Christian Hypocrisy Revealed in GOP Opposition to Ground-Zero Mosque

The proposed building of a mosque and community center near the World Trade Center seems to be the most recent fiasco prompting GOP hardliners to flaunt their hypocritical natures.  My favorite example so far was the zinger Newt Gingrich let rip on Fox News. Gingrich suggested that the Muslims proposing the center where “radical Islamists” and went on to compare their protected expression of religion to Nazi’s planting signs next to the Holocaust museum in D.C.

On his Web site, Gingrich has a page devoted to “Religious Liberty.” The page suggests that non-religious folk us academia and government to curtail religious expression. It also states that Newt is on the offensive, “mobilizing people of faith” to protect their religious freedoms.  This seems to be at odds with his stance against the mosque. Unless, of course, Gingrich is only interested in mobilizing people of the Christian faith, although “Christians” are never named specifically on the site. So why would Gingrich be so interested in curtailing Muslim rights while promoting Christian rights? My guess is he gets off on the misfortunes of those he sees as hailing from a rival group, a phenomenon known as schadenfreude.

Smith, Powell, Combs and Schurtz (2009) who study schadenfreude extensively, would probably agree with my observation.  They note that schadenfreude comes from at least three conditions. Gaining from the misfortunes of others is one. It is also evident when one’s in-group succeeds due to the failures of rival outgroup, especially for high-identifiers like Newt. Another applicable source is when misfortune befalls an envied person. I would guess that all three sources are at work here. It is hard to say if sadistic emotions or a political/religious agenda motivates Newt to hypocrisy. My guess is that Newt is simply a closet Sadomasochist whose mouth can’t seem to stay closed. Still, I really shouldn’t be surprised when politicians speak from both sides of their mouths. Actually, I don’t think I am surprised, just stunned when their hypocrisy is expressed so blatantly and transparently.

Washington Post: Newt Gingrich compares ‘Ground Zero mosque’ backers to Nazis

Newt on “Religious Liberty”

‘Thinking outside the Geschwindigkeitsbegrenzung’

Brüno, the latest work by British comedian Sacha Baron-Cohen, has just achieved the highest-grossing opening weekend for an 18-certificate (i.e. adult-rated) film in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

This ‘mockumentary’ revolves around the reactions of various celebrities and members of the public to Baron-Cohen’s portrayal of the eponymous flamboyantly gay Austrian fashionista. Since those involved believed they were dealing with a genuine rather than fictional character, their responses to his outrageously exaggerated portrayal of stereotypical homosexuality provide a satirical comment on the prejudice and hypocrisy present within a supposedly enlightened modern society.

Extreme reactions provoked by the filming led to Baron-Cohen being both threatened with assault and arrested multiple times, as well as facing subsequent legal action. This mirrors the response to his previous controversial film of the same format, in which he played ‘Kazhakhstani’ Borat. Not only did this similarly result in legal action, but the ensuing furore culminated in an international diplomatic incident.

Whilst such films may claim to provide a revealing insight into homophobia, anti-semitism, and the like, they also raise uncomfortable questions for the audience themselves. For example, it is debatable as to whether they are truly viewed by all cinema-goers as a sophisticated piece of social commentary, or whether they simply allow the ‘politically correct’ an opportunity to laugh at otherwise unacceptable stereotypes.

In terms of their technical approach, many of the humorous scenarios featured within these films echo the ‘breach studies’ of ethnomethodologist Garfinkel, which examined the responses of unsuspecting participants to deliberate violations of social norms.

In a further psychological link, Sacha Baron-Cohen is the cousin of Simon Baron-Cohen, Professor of Developmental Psychopathology at the University of Cambridge.

(And in case you were wondering, ‘Geschwindigkeitsbegrenzung’ is German for ‘speed-limit’!)

Brüno’s official MySpace page

Film review from the Guardian

Smith, J. R. & Louis, W. R. (2009). Group Norms and the Attitude–Behaviour Relationship