Friday, April 20, 2007

Louie Sheldon and the Traditional Values Coalition continue to lie. Is anyone really surprised?

Lou Sheldon is a bold-faced liar.

I am sorry if that language is too severe for some but it’s the least profane way I could describe him.

Sheldon, his daughter Andrea Lafferty, and his group, the Traditional Values Coalition continue to prove just how extreme members of the anti-gay industry are in their vendetta against lgbts.

Lafferty made this assertion about legislation that only seeks to add lgbts to the categories of those protected under hate crimes laws:

"Most Christians might as well rip the pages which condemn homosexuality right out of their Bibles because this bill will make it illegal to publicly express the dictates of their religious beliefs."

There are sooo many things wrong what she said but, again, her hysterical comments are business as usual for the Traditional Values Coalition family.

Not to be undone, Lou Sheldon held a press conference on Tuesday with U.S. Congressman Louie Gohmert, in which he repeated the standard lies about hates crimes legislation. To help matters, these lies were even compiled in a list:

“Large fines and eventually jail time for anyone who publicly speaks out against homosexual activity or transgenderism, even as a minister…. This includes messages that cite Scripture….”

“Termination from one’s job if one does not support ‘coming out’ celebrations or ‘gay pride’ observances in the workplace, or if one does not attend mandatory ‘sensitivity’ or ‘diversity’ training sessions that espouse acceptance of homosexuality.”

“…[T]he threat of loss of accreditation for Christian colleges that do not condone homosexual behavior and transgenderism.”

For those not familiar with anti-gay industry propaganda, Sheldon is committing religious right distortion technique number four - claiming that any pro-gay law or ordinance will lead to "dire consequences."

Lying is a standard thing for Sheldon. Over two years ago, I reported on how his group told the Boston Globe that it took material related to discredited researcher Paul Cameron off of its web page.

This turned out to be an evasion. Cameron's name may have been taken off as a source but the group still appropriated his work. In addition, Sheldon referred to Cameron's name and work in his book, The Agenda and made no retractions even after the Boston Globe admission.

All I can say is that I hope there is a public hearing about hate crimes legislation and I also hope that those who support the bill have been paying attention to the lies Sheldon and company have been telling.

And please let it be that Sheldon, Lafferty, and Janet Folger for that matter be called as witnesses.

It would be nice to see them on the hot seat for a change.

And the ex-gays get involved

As if Sheldon's lies aren't enough, Alan Chambers from Exodus International comes in with a batch of nonsense. Apparently he is pushing the "the addition will make gays count more than ex-gays and grandmothers" lie.

I will not repeat his distortions. If you want to read what he says, go here.

Big shout out to my online friend who sent it to me, by the way.

I will not try to refute Chambers' lies. I will only say that he goes to prove just how much the so-called ex-gay movement is getting away with.

Ex-gay groups like to present themselves as merely being there for those who aren't comfortable with being gay. But their rhetoric and readiness to join those who are attempting to make life hell for us lgbts comfortable with our orientation clearly demonstrate that Chambers, Melissa Fryrear, Stephen Bennett, and the rest are lying hypocrites bought and paid by the anti-gay industry.

Just when will someone give them hell for it?