indiana rep. bob morris
Rep. Bob Morris protects us from Girl Scouts!Most of us think of the Girl Scouts as a pro-female organization that teaches leadership skills and sells yummy cookies. But some right wing politicians and members of the media would instead have you believe it has more sinister goals -- namely, brainwashing young girls and selling sex and abortions. The latest rant against the Girl Scouts comes from Rep. Bob Morris, a Republican in the Indiana legislature, who is so offended by the Girl Scouts that he cannot -- CANNOT -- in good faith support a resolution celebrating their 100th anniversary. Why? His reasons are so moronic they're almost laughable -- emphasis on "almost."

In a letter to Indiana House Republicans, which has since gone viral, Morris said that he did a "small amount of web-based research" and was disturbed by what he found. He called the Girl Scouts a "radicalized organization" and a "tactical arm of Planned Parenthood" before running through a laundry list of its many, many crimes including:

  • Promoting "homosexual lifestyles."
  • Aligning with honorary president Michelle Obama's "radically pro-abortion" viewpoint.
  • Allowing transgender females to join, "just like any real girl."
  • Having role models that include feminists, communists, and lesbians.
  • Encouraging sex.

I would pay good money to see this man's Internet history queue -- which is my attempt at making a joke about the absurdity of this situation. But, really, it's not funny at all. If Morris is opposed to the Girl Scouts because it has liberal leanings, then fine: Putting his daughters in a different organization may be an appropriate response. But to publicly politicize, exaggerate, and condemn an organization that has helped so many girls and women because it has different viewpoints is not only wrong, it epitomizes everything that's infuriating about the GOP right now.

Girl Scouts, contraception, women making their own decisions about health care, whether women should work outside the home -- these are all things that the majority of Americans decided long ago were things that were good for women. Yet, many Republicans on the extreme right are fixated on these issues -- instead of much more urgent issues like the economy, jobs, energy -- hoping they can gain votes by speaking out against these measures of equality that most of us hold not just dear but indelible.

Sure, there will be a few fringe supporters that creep out of the woodwork. But in the process the GOP is alienating a much bigger group of voters -- women. And the backlash that results from the estrangement will NOT be pretty.

Do you think the Girl Scouts are dangerous?

 

Image via Indiana House of Representatives