Presidential candidate Ron Paul is not as friendly as he looks, but his gay politics are just as old…
The New Republic‘s James Kirchick dug up some of the Republican’s old newletters and they’re absolutely brimming with racist, homophobic remarks.
…Gays earn plenty of animus in Paul’s newsletters. They frequently quoted Paul’s “old colleague,” Congressman William Dannemeyer–who advocated quarantining people with AIDS–praising him for “speak[ing] out fearlessly despite the organized power of the gay lobby.” In 1990, one newsletter mentioned a reporter from a gay magazine “who certainly had an axe to grind, and that’s not easy with a limp wrist.”
In an item titled, “The Pink House?” the author of a newsletter–again, presumably Paul–complained about President George H.W. Bush’s decision to sign a hate crimes bill and invite “the heads of homosexual lobbying groups to the White House for the ceremony,” adding, “I miss the closet.” “Homosexuals,” it said, “not to speak of the rest of society, were far better off when social pressure forced them to hide their activities.”
Kirchick points out that while we can’t know whether Paul actually wrote these statements, they all appeared under his name and were written in his voice. Regardless, we still like him more than any of the other Republican candidates.
Kevin
Presumably Paul? Maybe you better make sure first.
Michael Cathcart
This was all refuted several months ago, Kirchek is an avid Giuiani supporter and needs his guy to beat out Ron Paul in New Hampshire. That is the only reason this is being drudged up yet again. The New York Times recently put out an article claiming Ron Paul had ties to the KKK, but had to retract, because they realized it was all false. The Publication that is putting this out, is a leftwing/pro-war rag, which reffered to Ross Perot as a Hitler lover. I think anyone with brains will see past their smear remark.
Tim
These were written by an outside writer and it was discussed many years ago in a Texas Monthly interview with Ron Paul.
Excerpt from the Texas Monthly interview
“What made the statements in the publication even more puzzling was that, in four terms as a U. S. congressman and one presidential race, Paul had never uttered anything remotely like this.
When I ask him why, he pauses for a moment, then says, “I could never say this in the campaign, but those words weren’t really written by me. It wasn’t my language at all. Other people help me with my newsletter as I travel around. I think the one on Barbara Jordan was the saddest thing, because Barbara and I served together and actually she was a delightful lady.” Paul says that item ended up there because “we wanted to do something on affirmative action, and it ended up in the newsletter and became personalized. I never personalize anything.”
His reasons for keeping this a secret are harder to understand: “They were never my words, but I had some moral responsibility for them . . . I actually really wanted to try to explain that it doesn’t come from me directly, but they campaign aides said that’s too confusing. ‘It appeared in your letter and your name was on that letter and therefore you have to live with it.'” It is a measure of his stubbornness, determination, and ultimately his contrarian nature that, until this surprising volte-face in our interview, he had never shared this secret. It seems, in retrospect, that it would have been far, far easier to have told the truth at the time.”
Amen & amen.
Steve
Ron Paul may be a terrible, racist, homophobic, fundamentalist christian crazy person, but the beauty of his platform is that it doesn’t matter what he thinks. He may want some people to live their lives differently, but he knows that as president it’s not his job, nor is it legal, to regulate social behavior in conformity with his personal moral beliefs.
DenisL
This is all old news. And has been discussed and explained to my satisfaction many times. Ron Paul is the most pro-gay rights, anti-racist, and anti-sexist candidate running in either party, bar none. He is a libertarian in name and in principles. He would never have been nominated to be the LP presidential candidate if he was not pro-freedom for everyone, including the folks that all of us hate.
Ron Paul did not write these things in the old newsletter. Some one else did. The person was fired. Additionally, be careful of the context and the question being asked. Ron Paul does not speak in 30 second sound bites. It takes time to explain his positions on complicated issues where the government has been screwing things up for people and the harm needs to be undone. Furthermore by his actions over many years it is 110% clear that these accusations are all part of a smear campaign by the neocons to discredit Dr. Paul. The reason is simple; he is beginning to have his anti-war, pro-economic and pro-individual freedom message heard by America. And he is taking votes away from the other 5 pro-war candidates. Slowly but surely he is showing them all out to be inconsistent flip floppers! He is the un-politician. It is a simple and ugly smear campaign. That has been tried before. Check out his web site and his voting record for 30 years. He is the most consistent pro-individual rights person running. He voted against the Patriot act for gosh sakes! The New Republic, like Fox News, seems to have been taken over by the neocons present in both parties. I support and trust Ron Paul.
Kynn
“Regardless, we still like him more than any of the other Republican candidates.”
Why?
Bryan
this has been debunked.. this story is simply a smear piece
here is proof
Here’s a transcript between David Weigel of reason.com and Ron Paul on 1/08/07 regarding the New Republic Article.
reason: Do you have any response to The New Republic’s article about your newsletters?
Ron Paul: All it is–it’s old stuff. It’s all been rehashed. It’s all political stuff.
reason: Why don’t you release all the old letters?
Paul: I don’t even have copies of them, because it’s ancient history.
reason: Do you stand by what appears in the letters? Did you write these…?
Paul: No. I’ve discussed all of that in the past. It’s just old news.
reason: Did the New Republic talk to you before they ran it?
Paul: No, I never talked to them.
reason: What do you think of Martin Luther King?
Paul: Martin Luther King is one of my heroes because he believed in nonviolence and that’s a libertarian principle. Rosa Parks is the same way. Gandhi, I admire. Because they’re willing to take on the government, they were willing to take on bad laws. So I believe in civil disobedience if you understand the consequences. Martin Luther King was a great person because he did that and he changed America for the better because of that.
reason: You didn’t write the derogatory things about him in the letter?
Paul: No.
source:
http://www.reason.com/blog/show/124281.html
Austonian
I am not gay, but I did go through a bi-sexual “experimental phase” 🙂 , so can understand the feelings to a certain degree. It is the soul that some people find to be most attractive, not the body- it is merely a shell.
My husband is the most wonderful man in the world, and he was raised by 2 women who live in a state that does not recognize gay marriage. My best friend moved to a state that does recognize gay marriage and civil unions in order to get married.
That said, RON PAUL is the ONLY one you can trust not to PANDER. He speaks the truth when he says “The federal government has NO BUSINESS telling us who we can and cannot marry.” It is much easier to traverse the states to get married, rather than flee an entire country and a government that tells you how to wipe your own ass- so for us all- for our soldiers dying in Iraq, Afghanistan and who might be sent in to Iran and Pakistan shortly, for our FREEDOM, for our right to individual liberties, I am BEGGING you to not allow them to turn gay marriage in to the hot button issue that they have in the past, and use it as a tool to divide! VOTE RON PAUL VOTE FOR FREEDOM AND INDIVIDUAL LIBERTIES!!! Help free us ALL from our oppressors! We are all suffering. A vote for Ron Paul is a vote for all of humanity.
Rand Thinker
Ron Paul is the biggest threat to rich white guys since…well actually there has never been a threat to rich white guys, but if you understand Ron Pauls positions you realize he is such a threat.
Matt
Seriously, it sucks this is being twisted again. It has already been debunked and the guy is THE MOST genuine candidate running for the Republican nomination.
thirdpartywatch.com/2008/01/08/ron-paul-race-smear-erased/
andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/01/ron-paul-respon.html
Brad
Only The Mentally Minuscule Take Words Out Of Context To Bend Them To Their Preconceived Paradigm.
If you refuse to look at the actions of a man for temperance of judgment then you truly castrate you mind and make it easy to arrive at wrong conclusion.
The weak minded are easily led by the bridle of emotion.
Racism is not consistent with the philosophy expressed by Ron Paul. He has rebutted these accusations from the same distortions in previous days.
Ron Paul is the only candidate that I would trust with my money and my family’s safety.
I Vote For Virtue; I Vote For Ron Paul !!!
John
Kirchick is a famously gay writer, and has such, when this blows up in his face as a selfishly motivated swiftboating, it will tar all Gay writers. Yellow journalism is not something we should aspire to. If we want to earn the respect of those who dislike us, we will have to do so with higher standards.
ProfessorVP
He says getting into Iraq was a mistake to begin with and he’d get the troops out immediately, not by phased withdrawal. Plus stop all this other crap the neocons cooked up that make us less safe and bankrupt our treasury. That’s good enough for me. Nixon was anti-everybody; this is how cranky middle-aged and old white men often are. It doesn’t mean he’d do anything to hurt us. Look at the sweet-talkin’ Clintons… they gave us Don’t Ask/Don’t Tell and the Defense of Marriage Act, and no, nobody forced their hand.
Brandon
As a gay supporter of Paul, I have to agree with the rest on here. This was all debunked a long time ago. I would never support Ron Paul if those writings were truly his. Look beyond the hype people and do some of your own research please.
http://www.myspace.com/bjm9282
ee.em.bee
OK, so I’m the lone alternative voice here in a chorus of Paulites, but I’ll bite: How about taking responsibility for things published in three different newsletters that bear your name and are printed by a foundation you established? Whether or not RP actually penned this crap is not the issue, really. To me, I question the credibility and character of someone who provides these forums with his name all over ’em, takes whatever political (and financial?) benefit he can from that, and then thinks he can just pooh-pooh the idea that the stuff published in newsletters bearing his name has anything at all to do with him, or somehow suggests that he approves the message.
What happened to his libertarian ideal of personal responsibility? Not that anyone here wants to hear it, but saying he takes “moral responsibility” and not full personal responsibility is sleazy, wiggly, and slick language play.
And as for his lovely positions on many issues (unless you happen to be pro-choice, or think that sometimes federal legal action is called for when the states make stupid, discriminatory decisions on their own) when did we start actually believing what politicians promise when they’re running for president?
tiks
Hmmm….You still like this creep?
Austonian
Campaign Response:
January 8, 2008 5:28 am EST
ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA – In response to an article published by The New Republic, Ron Paul issued the following statement:
“The quotations in The New Republic article are not mine and do not represent what I believe or have ever believed. I have never uttered such words and denounce such small-minded thoughts.
“In fact, I have always agreed with Martin Luther King, Jr. that we should only be concerned with the content of a person’s character, not the color of their skin. As I stated on the floor of the U.S. House on April 20, 1999: ‘I rise in great respect for the courage and high ideals of Rosa Parks who stood steadfastly for the rights of individuals against unjust laws and oppressive governmental policies.’
“This story is old news and has been rehashed for over a decade. It’s once again being resurrected for obvious political reasons on the day of the New Hampshire primary.
“When I was out of Congress and practicing medicine full-time, a newsletter was published under my name that I did not edit. Several writers contributed to the product. For over a decade, I have publically taken moral responsibility for not paying closer attention to what went out under my name.â€
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Again, I beg you all, this man is NOT a part of the CFR, does NOT attend Bilderberg meetings, is NOT annointed by the MSM or the Corporatocracy, is NOT endorsed by the extremist religious “Let’s kill Chavez Pat Robertson, and believes that sexual orientation, race, gender etc etc should divide us. He has been SAYING THE SAME THING FOR 20 YEARS, introduces a bill to end the corruption of the Federal Reserve, over and over and over, every year, and people like FOX NEWS AND RUPERT MURDOCH fear the man.
Now really,
who are you going to vote for?
when will decide that you want to wake up?
Reality is staring you in the face.
Don’t let your creativity and your uniqueness divide us. Stop being a victim and get on with being a survivor. Fight back. Get mad. Get even. Boot the criminals.
Austonian
“Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 58. I saw Muhammad Ali as a man of great courage, and I admired him for this, not because of the courage that it took to get in a ring and fight men bigger than he, but because of his stance in 1967.
In 1967, he was 25 years old. He was the heavyweight champion of the world, and for religious beliefs, he practiced what Martin Luther King made popular, civil disobedience, because he disagreed with the war. I thought his comments were rather astute at the time and were not complex, but he merely said, I have no quarrel with the Viet-Cong. He said the Viet-Cong never called him a name, and because of his religious convictions, he said he did not want to serve in the military. He stood firm, a man of principle, and I really admired this as a quality.
He is known, of course, for his athletic skills and his humanitarian concerns, and these are rightly mentioned in a resolution like this. But I do want to emphasize this because, to me, it was so important and had such impact, in reality, what Muhammad Ali did eventually led to getting rid of the draft, and yet we as a people and we as a Congress still do not have the conviction that Muhammad Ali had, because we still have the selective service; we say, let us not draft now, but when the conditions are right, we will bring back the draft and bring back those same problems that we had in the 1960s.
I see what Muhammad Ali did as being very great. He deserves this recognition, but we should also praise him for being a man of principle and willing to give up his title for 3 years at the age of 25 at the prime of his career. How many of us give up something to stand on principle? He was a man of principle. He believed it and he stood firm, so even those who may disagree with his position may say at least he stood up for what he believed in. He suffereconsequences and fortunately was eventually vindicated.”
-Ron Paul
mozzer13
That’s all lovely, Austonian, only where does he repudiate anything he said about gay folks? Where does he say that we deserve dignity, and that his colleagues should stop using us to score points with bigots? He doesn’t.
Aside from all this claptrap, his foreign policy thoughts make him the perfect candidate for ’08…1808. He is an isolationist wackjob in a global economy, and that just cannot and will not work. Also, I need more than a candidate who is allegedly genuine…if they’re telling me what they really believe and that belief is crazy, it holds no appeal for me.
Annamae
Before you make decisions regarding Dr. Paul read this first..
http://www.freemarketnews.com/WorldNews.asp?nid=41822
Austonian
Mozz,
you don’t get it, do you? IT ISN’T ALL ABOUT THE GAY FOLKS!!!
Just like it isn’t all about the white folk, or black folk, or hispanic folk, or IRAQI Folk, or even IRANI folk, or VIETNAMESE folk, or SOUTH AMERICAN folk, it is about the WORLD. It is about all of humanity.
We have bases in 130 Countries.
we are in everyone’s business but our own!
Again,
STOP being a victim, and become a warrior. It is time we all wake up and join together- it is a class war, and get this= the gays and minorities and iraqis, and africans, and hispanics, are all on the same side. Only around 2% of the population make up “them”.
WE ARE THE MAJORITY.
Austonian
If you would like to see the future of a police state, please look at Texas. This is why everyone is flocking to Austin; then eventually, fleeing the state all together.
Look at the video “Up Your Fanny Juliani” on you tube and see Leslie tell everyone why people in Texas voted Bush in to Presidency- “To get him out of Texas”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySCofbsMe20
Leslie is Austin’s “favorite cross dresser”.
btw-
Ron Paul bitchslapped Upyerfannie. 🙂
Damian
Why didn’t Paul own up to this, Paulbots?
Your Fuhrer is a horrible man and you mindless Ron Cultists are complicit in his racist bullcrap.
Damian
Oh, and you Paul Cultists may want to read the REAL TRUTH about your Precious Fuhrer.
Austonian
save the UNITED STATES from the SUPPOSED PANDERING “racists” and “homophobes” deliver us to the WORLD WIDE GENOCIDAL HOMOCIDAL MANIACS!!!
THANKS!!
mozzer13
Austonian, while it certainly isn’t all about gay folks, it is about electing someone who doesn’t fucking hate us to the point that they repeatedly allow a publication in their name to play smear the queer. If you really want to see someone play the victim, elect this nutter and see how fast we all become victims of the tyranny of the majority.
ee.em.bee
Absolutely, mozzer13!! The biggest threat to America generally, and to GLBT Americans specifically, is not “the world wide genocidal homicidal maniacs” but, as you wisely point out, the tyranny of the majority. Those who advocate state’s-rights and a minimizing of federalism are ignoring the lessons of history: left to their own devices, states do not generally embrace progressive civil rights.
Austonian
helllooooo! Ron Paul is the only one fighting to save the REPUBLIC. We were not founded as a Democracy, because a Democracy represents the ELITE. In fact, our forefathers *warned us* about the dangers of a Democracy. A Republic demands that the minority be heard (this means the GLBT community!)Help us Save our Republic! Vote for Ron Paul and your voices will finally be heard!
“Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch.”
“It’s not the voting that’s democracy; it’s the counting.”
“The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.”
-Benjamin Franklin
SAVE THE REPUBLIC!
Austonian
I might sound obsessed with getting the GLBT community on our side, because I am! They have learned the lessons of oppression, and are STRONG because of it. We must unite and try to at least understand where we all come from- 98% of this World is at risk because of America’s “democracy”. The world is watching the Ron Paul Revolution hoping with all hope that we Revolutionaries can wake people up to the scary TRUTH. Please help us! Spread the word, tell your friends about the CFR, the SPP, the NAU and the plans that the elitists have in store-
888888888888
“We are grateful to The Washington Post, The New York Times, Time Magazine and other great publications whose directors have attended our meetings and respected their promises of discretion for almost forty years. It would have been impossible for us to develop our plan for the world if we had been subject to the bright lights of publicity during those years. But, the work is now much more sophisticated and prepared to march towards a world government. The supranational sovereignty of an intellectual elite and world bankers is surely preferable to the national auto-determination practiced in past centuries.”
– David Rockefeller to Trilateral Commission in 1991
888888888888888
All candidates in this election are members of CFR or the Tri-Lateral commision save RON PAUL, Kucinich and Gravel.
wake up people!
mozzer13
Seriously? We must unite and get behind someone who doesn’t even think we’re fit to serve in the military. Are you high, Clarie?
Austonian
what in the world are you talking about? When did he say gays are not “fit to serve”? Here is what he said- it is right there in the open for everyone to see, so please, at the very least, speak the truth.. You are trying your best to deceive- if you do this unknowingly, here is something to read— if you are doing it knowingly-lying to our faces- shame on you.
8888888888888888888
Q: Most of our closest allies, including Great Britain and Israel, allow gays and lesbians to openly serve in the military. Is it time to end “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy and allow gays and lesbians to serve openly in the US military?
A: “I think the current policy is a decent policy. And the problem that we have with dealing with this subject is we see people as groups, as they belong to certain groups and that they derive their rights as belonging to groups. We don’t get our rights because we’re gays or women or minorities. We get our rights from our creator as individuals. So every individual should be treated the same way. So if there is homosexual behavior in the military that is disruptive, it should be dealt with. But if there’s heterosexual sexual behavior that is disruptive, it should be dealt with. So it isn’t the issue of homosexuality, it’s the concept and the understanding of individual rights. If we understood that, we would not be dealing with this very important problem”
888888888888888
Tell the truth. Spread the truth. The LBGT community is special because they fight for what they believe in and fight for their personal truth- they are the oppressed minority– they are not “special” because they are gay or bisexual or tranny- they are unique, just like the revolutionaries in that they are fighting for their voices to be heard and understood.
Matt
Oh goodie–I distinctly heard “Tri-Lateral Commission”. That means dire warnings about The Dark Queen (Lizzie II) and black helicopters can’t be far behind…Everyone get out your tinfoil hats!
Austonian
No black helicopters needed to bring you the truth, How about some quotations instead?
“In the economic-technological field, some international cooperation has already been achieved, but further progress will require greater American sacrifices. More intensive efforts to shape a new world monetary structure will have to be undertaken, with some consequent risk to the present relatively favorable American position.”
“The Technocratic Age is slowly designing an every day more controlled society. The society will be dominated by an elite of persons free from traditional values (!) who will have no doubt in fulfilling their objectives by means of purged techniques with which they will influence the behavior of people and will control and watch the society in all details”. “… it will become possible to exert a practically permanent watch on each citizen of the world.”
– Zbigniew Brzezinski, CFR member and founding member of the Trilateral Commission, and National Security Advisor to five presidents
mozzer13
You are talking out of both sides of your mouth, Austonian. He said he thinks the current policy is good. The current policy is that gay people are discharged if they admit they are gay. If you are thrown out for admitting you are gay, that is the exact same thing as saying that gay people are not fit to serve, disruptive behavior or not. And you still haven’t addressed why when Paul gave his half-hearted disavowment of the articles in question, he spouted platitudes about Dr. King but did not one single solitary time refute the bile spewed in his name toward gay people. And you can’t address it. Face it, you’re all up in a candidate who does not view you as an equal in our society, no matter how much he speaks of liberty.
Rangergordon
Anybody who claims Ron Paul is pro-gay-rights is seriously deluded. Read his comments in support of a federal anti-gay-marriage amendment–particularly those lambasting the Lawrence v. Texas decision.
If Ron Paul had his way, the Texas government’s “right” to regulate Texans’ bedroom behavior would trump citizens’ expectation of privacy.
So much for his supposed support of personal liberty.
Rangergordon
Ron Paul’s anti-gay-marriage amendment speech can be found here: http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul197.html
griz (not gay)
Mozz,
Dude, I know you have to be frustrated with this homophobic country and I know that old white Republicans are especially suspect, but here’s the thing: Democrats are wimps. Right-wingers are (usually) zealots. Only a libertarian wants you to have the freedom to live your life. You asked if Paul said anything about gays that parallels his support of Muhammed Ali, so here’s your answer:
He opposed “Don’t ask don’t tell” because it shouldn’t matter whether you’re gay.
He opposed the Defense of Marriage Act because it shouldn’t matter if you’re gay.
He opposed the Constitutional Amendment to ban same-sex marriage because he just doesn’t care if you’re gay.
Where is the confusion? Go ahead and vote for someone who sheds tears for you rather than someone who cleaves to a theory of governance that will actually benefit you. Just know that you’ll be perpetuating your own problems.
Incidently, Bill Clinton sponsored the first two of those acts….oh, but at least he “felt your pain”.
griz
Rangergordon,
I’m struck by how many people refuse to understand legal theory. Paul doesn’t want the Supreme Court inventing additions to the Constitution…but Paul doesn’t want the states controlling bedroom behavior either. The Supreme Court is not your solution. Libertarians are.
mozzer13
Words cannot express how happy I am for you that you are not gay, griz. Thanks for being sure to point it out.
Mick Russom
James Kirchick himself said he did to kick the fire on his blog. People who believe this old-news already debunked crap are stupid and falling prey to identity politics.
You like freedom, liberty peace and sound currency or not?
The bunch of warmonger spending taxing inflating pricks we have running things is SO GREAT right now.
Actually_thinking
Are you serious?!?! Good lord, I can’t believe ANY sane gay person would support someone who thinks that we are a result of “mental problems” (check YouTube) and who keeps chanting that marriage was hijacked by the State and belongs in a religious context only (again, check YouTube).
Okay, so it’s a “religious issue” that means that some denominations will acknowledge us as equal and some won’t. So, if my husband dies will the Unitarians make sure I receive his social security? Oh, that’s right – under Paul’s idiotic, quasi-Right Wing social philosophy there WON’T BE ANY social security so I guess it doesn’t matter.
Gays need to get their heads out of the sand on this issue. If this “no taxes” bullshit is having the same effect on people who should know better as it is uneducated Middle-American NASCAR twits (Paul’s base) then there is something dreadfully wrong with the political discourse in this country.
Oh yes, let’s leave it us to the individual states to protect our constitutional rights! You think there are gay ghettos now? Just wait.
Idiots!
Austonian
Once again, and over and over…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAWClI8zsH4
And look up at what I posted above about Ali.
“It is CHARACTER”
-not the color of their skin or the genitalia they “I do” or “I do not anymore” hold to be the family jewelz.
🙂
free at last?
Austonian
pssst,
“actually thinking” thinks like a plant- a plant that lives off of the “dust to dust” dirt of our ancestors.
Fowarad, never straight, you just might end up crooked. 🙂
ali cobb
love gays
paille
I am gay
chris
Just checking out the goods. Curious and newly out in the clear.
matt hearn
i love being so gay
Ava
Ron Paul supporters prove their stupidity by actually believing that this idol of theirs had absolutely no idea what was written in his OWN newsletters (yet somehow he is qualified to be president in their minds)… delusional fools.