Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters

Monday, October 26, 2009

The increasingly rude attacks on Kevin Jennings' character and James Dobson gets involved

If you think that yesterday's post on just how twisted and determined people are to demonize Kevin Jennings was bad, check out the following video. It defies all description:

UPDATE - As you may have noticed, the video has been pulled. For those who did not see it, the video featured a picture of Kevin Jennings with someone else's mouth superimposed on his saying all sorts of rude things such as "indoctrinating children into homosexuality" and comparing it to a drug dealer gtting people hooked on his supply.

UPDATE 2 - The video has returned but with some changes. The author claims that it's a parody and repeats lies about the incident with Brewster:

Meanwhile, this is what James Dobson had to say about Jennings on his radio show:

Beyond the criticism of Jennings's past and fears of his future work, Jennings symbolizes Dobson's "greatest nightmare."

"I have been fighting for family values, and marriage, and family, and for schools that honor the values and principles that parents believe in for 25 years. And it's coming apart," Dobson said. "It's unbelievable what's taking place. And Kevin Jennings is the quintessential expression of that far left agenda."

So now I guess it's safe to say that Dobson has gotten officially involved in this issue.

This is not just an attack on Jennings, but the entire lgbt community.

It represents the fact that some people out there simply will not let go of their beliefs that lgbts are the "other."

Dobson says that he has been fighting for families for over 25 years. Do you think he means our families too?

Hell no.

Dobson and those like him don't see us as having families, raising children, or conducting ourselves in a decent ordinary fashion.

They don't see us as having rights and privileges like every other American.

They see us as eternal outsiders. They see us as threats to their ignorant idea of family. No matter how many lgbt families exist, no matter how many children we raise to be responsible adults, no matter how much love and support we give, it will never matter to Dobson and company.

They see us a diseased, mentally ill people trying to recruit children and silence so-called Christians.

Well it's perfectly alright for them to have those beliefs. And it's just as acceptable for us to challenge them every chance we get.

The last time I checked, this is our country too, the defintion of family belongs to us too, and no matter how many times he tries to imply it, Dobson does not sit on the right hand of God.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Attacks on Kevin Jennings get uglier

Don't let this picture get you too angry.

It's indicative of the desperation of an ugly smear campaign.

One could say that for the majority of folks, the Kevin Jennings story is dying down (unfortunately, that doesn't include Fox News - pan down for more details).

But don't tell that to the assorted crazies on the far right who are determined to keep pushing the "Kevin Jennings is the boogeyman" line.

The picture on the left merely indicates the depths that some people, who claim to be concerned for the welfare of America's children, are stooping to.

No doubt it's probably something you are aware of already regarding the mindsets of a lot of the anti-Kevin Jennings crowd, but there is nothing wrong with repeating the point so as to keep those folks from putting on their phony cloaks of respectability.

The picture is only one of the few things I found on various right-wing sites taking the guise of "sarcasm."
Other things I found include:

In honor of Safe Schools Czar Kevin Jennings: HANSEN!!! - An ugly way to connect Jennings to NAMBLA yet again.

Top 10 Kevin Jennings Pick Up Lines - Trust me when I say you don't want to read this list. The inane mindset of this site is best demonstrated by another graphic on it comparing Obama to the Holocaust by evoking images of health care reform being the "Final Solution" (for those of you who aren't up on history, The Final Solution was the name given to the Nazi plan of extermination of Jewish people).

Take it from me - it won't do any good arguing points with some of these people. But there is nothing wrong with keep their ugliness in mind.

They are good reasons why Jennings must stay where he is in the Obama Administration and why we must continue to support him.

UPDATE - Apparently Sean Hannity has no problem with using the research of a hate group in his latest anti-Kevin Jennings smear.

It's simply par for the course for him.

Related posts:

Massachusetts hate group behind attack on Kevin Jennings' character

Sean Hannity smears Kevin Jennings, but suddenly HE is the victim?

Saturday, October 24, 2009

U.N. official defends murder of lgbts and the religious right defends HIM

Religious right groups would like to have you to believe that lgbts despise them because we have a nefarious agenda for America and that they are the last line of defense against it.

Religious right groups will like to have you to believe that lgbts despise them because we want to silence Christianity.

Neither assumption is true.

Lgbts despise religious right groups because they exploit the fears and egos of people of faith while instigating negative action against the lgbt community.

I personally despise them for that and for the reason that they are totally duplicitous.

For proof of this, look no further than the Liberty Counsel's Matt Barber and One News Now:

Homosexual activists who have been trying to gain recognition from the United Nations are still upset over comments by General Assembly President Ali Abdussalam Treki.

When asked by a journalist for his position on a U.N. declaration about homosexuality, the Libyan diplomat stated: "As a Muslim, I do not agree with it. My opinion is not in favor of this matter at all. I believe it is not acceptable for most of the world, and it is totally unacceptable for our tradition and religion." His comments brought swift response from the international homosexual movement.

But Matt Barber of Liberty Counsel says Treki's statement is in tune with the majority of countries and religions that believe homosexuality is aberrant behavior. And Treki, he adds, is not attacking homosexuals.

"All I hear [Treki] saying is that the rest of the world cannot be forced to accept behaviors that are demonstrably destructive to both individuals who engage in those behaviors and to the society around them," states Barber.

Treki has been harshly criticized by activist groups around the world. Barber believes that illustrates that those groups demand tolerance, but are the least tolerant themselves.

"They are completely intolerant of other people's belief systems [and] of other cultures," says the Christian attorney. "We hear talk of cultural diversity -- [but] there is no cultural diversity as far as the left is concerned and as far as homosexual activists are concerned. It's either their way or the highway."

I noticed how One News Now didnt clarify about the U.N. declaration Treki was against.

The declaration was a statement calling for the universal descriminalization of homosexuality.

And while the phony news service makes it seem that Treki is under attack by the so-called dreaded homosexual activists, it omits comments by U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the ranking Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

"The anti-gay bigotry spewed by this Qaddafi shill demonstrates once again that the UN has been hijacked by advocates of hate and intolerance. Likewise, the leadership of the UN Development Program is held by the Iranian regime, which denies the presence of gays in Iran even as it murders them and other innocent citizens. We must ensure that billions annually in U.S. taxpayer dollars no longer foot the bill for the UN's anti-freedom agenda without significant reform."

Consider these facts:

30 Islamic countries having laws on the books that make homosexuality a criminal offense. In most cases punishment ranges from floggings to life imprisonment. In Mauritania, Bangladesh, Yemen, parts of Nigeria and Sudan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Iran, convicted homosexuals can also be sentenced to death. - Homophobia on the rise in the Muslim world

In Jamaica, gay leaders are not just killed, but murdered in ugly fashion. - Leading Gay Activist Found Murdered in Jamaica

In Uganda the government is actually trying to pass a bill making being gay a crime worthy of the death penalty. - Uganda Parliament Takes Up Anti-Gay Bill Adding Death Sentence and Bans on Free Speech

Barber contends that Treki isn't gaybashing, but I say his condoning the wholesale torture and murders of lgbts is much worse.

Furthermore, it is sad that Treki uses his Muslim identity as reason to oppose the decriminalization declaration.

Is he saying that as a Muslim," he agrees with the wholesale butchering of lgbt men, women, and children (such as those two gay teenaged boys hung in Iran in 2005)?

One needs to ask the same question of Barber and One News Now. Both Barber and the phony news service are trying to frame this issue as that of intolerant lgbts verbally attacking a man, and by extension, countries for simply expressing their religious disagreement with homosexuality.

Well when that religious disagreement includes murder, torture, or imprisonment and the defense of those acts, you had better believe there needs some verbal attacks.

And if Barber and One News Now were true Christians (and if Barber was any type of true man), they would be in our corner and not in the corner of the oppressors helping to hide their bloody hands.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Know Your LGBT History - New York Undercover

The weekend is here and I will be taking a break from my Kevin Jennings coverage (albeit a brief one because I'm working on a post that will hopefully tee you off) to focus on another segment of Know Your LGBT History; a look at positive and negative portrayals of our community in television and movie history.

The following clip is an episode of the 90s urban drama, New York Undercover, that ran on the Fox Network.

The episode, Blondes Have More Fun, features the two main stars of the show going undercover in the lgbt community to find a murderer of drag queens.

This episode excellent performances from Joe Morton and the legendary Miss Coco Peru:

Anti-marriage equality forces in Maine tell ANOTHER lie and other Friday midday news briefs

Obama didn't start this war with Fox News. They started it with him:

And in other news briefs:

New SFMM Ad, Featuring... Task Force's Monique Hoeflinger??? - Anti-marriage equality forces in Maine have stepped into it this time. You can smell the desperation when they resort to tactics like this.

Goodasyou.org breaks down the ad's deception here.

Anti-gay marriage group challenges reporting requirements - What do they have to hide in Maine?

Isn't This Special? Gainesville, FL Anti-Trans Amendment Supporter Arrested For Bathroom Voyeurism - What happens when those pushing against lgbt equality are guilty of the crime they say lgbt equality will cause?

Peter LaBarbera tries to hide his true face and reveals the duplicity of the religious right

Apparently Peter LaBarbera is feeling left out of the attacks on Kevin Jennings because he tried to start his own phony controversy.

A few days ago, LaBarbera posted a piece which claimed that the book company which published Jennings' book is "pro-pedophile" because of several other books which it published.

And in other news, the police are coming to arrest me since my cousin whom I hugged at the family reunion (which I didn't have to attend but decided to) robbed that bank.

I should get 10 years.

The real issue here is a response which LaBarbera received because of his smear and his answer to the response; both of which he published:

The email:

Gee, that’s huge! Does he also drive the same make car as Ted Bundy? And why are you still pushing that lie about an “underage” boy, when we now know [Brewster — a sophomore student counseled by Jennings after the boy had a sexual encounter with an older man] he was not underage? [The Age of Consent in Massachusetts is 16.] Have you no shame at all?

LaBarbera's response:

Dear Sir, it appears that it is you who has no shame. Yes, we think it’s scandalous to be linked in any way to an organization that encourages predatory, exploitative man-boy sex. It would be like signing up with a pro-Nazi publishing house. And in my mind, under 18 is “under age.” How sad and pathetic that your “gay” movement is resting on the technicality that Brewster was (allegedly) 16 and not 15 (as his teacher Jennings recollected) — to absolve Jennings of his reckless counsel to the boy.

In LaBarbera's response, we see the mindset of all religious right groups -when the truth is not to your liking, create a new truth. Make inaccurate judgements and accusations but never admit you are wrong even when you have been proven wrong.

And above all, put up a front. LaBarbera sounds so proper in responding to that email, it's almost as if he wore white gloves when typing it.

I laughed loudly when reading it because that's not the response he gave me when I also emailed him about the situation with Brewster a few weeks ago. This was his response:

you are a fool, Alvin . . . Kevin Jennings is a lying, reckless, anti-Christian bigot. It's no wonder you are defending him.

That is LaBarbera's true face and that of the religious right. Some people will allow themselves to be fooled (i.e. some vestiges of the news media), but we who have been the victims of their invectives should never be fooled.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Matthew Shepard Act passes! Time to take this bull by the horns with new endeavour

Excellent news today from Congress:

The Senate passed groundbreaking legislation Thursday that would make it a federal crime to assault an individual because of his or her sexual orientation or gender identity.

President Obama has said the country must make significant changes to ensure equal rights.

The expanded federal hate crimes law now goes to President Obama's desk. Obama has pledged to sign the measure, which was added to a $680 billion defense authorization bill.

President George W. Bush had threatened to veto a similar measure.

The bill is named for Matthew Shepard, a gay Wyoming teenager who died after being kidnapped and severely beaten in October 1998.

Thursday's Senate vote approving the measure was 68-29.

Just more proof of the adage that the battle never is never given to the swift and strong but those who are willing to stay in the fight.

Yeah I know I'm probably misquoting but don't ruin this moment of happiness because it's fleeting.

Don't get me wrong. I am estatic over this huge victory but I want more huge victories. Lgbts deserve it. We not only deserve hate crimes legislation but also the passage of ENDA, the Repeal of DADT, and any other law that will ensure our rights as Americans.

So let's dance briefly and be prepared to work hard because the religious right aren't happy about this. And you know that they will double their efforts to dehumanize us.

But Ive been thinking.

The religious right's main lying claim about lgbt-inclusive hate crimes legislation is that it will lead to attacks on the free speech of those who think that homosexuality is a sin.

They say that pastors will be arrested in the pulpits for simply saying that homosexuality is a sin.

Well as soon as President Obama signs the Matthew Shepard Act, I will be creating an online clock that will count up how long it should take from Obama signing this bill to the arrest of a pastor for simply saying that homosexuality is a sin.

Of course no pastor will be arrested for simply calling homosexuality a sin. And that is the point of the online clock.

The religious right likes to spin a fear story. I say we hold them to it.

Excellent news for lgbt seniors and other Thursday midday news briefs

HHS to Create a National Resource Center for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Elders - This is awesome news all around! One of the main groups the religious right are afraid to address are elderly lgbts because it puts a stake in their "gays have a short life span" lie.

Don't be lulled into complacency by Protect Marriage Washington's absurdity - Amen! Complacency is one of the most dangerous enemies lgbts have.

Audio: The law, science, and now HIV. At this point we don't even trust that her name's Regina Griggs - PFOX's Regina Griggs caught in ANOTHER lie.

Anti-gay rights flyer circulates K'zoo - Here we go again with the bathroom lies.

Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill Put Off Until 2010 - A small reprieve in an ugly situation.

Massachusetts hate group behind attack on Kevin Jennings' character

It was just as I figured yesterday. Those who are out to get Kevin Jennings won't let up with their innuendoes.

As fast as Chris Good of The Atlantic magazine published a piece declaring that Jennings' job is safe, the forces out to get him have launched a new and interesting attack.

From the Washington Times:

On Oct. 11, 2008, Jeff Davis, Mr. Jennings "partner" of 15 years, described their first meetings: "The first few interactions were challenging for both of us. He was a member of Act Up. Act Up! So it's like - you know - here's a big gay activist."

ACT UP's demonstrations in the late 1980s and early 1990s centered on vandalism of churches, businesses and homes as well as disrupting public events. The Catholic Church was a favored target because it opposes same-sex marriage and the distribution of condoms. From New York to Los Angeles, activists disrupted Catholic Masses and desecrated Holy Communion, which Catholics believe is the body of Christ.

From a One News Now article, which also repeats the lie that Jennings encouraged an underaged child to have sex with an adult :

According to Brian Camenker of the pro-family group MassResistance, another fact has surfaced regarding the GLSEN founder. Camenker says Jennings was once a member of Act Up -- a "radical homosexual group" he says "profaned churches, vandalized homes and businesses, and disrupted public events." In addition, he points out that Harvard University is thanking Jennings for providing a grant to help fund a recently opened Act Up exhibit on campus.

This will be another flimsy guilt-by-association attack like that of NAMBLA.

For one thing, neither article says that Jennings was involved in the so-called radical activity of Act-Up.

For another thing, according to David Hart of Tips-Q, Act-Up is unfairly getting a bad rep.

He said Act-Up was founded in frustration because of the government's slow action on the burgeoning AIDS crisis:

During the late eighties, Act-Up engaged in numerous demonstrations of civil disobedience. They were, loud, obnoxious and in your face. The police would usually show up donned in full toxic chemical suits. As a nation, we were in a crisis. People were dying every day and the government's inaction was appalling. AIDS was viewed as a queer disease. Numerous leaders of the Christian right were framing AIDS as God's punishment on gays. One can only imagine the resources that would have been available if a dozen white Boy Scouts contracted a strange, deadly disease. Gays were not only expendable but, in some quarters, AIDS was heralded as a means to eliminate us. It was in this environment that Act-Up became a force for change.

Some people may agree with Act-Up's tactics and others may not. To me, a group of Americans being pushed to radical action because their government didn't care that they were dying of a horrific disease is an interesting facet of the story.

And it's a facet that will be ignored should other right-wing bloggers take up the story and definitely if folks like Sean Hannity go on another attack against Jennings.

And you certainly won't the hear the fact this recent attack on Jennings (like the Fistgate lie) is coming from the Massachusetts anti-gay hate group Mass Resistance.

And Mass Resistance's war on Jennings gets worse. It claims that not only Jennings was a member of the "radically, dirty, evil, filthy" group Act-Up but also he help to fund an exhibit chronicling AIDS activism in New York.

There is nothing wrong with this because AIDS activism in general is history. History must be examined and studied.

However Mass Resistance seeks to destroy any logical and normal determination of this fact via publishing (with slanted commentary) the most graphic pictures of the exhibit with the implication that "this is what Kevin Jennings has in store for your children."

Of course Mass Resistance doesn't tell that other contributors to this exhibit included:

The Office of the Provost at Harvard University and the following endowment funds at the Harvard Art Museum: The Agnes Gund Fund for Modern and Contemporary Art; the Alexander S., Robert L., and Bruce A. Beal Exhibition Fund; the M. Victor Leventritt Lecture Fund; and the Charlotte F. and Irving W. Rabb Exhibition Fund. Gifts and grants have also been provided by The Barbara Lee Family Foundation; The Open Gate: a Fund for Gay and Lesbian Life at Harvard University; Fred P. Hochberg and Tom Healy; the Harvard College Women's Center, the Office for the Arts at Harvard, and Harvard Technology Services with special support from Apple Inc.

So I guess all of these groups are out to "indoctrinate" America's children.

Since so many blogger, and various groups (i.e. One News Now and the Washington Times) have demanded at one time or another that Jennings go on record about his so-called radical leanings and associations, I think they should do the same.

Why do these folks have no problem with receiving information from a known hate group?

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

The Kevin Jennings controversy is a lesson for the Obama Administration

According to Chris Good of the Atlantic magazine's blog, Kevin Jennings has survived the attempts to get him fired.

Good gives the credit to " Brewster," the young man in the center of the controversy:

While the fire hasn't completely died down--53 House Republicans sent a letter calling for his job last week--it has certainly lost steam. Jennings is no longer a topic du jour, mostly due to one simple fact: the boy wasn't actually underage.

. . . If the boy had been under 16, Jennings would have appeared to violate the law, and that would have placed him in a very different situation, politically. With affirmed legal high-ground, one can bet that conservative pundits, bloggers, and political groups wouldn't have backed off in the least--and that the noise surrounding Jennings wouldn't have faded as it has. And the White House would have had a much more difficult time ignoring the calls for resignation.

The boy says he had no sexual contact with the older man, after all, so it's possible the point would have been moot. But, had the "underage" label stuck, attacks on Jennings probably would have resonated louder.

Instead, criticism of Jennings has devolved into a partisan back-and-forth. Without the objective gravitas of Massachusetts law to push it beyond politics, that's where it will probably stay.

It's an excellent piece but allow me to add a coda: some people out to get Jennings fired won't leave him alone.

But I think Jennings can deal with that.

The attacks against Jennings have been reduced to silly guilt-by-association slams by Peter LaBarbera, Brian Camenker of Mass Resistance, and various right-wing blogs with their crazy William Ayers/Comrade Obama/death panels conspiracy theories.

Most likely it will be a long time before he is the victim of a huge campaign of misinformation by Fox News or negative letters by House Republicans

But here is my take on the entire thing - this controversy was never about Jennings. It was about Obama.

If Jennings had been dismissed or had to resign, it would have been another nail in the coffin of the love/hate relationship between the President and the lgbt community.

Which leads me to the following conclusion:

Those who oppose Obama can't touch his popularity so some have determined that his weakness is his relationship with supposed allies.

And in that determination, they may have hit on something.

Therefore, it would be in Obama's best interest to take the Jennings controversy as a learning experience.

By all means, have the internal discussions and the battles that are needed to forge a positive agenda.

But at the same time, don't create weaknesses your enemies can exploit by giving the impression that you have no problem deserting your friends, i.e. the people who voted you into office.

Focus on the Family pumps money in Maine and other Wednesday midday news briefs

A powerful ad on marriage equality:

An excellent appearance on Rachel Maddow

In other news briefs:

Focus on the Family Pumps Neary $100 K into Maine - Should we be surprised?

910-308-7619 - Ten simple numbers lead to an interesting war between Joe Jervis and Peter LaBarbera.

Video: 700 Clubs, all of them for bashing gays - Feeling left out, Pat Robertson adds his less than two cents worth. I guess he doesn't blame lgbts for 9/11 anymore because he is too busy blaming us for other stuff. Someone should strap him down and make him watch the ad featured here.

Secret Service overwhelmed by death threats against Obama - Look for Hannity, Beck, and other folks (i.e. John Stossel) to piss this away.

And now it's time for some fiber in our diets:

BREAKING: Obama ‘Safe Schools’ Chief Kevin Jennings Used Pro-Pedophile, pro-NAMBLA Publisher for First Two Books - Peter LaBarbera - the very definition of slime that sticks on filthy innuendoes. So I guess since I hugged my sister's mama's baby daddy's cousin at the family reunion before he robbbed that bank, I should be arrested, huh?

Family Research Council brags about ability to fool 80,000 people

It used to be that when you are caught in a lie, you either admit the truth or slink into a dark corner enveloped by your shame.

As we have seen in the recent case involving Kevin Jennings, some folks are bound and determined to push a lie even if it has been refuted.

And of course number one on this list is the Family Research Council.

I received the following email from the group regarding hate crimes legislation:

The Senate Will Vote to Silence You!

The enactment of so-called "hate crimes" legislation is a long stated objective of the homosexual agenda. It is one step closer to being law and may be voted on this week.

Senate leaders attached the hate crimes legislation to a military funding bill, knowing it would put those who oppose this dangerous bill in a precarious position, vote for giving special protections to homosexuals or vote against funding for the troops. Democratic leaders believe passing their liberal agenda takes precedence over keeping our armed services safe.

The House voted 281 to 146 in favor of extending special federal protection to homosexuals as part of the $680 billion Defense Authorization bill and it is now going to come up for a vote in the Senate-likely this week!

We need your help to stop it.

What "hate crimes" legislation does is lay the legal foundation and framework for investigating, prosecuting and persecuting pastors, business owners, and anyone else whose actions reflect their faith.

The religious liberty protections in the bill are flimsy and when Republicans attempted to strengthen them, they were voted down by Democrats.

The act would establish a new FEDERAL offense for so-called "hate crimes" and add "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" as protected classes. It will mandate a separate federal criminal prosecution for state offenses.

The American credo calls for equal justice under the law, not equal justice unless you happen to be homosexual, then you get special treatment. ALL people deserve to be protected from crime, not just certain groups.

Sign our Petition TODAY to say equal protection under the law means equal protection for ALL. Please join the over 80,000 people who have already signed this petition.

That's 80,000 people in America (if we are to believe the FRC) who have been buffaloed and cajoled to believe that if sexual orientation and gender identity are included under already existing hate crimes legislation, the "gay police" is going to break into their churches or business and arrest people who publicly say that homosexuality is a sin.

Despite the fact that this lie has been refuted more times than I care to mention, FRC insists on repeating it.

I really shouldn't be surprised. The FRC have been lying about lgbts for years.

Funny thing about petitions, though.

They tend to only work if your position hasn't been publicly and continuously refuted.

In the long run, I am hoping that the only thing FRC's petition accomplishes is wonderment on how so many people can get bamboozled at one time.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Sean Hannity smears Kevin Jennings, but suddenly HE is the victim?

It appears that Sean Hannity has stopped trying to get a "czar scalp" to keep up with the one Glenn Beck supposedly got when Van Jones resigned.

Instead, he is now playing the victim:

We've told you a lot about safe schools "czar" Kevin Jennings, including his questionable associates, statements and admiration for men closely tied to the group North American Man/Boy Love Association (NAMBLA).

Well, according to an Obama supporter named Joan Garry, anyone who criticizes Mr. Jennings is a homophobe. Writing in the Huffington Post she argues, "Anyone who tells you that Kevin Jennings is not qualified for his job... is a big ol' homophobe... 53 GOP members of Congress are trying to get Kevin Jennings fired based on his sexual orientation."

Not surprisingly, Miss Garry sat on the finance committee for Obama for America. She cites no evidence to suggest that criticism of Jennings by me or by anybody else was motivated by his sexual orientation.

You know why? Because there is none.

Hannity is like a man trying to defend himself from a charge of murder by showing the bloody weapon.

My friend, you aren't a victim here.

All the attacks on Jennings have not been about his so-called "questionable alliances" (although based on the shellacking Hannity got from White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs last year about HIS alliance, one would think he should stay away from the issue of "questionable alliances") or Jennings' so-called "questionable statements."

It HAS been about Jennings' sexual orientation from day one.

We aren't talking about people who embraced Jennings with open arms but suddenly changed their minds after "shocking material" was made known to them.

We are talking about people (i.e. religious right groups and right-wing conservative blogs, organizations, and anti-gay hate groups) who dug through countless records, statements, videos, and audio to find something to stick on Jennings because maybe in a moment of clarity they realized that opposing him because of his orientation would make them seem homophobic.

Please note that I said a "moment of clarity," as in a brief passing fancy.

Their motivations were so obvious that sometimes one couldn't help but to gravitate between pity and disgust for their "full steam ahead" approach.

In Hannity's case, we are talking about a media figure who wanted a head for his trophy case and was so consumed with getting this prize that he sought to ruin a man's reputation based on wild conjecture.

Personally, I think homophobia did and continues to play a huge part in Hannity's attack on Jennings as the following links demonstrate:

Yet another falsehood-based smear of Jennings on Hannity: Jennings "indoctrinat[ing]" kids about homosexuality

Hannity and "Great American" panelists fearmonger about Jennings "indoctrinating" children, "promoting homosexuality"

Note to Hannity - manipulating the hysterical moral panic about "homosexual indoctrination" shouldn't insulate you from being called a "homophobe" any more than claiming to care for "the children" as a reason not to marry an interracial couple should insulate you from being called a "racist."

But in the long run, it doesn't matter why Hannity attacked Jennings.

It only matters that he did attack Jennings via lies and innuendoes and when those lies and innuendoes were exposed he not only stuck to them but added new ones.

His behavior reminds me of what the elders used to say about trying to cover up bad body odor with cologne.

You never get rid of the offending odor, they say, you just add to it.

More on Hannity's attacks on Jennings:

After Stephanopoulos interview about Jennings, Hannity accuses him of "regurgitating the entire talking points of the left"

Hannity escalates anti-gay bigotry, asks "Does Kevin Jennings support the group NAMBLA?"

Hannity "not convinced" of timeline conclusively debunking his smears of Jennings

Hannity repeats call for "Mr. Jennings to be fired" for views "out of the mainstream"

After statutory rape smear disintegrates, Hannity attacks Jennings with fabricated NAMBLA link

Hannity continued to push "statutory rape" smear even after Fox reporter questioned story's accuracy

Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters posts on Jennings:

How Fox News tried to help bring down Kevin Jennings

King's anti-Kevin Jennings letter creates backlash

Rep. King's office knew charges against Jennings were false BEFORE sending out letter

House Reps have a problem with gay appointees but not with anti-gay hate groups

Kevin Jennings receives an 'apology' for inaccurate murder claim

New lie lodged against Kevin Jennings - he 'advocates' murder

Will it be 'death of a thousand cuts' for Kevin Jennings?

Religious right continues to attack Kevin Jennings, lgbt community with proven lies

Who knew the American Family Association could moonwalk?

Join the Support Kevin Jennings Facebook group

Fox News corrects inaccurate Jennings article. Politico does the same

Smart answers to lies about Kevin Jennings - a list of talking points

New attack against Kevin Jennings - the 'NAMBLA' connection

Religious right owes Kevin Jennings an apology

New facts vindicate Kevin Jennings - the young man he counseled was of legal age

Let's not be so quick to blame Obama if Kevin Jennings is dismissed

Washington Times publishes ugly hit piece on Kevin Jennings

The new attack on Kevin Jennings - he said something ugly about God

The continuing attacks on Kevin Jennings - now Fox News gets involved

The possible attack on the President's lgbt appointees

The tea party idiots - will they go after the lgbt community next?

Traditional Values Coalition attacks Kevin Jennings and . . . Tom Cruise?

Support Sean's Last Wish and Kevin Jennings

The religious right thinks that character assasination is a Christian virtue

The war against Kevin Jennings - now it's getting pathetic

Attacks on Kevin Jennings sleazy, un-Christian

More right wing lunacy on Kevin Jennings courtesy of Kevin McCullough

More attacks on GLSEN'S Kevin Jennings - Now the Family Research Council gets in the act
'
Fistgate' and President Obama - religious right pushes a pitiful attempt of guilt by association

How Fox News tried to help bring down Kevin Jennings

I am hoping that those all fired up against Kevin Jennings have finally cooled their jets, so to speak.

But regardless, the entire sordid situation was character assasination of the highest order.

And a lot of it had to do with Fox News.

Now that the Obama Administration is firing back, the media in general is circling the wagons rather than saying the obvious - that there is a problem with the way Fox News is conducting business.

For those media outlets and any other folks who claim that the Obama Administration is "unfairly targeting Fox News," THIS is the video to show them:

See how it works. Hannity or Beck pushes a "line," and then the so-called "legitimate news media" at Fox continues to push the line, using the same inaccurate verbiage or talking points created by Beck or Hannity.

Or - Hannity or Beck starts a controvery based on distortions/information taken out of context.

The so-called "legitimate news media" on Fox allows the controversy to marinate i.e. via more lies courtesy of Beck and Hannity or the right-wing blogs such as Michelle Malkin's.

And then, people like Chris Wallace or Britt Hume or whoever else introduces the controversy with the phrase "there are new questions about . . ." or "there have been some troubling developments about . . ."

It's like baking a cake full of arsenic.

Well regardless of their lack of ethics, you have to give them points for skill AND audacity.

And the children shall lead them . . . into hatred?

I rarely talk about Fred Phelps and his "God Hates Fags" crew because they are nothing more than cariactures.

But the following video defies all description:

No words about what a shame this is; just an observation.

When Fred Phelps passes on, expect his family to become filthy rich by creating a cottage industry of "we were held hostage by a monster."

I envision appearances on Oprah, books written, a regular show on Lifetime network, and maybe even action figures.

Hat tip to Americablog Gay.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Pro-marriage equality group in Maine hits a double home run

This is too good not to share.

Since Maine approved legislation that would allow gay marriage, there has been a humongous fight over the act.

Opposers of gay marriage successfully put a referendum on the ballot.

And those who want to keep gay marriage in Maine have been steadily working to defeat the ballot measure with commercials like the following:

Outstanding!

And speaking of breaking down the lies, the group overseeing the effort to keep gay marriage in Maine, Protect Maine Equality, recently held a press conference addressing the usual lies about gay marriage put out by the opposition:

These folks mean business and they have been kicking ass from the start of the campaign.

They need our support. Go here to give it.

Things getting worse for lgbts in Uganda and other Monday midday news briefs

Take Action: Tell Uganda To Respect Human Rights And Dismiss the Anti-Homosexuality Bill - Things are getting worse for lgbts in Uganda.

American Evangelicals Play Role In Uganda Effort To ‘Wipe Out’ Gays - Shame shame shame

Buju Banton: 'There is No End to the War Between Me and Faggot' - What do you expect from someone who advocates murdering gays?

White House Says No to Antigay Referenda - It's about time.

All-male college cracks down on cross-dressing - Morehouse has stepped into it now. Initially I am all for preventing students from wearing their pants below the equator and other vestiges of the "thug/slacker" mentality. But in all honesty, the college should have left the part about "cross-dressing" out. And then they make it worse but using words lik "gay lifestyle." Yet another reason for high HIV/AIDS rates in the black community.

CDC: ‘Down Low’ Men Not Responsible for High HIV Rates Among Black Women

To paraphrase Don Cornelius, the former host of Soul Train, "I'll bet my last money" that this doesn't get as much attention as it should:

Heterosexual black men with multiple sex partners - not bisexual men who secretly have sex with men - are responsible for high rates of HIV among black women, according to a senior CDC official. “We have looked to see what proportion of infections is coming from male partners who are bisexual and found there are actually relatively few,” said Dr. Kevin Fenton, director of the National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention.

“More are male partners who are having female partners and are injecting drugs or using drugs or have some other risks that may put those female partners at risk of acquiring HIV.” Black women make up 61 percent of all new HIV cases among women in the United States and have an HIV prevalence rate nearly 18 times that of white women. HIV/AIDS is the leading cause of death for black women ages 25-34, and 80 percent of new cases are contracted through heterosexual contact. “What we’re seeing is a concentration of the epidemic among the poor, among ethnic minorities and racial minorities in the United States,” Fenton said.

I don't know how to characterize this. I certainly can't call it "good news" for obvious reasons - people are still catching HIV/AIDS. And I'm guessing that folks are going to either ignore this information or engage in arguments that will go off on tangents far from its main point.

Some in the lgbt community will use this situation to unconsciously drive that wedge between the lgbt and African-American communities by misusing their righteous indignation. The point of the above piece is not whether blacks are more homophobic or not. The point is that some people are ignorant in terms of why HIV/AIDS is spreading in the black community. However no one should forget that many of the victims in the black community are young black men who have been isolated from society period, whether that society be the black community or lgbt community.

Instead of useless, hypothetical arguments about the divisions between the black and gay communities, how about focusing on saving these young black gay men.

But in all honesty, the black community has a lot to answer for. The idea that "down low gay black men are causing HIV/AIDS to spread in the black community" was a notion that spread across the community like a wildfire.

And while it was good that black-oriented programs (i.e The House of Payne) are talking about it and BET is featuring commercials telling people to get tested, I can't help wondering if folks would be so concerned if it were only black gay men catching the disease.

It's like the black community is finally catching on because so-called normal people (i.e. black straight women) are in the crossfire.

And after J.L. King's book (On The Down Low) was published, an industry was born but an opportunity to really talk about the actual problems that contribute to the spread of HIV/AIDS in the black community (i.e. the dehumanization of lgbts of color) was squandered

Instead, there was a plethora of "how to spot down low men" books, conferences, and seminars across the country.

The most ridiculous (and yes some people actually believed this mess) came from phony black authoress Shahrazad Ali.

Ali, in her book How To Tell if Your Man is Gay or Bisexual, gave a few "tips" on spotting "downlow men," including:

How does he sleep at night, what position does he sleep in? Does
he sleep like a woman, or like a man? What does he talk about in his
sleep?

You can touch his rectum to see if he has those tell-tale humps
on his anus from having it stretched open with a penis. Then later on
ask him if he's ever had hemorrhoids really bad.

If he asks you to "toss his salad" and you agree, and his legs go
up too quickly, he's probably used to doing it.

With all of this ignorance and eagerness to get distracted out there, you will forgive me if I'm not that concerned about the CDC's latest statement.

It was meant to clarify but unfortunately the communities it's meant to help probably won't even hear it.

And if they do, they probably won't use the information in the correct manner.

Hat tip to Box Turtle Bulletin.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

King's anti-Kevin Jennings letter creates backlash

I'm sure Rep. Steve King and those 52 Republicans in the House expected some type of response for their letter asking that the President fire Kevin Jennings.

But the response they are getting isn't the one they should want.

Several blogs and organizations have rallied around Jennings, calling attention to the fact that the attacks on his character is nothing more than a smear campaign because he is an openly gay man:

The Huffington Post:

Shame on the 53 Republican Congressmen who have signed a letter asking for Kevin Jennings' head on a silver platter. They have started a witch hunt. Van Jones was first. Now Kevin Jennings. I'm sure there is a list.

There. I've said it. For those of you who read my posts here, you know me to be fairly measured in my points of view. Today I don't feel measured.

I am mad. But I am going to take a deep breath and step back.

People for the American Way:

"Kevin Jennings has dedicated his entire career to ensuring that all students are safe in school," said Keegan. "Kids can't learn when they're not safe, and Kevin's work has won unanimous praise from across the education community. He's exactly the kind of person who should be in charge of the Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools. It's disappointing that some opponents of this administration would rather attack Jennings and his work to score political points than actually protect kids."

Truth Wins Out:

“Jennings ‘real agenda’ was promoting tolerance and stopping children from essentially getting mugged in schools because of their real or perceived sexual orientation,” said Besen. “These attempts to slime Jennings have nothing to do with his exemplary record or qualifications. Instead, extremists are trying to use Jennings as a proxy to further their culture war.

This backlash against King's letter can be pinpointed to anger over one portion of the letter - the part which accused Jennings of covering up potential sexual abuse of a minor.

King's letter made this charge weeks after it had been widely and publicly debunked. Also, according to Greg Sargent of Plum Line, King's office was informed of the falsity of the charge BEFORE the letter was sent out.

This blatant attempt at lying even had gay conservative commentator Andrew Sullivan crying foul:

. . .to send a letter to the president that repeats what is clearly untrue strikes me as a classic part of the usual strategy of trying to accuse gay people of child-abuse. And King knew the charge was untrue, because we know Greg Sargent told his office, and even Fox News corrected its smear.

More concern has been raised over the New York Times's coverage of the controversy. The article published looked like a listing of points rather than giving more detail behind the claims lodged against Jennings. Among other things, the article failed to note that the charge against Jennings involving the "underaged minor" was debunked.

John Aravosis of Americablog took the article's writer, David Kirkpatrick, to task:

Reporters, like the NYT's David Kirkpatrick, get played by both sides of the aisle. And it's the reporters' job to sniff through the spin, and the bull, and find out if there's a real story underneath. It is not the reporters' job to simply reprint one side's accusations as "news," without questioning the source, or pointing out the obvious errors in the charge itself.

Media Matters gave a breakdown of the things the article should have mentioned but didn't.

On the Support Kevin Jennings page via Facebook, there was a huge jump of supporters since King's letter came out.

This is excellent news, but those of us who support Jennings shouldn't slack up in the least.

Those who are intent on Jennings' dismissal have shown that they won't let truth or public embarrassment stand in the way of their attempts.

Friday, October 16, 2009

Know Your LGBT History - Low Down Dirty Shame

Once upon a time, before the Wayans family became "movie moguls" and Jada Pinkett married Will Smith, she and Keenan Ivory Wayans co-starred in Low Down Dirty Shame(1994), a motion picture telling the story of a former FBI agent turned detective.

The plot is ridiculous (although Pinkett steals the movie). However, one character stands out - Pinkett's gay roommate, Waymon. And he doesn't stand out in a good way.

The scene where the audience (and Wayans) meets Waymon begins at 1:06 and it is HIGHLY offensive.

And if you think that scene is bad, check this one out:

Exodus International, Bill Donohue, a recap of anti-Kevin Jennings lies, and other Friday midday news briefs

Does Exodus Support Criminalizing Homosexuality? - It's a good question that consistently needs to be asked.

Bill Donohue: gay adoption "against nature," Catholic Church has homo, not pedophilia problem - Mercy, just whose side is this man on? Every time he opens his mouth, he helps us look good by comparison.

FRC's single-minded obsession is what should really go! - Why should FRC try to get their shots in on Jennings? They've already got 53 phony mouthpieces in Congress.

Louisiana magistrate denies marriage license to interracial couple - And let's not forget about this lovely story.

Release R-71 signatures, court says, but appeal planned - This is good news!

And finally, I want to take this time to recap the latest lies regarding Kevin Jennings:

House Reps have a problem with gay appointees but not with anti-gay hate groups

Rep. King's office knew charges against Jennings were false BEFORE sending out letter