Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Ah, the different things are different argument.

You can’t attract Republican voters. You can only out organize them.

If senate republicans had any shame, they’d die of it.

Everyone is in a bubble, but some bubbles model reality far better than others!

I was confident that someone would point it out and thought why not me.

They love authoritarianism, but only when they get to be the authoritarians.

Is it negotiation when the other party actually wants to shoot the hostage?

They traffic in fear. it is their only currency. if we are fearful, they are winning.

We’ve had enough carrots to last a lifetime. break out the sticks.

Despite his magical powers, I don’t think Trump is thinking this through, to be honest.

Putin dreamed of ending NATO, and now it’s Finnish-ed.

“And when the Committee says to “report your income,” that could mean anything!

You are so fucked. Still, I wish you the best of luck.

Shallow, uninformed, and lacking identity

Is it irresponsible to speculate? It is irresponsible not to.

Whoever he was, that guy was nuts.

My years-long effort to drive family and friends away has really paid off this year.

I’d like to think you all would remain faithful to me if i ever tried to have some of you killed.

The GOP is a fucking disgrace.

Putin must be throwing ketchup at the walls.

He wakes up lying, and he lies all day.

They’re not red states to be hated; they are voter suppression states to be fixed.

A snarling mass of vitriolic jackals

White supremacy is terrorism.

You are here: Home / Civil Rights / Repub Venality Open Thread: Christoper Rufo Is *Trying* to Get People Killed

Repub Venality Open Thread: Christoper Rufo Is *Trying* to Get People Killed

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But, look at it from Rufo’s viewpoint: It’s been very profitable for his personal marketing, and nobody he cares about is going to suffer from it!

Reader Interactions

86Comments

  1. 1.

    Nora

    You know what’s really dangerous to children? High powered guns.

    If anyone’s out to endanger our children, it’s the people who refuse to take any actions to regulate guns in any sensible way at all. Sounds like Republicans through and through.

  2. 2.

    WaterGirl

    It’s time to pull out the old standby.

    What the fuck is wrong with these people?

    edit:  Please consider this as an exasperated statement, not a question.

  3. 3.

    Cameron

    It is wrong to say everybody on the right is a moron.  Rufo isn’t; I think he’s actually quite intelligent – the problem is that he’s evil.  Bannon is similar, but I don’t think he’s as smart as Rufo.

  4. 4.

    SpaceUnit

    You know, I’ve got mixed feelings about Drag Queen Story Hour, but this perfectly illustrates how the “conservative” political dynamic is entirely dependent on hate and paranoia.

    They need a whole list of people who they can denigrate and vilify.  Without it they’ve got nothing.  Absolute scum.

  6. 6.

    kindness

    Hatreds fuel far too much of the right. I wonder if their parents never hugged them as kids.

  7. 7.

    Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)

    That Karl Bode person is awfully confident that it’s going to work for the midterms. How does he know for sure? Isn’t that doom posting?

  10. 10.

    The Thin Black Duke

    As James Baldwin said, “If they come for them in the morning, they will come for us in the evening.”

  12. 12.

    karen marie

    Fucking Andrew Sullivan apparently can’t read all the “I’m doing this for the lolz” that Rufo states.  Sullivan claims that he’s concerned about children being exposed to “trans strippers.”

    My mind was blown.  I mean, I know Sullivan is a dishonest asshole but this takes the cake.

  13. 13.

    Bill Arnold

    @MagdaInBlack:

    People are not born hating.

    One might even say that they are groomed to hate by people like loathsome evil psychopathic propagandist Christopher Ferguson Rufo.
    [Or maybe “groomed to a lifestyle of hatred”, or some such.]

  15. 15.

    prostratedragon

    @WaterGirl:  I hoist that flag high several times a day lately. I don’t expect an answer, even though I often would really love to hear one.

  16. 16.

    zhena gogolia

    I just feel like, dingdingding this is all coming from Putin. It’s all of a piece.

  17. 17.

    Baud

    @karen marie:

    Sullivan claims that he’s concerned about children being exposed to “trans strippers.”

     

    Is that what they’re calling Southern Baptist ministers these days?

  20. 20.

    Bill Arnold

    @Goku (aka Amerikan Baka):

    How does he know for sure? Isn’t that doom posting?

    Yes, it is doom posting. Christopher F. Rufo personally will be feeling increasing amounts of heat, and, if we are not collectively lazy, there will be a lot of strong pushback against the narratives that he and others have been spinning. It is in play, unless most people obey the doom posters and give up.
    Maybe put some pressure on the Manhattan Institute as well.

  22. 22.

    MagdaInBlack

    @Bill Arnold: He’s telling them what they have already been “groomed” to want to believe…how did they get to that point?

    I know that psychoanalyzing these haters isn’t fixing it now, I just do wonder about the childhood that got them here.

  23. 23.

    JanieM

    Because it’s nice to have something cheerful in light of the subject of the post: at the Pride Parade and Festival in Portland, Maine, a good time was had by (almost) everyone.

    This made me laugh:

    There was a bit of tension when at Monument Square, a small group of men held Bibles and religious signs, with one speaking into a megaphone encouraging LGBTQ people to repent and “not live in sin.” But it was difficult to hear the man with the megaphone because “Dykes on Bikes” revved up their motorcycles to drown out his voice.

  25. 25.

    Bill Arnold

    @zhena gogolia:

    I just feel like, dingdingding this is all coming from Putin. It’s all of a piece.

    Rufo is (according to at least two wikipedia articles so beware) a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute[1], which has been around for many decades. I don’t know about their funding, probably some old (or middle-aged; i.e. not new) money but not sure.
    However, it is very probable (without looking) that the Russians are boosting/amplifying this stuff since sticking wedges into societal fault lines is what they do.

    [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhattan_Institute_for_Policy_Research

  28. 28.

    Sister Golden Bear

    Ann, thank you for putting a spotlight on this. It’s blatantly inciting stochastic (and not-so-stochastic) terrorism that’s going to get LGBTQ+ people killed. Which to them is a feature, not a bug.

    @karen marie: But not as long as it involves Christmas pantomime shows—which are sacred doncha know. Because it’s something that’s part of Sully’s life.

    For the record, besides being a racist and an idiot, Sully is a long-time phobe of any of the LGBTQ+ letters not starting in G.

  33. 33.

    Benw

    We should start using the phrase “stupid goat-fucker” in lieu of “Christopher Rufo.” It has a more lurid set of connotations and shifts the debate to him fucking goats.

  34. 34.

    Bill Arnold

    @Sister Golden Bear:

    It’s blatantly inciting stochastic

    Technical point: the incitement is stochastic terrorism; a terrorist such as Rufo attempts to incite random lone-wolf violence such that the probability is close to 1 that there will be one or more incidents of such violence. They feel that there will not be accountability. The law makes it tough to prove, but their lives can be f-ed up, even without breaking the law, e.g. with e.g. widespread and visible shunning.

  35. 35.

    Sister Golden Bear

    @JanieM: Rule 1A of going to Pride: don’t fuck with the Dykes on Bikes (Rule 1 being don’t fuck with drag queens).

    FWIW, while two trans woman of color (and drag queens*), Silvia Rivera and Marsha P Johnson (who threw the first brick), it was actually a Black butch dyke (and drag king) Stormé DeLarverie, threw the first punch at the cops.

    Drag being one of few ways trans women of the era could make money.

  37. 37.

    Ladyraxterinok

    @Baud:

    One could argue that a child is physically and mentally and spiritually safer at a drag Queen show at a library then at a Southern Baptist Church

  39. 39.

    MagdaInBlack

    @Ksmiami: I believe I addressed that. Thank you for your input

    Still have to, at some point, after they’re all walled up, address the root cause.

  40. 40.

    Sister Golden Bear

    @SpaceUnit: I know one of the people who started Drag Queen Story Hour, as well as several people who’ve done readings.

    The queens (and drag kings) involved keep things extremely kid-friendly, and to the kids its more like having Spiderman or Cinderella (with fabulous make-up) read a book to them. The kids are stoked seeing grown-up played being dress-up. It’s really pretty innocent and wholesome. If for no other reason that we know haters are going to make up lurid stories about it.

    And they’re definitely safer there than being left priest at a Catholic church or an evangelical youth minister.

  41. 41.

    Geminid

    @japa21: It’s true that the issue of CRT did not change many votes in the Virginia election, if any. Youngkin made good tactical use of it, though, as a way to rally the conservative base. Republicans before him did this by centering the issues of abortion and gun rights, but pushing these issues creates backlash from Democrats and many independents. Youngkin needed to keep those issues in the background while still motivating right wing voters, and CRT did this for him.

  43. 43.

    Ksmiami

    @MagdaInBlack: you did but I’m reiterating that thwarting evil is the only currency for now. Later, we must put in a widespread denazification program in the country ala education etc

  45. 45.

    James E Powell

    FOX, Carlson, Rufo, and everyone else like them act like Pulse never happened.

  46. 46.

    Splitting Image

    @Baud:

    Where are all the young people? Weren’t the kids supposed to be alright?

    For the most part, they are. But “alright” doesn’t translate as “great”. Most young people are gay-positive and for the most part trans-positive as well, but it’s easier to get them to come out to Pride events than to convince them that voting for political moderates is sometimes necessary to stop the reactionaries from winning.

  47. 47.

    Another Scott

    In my quick Googling around, it seems that Rufo is tied up with Manhattan Institute.  William Kristol is on the board of directors of the Manhattan Institute.

    Maybe the next time Bloody Bill Kristol is on one of the talking head programs, they can ask him if he and the rest of the board thinks Rufo’s attempts to get people killed are Ok.  The press needs to call out these greybeards that prop up these monsters.

    Maybe 501(c)(3) rules need to be re-examined by Congress and the IRS:

    To be tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, an organization must be organized and operated exclusively for exempt purposes set forth in section 501(c)(3), and none of its earnings may inure to any private shareholder or individual. In addition, it may not be an action organization, i.e., it may not attempt to influence legislation as a substantial part of its activities and it may not participate in any campaign activity for or against political candidates.

    Organizations described in section 501(c)(3) are commonly referred to as charitable organizations. Organizations described in section 501(c)(3), other than testing for public safety organizations, are eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions in accordance with Code section 170.

    The organization must not be organized or operated for the benefit of private interests, and no part of a section 501(c)(3) organization’s net earnings may inure to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual. If the organization engages in an excess benefit transaction with a person having substantial influence over the organization, an excise tax may be imposed on the person and any organization managers agreeing to the transaction.

    Section 501(c)(3) organizations are restricted in how much political and legislative (lobbying) activities they may conduct. For a detailed discussion, see Political and Lobbying Activities. For more information about lobbying activities by charities, see the article Lobbying Issues; for more information about political activities of charities, see the FY-2002 CPE topic Election Year Issues.

    There’s an awful lot of winking-and-nodding abuse of these 501(c)(3) rules, IMHO. Demonization of marginalized groups is not a public benefit. Rufo can say what he wants, and he and his organization can take the social consequences for it. However, the rest of us should not subsidize his hateful rhetoric via federal tax benefits for his organization.

    Grr…,
    Scott.

  49. 49.

    West of the Rockies

    Rufo is into reductionist terms, so I propose Murderous Nazi Homophobe Rufo.

  53. 53.

    SpaceUnit

    @West of the Rockies:

    No, it’s a bit of a mouthful.

    An earlier commenter, Benw, suggested “goat fucker”.  That’s way more reductionist and probably more accurate.

    “Pig fucker” might even be better.

  58. 58.

    Another Scott

    @Another Scott:  Relatedly, in a way, ProPublica has a story about a Black educator that was hounded in Cherokee and Cobb County Georgia:

    Then I found people who were upset about what happened to [Cecelia] Lewis. One of them knew a good bit more about what led up to that ugly school board meeting in Cherokee.

    That person had a recording of an organizing meeting days prior in a golf course clubhouse. There was also a private Facebook group filled with hysterical posts about Lewis, including some that announced false Lewis “sightings” around the county.

    Two of the presenters at the clubhouse meeting are leaders of groups that encourage the public to anonymously report educators for perceived transgressions relating to curriculums, inappropriate books or lessons, or guest speakers — or to just submit any anonymous tip.

    Beyond giving me details about the efforts to oust Lewis, the recording and posts provided insight into local and national conservative networks involved in strategies to overthrow school boards, vilify Parent Teacher Associations and pass state legislation to ban a slew of concepts from curriculums. At the clubhouse meeting, the crowd watched a video from Prager University that outlined how white people are being made out to be racists no matter what they say or do — because, well, CRT. They also listened to a controversial recording of a Manhattan high school principal caught on tape talking about the demonization of white children. The group was being coached on how to speak at school board meetings in a way that could land them an appearance on Fox News.

    This all struck me as highly coordinated.

    PragerU is yet another 501(c)(3). Our tax system is supporting them and their RWNJ donors.

    Grr…,
    Scott.

  62. 62.

    Mai Naem mobile

    I don’t get the strategery of drag queen campaign hate. I know it’s not exactly the same thing but there’s a bunch of successful movies and teeveewith men dressing up as women. Mrs Doubtfire, the Tyler Perry stuff, The Bird Cage, Tootsie, Bosom Buddies, Drag Race. I’ve even seen some ancient stuff on AMC.  My guess is most people think its funny and entertaining. Just more solutions looking for problems.

  67. 67.

    opiejeanne

    @eclare: The year before Covid struck, our daughters took my husband to a drag show for Fathers’ Day. It was delightful, and I emailed my thanks to the lovely creature who paid a lot of attention to mr opiejeanne. I got an email back saying how nice it was to hear from a fan.

    I’m still annoyed that I never got to a show at Finucchio before they closed.

  69. 69.

    StringOnAStick

    Friday’s Gardeners World (BBC) featured a drag queen gardener, telling his story of how he got into gardening and showing him doing his character at the garden show. It struck me how fun and sweet he is, how accepting and supportive the audience was, and just how different it is here right now.

    I agree that it feels the Putin is supporting this latest outburst of hate for purposes of driving social issue wedges.

  72. 72.

    prostratedragon

    @Mai Naem mobile:  I’ve been digging up a few of the old ones, in my ongoing project of illustrating that a lot of new stuff ain’t new (so at least some of the purveyers of shock are lying). Goes back at least to Milton Berle.

  78. 78.

    ColoradoGuy

    If it wasn’t for hate, the GOP wouldn’t exist at all. It’s the only thing that unifies them.

  79. 79.

    Tony Jay

    Dead thread (or maybe not that dead) but I just wanted to say this.

    In a world where political and social movements pay people large sums to craft simple messages, that set of tweets from Rufo should definitively end the current stage of ‘Trans Panic’ and set the stage for massive pushback.

    It’s all there. The proof that it’s all being artificially manufactured for political aims. The open calculus that their scheme relies on falsely redefining words and phrases in order to trick voters. The admission that they’re lying, know they’re lying, but think they can get away with it because people are stupid.

    Every single time this fake issue is raised every single Dem and human rights realist simply has to point to the ‘Rufo Rules’ and hammer home the simple and irrefutable fact that Republicans invented this conspiracy theory knowing it would put schools and teachers and children in danger from the Right’s own radicalised base and they did it anyway because they have nothing else.

    No ifs or buts, no highbrow head shaking or arched eyebrows of scoff – the Right raised this slimy motherfucker to national prominence and he just tweeted out the notes he took on a criminal fucking conspiracy.

    Use them. Reframe the issue. Win. Save Lives.

  84. 84.

    brantl

    @Cameron: Frank is a more banal type of evil, letting the Republicans have more of an “Excuse” for being self-centered-serving assholes, rather than a new “Cause”.

  86. 86.

    Urban Suburbanite

    The Discovery Institute, the Seattle-based creationist front group that boosted Rufo, has found a new douchebag to shine up. This time, it’s a fired local reporter named Jonathan Choe. He’s a clout-chasing idiot who tries to be an imitation of Andy Ngo – which means encouraging violence, picking fights with local activists, and fueling hatred of homeless people. The Sinclair station fired him for his gushing coverage of a Proud Boys rally, and then he spent some time annoying homeless people and being a park nuisance.

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