Two pieces of news

Gaypolitics.com reports that Oklahoma State Sen. Steve Russell plans to introduce a bill that would exempt Oklahoma from adhering to the recently passed Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. According to the Oklahoma Daily, Russell said, "The federal government should not be creating a special class of people, and that is just what they did when they passed and signed this bill." 

Great quote.  I wonder if he would say the same thing about anti-gay marriage statutes on the books in 31 of our states that created two classes of citizens?

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Tonight Rachel Maddow reported on a new anti-Obama slogan with a biblical twist: Pray for President Obama, Psalm 108:9.  And what does that psalm say? "May his days be few, may another take over his position.  May his children be orphans and his wife a widow."

I don't know about any of you, but I find this slogan -- now on bumper stickers, tee shirts, etc -- absolutely petrifying.  Why aren't the religious leaders in the country loudly denouncing this disturbing and threatening language?  How can this be seen as a joke?  And how does this language differ from religious extremists in other countries that supposedly so threaten us that we are actually at war with them?

This is extremely frightening and serious.