I’m not someone who has a problem with U.S. politicians citing the Man Upstairs in political debate, although this piece from the Washington Post makes interesting reading from that respect. I also think it’s quite possible to be opposed to same-sex marriage (even if I’m increasingly unconvinced by the arguments against) without being a bigot, but these remarks from Rep Phil Gingrey (R-Ga) ought to raise an eyebrow or two. The debate on this topic, he said, was “about values and how this great country represents them to the world,” which is fair enough, I suppose, but to argue that a vote in favor of a ban was “probably the best message we can give to the Middle East in regards to the trouble we are having over there right now” does, as we say in the old country, take the biscuit.

Ridiculous. The WP’s last line says it all.