10 Groups Rick Perry Has Offended the Most

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If you haven't seen Rick Perry's latest ad, you probably haven't been on the Internet during the past couple of weeks. His "Strong" campaign spot is impressive — it garnered more than 600,000 dislikes on YouTube within a week of being uploaded. He obviously knows how to make the most of every second of air time, managing to offend multiple groups of people on both sides with a single bad campaign ad. He's been practicing this skill for years, though, ruffling the feathers of quite a few demographics. In politics, you can't please everyone, and Perry certainly hasn't catered to these groups.

  1. The LGBT community

    The first punch Perry takes in his ad is at the gay community. It's not uncommon for conservative Republicans, the base that many Republican candidates are trying to reach right now, to take a stand against gay marriage or gays in the military. Most people have come to expect that and the LGBT community, while not happy about it, isn't surprised by the stance of the Republican pool. But Perry takes it farther than most. He presents gay servicemen (and women) as a direct affront to Christmas. Since many people in the LGBT community celebrate Christmas, it's a nonsensical comparison that angered many gay people, even (or especially) those who are also Christians or Republicans.

  2. Non-Christians

    Spoken in the same breath as his anti-gay sentiments in the "Strong" ad, Perry's indication that the separation of church and state is wrong has irked Americans who practice one of the many religions other than Christianity or no religion at all. As he seems to scoff at the First Amendment's promise of freedom of religion, non-Christians were praying to their respective gods that Perry doesn't become president. He says that President Barack Obama is waging a war against religion by keeping kids from openly celebrating Christmas or praying publicly in schools, implying that Christianity is the only religion that matters in this country.

  3. Christians

    While some conservative Christians certainly agree with Perry's stances on several social and religious issues, many other Christians are angered by the way Perry is portraying their religion. Though it's sometimes hard to see past the most outspoken Christians in the media who have controversial opinions, there are many American Christians who promote tolerance, peace, and love, and are offended by the reputation Perry is giving them. Would these Christians like a fellow Christian as president? Probably. Do they want it to be Rick Perry? No way.

  4. The Supreme Court

    Even if they are the fairest in the land, the Supreme Court judges are people you wouldn't want to put in a bad mood. And if you're running for president, you should probably know their names at least. Perry showed a lack of respect (or lack of knowledge at the very least) for the High Court when he forgot Justice Sonia Sotomayor's name, calling her "Montemayor." He then went on to complain about the court of eight justices — even though there are nine. His argument didn't hold much weight after that.

  5. Teachers

    One group in the governor's home state has been especially wronged by Perry over the years: teachers. Many of them feel the state's education has slipped to the bottom of Perry's priority list during his tenure, and the Texas State Teachers Association released a statement earlier this year blasting his budget cuts. The most recent two-year budget slashes $4 billion from school district formula funding and causes 43,000 college students to lose the financial aid they've depended on. With a high rate of teacher lay-offs and per-student funding that ranks in the bottom third of the U.S., the handling of Texas education has been an example of how not to treat your teachers.

  6. Jews

    Perry has some Jewish supporters because of his familiarity and friendliness with Israel, but other Jews are put off by some of his actions. He has stated he's been "called" by God to the presidency and made comments against those that believe Jesus was merely a good man. These statements have rubbed Jews the wrong way, as did his prayer rally in August 2011. Using the official government website and stationery to promote the event, Perry seemed to be purposely promoting one religion over all others and the rally's timing on Saturday, or the Sabbath, seemed to exclude Jews from attending.

  7. African-Americans

    Perry didn't come up with the offensive name for his family's hunting ranch in a small town in Texas, which contains the derogatory slang for a black person. But the title "N—–head" still seems to have been used there since Perry and his father began using the land for hunting. Many black Americans wondered why the politician would leave the name painted in bold letters on a rock at the entrance of the camp for so long and not remove it entirely.

  8. Texans

    If you've never been to Texas, you might believe that everyone in the state is like Perry — disapproving of gays, shooting coyotes on jogs through the countryside, speaking with a Southern drawl from under the brim of a cowboy hat. They aren't. In fact, many of them don't even like Perry. His disapproval rating as governor is higher than his approval rating from his home state: 48% compared to 45%. Perry's habit of attributing his beliefs and controversial statements to his status as a Texas boy are reflecting poorly on the proud state and perpetuating the country bumpkin stereotype that offends most Texans.

  9. Social Security recipients

    Since the U.S. Social Security program makes up the largest single part of the federal budget and the fund will be empty in 25 years without some kind of action, it has attracted attention from Americans and politicians for years. But Perry's extreme rhetoric for the pension benefits program, calling it a Ponzi scheme and a "monstrous lie," offended some of the 54 million people who are receiving benefits. Many of them depend on the money to live, and Perry's suggestion to give states the choice to opt out seemed callous to those who need the funds.

  10. Millennials

    After the "Strong" campaign ad turned up, it suddenly became apparent just how many members of the tech-savvy generation dislike Perry's stance. The Millennial generation cranked out parody after parody taking valid shots at the governor's controversial spot. For a generation that values tolerance and diversity more than their elders, Perry's apparent bigotry touched a nerve and sparked them to use social media and technology to blast the commercial. Who says young people aren't politically active?

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