Thursday, September 22, 2011

If you thought the Libertarian Party couldn't sink any lower.

This blogger has held that the Libertarian Party is a hopeless venture and is often more conservative than libertarian—especially after a Root infestation that continues to plague the party. The only decent candidate they had seeking the presidential nomination was Steve Kubby, but Kubby simply would have been a lousy candidate, no matter how good he might be on issues. Otherwise there simply wasn't a candidate seeking the office that could be trusted. They all were deficient, if not ideologically, then ethically.

Today it is being reported that State Rep. Daniel Gordon, of Rhode Island, has joined the Libertarian Party to serve as an LP state representative. Gordon, made a name for himself for some nasty anti-gay remarks directed at a high school's Gay Straight Alliance. Like most extreme Right bigots he mischaracterized the support group made up of students by calling it a "sexual meet-up" group and then asking "Is it really more important for our children to get sexed-up, than learning advanced math?" Of course the main purpose of the GSA groups is to provide support for gay students on campus, many of whom are suffering bullying. As we just saw, a 14-year-old boy in New York just killed himself because of school bullying. So yes, Mr. Gordon, the club is important and no, they aren't there to get sexed-up.

But, according to Gordon, gay students who get bullied probably deserved it. He said, "I don't think there would be much of a problem with bullying if students weren't flaunting their sexuality in school." Hmm, I guess women who get beat up by their boyfriends deserve it as well. (Gordon might say so for reasons that will become obvious in a minute.) Gordon said that the Gay Straight Alliance should be banned.

The mere fact that this man could publicly make such statements indicates he is not a proper fit for the Libertarian Party. But the LP has been taken the garbage the Republicans throw out for a long time. According to a pro-war, anti-gay site run by a former Ron Paul staffer, Gordon called the LP National Direction Wes Benedict that he was sending in his dues and joining the party. This site claims that Gordon is leaving the Republican Party over a "controversy stemming from a drunk driving conviction in Massachusetts a year ago."

In fact, Gordon was thrown out of the Republican Party. All members of the LP national committee were told, with some excitement, that this bigot wanted to join the LP. Now, what is the "controversy?"

Mr. Gordon is drunk driver. Actually he has been convicted three times of drunk driving. Of course, the Republicans wouldn't throw him out merely because he is an anti-gay bigot. Virtually all their candidates for president are anti-gay bigots with the exception of Gary Johnson and perhaps, Jon Huntsman.

Gordon tries to weasel out of it by claiming that he wasn't drunk he was "self-medicating with alcohol." Jesus, that is like the sleazy Republican who took close up photos of his sphincter, posted them on a gay site, and then when caught, said the photos were to document weight loss. Even if the "self-medicating" bullshit was a legitimate excuse, driving while self-medicated puts the lives of others at risk.

Now, the Libertarian Party may miss the bullet on this one. Unless Gordon sent in his dues for LP membership almost immediately after calling the LP, it might be some time before he can mail that check in. And, he actually might need the money for a good lawyer.

Apparently he was arrested and is in state prison and will be there until arraignment on Monday. He is charged with driving with a suspended license and also failing to appear in court to face charges that he had tried to elude a police office.

Gordon had gone to the police to try to file complaints about "cyberstalking" because "people were saying things about him on blogs." Apparently, not only is he weak on rights for gay people, but he doesn't understand free speech either. Yep, sounds like a Republican to me. Of course, he calls himself a Constitutionalist. I find that to be one of the major excuses used by conservatives when they try to claim they are really libertarians. Apparently if they can concoct a claim that constitution is in favor of violating rights, then that trumps their libertarianism.

But while Gordon was trying to get bloggers arrested the police were running his name and found he had "a very extensive record in Massachusetts" and they found that he skipped out on a 2008 trial and that there was an arrest warrant out for him.

It gets worse! The Providence Journal reports that he was previously in jail for five months "on charges of attempted murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and for assaulting and threatening to kill his girlfriend." The paper says the arrest records are in storage but that what they were able to find indicates "there is no question that Gordon has exhibited a propensity for violence."

Apparently in 1996 Gordon was arrested on assault charges and discharging a firearm. He served time on those charges. Then in 2001 he assaulted his girlfriend and threatened to kill her. He pleaded guilty and served a brief sentence and was put on probation. In 2003 a warrant was put on him on charges of car theft, along with a slew of traffic offenses connected to the incident. Next, in 2004 he was arrested for attempted murder and assault, again on a woman, who told police, "He tried to kill me." This was another girlfriend, so apparently assaulting romantic partners, is not unusual for him. She was upset because he didn't have a job and called him a loser so he tried to strangle her. He was in jail for two weeks that time.

So, just about the time I thought the LP couldn't sink lower in attracting Republican rejects Mr. Gordon comes along. Of course, with all the negative publicity that this is likely to get, the LP may get nervous and refuse his membership. But then, some of their National Committee members aren't adverse to con men. So, will they actually balk at men who act violently toward women, as well as a slew of other problems? We'll see.

But, let's recap this man's "libertarian" record. He has assaulted women. He drives drunk, putting others at risk. He was charged with car theft and attempted murder. He is anti-gay, wants to ban a group, apparently opposing freedom of association and freedom of speech. At least he would make Wayne Root look good—well, only briefly.

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