Monday, April 26, 2010

'Men hand-in-hand skipping down to adoption centers to 'pick out' a little boy for themselves'

A fellow barista at Pam's House Blend sent this to me via email.

It's by Eugene Delgaudio, a  District Supervisor in Sterling, Virginia:

Our children...

They’ve been the Radical Homosexuals’ target all along.

Now they’re finally going after what they’ve always wanted.

Just a few weeks ago, radicals in Congress led by openly homosexual Representative Jared Polis introduced H.R. 4530.

It is a bill to turn America’s schools into indoctrination centers ... its classrooms into social laboratories ... its playgrounds into homosexual breeding grounds.

Of course, they’ve disguised the bill’s wicked nature behind the innocent name “The Student Non-Discrimination Act.”

Sound harmless, right? Well, that’s key to their scheme.

Honestly, I can hardly imagine a law more harmful.

More appropriately, this bill should be called “The Homosexual Classrooms Act.”

. . .You see, the Homosexual Classrooms Act contains a laundry list of anti-family provisions that will:

* Require schools to teach sodomy and other appalling homosexual acts so homosexual students don’t feel “singled out” during already explicit sex-ed classes;

* Spin impressionable students in a whirlwind of sexual confusion and misinformation, recruiting and even pressuring vulnerable teens and pre-teens into the homosexual “lifestyle”;

* Effectively outlaw voluntary prayer in schools, and expose students who pray privately to lawsuits and even criminal prosecution for “religious intimidation”;

* Exempt homosexual students from punishment for propositioning, harassing, or even sexually assaulting their classmates, as part of their specially-protected right to “freedom of self-expression”;

* Force parochial schools to secularize and purge any reference to religion because radicals claim it creates a “hostile learning environment” for homosexual students.

Simply put, The Homosexual Classrooms Act will use schools as weapons to eradicate traditional values in the next generation of American students.

Well damn.  Someone call Ernst Stavro Blofeld. Delgaudio certainly has our number, although it would probably serve him better to have the number of a local psychiatrist. The bill Delgaudio is all up in arms about is one that would simply curb school bullying. Nothing more. No "indoctrination centers." No Clockwork Orange type torture techniques. No lesson plans on gay sex.

It's just a bill to ensure the safety of America's children, but apparently Delgaudio decided to forgo the truth for the time honored right-wing technique of lying through the teeth.

And it isn't the first time he has scapegoated the lgbt community. At a January meeting, he called transgender men and women "freaky."

And then there a portion of this recent fundraising letter, which further demonstrates that he doesn't particularly like lgbts. It's as if he took the most hysterical fears of all of the top religious right groups and combined them into one hot mess:
 . . .  the Radical Homosexuals are storming through Washington demanding passage of their agenda.

And with the passage of Thought Control last year, they say NOW is the time to push their perverse "life-style" on every man, women and child in America.

And they insist YOU actually support them.

The Homosexual Lobby played a major role in electing Obama and the majorities he enjoys in both houses of Congress.

I can only begin to imagine all the damage the Radical Homosexuals will do with their allies controlling the House of Representatives, the Senate and the White House.

As the President of Public Advocate of the U.S., I've devoted twenty-seven years to battling the radical homosexuals in Washington.

Backed by Hollywood celebrities, the media and millions of your tax dollars, the Radical Homosexuals have many Congressmen quivering with fear -- and they have a Radical Homosexual-friendly majority in control of Congress.

That is why pro-family Senators and Congressmen are counting on me to find out if you really support the Gay Bill of Special Rights and homosexual marriage as the radical homosexuals claim.

Please click here to complete the American Morality survey and prove to Congress that Americans oppose homosexual marriage and the Gay Bill of Special Rights today.

Frankly if you really do support the radical Homosexual Agenda -- or if you just no longer care enough to stand up for the family -- insiders in Congress say the entire Homosexual Agenda could pass in a matter of months.

*** Special job rights for homosexuals and lesbians. Businesses may have to adopt hiring quotas to protect themselves from lawsuits. Every homosexual fired or not hired becomes a potential federal civil rights lawsuit.

Radical homosexuals will terrorize day care centers, hospitals, churches and private schools. Traditional moral values will be shattered by federal law.

*** Same-sex marriages and adoptions. Wedding-gown clad men smooching before some left-wing clergy or state official is just the beginning.

You'll see men hand-in-hand skipping down to adoption centers to "pick out" a little boy for themselves.

*** Homosexual advocacy in schools. Your children or grandchildren will be taught homosexuality is moral, natural and good. High school children will learn perverted sex acts as part of "safe sex" education.

With condoms already handed out in many schools, Radical Homosexuals will have little trouble adopting today's "if it feels good do it" sex-ed curriculum to their agenda.

And to add insult to injury, lobbyists for the Homosexual Agenda are paid off with your tax dollars!

That's right, radical homosexual groups like the Gay-Lesbian Task Force and ACT-UP receive millions from the government.

 Now that letter was so hardcore that I hear Anita Bryant got angry over it.

Naturally in Delgaudio's letters are solicitations for money.  And personally, I would happily give Delgaudio any funds he desires so long as he invests them in a good long stay at a local mental hospital.

I don't know what disturbs me me more - Delgaudio's blatant homophobia or the fact that someone was dumb enough to elect him to public office.

Interestingly enough, Delgaudio's words are no different from what the lgbt community have heard from such so-called moral "leaders" like Andrea Lafferty, Matt Barber, and yes even Mike Huckabee.

The only difference is that Delgaudio decided to omit the "we love you but we hate what you do" lie in lieu of comparing us to the aliens who blew up the White House in Independence Day.

It certainly doesn't make his homophobic comments sound any better but it's nice to know exactly where we stand with Delgaudio.

Even if it is in a pool of quicksand.

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What if the tea party movement was black? and other Monday midday news briefs

SLDN launches 'Stories from the Frontlines: Letters to President Barack Obama' - An excellent idea and not just to President Obama but to all Americans. The stories need to be told over and over again to as many folks as possible.

What If the Tea Party Were Black? - Black folks already know the answer to THAT question and it's a good question.

Pro-Gay Article Sparks Smear Campaign in Yemen - THIS is persecution.

Ugandan LGBT Activists Denounce The Call Uganda, Call for Protests in Kansas City - This is good!


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Study: Bullies 'love' lgbt youngsters

Something to remember the next time someone on the right talks about how anti-bullying laws are a covert way to push the so-called homosexual agenda:

A groundbreaking new Harvard study has found that gay people are far more likely to be tormented as youngsters, often leading to years of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Researchers at Harvard School of Public Health and Children’s Hospital found that gays, bisexuals and heterosexuals who have had a same-sex partner are 1 to two times as likely to experience violence, especially in childhood, and have double the risk of experiencing PTSD as a result.

. . . Using data from a nationally representative sample of more than 34,000 adults, the researchers found that 45 percent of sexual minority women and 28 percent of sexual minority men had experienced violence or abuse in childhood, compared to 21 percent of women and 20 percent of men in the general population.

“I think people know there’s discrimination, but they don’t know the breadth or severity of it - or how lasting the impact is,” Roberts said.

The researchers hope the study, which will be published in the American Journal of Public Health, will raise the awareness of parents, teachers and health-care providers, as well as state lawmakers who are hammering out the final details of an anti-bullying bill in the wake of two high-profile suicides.

Related posts:

Constance McMillen's classmates learn the costs of gloating

American College of Pediatricians trying to work anti-gay web site into the schools

Fox News creates sloppy coverage of GLSEN's Day of Silence

Religious right 'Day of Truth' peddles same old lies to youth

Chelmsford threat demonstrates the need for GLSEN




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Saturday, April 24, 2010

When defending anti-gay lunacy, personal attacks are the order of the day

In my post earlier this week regarding the Traditional Values Coalition's Andrea Lafferty expressing pride with TVC being designated as an anti-gay hate group, I failed to detail what precipitated Lafferty's bizarre joy.

Earlier in the week, she penned a piece for Washington D.C.'s Roll Call about ENDA (the Employment Non-Discrimination Act), including mentioning negative anecdotes about transgender teachers in the school system- anecdotes which were fully refuted.

Lafferty's piece caught the attention of Dr. Jillian T. Weiss, an associate professor of law and society at Ramapo College of New Jersey and associate editor at the Bilerico Project, an LGBT political blog.

Weiss wrote Roll Call and was invited to pen a response, which she did. And it was an excellent response:

The Traditional Values Coalition is an anti-gay hate group on the watch list of the Southern Poverty Law Center. TVC raises money by scaring people about gruesome but unlikely events that will result from prohibiting discrimination. Its claims demean gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people and our lives and do nothing to help this Congress address the high level of job discrimination that puts many of us in the unemployment line.

ENDA is designed to redress the persistent job discrimination levied against people in this country based on their sexual orientation and gender identity, problems demonstrated by the many studies cited by experts in their fields at Congressional hearings on ENDA. Further, both the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association support passage of ENDA because ending discrimination is such an important goal.

So with the ball in Lafferty's court, so to speak, what do you think she would do - write a detailed refutation of Dr. Weiss's piece or attack her personally?

Let the headline of her answer piece on the TVC web page be your guide:


'Transgender' Man Attacks TVC

That's right. Lafferty chose to make a personal attack on Dr. Weiss instead of refuting her piece on ENDA:

Dr. Jillian Weiss is a man who has lived as a woman since 1997. This is a truly troubled individual. Whether he has actually gone through a complete surgical procedure to remove his genitals is a mystery. He may be living as a she-male hybrid. However, readers would never know he is a transgender based on his published bio. 

Lafferty's piece continues the offensive attack, making special note to use the incorrect pronoun of "he" when referring to Dr. Weiss.

So the irony is that in the same piece where Lafferty expresses pride in being called an anti-gay hate group, she demonstrates why the designation is right on the mark. Her comments were filthy, immature, and totally un-Christian.

I've never met Dr Weiss but her credentials and writing speak for themselves and frankly if she is the example that Lafferty wants to push as to why parents should be afraid of ENDA, then Lafferty should be careful.

Folks on her side of the argument are going to think that she is working for the lgbt community.



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Video: Gays are too promiscuous and disease-ridden to be 'worthy' of marriage



A Facebook  buddy of mine brought this video to my attention.

The video is homophobia under the guise of "being scientific" in reasoning why gays and lesbians are not deserving of marriage. To summarize, it says gays and lesbians are not worthy to be allowed to legally married because we are too concentrated on promiscuity and are therefore consistently disease-afflicted.

Watch if you want but here are the major problems with it:

The statistics are cited in it are irrelevant because none of the gays mentioned are married.

Also, many of the statistics are highly outdated, some coming from the 1970s. The most recent statistic seems to come from 2001.

And a major problem with this video: much of the research is taken from statistics about gay men afflicted with AIDS/HIV. This means that a huge segment of gays (those who don't AIDS) and lesbian are omitted.

The video is cherry picking at its worse and is the equivalent of racists using FBI crime statistics to denigrate African-Americans.

Now some have reported this video but I say let's not just do that just yet. The underhanded use of statistics is a tactic employed by a myriad of religious right groups and spokespeople.

Instead of allowing our anger or need to ridicule ignorance to rule, let's study and remember.

Chinese general Sun Tzu said in his book, The Art of War:

It is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles; if you do not know your enemies but do know yourself, you will win one and lose one; if you do not know your enemies nor yourself, you will be imperiled in every single battle.


And if anyone thinks that the cause for lgbt equality isn't a war, they need to think again.


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Friday, April 23, 2010

Know Your LGBT History - Strange Fruit




Usually during my Know Your LGBT History segments, I talk about past images of lgbts in the media.

This one is not necessarily an old image but I consider it special. I saw bits and pieces of this movie, Strange Fruit (2004), this morning while getting ready for work.

And I was enthralled by it. It tells the story of a black gay successful attorney returning to his home town to solve the mystery of a long ago lynching of a friend.

I caught only a little bit of the movie, especially the ending.

And trust me when I say it's original, thought-provoking, and exactly the kind of antidote for movies like Soul Plane. It's about time a movie portrayed a black gay man as a human being and not a comedic prop.

I'm going to own this movie one day.

Past Know Your LGBT History postings

Know Your LGBT History - Designing Women

Know Your LGBT History - The Children's Hour

Know Your LGBT History - Sylvester

Know Your LGBT History - Once Bitten

Know Your LGBT History - The Boys in the Band

Know Your LGBT History - Christopher Morley, the crossdressing assassin

Know Your LGBT History - Midnight Cowboy

Know Your LGBT History - Dracula's Daughter

Know Your LGBT History - Blacula

Know Your LGBT History - 3 Strikes

Know Your LGBT History - Paris Is Burning

Know Your LGBT History - The Women

Know your LGBT History - Soul Plane

Know Your LGBT History - The Player's Club

Special Know Your LGBT History - Fame

Know Your LGBT History - Welcome Home, Bobby

Know Your LGBT History - Barney Miller

Know your lgbt history - The Jerry Springer Show

Know your lgbt history - Martin Lawrence and that 'gay guy' on his show

Know your lgbt history - The Ricki Lake Show

Know your lgbt history - Which Way Is Up

Know your lgbt history - Gays in Primetime Soaps

Know your lgbt history - Boys Beware

Know your lgbt history - The Boondocks

Know your lgbt history - Mannequin

Know your lgbt history - The Warriors

Know Your LGBT History - New York Undercover

Know Your LGBT History - Low Down Dirty Shame

Know Your LGBT History - Fortune and Men's Eyes

Know your lgbt history - California Suite

Know your lgbt history - Taxi (Elaine's Strange Triangle)

Know your lgbt history - Come Back Charleston Blue

Know your lgbt history - James Bond goes gay

Know your lgbt history - Windows

Know your lgbt history - To Wong Foo and Priscilla

Know your lgbt history - Blazing Saddles

Know your lgbt history - Sanford and Son

Know your lgbt history - In Living Color

Know your lgbt history - Cleopatra Jones and her lesbian drug lords

Know your lgbt history - Norman, Is That You?

Know your lgbt history - The 'Exotic' Adrian Street

Know your lgbt history - The Choirboys

Know your lgbt history - Eddie Murphy

Know your lgbt history - The Killing of Sister George

Know your lgbt history - Hanna-Barbera cartoons pushes the 'gay agenda

'Know your lgbt history - Cruising

Know your lgbt history - Foxy Brown and Cleopatra Jones

Know your lgbt history - I Got Da Hook Up

Know your lgbt history - Fright Night

Know your lgbt history - Flowers of Evil

The Jeffersons and the transgender community 



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Andrea Lafferty takes time out to pick on Muslims, and other Friday midday news briefs

Kentucky Supreme Court Nixes Public Aid To Religious School - Discriminate against gays all you want, but don't expect to get lgbt tax money for the courtesy.

DADT protesters are 'starved for attention', says he who only has attention b/c of his war on gays - Pot, meet kettle. I bet Matt Barber googles his name every night to see who is talking about him.

Graham's Disinvitation Proof That Our Military Is Run By "Fundamentalist Muslims and Homosexual Activists" - Say what you want but if you disrespect ANY our fighting men and women, you are not being persecuted for facing the consequences. Andrea Lafferty adds her two cents in this piece. I guess one can't pick on lgbts all of the time.

Kevin Keller debuts as first openly gay character in Archie's Veronica Comics - And silly me thought they would explore the Moose/Dilton friendship.

Karen Ocamb Offers Good Background on The Kooky Traditional Values Coalition - More info on the hate group the Traditional Values Coalition.



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South Carolina Black Pride celebrates its fifth anniversary with ‘Nothing But Love’

South Carolina’s gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender of color community will be out and proud when SC Black Pride celebrate its fifth anniversary on June 24-27.

According to Sheila R. Hudson SC Black Pride Assistant Pride Director & Program Coordinator, the theme, “Nothing But Love” is very appropriate.

‘The broad motivation for this year’s South Carolina Black Pride is summed up by our theme, “Nothing But Love,” she said. “Despite those who claim Black LGBT citizens are ‘not natural,’ we stand up for and are driven by ‘nothing but love’ in all that we do. We deserve ‘nothing but love’ for being who we are and for the enormous contributions we make to South Carolina and American society.”

“Today is a life that we as a people have awakened to a new century, new ideas, new hope and new beginnings,” said Niece Brooks, SC Black Pride Vice President & Pride Director.

This year brings new faces to the SC Black Pride Board as well as new ideas to unite the community, including fundraisers, a film festival, and a family fun day.

The Family Fun Day, to be held on June 12th at Woodland Park, is a new idea that addresses the needs of an under served segment of South Carolina’s lgbt of color community - same gender loving households with children.

According to a report co-created by the National Black Justice Coalition and the Gay and Lesbian Task Force:

• many African-American same-sex couples are raising children, including biological and nonbiological children,

• black female same-sex households are as likely as black married opposite-sex households to live with a least one child of an adult parent, and

• Sumter, SC is one of the top 10 cities in the country for black same-sex households raising children.

Organizers feel that the Family Fun Day is crucial to show support to these families.

Pride Week in June will culminate with a Community Expo at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center and this will be a kind of a return to home for SC Black Pride because the organization held its first expo at the convention center. There will be food and entertainment, including a special observance of the late author E. Lynn Harris. Harris, who passed away last year, was the best selling author of many book dealing with the lives of the lgbt community of color, including Invisible Life, Just As I Am, and This Too Will Pass.

“Our purpose is to celebrate the often subjugated creativity, beauty, dignity, and brilliance of South Carolina’s Black LGBT community,” says Dr. Todd Shaw, Chair, of the SC Black Pride Committee. “The double whammies of racism and homophobia attack we same-gender loving sisters and brothers. And now’s the time the Black community understand how much we contribute to the larger freedom struggle and the larger society understand how much we contribute as loving mothers, fathers, teachers, preachers, and young leaders.”

Organizers anticipate a record 5,000 attendees to this year’s events.

All are welcomed and SC Black Pride is looking for more volunteers. To learn more about this Pride’s many empowering events (including becoming a vendor or a volunteer and advertising in the Pride Guide), refer to:

South Carolina Black Pride
P.O. Box 8191 
Columbia, SC 29202

or contact info@southcarolinablackpride.com

or Niece Brooks at (803) 608-5652


2010 SC Black Pride Events
(All events are in Columbia, South Carolina and are subject to change)


*** Pre-Pride Events ***

Saturday, April 24
A Sexy Evening of Elegance: For the Ladies and Their Friends,
$10 Admission
Clarion Hotel Downtown, 1615 Gervais Street, Columbia, SC, 29201; Music by D.J. Kelley-Kel, cash bar and Hor d’ourves, among many other surprises! 9 p.m. – 2 a.m.; $10 at the door.

Saturday, May 22nd
Young, Gifted, and Black: A Mini Film Festival 7 - 9 pm.,
Free Admission
University of South Carolina Campus, room 112, Sloan College, 911 Pickens Street, 29201, Free Admission but donations accepted.

Saturday, June 5th
“A Beautiful People Party (Co-Ed), 9 p.m. - 2 a.m.,
$10 admission
Club H2O, 220 State Street, West Columbia, SC, 29619; Music by D.J. Kelley-Kel; 9 p.m. – 2 a.m.; $10 at the door.

Saturday, June 12th
Play Day at the Park, 11 a.m.
Woodland Park, 6500 Olde Knight Parkway, Columbia, SC, 29209; Free Food, Family Fun, Games, & Sports; 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Free Admission

*** Pride Week ***
Thursday, June 24th
Welcome Reception, Free Admission
2000 Watermark Place, Columbia, SC 29210; cash bar and live entertainment; 7-9 p.m.;
Free Admission.

Friday, June 25th
MSM (Men who have Sex with Men) HIV Prevention Institute
"Evidence That Demands Action", Banquet and Conference Center, 1066 Sunset Blvd, West Columbia, SC , 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 pm,
$25 registration includes meals and materials but scholarships available. Please make checks or Postal Money Order payable to AID Upstate and mail to the attention of: Matt Jenkins S.C. DHEC, STD/HIV Division 1751 Calhoun St. Columbia, SC 29201 For additional information please contact Ra’Shawn Flournoy at 1-888-232-2310 or Matt Jenkins at (803) 898-0898

5th Anniversary Town Hall Dialogue - “Looking Back to Move Forward: Progress and the Black LGBT Community in South Carolina
University of South Carolina, Law School Auditorium, 701 Main Street, Columbia, SC, 29208; short film/presentation and panel discussion; 6 – 8:30 p.m.; Free Admission.

Saturday, June 26th
Community Expo! Free Admission
Vendors, Entertainment, Door Prizes
Columbia Metropolitan Community Convention Center, 1101 Lincoln St
Presidential Ballroom, Family entertainment, food, vendors; 11 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.; Free Admission.

(Featuring an observance of the 55th Birthday of E.Lynn Harris by Terreance Dean, Stanley Bennett Clay, and James Earl Hardy, co-authors of Visible Lives: Three Short Stories in Tribute to E. Lynn Harris. Panel moderated by Clarence Nero, author of The Temptation of Desire)

Sunday, June 27th
Community Worship Service, Free Admission, 3 p.m.
Presided by
Pastor Rashawn Flournoy, Freedom Worship Church of Columbia in conjunction with other affirming congregations of South Carolina. 7900 Nell Street, Columbia, SC, 29223 (Iglesia Luterana Manantial De); Free Admission.


Those wanting information on vendor rates at the Expo as well as ad rates for the 2010 Pride Guide can go here to the 2010_SC Black Pride Sponsorship package 


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Thursday, April 22, 2010

Andrea Lafferty - I'm proud to be a member of a hate group

From my online buddy Jeremy Hooper comes an interesting comment from the Traditional Values Coalition's Andrea Lafferty.

She was commenting on the fact that the Southern Poverty Law Center designated her group as one of 12 anti-gay hate groups:

The SPLC is the group that wrote a memo used by Obama’s Homeland Security Department claiming that veterans and pro-lifers were dangerous to national security.

Actually, it is a badge of honor for TVC to be listed by the SPLC as a “hate group.” It proves we’re effective in challenging liberalism, socialism, and the LGBT agenda.

That comment about SPLC writing memo a for the Obama Administration is a lie. But since when do you expect a hate group to be truthful. Now it's important to establish what SPLC constitutes as an anti-gay hate group:

Opposition to equal rights for homosexuals has been a central theme of Christian Right organizing and fundraising for the past three decades – a period that parallels the fundamentalist movement's rise to political power.
For Christian Right leaders, the gay rights movement and its so-called "homosexual agenda" are the prime culprits in the destruction of American society and culture. In the words of Focus on the Family founder James Dobson, the battle against gay rights is essentially a "second civil war" to put control of the U.S. government in the right hands, meaning those who reject gay rights.

The religious right in America has employed a variety of strategies in its efforts to beat back the increasingly confident gay rights movement. One of those has been defamation. Many of its leaders have engaged in the crudest type of name-calling, describing homosexuals as "perverts" with "filthy habits" who seek to snatch the children of straight parents and "convert" them to gay sex. They have disseminated disparaging "facts" about gays that are simply untrue — assertions that are remarkably reminiscent of the way white intellectuals and scientists once wrote about the "bestial" black man and his supposedly threatening sexuality.

Would this comment from TVC head Lou Sheldon at a 2006 religious right conference do?:

Sheldon demanded laws that treat homosexuality as "a social disorder." Decrying the term "homosexual" as the brainchild of a 20th-century German psychologist obviously sympathetic to gays, Sheldon implored the conferees to return to the 18th century's superior diction. "The word used in America [then] was 'perverted'," he noted. When Sheldon was asked by an audience member what to call homosexuals, he shot out of his chair and shouted, "Call them what they are -- sodomites!" 

Of course Lafferty conveniently didn't mention her father's outburst in her screed. Jeremy lists a couple of other things that Lafferty neglected to mention:

Andrea and her father (TVC prez Lou Sheldon) have willingly set up shot atop this contentious volcano. If Andrea wants to get TVC off of it, then Andrea can vow to be better. She can vow to stop saying that being gay is equivalent to schtooping a toaster. She can stop calling an important piece of legislation the "Barney Frank She-Male Shower Bill." She can stop referring to a collection of transgender people as a "freak show." She can stop putting Jesus on Wanted posters as a way to pit that particular religious figure against gays who support hate crime protections. She can stop directing her worker bees to Photoshop a smiling Barack Obama in front of the burning WTC towers or onto a Nazi propaganda poster. TVC can stop flipping Congressional exchanges so that they are made more convenient for their self-serving purposes. She can stop being untruthful. 

And let's not forget  TVC's tasteless need to attack the transgender community (amongst other things, call them "she-males"), which I have talked about on several occasions via their fight against ENDA (Employment Non-Discrimination Act) but best be illustrated by this awful graphic:



In addition, there was the time when the Traditional Values Coalition:

claimed that the passage of ENDA would lead to the sexual abuse of disabled veterans,

continued to intentionally mix the term "sexual orientation" with "paraphilias" in another attempt to lie about ENDA,

used bad research  in YET another attempt to lie about ENDA, including distorting marketing statistics,

made a tacky attack on Obama appointee Kevin Jennings and actor Tom Cruise,

claimed that a repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell is a bad idea by asking, amongst other silly questions, how would the military " handle sodomy in battlefield situations,"

kept a bad study regarding gays and pedophilia on its web page even after a researcher complained about his work being distorted in the study AND telling an outright lie about testimony during Congressional hearings regarding hate crimes legislation. The lie was so bad, it was easily refuted via transcript, which Jeremy Hooper did when he broke the story.

Bottom line - Andrea Lafferty saying that she is proud to be a member of a hate group is a like a cannibal bragging about his table manners.



Big hat tip to Goodasyou.org



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Barney Frank, GetEqual, and other interesting Thursday midday news briefs

Shocker: Rep. Frank has contrarian opinions which he's not afraid to share - Naturally Frank totally disagrees with GetEqual's actions. I recently wrote a piece about those actions garnering some ugly comments (a few racially insensitive), but the point of my post was to ask is GetEqual's actions simply venting or will it lead to positive action in the community in other fights for lgbt equality.
And now I pose a new question. Say that GetEqual's actions do cause there to be an immediacy with ENDA hearings. What happens next? We all know the religious right's game plan of exploiting ignorance of the transgender community to kill ENDA. Will direction action tactics be successful during the hearings or can they be seen as counterproductive? I am not devaluing anyone's actions to garner lgbt equality but critical questions need to be asked, period.

Govt softens anti-homosexuality Bill - Not bad. But I'm a cynic. Until this bil is totally killed, I ain't popping any champagne yet.

Hate Group MassResistance Wigging Out Over Massachusetts Governor’s Race - Massachusetts hate group Mass Resistance is asking conservatives to stay home on election day. Promises, promises.

Second Attempt to Recall Adams Fails - Y'all ain't getting rid of this gay mayor. Deal with it.

Senate confirms openly lesbian judge - Ass kickingly awesome!



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Black pastor declares war on Democractic party over gay rights while I laugh my ass off

According to the right-wing One News Now, a black pastor is starting a new political action group because  he says the Democratic party doesn't really represent black Americans:

Bishop E.W. Jackson, Sr., has set up the Stand America PAC to challenge members of the Congressional Black Caucus. Jackson tells OneNewsNow that that contingent of lawmakers does not represent black Americans.


"They are pro-abortion, they are pro-homosexuality, they are pro-gay marriage -- and the black community doesn't agree with any of these things...and it is time [those lawmakers] were challenged," he vows. "[O]ur PAC is going to challenge them, recruit candidates, and ultimately see to it that they are defeated, and that the black community has an alternative leadership to look to."

In other words, E.W. Jackson is aiming to be another Harry Jackson, i.e. a black leader claiming to speak for black folks against the Democratic party while surreptitiously propped up by right-wing (i.e. white) money.

Which will probably be the reason that other in his own head and the press releases on the right, this announcement will go over like a burp of an infant - cute and funny but ultimately meaningless.

Granted, I'm sure he will catch attention with the remark about abortion and homosexuality. Folks in the anti-abortion movement have been trying to gain a strong foothold in the black community.

But it's the comment about homosexuality where Jackson fails. He should have just stuck to gay marriage. You see, usually when a black leader of Jackson's, shall we say ilk, talks about homosexuality in the black community, they usually confine the argument to gay marriage.

And that is because they know that the issue of what the African-American community on the whole feels about homosexuality is  complex.

Oh sure, you hear voices telling you how black folks don't agree with homosexuality and how blacks "resent gays," but allow me to let you in on a secret that I'm beginning to discover:

What has been said and believed about blacks and gays isn't necessarily the entire story.

Unfortunately this hasn't been explored as much as it should have and it speaks to how the black community has been shortchanged in regards to media coverage of our issues. Folk on both sides of the spectrum seem to be content with offering inaccurate generalizations of the black community on the whole rather than exploring the intricacies behind the feelings of the black community regarding homosexuality.

But back to Jackson - another reason why he will probably fail is because he doesn't provide any adequate solutions. It's not that the black community are beholden to the Democratic party. Like any other sensible group in the country, we align ourselves with those who we feel can get us to where we need to be.

And frankly I don't see the GOP being that party with its covert support of birthers, tea baggers, Dittoheads and Beckites.

So long story short, Jackson's announcement is cute and amusing but personally, I prefer the baby burp.



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Wednesday, April 21, 2010

How to scare the bejesus out of Christians with a failed game plan

When I saw this Family Research Council graphic about the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA - which would simply provide workplace protection for lgbts), it reminded me of something that I couldn't put my finger on.

Then, thanks to People for the American Way, it hit me. Remember this:


That graphic was featured during a Congressional debate over hate crimes legislation (although not the last one) and it claimed that if sexual orientation was added to existing hate crimes legislation, pastors would be arrested in the pulpits for declaring homosexuality to be a sin.

As we all know, sexual orientation was added to hate crimes legislation last year and since that time, guess how many pastors have been arrested?

None. Nada. Zip. Not even that zany preacher on the corner in my neighborhood who gives sermons to the rush of traffic.

In other words, religious right groups told an outright lie when they claimed that hate crimes legislation would lead to the arrest of pastors.

Now usually when someone tells a tale which turns out to be false, they have the good taste not to use the same lie in a different battle.

But good taste has never been the religious right's forte.

According to People for the American Way:

You really have to marvel at the Religious Right's strategy in opposing ENDA as they seem intent on using the exact same playbook they used against hate crimes legislation despite the fact that their anti-hate crimes strategy failed and their dire predictions about hate crimes spelling the end of religious liberty have been proven demonstrably false.

How long will it be before legitimate Christians realize that the Family Research Council and other religious right groups are running a game on them with their constant cries of wolf?

Related posts:

Family Research Council getting extremely 'scary' about ENDA





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TVC, Lafferty misrepresent stories about transgender teachers and other Wednesday midday news briefs

Andrea Lafferty spins lies against transgender teachers to hurt ENDA - I ran this before but after yesterday's appearance on CBS in which Lafferty revealed that she and the Traditional Values Coalition will be exploiting fears about transgender teachers, it is important that we get the facts out involving the situations they lied about.

Top Capitol Newspaper Publishes Outrageous Lies of Hate Group About ENDA - Speaking of Lafferty's lies, this is what happens when we take the offensive against religious right lies. Kudos to Dr. Weiss.

HRC head gets praise, flak for Obama's gay-rights initiatives - A controversial article for a controversial figure.

American Evangelist To Rally Against Gays In Uganda - TELL me again how American religious right figures had nothing to do with the anti-gay madness in Uganda.

Jackson: I Will Not Be Civil With Those Who Support Gay Marriage - So much for the semantic argument about "intolerant gays"




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Family Research Council getting extremely 'scary' about ENDA

Talk about your drastic images. It's courtesy of the Family Research Council concerning ENDA (Employment Non-Discrimination Act).

Actually when one takes things into account, the image underscores the lies of FRC and especially the religious right. When hate crimes legislation passed, they claimed that it would lead to the end of religious freedoms because pastors would be arrested in the pulpits for calling homosexuality a sin.

This awful occurrence has YET to take place.

 FRC's take on ENDA is as hilariously alarming:

Under this bill, the government will order businesses, including religious ones, to stuff their personal beliefs and hire gays and lesbians--even if the organization considers the lifestyle immoral. Essentially, Congress would be establishing a caste system, where the "rights" of homosexuals trump the First Freedoms of any employer. At the very least, it will force people out of business. At its worst, it will bully into silence every American who disagrees with homosexual behavior.


If that doesn't frighten you, it should. ENDA builds the bridge to every last piece of the homosexual agenda, including marriage. With it, the Left can take a hacksaw to every God-given freedom established by the Constitution--including the ability to speak openly about your beliefs. When asked about a vote on the House floor, Rep. Frank said, "The Speaker has promised that." The day that we've been anticipating is here. And to help you understand exactly what's at stake, FRC just finished an important documentary that your church, family, and friends need to see. It takes you behind the scenes of communities where laws like ENDA already exist and exposes how destructive the legislation will be, particularly to the faith community. To see a sneak preview of "ENDA: The End of Religious Freedom in America ?" check out FRC's new website for the trailer and join the hundreds of people who have already pre-ordered their copy! After you do, it is vitally important that you contact your representatives and urge them to hold the line on this bill. Meanwhile, Rep. Frank has promised, "We're going to keep fighting until it's all over." Well, Congressman, that makes two of us. 
 
You will forgive me if I don't link to FRC's trailer but if you want to see it, go here at GoodAsYou.org 

I think it's best to remind folks of what ENDA will and won't do. The following is the truth of the matter, which means you won't be hearing it from FRC:

According to the Human Rights Campaign:

What ENDA Does

  • Extends federal employment discrimination protections currently provided based on race, religion, sex, national origin, age and disability to sexual orientation and gender identity
  • Prohibits public and private employers, employment agencies and labor unions from using an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity as the basis for employment decisions, such as hiring, firing, promotion or compensation
  • Provides for the same procedures, and similar, but somewhat more limited, remedies as are permitted under Title VII and the Americans with Disabilities Act
  • Applies to Congress and the federal government, as well as employees of state and local governments
What ENDA Does Not Do
  • Cover businesses with fewer than 15 employees
  • Apply to religious organizations
  • Apply to the uniformed members of the armed forces (the bill doesn't affect the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy)
  • Allow for quotas or preferential treatment based on sexual orientation or gender identity
  • Allow a "disparate impact" claim similar to the one available under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Therefore, an employer is not required to justify a neutral practice that may have a statistically disparate impact on individuals because of their sexual orientation or gender identity
  • Allow the imposition of affirmative action for a violation of ENDA
  • Allow the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to collect statistics on sexual orientation or gender identity or compel employers to collect such statistics.
  • Apply retroactively
Now that's not so scary, is it:?


Related posts:

Andrea Lafferty - 'Won't someone PLEASE think of the children.'


Andrea  Lafferty: ENDA will lead to the molestation of disabled veterans
 
Traditional  Values Coalition stoops to lowest level of fraud in new attack on ENDA

Religious  business owners should not have the 'special right' to discriminate

Andrea  Lafferty spins lies against transgender teachers to hurt ENDA

The  30 Dirty? Why can't the religious right stop lying about ENDA?

Religious  right groups can't make up their minds when lying about ENDA

No  wonder the Traditional Values Coalition is considered a hate group

Family  Research Council exploiting Amanda Simpson's appointment to stop ENDA
  
Family  Research Council head misrepresents credible information to hurt ENDA

Bathrooms,  Church Exemptions, and Lies: Five ways the religious right  misrepresents ENDA 



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Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Christians and Guerilla Warfare: Who knew the terms mixed?

Activist and author of Anything but Straight: Unmasking the Scandals and Lies Behind the Ex-Gay Myth Wayne Besen has more gumption than me.

Last week, he actually spent two days observing The Awakening, a religious right conference in Lynchburg, VA.

Besen, who is also the founder and Executive Director of Truth Wins Out, issued a full report which sounds like something from an ecclesiastical version of the Twilight Zone.

First the good news. Apparently the attendees were in a foul mood because their words were no longer resonating with the public :
The symposium revealed that anti-gay rhetoric was on the decline and no longer the far right's number one priority.


"While the sheer number of anti-gay attacks had decreased from past conferences, the remaining rhetoric was vicious and vile, as our desperate opponents see they are losing the battle of public opinion," said Wayne Besen, Executive Director of Truth Wins Out.

The sullen mood over losing ground was best summarized by Lou Engle of "The Call". During a breakout session on the "LGBT Agenda", he acknowledged that when he preaches against LGBT issues, Christian youth often "rage against him." Engle said that the far right has lost on this issue barring a miracle. One idea floated by Engle to turn the tide was creating an intercession by holding a 500,000 strong youth rally.

"If Lou Engle is wondering how his movement lost the current generation of youth, it is because the hatred and hyperbole spewed by anti-gay activists is incongruous with reality," said TWO's Wayne Besen in the report. "Many teenagers, including evangelicals, have friends who come out of the closet at early ages. They listen to the slurs and the slander at such conferences and know, based on real life experience, that they are hearing lies. Such cognitive dissonance is costing evangelical leaders enormous credibility."

Now comes the strange part:
Another breakout session, "Pastors and Political Activity", urged fundamentalist Christians to use stealth tactics to infiltrate public schools. A man in his 20's spoke up during the Q&A period and claimed that the panelists were not trying hard enough to get into classrooms. He alleged that through his youth ministry, "we've been to 330 schools and only two asked us to leave."


Upon hearing this, Dr. Rick Scarborough, Vision America, cheered these youth and said, "We need more special forces like yourself", and then spoke of the importance of engaging in "guerilla warfare". Rev. Rick Joyner, Morningstar Ministries, chimed in that fundamentalists should "come in undercover." For example, a fundamentalist could go in to speak "as an athlete", but really be in the schools to push a sectarian message.

Forgetting for a second just how ethical that type of behavior is, I have to ask something. Guerilla warfare and Christians? Is it just me or do those two terms not mix?

Like the terms Sarah Palin and President of the United States.

Or Michelle Bachman and sanity.

Or Glenn Beck and intellectual restraint.

Or Rush Limbaugh and . . . never mind. It's no fun when it's too easy.

Yet again it seems that the religious right have forgone the usual Bible and now take direction from the secret one which only they have access to - the one in which Jesus said "take up your cross and smite the hell out of unbelievers with it until they believe the correct way."

For Besen's full reports, go to:

TWO Special Report: Inside 'The Awakening' Conference In Lynchburg

and

TWO Special Report: A View Inside The Right Wing Awakening Conference In Lynchburg





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Andrea Lafferty - 'Won't someone PLEASE think of the children.'


Watch CBS News Videos Online

Today, HRC Associate Director of Diversity Allyson Robinson and the Traditional Values Coalition's Andrea Lafferty appeared on CBSnews.com’s program “Washington Unplugged" debating ENDA.

It's interesting how Lafferty admits that TVC are focusing on scaring people by ignoring gays, lesbians, bisexuals component of ENDA and instead focus on how "spooky" trangenders will be "invading" the classrooms.

At first, I was hoping that Robinson would prevent Lafferty from talking over her but luckily it worked in her favor a few times as Lafferty comes across as Helen Lovejoy from The Simpsons.

But let's not be so quick to laugh. We know the game plan and though TVC is an officially designated hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, we also know that they have some Congressional influence.

So let's start making those phone calls
.



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What's wrong with a 'radical lesbian' judge? and other Tuesday midday news briefs

Traditional Values Coalition Tells Senators To Block Judicial Nominee Because She’s A ‘Radical Lesbian’ - Nothing like unfettered homophobia from TVC to start a Tuesday.

Breaking the silence of depression in the Black gay community - An important issue which doesn't get the attention it deserves.

Sputtering Start to Religious Right's Rebranding - Last weekend's religious right conference was a huge flop. Andrea Lafferty and Matt Barber did provide some good laughs though.

And yes, Mr. Nimocks: Straw men can be fired on the basis of their bullsh*t-iness - More lies about ENDA.

Openly Gay Craig Lowe Wins Gainesville Mayoral Election - Guess who won the recount?



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Obama gets heckled about DADT - Call me unimpressed




By now you have heard about how the group GetEqual heckled President Obama during his speech praising Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer.

And to tell the truth, I'm feeling a bit reticent about the entire thing because I question the credibility behind it.

Oh sure, everyone is full of revolutionary fire and anger and those who were involved in the legendary stances of Act-Up and Queer Nation are channeling memories, but is this anger genuine and sustaining and will it bleed over to other fights regarding lgbt equality?

Or can we can count on this fire to catch on for a brief second with so many of us evoking a catchy slogan (i.e. "No More Mr. Nice Gay," or "the Gay T.M. is closed")to conceptualize our anger and then whither and die.

Granted, I'm a pragmatic individual but I see the sense in direct action tactics, unless those tactics are the ends and not a means to an end.

So I can't help wondering just where will this lead? A mention on tv shows? An annoyingly self-satisfied rant of "we showed him" by various activists? Ignorant rants calling Obama a homophobe by folks who let their vitriol take over their common sense?

Meanwhile, religious right groups are covertly doing the things they do to make our lives hell, such as holding conferences, forming phony medical groups, and getting cozy with like-minded Congressional leaders.

Whether we like it or not, religious right groups are our real enemy. They have been that way before Obama came to office and they will continue to be that way after he leaves.

In the argument over lgbt equality, they are the proverbial elephant in the room, so why is it that we don't attack them with as much fervor as we go after Obama?

Where are the protests at the headquarters of the Family Research Council or Concerned Women for America? Where are the slogans aimed at them such as "Stop lying about our lives," or "Jesus never lied"?

Why aren't we disrupting them?

So while I'm intrigued by the recent of heckling of President Obama, I've seen it all before.

And I'm not impressed.



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Monday, April 19, 2010

Warning issued about American College of Pediatricians membership

One good thing that has come out of the controversy regarding the American College of Pediatricians (ACP) is the attention now focused on how religious right organizations create shell groups in order to spread their homophobic garbage.

Groups and individuals such as Dr. Francis Collins, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and Dr. Gary Remafedi have gone public denouncing the ACP. And now, more critical information about ACP comes from the group TransActive, a group which provides support to improve the quality of life of transgender and gender non-conforming children, youth and their families through education, services, advocacy and research:

The American College of Pediatricians is a fringe organization that promotes social conservatism primarily by distributing misinterpreted and misrepresented information from reputable medical and research sources and discredited and highly questionable "facts" from other fringe individuals, organizations and resources such as the National Association for the Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH).

The primary goal of the American College of Pediatricians, despite claims to the contrary, is the continued marginalization, isolation, denial of equal rights and mutual respect for transgender children, youth, their families and other members of the greater LGBT population.


These lists are taken from both the American College of Pediatricians and NARTH websites. We include background information on some of those listed below where we feel that information might be helpful or useful to families and others visiting this page.

If you are the parent, caregiver, friend or advisor to a transgender or gender non-conforming child or youth, TransActive recommends AVOIDING these individuals as caregivers and to contact us if you become aware of their involvement as so-called "expert witnesses" in legal cases, policy development or other actions involving transgender identity in children and adolescents.

The list is extremely comprehensive and some of the names include

Diamond, Eugene M.D., Chicago, IllinoisEugene Diamond is a member of the Catholic Medical Association. He is on record as being opposed to providing female rape victims access to so-called "morning after" pills to prevent pregnancy as a result of the rape. In his own words, "...in all likelihood the woman is not going to become pregnant in the first place. Thus, what reasons could be given for taking any risk of [aborting a fetus]?"

Quick, Sharon M.D., Bonney Lake, Washington
Dr. Quick serves on the "Scientific Advisory Committee" of the National Association for the Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH). She has also testified in Washington state in opposition to ESSB 5297 on the grounds that "programs to prevent discrimination... will likely result in normalizing homosexuality in sexuality education." She included in her testimony the statement that, "Consistent play with traditionally opposite gender toys is one of the factors used to diagnose gender identity disorder or childhood, a condition that is associated with later [homosexuality]." To the best of our knowledge, she is no longer a practicing physician.

Ironically, Dr. Quick authored a medical ethics paper entitled "The Stones Cry Out". In this paper she decries, in defense of the unborn, that "Throughout history, people have been discriminated against because of race, religion, nationality, etc."
[Apparently, LGBT youth do NOT fall into her definition of "etc."]


 Dean Byrd, PhD, Salt Lake City, Utah
Dean Byrd is the Vice President of NARTH and an Adjunct Professor of Family Studies at the University of Utah. He is the former Director of Clinical Training at LDS Social Services and a former Clinical Professor at Brigham Young University. His training is in genetics, biochemistry and neurochemistry. He is the author of a book published in 2001 entitled "Homosexuality and the Church of Jesus Christ". In the book Dr. Byrd outlines and defends the position of the Mormon church regarding homosexual "behavior". One of the chapters of this book is entitled: "The Degree of Sin That Homosexual Behavior Represents".


Rick Fitzgibbons, MD, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Dr. Richard Fitzgibbons is the director of the Institute for Marital Healing and a consultant to the Congregation for Clergy at the Vatican. He is also a member of NARTH's "Scientific Advisory Committee" and a member of the Catholic Medical Association. As stated on the NARTH website, Dr. Fitzgibbons is critical of many programs in the public schools that portray the gay lifestyle as healthy: "Many of these educational programs attempt to mask their true goals by the use of names such as diversity, tolerance or 'no name-calling weeks' when, in fact, they attempt to undermine the Church's teaching on marriage, human sexuality and, now child-rearing."

 
Arthur Goldberg, JD, CRS, BCPC, Jersey City, New Jersey
Arthur Goldberg serves as co-director of JONAH (Jews Offering New Alternatives for Homosexuality). Red Heifer Press in Los Angeles published his recent text on homosexuality, psychology, and biblical principles entitled "Light in the Closet! Torah, Homosexuality and the Power to Change"


Trayce Hansen, PhD, San Marcos, California
Dr. Hansen consults on legal cases and has testified in both deposition and court hearings related to her professional expertise. She authored an article entitled "Children Raised by Openly Homosexual Parents More Likely to Engage in Homosexuality" that was featured on the Anglican Mainstream website. In that article she states: "No one knows for sure by what complex mechanisms homosexual parents disproportionately rear homosexual children. But regardless of how, it appears they do. The public needs to be made aware of the findings of these studies so that when courts adjudicate and citizens vote on issues related to homosexuality, they're fully informed as to the possible consequences of those decisions on children."

The full list is here.



Hat tip to Truth Wins Out.





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Has Sen. Lindsey Graham been outed by his own people? and other Monday midday news briefs

Greenville, SC Tea Party rally calls out GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham for being gay - Has Senator Lindsey Graham been outed?

Wayne Went to the Gatherin’ O’ the Crazies at Liberty University; Peter LaBarbera Reports! - Wayne Besen attended that crazy conference held at Liberty University last week. And he did it without the courtesy of holy water.

Duke College Republicans chairman claims he was ousted over sexual orientation - Whoops!

FRC Calls for Impeachment Over National Day of Prayer Ruling - Cue the violins.

Focus on the Family's ME outpost: Gay tolerance will destroy America, just like it did the World Trade Center - Tastless. just pure tasteless.



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