# Stupid liberal idea of the day **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 20, 2011, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086 "2011-04-20T15:35:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 179
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/3561 "2015-07-01T17:52:47Z")
> [@Enderw24](#): > > I find it curious that you seem to believe that simply being gay makes you liberal. Maybe he believes that being liberal makes you gay. Hard to tell. Meanwhile, I can’t wait for our resident Constitutional Scholar, **Clothahump** , to expand a bit on his thesis. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/3562 "2015-07-01T19:54:58Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Once again you demonstrate the inability to distinguish between “actual stupid ideas” and “things that make you all butthurt”. Sigh. That’s the problem. I do have the ability. Apparently, I am one of very few people on this board who does have that ability. The rest of you are too busy in a massive circle jerk over “gay rights” to give a shit about the damage being done. But that’s nothing new. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/3563 "2015-07-01T19:58:13Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Sigh. That’s the problem. I do have the ability. Apparently, I am one of very few people on this board who does have that ability. The rest of you are too busy in a massive circle jerk over “gay rights” to give a shit about the damage being done. > > But that’s nothing new. Damage being done? I’m not following you. ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/3564 "2015-07-01T20:22:02Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > They decided that wasn’t enough damage done to the 10th Amendment and the states, and decided to legalize voter fraud as well. Of course it’s the same court that refused to take on a case in March challenging an Appeals Court ruling that upheld Wisconsin’s Voter ID law. Taken together, the Court’s refusal to weigh in doesn’t necessarily side strictly with one or the other partisan sides. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/3565 "2015-07-01T20:32:43Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > Damage being done? I’m not following you. I think he’s saying that we’re so focused on the imaginary discrimination against gay people, which hasn’t happened to anyone anywhere and hasn’t hurt anybody, that we haven’t paid close attention to the rampant epidemic of voter fraud, which has definitely been happening all the time everywhere and is the greatest threat imaginable to all of us. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/3566 "2015-07-01T20:50:55Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > I think he’s saying that we’re so focused on the imaginary discrimination against gay people, which hasn’t happened to anyone anywhere and hasn’t hurt anybody, that we haven’t paid close attention to the rampant epidemic of voter fraud, which has definitely been happening all the time everywhere and is the greatest threat imaginable to all of us. We need a sarcasm tag. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/3567 "2015-07-01T21:04:52Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > Why do liberals think Chelsea Clinton is worth a $65,000 speaking fee? . . . Because someone is willing to pay it. That’s the definition of the word “worth.” Why do you hate the free market? Do you believe there should be a government-regulated price-cap for speakers at private events? Socialist! ---
**Author:** ![42fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/b487fb/32.png) [@42fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/42fish)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2015, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/3568 "2015-07-01T21:09:32Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > I think he’s saying that we’re so focused on the imaginary discrimination against gay people, which hasn’t happened to anyone anywhere and hasn’t hurt anybody, that we haven’t paid close attention to the rampant epidemic of voter fraud, which has definitely been happening all the time everywhere and is the greatest threat imaginable to all of us. Actually, given his yammering about “damage to the 10th amendment,” it seems pretty clear that his argument is that unless we allow states to discriminate against gay people, we’ll have lost our freedom because… well, just because. I vaguely wonder if \*\*Clothy \*\* also got all het up over the SCOTUS limiting the states’ abilities to discriminate against black people in the 50s and 60s. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/3569 "2015-07-02T09:01:28Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Sigh. That’s the problem. I do have the ability. Apparently, I am one of very few people on this board who does have that ability. Could you send me a picture of yourself? I want to add it to the Wikipedia entry on “Dunning-Kruger effect”. ---
**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/3570 "2015-07-02T12:15:01Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > [California State University, Stanislaus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_State_University,_Stanislaus), (also known as Cal State Stanislaus or simply Stan State. Phaw … it’s called “Turkey Tech” locally … and for good reason. ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/3571 "2015-07-02T20:40:07Z")
Sorry to say but George Takei gets the stupid idea award today. In commenting on the SCOTUS decision on same-sex marriage he called Justice Thomas “a clown in blackface.” [Cite](http://www.politicususa.com/2015/07/02/blackface-george-takei-clarence-thomas.html) Disagree with him all you want, but using racist imagery to describe the high court’s only African American is a today’s dumb liberal idea. Too bad. I like Takei and generally agree with him. ---
**Author:** ![rsa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rsa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsa)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/3572 "2015-07-02T21:14:57Z")
> [@Iggy](#): > > Sorry to say but George Takei gets the stupid idea award today. > > In commenting on the SCOTUS decision on same-sex marriage he called Justice Thomas “a clown in blackface.” [Cite](http://www.politicususa.com/2015/07/02/blackface-george-takei-clarence-thomas.html) > > Disagree with him all you want, but using racist imagery to describe the high court’s only African American is a today’s dumb liberal idea. > > Too bad. I like Takei and generally agree with him. I don’t have a problem with what Takei said, except I don’t get why this is what triggered his outrage: > [@](#): > > And then, after explaining his decision to be more politically active, Takei said, “He is a clown in blackface sitting on the Supreme Court. He gets me that angry… He doesn’t belong there. For him to say slaves had dignity. I mean, doesn’t he know slaves were chained? That they were whipped on the back? If he saw the movie 12 Years as a Slave, they were raped, and he says they had dignity as slaves?” I thought that saying someone has dignity (aka, self-respect) in the face of adversity was an admirable quality. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/3573 "2015-07-02T21:51:37Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > Damage being done? I’m not following you. You don’t realize what the queers are doing go to the soil. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/3574 "2015-07-02T22:04:29Z")
> [@rsa](#): > > I don’t have a problem with what Takei said, except I don’t get why this is what triggered his outrage: > > I thought that saying someone has dignity (aka, self-respect) in the face of adversity was an admirable quality. 😕 In his opinion in the marriage case, Justice Kennedy argued that same-sex couples should be provided the equal dignity of marriage rights: > [@](#): > > As some of the petitioners in these cases demonstrate, marriage embodies a love that may endure even past death. It would misunderstand these men and women to say they disrespect the idea of marriage. Their plea is that they do respect it, respect is so deeply that they seek to find its fulfillment for themselves. Their hope is not to be condemned to live in loneliness. They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right. Justice Thomas said in his dissent that the government can’t give people dignity: > [@](#): > > That vision is the foundation upon which this Nation was built. The corollary of that principle is that human dignity cannot be taken away by the government. Slaves did not lose their dignity (any more than they lost their humanity) because the government allowed them to be enslaved. Those held in internment camps did not lose their dignity because the government confined them. And those denied governmental benefits certainly do not lose their dignity because the government denies them those benefits. The government cannot bestow dignity, and it cannot take it away. He’s saying that it doesn’t take away people’s dignity to deny them the right to marry. While it’s true that it is admirable for gay people to retain their dignity in the face of discrimination, or for black people to maintain their dignity in the face of slavery, that doesn’t mean that discrimination and slavery aren’t assaults on people’s dignity. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/3575 "2015-07-02T23:00:42Z")
> [@Mr.Miskatonic](#): > > You don’t realize what the queers are doing go to the soil. You know what, Mr. Miskatonic? I like you. You’re not like the other people here in the trailer park. ---
**Author:** ![rsa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rsa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsa)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/3576 "2015-07-02T23:03:55Z")
> [@SpoilerVirgin](#): > > In his opinion in the marriage case, Justice Kennedy argued that same-sex couples should be provided the equal dignity of marriage rights: > > Justice Thomas said in his dissent that the government can’t give people dignity:He’s saying that it doesn’t take away people’s dignity to deny them the right to marry. While it’s true that it is admirable for gay people to retain their dignity in the face of discrimination, or for black people to maintain their dignity in the face of slavery, that doesn’t mean that discrimination and slavery aren’t assaults on people’s dignity. I understand that – I’d say there is intrinsic dignity, which I addressed, and extrinsic dignity, which you are addressing. In the context of this case, I see your point, so I’ll heartilly agree with you lest I be thought of as defending Thomas (shudder). ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2015, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/3577 "2015-07-02T23:17:11Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > You know what, Mr. Miskatonic? I like you. You’re not like the other people here in the trailer park. Some of the neighbors say he smokes crack, but I don’t believe it ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2015, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/3578 "2015-07-03T08:42:40Z")
While I understand the context of Takei’s remarks (playing off the clown makeup/blackface thing) and while I understand why Thomas’ remarks have infuriated him so much (as a former Japanese internment camp detainee I doubt he saw much dignity in the situation), I’m gonna chalk this one up to a “questionable choice of wording” by George. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2015, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/3579 "2015-07-03T15:13:53Z")
Takei has responded to the question of racist intent on Facebook: > [@](#): > > A few fans have written wondering whether I intended to utter a racist remark by referring to Justice Thomas as a “clown in blackface.” > > “Blackface” is a lesser known theatrical term for a white actor who blackens his face to play a black buffoon. In traditional theater lingo, and in my view and intent, that is not racist. It is instead part of a racist history in this country. > > I feel Justice Thomas has abdicated and abandoned his African American heritage by claiming slavery did not strip dignity from human beings. He made a similar remark about the Japanese American internment, of which I am a survivor. A sitting Justice of the Supreme Court ought to know better. Whether that improves things or not is up to you. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_stamos_left_ear/32/3198_2.png) [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Stamos_Left_Ear)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2015, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/3580 "2015-07-03T15:43:52Z")
Once again the difference in this thread is striking. A Supreme Court justice makes some tone deaf remarks in a dissent and an actor using some inartful words in response on Facebook makes the cut here. The same case prompts leaders of the Republican party to demand impeachment, civil disobedience and even getting rid of the court entirety… They run their lunatics for President. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086.md?page=178) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086.md?page=180)