Barry Goldwater vs the Religious Right.

[Voluntary]

There is no position on which people are so immovable as their religious beliefs. There is no more powerful ally one can claim in a debate than Jesus Christ, or God, or Allah, or whatever one calls this supreme being. But like any powerful weapon, the use of God's name on one's behalf should be used sparingly. The religious factions that are growing throughout our land are not using their religious clout with wisdom. They are trying to force government leaders into following their position 100 percent. If you disagree with these religious groups on a particular moral issue, they complain, they threaten you with a loss of money or votes or both. I'm frankly sick and tired of the political preachers across this country telling me as a citizen that if I want to be a moral person, I must believe in 'A,' 'B,' 'C,' and 'D.' Just who do they think they are? And from where do they presume to claim the right to dictate their moral beliefs to me? And I am even more angry as a legislator who must endure the threats of every religious group who thinks it has some God-granted right to control my vote on every roll call in the Senate. I am warning them today: I will fight them every step of the way if they try to dictate their moral convictions to all Americans in the name of 'conservatism.'

Source: Congressional Record, September 16, 1981

[Jack]

One of my favorite quotes from a conservative (a real conservative). He foresaw clearly the threat religion-mongers would become in our time.

[Philip Lu]

Other than his racism, he seems like a reasonable person.

[Voluntary]

Other than his racism, he seems like a reasonable person.

He wasn't a racist. He was an ideologue. He believed that racism was a threat to freedom, but that it should be tackled on the individual level.

And he lived his ideology:

To many, Mr. Goldwater was a man of contradictions. He ended racial segregation in his family department stores, and he was instrumental in ending it in Phoenix schools and restaurants and in the Arizona National Guard. But he also voted against the 1964 Civil Rights Act, contending that it was unconstitutional, and he backed restrictive amendments to earlier civil rights legislation. Blacks voted overwhelmingly against him in 1964.

Washingtonpost.com: Barry Goldwater Dead at 89

He also stood up for gay rights, long before many liberals.
Goldwater advocates gays in military

Remember, it was Clinton who signed DOMA and DADT.

I think Goldwater should have laid down his ideology for the CRA, but he is not a racist. Your claim has been debunked.

[Voluntary]

One of my favorite quotes from a conservative (a real conservative). He foresaw clearly the threat religion-mongers would become in our time.

lol...this one is great.

"Every good Christian should line up and kick Jerry Falwell's ass."

I do believe this was over Sandra Day O'Conner's appointment to the SCOTUS since she subscribed to abortion and women's rights.

[Peter]

Best quote ever from Christopher Hitchens after Falwell's death. "Give him an enema and you could bury him in a matchbox."