Conservatives already labeling judge as 'bully'

Ryan T. Anderson

It begins.

Some conservatives are not happy with yesterday's deliberations in front of the US Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals where state attorneys defending marriage equality bans in Wisconsin and Indiana got practically ripped by the three judge panel.

Chris Geidner of Buzzfeed called it "the most lopsided arguments over marriage bans at a federal appeals court this year . . ." while  I said we can expect to hear whining about "activist judges" spewing from the right.

I didn't know it would come this soon.

Ryan T. Anderson of the Heritage Foundation has slowly but steadily become the new defender of marriage equality bans on a supposedly intellectual basis. He sent out the following tweet outlining a complaint about one of the judges:

"Posner is a bully ... [other] judges, even who disagree with the lawyers, managed to be courteous and respectful." http://t.co/9UR0Yv3ylq
— Ryan T. Anderson (@RyanT_Anderson) August 27, 2014

Anderson's tweet was referring to Justice Richard Posner, a Reagan appointee who was the most aggressive in skewering the defenders of the marriage equality ban during yesterday's trial.

If the judges rule in our favor, I expect other besides Anderson will be pulling the "he was an activist bully" card against Posner. But what folks like Anderson mischaracterize (probably deliberately) as bullying is an adherence to facts and lack of patience for people with virtually no argument to support their point of view.

In other words, don't blame the judge because your argument is lousy.

'ESPN regrets report on Michael Sam's showering habits' & other Wednesday midday news briefs

ESPN ‘Regrets’ Report About Michael Sam’s Locker Room Showering Habits - Uh yeah. It was a dumb report.  

His other tactics failing, NOM president turns to anti-trans fear-mongering - For NOM President Brian Brown, "good values" always lie in finding the convenient scapegoat. 

Two Guys Are Traveling Across The United States To Photograph LGBT Families And Couples - This is a wonderful idea. 

McCrory Asked Not To Defend NC Gay Marriage Ban - McCrory would be wise to listen what happened yesterday in court to the defendants of marriage equality bans in Wisconsin and Indiana. It should be easy for him to make a decision then.

 Anti-Gay Pastor And Likely GOP Congressman Quotes Gay Icon, Pretends Thomas Jefferson Said It - And this guy WILL most likely be in Congress next year. Loooord . . .

'Gays want children' lie seems to never die

Yet another anti-gay group - this time, Truth in Action Ministries -pushing nonsense about how gays are supposedly "infiltrating schools" and "indoctrinating" students. And they are also pthrowing the "religious liberty" argument in the mix. But like every time in which the anti-gay folks push such nonsense, two realities are ignored - children who are lgbt and children from same-sex households.

The deliberate attempt to ignore the latter is something that always sticks in my craw. Do they think that children from same-sex households not attend public schools? Perhaps they think that these children are put in suspended animation during the day and are only thawed out when gay folks need photo ops or news footage in order to make the case for gay adoption.

Then again, never mind I said that. I don't want to give these folks ideas. They are so desperate for new material.

The fact of the matter is this - lgbt children and children from same-sex families attend public schools. That's a fact you cannot ignore. And their rights to speak and hear about themselves and see their families represented trumps any nonsensical argument drudged up to render them invisible.

Hat tip to Right Wing Watch.

Disastrous day in court cripples gay marriage opponents

Marriage equality opponents apparently had an awful day in court in their attempts to defend gay marriage bans in several states. According to the Washington Blade:

A three-judge panel of the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday skewered state attorneys defending bans on same-sex marriage in Wisconsin and Indiana. The judges who heard the lawsuits — one seeking to overturn the ban on same-sex marriage in Wisconsin, the other in Indiana — consisted of Richard Posner, a Reagan appointee; Ann Claire Williams, a Clinton appointee; and David Hamilton, an Obama appointee. Based on the skepticism these judges expressed regarding marriage bans in these states, the panel seems headed toward deciding 3-0 in favor of marriage equality. Posner was most aggressive in the questioning of attorneys defending bans on same-sex marriage.

  . . Posner asked why sterile opposite-sex couples should be allowed to wed. Posner was similarly frustrated with Wisconsin Assistant Attorney General Timothy Samuelson when the lawyer couldn’t answer why allowing same-sex couples to wed might have a negative impact other than by observing the institution of no-fault divorce led to an increase in the dissolution of marriages. When Samuelson said he wasn’t prepared for the question and could respond later in a brief, Posner retorted, “How can you brief it, if you don’t know anything about it?”

Twice during the arguments, Posner cited a friend-of-the-court brief from the LGBT group known as the Family Equality Council, pointing out the harms faced by children with same-sex parents because their parents don’t have access to marriage. The judge brought up a statistic that between 200,000 and 250,000 children are without guardians and eligible for adoption. Speaking later of same-sex marriage during the arguments, Posner said, “We think, or at least I think, it’s good for the kids.” 

Chris Geidner of Buzzfeed called today's deliberations "the most lopsided arguments over marriage bans at a federal appeals court this year . . ."

He also said:

From the start of the arguments over Indiana’s ban at a little past 9:30 a.m. until the end of the arguments over Wisconsin’s ban at 11:11 a.m., 7th Circuit Judges Richard Posner, Ann Claire Williams, and David Hamilton pounded the two lawyers defending the bans with dismissive, incredulous questions about the basis and purpose for their respective states’ bans.

For the lawyers representing the same-sex couples, the judges almost assumed that the bans violate the constitutional guarantee of equal protection of the laws. The only question in the hearing Tuesday was whether the bans also violated due-process guarantees because marriage is a fundamental right.

In other words, get ready for more weeping and whining about "activist judges" from the religious right. I can almost hear that lovely music now.
 

'Five religious right myths about sex' & other Tuesday midday news briefs

Christianity’s shame game: 5 dangerous & ridiculous sex myths spread by the religious right - and you just KNOW that we are included in this list. 

Pat Robertson: Teen Boy Might Be Gay Because He Lives With Single Mom - Why in gay hell would anyone, and I mean ANYONE, ask Pat Robertson's advice for anything?

 The One Political Moment From The Emmys - The Normal Heart won 'Outstanding Television Movie' last night at the Emmys and director Ryan Murphy took the time to encourage more activism. 

 
Klingenschmitt 'Apologizes' For Accusing Rep. Jared Polis Of Wanting To Join ISIS & Behead Christians - In which we learn that an apology from an anti-gay figure is almost as bad as the original offense. 

Health Care Fears Loom Large In Gay Marriage Cases - Excellent point!

Human Rights Campaign: Anti-gay group is exporting homophobia to foreign countries

The Human Rights Campaign has come out with an explosive report on the World Congress of Families, an anti-gay group which seems to be operating by exporting homophobia under all of our noses:

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation, the educational arm of the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, today released a new report that exposes one of the most influential groups in America promoting and coordinating the exportation of anti-LGBT bigotry, ideology, and legislation abroad: The World Congress of Families.

Labeled a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, and active in several nations across five continents, the Rockford, IL-based World Congress of Families (WCF) has organized large international “pro-family” conventions that bring together the most fringe activists engaged in anti-LGBT extremism since 1997.  In July, WCF announced that its next annual international convention will take place in Salt Lake City, making it the first ever hosted on American soil.

“The World Congress of Families coordinates a dangerous group of activists spreading anti-LGBT rhetoric and promoting laws and policies that criminalize LGBT people and the speech of those who support them,” said Ty Cobb, HRC Foundation’s Director of Global Engagement.  “They praise Vladimir Putin as the standard-bearer for traditional ‘family values’ and honored a Nigerian activist who claims LGBT advocates conspire with the terrorist group Boko Haram with a “Woman of the Year” award.  Their advocacy abroad harms LGBT people from Russia to Nigeria and beyond.  Hate is not an American value, and we must expose and work to stop the World Congress of Families and their extremist allies.”

HRC Foundation’s report documents: WCF’s origins and founding members; a timeline of its major international events; affiliations with prominent American officials, political groups, and religious organizations; engagement and lobbying with leaders and lawmakers abroad; and the primary regions in which the group has been most active.

Uganda, Russia, and Nigeria have enacted horrific anti-LGBT laws within the past year, and LGBT people in those countries have suffered vicious and violent backlashes in their wake. This includes harassment, discrimination, prosecution, public beatings, and murder. WCF and its affiliates are connected to anti-LGBT advocacy in each of the three countries, among many others.

WCF affiliate Scott Lively traveled repeatedly to Uganda claiming that LGBT people are responsible for the Holocaust, the Rwandan genocide and the spread of HIV/AIDS.  Some Ugandan officials credit Lively with the idea of introducing new legislation to further criminalize homosexuality in the country, and prominent Ugandan LGBT activists say the "bill is essentially his creation."  WCF also forcefully advocated for the draconian anti-LGBT Russian law, met with the law’s author in the Russian Duma, and released a public letter in support of the measure. WCF has also repeatedly hosted events in Nigeria with “pro-family” activists from Nigeria and elsewhere in Africa.

'An amendment to put gays in jail . . .' & other Monday midday news briefs

From Jeremy Hooper comes this above "gem" - Video: Preacher Michael Wilson calls for amendment to imprison gay people. Anti-gay preachers are like reality tv shows. They are large in number and each is more crappier than the last.  

Joseph Farah: Being Against Same-Sex Marriage Is A Sexual Orientation - When I began this blog in 2006, my biggest concern was how anti-gay spokespeople and groups was pushing cherry-picked science and junk studies in order to demonize the lgbt community. Now my biggest concern is that these folks are just plumb crazy.

 Mike Huckabee Pleads With Australia To Stop Canceling Anti-Gay Hate Group Conference Venues - My heart bleeds for him AND them (HUGE sarcasm alert). 

 Gay firefighter seeks equal benefits - And she deserves them. 

Lodge agrees to pay for gay couple's wedding after initially refusing to host it - The sweet smell of justice in a Monday afternoon . . .

Family Research Council continues pushing flawed, outdated anti-gay study

FRC president Tony Perkins

Editor's note - I've written about following Family Research Council study, Comparing the Lifestyles of Homosexual Couples to Married Couples, several times. However the fact that the organization continues to push it as "trending" on its webpage gives me another opportunity to show how FRC distorts and cherry-picks information in order to demonize the lgbt community. So much for "Christian" values.

On the Family Research Council's webpage, this study, Comparing the Lifestyles of Homosexual Couples to Married Couples,  is supposedly "trending."  That's not necessarily a good thing because it is flawed on so many levels. The headline should give you an indication of one flaw, i.e. the comparison of  homosexual couples to married heterosexual couples.The study ignores the simple fact that lgbts can now marry in several states. 

 

Another flaw is that the study is highly out-of-date. Its author, Timothy Dailey, hasn't been employed by FRC for a number of years now. As a matter of fact, I pointed out several flaws in Comparing the Lifestyles of Homosexual Couples to Married Couples as far back as 2009.

Allow me to do a recap. Amongst the errors, Comparing the Lifestyles of Homosexual Couples to Married Couples contains:

 

- A citation of the book Homosexualities: A Study of Diversity Among Men and Women by Alan Bell and Martin Weinberg as a correct generalization of lgbt sexual habits despite the fact that it was published in 1978 and was not meant by the authors to be a correct assessment of the lgbt community in general.  A passage from Homosexualities clearly says:

“. . . given the variety of circumstances which discourage homosexuals from participating in research studies, it is unlikely that any investigator will ever be in a position to say that this or that is true of a given percentage of all homosexuals.”

- A citation of the book The Male Couple: How Relationships Develop by David P. McWhirter and Andrew M. Mattison despite the fact that the book was written 1984 and was not meant to be a correct assessment of the lgbt community in general.  A passage from The Male Couple says:

“We always have been very careful to explain that the very nature of our research sample, its size (156 couples), its narrow geographic location, and the natural selectiveness of the participants prevents the findings from being applicable and generalizable to the entire gay
male community.”

'Gay Christians making religious right crazy' & other Friday midday news briefs

Liberty Counsel: Acceptance Of Gay Christians May Be A Sign Of The End Times - For Pete's sake, a Christian singing star comes out of the closet and some folks lose their cookies. 

A Year Later, "Nothing" Has Changed Since Transgender Woman Islan Nettles Was Killed - Lest we forget . . .

 Emails Reveal School Canceled Musical For ‘Homosexual Themes,’ Then Lied About It - In case you need to keep score - homosexuality = ultra big MEGA sin. Lying - eh as long as its about them homosexuals.  

These Little Boys Are Quashing Gender Stereotypes Without Even Trying - Excellent piece!

Nashville Mayor Karl Dean Comes Out for Marriage Equality - Good for him!

Two awesome videos spell out argument for marriage equality

I was looking on youtube last night and found these two old, but stunning videos supporting marriage equality. In the future, we need to take a cue from them:

 

Bryan Fischer hates gay sex but loves talking about it . . .

For someone who claims to not like homosexual sex, why does Bryan Fischer keep talking about it. I'm just saying . ..

'APP shows real victims of anti-lgbt discrimination' & other Thursday midday news briefs

LGBT Customers Sound Off On Their Experiences With Anti-Gay Discrimination At Restaurants, Businesses - With the religious right attempting to make those who discriminate against lgbts look like victims, this new app lets America see just WHO is really hurt by anti-lgbt discrimination.

AFA's daily prayer equates homosexuality with incest, bestiality, pedophilia - One would think that those who call themselves Christians would pray for peace and love. God don't want to know your kinks, AFA.  

Evangelical Hatemonger Scott Lively Qualifies For November Ballot As Independent: VIDEO - Lord, hammercy! Don't let me down, Massachusetts!  

Randy Thomasson Claims LGBT-Inclusive Schools Make Students 'Enemies of God' - Oh brother! Not another "children aren't learning the real risks of homosexual behavior" lie. Sorry Mr. Thomasson but children will not be taught such things like gays stuff gerbils up our patooties.  

Department Of Labor Extends Employment Protections To Transgender Workers - GOOD!

Are you ready for 'Armagayddon?'

The following video is a parody from Ireland done by a pro-lgbt group in anticipation of a national referendum regarding marriage equality.



The question is how many anti-marriage equality folks will take it seriously.

'Anti-gay tactics FAIL in Arkansas' & other Wednesday midday news briefs

Fayetteville, Arkansas, Passes LGBT-Inclusive Nondiscrimination Law - Perhaps reality tv star Michelle Duggar should go back to what she knows. And if you know why she is famous, you'll know what I'm talking about. 

8-year-old allegedly murdered by mother who called him gay - Read at your own risk. I didn't want to post this but it's important to ask just who was the real threat here? An eight-year-old boy who played with dolls or his "mother" who murdered him. Remember that.  

Federal Judge Blasts Indiana Governor For Hypocrisy In Marriage Equality Decision - I loathe Gov. Mike Pence with a passion. He got what he deserves here - public rebuke.  

AFA's Ed Vitigliano Struggles To Understand Why 'Very Pretty Lady' Vicky Beeching Is A Lesbian - I would criticize but I think kinda the same thing - in the opposite manner - every time I see Rob Kardashian, Jackie Earle Haley, Peter Dinklage, Dov Tiefenbach, Kal Penn, Nate Torrence, Jim Gaffigan, Noel Fischer, Patton Oswald (shut up), Chris Parnell . . . .  

Chris Kluwe, Minnesota Vikings Reach Settlement To Avert Lawsuit - And guess WHO that settlement money is going to. NOW THIS is being an ally!

NOM ally creates vicious word salad to attack same-sex families

In a classic case of lgbts being helped by those who oppose us, NOM ally and extreme anti-gay activist Robert Oscar Lopez says he would support marriage equality, except for one thing - the fact that some gay couples are raising children. And I say, after hearing him express what that one thing is, what a damn creep:

'Reality tv star compares transgender women to sexual predators' & other Tuesday midday news briefs

Michelle Duggar Records Transphobic Robocall Opposing Arkansas Anti-Discrimination Bill - Michelle Duggar is a reality tv star whose claim to fame is that she is "Christian" and has 19 children. In religious right reality, that more than qualifies her to make ugly robocalls comparing transgender women to child predators for daring to want to use public restrooms. And no doubt whining about "persecution" when she gets criticized for it. 

Creationist's Noah's Ark Theme Park Gets $18 Million Tax Break, Won't Hire Gays, Atheists - Excuse me? Oh hell no!

Activist: Ban breastfeeding in public, because it promotes ‘gay pride’ - Oh my Lord Jesus!

Fischer: Gays Are Inherently Disqualified From Serving In Public Office - What?  

 Transgender Student Who Was Reportedly Banned From Her School Receives Good News - Too much insanity. I HAD to end today's news briefs with something positive.

Barbwire proves racism, homophobia go hand-in-hand

I've railed against BarbWire, the publication founded by the Liberty Counsel's Matt Barber, because of it's blatant homophobia in running photos like such:

As well as its publishing of unsubstantiated tripe linking lgbts to pedophilia and claiming that President Obama is attempting top commit genocide on Americans.

Now it looks like there should be a new charge against this supposed "Christian" news source. It's blatantly racist.

The awful situation in Ferguson which began with the shooting of an unarmed black teenager Michael Brown has elicited many passionate responses, from rioting to soul-searching columns and articles about how America treats her African-American male citizens.

To BarbWire, however, it's an opportunity to rail against black men and bear false witness against the deceased young man. This supposed Christian publication posted tripe from various internet sites (unsubstantiated of course) accusing Brown of being a "thug" and claiming that he rushed the police. The site also pushed more stuff like the following:

9 Things To Think About Before You Start Rioting And Looting

To make matters worse, it also published pictures of Brown supposed flashing gang symbols:

All of which goes to prove that perhaps the gay equality movement and the African-American civil rights movement are alike in one aspect.

We seem to have the same enemies.

FRC's Peter Sprigg exploits Robin Williams' death to push 'ex-gay' therapy

Peter Sprigg

I've railed on the Family Research Council's Peter Sprigg on numerous occasions for his eagerness to smear the lgbt community via cherry-picked and discredited information so very little this man does surprises me. However, I am speechless at the poor taste and extremely bad judgement behind exploiting Robin Williams' recent suicide to push the phony science of 'ex-gay' therapy.

From Equality Matters:

In an August 18 post for the FRC’s blog, Senior Fellow for Policy Studies Peter Sprigg compared the late actor’s struggles with addiction and depression to people struggling with “unwanted same-sex attractions.” Noting that states like California and New Jersey have banned so-called “sexual reorientation therapy” – which is opposed by the American Psychological Association and has been associated with psychological damage in patients – Sprigg asked why social liberals aren’t also trying to “outlaw rehab”:

In the wake of Williams’ suicide, many TV commentators and friends of the late star talked about the challenges of mental illness (Williams suffered from depression), addictions — and rehab. I saw comedian Andy Dick say, “I’ve been to rehab seventeen times.”

In light of this history, I have only one question for socially liberal political activists — why aren’t you trying to outlaw rehab?

I ask the question because such activists are trying to ban a form of mental health treatment — not drug and alcohol rehabilitation, but “sexual orientation change efforts” (“SOCE”), also known as “sexual reorientation therapy.” Such therapy involves assisting people with unwanted same-sex attractions to overcome them.

Why would someone want to change their sexual orientation? Some such individuals are simply disillusioned by their experiences in homosexual relationships. Some have legitimate concern about the well-documented health problems associated with homosexual conduct (especially among men), such as high rates of sexually transmitted diseases, of which HIV/AIDS is only one example. Others may seek help in conforming their behavior and lifestyle to the teaching of the religious faith to which they are committed. Some may aspire to a traditional family life, raising children in a home with both their mother and father present.

Whatever the motivation, there are those who have simply made a choice to walk away from the homosexual lifestyle, without clinical help — much like how Robin Williams simply stopped using drugs and alcohol in the 1980’s. Others have sought professional help, perhaps at the urging of family members, in the form of “sexual reorientation therapy” — much like when Williams entered a formal alcohol rehab program in 2006. Whether simply through personal development, religious counseling, or with the help of a licensed or unlicensed counselor, thousands (if not millions) of people have experienced significant changes in one or more of the elements of their sexual orientation (attractions, behavior, or self-identification). [emphasis added]

The sad irony is that junk like what Sprigg wrote contributes to the depression rate in lgbts. And it proves that no matter how much of a Christian veneer it seeks to put on, trash can't help but be trash.

The link to Sprigg's post is above and it includes a comment section. Feel free to weigh in. However, if you comment, make those comments in a polite, respectful manner displaying righteous indignation, but not wanton ignorance.

'Group creates 'homosexual evacuation plan'' & other Monday midday news briefs

You too can have your own "Homosexual Evacuation Plan" - The 'ex-gay' group PFOX must be running out of ideas if they are pushing the above. And would you believe it? There is more on this link thanks to Jeremy Hooper.

WATCH: Man Sues After Being Diagnosed as 'Chronic' Homosexual - MY problem isn't 'chronic homosexuality.' MY problem is 'chronic celibacy.'  

Christian Post Blogger Blames Terrorist Attacks On Gay Rights - But of course he is . . .

 FDA Refused To Use Teen Organ Donor's Eyes Because He Was Gay: How Organs And Tissue Differ When It Comes To Donation - Give me a fricking break. Aren't there tests they can do AFTER accepting the donations?  

Gavin McInnes Placed On 'Indefinite Leave' From Rooster Following Transphobic Article - For an article so vile and transphobic, he had to go. Such is the new age. Don't put anything down in writing that can bite you in the tuckus.

'New York - wedding venues can't discriminate' & other Friday afternoon news briefs

Wedding Venues Can't Discriminate Against Same-Sex Couples, New York State Agency Rules - That's right! That's right! 

Alex McFarland: Homosexuality Is Satanic, Cuts Life Expectancy By Twenty Years - They know this junk is a lie but they keep repeating it. Fine. We will keep knocking it down.  

American Bar Association Unanimously Endorses LGBT Nondiscrimination Protections - It's rare that I quote a Disney villain but (and guess who this one is) - "Boom ba dah boom boom boom!" 

Facebook Donates $10,000 To Politician Fighting Gay Marriage - The explanation for this one ought to be EPIC! It had better be. 

 This Family's Reaction To Their Dad Coming Out Is Nothing Short Of Inspiring - Let's end this rough week on a happy note.