Hate in the Mainstream

"They're eating away at the foundation of American liberty, of American freedom."
— South Carolina State Sen. LARRY GROOMS (R), quoted in an Aug. 8 McClatchy Newspapers article comparing illegal immigrants to termites

"The deep, dark, dirty secret of Islam: It is a religion that promotes pedophilia — sex with children."
— First Baptist Church of Dallas pastor ROBERT JEFFRESS, in an Aug. 22 service called "Ask the Pastor"

"I hope all the queers are thrilled to see him. I am sure there will be a couple legislative fruitloops there in the audience."
— North Carolina State Rep. LARRY BROWN, in an E-mail sent to dozens of fellow Republican legislators Sept. 27, after learning Democratic House Speaker Joe Hackney was getting an award from a gay-rights group

"How is it for that for decades there were no bedbugs to speak of in New York City or anywhere else in America? … Is it a result of massive, massive waves of immigration from the Third World?"
— Host MICHAEL SAVAGE, on the Dec. 1 edition of Talk Radio Network's "The Savage Nation"

"Congress, the White House and Hollywood, Wall Street, are owned by the Zionists. No question, in my opinion."
— HELEN THOMAS, in a Dec. 2 speech given six months after the legendary UPI journalist resigned following other remarks widely criticized as anti-Semitic 

"If God has changed his mind, he must want the West to die."
— Family Research Institute chief PAUL CAMERON, in a Dec. 3 interview with The [Colorado Springs, Colo.] Gazette, suggesting God agrees with his condemnation of homosexuality

"We have only one blue-eyed bomber and that was Timothy McVeigh. And he wasn't flying."
— U.S. Rep. STEVE KING (R-Iowa), in a Dec. 6 interview with the online Right Side News, discussing the purported advantages of profiling air travelers

"Both Harvard and Yale do have a lesbian, transgender, gay, bisexual department… . I don't know what you have to do to get a degree in those studies."
— RUSH LIMBAUGH, on the Dec. 21 edition of Premiere Radio Network's "The Rush Limbaugh Show," following the repeal of the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy on gays

Quotes on this page were compiled from media accounts, web pages, e-mail groups and Media Matters for America, a website that monitors the far right.