When third-rate anti-gay activists protest the Human Rights Campaign . . .

When famously talented musicians team up for an album, the term used to describe this collaboration is a "supergroup."

If that's the case, what do you call a bunch of infamously homophobic stooges teaming up for a silly protest of one of the nation's foremost lgbt equality groups?

It's a thought to ponder because 11 a.m. today, several of them will be gathering in front of the Human Rights Campaign headquarters in order to protest Gay Pride Month as well as attempting to connect HRC to the IRS scandal.

Let's look at the ringleaders in this ecclesiastical hulapalooza:

LaBarbera

Leading the protest is the group Americans for Truth, led by Peter LaBarbera.  LaBarbera has been known to endorse any, and I mean any research that makes lgbts the bad guys even if that research is by discredited sources, such as  Paul (gays stuff gerbils up their rectums) Cameron or Ugandan "kill the gays" bill supporter and author of a factually-challenged book linking gays to the Nazi Party Scott Lively. Of course he is also known for attending leather events and "street fairs" with his camera, looking for "filthy images" to publicize on his webpage as an example of the so-called real face of lgbt America. And he always makes sure to give "loving detail" to the acts featured in the pictures.

And let's not forget his bad sense of humor, such as when he posted the following picture of openly gay former Congressman Barney Frank as a TSA agent on his webpage:

Barber

Then there is Matt Barber of the Liberty Counsel, a man whom many - myself included - have accused of having an unhealthy devotion to talking about gay sex.  In 2009 during a conservative conference, Barber demanded that folks opposing lgbt equality start talking more about gay sex in order to expose the "ick factor" that people have about it. He claimed that this was the "Achilles heel" of the lgbt equality movement.

In fact, Barber will be remembered for one interestingly graphic statement he made about his idea of gays having sex:

“one man violently cramming his penis into another man’s lower intestine and calling it ‘love."

Of course, less polite people than myself would probably accuse Barber of being jealous.  Other than that, Barber has made a nuisance out of himself with several homophobic actions, including tweeting an ugly statement about gay sex (he does talk about that a lot) during President Obama's 2011 State of the Union address and recently, sending out a very nasty cartoon in protest of the Boy Scouts allowing gay youth to participate:

Harvey

Rounding out this cast of characters is triple Z-rated activist Linda Harvey from Mission America, a homophobe who seems to never get called on by major religious right groups nor does she seem to never appear on television shows. It's probably because one gets the impression that her expressed views are too out there even for folks like Tony Perkins and the Family Research Council.

For example, there is the time in 2011 when she advised parents to not allow their children to see gay physicians. Or the time when she claimed that gays don't really exist (which would make today's protest irrelevant if you think about it). Or last month when she said that employees should have the right to fire gays in order to "uphold moral standards."

Activist Wayne Besen once called Harvey the "most homophobic woman in America." I think he said that because he felt sorry for her.  Harvey really serves no purpose in the religious right food chain other than aiding lgbt bloggers and groups such as People for the American Way prove that behind the lovey-dovey, "hate the sin but love the sinner" rhetoric of the religious right beats an ugly heart.

I'm almost jealous that I won't be at the HRC protest today. I haven't had a good laugh in a long time.

Related post - How They See Us: Unmasking the Religious Right War on Gay America