery being invoked in such a manner, but perhaps fewer will balk at the British reference".

Why not American abolitionism, Jimmy D.? Why not a non-white abolitionist? (Shakes has some ideas. Make sure to read her post -- in particular, I must agree with her blunt characterization of Dobson as a "homobigot retrofuck". You won't find that in the mainstream press, but it's as accurate a characterization as you're likely to find anywhere.)

Consider, too, what my fellow TMVer David Schraub has to say at The Debate Link:

Am I reading Dobson right that gay marriage poses a greater moral threat than slavery? That's simply stunning. Folks like Dobson use and abuse the civil rights movement for their own agendas, but seem to have very little awareness of the gravity of the wrong itself.

Hmm...maybe the way Black people could properly remember their tragedy would be to support equal rights and citizenship for their gay compatriots. The most logical descendant of Loving v. Virginia, after all, is Goodridge v. Department of Health.

Yes, that's my reading of Dobson, too. Yet I don't find it stunning. Not from someone like Dobson.

Anyway, I've had enough. Why give a dangerous idiot like Dobson even more space here at The Reaction? All I need to add is that he's a mover and shaker in the Republican Party, a leader of its all-important base.

Well done, CNN. I didn't have much respect for you before you put this outpouring of hate on your website. It's not that you're liberal or conservative or anything of the kind. It's just that you're so clearly an institution of cowardice. How else to explain your decision to give a bigot like Dobson such a high-profile platform?

Have I mentioned that he's a bigot?