Laura Ingraham proves the lack of integrity in some conservatives

 

Last week, I wrote how presidential candidate Mitt Romney is willing to sacrifice his integrity by sharing the stage at the religious right's upcoming "Values Voters" conference with Bryan Fischer, a man who publicly disrespected Romney's Mormon faith.

But apparently Romney isn't the only one who willing to sacrifice integrity to appear on a religious right stage. From the Family Research Council:

The most listened-to woman in political talk radio will be in front of a different microphone next week--the one at the sixth annual Values Voter Summit. FRC Action is proud to confirm that Laura Ingraham, the No. 1 best-selling author of five books (including her latest chart-topper, Of Thee I Zing) will be adding to the jam-packed line-up next Friday afternoon. Ingraham, a fan favorite, will join all seven major GOP candidates at the largest pro-family event in Washington

It is true that Ingraham is one of those "new breed" of conservatives - i.e. one who sacrifice the rambling but logical arguments of the late William F. Buckley for a type of fast food rendition of conservative points which are high on distortions and barking and low on accuracy.

But she also has a gay brother, Curtis, who she has been estranged with for many years. Apparently, however they reconciled. She said the following about him:

In the ten years since I learned my brother Curtis was gay, my views and rhetoric about homosexuality have been tempered, because I have seen him and his companion, Richard, lead their lives with dignity, fidelity and courage," she wrote. Curtis’ struggles to be with his partner in the hospital — he was allowed access only after claiming to be his “caretaker” — even made Ingraham consider the importance of same-sex marriage. "Knowing what they had been through together made it sound antiseptic, almost an insult," Ingraham wrote.

That comment was made in 1997. One must wonder what happened between then and now which would allow Ingraham to justify sharing a stage with folks who would strip her brother of his ability to live his life with "dignity, fidelity, and courage."

People like Bryan Fischer, whose brazen homophobia has been documented in so many places. I wonder how Ingraham feels about Fischer's homophobic comments regarding gays adopting children or gays and the Nazi Party.

And Fischer is just one of many at the confrerence.

Brian Brown  of NOM will be there. His organization sends out mailers accusing gays of  "corrupting" children.

Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council will be there. His organization employs a man - Peter Sprigg - who said that gays should be exported out of the United States. FRC has also been at the forefront of spreading junk science about the gay community.

Mat Staver of the Liberty Counsel will be there. His organization is suspected of taking a, shall we say, eyebrow raising role in keeping a lesbian - Janet Jenkins - away from her daughter.

Then there is Congressman Steve King (R-IA), who once said that gays wouldn't be discriminated against in employment if they didn't "flaunt" themselves.

 Maybe Ingraham has established some type of mental block. Maybe when she hears what these individuals say about gays, she tells herself "well they don't mean my brother, Curtis."

Uh girlfriend, they are talking about your brother Curtis. And  not because they know him.

They only know that he is gay and therefore is not deserving of any dignity at all.

And by your appearance at their conference, Laura, you are helping them rob him of that dignity.

Hell of a way to earn a paycheck and get notoriety, isn't it?