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.

More from Sit Down and Shut Up Ford

The Ford dealer in Mojave, CA, has issued a non-apologetic apology for their "sit down and shut up" ad I mentioned earlier. It's on their front page, and I'll copy it here for you.

This statement is provided in response to reaction prompted by a radio commercial that Kieffe & Sons Ford recently ran referring to issues of God in our schools and on our money.

For 15 years, Kieffe and Sons Ford has run ad campaigns that focus on current events. We have chosen to do this rather than presenting typical car sales ads. We do this through an agency that develops the material and sends us a package of commercials to review. From this, we select commercials that we distribute to area radio stations. Frequently we emphasize humor and patriotic themes, as we are located adjacent to two military bases. Public response over these 15 years has been hugely positive, often eliciting calls and visits from appreciative individuals. Regrettably, the commercial that has prompted the current objection to religious sentiment ("Under God", "In We Trust") was not closely reviewed by our dealership before it went live. The commercial has been replaced. We apologize to all who were offended. It is Kieffe and Sons' intention to support America and the freedoms that make this country great."

Rick Kieffe, President "

Note this bit: "Regrettably, the commercial that has prompted the current objection to religious sentiment ("Under God", "In We Trust")..."

No, it's not "Under God" or "In We Trust" that raised the ruckus, it was "sit down and shut up." That was the cherry of irony, sitting on the whipped cream of smug superiority that topped of that tasty, tasty slice of bigot pie.

If you read this, you will see that they're not actually apologizing for anything they did, they're sorry anyone else was offended, those thin-skinned whiny cry-babies.

In the name of free speech: sit down and shut up!

I read this at PZ's place, who got it from here. A Ford dealer in Mojave, California went on the radio with a radio spot that included, among other things, this jem:

"But did you know that 86% of Americans say they believe in God? Since we all know that 86 out of every 100 of us are Christians, who believe in God, we at Keiffe & Sons Ford wonder why we don't tell the other 14% to sit down and shut up. I guess maybe I just offended 14% of the people who are listening to this message. Well, if that is the case then I say that's tough, this is America folks, it's called free speech. None of us at Keiffe & Sons Ford are afraid to speak out. Keiffe & Sons Ford on Sierra Highway in Mojave and Rosamond, if we don't see you today, by the grace of God, we'll be here tomorrow."

I won't go into the basic error, that "believes in god" does not equal "believes in the christian god."

No, I'm looking at the strongly implied claim that he can have free speech, but people he disagrees with (or who disagree with him) do not, or should not, have that same right.

Just for a second, imagine this: replace the 86/14% bit with these:

"You blacks should just sit down and shut up. This is a white nation."

"You jews should just sit down and shut up. This is a christian nation." Oh, wait, that's the claim he's basically making already, even though it's a lie.

"All you uppity women should just sit down and shut up. This is a man's nation."

Anything wrong with those?

Or how about this one: "All you damn gays should just sit down and shut up!" Actually, from some christians, this would be a vast improvement over "Let's go kill us a faggot!"

But atheists and other unbelivers? We're only minority it's unabashedly alright to discriminate against. Blacks? No. Jews? Hell, no. Women? Don't even think about it. Muslims? Only if you're a Republican speaking head. Atheists? Sure! Everyone knows that there's nothing stopping atheists from running amok, raping and killing to their empty little heart's content, whereas the devout have the word of Yaweh/God/Allah to prevent all that.

Of course, it's surely Satan confusing things by making atheists 15% of the national population, and only 0.2% of the prison population.

But, I fall away from my main point. Free speech, to be free speech, has to go both ways. You have to have the right to say what you want to say, or feel needs to be said, but so does everyone else. "I talk, you sit down and shut up!" isn't free speech, it's a form of dictatorship.

I get e-mails that say the same thing. Long, rambling, bigoted e-mails, refusing this or that right to others, and they all end with this line, or something very much like it:

"If you agree, pass it along. If you don't, delete it."

What's that mean? Boiled down, it means just what the Ford dealer in Mojave, CA meant: "Free speech for me, but not for you."

Special rights for me, not for you.

Any rights I claim for me, whatever rights I decide to let you have, for you.

And that ain't free. It isn't American. It's Christian.