Rush Limbaugh's Wedding Minister Compares Gay People to Murderers

To think, people were starting to wonder if Rush Limbaugh himself might be a stealth gay rights activist. On the contrary, for folks wondering whether Sir Elton John's performance at Limbaugh's fourth wedding last weekend was an olive branch to the gay community, look no further than the minister who married Rush and Kate Rogers. That man? Former NFL player turned virulent anti-gay preacher, Rev. Ken Hutcherson.

You might have heard of Ken Hutcherson before, given that he's one of the country's most aggressive anti-gay actors. He's challenged companies that have adopted gay-friendly policies. He's gone after LGBT youth and harassed schools and students who participate in an annual Day of Silence to commemorate those who suffer from anti-gay bullying, since Hutcherson himself believes efforts to quell anti-gay bullying are nothing but homosexual propaganda. Oh, and he's also a champion of a group called Watchmen on the Walls, which has been deemed a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center for its dangerously homophobic work, including suggesting that gay people do not deserve basic human rights.

No word on how Hutcherson won the right to perform at Limbaugh's fourth wedding, though the Palm Beach Post notes that the two have been buddies for a while, ever since Limbaugh tried to buy the St. Louis Rams, but was laughed out of the NFL for stoking racism. Hutcherson has also been a guest on Limbaugh's talk radio show fairly frequently, where he once dropped this nugget of wisdom.

"I'm lovingly aggressive (with gays) the same I'd be for a murderer or an adulterer. I give 'em the love of God. If they reject it, I give them the discipline of God," Hutcherson quipped. And you gotta love it when ministers claim to know how God likes his discipline. That's worked wonders in history, never leading to any widespread acts of aggression or violence.

Sir Elton John has been blasted by gay rights activists for performing the music at Limbaugh's wedding, given Limbaugh's support for anti-gay politicians. Yes, Sir Elton made a cool $1 million from the wedding, and yes, perhaps Sir Elton will plan to give that money to some peachy keen gay-friendly organization.

But with the news that someone as violently anti-gay as Ken Hutcherson married Limbaugh and his fourth wife (it's best to consistently qualify Limbaugh's marriage like this, just so folks know that when the right wing talks about the sanctity of marriage, it means you can get married at least four times), one has to wonder if Sir Elton is looking at the $1 million check and thinking, "Did I just receive some blood money?"

Maybe it's time to send a message to Sir Elton that his $1 million Limbaugh paycheck would be much better served as a donation to an organization advancing LGBT equality.

by Michael A. Jones