Now it's not as if one would expect a politician running for Congress in the state of Arkansas to be a flaming liberal, but when you have a man, former state senator Tim Wooldridge, a Democrat, proudly sitting on the board of an organization called Arkansas Families First Foundation, that announces

"In times like these we cannot afford to remain silent or 'pitch our tents toward Sodom.'"

and

The passionate intensity of the homosexual agenda must not be overlooked. Homosexuality is a leading cause in undermining the traditional family structure

and (for our heterosexual friends out there)

Sexual expression outside the confines of a marriage between a man and a woman cheapens God's gift and subverts His perfect design. Whenever the physical acts of sex (or even images associated with sex) are separated from the relational context God intended, they lead to heartache, disappointment and pain. Pray for the state of our unions!

it's time to shed a light on him and ask whether the Arkansas Democratic Party has any problem with this Clay County Dem candidate for the 1st Congressional District. I'm sure the party will defend this old saw:


If homosexual "rights" activists have their way, marriage will become a question of sexual rights and subjective, individual interpretations. Polygamy, incestuous relationships, and even non-sexual relationships might be called marriage, and this would be considered an infringement of personal rights.

WTF? Even NON-SEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS? So now one has to have forced sexual relations in a union in order for it to be valid? How is THAT aspect of marriage any business of the state? Do they know how many heterosexual relationships that "non-sexual" could cover? And as far as incest comparisons and the rest, it's no surprise -- after all, failed presidential candidate and former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee had no problem going there. AFFF also believes that if you're gay there is a "real option individuals have to leave the lifestyle."

David McAvoy of Blue Arkansas brought this live fundie wire to our attention and broke this story.

Now, I’m sending out some questions to the Wooldridge campaign and others running for Congress. In Wooldridge’s questions, I plan on asking him directly about this. This issue is not about what Wooldridge thinks about a particular issue like marriage equality-it’s about his view of human beings that happen to be different and about fundamental decency and character. If Wooldridge belonged to a group that made similar disgusting comments about African Americans or Jews then his ability to represent the people of this district, all the people, would be called into question. It’s no different here when he’s sitting on the board of an organization that advances the hatred of gay people and drags Christianity through the ditch while it’s at it.

Senator Wooldridge shouldn’t be touting his work for this group. He should be ashamed of it.

There's a lot more to be ashamed of...like his bill calling for hangings in the public square. More below the fold. It was this bit of business at the Arkansas Families First Foundation that brings the homo-hate right over the top:

The heart of God regarding homosexuality can be determined in the following Scriptures:

...The Mosaic Law (Leviticus 18 and 20). In this list of forbidden sexual unions we read: "Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable."16 Later, death is the prescribed penalty of the "detestable" sex act.17 How detestable is homosexuality? It is in the same detestable listing with child sacrifice (18:21) and beastiality (18:23)!

Now you know that the defense will be that the org is just interpreting the Bible, but how retrograde is Wooldridge? In 1995 he submitted a bill, HB1307, calling for the institution ofpublic hangingsat county courthouses. Again, Blue Arkansas:

Worse, he embarrassed himself in the past by introducing a bill that would have brought back public hangings. Wooldridge said he regretted doing so and wouldn’t do it again, and if memory serves he said he was trying to make some kind of point. Regardless, it was stupid and distasteful, and African Americans in this district were, shall we say, less than thrilled.

He also explained his legislation as "a favor I tried to do for a friend." So in Wooldridge's world, since he's on the board of AFFF, he should be asked whether calling for the public hanging of gays would be making some kind of point as well.

So back to the Arkansas Democratic Party. Exactly how does it square a pol like Tim Wooldridge with its own rules of membership for the party or its own platform?

CIVIL RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES

The Democratic Party of Arkansas has been prominent in the evolving process of empowering all Arkansans. In keeping with the progress and expansion of civil rights and liberties in our state and across the nation, we pledge to continue our fight against discrimination or deprivation of rights on the basis of race, gender, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation or socio-economic status, disability or any other characteristic unrelated to ability. We also reaffirm the constitutionally established rights of privacy and choice.

Perhaps folks might inquire or Tweet:

Chairman Todd Turner

DPA Headquarters

1300 West Capitol Avenue

Little Rock, AR 72201

Phone: 501.374.2361

Fax: 501.376.8409

Email: info@arkdems.org

http://twitter.com/ArkDems

BTW, the conservatives are trying to rationalize this one away, and it smells like day-old fishwrap.

First of all, FFF is simply not a hate group. They represent primarily the Arkansas Church of Christ members on moral issues such as the right to life, the expansion of gambling, and defense of traditional marriage. The last stance is the one that Blue Arkansas uses to brand them a hate group. FFF’s work is very similar to the Arkansas Faith and Ethics Council where I at one time served. I worked there when Wooldridge was in the Arkansas Senate and he was a solid social conservative. I don’t think he has ever shied away from that.

Second, if liberals think calling out fellow Democrats for being too conservative is going to hurt them, then they are way out of touch with Arkansas values, particularly in the First District.

Nice compliment to pay the voters of that district.