Rick Perry off the rails.

I was impressed by the latest ad from Rick Perry 2012. You can see the video below, but the text is as follows:

I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm a Christian, but you don't need to be in the pew every Sunday to know there's something wrong in this country when gays can serve openly in the military but our kids can't openly celebrate Christmas or pray in school. As President, I'll end Obama's war on religion. And I'll fight against liberal attacks on our religious heritage. Faith made America strong. It can make her strong again. I'm Rick Perry and I approve this message.

When I say "impressed" I mean absolutely horrified. Let's take it line by line:

I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm a Christian

Why would he be? Over 80% of Americans are. And many people who call themselves Christian manage to ignore the flagrantly immoral guidance provided by the Bible, so being Christian doesn't necessarily mean you're a bad person.

something wrong in this country when gays can serve openly in the military

Would someone please, please, please tell me WHY it's wrong that gays can serve openly in the military? Is he proposing that we go back to kicking people out of the military for being gay? Or forcing them to lie about their sexual orientation? Only the most retrograde ignorant bigot would support such a move.

Perhaps he's got reasons we should reverse course on gays in the military? Let's hear them. Until Perry can provide sensible reasons, he should not just assume that listeners will share his bigotry and ignorance. And "the Bible says so" is not a reason. The Bible says lots of stuff that no thinking moral person would ever defend.

but our kids can't openly celebrate Christmas or pray in school

Perry seems to be suffering paranoid delusions. What's stopping kids from praying in school? The fact that public schools are prohibited by the Constitution from officially endorsing (establishing) religion does not mean that kids can't pray or openly celebrate Christmas. I'm sure he could trot out some story about an overzealous school administrator making a kid take off a Christmas sweater or something, but then we'd all (including the present administration, surely) agree that that's over the top. This does not constitute a war on Christmas or a war on religion or a war on Christians. Ridiculous, paranoid bullshit.

Obama's war on religion

War on religion? War? Perry is running for president, not jockeying for Bill O'Reilly's position at Fox. If he believes that there's a war on religion it means he's completely out of touch with reality and unable to discuss policy like an adult. If he doesn't really believe this, then he's pandering to people who do. Either way, this is not how a president should behave.

I'll fight against liberal attacks on our religious heritage

Again, I'm not sure what the hell he's talking about. In what way are you not entitled to your religious heritage? Oh, you mean you're upset that some of us like to point out that you're not entitled to use the power of the state to promote your religious heritage, the way you have historically done? Cry me a river, Pat Robertson.

Faith made America strong.

I'm not sure how he means this. There are a number of interpretations, but under most of them this is palpable nonsense. And under all interpretations, he seems to ignore the things that actually make us strong--Democracy, respect for the rule of law, respect for individual rights, etc.

Again, who or what is stopping you from having as much faith as you want? Who or what advocates policies that would restrict your right to exercise your faith? Even a liberal atheist like me would never use the power of the state to prevent you from exercising it. Please try to distinguish that from using the power of the state to prevent you from using the power of the state to promote it.

Ugh.

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Here's the video: