Did Donald Trump's son direct a mafia like threat at Ted Cruz? Yeah kinda.

Classic! pic.twitter.com/aDRJgZKLW9

— Eric Trump (@EricTrump) April 7, 2016

Courtesy of Raw Story: 

Donald Trump’s son, Eric, may be a bit confused about the phrase “New York values,” coined by Trump’s GOP rival Ted Cruz. 

The front-runner’s son, who according to his Twitter profile, is the executive vice president of Development and Acquisitions at The Trump Organization, posted a picture from the HBO series, The Sopranos, with the caption, “Hey Cruz…When you get to NY we need to have a word with you. Tell us how you feel about NY values… we’ll send a car.”

So apparently this kind of threatening behavior runs in the family.

And as it turns out this is not the only negative reception Ted Cruz received from New Yorkers.

Courtesy of the Daily Mail:

As Cruz toured the lunch spot, a man identified as one half of a Latin hip-hop duo called Rebel Diaz yelled that the Texas senator is a 'bigot' and said he wasn't welcome because of his positions on illegal immigration. 

'Ted Cruz has no business being in the Bronx!' the heckler shouted from the front of the Sabrosura2 restaurant where Cruz was making a campaign stop. 

'This is an immigrant community. We deal with climate change every single day, and he wants to say that it doesn't exist.' 

'We live in one of the poorest congressional districts in the country,' the man went on. 'And to receive this right-wing bigot is an insult to the whole community.' 

'You're running on an anti-immigrant platform, and you're speaking in the Bronx,' he said. 'You should not be here!'

Gee, I guess this is how New York feels about "Texan values." 

Ted Cruz and Judeo Christian values.

And you know that Ted Cruz is just the kind of Christian to not only defend these practices, but even suggest bringing some of them back.

Girl Scouts openly accept transgendered children. Just another reason why the Girl Scouts are far superior to the Boy Scouts these days.

This from the FAQ page of Girl Scouts.org: 

Q: What is Girl Scouts' position on serving transgender youth? 

A: Girl Scouts is proud to be the premiere leadership organization for girls in the country. Placement of transgender youth is handled on a case-by-case basis, with the welfare and best interests of the child and the members of the troop/group in question a top priority. That said, if the child is recognized by the family and school/community as a girl and lives culturally as a girl, then Girl Scouts is an organization that can serve her in a setting that is both emotionally and physically safe.

Well that is certainly light years away from the homophobic attitudes expressed by the Boy Scouts, now isn't it?

I also found this on the FAQ page:

Q: Does Girl Scouting support families of faith? A: Yes. Girl Scouting supports girls from all backgrounds and beliefs. While we are a secular organization that refrains from teaching religious or spiritual beliefs or practices, we believe that the motivating force in Girl Scouting is a spiritual one, and we greatly value our longstanding partnerships with religious organizations across many faiths that share the values of the Girl Scout Promise and Law.

Damn, I may have to buy extra boxes of thin mints this next time around. 

(H/T to danthropology.)

Another Republican Reality Star/Congressman comes out as an anti-vaxxer. Hang on I'm to go check my calendar and make sure it is REALLY 2015.

So Republican Sean "I can't live on a Congressman's salary" Duffy was on MSNBC this morning talking about Obama's new budget, when host José Díaz-Balart introduced a "gotcha question" about vaccination children.

Here is more courtesy of TPM:  

"I want that to be my choice as a parent," Duffy, a father of seven, said said during an appearance on MSNBC's "The Rundown With José Díaz-Balart." "I know my kids best. I know what morals and values are right for my children. I think we should not have an oppressive state telling us what to do." 

The Wisconsin congressman explicitly defended vaccine critics, saying: "I think a lot of parents who are smart, well-read — they're the ones who are choosing not to vaccinate. And oftentimes, those who may not be as well-read — they are vaccinating. So to say you just have a bunch of crackpots who are choosing not to do this to their children, I just don't think that's actually true." 

Duffy, a former attorney, said that he prefers to "pick and choose" which vaccines his children receive. 

"I vaccinate my kids on most things, but then there are some things where I'm like, 'This may not work for me and my values and my family,'" he said.

I have to wonder exactly which "morals" and "values" conflict with vaccinating his children?

Is he afraid that the vaccinations might make them live too long? Or perhaps he is simply worried that they may not be free to infect others if they are not allowed to catch the measles, small pox, or mumps?

I mean that would be a shame.

For instance does anybody remember the good old days before we had the polio vaccine?

Boy those were the days weren't they?

I have to admit I am completely flabbergasted by this sudden argument over vaccinations.

I used to work in an office at a child care facility and I remember that there was simply no discussion tolerated. No vaccinations, meant no childcare. Period!

And if you were late with a booster shot you were turned away at the door until you had an updated shot record in hand. There was no argument entertained, and there was no pass given to those whose "values" prevented them from inoculating their kids.

It is not fucking about you and your paranoia, it is about all of us.

Source

And all of us are going to kick your ass if your kid makes our kids sick.

P.S. By the way for all of you confused about my reference to reality shows in the headline, Duffy was indeed a participant in The Real World:Boston.

Which just goes to show that the line of separation for Republican politicians and reality shows is pretty thin. Either they come to politics from reality television, or they end up there after their political careers crash and burn.

Right Sarah?

Possibly the best religious leader alive today.

Now THAT is the kind of religious figure that even nonbelievers can respect.

I have long had an issue with certain religions referring to themselves as pathways to spirituality when in fact they act as obstacles to true spirituality.