She's born-again. She's homophobic. Moreover, she's quite possibly insane. She's SHOCKED.

[Bicoastal]

Gawker just posted an audio recording of Michelle Shocked's San Francisco rant the other night. It wasn't quite what I expected. Rather than fire and brimstone, this is the voice of someone who clearly shouldn't be in front of microphones anymore.

http://www.gawker.com/5991585/heres-audio-of-michelle-shockeds-anti+gay-rant-or-whatever-it-is

Less Fred Phelps and more Crazy Cat Lady, if you ask me.

[RevStPatrick]

1. Yep, I listened to that too.

I was led to believe that "Michelle Shocked screamed 'God hates fags' over and over again from the stage at Yoshi's" from what I read here and on Facebook.

It was not that.

[Mutiny In Heaven]

2. Exactly why there should be restrictions on some forms of church use

People speak of movies and videogames but there are far, far more dangerous things out there for mentally unwell people. Churches need to be monitored to some extent...I'm not saying they all foster hatred, not at all, but there are plenty that, you know, children and vulnerable people shouldn't be given access to.

[Bicoastal]

3. Yeah! FUCK that First Amendment bullshit!

Who really NEEDS Freedom of Religion anyway? So many have exactly the wrong ideas for the right problems.

[Mutiny In Heaven]

7. First of all, you've misread my intent

Secondly, freedom from hatred is far more important, but that's by-the-by and I obviously need to clarify one or two things:

I'm a little bit disappointed that no-one suspected my post might have been delivered with tongue resting partially in cheek. Not sarcasm, a wry rumination on just what we consider completely sacred and unimpeachable against what we just accept the requirement of photo-ID for.

So we have censorship / age limits systems in place for movies, video games, porn and cigarettes; we know that. We also know that there's no question that the hate-filled extremism of SOME establishments is a bigger threat than any of the things I've listed that we accept limitations on, yet we accept that a seven year old child cannot go and buy Grand Theft Auto, and yet - for no good reason - that such an impressionable creature attending a church known to deliver hate-filled rhetoric is perfectly fine.

What good reason is there to accept one and not the other, especially given the relative harmlessness of the entertainment products?

[Gravitycollapse]

4. "Churches need to be monitored" - Hell fucking no.

[nomorenomore08]

8. But maybe they should lose their tax-exempt status, especially if they push candidates or

ballot initiatives.

*Edit: corrected "lost" to "lose."

[Union Scribe]

5. .

Fuggin hell, the things people are willing to type out loud. Maybe access to DU should be restricted too...

[nomorenomore08]

9. I understand what you meant, even if your choice of words was a bit clumsy.

And I agree that fundamentalist religion is far more dangerous to impressionable young minds, than any form of violent entertainment.

[stevenleser]

6. Normally I would have a lot of stuff to say about people who say bigoted things.

Something made me hold back with this person and I am glad I did. She might still be a bigot, but it is also very possible that everything that is coming out of her mouth right now is due to mental illness.