Blithering fuckwits on NPR

As you probably know if you're reading this, I'm an over-the-road truck driver. Last week, on Tuesday, the 25th, I was driving across South Dakota. While I drive, I listen to NPR when I can. There were three things I heard that really pissed me off.

First, I caught part of Talk of the Nation, coming in on the end of the bit about the California Supreme Court (I think it was that court) upholding Proposition 8. They were interviewing a pastor about his take. I caught the tail end of his interview, and this phrase of his really irked me. To paraphrase his words, "A lot of people call me a bigot, but I'm not, because many people have shared the same beliefs for the last 5,000 years."

So, in effect, he's saying bigotry is sanctified if it's believed in long enough. I guess he must also believe in slavery and the chattel status of women, among other things, since people have also believed these things for thousands of years.

Second, someone called in immediately afterward, and asked (again, paraphrased), "I don't see why gays can't be happy with civil unions. It's the same thing, so why get so upset about it?"

I can also see him 40 years ago, saying, "I don't see why those damn uppity niggers can't be happy with their own water fountains, bus seats and schools. They're the same things, so why get so upset about it?"

Third, the nomination of Sonia Sotomayor (I think that's how her name's spelled) to the Supreme Court. They were interviewing, if I recall correctly, a liberal and a conservative blogger, and the conservative started off with something along the lines of "All right-thinking people..."

Full stop, right there. "All right-thinking people"? Here's what that boils down to:

It means, "I'm right and you're wrong."

It means that there is no room for debate, no room for consideration, no room for compromise.

It means that the only thing we will accept is total, complete acquiescence to our demands, because our demands are right, and you's are wrong.

It means that we're absolutely and completely close-minded.

It means we're bigots.

It also means that there is no point in talking with anyone who uses the phrase "all right-thinking people"

In short, "all right-thinking people" don't think.