Ed Brayton is a journalist, commentator and speaker. He is the co-founder and president of 
Wonkette has some hilarious comments from the Boycott McDonald's website. You can tell from the writing style and grammar that most of these comments would be more at home if they were scrawled in crayon on the back of a Piggly Wiggly bag. Here are a few of my favorites:
"I`m sorry that you have made the decision that heterosexul (sic) folks such as i (sic) are not welcome in your resturants (sic) any longer. i (sic) will not argue your decision. By giving your resturants (sic) sapport (sic) to the homosexual groups you have told me my believes (sic) and lifestyle are not yours and i`m (sic) not welcome in your resturants (sic) anylonger (sic)."
10 spelling, punctuation or grammar mistakes in a mere 3 sentences; I think we've found the leader of the group.
"McDonald I am a regular customer in your store but I will not be eating in your store any more because of your open support of gay. I am a christianand God says they are an Abolition and God will deal with them. joyce"
Gays are an abolition. Who knew?
"I have 5 days a week my house filled with children of various age and many days it's Mc Donalds for dinner due to time restraints. NOT ANY MORE. I will not spend my hard earnd money to support a group of people that is trappling my beliefs and leading our futur generations in to a lifestyle that will kill them. I will not come and spend a dime there nor will I let any of my friends or aquaintends do so. what ever I can to stop this support of nglcc I will do. Children are too precious to be perverted like that. one of many who still have a sense of morality"
Damn you, McDonald's. Have you been trappling on someone's beliefs again?
"YOU DID NOT BILD YOUR COMPANY ON HOMOSEXUAL PEOPLE! IT WAS BUILD ON FAMILY VALUES! MAN,WIFE.CHILDREN!MOSTLTY CHILDREN! THEY DON'T COME FROM HOMO PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
The prosecution rests.
Politics
Comments
"I will not spend my hard earnd money to support a group of people that is trappling my beliefs and leading our futur generations in to a lifestyle that will kill them."
So you're not voting Republican this time around?
Posted by: Jason Failes | July 25, 2008 9:22 AM
Ed, you are such a moron sometimes. You can't do better than criticize people for their spelling and grammatical errors? Some of those posters might have been kids, after all, they do eat at McDonalds.
Posted by: mroberts | July 25, 2008 9:23 AM
"So you're not voting Republican this time around?" - Jason Failes.
Zing!
Posted by: Captain Mike | July 25, 2008 9:24 AM
Some of those posters might have been kids
I had a better sense of grammar and spelling than the quoted people when I was in kindergarten, and I'm no prodigy.
Posted by: schism | July 25, 2008 9:41 AM
Which of the comments Ed quoted do you think might have come from kids, mroberts?
I think Ed makes a valid point: much of the opposition to the so-called "homosexual agenda" comes from folks who have other manifestations of weak minds, such as poor grammar and logic skills. We are not talking about a couple of typos here; these commenters are borderline developmentally disabled.
Posted by: Rob Ryan | July 25, 2008 9:41 AM
Well, the blogs' favorite gay basher, Mr. mroberts was quick off the mark today, after not commenting on the gays in the military thread yesterday. And as usual, his comment was inane. However, the part of his comment where he calls Mr. Brayton a moron takes the cake, considering the obvious fact that it is unlikely that Mr. mroberts' IQ makes it out of the double digits. When it comes to intelligence, Mr. mroberts is incompetent to carry Mr. Braytons' brief case.
Posted by: SLC | July 25, 2008 9:50 AM
Is Joyce addressing Mr. McDonald himself in the second post? Does she think Ronald sits down and goes through all of the hate mail? I also love the line "your open support of gay". Is that olympian Tyson Gay she is referring to?
Posted by: Jim RL | July 25, 2008 10:11 AM
Well, at least some good might come of it then...
Posted by: Dunc | July 25, 2008 10:27 AM
In general, I don't like relying on spelling mistakes as fodder against my cultural competitors. I make an exception in this case. Why don't these people know English? If they can't get their grammar, vocabulary, and syntactical ducks in a row, there is no reason to presume their worldviews are any less garbled.
Posted by: barry | July 25, 2008 10:28 AM
Well - the proof that they are the brightest bulbs in the den is that only excuse they could come up for not eating at mcdonalds is that it "supports the ghey lifestyle". I could think of a dozen other reasons. But I may just go there for lunch and grab a salad today.
Posted by: yoshi | July 25, 2008 10:43 AM
Posted by: James Hanley | July 25, 2008 10:45 AM
I bet most of those diatribes were written by immigrant (probably illegal). That's why they don't spell or write properly in english. After all, if it was good enough for Jesus, it's good enough for me. [/satire]
*sits back and waits to see if mrroberts' head explodes from the conflict* (he hates immigrants too)
Cheers.
Posted by: FastLane | July 25, 2008 10:49 AM
I'll bet you dollars to donuts that at least 90% of these same people think that English should be the official language of the US, and probably get upset when anyone dares speak Spanish in their presence.
Anyone want to take me up on it?
Posted by: unicow | July 25, 2008 10:53 AM
Given that the children-parent dynamic is likely the same across the social spectrum, I wonder how long some of these boycott pledges will last before the parents cave and treat their kids to contraband Big Macs again?
Posted by: Ex-drone | July 25, 2008 10:59 AM
lol @ the last comment quoted. The business began as a love for hamburger and two brothers' entrepenuership. "The family" had nothing to do with it, until the original McDonalds brothers were bought out by Kroc and the corporate interests began. The family image was abused for profit, not because Kroc and his heirs to the "all-beef patty" throne cared about the image itself.
But at the end of the day, these people still have such lovely fast food joints like In-an-Out burger that reminds me Jesus died for my sins on my to-go cup, Chick Fil-a who is closed on Sundays for God, and Dominoes who's owner has invested in developing an all-Catholic community in Florida.
We're surrounded by idiots.
Posted by: Shawn Wilkinson | July 25, 2008 11:02 AM
Quick Tip of the week: When a word is underlined in red, that is an indication that the word has been misspelled!
I just checked the comments section, and it does indeed have a spellchecker. It must be written in the bible somewhere that spell checking is an abomination!
Posted by: Jonathan Nickles | July 25, 2008 11:09 AM
Re Jonathan Nickels
Firefox and Safari also have spell checkers. I don't know if Explorer does as I don't use it much anymore.
Posted by: SLC | July 25, 2008 11:22 AM
@SLC
IE doesn't by default.
Posted by: Shawn Wilkinson | July 25, 2008 11:40 AM
Heed not the protests of the talking paperclip, for it is the harbinger of Evil and uttereth falsehoods. Nor shalt thou clicketh the right knob of thy mouse, nor press the detested F7 key. Whosoever doth touch them, when they be dead, shall be unclean until the even.
Ye shall not make yourselves abominable with any spell-checky thing that spell-cheketh, neither shall ye make yourselves unclean with them, that ye should be defiled thereby.
For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of spell-checky thing that spell-cheketh upon the words.
Posted by: Abby Normal | July 25, 2008 11:45 AM
I would like someone to explore the inverse relationship between spelling ability and anti-homosexual/right-wing/Christian propaganda ideologies. Anyone up for it?
Posted by: Jane Know | July 25, 2008 11:47 AM
It must be written in the bible somewhere that spell checking is an abolition!
Fixed
Posted by: NoAstronomer | July 25, 2008 12:10 PM
mroberts-
You're missing the point. As anyone who has received these kinds of comments and emails from ignorant Christians (no, that doesn't mean all Christians are ignorant, it means this is addressed specifically to those Christians who are) can tell you, they are almost invariably written at a barely literate level. I think there's a connection there between stupid beliefs and the inability to express a thought coherently.
Posted by: Ed Brayton | July 25, 2008 12:11 PM
The person who began his post by calling Ed a "moron" feigns outrage.
Posted by: Sadie Morrison | July 25, 2008 12:24 PM
I'm assuming that the following thought processes (if we can dignify them in those terms) are in motion:
* McDonalds has produced an ad implying that in their business, LGBT people's money is as good as anyone else's.
* Some people assume that before this happened, no gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgendered person had ever patronized a McDonalds.
* Someone has whipped up these folks into a frenzy over the idea that they or their kids might catch TEH GAY from the person at the next table in their favorite fast-food joint.
* Hilarious (not!) complications are now ensuing.
Oh, well ... at least these bigots' arteries will thank them.
Posted by: Julie Stahlhut | July 25, 2008 12:32 PM
The worst unintended consequence of this could be that not eating at McDonald's might save some of these maroons from a heart attack - but I'll bet they just hop on over to BK or Wendy's instead.
Posted by: Andrea | July 25, 2008 1:02 PM
I've always felt that incoherent writing or speech reflected incoherent thought. Language is how we organize and clarify our ideas, feelings, and experiences, so it's probably safe to say that language in some sense reflects what's going on in someone's head.
Posted by: Wes | July 25, 2008 1:15 PM
"Some of those posters might have been kids"
Make that dumb kids.
Posted by: Dr X | July 25, 2008 1:32 PM
I've found that writing to be very useful in helping me to organize my thoughts. If I just dumped what was in my head onto the page my comments would read something like: coffee, bacon, boobs, sleep, bacon, bacon, cock, email, bacon...
Posted by: Abby Normal | July 25, 2008 2:10 PM
ENGLISH MOTHERFUCKER....DO YOU WRITE IT?
[/obligatory sam jackson]
Posted by: khefera | July 25, 2008 2:33 PM
Abby,
Boobs should come before breakfast, and cock before supper.
Thus it is written on the internet.
Posted by: Shawn Wilkinson | July 25, 2008 3:12 PM
The boycott comes from the American Family Association, which I call the American Family Fascists. These people make their money by mining homophobia and coming up with boycotts against any corporation (like Ford) that they can stretch the imagination into linking with gay rights.
What was McDonald's sin? "McDonald's donated $20,000 to the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce in exchange for membership and a seat on the group's board of directors. The NGLCC lobbies Congress in support of same-sex marriage."
Here's their recent "action alert" describing their boycott:
"Throwing out any pretense of being neutral in the culture war, McDonald's has taken up the rhetoric of gay activists, suggesting those who oppose same-sex marriage (SSM) are motivated by hate.
"AFA has asked for a boycott of McDonald's restaurants because of the company's promotion of the gay agenda. AFA asked McDonald's to remain neutral in the culture war. McDonald's refused.
"In response to the boycott, McDonald's spokesman Bill Whitman suggested to the Washington Post that those who oppose SSM are motivated by hate, saying "...hatred has no place in our culture." McDonald's has decided to adopt the "hate" theme used by gay activist groups for years.
"Whitman went on to say, "We stand by and support our people to live and work in a society free of discrimination and harassment." Mr. Whitman has intentionally avoided addressing the reason for the boycott. This boycott is not about hiring gays or how gay employees are treated. It is about McDonald's choosing to put the full weight of their corporation behind promoting their agenda.
"McDonald's donated $20,000 to the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce in exchange for membership and a seat on the group's board of directors. The NGLCC lobbies Congress in support of same-sex marriage.
"McDonald's CEO Jim Skinner said the company will promote issues they approve. "Being a socially responsible organization is a fundamental part of who we are. We have an obligation to use our size and resources to make a difference in the world...and we do." "
Notice how the AFA only asked McDonalds to "remain neutral" as if having a policy against any donations to a gay organization is "neutral".
Posted by: Gregory Wonderwheel | July 25, 2008 3:15 PM
This says it all:
http://lolz.shavenyak.fastmail.fm/english-sign.jpg
Posted by: Tyler | July 25, 2008 3:31 PM
Is it really an "abolition"?
I wonder if there is an "abolitionist" agenda, and what it might be? Please, don't tell me.
Posted by: BobbyEarle | July 25, 2008 3:49 PM
I've been boycotting McDonald's for years, but that's because the food is inedible.
Posted by: Wallace Turner | July 25, 2008 3:57 PM
dear mcdonalds i am 4 yrs old and my mommy and daddy say that homersexuals are evel peepul who is ruining are cuntry. our loving god is gonna tormint them in hell fourever.
Posted by: Taz | July 25, 2008 4:15 PM
McDonald's is PEOPLE!
It's HOMO People!!
Posted by: Charlton | July 25, 2008 4:59 PM
"Throwing out any pretense of being neutral in the culture war, McDonald's has taken up the rhetoric of gay activists, suggesting those who oppose same-sex marriage (SSM) are motivated by hate."
WE HATE THEM - Donald Wildman (misspelling deliberate)
Posted by: Blaidd Drwg | July 25, 2008 5:42 PM
Why anyone would eat at McDonald's is a mystery to me. They are clearly the worst of the chain burger places: their bread is dry, bordering on stale, they don't even bother to melt the freakin' cheese on their cheeseburgers, the food is rarely hot, etc.
Posted by: Mike Austin | July 25, 2008 6:24 PM
Mike,
I'm a sucker for an Egg McMuffin and those hash browns that come as one little greasy slab in a packet. Mmmm. It's a very occasional pleasure-- something like once a year, and I even feel bad about that after reading Fast Food Nation.
But you're right, the rest of it is disgusting. As somebody said above, it would be great if these people boycotted McDonald's and actually gave their children real food instead, resulting in healthier kids and parents....but you know they're just going to go someplace like Jack in the Box instead.
Posted by: Gretchen | July 25, 2008 6:55 PM
Gretchen, they can't go to Jack in the Box. They recognized lesbians in a commercial nine years ago.
It would be better for them to stick with Jesus-loving In-an-Out burger or Chick Fil-a.
Posted by: Shawn Wilkinson | July 25, 2008 7:22 PM
And it seems that all Coke products should be boycotted. How dare Coca Cola support teh ghey agenda!!!
Posted by: Shawn Wilkinson | July 25, 2008 7:31 PM
Absolutely hilarious:
1. IT WAS BUILD ON FAMILY VALUES! MAN,WIFE.CHILDREN! ***MOSTLTY CHILDREN!***
2. nor will I let any of my friends or aquaintends do so
Posted by: Michael | July 25, 2008 8:01 PM
Don't all the mainstream browsers have a spell-check now?
whenever I'm in an internet debate with someone, I tend to ignore their arguments if they write 'em like that. I usually point out the mistakes and quip:
"If you aren't paying attention to what you're writing, why should anyone else?"
Posted by: nanoAl | July 25, 2008 8:35 PM
At this rate the anti-gay bigots are going to starve to death. I certainly won't stand in their way.
Posted by: Sadie Morrison | July 25, 2008 8:35 PM
Totally irrelevant to the ongoing discussion (sorry), but just HAD to share this with y'all: found at Tyler's link: Turn Jesus On.
Posted by: marnk | July 25, 2008 9:01 PM
Re Mike Austn
Actually, the breakfasts at McDonalds aren't bad. They have a surprisingly extensive breakfast menu and, for the money, it's a pretty good deal.
Posted by: SLC | July 25, 2008 10:23 PM
Posted by: Enkidu | July 25, 2008 11:40 PM
"Some of those posters might have been kids"
I could write a coherent complex sentence by the end of the 3rd grade; but I went to one of those Satanic Catholic Schools that made me diagram sentences instead teaching about Adam riding dinosaurs or how to play with snakes.
Posted by: The Pale Scot | July 26, 2008 1:04 AM
Marnk - LOL.
What were they thinking??
Notice how the little chilren are watching Jesus'.. erm.. 'switch', while he scoops them inward toward it. Accurate, and creepy. "Suffer the little children unto me" -DJ
Posted by: DingoJAck | July 26, 2008 1:05 AM
DJ,
I have a blog site now. No posts yet but soon. Need to wait to I move. How are things in Aussie Land?
Posted by: King of Ireland | July 26, 2008 1:13 AM
Ed,
I hate to agree with M Roberts but I thought somewhat the same way. It could paint all Christians that have an issue with Gay Rights (which I do not) as morons. Maybe mistaken but not all are morons that cannot spell. I think a post like this hurts you cause more than it helps it. I should say my cause too. Gays deserve equal protection under the Bill of Rights for anything that heteros can do. We agree in principle but this post does not help. It was funny though.
Posted by: King of Ireland | July 26, 2008 1:19 AM
King- you have it exactly backwards. If anyone is painting themselves in a bad light, it is the morons who wrote those comments.
If you don't want to be perceived as a moron, don't communicate like one.
Posted by: Rick R | July 26, 2008 1:49 AM
These people's logic baffles me as much as their writing skills.
Posted by: Kaerion | July 26, 2008 2:01 AM
KofI - When was the last time you saw a post defending atheism, or evolution, that had that amount of misspelling and grammatical errors? That does NOT mean that the arguments for atheism or evolution are inherently better. What is does mean is that you have a lot more "sheep" on the other side. A lot more people who were told something growing up and will never consider any other opinion. A good example is the year of Jesus' birth. Biblical scholars agree that when the modern calendar was adapted they got it wrong and Jesus was born no later than 5 or 4 BC. But if you tried to explain that to many Christians they would throw a fit. So when a poll comes out saying X number of people believe in some aspect of religion, keep in mind that a large number of these people have never given it any rational thought.
Posted by: Taz | July 26, 2008 2:12 AM
Rick R
I hate to call anymore a moron. Plus it could have been anyone. I have met some rubes. I think it is spelled that way. I might be wrong but most Christians are pretty smart. Look I argue with these people even as one of them in some ways more than you guys. They just take stuff like this and use it for fuel. I could be wrong. I have a high level of respect for Ed. I just did not see the point of this.
Posted by: King of Ireland | July 26, 2008 2:13 AM
Taz
100 percent agree. Say the same thing to the few I communicate with still. I think there is a difference though between church people and Christians. I am not a church person. I do not even go. I love God and think Jesus died for me though.
Dogmatic and virulent ignorance of any other point of view is a systematic problem for sure. I ask questions all the time and get pat answers. Most do not think at all. But most are not incapable of spelling like this. It is an exaggeration maybe to make a point. I laughed for sure but I think it is a wrong representation. I am from the city though.
Posted by: King of Ireland | July 26, 2008 2:17 AM
KofI - I didn't see your last post before I posted mine, so I wanted to add this: I agree that most Christians are pretty smart (or at least as smart as the average American, since they're the overwhelming majority). But it seems to me that the most active, most vocal segment of Christianity comes from the less intelligent, less educated segment. I wish the smarter ones would speak out more.
Posted by: Taz | July 26, 2008 2:21 AM
Taz,
I am from a cosmopolitian place. I am sure this stuff goes on. I am reading a book called American Theocracy by Kevin Phillips. He talks about the Southernization of America and the influence of the Southern Baptists that spread like wild fire to the West. Many, many people who ignorant. And do not get me wrong the most educated of the bunch are the worst dude.
Go and try and talk to them. I posted a comment on a Pastors Blog in DC. He deleted it. Smart guy but not open to any type of criticism. I think you are right. He even made me come in for a meeting with his underlings where they just brow beat me. Never answered a question. Told me I was wrong. But never backed it up. I understand believe me.
Ed never once deleted me. I told them that I trust the guy who calls God a genocidal tyrant more than them. He is honest they are ignorant. BUT I think it is a stretch to imply the even most Christians are this ignorant. It could even be naive. Hear me?
Posted by: King of Ireland | July 26, 2008 2:31 AM
KofI - Not sure if you saw my last post before yours, but no, I don't believe most Christians are ignorant. But Christianity has been the unquestioned default position for so long that most of them don't speak out one way or the other. It's the ignorant minority who have co-opted the voice of Christians in political matters. As an atheist, there's not much I can do about that.
Posted by: Taz | July 26, 2008 3:07 AM
Taz,
Nor can I believe it or not? Most will not listen
Posted by: King of Ireland | July 26, 2008 3:12 AM
KofI - It's not a matter of convincing them, it's a matter of not being afraid to state what you really believe. If you're a Christian who believes discrimination against gays is wrong you should say that. Believe me, I know that's not easy.
Posted by: Taz | July 26, 2008 3:24 AM
KoI - Much better here now those religious 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine types have buggered off to the rocks from under which they orginally crawled.
BTW I just thought I should re-link to Professor R AtlerMyer's on-line book concerning authoritians and the Religious Right. I enourage all here to read it (at around 130 pages it's nice & short, and the tone is imformal & friendly, not academic), but damn it, I can't find the link. Perhaps Ed can help. Thanks -DJ
Posted by: DingoJack | July 26, 2008 4:52 AM
Posted by: alex | July 26, 2008 5:53 AM
King of Ireland wrote:
Whether some people might take it that way has nothing to do with what is actually intended. I did not say, nor did I imply, nor do I believe that all Christians are represented by the quotes in this post. How could I? I know a great many very intelligent Christians, many of whom comment here regularly. But these comments do represent, I think, a certain subset of the Christian right in this country - a staggeringly ignorant group of people who are quite incapable of thinking or speaking intelligently but who are nonetheless active politically. They scare the hell out of me, not least because there are a lot more of them out there than I think most people realize. Criticism of that group is not criticism of all Christians. Indeed, it could not possibly be given my relationships and my often stated views.
I work with Christians on a daily basis in my battles against creationism in science classes and against anti-gay bigotry. These are the kinds of ignorant rants (and much worse) that are received constantly by my friend Todd Heywood, a gay rights activist and a Christian. They are the kind of rants received often by my friend Wes Elsberry, an evolution activist and a Christian. I am not foolish enough to believe that either of them are represented by the idiots I cite above. They do not represent Christianity, they represent a particularly ignorant and bigoted subset of Christianity. I cannot make it any more clear than that.
Posted by: Ed Brayton | July 26, 2008 8:18 AM
I can't remember what thread I read it on, or who said it, but I must paraphrase it here:
Jesus died for your sins, the least you could do for him is use a spellcheck.
Posted by: Ted H. | July 26, 2008 9:07 AM
King- a bunch of ignorant christian bigots post about the McDonald's boycott. Ed blogs about it. And you are upset with Ed?
Anything that keeps this kind of ignorant bullshit under the brightest possible spotlight is a good thing. They deserve nothing but ridicule. Adding fuel to the fire is a problem only if you're afraid of fire.
Posted by: Rick R | July 26, 2008 10:43 AM
Ed,
It is probably more prevalent than I think. I know where you stand. I agree with you. I gave up even associating with people that associate with the Religious Right. It is like talking to the wall. I know you work with Christians. Hell I am more against Bible classes being taught in Texas than you. At least without other religious texts being brought in.
How would you classify this group? I am assuming it is mostly rural. If it is I cannot relate. I am a city boy. But like I said I am sure it is out there.
Rick R,
Not one bit upset with Ed. Just disagreed a little. I understand better not that he clarified where he is coming from.
Posted by: King of Ireland | July 26, 2008 10:47 AM
Heh, re: Posted by: Tyler | July 25, 2008 3:31 PM
How about this one: http://failblog.org/2008/07/09/spelling-fail/
Posted by: MikeG | July 26, 2008 1:01 PM
Ted H:
I prefer "Jesus died for our sins. Dare we make his martyrdom meaningless by not committing them?" I forget who said it first.
Posted by: Ed Brayton | July 26, 2008 1:14 PM
DJ, makes the old hymn Light Shining out of Darkness take on a whooooole new meaning, eh? And how dark that darkness is...
In reference to MikeG's post/link:
Are country 'tiz of thee...
Sweat land of Libbertee.
Of thee i sing.
Land were my Father dyed
Land of the pillgrums pried
from everey Mountinseid
LETT!!! FREEDUMB!!! RING!!!
Posted by: marnk | July 26, 2008 4:11 PM
How is life in the land of the Catholiban and Retaliban?
Posted by: Custodian of the Two Holy Malls | July 26, 2008 7:50 PM
Ed:
Nice line. It scares me to think how may people live by that phrase.
Not a big fan of McDonalds either, but this makes me want to go there as my own way of protesting these fools.
Posted by: Ted H. | July 26, 2008 9:37 PM
Marnk - Nice to see that Christians worship a god with mobility issues. Perhaps they in fact worship Hephaestus (and his son, Jayyyzzzzuuuuussss, god of lightswitches). ;) -DJ
Posted by: DingoJack | July 27, 2008 1:42 AM
On second thoughts, maybe the god of lightswitches is really Priapus, in disguise. ;) DJ
Posted by: DingoJack | July 27, 2008 2:05 AM
Even though McDonald's arguably takes the prize as the world's most insidious corporation, I'll be damned if they don't dispense quality soft-serve ice cream cones. And their new line of coffee beverages is superior to that of Starbucks.
Posted by: Sadie Morrison | July 27, 2008 2:13 AM