We told you a few weeks ago about the “How to Take America Back” conference, which this past weekend brought assorted conspiracy theorists, hate-mongers and lunatics on the far right to St. Louis from across the nation. (Phyllis Schlafly’s Eagle Forum was one of the event’s organizers.) On the agenda were workshops like “How to defend America from missile attack,” “How to recognize living under Nazis and communists,” and “How to counter the homosexual movement.” Altogether, it seems to have been a real “Lollapalooza” of right-wing nuttery.
Anyway, we’ve been seeing a number of reports the last few days about the conference, including from People for the American Way’s Religious Right Watch. Here is a selection of some of the videos and reports you’ll find from that Web site:
– Rick Scarborough, president of the Texas-based group Vision America, charged that President Obama is using his middle name “Hussein” in a “dangerous trend” to “reach out to Muslims worldwide.”
– A Republican congressman called President Obama an “enemy of humanity” because of his policies on abortion.
– Eagle Forum head Phyllis Schlafly told her audience that “the feminist movement is the most dangerous, destructive force in our society today. . . . My analysis is that the gays are about 5 percent of the attack on marriage in this country and the feminists are about 95 percent.”
– President of the right-wing Association of American Physicians and Surgeons claimed that President Obama is “reenacting” slavery by pushing for health insurance reform.
– Workshop speakers urged members of the audience not to worry about being nice or polite in attacking gay rights: “Christ wasn’t about being nice.” The speakers employed Nazi imagery in attacking gay people as a danger to children.
There’s plenty more. Enjoy.
