Pope With the Humble Touch Is Firm in Reshaping the Vatican

[Bluenorthwest]

105. You refer to those who are critical of homophobic, anti choice clerics as 'haters'.

The homophobe who says my family is an attack on God is not a 'hater', those who disagree with him are.
I think supporting a guy whose positions are largely Republican and specifically opposed to the Democratic positions on LGBT equality, on choice and on birth control is something that people should do with a careful hand, if they feel compelled to do so at all in a political forum. They should expect political challenges to such support on a political board. They should try not to forget or excuse the really awful bigotry and sexism in some rush to announce the Second Coming. Support for an anti choice bigot needs always to come with an asterisk, much like folks do when they agree with someone like Rand Paul on one issue. The Pope has one good issue. Like Rand Paul, on the rest of it he is full of stinking, antiquated bigotry and foolish preconceptions. The unflagging praise for him and ugly tone toward any critic of him does not seem appropriate considering he is opposed to equal rights and contraception and abortion rights. I think specific and pointed support for good things he says could be fine if there was occasional mention of the various right wing policies. There should not be attempts made to paint Francis' positions as Democratic, for they are not, save for his rhetoric on finance, which has yet to be seen as action. On issues about which he has taken action in his life, he is a Republican by our standards. This should not be forgotten.
Pretending he's things he is not because we like part of what he is does not really serve anyone or anything. As a Democrat, I support choice, I oppose those who do not. I support equality for LGBT people, and I oppose those who do not. Francis can not have my unequivocal support because I oppose most of his views. When he is offered unequivocal support with extra characterizations of his critics, I find that to be unacceptable, because it is a demand to support an anti choice, anti equality public figure on a board dedicated to supporting a political Party that supports choice and equality.