Natural consequences

Over the years, conservative politicians, especially those of the religious right ilk, have insisted that large-scale tragedies are God’s way of punishing sinners. Especially popular have been claims that terrible events are a result of “the homosexual agenda,” the “gay lifestyle,” gay marriage, and the increasing visibility and acceptance of LGBT people in general.

For instance:

·        Rev. Jerry Falwell blamed the attacks of 9-11 on “the paganists, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians…” who have caused God to stop protecting America. 

·        Repent America, an evangelical group based in Philadelphia, and Rev. John Hagee, well-known pastor of a Texas megachurch and famous McCain supporter, blamed Hurricane Katrina on the “Southern Decadence” party that gays were planning in New Orleans the day Katrina struck. Evangelical Christians weren’t alone in this belief. An Austrian Catholic pastor made the same argument, and was promoted by the Pope shortly thereafter to the position of auxiliary Bishop.

·        Going the hurricane story one better, Rev. Clyde Higgins, writing on the evangelical website Christwire.org, blamed both the August 2001 New York earthquake and Hurricane Irene, set to hit NYC just days thereafter, on gay marriage: “You have betrayed America’s duty as a Christian nation to make homosexuals miserable in their sins. You have allowed the biggest city of America to be a modern Sodomy Megalopolis.”

·        Rev. Pat Robertson, founder of the Christian Coalition, insisted that Orlando, Florida, risked hurricanes and other assorted disasters, up to and including terrorist bombings, because Disneyland hosted a Gay Day, and the city had gay pride flags along its streets. "A condition like this will bring about ... earthquakes, tornadoes, and possibly a meteor," according to Robertson.

  

So, now the Republican national convention is scheduled in to meet in Tampa Florida starting tomorrow, Monday, August 27. But the Republicans have decided to cancel the first day of their convention, with plans to resume with a shortened schedule starting on Tuesday. The reason? Tropical Storm Isaac is set to hit the Florida coast today (Sunday), and they are concerned about everyone’s safety.

I wonder how long it will take the LGBTQ blogosphere to saturate the Web with the obvious question: Is Isaac a punishment for Republicans’ sins against poor people, people of color, women, seriously ill people, aging and old folks, people with disabilities, immigrants … heck, against us all?

Not to be partisan or anything. Just sayin’.