George Takei slams Scalia for ‘repugnant’ anti-gay comment

[Playinghardball]

During an appearance on MSNBC, actor and LGBT activist George Takei called for Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia to recuse himself from upcoming cases involving the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and California’s Proposition 8.

Scalia recently told an audience at Princeton University that someone could be morally opposed to homosexuality in the same manner they were morally opposed to murder or bestiality.

“Well, it seems to me that if Justice Elena Kagan can recuse herself from the Boston case, Justice Scalia needs to consider recusing himself,” Takei said. “He is obviously not unbiased. He is clearly biased in this situation. So how can he look at the issue and make a judgement fairly.”

“I really do think, first of all that statement was a repugnant statement to equate homosexuality with murder, and any Justice who has so little thought before he speaks should not be participating in the ruling on the cases involving DOMA or Proposition 8,” he added.

The U.S. Supreme Court announced last Friday that it would address the rights of LGBT people to marry in two separate cases regarding California’s same sex marriage ban and DOMA.

Watch video, courtesy of MSNBC, below:

Raw Story (http://s.tt/1wLsp)

Warp 8 Mr. Sulu..

[Ohio Joe]

1. K&R - nt

[Cha]

2. My Money's on George Takei in

this Fight!

Ugly Big Mouth, Scalia should recuse himself.

[rosesaylavee]

3. Bless George Takai for speaking out on this

It will take someone of his stature to get this heard - Scalia needs to recuse himself and I am betting that Mr. Takai is fully prepared to speak out continually on this until DOMA is heard by SCOTUS. Scalia HAS to step down now.

Thank you Mr. Takai - you are a wonderful human being!

[Kennah]

4. Please, George! He's a douchebag, and we need another PSA from you.

Like this one.

[gtar100]

9. What a great video and response to such vile hatred.

Mr. Takei is definitely one of my heroes for his willingness to speak out with such clarity.

[Kalidurga]

5. Scalia should be removed from the bench...

He should have actually never been appointed. He could have a nice career on Fox News.

[young_at_heart]

6. Scalia continues to bring shame to the Supreme Court

The country has had to put up with his man and his cohort Thomas for such a long time and many find their behavior not in the interests of the majority of Americans.

[David__77]

7. Obama should condemn Scalia by name. THAT would be to Obama's advantage.

In fact, it would force the GOP to defend Scalia and further isolate that party from broad swaths of the public.

The GOP would complain about some alleged infraction of "separation of powers," but obviously that's untrue and no one would care in any event.

Obama could say:

"Discrimination and bigotry have no place in our society, and I believe Justice Scalia's unfortunate remarks undermine America's shared principles of inclusion and tolerance."

There. Would that be so hard?

[calimary]

8. Could scalia be IMPEACHED? And removed from the bench?

Seriously.

The bad guys are always plotting stuff from every direction, keeping us busy enough to get dizzy.

WHY CAN'T WE DO THAT, BACK AT THEM?

Could a campaign be started to IMPEACH scalia? Hmmm... time to plant a seed or two, maybe?

[gtar100]

10. I would back that effort 100 percent. He's such a jackass.

Both he and Thomas are an embarrassment to the US. If Obama doesn't speak out about this, I'll be disappointed. It's so wrong in so many ways for a bigot to be in a position of judgment. Particularly since he's proven he lacks good judgment by his own words

[Hekate]

11. I think it can be done in theory, but unlikely to succeed in practice

Remember that Chief Justice Earl Warren was targeted for impeachment for years. There used to be billboards calling for it. Never happened.

Nonetheless, Scalia is a nasty piece of work and we'll all be better when he's gone from the Court. Loathsome ideologue thinks he's doing God's work -- he and Clarence Thomas have ties to Opus Dei.

[stevenleser]

12. House would need to bring charges, senate would need 2/3rds majority to remove. Neither has a chance

in hades unfortunately.

[defacto7]

14. Sure, he can be impeached...

Constitutionally it's a very hard thing to pull off though.

Go for it. I'd join a campaign to get rid of the guy. He's the worst possible judicial choice because he is all about himself. That is one arrogant, self aggrandizing jerk. I will not forget his comment when Obama made a public statement asking the Court to "do the right thing"... Scalia's cynical reply about the President was, "Well, what can he do to me?" He has no respect for anyone but himself.

We need some big changes in the Supreme Court.

[Heathen57]

13. I gave my opinion

in an earlier post about Mr Scalia (no justice with him):

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021965102

I agree with George. He should have to resign for his biased and unconstitutional opinions he has shown, and that doesn't even start on his improprieties as a Justice.