"Religious Right" Now Wrong?

This is one of the most idiotic articles I’ve read in awhile. I was going to write a post about how thoroughly stupid it is, except I see that Pam already has, so go read her spot-on analysis.

Something else besides the general faulty reasoning and disingenuous bullshit throughout that struck me, though, was this line (emphasis mine):

The growing polarization of American politics has taken root within gay America as well. The explosion of liberal gay bloggers, many of whom spend about as much time on the “gray” of most issues as Rush Limbaugh and his “dittoheads,” has only exacerbated the proud queer tradition of disdain for gay Republicans (“Nazi Jews”) and the caricature of conservative Christians (“religious right,” “religious political extremists”).

This isn’t the first time lately I’ve heard someone suggest that the term “religious right” is somehow a pejorative or mocking term for conservative Christians. In fact, I think very recently one of Bill Maher’s guests—can’t recall who—accused Maher of being condescending when he referred to conservative Christians as the “religious right" (he seemed as surprised at the accusation as I was watching it). Now perhaps I’m being thick-skulled (it certainly wouldn’t be the first time), but I honestly can’t understand how that term can be construed as insulting. (To be honest, I’m having a hard time comprehending how “religious political extremists” is insulting, either. I’ve been called a “secular political extremist,” which I find less an offensive characterization than an inaccurate one, but in the end, I suppose it’s a matter of perspective.) Anyway, I was also under the impression that conservative Christians often (and perhaps first) referred to themselves as the religious right, so how it has suddenly become a caricature is beyond me. I’ve also never felt as if I were using a derogatory term when I used the “religious right” to reference conservative Christians, and, in fact, favored it, because there are indeed some conservative Jews and Muslims who vote on “values” in alignment with conservative Christians.

Has anyone else noticed this anywhere? Any thoughts? Am I just missing something? Is this some new talking point addressing a poll that showed “conservative Christian” seems less like the kind of person who wants to infuse religion into science classes than “religious right” does? What’s up?