Official Pre-Press Release of My Book
This press release has already gone out to various folks:
Upcoming book exposes religious right’s love of junk science
Author claims “pro-family” groups rely on bad studies for their claims about the gay and lesbian community
March 29, 2007 - - According to an upcoming book, the religious right routinely smear the gay and lesbian community through junk science and distortions.Freelance author Alvin McEwen spent two years studying religious right claims regarding the gay and lesbian community. He claims to have found a disturbing pattern of deception which he will reveal in Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters: Exposing the Anti-Gay Industry.
“James Dobson and other members of the religious right claim to operate from a Biblical standpoint,” McEwen, ‘but their behavior has been anything but Christian. They have created a litany of lies which they use to defeat pro-gay laws and ordinances."
One item McEwen’s book examines is the religious right’s dependency on the work of researcher Paul Cameron. Cameron’s studies supposedly prove that the majority of gay men are pedophiles who have a short life span. However, his work has been discredited on a number of occasions and led him to receive a dismissal from the American Psychological Association, censure by other organizations, and public rebukes by such people as former Secretary of Education William Bennett.
“But the religious right constantly cite his work while omitting his sordid history, which they are fully aware of,” McEwen said. “The majority of their claims about the gay and lesbian community are rooted in some form or another from his distortions.”
Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters also reveal several incidents in which legitimate researchers, psychologists, and physicians have gone on record complaining as to how the religious right distorts their work.
One case, McEwen said, involves a claim that a 1997 Canadian study proves that gay men have a short life span.
“The religious right always fail to mention that in 2001, the authors of the study said that their work was being distorted,” McEwen said.
And this is not an isolated incident.McEwen said that other times in which there have been complaints about distortions, so-called “pro-family” groups either ignored the researchers or accused them of having a “pro-gay” bias.
Other topics covered in Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters are the six distortion techniques of the religious right and how they distort sexual health information.
Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters will be available for sale later this year through various online bookstores.
“At the very least, this book is a way for the gay and lesbian community to educate themselves,” McEwen said.
Anyone wanting further information, including how to receive press packets and excerpts or to be put on a list so they can be informed when the book is available for sale can email Alvin McEwen at CharleKenghis@aol.com
Progress of the book can be checked via http://holybulliesandheadlessmonsters.blogspot.com/
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Wipe your mouths, boys. Your drool is showing.
Word came down today that something many thought was a hate crime may not have been so:
The cousin of a 72-year-old gay man whose death became a national focus for gay rights advocates and a catalyst for legislation said Thursday she won't stop asking questions even if police have.
Athena Fedenis said she was stunned to learn that Detroit police have closed their probe into last month's death of Andrew Anthos after the department was unable to find witnesses to a beating. It also stopped the investigation after the Wayne County medical examiner's office ruled Anthos fell because he had an arthritic neck, not because he was struck by an assailant during a hate-fueled attack.
According to Fedenis and other family members, Anthos said he was riding a city bus home from the library on Feb. 13 when a young man asked him if he was gay and called him a "faggot."
Naturally, our friend Peter at Americans For Truth (in name only) is spinning what happened as a plot by the gay community to force hate crimes protection. And I am sure that in the coming days, assorted bloggers and anti-gay industry groups will be sounding the drumbeat.
But don't get to happy, guys.
While they seem to be salivating over the possibility of catching the gay community in a degree of unchecked stridency in which some of us may have jumped the gun, I am not worried.
The anti-gay industry will overplay their hand in this matter. They always do.
Whatever the truth is about Mr. Andros's case, it still does not take away the fact that hate crimes protections still exists and this new law being pushed through Congress will merely add sexual orientation to the list of protections (the others being race, religion, and natural origin).
Why is it so hard for Focus on the Family, the Traditional Values Coalition, etc. to explain how adding sexual orientation to hate crimes legislation will cause Christians to be persecuted when the other categories have not caused any problems.
For those wanting more information, John Aravois nails the anti-gay industry over their lies
I guess it is easier to lie and distort even if you consider yourself a Christian.
And speaking of lies, while Peter and company are bitching about the Andros case:
The American Family Association is still selling It's Not Gay, featuring Michael Johnston claiming that he is no longer gay. Keep in mind that while he was making this claim, Johnston was having unprotected sex with gay men, despite the fact that he is HIV positive.
And Americans For Truth (in name only) still features the new phony study from Paul Cameron, ignoring his history of distortion and censure.
So boys, before you attack the gay and lesbian community for the Andros case, look to yourselves.
Even wannabe Christians who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
Word came down today that something many thought was a hate crime may not have been so:
The cousin of a 72-year-old gay man whose death became a national focus for gay rights advocates and a catalyst for legislation said Thursday she won't stop asking questions even if police have.
Athena Fedenis said she was stunned to learn that Detroit police have closed their probe into last month's death of Andrew Anthos after the department was unable to find witnesses to a beating. It also stopped the investigation after the Wayne County medical examiner's office ruled Anthos fell because he had an arthritic neck, not because he was struck by an assailant during a hate-fueled attack.
According to Fedenis and other family members, Anthos said he was riding a city bus home from the library on Feb. 13 when a young man asked him if he was gay and called him a "faggot."
Naturally, our friend Peter at Americans For Truth (in name only) is spinning what happened as a plot by the gay community to force hate crimes protection. And I am sure that in the coming days, assorted bloggers and anti-gay industry groups will be sounding the drumbeat.
But don't get to happy, guys.
While they seem to be salivating over the possibility of catching the gay community in a degree of unchecked stridency in which some of us may have jumped the gun, I am not worried.
The anti-gay industry will overplay their hand in this matter. They always do.
Whatever the truth is about Mr. Andros's case, it still does not take away the fact that hate crimes protections still exists and this new law being pushed through Congress will merely add sexual orientation to the list of protections (the others being race, religion, and natural origin).
Why is it so hard for Focus on the Family, the Traditional Values Coalition, etc. to explain how adding sexual orientation to hate crimes legislation will cause Christians to be persecuted when the other categories have not caused any problems.
For those wanting more information, John Aravois nails the anti-gay industry over their lies
I guess it is easier to lie and distort even if you consider yourself a Christian.
And speaking of lies, while Peter and company are bitching about the Andros case:
The American Family Association is still selling It's Not Gay, featuring Michael Johnston claiming that he is no longer gay. Keep in mind that while he was making this claim, Johnston was having unprotected sex with gay men, despite the fact that he is HIV positive.
And Americans For Truth (in name only) still features the new phony study from Paul Cameron, ignoring his history of distortion and censure.
So boys, before you attack the gay and lesbian community for the Andros case, look to yourselves.
Even wannabe Christians who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Why we need non-discrimination laws
Some folks consider South Carolina to be backwards.
Naturally I don't agree because it's my home state and I love it.
But sometimes, I swear . . .
Check out this recent incident:
Couple: Hotel Wouldn't Rent to Us Because We're Gay
(Sumter) - A gay couple looking to rent a room say they were told by a local motel that it was against company policy to rent to gay couples.
The hotel is the Affordable Suites of America in Sumter.
For the past two and a half years, Jason Pickel and Darren Black Bear have been a committed couple. They recently exchanged bands, and Tuesday, their search for a temporary place to call home brought thtem to Affordable Suites, a long-term hotel in Sumter, where the couple says they were far from welcome.
"We were inquiring about the price, deposits, extra person fee, and she asked who the was going to be for, and I said for my partner and I,” Pickel said. “She said, 'oh we don't rent to multiple people of the same sex. I said, so you don't rent to gay couples, and she said no we don't rent to gay people at all."
They say they couldn't believe what they were hearing, but they say the woman working the front desk made the message very clear.
"She was like 'no we do not, no we do not...she was very assertive about it," they said.
The website for Affordable Suites of America states the company does not allow children or pets in its suites, but there's no mention of same sex couples. So News19 decided to contact the hotel. We posed as a potential renter, and inquired about two men staying in the same room.
The receptionist who answered the phone told us the following:“Our policy is we don’t’ rent to two people of the same sex if we only have one bed.” “Is that your policy,” we asked. “That’s corporate policy because they only have one sleeping area.” We then asked, “Okay, but they can't share the bed?” "I suppose they could, but most men don’t want to,"
However, when we contacted the owner of the hotel, Carroll Atkisson, he says there had been some confusion. He says any couple can come to the place and they will rent to them, period. Atkisson says the policy was not mean to target homosexuals. He says they were just trying to stop two single people from being in the same bed.
Pickel and Black Bear say they still plan to seek legal action.
Currently, there is no state law preventing a hotel from refusing service to a same-sex couple. However, it is illegal to discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, disability, or marital status.
"If they have a policy, it has to be maintained fair and equitably," says Tom Sponseller, the President of the Hospitality Association of South Carolina. "At the beach, for example, because there are different bike weekends at the beach, that policy has to be enforced, and consistent."
There is currently a bill in the State Senate that addresses this issue. The measure, proposed by Charleston Democrat Robert Ford, would expand the Lodging Establishment Act to include prohibition of discrimination because of sexual orientation or gender identity.
Bottom line: We need laws to keep things like this from happening. It's not about some "gay agenda," or an attempt to criminalize Christians.
It's only about fairness.
Some folks consider South Carolina to be backwards.
Naturally I don't agree because it's my home state and I love it.
But sometimes, I swear . . .
Check out this recent incident:
Couple: Hotel Wouldn't Rent to Us Because We're Gay
(Sumter) - A gay couple looking to rent a room say they were told by a local motel that it was against company policy to rent to gay couples.
The hotel is the Affordable Suites of America in Sumter.
For the past two and a half years, Jason Pickel and Darren Black Bear have been a committed couple. They recently exchanged bands, and Tuesday, their search for a temporary place to call home brought thtem to Affordable Suites, a long-term hotel in Sumter, where the couple says they were far from welcome.
"We were inquiring about the price, deposits, extra person fee, and she asked who the was going to be for, and I said for my partner and I,” Pickel said. “She said, 'oh we don't rent to multiple people of the same sex. I said, so you don't rent to gay couples, and she said no we don't rent to gay people at all."
They say they couldn't believe what they were hearing, but they say the woman working the front desk made the message very clear.
"She was like 'no we do not, no we do not...she was very assertive about it," they said.
The website for Affordable Suites of America states the company does not allow children or pets in its suites, but there's no mention of same sex couples. So News19 decided to contact the hotel. We posed as a potential renter, and inquired about two men staying in the same room.
The receptionist who answered the phone told us the following:“Our policy is we don’t’ rent to two people of the same sex if we only have one bed.” “Is that your policy,” we asked. “That’s corporate policy because they only have one sleeping area.” We then asked, “Okay, but they can't share the bed?” "I suppose they could, but most men don’t want to,"
However, when we contacted the owner of the hotel, Carroll Atkisson, he says there had been some confusion. He says any couple can come to the place and they will rent to them, period. Atkisson says the policy was not mean to target homosexuals. He says they were just trying to stop two single people from being in the same bed.
Pickel and Black Bear say they still plan to seek legal action.
Currently, there is no state law preventing a hotel from refusing service to a same-sex couple. However, it is illegal to discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, disability, or marital status.
"If they have a policy, it has to be maintained fair and equitably," says Tom Sponseller, the President of the Hospitality Association of South Carolina. "At the beach, for example, because there are different bike weekends at the beach, that policy has to be enforced, and consistent."
There is currently a bill in the State Senate that addresses this issue. The measure, proposed by Charleston Democrat Robert Ford, would expand the Lodging Establishment Act to include prohibition of discrimination because of sexual orientation or gender identity.
Bottom line: We need laws to keep things like this from happening. It's not about some "gay agenda," or an attempt to criminalize Christians.
It's only about fairness.
Paul Cameron, meet Peter LaBarbera
Peter LaBarbera, meet Paul Cameron
Cameron's lie about the supposed gay life span has hit the big time, so to speak, courtesy of our friend Peter LaBarbera and his group, Americans for Truth (in name only):
Canadian Research Suggests only 1.4% of Adults Homosexual
Readers should know that the same homosexual activist movement that now dismisses the Camerons’ research had, for decades, intentionally spread the myth — derived from homosexual sex researcher Alfred Kinsey’s fraudulent data — that “10 percent” of society was “gay.” – Peter LaBarbera
PHILADELPHIA, March 27, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - According to two researchers, the largest random sex survey ever conducted has reported that only 1.4% of adults engaged in homosexual behavior. Analyzing a 2003 Canadian Community survey of 121,300 adults, Drs. Paul and Kirk Cameron told attendees of the Eastern Psychological Association Convention that 2% of 18-44 year olds, 1% of 50 year olds, and only a third of a percent of subjects 60+ considered themselves homosexual. Thus homosexual activity was much more common among younger adults.
This entry solidifies Peter's absolute obsession with all things gay. Except for a brief burst of euphoria after Bush was re-elected in 2004, the anti-gay industry were careful to cite Cameron's studies, but not list his name. This is because they knew of his history.
For some reason, Peter seems to think that Cameron's problems are due to a "Gay Mafia." That could not be farther from the truth. Cameron relies on bad studies and distortions of legitimate work to prove his theories. He has gotten into trouble on many occasions because of this. Jim Burroway at www.boxturtlebulletin.com has written excellent reviews of Cameron's work
My upcoming book has an entire chapter on Cameron and his lies, but a little bit of information from Dr. Gregory Herek would be appropriate here:
On December 2, 1983, the American Psychological Association sent Paul Cameron a letter informing him that he had been dropped from membership. Early in 1984, all members of the American Psychological Association received official written notice that "Paul Cameron (Nebraska) was dropped from membership for a violation of the Preamble to the Ethical Principles of Psychologists" by the APA Board of Directors.
Cameron has posted an elaborate argument about his expulsion from APA on his website, claiming that he resigned from APA before he was dropped from membership. Like most organizations, however, APA does not allow a member to resign when they are being investigated. And even if Cameron's claims were accepted as true, it would be remarkable that the largest professional organization of psychologists in the United States (and other professional associations, as noted below) went to such lengths to disassociate itself from one individual.
At its membership meeting on October 19, 1984, the Nebraska Psychological Association adopted a resolution stating that it "formally disassociates itself from the representations and interpretations of scientific literature offered by Dr. Paul Cameron in his writings and public statements on sexuality."
In 1985, the American Sociological Association (ASA) adopted a resolution which asserted that "Dr. Paul Cameron has consistently misinterpreted and misrepresented sociological research on sexuality, homosexuality, and lesbianism" and noted that "Dr. Paul Cameron has repeatedly campaigned for the abrogation of the civil rights of lesbians and gay men, substantiating his call on the basis of his distorted interpretation of this research."
The resolution formally charged an ASA committee with the task of "critically evaluating and publicly responding to the work of Dr. Paul Cameron."
At its August, 1986 meeting, the ASA officially accepted the committee's report and passed the following resolution:
The American Sociological Association officially and publicly states that Paul Cameron is not a sociologist, and condemns his consistent misrepresentation of sociological research. Information on this action and a copy of the report by the Committee on the Status of Homosexuals in Sociology, "The Paul Cameron Case," is to be published in Footnotes, and be sent to the officers of all regional and state sociological associations and to the Canadian Sociological Association with a request that they alert their members to Cameron's frequent lecture and media appearances.
And here is a little bit of information from my book:
In 2005, the Boston Globe spotlighted Cameron in an article entitled Beliefs Drive Research Agenda of New Think Tanks. According to the article, when the Traditional Values Coalition was asked about Cameron, the organization responded by allegedly removing all references to Cameron from its web page. A spokesperson for the organization, Daniella Lopez, said the research had been placed on the web page by mistake.
Funny. I didn't know that the Traditional Values Coalition was pro-gay.
Peter, if you are going to cite a lie, at least have the savvy to try and cover it up.
Geez, you make me miss Robert Knight.
Peter LaBarbera, meet Paul Cameron
Cameron's lie about the supposed gay life span has hit the big time, so to speak, courtesy of our friend Peter LaBarbera and his group, Americans for Truth (in name only):
Canadian Research Suggests only 1.4% of Adults Homosexual
Readers should know that the same homosexual activist movement that now dismisses the Camerons’ research had, for decades, intentionally spread the myth — derived from homosexual sex researcher Alfred Kinsey’s fraudulent data — that “10 percent” of society was “gay.” – Peter LaBarbera
PHILADELPHIA, March 27, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - According to two researchers, the largest random sex survey ever conducted has reported that only 1.4% of adults engaged in homosexual behavior. Analyzing a 2003 Canadian Community survey of 121,300 adults, Drs. Paul and Kirk Cameron told attendees of the Eastern Psychological Association Convention that 2% of 18-44 year olds, 1% of 50 year olds, and only a third of a percent of subjects 60+ considered themselves homosexual. Thus homosexual activity was much more common among younger adults.
This entry solidifies Peter's absolute obsession with all things gay. Except for a brief burst of euphoria after Bush was re-elected in 2004, the anti-gay industry were careful to cite Cameron's studies, but not list his name. This is because they knew of his history.
For some reason, Peter seems to think that Cameron's problems are due to a "Gay Mafia." That could not be farther from the truth. Cameron relies on bad studies and distortions of legitimate work to prove his theories. He has gotten into trouble on many occasions because of this. Jim Burroway at www.boxturtlebulletin.com has written excellent reviews of Cameron's work
My upcoming book has an entire chapter on Cameron and his lies, but a little bit of information from Dr. Gregory Herek would be appropriate here:
On December 2, 1983, the American Psychological Association sent Paul Cameron a letter informing him that he had been dropped from membership. Early in 1984, all members of the American Psychological Association received official written notice that "Paul Cameron (Nebraska) was dropped from membership for a violation of the Preamble to the Ethical Principles of Psychologists" by the APA Board of Directors.
Cameron has posted an elaborate argument about his expulsion from APA on his website, claiming that he resigned from APA before he was dropped from membership. Like most organizations, however, APA does not allow a member to resign when they are being investigated. And even if Cameron's claims were accepted as true, it would be remarkable that the largest professional organization of psychologists in the United States (and other professional associations, as noted below) went to such lengths to disassociate itself from one individual.
At its membership meeting on October 19, 1984, the Nebraska Psychological Association adopted a resolution stating that it "formally disassociates itself from the representations and interpretations of scientific literature offered by Dr. Paul Cameron in his writings and public statements on sexuality."
In 1985, the American Sociological Association (ASA) adopted a resolution which asserted that "Dr. Paul Cameron has consistently misinterpreted and misrepresented sociological research on sexuality, homosexuality, and lesbianism" and noted that "Dr. Paul Cameron has repeatedly campaigned for the abrogation of the civil rights of lesbians and gay men, substantiating his call on the basis of his distorted interpretation of this research."
The resolution formally charged an ASA committee with the task of "critically evaluating and publicly responding to the work of Dr. Paul Cameron."
At its August, 1986 meeting, the ASA officially accepted the committee's report and passed the following resolution:
The American Sociological Association officially and publicly states that Paul Cameron is not a sociologist, and condemns his consistent misrepresentation of sociological research. Information on this action and a copy of the report by the Committee on the Status of Homosexuals in Sociology, "The Paul Cameron Case," is to be published in Footnotes, and be sent to the officers of all regional and state sociological associations and to the Canadian Sociological Association with a request that they alert their members to Cameron's frequent lecture and media appearances.
And here is a little bit of information from my book:
In 2005, the Boston Globe spotlighted Cameron in an article entitled Beliefs Drive Research Agenda of New Think Tanks. According to the article, when the Traditional Values Coalition was asked about Cameron, the organization responded by allegedly removing all references to Cameron from its web page. A spokesperson for the organization, Daniella Lopez, said the research had been placed on the web page by mistake.
Funny. I didn't know that the Traditional Values Coalition was pro-gay.
Peter, if you are going to cite a lie, at least have the savvy to try and cover it up.
Geez, you make me miss Robert Knight.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Three-prong attack of lies. What are we doing about it
I see that today has been a busy one for the anti-gay industry.
Adoption - This weekend, I wrote about how Paul Cameron was trying to retread his lie that gays have a short life span. It would be the third time he tried and like the first two, his observations are built on distortions (see Friday's posts).
Today, Cameron sent out another press release claiming that since he proved that gays have a short life span, they should not adopt children:
"The life span of gays is 20-plus years shorter than the life span of heterosexuals," states Dr. Paul Cameron of the Family Research Institute, a Colorado-based think tank. "This shortened lifespan," he warned, "has profound implications for adoption. On average, in Norway and Denmark -- where same-sex marriage is legal – married lesbians lived to age 56 and married gay men to age 52. So the chances that a gay-adopted child will lose one or both parents before graduating from high school are much greater than they would be with a married man and woman."
How convenient for Cameron that the anti-gay industry is trying to use the issues of gay adoption and foster care as cash cows, much like that of same-sex marriage. Arkansas is just one state that has to deal with the issue.
And don't be so quick to laugh Cameron away. While it is true that he has a dubious reputation, are we doing a good job in making sure people know about him; especially those who will cite his so-called research.
Because slowly but surely, Cameron's recent press release is being passed around, read, and believed.
Hate Crimes Legislation - The anti-gay industry have been lying about hate crimes legislation, claiming that it will lead Christians to be put in jail simply for saying that homosexuality is a sin.
This, of course, is a lie. But now they have stepped up the game.
A group, Faith2Action is now claiming that the addition of lgbts to hate crimes legislation means that a crime committed against a grandmother would rank less than a crime committed against an lgbt.
As proof of this, Faith2Action is distorting the recent court case of the protestors arrested during a gay pride parade in Philadelphia. They are even asking for money for commercials featuring the protestors who just happen to be grandmothers.
Faith2Action's efforts are being led by one Janet Folger. Folger made a name for herself in 1998 in the failed media blitz of the ex-gay groups trying to publicize the notion that gays can "change."
The media blitz failed partly because Folger admitted in a debate with gay columnist Andrew Sullivan that she supported the sodomy laws; laws that could jail lgbts for private sexual behavior.
How ironic and hypocritical of Folger.
Day of Silence - The Day of Silence, an excellent way for lgbt students to express themselves, is under fire yet again. This time, a group of so-called "pro-family" groups are encouraging families to have their children boycott the day.
The schools participating in the Day of Silence are listed in no doubt a sly way to encourage folks to call them and badger administrators with lies of a "gay agenda."
And for those who will not protest the Day of Silence, there is the Day of Truth, or a day when students are encouraged to repeat Paul Cameronesque lies about the lgbt community.
The person who seems to be at the head of all of this is Linda Harvey of Mission America.
Unfortunately, Miss Harvey's mission has nothing to do with truth:
"When people have views supporting homosexuality they should not be involved with youth in any way, period. Because they:
will provide inaccurate, misleading information to kids;
may limit a student’s opportunity to hear warnings about the behavior;
may advocate or model inappropriate behavior;
may be directly involved in the molestation of kids themselves; or
may be in a position to allow others to do so" - Fairy Tales Don’t Come True, February 13, 2006
Harvey has no training in anything remotely having to do with child care or sexual orientation issues. Her webpage lists her as a former ad executive. In other words, this woman does not know what the hell she is talking about.
Apparently Harvey thinks that being a Christian excuses her for being ignorant.
I hope no one accuses me of being paranoid when I say that these events happening so close to each other does not strike me as coincidental.
This three-prong attack didn't happen spontaneously.
I don't think that Paul Cameron just happenstance decided to create his study and try to use it against gay adoption.
Nor do I think that Harvey and Folger just came up with their campaigns to lie and silence lgbts.
This three-prong attack seems to be the result of slow, meticulous planning.
So what are we doing about it?
There have been some who think that we should protest, march, and get arrested in order to show our anger as to how our community is being victimized.
Sometimes I wonder if being loud and showy the result of lazy behavior; trying to get what we need in one angry rush.
While we are doing all of this "demonstrating," the anti-gay industry is weaving a tapestry based on lies and distortions. We have to be there at the beginning, exposing the lies and dismantling the distortions. And I don't mean that namby pamby bullshit of "trying to win hearts and minds."
There is nothing wrong with calling a liar one to his or her face, as long as you have the proof to back it up.
If we don't do this, then all of the yelling, screaming, and protesting in the world will not help us.
I see that today has been a busy one for the anti-gay industry.
Adoption - This weekend, I wrote about how Paul Cameron was trying to retread his lie that gays have a short life span. It would be the third time he tried and like the first two, his observations are built on distortions (see Friday's posts).
Today, Cameron sent out another press release claiming that since he proved that gays have a short life span, they should not adopt children:
"The life span of gays is 20-plus years shorter than the life span of heterosexuals," states Dr. Paul Cameron of the Family Research Institute, a Colorado-based think tank. "This shortened lifespan," he warned, "has profound implications for adoption. On average, in Norway and Denmark -- where same-sex marriage is legal – married lesbians lived to age 56 and married gay men to age 52. So the chances that a gay-adopted child will lose one or both parents before graduating from high school are much greater than they would be with a married man and woman."
How convenient for Cameron that the anti-gay industry is trying to use the issues of gay adoption and foster care as cash cows, much like that of same-sex marriage. Arkansas is just one state that has to deal with the issue.
And don't be so quick to laugh Cameron away. While it is true that he has a dubious reputation, are we doing a good job in making sure people know about him; especially those who will cite his so-called research.
Because slowly but surely, Cameron's recent press release is being passed around, read, and believed.
Hate Crimes Legislation - The anti-gay industry have been lying about hate crimes legislation, claiming that it will lead Christians to be put in jail simply for saying that homosexuality is a sin.
This, of course, is a lie. But now they have stepped up the game.
A group, Faith2Action is now claiming that the addition of lgbts to hate crimes legislation means that a crime committed against a grandmother would rank less than a crime committed against an lgbt.
As proof of this, Faith2Action is distorting the recent court case of the protestors arrested during a gay pride parade in Philadelphia. They are even asking for money for commercials featuring the protestors who just happen to be grandmothers.
Faith2Action's efforts are being led by one Janet Folger. Folger made a name for herself in 1998 in the failed media blitz of the ex-gay groups trying to publicize the notion that gays can "change."
The media blitz failed partly because Folger admitted in a debate with gay columnist Andrew Sullivan that she supported the sodomy laws; laws that could jail lgbts for private sexual behavior.
How ironic and hypocritical of Folger.
Day of Silence - The Day of Silence, an excellent way for lgbt students to express themselves, is under fire yet again. This time, a group of so-called "pro-family" groups are encouraging families to have their children boycott the day.
The schools participating in the Day of Silence are listed in no doubt a sly way to encourage folks to call them and badger administrators with lies of a "gay agenda."
And for those who will not protest the Day of Silence, there is the Day of Truth, or a day when students are encouraged to repeat Paul Cameronesque lies about the lgbt community.
The person who seems to be at the head of all of this is Linda Harvey of Mission America.
Unfortunately, Miss Harvey's mission has nothing to do with truth:
"When people have views supporting homosexuality they should not be involved with youth in any way, period. Because they:
will provide inaccurate, misleading information to kids;
may limit a student’s opportunity to hear warnings about the behavior;
may advocate or model inappropriate behavior;
may be directly involved in the molestation of kids themselves; or
may be in a position to allow others to do so" - Fairy Tales Don’t Come True, February 13, 2006
Harvey has no training in anything remotely having to do with child care or sexual orientation issues. Her webpage lists her as a former ad executive. In other words, this woman does not know what the hell she is talking about.
Apparently Harvey thinks that being a Christian excuses her for being ignorant.
I hope no one accuses me of being paranoid when I say that these events happening so close to each other does not strike me as coincidental.
This three-prong attack didn't happen spontaneously.
I don't think that Paul Cameron just happenstance decided to create his study and try to use it against gay adoption.
Nor do I think that Harvey and Folger just came up with their campaigns to lie and silence lgbts.
This three-prong attack seems to be the result of slow, meticulous planning.
So what are we doing about it?
There have been some who think that we should protest, march, and get arrested in order to show our anger as to how our community is being victimized.
Sometimes I wonder if being loud and showy the result of lazy behavior; trying to get what we need in one angry rush.
While we are doing all of this "demonstrating," the anti-gay industry is weaving a tapestry based on lies and distortions. We have to be there at the beginning, exposing the lies and dismantling the distortions. And I don't mean that namby pamby bullshit of "trying to win hearts and minds."
There is nothing wrong with calling a liar one to his or her face, as long as you have the proof to back it up.
If we don't do this, then all of the yelling, screaming, and protesting in the world will not help us.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Rachel Griffiths, race, sexual orientation, and cherry-picking
In the middle of editing my book, I had a bad allergy attack this weekend. Subsequently, while still able to edit my book, I spent a good portion of time in bed.
And I didn't make it to work this morning because of it.
But there is nothing like a dose good old fashioned righteous indignation to get me going. And for that, I turn to my friends at Americans for Truth.
In his recent whining, our friend Peter is complaining that actress Rachel Griffiths dared to compare racial injustice to homophobia:
Griffiths: This lady told me she loved Brothers & Sisters, then said, “But I hope you pass this on to the producers, that we could really do without all that gay kissing.” I told her a story my grandmother told me: She went to Paris in 1932 and saw a black man holding the hand of a white woman, and she felt so horrified she almost threw up. My grandmother told me she knew that reaction was wrong, but it was the way she had been brought up. So I told this lady, “Maybe when you’re 98 you’ll tell your granddaughter how you saw two men kissing one day, and how you felt, but you know that’s wrong, and that was just how your were brought up.” She was shocked. I said, “So I’m not going to tell the show’s creators that. That’s for you to work out.”
– Interview in The Advocate, March 27, 2007, p. 20., by John Griffiths, who is identified as the TV critic for Us Weekly.
Homosexual activists regularly try to steal the goodwill of the civil rights movement, but in truth, opposing homosexual behavior is common sense and has nothing to do with racism. In fact, black homosexuals complain frequently about white racism within the homosexual subculture.
You know what pissses me off. That last sentence. For the record, as a black gay men, I do get angry at how ignorant some of our own people act towards me because of my color. I have been attacked and called names by ignorant gay racists.
Just like I have been attacked by ignorant black homophobes.
But nothing changes. I am still gay and I am still black. I am proud of both designations because God gave them to me. And I take great offense that Peter uses one to hurt the other.
With that in mind, I would like to ask Peter something. Or rather, I am calling him out. I doubt it will do any good because I don't know whether or not Peter reads this blog.
But just in case:
Peter dearest,
just how many black people are employed in your silly organization? For that matter, in your tenure with Concerned Women for America, I noticed that there were no black spokespeople. Were there any other black employees?
And while we are at it, why is it that a majority of so-called "'pro-family" groups have no representation of black people on their web pages. One sees many smiling, happy white families but very few black smiling, happy families.
One would like to think that black people hasn't fallen for your nonsense. However, the examples of Wellington Boone, Jesse Lee Peterson, and Tony Dungy proves this is not the case. Ignroance is truly color-blind,
With that in mind, what have you, James Dobson, Jerry Falwell, Phyllis Schafly, and the rest of the religious right done for black people? Criticizing Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and a lot others just don't cut it.
Do you know the issues that affect black Americans? Or are you like Lou Sheldon and seem to think that poverty, crime, and being on the low end of the American socioeconomic structure is because of a "gay agenda."
When it comes to the black community, you all are guilty of the same crime you have accused gays of committing.
And people, even if they are want-to-be Christians, who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
In the middle of editing my book, I had a bad allergy attack this weekend. Subsequently, while still able to edit my book, I spent a good portion of time in bed.
And I didn't make it to work this morning because of it.
But there is nothing like a dose good old fashioned righteous indignation to get me going. And for that, I turn to my friends at Americans for Truth.
In his recent whining, our friend Peter is complaining that actress Rachel Griffiths dared to compare racial injustice to homophobia:
Griffiths: This lady told me she loved Brothers & Sisters, then said, “But I hope you pass this on to the producers, that we could really do without all that gay kissing.” I told her a story my grandmother told me: She went to Paris in 1932 and saw a black man holding the hand of a white woman, and she felt so horrified she almost threw up. My grandmother told me she knew that reaction was wrong, but it was the way she had been brought up. So I told this lady, “Maybe when you’re 98 you’ll tell your granddaughter how you saw two men kissing one day, and how you felt, but you know that’s wrong, and that was just how your were brought up.” She was shocked. I said, “So I’m not going to tell the show’s creators that. That’s for you to work out.”
– Interview in The Advocate, March 27, 2007, p. 20., by John Griffiths, who is identified as the TV critic for Us Weekly.
Homosexual activists regularly try to steal the goodwill of the civil rights movement, but in truth, opposing homosexual behavior is common sense and has nothing to do with racism. In fact, black homosexuals complain frequently about white racism within the homosexual subculture.
You know what pissses me off. That last sentence. For the record, as a black gay men, I do get angry at how ignorant some of our own people act towards me because of my color. I have been attacked and called names by ignorant gay racists.
Just like I have been attacked by ignorant black homophobes.
But nothing changes. I am still gay and I am still black. I am proud of both designations because God gave them to me. And I take great offense that Peter uses one to hurt the other.
With that in mind, I would like to ask Peter something. Or rather, I am calling him out. I doubt it will do any good because I don't know whether or not Peter reads this blog.
But just in case:
Peter dearest,
just how many black people are employed in your silly organization? For that matter, in your tenure with Concerned Women for America, I noticed that there were no black spokespeople. Were there any other black employees?
And while we are at it, why is it that a majority of so-called "'pro-family" groups have no representation of black people on their web pages. One sees many smiling, happy white families but very few black smiling, happy families.
One would like to think that black people hasn't fallen for your nonsense. However, the examples of Wellington Boone, Jesse Lee Peterson, and Tony Dungy proves this is not the case. Ignroance is truly color-blind,
With that in mind, what have you, James Dobson, Jerry Falwell, Phyllis Schafly, and the rest of the religious right done for black people? Criticizing Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and a lot others just don't cut it.
Do you know the issues that affect black Americans? Or are you like Lou Sheldon and seem to think that poverty, crime, and being on the low end of the American socioeconomic structure is because of a "gay agenda."
When it comes to the black community, you all are guilty of the same crime you have accused gays of committing.
And people, even if they are want-to-be Christians, who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
Friday, March 23, 2007
More info on Cameron's phony claim
I was looking online and found this interesting item that puts more doubt on the validity of Cameron's claim (see post below). The information is by Romeo Vitelli, who is a legitimate psychologist:
Latest Paul Cameron Study Targets Canadian Gay Statistics
In the latest research by Dr. Paul Cameron, chairman of the Family Research Institute, and his son Kirk, demographic information provided by a 2003 Canadian community survey was used to provide estimates of the prevalence of homosexuality and early gay mortality. Based on the sample of 121,300 adults, the Camerons concluded that only 2 per cent of 18 to 44 year old respondents described themselves as homosexual with the percentage dropping to less than 1 per cent of respondents over 60. While admitting that the overall 1.4% figure can not be regarded as the "bedrock truth", Paul and Kirk Cameron accused the Canadian government of distorting the data by not reporting on homosexual activity in respondents over the age of 60 thereby increasing the "homosexual footprint".
They accuse governments around the world of "covering up" the early mortality of homosexuals and draw on their own research despite the controversy that has surrounded their findings.
While the true prevalence of homosexuality in modern society remains a politically charged question, using data from the Canadian Community Health Survey for a purpose for which it was never designed can only add further distortion to an already murky issue.
The survey was designed to examine a range of health-related questions in Canadian residents through a series of face-to-face interviews across the country. The survey was designed to "provide regular and timely cross-sectional estimates of health determinants, health status and health system utilization for 136 health regions across the country ". There was no sinister intent in the survey and expanding the "homosexual footprint" was not part of its stated goal.
It would be best if Paul Cameron looked elsewhere for his diatribes.
I was looking online and found this interesting item that puts more doubt on the validity of Cameron's claim (see post below). The information is by Romeo Vitelli, who is a legitimate psychologist:
Latest Paul Cameron Study Targets Canadian Gay Statistics
In the latest research by Dr. Paul Cameron, chairman of the Family Research Institute, and his son Kirk, demographic information provided by a 2003 Canadian community survey was used to provide estimates of the prevalence of homosexuality and early gay mortality. Based on the sample of 121,300 adults, the Camerons concluded that only 2 per cent of 18 to 44 year old respondents described themselves as homosexual with the percentage dropping to less than 1 per cent of respondents over 60. While admitting that the overall 1.4% figure can not be regarded as the "bedrock truth", Paul and Kirk Cameron accused the Canadian government of distorting the data by not reporting on homosexual activity in respondents over the age of 60 thereby increasing the "homosexual footprint".
They accuse governments around the world of "covering up" the early mortality of homosexuals and draw on their own research despite the controversy that has surrounded their findings.
While the true prevalence of homosexuality in modern society remains a politically charged question, using data from the Canadian Community Health Survey for a purpose for which it was never designed can only add further distortion to an already murky issue.
The survey was designed to examine a range of health-related questions in Canadian residents through a series of face-to-face interviews across the country. The survey was designed to "provide regular and timely cross-sectional estimates of health determinants, health status and health system utilization for 136 health regions across the country ". There was no sinister intent in the survey and expanding the "homosexual footprint" was not part of its stated goal.
It would be best if Paul Cameron looked elsewhere for his diatribes.
New anti-gay "headless monster"
Early Gay Death Syndrome.
Don't laugh because my guess is that the we will have to deal with this term sooner or later.
In other words, Paul Cameron is back:
According to two researchers, the largest random sex survey ever conducted has reported that only 1.4% of adults engaged in homosexual behavior. Analyzing a 2003 Canadian Community survey of 121,300 adults, Drs. Paul and Kirk Cameron told attendees of the Eastern Psychological Association Convention that 2% of 18-44 year olds, 1% of 50 year olds, and only a third of a percent of subjects 60+ considered themselves homosexual. Thus homosexual activity was much more common among younger adults.
What happened to the older homosexuals? "Some may have ceased to be sexually active," said Paul Cameron, "or they may have died. Recent reports from Scandinavia indicate that the life expectancy of homosexuals is 20+ years shorter than that of heterosexuals."
Now for those who are not in the know, Paul Cameron has a great degree of relevance in how Focus on the Family, Concerned Women for America, the Family Research Council, and the rest of the anti-gay industry lies about our lives.
It was Cameron who either popularized or created the myths that:
Gay men molest children at a high rate,
Gay men are sexually irresponsible individuals with a short life span,
LGBTs on the whole are hygenically disgusting people with a "devil may care" attitude about their lives.
Cameron created a series of studies that supposedly proved these theories. However, he also used bad tactics, including distorting the work of his colleagues.
For these offenses, Cameron has been censured by many research groups, including getting kicked out of the American Psychological Association. He claimed that he resigned from this group before being dismissed but this is not true. At the time he supposedly resigned, Cameron was under investigation for his tactics. APA rule specify that members under investigation cannot resign.
In my upcoming book, I devote an entire chapter to him, his lies, and how the anti-gay industry have used his studies or methodologies to demonize the lgbt community.
I also point out how when the anti-gay industry is not citing Cameron by name, they attempt to quantify his lies with distortions of their own.
With Cameron's new announcement, it sounds as if he is trying to push up his "gays have a short life span" lie yet again. The truth of how Cameron is trying to recycle this claim is better explained by the site queersighted:
The research, by the way, was based on a sex survey of one Canadian community of slightly over 120,000 adults.
The survey revealed that there were more practicing homosexuals among younger people than among older people. Combined with other research, Cameron concluded that this is because homosexuals die young.
The best part of this story is that Cameron put out a press release that suggests that he presented his latest research during yesterday's sessions of the annual Eastern Psychological Association Convention in Philadelphia.
According to his press release, "Drs. Paul and Kirk Cameron told attendees of the Eastern Psychological Association Convention..."
In fact, he did not present and was not on the agenda at this meeting. The fact is that he roamed the public corridors of the convention venue and "told" doctors about his research. Cameron was neither a registered speaker nor a member of the convention faculty.
Nonetheless he will present this research to lawmakers and judges as data that was "presented" at this legitimate convention . . .
This retread by Cameron is receiving much play at Free Republic and I am sure that the folks there know of his history. I have gone through past postings in which a member of the site diligently posts Cameron's studies as if they are true. When the person was challenged on the veracity of the studies, he or she (I don't know if it was a male or female) voiced very vehemently that there was a conspiracy to silence Cameron.
On the contrary, I am hoping that the anti-gay industry pushes Cameron's new claim loudly. That way, those of us who know how they lie would have more ammunition for our claims that the anti-gay industry are more interested in distortions than morality.
There have been a few minor sites that have already posted Cameron's press release.
I am presently looking to see if other anti-gay industry sites are doing the same. Whatever I find will be posted here.
or
Manure with icing covering itEarly Gay Death Syndrome.
Don't laugh because my guess is that the we will have to deal with this term sooner or later.
In other words, Paul Cameron is back:
According to two researchers, the largest random sex survey ever conducted has reported that only 1.4% of adults engaged in homosexual behavior. Analyzing a 2003 Canadian Community survey of 121,300 adults, Drs. Paul and Kirk Cameron told attendees of the Eastern Psychological Association Convention that 2% of 18-44 year olds, 1% of 50 year olds, and only a third of a percent of subjects 60+ considered themselves homosexual. Thus homosexual activity was much more common among younger adults.
What happened to the older homosexuals? "Some may have ceased to be sexually active," said Paul Cameron, "or they may have died. Recent reports from Scandinavia indicate that the life expectancy of homosexuals is 20+ years shorter than that of heterosexuals."
Now for those who are not in the know, Paul Cameron has a great degree of relevance in how Focus on the Family, Concerned Women for America, the Family Research Council, and the rest of the anti-gay industry lies about our lives.
It was Cameron who either popularized or created the myths that:
Gay men molest children at a high rate,
Gay men are sexually irresponsible individuals with a short life span,
LGBTs on the whole are hygenically disgusting people with a "devil may care" attitude about their lives.
Cameron created a series of studies that supposedly proved these theories. However, he also used bad tactics, including distorting the work of his colleagues.
For these offenses, Cameron has been censured by many research groups, including getting kicked out of the American Psychological Association. He claimed that he resigned from this group before being dismissed but this is not true. At the time he supposedly resigned, Cameron was under investigation for his tactics. APA rule specify that members under investigation cannot resign.
In my upcoming book, I devote an entire chapter to him, his lies, and how the anti-gay industry have used his studies or methodologies to demonize the lgbt community.
I also point out how when the anti-gay industry is not citing Cameron by name, they attempt to quantify his lies with distortions of their own.
With Cameron's new announcement, it sounds as if he is trying to push up his "gays have a short life span" lie yet again. The truth of how Cameron is trying to recycle this claim is better explained by the site queersighted:
The research, by the way, was based on a sex survey of one Canadian community of slightly over 120,000 adults.
The survey revealed that there were more practicing homosexuals among younger people than among older people. Combined with other research, Cameron concluded that this is because homosexuals die young.
The best part of this story is that Cameron put out a press release that suggests that he presented his latest research during yesterday's sessions of the annual Eastern Psychological Association Convention in Philadelphia.
According to his press release, "Drs. Paul and Kirk Cameron told attendees of the Eastern Psychological Association Convention..."
In fact, he did not present and was not on the agenda at this meeting. The fact is that he roamed the public corridors of the convention venue and "told" doctors about his research. Cameron was neither a registered speaker nor a member of the convention faculty.
Nonetheless he will present this research to lawmakers and judges as data that was "presented" at this legitimate convention . . .
This retread by Cameron is receiving much play at Free Republic and I am sure that the folks there know of his history. I have gone through past postings in which a member of the site diligently posts Cameron's studies as if they are true. When the person was challenged on the veracity of the studies, he or she (I don't know if it was a male or female) voiced very vehemently that there was a conspiracy to silence Cameron.
On the contrary, I am hoping that the anti-gay industry pushes Cameron's new claim loudly. That way, those of us who know how they lie would have more ammunition for our claims that the anti-gay industry are more interested in distortions than morality.
There have been a few minor sites that have already posted Cameron's press release.
I am presently looking to see if other anti-gay industry sites are doing the same. Whatever I find will be posted here.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Short post - something you can do
The anti-gay industry is scared to death because of the possibility of lgbts being added to hate crimes legislation.
Go to this site and take action so that we are added to hate crimes legislation.
If you need more information as to hate crimes protection, go here.
Oh and one more thing so that this site does not lose it's integrity:
Adding lgbts to hate crimes legislation will not lead to jailing Christians for believing or even saying that homosexuality is a sin. The ultimate goal of lgbts is not to persecute Christians.
Any claims that this is the case is anti-gay industry tactic 4 - Claiming that any pro-lgbt laws will lead to the persecution of Christians. This is not true nor will it ever be.
The anti-gay industry is scared to death because of the possibility of lgbts being added to hate crimes legislation.
Go to this site and take action so that we are added to hate crimes legislation.
If you need more information as to hate crimes protection, go here.
Oh and one more thing so that this site does not lose it's integrity:
Adding lgbts to hate crimes legislation will not lead to jailing Christians for believing or even saying that homosexuality is a sin. The ultimate goal of lgbts is not to persecute Christians.
Any claims that this is the case is anti-gay industry tactic 4 - Claiming that any pro-lgbt laws will lead to the persecution of Christians. This is not true nor will it ever be.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Was it something we said?
If you have read my post below about our friend Peter and his talking about rimming, please be aware that he has pulled the post.
And it's a real shame too because so many of us "evil radical gays" was having so much fun with him over it.
Oh well, now that it is gone, time to go back to work in "taking over the world."
If you have read my post below about our friend Peter and his talking about rimming, please be aware that he has pulled the post.
And it's a real shame too because so many of us "evil radical gays" was having so much fun with him over it.
Oh well, now that it is gone, time to go back to work in "taking over the world."
Geez! What is with these people?
You all have read it. You know what I am going to talk about.
Just when I think that our friend Peter LaBarbera can't stoop any lower, he breaks out the shovel.
Now he is talking about "rimming," or sexually stimulating the anal region with one's tongue?
And why is he doing this? To play the "gay people are so damned nasty game." He makes the claim that rimming is:
a revolting homosexual act that most heterosexuals have never heard of, but which is commonplace among “gay” men.
What I want to know is how in the hell does he know?
While I'm sure that many of my colleagues will treat Peter's rumination over rimming like the mockery it is, I would like to reflect on the reason why he felt it necessary to talk about such an "interesting" subject.
People for the American Way sheds some light on Peter's obsessions in an excellent piece that looked at a recent gathering of anti-gay industry talking heads:
Peter LaBarbera of the Illinois Family Institute, an organization that recently called on President Bush and Congress to rescind waivers “for HIV-infected travelers participating in or attending the ‘Gay Games” in Chicago on the grounds that they posed a health hazard, noted that the Right has, thus far, been unable to make the American public understand just how gross and unnatural homosexual behavior really is.
LaBarbera then read aloud to the crowd of middle-aged audience members, a graphically explicit posting from a “pro-gay website” describing the unpleasant physical side effects of male anal intercourse, concluding that such information needs to be shared with the public, especially young people, so that they can understand the true nature of such gross, unnatural and dangerous behavior.
LaBarbera then called for anti-gay activists to regain the offensive by constantly reminding people that homosexual behavior is always wrong and that they must stop “downplaying their opposition” to homosexuality. More importantly, they must work to “bring shame back” to those who are practicing or defending homosexuality.
It's sad that Peter seems to link us wild sexual behavior. Is it really a need to talk about truth on his part or a passive aggressive degree of jealousy?
Draw your own conclusions.
In more important news, two items:
April is around the corner, which means it is time for the annual Day of Silence. Unfortunately the anti-gay industry seeks to combat this with "Day of Truth."
I see that Peter wants to people to send him the names of the schools who take part in the Day of Silence. I think he and others have got something sinister in mind. We should get ready to combat their lies.
They claim to want to use the day to speak the "truth" about homosexuality. However (and this is a small excerpt from my book) take a gander at what they want school kids to repeat about our community:
One of the efforts of the Allied Defense Fund is "Day of Truth," which is supposed to combat "Day of Silence," a national campaign created to bring attention to the bullying of gay and lesbian students in America’s schools.
ADF’s "Day of Truth" resources and literature, like all resources of the anti-gay industry, is filled with distortions. Case in point is the handout, The Ten Biggest Myths of Homosexual Behavior:
The handout claims that "homosexual behavior is at much higher risk for many sexually transmitted diseases, including not just HIV, but also syphilis, gonorrhea, human papilloma virus (HPV), hepatitis, chlamydia, and a whole group of infections called ‘gay bowel syndrome." But . . . "gay bowel syndrome" is an obsolete medical term that medical practitioners do not use.
The handout also makes the following claim:"The Centers for Disease Control have found that 60 percent of new cases of HIV infection are men who have had sex with men, and also that the number of homosexual men who admittedly neglect to use condoms is rising. Homosexual victims of AIDS, they found, had an average 1,100 sexual partners in their lifetimes. They estimated that 30 percent of 20-year-old homosexual men will be HIV positive or dead before they reach their thirtieth birthday." This claim is a blatant lie. The CDC has said that it does not collect statistics on the life span of gay men.
Let's not get so caught at Peter's need to talk about rimming that we forget the danger that him and other groups (i,e, Mission America) pose to our lgbt children.
Lastly, I see Tony Dungy, coach of the Indianapolis Colts, had some words to say at an anti-gay industry banquet in which he was being honored. Apparently he is for the ban against gay marriage:
The Super Bowl-winning coach "embraced" the stance of an Indiana organization supporting an amendment to the state constitution that would ban gay marriages, and he added Tuesday night at a gathering of the Indiana Family Institute that he's "on the Lord's side."
"We're not trying to downgrade anyone else," said Dungy, coach of the Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts. "But we're trying to promote the family — family values the Lord's way," Dungy said. "IFI is saying what the Lord says. You can take that and make your decision on which way you want to be."
This is my response:
Dear Mr. Dungy,
You have a right to your opinion and I honor that right. However, I should remind you that finally winning a Superbowl (that you couldn't lead your team to when you had the best record in the AFC) does not give you any type of special knowledge of just what is "God's side" in the complex issues of our world. Please be advised that the Bible that I assume you follow does not say "And God created Heaven and Earth and gave Tony Dungy special status to be on his side and to know his mysteries."
If I am wrong and you have the correct clarification of this, please let me know.
Until then, I would like to make a small suggestion that you do not mistake your awards and status as any type of designation to tell the rest of us just what is God's side in the complex matters of this world, including the issue of same-sex marriage.
But just in case I am wrong and you do possess some special conduit to God, could you ask him just why in the world does Peter LaBarbera like to focus on rimming?
You all have read it. You know what I am going to talk about.
Just when I think that our friend Peter LaBarbera can't stoop any lower, he breaks out the shovel.
Now he is talking about "rimming," or sexually stimulating the anal region with one's tongue?
And why is he doing this? To play the "gay people are so damned nasty game." He makes the claim that rimming is:
a revolting homosexual act that most heterosexuals have never heard of, but which is commonplace among “gay” men.
What I want to know is how in the hell does he know?
While I'm sure that many of my colleagues will treat Peter's rumination over rimming like the mockery it is, I would like to reflect on the reason why he felt it necessary to talk about such an "interesting" subject.
People for the American Way sheds some light on Peter's obsessions in an excellent piece that looked at a recent gathering of anti-gay industry talking heads:
Peter LaBarbera of the Illinois Family Institute, an organization that recently called on President Bush and Congress to rescind waivers “for HIV-infected travelers participating in or attending the ‘Gay Games” in Chicago on the grounds that they posed a health hazard, noted that the Right has, thus far, been unable to make the American public understand just how gross and unnatural homosexual behavior really is.
LaBarbera then read aloud to the crowd of middle-aged audience members, a graphically explicit posting from a “pro-gay website” describing the unpleasant physical side effects of male anal intercourse, concluding that such information needs to be shared with the public, especially young people, so that they can understand the true nature of such gross, unnatural and dangerous behavior.
LaBarbera then called for anti-gay activists to regain the offensive by constantly reminding people that homosexual behavior is always wrong and that they must stop “downplaying their opposition” to homosexuality. More importantly, they must work to “bring shame back” to those who are practicing or defending homosexuality.
It's sad that Peter seems to link us wild sexual behavior. Is it really a need to talk about truth on his part or a passive aggressive degree of jealousy?
Draw your own conclusions.
In more important news, two items:
April is around the corner, which means it is time for the annual Day of Silence. Unfortunately the anti-gay industry seeks to combat this with "Day of Truth."
I see that Peter wants to people to send him the names of the schools who take part in the Day of Silence. I think he and others have got something sinister in mind. We should get ready to combat their lies.
They claim to want to use the day to speak the "truth" about homosexuality. However (and this is a small excerpt from my book) take a gander at what they want school kids to repeat about our community:
One of the efforts of the Allied Defense Fund is "Day of Truth," which is supposed to combat "Day of Silence," a national campaign created to bring attention to the bullying of gay and lesbian students in America’s schools.
ADF’s "Day of Truth" resources and literature, like all resources of the anti-gay industry, is filled with distortions. Case in point is the handout, The Ten Biggest Myths of Homosexual Behavior:
The handout claims that "homosexual behavior is at much higher risk for many sexually transmitted diseases, including not just HIV, but also syphilis, gonorrhea, human papilloma virus (HPV), hepatitis, chlamydia, and a whole group of infections called ‘gay bowel syndrome." But . . . "gay bowel syndrome" is an obsolete medical term that medical practitioners do not use.
The handout also makes the following claim:"The Centers for Disease Control have found that 60 percent of new cases of HIV infection are men who have had sex with men, and also that the number of homosexual men who admittedly neglect to use condoms is rising. Homosexual victims of AIDS, they found, had an average 1,100 sexual partners in their lifetimes. They estimated that 30 percent of 20-year-old homosexual men will be HIV positive or dead before they reach their thirtieth birthday." This claim is a blatant lie. The CDC has said that it does not collect statistics on the life span of gay men.
Let's not get so caught at Peter's need to talk about rimming that we forget the danger that him and other groups (i,e, Mission America) pose to our lgbt children.
Lastly, I see Tony Dungy, coach of the Indianapolis Colts, had some words to say at an anti-gay industry banquet in which he was being honored. Apparently he is for the ban against gay marriage:
The Super Bowl-winning coach "embraced" the stance of an Indiana organization supporting an amendment to the state constitution that would ban gay marriages, and he added Tuesday night at a gathering of the Indiana Family Institute that he's "on the Lord's side."
"We're not trying to downgrade anyone else," said Dungy, coach of the Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts. "But we're trying to promote the family — family values the Lord's way," Dungy said. "IFI is saying what the Lord says. You can take that and make your decision on which way you want to be."
This is my response:
Dear Mr. Dungy,
You have a right to your opinion and I honor that right. However, I should remind you that finally winning a Superbowl (that you couldn't lead your team to when you had the best record in the AFC) does not give you any type of special knowledge of just what is "God's side" in the complex issues of our world. Please be advised that the Bible that I assume you follow does not say "And God created Heaven and Earth and gave Tony Dungy special status to be on his side and to know his mysteries."
If I am wrong and you have the correct clarification of this, please let me know.
Until then, I would like to make a small suggestion that you do not mistake your awards and status as any type of designation to tell the rest of us just what is God's side in the complex matters of this world, including the issue of same-sex marriage.
But just in case I am wrong and you do possess some special conduit to God, could you ask him just why in the world does Peter LaBarbera like to focus on rimming?
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
The true test of homophobia
Word just came down from Australia that a gay man infected with HIV was intentionally infecting others.
It has been said that he was bragging about it.
If these things are true, the man is vile and should be punished to the fullest extent of the law.
But I have a simple question to anyone or entity willing to emphasize this man's sexual orientation for personal gain.
In the coming days, you will probably be sending out blog posts, emails, and solicitations for money, using the sad episode for your own purposes.
Would you be making such a fuss over that man's orientation if he was heterosexual and attempting to infect women?
Word just came down from Australia that a gay man infected with HIV was intentionally infecting others.
It has been said that he was bragging about it.
If these things are true, the man is vile and should be punished to the fullest extent of the law.
But I have a simple question to anyone or entity willing to emphasize this man's sexual orientation for personal gain.
In the coming days, you will probably be sending out blog posts, emails, and solicitations for money, using the sad episode for your own purposes.
Would you be making such a fuss over that man's orientation if he was heterosexual and attempting to infect women?
A Freudian slip every now and then is a good thing.
It's still copy editing central at my house. I'm half way through and it looks good. Other than a few grammatical errors, my book is not going through any drastic changes.
As I said yesterday, I am also preparing press packets to email and send out. The packets are comprised of a press release, a one-page self-interview and a four page excerpt of my book. I am also preparing a list of who I will send the packets to.
If you are interested in receiving a packet or know of someone or news entity who you think should get a packet, please email me at CharleKenghis@aol.com
Now . . .
I still have been patroling for the latest scuttlebutt from members of the anti-gay industry. Pickings are very slim, even with our friend Peter. By the way, that video of the 2006 Pride Parade that Peter linked from the American Family Association site is rather good.
And don't worry, there is nothing obscene in it. It makes me wonder if Peter and crew is getting desperate.
That thought continues to echo through my mind when I picked up the following from his site:
Homosexuality is what you do,not “who you are,”as proved by the many ex-”gays” and ex-”lesbians”now living joyful lives, whether celibate or in heterosexual marriage.
Okay, let's forget that nonsense about those "many" ex-gays. To paraphrase Wayne Besen, if there is so many of them, maybe they should march on Washington.
I will wait for it.
Whether he realizes it or not, Peter is telling a degree of truth, although I don't think he meant to.
His claim about homosexuality is not true. Peter, as far as I know, is not nor has he ever been gay. That being the case, what he knows about the lgbt community couldn't fit into the navel of a fetus.
But please notice the meaning behind his screed.
This so-called cultural battle that Peter and other members of the anti-gay industry fight was never about protecting Christians. It's not enough for Peter, James Dobson, Beverly LaHaye, and the rest to have a personal belief that homosexuality is a sin. They want everyone else to believe it also and they want the laws of this country to reflect their beliefs.
The entire plan of the anti-gay industry has been undermining and eliminating any positive reinforcement of the lgbt orientation. By doing this, they want to ensure that the options left for the lgbt community are ones that existed before we learned how to fight:
One option is to get married, live your life according to a lie, and reduce your orientation to clandestine sexual encounters in places like public bathrooms.
Another option is to be a real life representation of the play Boys in the Band; become open and unhappy until you connect being gay with being bitter, lonely, and hateful - a spiritual death debatably worse than any life taking blow from a gay basher.
No matter how they claim otherwise, the anti-gay industry wants to dictate not only our lives but the defintion of our orientation to us. And they want us to shut up, sit down, and take in what they say as if they are some type of authority.
They don't have authority. What they do have is a feeling of entitlement. It is that same feeling of entitlement that led James Dobson to attack researchers for daring to criticize him just because he miscontrued their work.
It is that same feeling of entitlement that continues to lead Peter LaBarbera into constantly trying to stigmatize our community.
It is the feeling of entitlement that allows Paul Cameron to justify his bad research techniques.
And it is the same feeling of entitlement that leads the entire anti-gay industry to say and do anything, no matter how unethical or hypocritical to their Christian principles, to ensure their way of life is enforced.
And the sad thing about the entire situation is that they actually think they are doing God's will.
Sometimes I laugh at the depths of the anti-gay industry's ignorance. And I want to help in any way I can in exposing how they have distorted our lives.
But there are times when I can't help but to feel sorry for them.
It's still copy editing central at my house. I'm half way through and it looks good. Other than a few grammatical errors, my book is not going through any drastic changes.
As I said yesterday, I am also preparing press packets to email and send out. The packets are comprised of a press release, a one-page self-interview and a four page excerpt of my book. I am also preparing a list of who I will send the packets to.
If you are interested in receiving a packet or know of someone or news entity who you think should get a packet, please email me at CharleKenghis@aol.com
Now . . .
I still have been patroling for the latest scuttlebutt from members of the anti-gay industry. Pickings are very slim, even with our friend Peter. By the way, that video of the 2006 Pride Parade that Peter linked from the American Family Association site is rather good.
And don't worry, there is nothing obscene in it. It makes me wonder if Peter and crew is getting desperate.
That thought continues to echo through my mind when I picked up the following from his site:
At Americans For Truth, we are in an ongoing and very politicially incorrect battle to restore the definition of homosexuality: homosexuality is behavior — changeable behavior, not an innate, unchangeable trait or identity.
Homosexuality is what you do,not “who you are,”as proved by the many ex-”gays” and ex-”lesbians”now living joyful lives, whether celibate or in heterosexual marriage.
Okay, let's forget that nonsense about those "many" ex-gays. To paraphrase Wayne Besen, if there is so many of them, maybe they should march on Washington.
I will wait for it.
Whether he realizes it or not, Peter is telling a degree of truth, although I don't think he meant to.
His claim about homosexuality is not true. Peter, as far as I know, is not nor has he ever been gay. That being the case, what he knows about the lgbt community couldn't fit into the navel of a fetus.
But please notice the meaning behind his screed.
This so-called cultural battle that Peter and other members of the anti-gay industry fight was never about protecting Christians. It's not enough for Peter, James Dobson, Beverly LaHaye, and the rest to have a personal belief that homosexuality is a sin. They want everyone else to believe it also and they want the laws of this country to reflect their beliefs.
The entire plan of the anti-gay industry has been undermining and eliminating any positive reinforcement of the lgbt orientation. By doing this, they want to ensure that the options left for the lgbt community are ones that existed before we learned how to fight:
One option is to get married, live your life according to a lie, and reduce your orientation to clandestine sexual encounters in places like public bathrooms.
Another option is to be a real life representation of the play Boys in the Band; become open and unhappy until you connect being gay with being bitter, lonely, and hateful - a spiritual death debatably worse than any life taking blow from a gay basher.
No matter how they claim otherwise, the anti-gay industry wants to dictate not only our lives but the defintion of our orientation to us. And they want us to shut up, sit down, and take in what they say as if they are some type of authority.
They don't have authority. What they do have is a feeling of entitlement. It is that same feeling of entitlement that led James Dobson to attack researchers for daring to criticize him just because he miscontrued their work.
It is that same feeling of entitlement that continues to lead Peter LaBarbera into constantly trying to stigmatize our community.
It is the feeling of entitlement that allows Paul Cameron to justify his bad research techniques.
And it is the same feeling of entitlement that leads the entire anti-gay industry to say and do anything, no matter how unethical or hypocritical to their Christian principles, to ensure their way of life is enforced.
And the sad thing about the entire situation is that they actually think they are doing God's will.
Sometimes I laugh at the depths of the anti-gay industry's ignorance. And I want to help in any way I can in exposing how they have distorted our lives.
But there are times when I can't help but to feel sorry for them.
Monday, March 19, 2007
That was QUICK!!!
Remember when I said "barring unexpected incidents?"
We just had one and it may blow up to be something BIG!
It seems that our friend Ken Hutcherson, the anti-gay pastor who never met a self aggrandizing adjective he didn't like, is upset at the White House over a title he was supposedly given.
According to him, he was given the title of Special Envoy for Adoptions, Family Values, Religious Freedom, and Medical Relief. He apparently used this title on a trip to Latvia where he complained about (what else) gay rights.
But . . .
The White House says he wasn't given the title.
So now he is not only pissed but claims to have proof of being bestowed the title.
The entire story is here and here
Don't tell our friend, Peter.
He may get jealous of losing attention.
I will keep following this story as it goes.
Remember when I said "barring unexpected incidents?"
We just had one and it may blow up to be something BIG!
It seems that our friend Ken Hutcherson, the anti-gay pastor who never met a self aggrandizing adjective he didn't like, is upset at the White House over a title he was supposedly given.
According to him, he was given the title of Special Envoy for Adoptions, Family Values, Religious Freedom, and Medical Relief. He apparently used this title on a trip to Latvia where he complained about (what else) gay rights.
But . . .
The White House says he wasn't given the title.
So now he is not only pissed but claims to have proof of being bestowed the title.
The entire story is here and here
Don't tell our friend, Peter.
He may get jealous of losing attention.
I will keep following this story as it goes.
My galleys are here!!!!!!!!!
I neglected to mention that the galleys to my book also arrived. I spent the entire weekend just looking at them afraid to print them out.
Why?
Because it's so damned amazing. I am closer to two of my dreams: becoming an author and exposing at least some of the lies of the anti-gay industry.
So barring any unexpected incidents (and I am sure there will be some thanks to Peter and the rest of the anti-gay industry), I will be busy editing my book this week. I will continue to post also but not as in much detail as I usually do.
The quicker I get the galleys back to my publisher, the quicker I can begin preparing press packets.
I neglected to mention that the galleys to my book also arrived. I spent the entire weekend just looking at them afraid to print them out.
Why?
Because it's so damned amazing. I am closer to two of my dreams: becoming an author and exposing at least some of the lies of the anti-gay industry.
So barring any unexpected incidents (and I am sure there will be some thanks to Peter and the rest of the anti-gay industry), I will be busy editing my book this week. I will continue to post also but not as in much detail as I usually do.
The quicker I get the galleys back to my publisher, the quicker I can begin preparing press packets.
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Deerfield High School 'Confidentiality Agreement': How the anti-gay industry distorts reality
In my last post, I talked about the Deerfield High School controversy (see last post). Central to this controversy is a "confidentiality agreement" that students were supposedly made to sign.
The American for Truth (in name only)web page just posted the alleged confidentiality agreement.
And if this is the document that has been causing a lot of controversy, then Americans for Truth (in name only), Concerned Women for America, and all of the bloggers who have been hyping the Deerfield incident up as an attempt by the lgbt community to "indoctrinate" children have a LOT of explaining to do.
The so-called confidentiality agreement is a small part of the list of rules that those participating in the program agree to follow. These rules govern their conduct in the program.
No one is encouraged to keep things from their parents. In fact, they are encouraged to seek help if there is a problem.
This is what the part about confidentiality says (and I am transcribing):
Our agreements and commitments to each other
Confidentiality
Every person keeps what comes up in class confidential, unless it is dangerous to do so - that is unless a situation in class requires us to get outside help.
We do not repeat what someone says in class outside of class except if we have permission of the person that said it.
We will not continue a conversation outside of class without permission from all the people that were involved during the class.
Bottom line: What happens in our classroom stays in our classroom.
Exceptions to the confidentiality in which case (the teacher's name - I will not repeat it) will get outside help are:
If someone in the class reports being hurt;
If someone reports that they are hurting someone else; or
If someone reports that they are hurting or want to hurt themselves.
The rest of the two page document continues to give rules about respecting each other's right to talk and not making judgements on someone because his or her opinion. If students agree to abide by all of these regulations, they sign the form.
There are four other attachments to the commitment agreement that was posted. Americans for Truth (in name only) makes the claim that they are a part of the agreement.
But I doubt it.
It obvious that they were added by whoever posted the agreement on the webpage in order to enhance the lie of "gay indoctrination."
In short, the Deerfield Confidentiality Agreement controversy is yet another lie by members of the anti-gay industry.
Let me simplify the situation:
Deerfield High School has been conducting this program for years to help students adjust to high school. Five years ago, it added a panel discussion about gay students.
This parent is obviously going to repeat the lies of "gay indoctrinations" and "confidentiality agreements" until it is hyped all over talk radio. Then comes television.
And this is sad because the program that started all of this is a good idea. Students entering high schools should have some way to speak their minds and clear their heads.
More programs like this would mean less Columbine incidents.
But all because a group of parents do not like the fact gay students are encouraged to speak about their lives, the program is in danger of being misconstrued.
In pursuit of their so-called moral image, these parents have sold out their integrity.
I sincerely hope they don't regret what they have done.
In my last post, I talked about the Deerfield High School controversy (see last post). Central to this controversy is a "confidentiality agreement" that students were supposedly made to sign.
The American for Truth (in name only)web page just posted the alleged confidentiality agreement.
And if this is the document that has been causing a lot of controversy, then Americans for Truth (in name only), Concerned Women for America, and all of the bloggers who have been hyping the Deerfield incident up as an attempt by the lgbt community to "indoctrinate" children have a LOT of explaining to do.
The so-called confidentiality agreement is a small part of the list of rules that those participating in the program agree to follow. These rules govern their conduct in the program.
No one is encouraged to keep things from their parents. In fact, they are encouraged to seek help if there is a problem.
This is what the part about confidentiality says (and I am transcribing):
Our agreements and commitments to each other
Confidentiality
Every person keeps what comes up in class confidential, unless it is dangerous to do so - that is unless a situation in class requires us to get outside help.
We do not repeat what someone says in class outside of class except if we have permission of the person that said it.
We will not continue a conversation outside of class without permission from all the people that were involved during the class.
Bottom line: What happens in our classroom stays in our classroom.
Exceptions to the confidentiality in which case (the teacher's name - I will not repeat it) will get outside help are:
If someone in the class reports being hurt;
If someone reports that they are hurting someone else; or
If someone reports that they are hurting or want to hurt themselves.
The rest of the two page document continues to give rules about respecting each other's right to talk and not making judgements on someone because his or her opinion. If students agree to abide by all of these regulations, they sign the form.
There are four other attachments to the commitment agreement that was posted. Americans for Truth (in name only) makes the claim that they are a part of the agreement.
But I doubt it.
It obvious that they were added by whoever posted the agreement on the webpage in order to enhance the lie of "gay indoctrination."
In short, the Deerfield Confidentiality Agreement controversy is yet another lie by members of the anti-gay industry.
Let me simplify the situation:
Deerfield High School has been conducting this program for years to help students adjust to high school. Five years ago, it added a panel discussion about gay students.
Parents got angry over the fact that gay students are going to be open about themselves. They sought help from anti-gay industry groups to stop the panel.
Someone from the either the parents group or the anti-gay industry groups took the list of rules that the participants of the program agreed to abide by and hyped the portion about confidentiality into a lie that claimed students were "encouraged" to sign a confidentiality agreement about one particular part of the program (the gay panel discussion.)
This lie was spread by various anti-gay industry groups, web pages, and bloggers all over the internet.
Boom! You got yourself a moral panic.
Let me predict what happens next.
I noticed on the Americans for Truth (in name only), it is announced that one of the parents opposing the gay student panel discussion will appear on the Laura Ingraham Show.This parent is obviously going to repeat the lies of "gay indoctrinations" and "confidentiality agreements" until it is hyped all over talk radio. Then comes television.
And this is sad because the program that started all of this is a good idea. Students entering high schools should have some way to speak their minds and clear their heads.
More programs like this would mean less Columbine incidents.
But all because a group of parents do not like the fact gay students are encouraged to speak about their lives, the program is in danger of being misconstrued.
In pursuit of their so-called moral image, these parents have sold out their integrity.
I sincerely hope they don't regret what they have done.
A dash of inneundo, a smidgen of manipulation and you got yourself a conspiracy theory
The latest cause celebre of the anti-gay industry is occurring at Deerfield High School in Illinois. Here are the basic facts:
At Deerfield High School, there is a program that is geared to helping students adjust to high school. One component of this program is a panel discussion that includes speakers from the school's gay/straight alliance. These students talk about such things as being bullied because of their orientation.
Some parents are upset over this, claiming that their children are being "indoctrinated" by the supposed "gay agenda." These parents are demanding that the school end the gay panel discusssion. Naturally groups like Americans for Truth (in name only) and the Concerned Women for America are assisting in this effort. Now as far as it has been reported, the gay panel discussion is the only thing these parents object to.
The issue has been made stickier due to allegations that students were made to sign a confidentiality agreement. However, it is not known whether or not this agreement pertains solely to the gay panel discussion or the program in general.
In all honesty, I do not feel comfortable with the idea of students having to sign a confidentiality agreement.
However, I am made even more uncomfortable as to how the anti-gay industry and the bloggers who believe their lies have spun this story.
According to Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources for Township High School District 113 Suzan Hebson, the program has been going on for many years and five years ago, the panel discussion by the gay students was added.
She also said parents did have the choice of opting their child out of any session they feel uncomfortable with. Lastly, she said, the program was well advertised.
Members of the anti-gay industry and some bloggers still made claims that students were forced to participate in the panel discussion:
14 Year Olds Forced Into Gay Seminar and Gag Order by School
Officials at Deerfield High School in Deerfield, Ill., have ordered their 14-year-old freshman class into a "gay" indoctrination seminar, after having them sign a confidentiality agreement promising not to tell their parents.
Some teachers at Deerfield High School in Deerfield, Illinois are forcing 14-year-old freshmen to sign a confidentiality agreement saying they will not tell anyone, not even their parents, what they are taught in a pro-homosexual sensitivity training seminar. Martha Kleder spoke with Laura-Sue Hauser, head of North Shore Student Advocacy, a group of concerned area parents, and Matt Barber, CWA’s Policy Director for Cultural Issues
Notice how these sites link the confidentiality agreement with the panel discussion by the gay students. But again there is that question of what does the confidentiality agreement pertain to.
While I am not comfortable with the confidentiality agreement, did it pertain solely to the gay panel discussion or the entire program in general?
At first, this question may not seem like a big deal, but it really is. If the confidentiality agreement pertained to the entire program rather than just the gay student panel discussion, then all claims of "indoctrinating students into the homosexual agenda then demanding that they be silent about it" is yet another example of the conspiracy theory technique by the anti-gay industry.
By juxtaposing facts, the anti-gay industry is claiming, yet again, that gays and lesbians want "access" to children, as if we are some type of collective boogeyman cum Baba Yaga.
And speaking of manipulating, check out this allegation from One News Now (formerly Agape Press). I emphasized the connotative words:
Concerned Women for America is blasting an Illinois high school for urging students not to tell their parents about its mandatory homosexual indoctrination program. Deerfield High School in Chicago has a class called "Freshman Advisory," in which ninth-graders are required to attend a panel discussion led by the Gay-Straight Alliance Network. The panel features homosexual upperclassmen telling students about their sexual experiences.
In the interest of fairness and presenting both sides, I looked for and found a letter written by one of the students who participated in a past panel discussion:
For the last five years, the school has been giving a presentation to the freshman advisories about SAGA, the Gay-Straight Alliance at the school. During the presentation, a panel of students gives a combination of personal stories and statistics relating to LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) life both in our school and in the world at large.
The stories are those of personal experiences students have had, and they are told by LGBT students and straight allies. The statistics provided are statistics from well-respected sources. Then, the panel fields questions from the students. Having seen the panel my freshman year and having spoken on it my sophomore and junior years, I can say that in no instance had anyone on the panel accused any other student of being a bigot for not agreeing with them; we present our personal stories as our personal opinions on the issue.
At no part during the presentation are kids encouraged to engage in homosexual behavior (indeed, we are of the belief that homosexuality is something you are born with, and thus it is logically impossible to ‘recruit’ people to a ‘homosexual lifestyle’) and at no point are kids told that they are wrong or deviant for having views different from those we present: we merely intend to clear up the stereotypes surrounding gays, and to encourage a tolerant environment.
. . . Just a few months back, my home was vandalized by a number of teens; this was an incredibly upsetting and hurtful experience, but despite this I have found support from friends, family, and those in the school to help me through this. There comes a point where all of us have our beliefs and morals challenged by those who believe differently from us. It is essential that we learn how to be accepting of those who disagree with us, and that we teach our children how to disagree with dignity.
Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings, indeed.
The latest cause celebre of the anti-gay industry is occurring at Deerfield High School in Illinois. Here are the basic facts:
At Deerfield High School, there is a program that is geared to helping students adjust to high school. One component of this program is a panel discussion that includes speakers from the school's gay/straight alliance. These students talk about such things as being bullied because of their orientation.
Some parents are upset over this, claiming that their children are being "indoctrinated" by the supposed "gay agenda." These parents are demanding that the school end the gay panel discusssion. Naturally groups like Americans for Truth (in name only) and the Concerned Women for America are assisting in this effort. Now as far as it has been reported, the gay panel discussion is the only thing these parents object to.
The issue has been made stickier due to allegations that students were made to sign a confidentiality agreement. However, it is not known whether or not this agreement pertains solely to the gay panel discussion or the program in general.
In all honesty, I do not feel comfortable with the idea of students having to sign a confidentiality agreement.
However, I am made even more uncomfortable as to how the anti-gay industry and the bloggers who believe their lies have spun this story.
According to Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources for Township High School District 113 Suzan Hebson, the program has been going on for many years and five years ago, the panel discussion by the gay students was added.
She also said parents did have the choice of opting their child out of any session they feel uncomfortable with. Lastly, she said, the program was well advertised.
Members of the anti-gay industry and some bloggers still made claims that students were forced to participate in the panel discussion:
14 Year Olds Forced Into Gay Seminar and Gag Order by School
Officials at Deerfield High School in Deerfield, Ill., have ordered their 14-year-old freshman class into a "gay" indoctrination seminar, after having them sign a confidentiality agreement promising not to tell their parents.
Some teachers at Deerfield High School in Deerfield, Illinois are forcing 14-year-old freshmen to sign a confidentiality agreement saying they will not tell anyone, not even their parents, what they are taught in a pro-homosexual sensitivity training seminar. Martha Kleder spoke with Laura-Sue Hauser, head of North Shore Student Advocacy, a group of concerned area parents, and Matt Barber, CWA’s Policy Director for Cultural Issues
Notice how these sites link the confidentiality agreement with the panel discussion by the gay students. But again there is that question of what does the confidentiality agreement pertain to.
While I am not comfortable with the confidentiality agreement, did it pertain solely to the gay panel discussion or the entire program in general?
At first, this question may not seem like a big deal, but it really is. If the confidentiality agreement pertained to the entire program rather than just the gay student panel discussion, then all claims of "indoctrinating students into the homosexual agenda then demanding that they be silent about it" is yet another example of the conspiracy theory technique by the anti-gay industry.
By juxtaposing facts, the anti-gay industry is claiming, yet again, that gays and lesbians want "access" to children, as if we are some type of collective boogeyman cum Baba Yaga.
And speaking of manipulating, check out this allegation from One News Now (formerly Agape Press). I emphasized the connotative words:
Concerned Women for America is blasting an Illinois high school for urging students not to tell their parents about its mandatory homosexual indoctrination program. Deerfield High School in Chicago has a class called "Freshman Advisory," in which ninth-graders are required to attend a panel discussion led by the Gay-Straight Alliance Network. The panel features homosexual upperclassmen telling students about their sexual experiences.
In the interest of fairness and presenting both sides, I looked for and found a letter written by one of the students who participated in a past panel discussion:
For the last five years, the school has been giving a presentation to the freshman advisories about SAGA, the Gay-Straight Alliance at the school. During the presentation, a panel of students gives a combination of personal stories and statistics relating to LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) life both in our school and in the world at large.
The stories are those of personal experiences students have had, and they are told by LGBT students and straight allies. The statistics provided are statistics from well-respected sources. Then, the panel fields questions from the students. Having seen the panel my freshman year and having spoken on it my sophomore and junior years, I can say that in no instance had anyone on the panel accused any other student of being a bigot for not agreeing with them; we present our personal stories as our personal opinions on the issue.
At no part during the presentation are kids encouraged to engage in homosexual behavior (indeed, we are of the belief that homosexuality is something you are born with, and thus it is logically impossible to ‘recruit’ people to a ‘homosexual lifestyle’) and at no point are kids told that they are wrong or deviant for having views different from those we present: we merely intend to clear up the stereotypes surrounding gays, and to encourage a tolerant environment.
. . . Just a few months back, my home was vandalized by a number of teens; this was an incredibly upsetting and hurtful experience, but despite this I have found support from friends, family, and those in the school to help me through this. There comes a point where all of us have our beliefs and morals challenged by those who believe differently from us. It is essential that we learn how to be accepting of those who disagree with us, and that we teach our children how to disagree with dignity.
Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings, indeed.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
My - - - weeps for General Pace
Poor General Peter Pace.
He insults the gays and lesbians who are fighting to preserve the freedom that makes this country great and folks have the nerve to criticize him?
I mean really!
Well as you all probably already know, the anti-gay industry have grabbed onto this issue, making General Pace seem like yet another victim of the so-called Gay Mafia.
Their spokespersons have gone on record calling Pace courageous for his ridiculous comments.
On the other hand, the Center for Military Readiness said that his comments didn't go far enough.
The Center for Military Readiness seems to be yet another group sending up the anti-gay industry message behind an official sounding name (i. e. American College of Pediatricians).
Its web page says the following:
The Center for Military Readiness is an independent, non-partisan 501(c)(3) educational organization formed to take a leadership role in promoting sound military personnel policies in the armed forces. CMR is a unique alliance of civilian, active duty and retired military people in all 50 states, and is the only organization that concentrates on military personnel issues full-time.
Apparently the above definition doesn't include mentioning anything about the recent controversy at the Walter Reed Hospital.
And our friend Peter LaBarbera over at the Americans for Truth (in name only) web page is going off the chain (a saying I picked up from my younger brother) over the entire controversy:
Gay activists have adopted a ‘CSI’ tactic of ‘Censoring, Smearing and Intimidating’ moral critics like Gen. Peter Pace and Dr. James Dobson. By trying to silence critics and equating moral beliefs with hate, bigotry and “homophobia,” the homosexual movement is fueling a dangerous cultural clash between religious freedom and “gay rights.”
Peter goes on to name several people who have been supposedly intimidated over their anti-gay comments. Pardon me while I deliver a little truth:
James Dobson - Peter neglects to mention that Dobson had gotten into trouble because he distorted the work of two researchers (Drs. Carol Gilligan and Kyle Pruett) in his column in Time criticizing Mary Cheney for wanting to raise a child.
Matt Barber - Barber was fired from All-State for writing an anti-gay column. Peter claims that Barber wrote the column on his own time. He omits the fact that Barber involved the company by mentioning it in the bio after his column.
Ann Coulter - Now I'm not even going to touch that one. Peter must be running out of manufactured victims to even dare mention her recent controversy.
What Peter and everyone else defending Pace's comments seem to forget is that this is not entirely an issue of morality. It is also one of policy. Even Colin Powell, when defending the military's aversion to open gays and lesbians serving, made that clear. His reasonings were that open gays and lesbians would hurt military cohesion and not his personal moral feelings.
And that is the reason why Pace has stepped into a hornet's nest. Moral reasonings alone are usually not justification to make policy or laws.
The anti-gay industry should know this. In other issues, Focus on the Family, the Concerned Women for America, etc have manufactured reasons (i.e. the supposed short life span of gay men, linking homosexuality to pedophilia) to affect public policy as it pertains to the lgbt community.
No matter how they try to defend Pace's slip of the tongue, his comments can only hurt them. As long we talk about this issue as a matter of personal morality, it is difficult for them to create lies keeping openly gay and lesbians soldiers to serve their country.
Poor General Peter Pace.
He insults the gays and lesbians who are fighting to preserve the freedom that makes this country great and folks have the nerve to criticize him?
I mean really!
Well as you all probably already know, the anti-gay industry have grabbed onto this issue, making General Pace seem like yet another victim of the so-called Gay Mafia.
Their spokespersons have gone on record calling Pace courageous for his ridiculous comments.
On the other hand, the Center for Military Readiness said that his comments didn't go far enough.
The Center for Military Readiness seems to be yet another group sending up the anti-gay industry message behind an official sounding name (i. e. American College of Pediatricians).
Its web page says the following:
The Center for Military Readiness is an independent, non-partisan 501(c)(3) educational organization formed to take a leadership role in promoting sound military personnel policies in the armed forces. CMR is a unique alliance of civilian, active duty and retired military people in all 50 states, and is the only organization that concentrates on military personnel issues full-time.
Apparently the above definition doesn't include mentioning anything about the recent controversy at the Walter Reed Hospital.
And our friend Peter LaBarbera over at the Americans for Truth (in name only) web page is going off the chain (a saying I picked up from my younger brother) over the entire controversy:
Gay activists have adopted a ‘CSI’ tactic of ‘Censoring, Smearing and Intimidating’ moral critics like Gen. Peter Pace and Dr. James Dobson. By trying to silence critics and equating moral beliefs with hate, bigotry and “homophobia,” the homosexual movement is fueling a dangerous cultural clash between religious freedom and “gay rights.”
Peter goes on to name several people who have been supposedly intimidated over their anti-gay comments. Pardon me while I deliver a little truth:
James Dobson - Peter neglects to mention that Dobson had gotten into trouble because he distorted the work of two researchers (Drs. Carol Gilligan and Kyle Pruett) in his column in Time criticizing Mary Cheney for wanting to raise a child.
Matt Barber - Barber was fired from All-State for writing an anti-gay column. Peter claims that Barber wrote the column on his own time. He omits the fact that Barber involved the company by mentioning it in the bio after his column.
Ann Coulter - Now I'm not even going to touch that one. Peter must be running out of manufactured victims to even dare mention her recent controversy.
What Peter and everyone else defending Pace's comments seem to forget is that this is not entirely an issue of morality. It is also one of policy. Even Colin Powell, when defending the military's aversion to open gays and lesbians serving, made that clear. His reasonings were that open gays and lesbians would hurt military cohesion and not his personal moral feelings.
And that is the reason why Pace has stepped into a hornet's nest. Moral reasonings alone are usually not justification to make policy or laws.
The anti-gay industry should know this. In other issues, Focus on the Family, the Concerned Women for America, etc have manufactured reasons (i.e. the supposed short life span of gay men, linking homosexuality to pedophilia) to affect public policy as it pertains to the lgbt community.
No matter how they try to defend Pace's slip of the tongue, his comments can only hurt them. As long we talk about this issue as a matter of personal morality, it is difficult for them to create lies keeping openly gay and lesbians soldiers to serve their country.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
The next battle - may we win it
I have to hand it to our friend, Peter LaBarbera. The site of his group, American for Truth (in name only) keeps me informed on the issue of the lgbt community. His site is an excellent resource, as long as one ignores the lies and hysteria that comes with it.
For example, this article about a school committee that will forsee whether or not to recommend a video for classrooms:
The district is set to announce today that it has formed a committee that will make a recommendation about a controversial video featuring gay parents, but committee members' names will remain secret to protect them from harassment.
Nine PTA parents will serve on the committee, district spokeswoman Jeanne Smith said, along with a group of teachers.
Just as they did in the recent David Parker controversy, Peter and his posse will try to spin the incorrect idea that talking about same-sex led households constitutes a talk about sexual intercourse.
And that will be the next battle.
Fresh off of their victories in the fight against same-sex marriage, the anti-gay industry will try to further devalue and dehumanize lgbts by giving our families a sort of scarlet letter in classrooms. Oh don't mention the fact that gays and lesbians constitute families and actually raise children in those families. That means we have to talk about nasty gay sex.
What a bunch of lies.
I sincerely hope that the anti-gay industry will not be successful this time. The issue of same-sex marriage was one that they were able to put in simplistic terms:
Marriage has always been between a man and a woman. Gays and lesbians are the invaders trying to change the concept and thereby destroy marriage.
While they were busy pushing this point of view, something interesting was happening. LGBTs were continuing to form relationships and they were continuing to raise children. We didn't stop because of we were being denied marriage rights. The ability to have a family is central to the human existence.
And whether the anti-gay industry likes it or not, the lgbt community are included in this designation.
So in the case of having families, we cannot be seen as outsiders. We have children attending schools and those children have every right to celebrate their families and not be thought of as immoral because their families are not "ideal" in the eyes of some.
The issue of lgbt families is so complex that the anti-gay industry cannot simplify it. People are just not going to buy into so easily as they did with same-sex marriage. People realize that at the end of the day, any action they endorse could eventually harm a child whose only "crime" seems to be in a same sex household.
And this complexity includes how these same-sex families should be talked about in schools.
But that doesn't mean members of the anti-gay industry won't try:
In America there are powers that are hell bent on sexualizing our kids at very early ages, and in perverse ways. The main place this sexualization is happening is in the schools.
This writer includes the lie that David Parker's son's school was talking about gay sexual intercourse. She even infers that gay men want to molest children.
These attempts to make every case that opposes homosexuality one about sexual intercourse underscores a point.
The battle for gay rights is not about sex. To a degree, it's not even about being able to love who your heart tells you to.
The battle for gay rights is a fight for the right to self-determination. Apparently some folks feel that we should conform to their ignorant ideas of lgbts: the hedonistic, irresponsible gay man, the violent manhating lesbian, the cheating bisexual who cannot comprehend monogamy, the transgender always looking to "trick" straight men into thinking that she was born a woman,
God forbid we forge our own identities. God forbid we look to God for approval rather than those who say they are speaking for God. And God forbid that we demand what is ours as taxpaying Americans - that the government look out for our interests.
The anti-gay industry has every right to think that homosexuality is all about sexual intercourse. But we have every right not to live our lives according to their ignorance.
And we have every right to raise hell when they try to hurt our families.
One more thing
So Marine General Peter Pace thinks that homosexuality is immoral, huh?
Well, to channel John Aravois, badly equipping our people to fight the war in Iraq or allowing wounded soldiers to sleep in their own urine when they are lucky enough not to be blown away in cases of friendly fire (i,e, Pat Tillman) is even more immoral.
Are we really winning this so-called war on terror?
I have to hand it to our friend, Peter LaBarbera. The site of his group, American for Truth (in name only) keeps me informed on the issue of the lgbt community. His site is an excellent resource, as long as one ignores the lies and hysteria that comes with it.
For example, this article about a school committee that will forsee whether or not to recommend a video for classrooms:
The district is set to announce today that it has formed a committee that will make a recommendation about a controversial video featuring gay parents, but committee members' names will remain secret to protect them from harassment.
Nine PTA parents will serve on the committee, district spokeswoman Jeanne Smith said, along with a group of teachers.
Just as they did in the recent David Parker controversy, Peter and his posse will try to spin the incorrect idea that talking about same-sex led households constitutes a talk about sexual intercourse.
And that will be the next battle.
Fresh off of their victories in the fight against same-sex marriage, the anti-gay industry will try to further devalue and dehumanize lgbts by giving our families a sort of scarlet letter in classrooms. Oh don't mention the fact that gays and lesbians constitute families and actually raise children in those families. That means we have to talk about nasty gay sex.
What a bunch of lies.
I sincerely hope that the anti-gay industry will not be successful this time. The issue of same-sex marriage was one that they were able to put in simplistic terms:
Marriage has always been between a man and a woman. Gays and lesbians are the invaders trying to change the concept and thereby destroy marriage.
While they were busy pushing this point of view, something interesting was happening. LGBTs were continuing to form relationships and they were continuing to raise children. We didn't stop because of we were being denied marriage rights. The ability to have a family is central to the human existence.
And whether the anti-gay industry likes it or not, the lgbt community are included in this designation.
So in the case of having families, we cannot be seen as outsiders. We have children attending schools and those children have every right to celebrate their families and not be thought of as immoral because their families are not "ideal" in the eyes of some.
The issue of lgbt families is so complex that the anti-gay industry cannot simplify it. People are just not going to buy into so easily as they did with same-sex marriage. People realize that at the end of the day, any action they endorse could eventually harm a child whose only "crime" seems to be in a same sex household.
And this complexity includes how these same-sex families should be talked about in schools.
But that doesn't mean members of the anti-gay industry won't try:
In America there are powers that are hell bent on sexualizing our kids at very early ages, and in perverse ways. The main place this sexualization is happening is in the schools.
This writer includes the lie that David Parker's son's school was talking about gay sexual intercourse. She even infers that gay men want to molest children.
These attempts to make every case that opposes homosexuality one about sexual intercourse underscores a point.
The battle for gay rights is not about sex. To a degree, it's not even about being able to love who your heart tells you to.
The battle for gay rights is a fight for the right to self-determination. Apparently some folks feel that we should conform to their ignorant ideas of lgbts: the hedonistic, irresponsible gay man, the violent manhating lesbian, the cheating bisexual who cannot comprehend monogamy, the transgender always looking to "trick" straight men into thinking that she was born a woman,
God forbid we forge our own identities. God forbid we look to God for approval rather than those who say they are speaking for God. And God forbid that we demand what is ours as taxpaying Americans - that the government look out for our interests.
The anti-gay industry has every right to think that homosexuality is all about sexual intercourse. But we have every right not to live our lives according to their ignorance.
And we have every right to raise hell when they try to hurt our families.
One more thing
So Marine General Peter Pace thinks that homosexuality is immoral, huh?
Well, to channel John Aravois, badly equipping our people to fight the war in Iraq or allowing wounded soldiers to sleep in their own urine when they are lucky enough not to be blown away in cases of friendly fire (i,e, Pat Tillman) is even more immoral.
Are we really winning this so-called war on terror?
Monday, March 12, 2007
Sorry Harry Jackson, but your mess ain't real
Dear Minister Harry Jackson,
I read with great interest your column asking me to join you in the cultural fight against the gay community.
With all due respect, I am going to have to pass for a myriad of reasons.
In the first place, gay marriage has not contributed to any type of decline in the African-American community. I noticed that you made that claim but didn't give any reasonable degree of proof backing it up.
Secondly, I have heard your rhetoric before. Unfortunately, in the wake of the civil rights movements, there has risen a class of black leadership willing to stab their brothers and sisters in the back for a little face time and some public influence.
I might remind you, before you leaf through your Bible to the verses that supposedly speak against homosexuality, the Word of God has been pervered to justify slavery and segregation. It always amazes me that folks like you always seem to forget that.
There seems to be this claim that the African-American civil rights movement and the movement for lgbt self-determination cannot be thought of as similar. You may have a point there. As a matter of fact, let me further make more points as to how the two are different:
No, gay people have not been beaten and murdered because of their orientation. Sakia Gunn accidentally slipped on that knife belonging to that young black man. And those parademics who should have been helping Tyra Hunter after her car accident rather than laughing at her for being transngender were just doing their jobs.
No, gay people have not had our lives devalued by the fear and ignorance of others. It is rather fun to be judged by someone's fevered imagination of how I have sex.
No, gay people have never been made to sit on the back of the bus. That being the case, legislation created to devalue us and our families is no big deal.
No, gay people have not been insulted and spiritually beaten down by name-calling like African-Americans have. I rather think that the "f" word is a term of endearment, especially when it is said by a group of young men carrying baseball bats or boards with nails in them.
You are so right, Minister Harry Jackson, the fight for self-respect and your God-given rights cannot be seen as universal. Some people deserve rights more than others. And those who have the rights should get to judge the lives of those aren't so lucky.
But let me tell you what is universal, Minister Harry Jackson.
Presumption is universal,
Ignorance is universal,
Self-righteousness is universal.
And you have just proven that these things also know no color.
Dear Minister Harry Jackson,
I read with great interest your column asking me to join you in the cultural fight against the gay community.
With all due respect, I am going to have to pass for a myriad of reasons.
In the first place, gay marriage has not contributed to any type of decline in the African-American community. I noticed that you made that claim but didn't give any reasonable degree of proof backing it up.
Secondly, I have heard your rhetoric before. Unfortunately, in the wake of the civil rights movements, there has risen a class of black leadership willing to stab their brothers and sisters in the back for a little face time and some public influence.
I might remind you, before you leaf through your Bible to the verses that supposedly speak against homosexuality, the Word of God has been pervered to justify slavery and segregation. It always amazes me that folks like you always seem to forget that.
There seems to be this claim that the African-American civil rights movement and the movement for lgbt self-determination cannot be thought of as similar. You may have a point there. As a matter of fact, let me further make more points as to how the two are different:
No, gay people have not been beaten and murdered because of their orientation. Sakia Gunn accidentally slipped on that knife belonging to that young black man. And those parademics who should have been helping Tyra Hunter after her car accident rather than laughing at her for being transngender were just doing their jobs.
No, gay people have not had our lives devalued by the fear and ignorance of others. It is rather fun to be judged by someone's fevered imagination of how I have sex.
No, gay people have never been made to sit on the back of the bus. That being the case, legislation created to devalue us and our families is no big deal.
No, gay people have not been insulted and spiritually beaten down by name-calling like African-Americans have. I rather think that the "f" word is a term of endearment, especially when it is said by a group of young men carrying baseball bats or boards with nails in them.
You are so right, Minister Harry Jackson, the fight for self-respect and your God-given rights cannot be seen as universal. Some people deserve rights more than others. And those who have the rights should get to judge the lives of those aren't so lucky.
But let me tell you what is universal, Minister Harry Jackson.
Presumption is universal,
Ignorance is universal,
Self-righteousness is universal.
And you have just proven that these things also know no color.
Friday, March 09, 2007
Reiteration and Recap
It's Friday and this week has been a killer. Rather than do an original post, I want to recap the points that my upcoming book will make. Repeating correct information is always positive. Feel free to post this anywhere:
2. Repetition
3. Conspiracy Theory
4. Dire Consequences
5. Phony Experts
6. Dehumanizing Semantics
Top Anti-Gay Industry Lies
2. Gay men have a short life span
3. The gay and lesbian community have a high rate of domestic violence
4. Unhealthy behaviors (i.e. substance abuse, promiscuous sexual behavior) is indicative of the gay or lesbian orientation.
5. Gay men molest children at a high rate.
6. Gays and lesbians want to silence Christians .
7. Gays and lesbians recruit people, particularly children, to their "life style."
8. Gays and lesbians are following a six-point plan to take over America.
9. Any judge who rules in favor of the gay and lesbian community in a case is an "activist judge."
10. Anal sex is "homosexual behavior."
11. Robert Spitzer’s study confirms that gays and lesbians can change their orientation.
12. Gays and lesbians want to force acceptance.
13. Gay bowel syndrome is a legitimate medical term.
14. A man who molests a boy or a woman who molests a girl is automatically homosexual.
15. A convenience sample or out-of-date study can be used to generalize about an entire community.
It's Friday and this week has been a killer. Rather than do an original post, I want to recap the points that my upcoming book will make. Repeating correct information is always positive. Feel free to post this anywhere:
Six Distortion Techniques of the Anti-Gay Industry
1. Using nonrepresentative or out of date studies to make generalizations, or distorting legitimate studies to give misleading conclusions
2. Repetition
3. Conspiracy Theory
4. Dire Consequences
5. Phony Experts
6. Dehumanizing Semantics
Top Anti-Gay Industry Lies
1. Homosexuality is a lifestyle more harmful than cigarette smoking
2. Gay men have a short life span
3. The gay and lesbian community have a high rate of domestic violence
4. Unhealthy behaviors (i.e. substance abuse, promiscuous sexual behavior) is indicative of the gay or lesbian orientation.
5. Gay men molest children at a high rate.
6. Gays and lesbians want to silence Christians .
7. Gays and lesbians recruit people, particularly children, to their "life style."
8. Gays and lesbians are following a six-point plan to take over America.
9. Any judge who rules in favor of the gay and lesbian community in a case is an "activist judge."
10. Anal sex is "homosexual behavior."
11. Robert Spitzer’s study confirms that gays and lesbians can change their orientation.
12. Gays and lesbians want to force acceptance.
13. Gay bowel syndrome is a legitimate medical term.
14. A man who molests a boy or a woman who molests a girl is automatically homosexual.
15. A convenience sample or out-of-date study can be used to generalize about an entire community.
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Controlling the semantics
While everyone seems to be talking about the gay porn star who spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference, I will ignore it.
I will also purposefully ignore the Ann Coulter/John Edwards controversy. Every time I see or hear Ann Coulter, a part of me tunes her out because I know that what comes out of her mouth is designed to shock, not progress dialogue.
I find her boring.
I would prefer to talk about something more important and vital to our community. Earlier today, I mentioned an upcoming anti-gay fest in Illinois. This is why that event is going to take place:
Several parents are claiming that mandatory freshman orientation class at Deerfield High School in Illinois which includes a segment where teens from the Straight and Gay Alliance, a school club, speak about there experiences as gay high school is encouraging homosexuality.
The classes are designed to help students adjust to high school; parents who object to the content can have their children excused.
However, a resident of Deerfield, Lora Sue Hauser, wants the panel discontinued. Hauser, the leader of a group called North Shore Student Advocacy, says that parents and trained counselors are better equipped to handle the issues brought up in the classes.
Gay issues is only one part of this orientation, but it is the only part that parents object to.
Hence our friend Peter LaBarbera will be paying a visit to the area to spin all of his conspiracy theories and lies about the lgbt community.
What is happening in Illinois is something that the anti-gay industry is attempting in various places in the country. If schools or any other entity don't approach discussions of gay people using their narrow-minded interpretations, then somehow the discussions are actually indoctrinations.
And please note the semantics here. In the mouths of the anti-gay industry (be they Concerned Women for American, Americans for Truth (in name only), the American Family Association, etc.), the use of words and phrases like "promoting homosexuality" or "indoctrinating children into the homosexual lifestyle" are designed to pull the emotional strings of people, and thereby motivate them through a combination of fear and their religious beliefs rather than truth.
To call this a skilled technique in huge plan to portray the lgbt community as angry alien outsiders is not paranoia on my part.
How is it when these folks try to define who we are based on their lies, they are telling the truth, but when we are explaining our lives, we are trying to "recruit."
I find it ironic that they spin tales of gay people trying to silence Christians because in this case, just who is trying to silence who?
While everyone seems to be talking about the gay porn star who spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference, I will ignore it.
I will also purposefully ignore the Ann Coulter/John Edwards controversy. Every time I see or hear Ann Coulter, a part of me tunes her out because I know that what comes out of her mouth is designed to shock, not progress dialogue.
I find her boring.
I would prefer to talk about something more important and vital to our community. Earlier today, I mentioned an upcoming anti-gay fest in Illinois. This is why that event is going to take place:
Several parents are claiming that mandatory freshman orientation class at Deerfield High School in Illinois which includes a segment where teens from the Straight and Gay Alliance, a school club, speak about there experiences as gay high school is encouraging homosexuality.
The classes are designed to help students adjust to high school; parents who object to the content can have their children excused.
However, a resident of Deerfield, Lora Sue Hauser, wants the panel discontinued. Hauser, the leader of a group called North Shore Student Advocacy, says that parents and trained counselors are better equipped to handle the issues brought up in the classes.
Gay issues is only one part of this orientation, but it is the only part that parents object to.
Hence our friend Peter LaBarbera will be paying a visit to the area to spin all of his conspiracy theories and lies about the lgbt community.
What is happening in Illinois is something that the anti-gay industry is attempting in various places in the country. If schools or any other entity don't approach discussions of gay people using their narrow-minded interpretations, then somehow the discussions are actually indoctrinations.
And please note the semantics here. In the mouths of the anti-gay industry (be they Concerned Women for American, Americans for Truth (in name only), the American Family Association, etc.), the use of words and phrases like "promoting homosexuality" or "indoctrinating children into the homosexual lifestyle" are designed to pull the emotional strings of people, and thereby motivate them through a combination of fear and their religious beliefs rather than truth.
To call this a skilled technique in huge plan to portray the lgbt community as angry alien outsiders is not paranoia on my part.
How is it when these folks try to define who we are based on their lies, they are telling the truth, but when we are explaining our lives, we are trying to "recruit."
I find it ironic that they spin tales of gay people trying to silence Christians because in this case, just who is trying to silence who?
Old Tactic, New Method
or
The Ghost of Anita Bryant
Special Event!
Culture Campaign hosts God, Sex, and the Culture War
featuring Peter LaBarbera, Lora Sue Hauser, and Laurie Higgins
The Gay Agenda: No Child Left Behind…
Sunday, Mar 11, at 7:15 pm
at College Church in Wheaton, IL
Apparently our friend Peter LaBarbera is intent on taking Robert Knight's place when it comes to spouting anti-gay hysteria.
My guess is that Matt Barber is soon going to be overshadowed. Since getting Robert Knight's old job with Concerned Women for America, he has been extremely light weight.
Peter, on the other hand, has been trying to shoot out of the gate with his group Americans for Truth (in name only). as witnessed by the event that will take place in Illinois on March 11.
I see he is using the old "gays wants to recruit children" tactic that served Anita Bryant so well in the 70s and that other so-called "pro-family" groups continue to hint upon.
This is from the group aiding Americans for Truth (in name only) to put on the event:
Who is going to be there? A panel comprised of the following:A Christian teacher [from] a school district whose administration is peppered with gays and lesbians, so that the school very intensely promotes homosexual lifestyles… A parent who [will explain] how to find out exactly what is being taught [in your local school] and how to respectfully dissent… The leader of Americans for Truth who will inform you about legal issues and situations that have or will impact you, your family and your parental authority….
In other words, a bunch of hysterical adults and Peter LaBarbera, who will act as the puppet master, molding the ignorance and the fear of said hysterical adults to his liking. The idea of a secret gay cabal controlling interests in public schools is silly, but it will no doubt be the idea folks putting on this event will try to spin.
It may seem funny but don't be so quick to laugh. Ignorant people can do a lot of damage when they are manipulated. It's up to us to make sure that the truth comes out.
And let's not forget what exactly is the truth is: Gay students and parents of gay students are tired of getting pushed around and marginalized. They are educating each other and the population at large on their needs and interests. They are not allowing anyone to define them by ignorance and they are not taking a backseat to anyone's religious beliefs.
They are standing up for themselves and their God-given right to self-determination, in accordance to the spirit to which this country was founded upon.
Sorry Peter and the puppets. No conspiracy here. Just good old fashioned American values.
or
The Ghost of Anita Bryant
Special Event!
Culture Campaign hosts God, Sex, and the Culture War
featuring Peter LaBarbera, Lora Sue Hauser, and Laurie Higgins
The Gay Agenda: No Child Left Behind…
Sunday, Mar 11, at 7:15 pm
at College Church in Wheaton, IL
Apparently our friend Peter LaBarbera is intent on taking Robert Knight's place when it comes to spouting anti-gay hysteria.
My guess is that Matt Barber is soon going to be overshadowed. Since getting Robert Knight's old job with Concerned Women for America, he has been extremely light weight.
Peter, on the other hand, has been trying to shoot out of the gate with his group Americans for Truth (in name only). as witnessed by the event that will take place in Illinois on March 11.
I see he is using the old "gays wants to recruit children" tactic that served Anita Bryant so well in the 70s and that other so-called "pro-family" groups continue to hint upon.
This is from the group aiding Americans for Truth (in name only) to put on the event:
Who is going to be there? A panel comprised of the following:A Christian teacher [from] a school district whose administration is peppered with gays and lesbians, so that the school very intensely promotes homosexual lifestyles… A parent who [will explain] how to find out exactly what is being taught [in your local school] and how to respectfully dissent… The leader of Americans for Truth who will inform you about legal issues and situations that have or will impact you, your family and your parental authority….
In other words, a bunch of hysterical adults and Peter LaBarbera, who will act as the puppet master, molding the ignorance and the fear of said hysterical adults to his liking. The idea of a secret gay cabal controlling interests in public schools is silly, but it will no doubt be the idea folks putting on this event will try to spin.
It may seem funny but don't be so quick to laugh. Ignorant people can do a lot of damage when they are manipulated. It's up to us to make sure that the truth comes out.
And let's not forget what exactly is the truth is: Gay students and parents of gay students are tired of getting pushed around and marginalized. They are educating each other and the population at large on their needs and interests. They are not allowing anyone to define them by ignorance and they are not taking a backseat to anyone's religious beliefs.
They are standing up for themselves and their God-given right to self-determination, in accordance to the spirit to which this country was founded upon.
Sorry Peter and the puppets. No conspiracy here. Just good old fashioned American values.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
You mean I can't disrespect gay people? That is an insult to my religion! I'm suing!!
Some members of the anti-gay industry are all up in arms over a court decision.
The city of Oakland won a lawsuit today against employees who was angry because their flyer advertising their Christian group was pulled down when it was posted.
They claim that flyers advertising a gay group did not get the same treatment.
Now the employees are correct but do not be fooled because their case is not so simple. The anti-gay industry will probably spin it as "another" case of Christians being persecuted for their beliefs. But here is the true story:
After other workers founded a Gay and Lesbian Employees Association in 2002, Regerford and Christy formed the Good News Employee Association and displayed a flier promoting the group as a "forum for people of faith" to express their views "with respect for the natural family, marriage and family values."
A supervisor removed the flier six weeks later after an employee complained it contained homophobic statements and violated the city's anti-harassment policy.
The flyer was not pulled because they were Christians, but because of the intent behind the words of the flyer.
The employees orginally lost the lawsuit in 2005 because the court ruled that they had other avenues to state their views and the city of Oakland had a right to protect gay and lesbian employees from harrassment.
The 9th Circuit Court reinforced this ruling.
This the headline from a so-called "pro-family" press release:
Ninth Circuit Declares Right of Government to Censor the Terms 'Natural Family,' 'Marriage' and 'Family Values'
Of course the press release misses the point. Their group was formed in response to the gay and lesbian group and this is okay. But the flyer they sent out can be considered as a degree of harrassment. When the employees included the part about "natural family" and the like, they were attacking the gay and lesbian employees. They can claim that they weren't but why then include that part? Who were they talking about?
Words are dangerous if used in an attacking manner. The case reminds me of the following recent incident:
A Catholic school principal has organized sensitivity training for students who shouted "We love Jesus" during a basketball game against a school with Jewish students.
The word "Jew" also was painted on a gym wall behind the seats of Bishop Sullivan Catholic High School students attending the Feb. 2 game at Norfolk Academy, said Dennis W. Price, principal of the Virginia Beach school.
Price who also watched the game, said the rivals exchanged chants, "Then, at some point, our students were chanting, 'We love Jesus.'""It was obviously in reference to the Jewish population of Norfolk Academy; that's the only way you can take that," he added.
"We love Jesus" is not a dirty or harmful phrase. But the way it was used was a clear slap in the face to Jewish students.
Respecting each other's beliefs is a two way street. We lgbts respect the fact that not everyone is going to love us and some people think we are going to hell. But there is a difference between respecting that opinion and some people thinking that their religion gives them carte blanche to disrespect us and our families.
Pride parades
Some people are trying to keep a charter school out of a gay pride parade in San Diego.
And strangely, none of these people have children attending the charter school:
A San Diego, California, school district has rebuffed efforts by 12 Christian men and women to prevent minor children from being exposed to the city's 33rd annual homosexual pride parade. This group, dubbed the "San Diego Twelve," is calling on the district school board to bar a K-8 charter school from once again marching its students under the school's banner in this summer's "San Diego LGBT Pride" parade.
Despite these objections, however, the San Diego School Board has chosen to take the side of the San Diego Cooperative Charter School and not intervene in the matter. The city's annual homosexual pride parade is scheduled to take place July 21 and is being touted as San Diego's largest civic event, with more than 200 floats and with participants from a diverse contingency of the community, including local political leaders, businesses, and even churches.
The charter school has participated in past parades and the parents seem not to have any problems with it.
So if that is the case, then why are these folks pushing the issue? I thought that many on the so-called "pro-family" side considered parents to be the final and official word as to right and wrong for their children.
I guess this is a special case.
The ringleader of this group, James Hartline, is a case by himself. He claims to be an ex-gay who was afflicted with HIV while he was "in the lifestyle."
I will not make any crass comments about his condition, but I will say that Hartline reminds me of a Washington pastor, Ken Hutcherson, in that he has never met a self aggrandizement that he didn't like:
James Hartline is the least likely man to change a city, but that is exactly what he is doing. From fighting illegal porn stores to exposing the corruption within the radical homosexual agenda, James is being used to confront the powers of darkness in San Diego, California.
Leaders of the leftist homosexual agenda named James Hartline as its San Diego Menace of the Year in 2005 for exposing the pedophile network within the San Diego Gay Pride organization.
Many Christian and secular media sources have taken note of the stand James Hartline has made for righteousness in southern California and have reported on his exploits. James is regularly interviewed on XETV Fox Channel 6, the Paul McGuire Show on KBRT 740am Radio, KUSI Channel 9, the San Diego Reader, San Diego NewsNotes, American Family Radio, and Night Lights Christian Talk TV with James L. Lambert.
Hartline omitted the part where he got the sun to stand still. He didn't want to seem pretentious.
He also seems to have E.S.P. because this is what he says about an event that hasn't even happened yet:
. . . Hartline says children should not be exposed to the kind of homosexual pornography that typically characterizes events like the San Diego LGBT Pride parade. "Many of these people in the parade are women who try to flash their breasts without any top on [and] men doing all kinds of filthy things," he contends. "There are men who dress up as Catholic nuns and do mock sexual acts."
I need to move because the pride parades in Columbia, SC definitely aren't like that. But really, Hartline is plugging into a stereotype that we have helped create.
Gay pride parades do have a negative image of bare-chested, bare-butted gays and lesbians losing all leave of their senses.
And this is not how it is
Personally, I like gay pride parades and festivals, but we need to emphasize a new dynamic. Gay pride is not about hedonism. It should be a time for self-love, self-celebration, spiritual growth, and education.
Don't get me wrong, however, because I love my drag queens and feel that they should be included just as they are. They are arguably the most popular and unfairly maligned part of our community. No caste systems are allowed in my vision of the gay and lesbian community. If we all can't get fairness, then none of us should get it.
All I am saying is that let's not get caught up with the cliques and staring at the "hotties' that we don't use the time of gay pride to plan and organize and to assess our individual selves.
Our lgbts identities are what we make of them, not what society or the anti-gay industry tells us they are.
So let's be more assertive in defining them.
Some members of the anti-gay industry are all up in arms over a court decision.
The city of Oakland won a lawsuit today against employees who was angry because their flyer advertising their Christian group was pulled down when it was posted.
They claim that flyers advertising a gay group did not get the same treatment.
Now the employees are correct but do not be fooled because their case is not so simple. The anti-gay industry will probably spin it as "another" case of Christians being persecuted for their beliefs. But here is the true story:
After other workers founded a Gay and Lesbian Employees Association in 2002, Regerford and Christy formed the Good News Employee Association and displayed a flier promoting the group as a "forum for people of faith" to express their views "with respect for the natural family, marriage and family values."
A supervisor removed the flier six weeks later after an employee complained it contained homophobic statements and violated the city's anti-harassment policy.
The flyer was not pulled because they were Christians, but because of the intent behind the words of the flyer.
The employees orginally lost the lawsuit in 2005 because the court ruled that they had other avenues to state their views and the city of Oakland had a right to protect gay and lesbian employees from harrassment.
The 9th Circuit Court reinforced this ruling.
This the headline from a so-called "pro-family" press release:
Ninth Circuit Declares Right of Government to Censor the Terms 'Natural Family,' 'Marriage' and 'Family Values'
Of course the press release misses the point. Their group was formed in response to the gay and lesbian group and this is okay. But the flyer they sent out can be considered as a degree of harrassment. When the employees included the part about "natural family" and the like, they were attacking the gay and lesbian employees. They can claim that they weren't but why then include that part? Who were they talking about?
Words are dangerous if used in an attacking manner. The case reminds me of the following recent incident:
A Catholic school principal has organized sensitivity training for students who shouted "We love Jesus" during a basketball game against a school with Jewish students.
The word "Jew" also was painted on a gym wall behind the seats of Bishop Sullivan Catholic High School students attending the Feb. 2 game at Norfolk Academy, said Dennis W. Price, principal of the Virginia Beach school.
Price who also watched the game, said the rivals exchanged chants, "Then, at some point, our students were chanting, 'We love Jesus.'""It was obviously in reference to the Jewish population of Norfolk Academy; that's the only way you can take that," he added.
"We love Jesus" is not a dirty or harmful phrase. But the way it was used was a clear slap in the face to Jewish students.
Respecting each other's beliefs is a two way street. We lgbts respect the fact that not everyone is going to love us and some people think we are going to hell. But there is a difference between respecting that opinion and some people thinking that their religion gives them carte blanche to disrespect us and our families.
Pride parades
Some people are trying to keep a charter school out of a gay pride parade in San Diego.
And strangely, none of these people have children attending the charter school:
A San Diego, California, school district has rebuffed efforts by 12 Christian men and women to prevent minor children from being exposed to the city's 33rd annual homosexual pride parade. This group, dubbed the "San Diego Twelve," is calling on the district school board to bar a K-8 charter school from once again marching its students under the school's banner in this summer's "San Diego LGBT Pride" parade.
Despite these objections, however, the San Diego School Board has chosen to take the side of the San Diego Cooperative Charter School and not intervene in the matter. The city's annual homosexual pride parade is scheduled to take place July 21 and is being touted as San Diego's largest civic event, with more than 200 floats and with participants from a diverse contingency of the community, including local political leaders, businesses, and even churches.
The charter school has participated in past parades and the parents seem not to have any problems with it.
So if that is the case, then why are these folks pushing the issue? I thought that many on the so-called "pro-family" side considered parents to be the final and official word as to right and wrong for their children.
I guess this is a special case.
The ringleader of this group, James Hartline, is a case by himself. He claims to be an ex-gay who was afflicted with HIV while he was "in the lifestyle."
I will not make any crass comments about his condition, but I will say that Hartline reminds me of a Washington pastor, Ken Hutcherson, in that he has never met a self aggrandizement that he didn't like:
James Hartline is the least likely man to change a city, but that is exactly what he is doing. From fighting illegal porn stores to exposing the corruption within the radical homosexual agenda, James is being used to confront the powers of darkness in San Diego, California.
Leaders of the leftist homosexual agenda named James Hartline as its San Diego Menace of the Year in 2005 for exposing the pedophile network within the San Diego Gay Pride organization.
Many Christian and secular media sources have taken note of the stand James Hartline has made for righteousness in southern California and have reported on his exploits. James is regularly interviewed on XETV Fox Channel 6, the Paul McGuire Show on KBRT 740am Radio, KUSI Channel 9, the San Diego Reader, San Diego NewsNotes, American Family Radio, and Night Lights Christian Talk TV with James L. Lambert.
Hartline omitted the part where he got the sun to stand still. He didn't want to seem pretentious.
He also seems to have E.S.P. because this is what he says about an event that hasn't even happened yet:
. . . Hartline says children should not be exposed to the kind of homosexual pornography that typically characterizes events like the San Diego LGBT Pride parade. "Many of these people in the parade are women who try to flash their breasts without any top on [and] men doing all kinds of filthy things," he contends. "There are men who dress up as Catholic nuns and do mock sexual acts."
I need to move because the pride parades in Columbia, SC definitely aren't like that. But really, Hartline is plugging into a stereotype that we have helped create.
Gay pride parades do have a negative image of bare-chested, bare-butted gays and lesbians losing all leave of their senses.
And this is not how it is
Personally, I like gay pride parades and festivals, but we need to emphasize a new dynamic. Gay pride is not about hedonism. It should be a time for self-love, self-celebration, spiritual growth, and education.
Don't get me wrong, however, because I love my drag queens and feel that they should be included just as they are. They are arguably the most popular and unfairly maligned part of our community. No caste systems are allowed in my vision of the gay and lesbian community. If we all can't get fairness, then none of us should get it.
All I am saying is that let's not get caught up with the cliques and staring at the "hotties' that we don't use the time of gay pride to plan and organize and to assess our individual selves.
Our lgbts identities are what we make of them, not what society or the anti-gay industry tells us they are.
So let's be more assertive in defining them.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Bombardment!
I thought I could take a day off and obviously I was wrong.
I've noticed that our friend Peter LaBarbera is engaging in a new tactic: listing new entries on his page in rapid succession. These entries are articles from so-called "pro-family" sites, which means they are biased, claiming that Christans are being persecuted.
Ususally the articles are about incidents that have not gotten much notice in the mainstream press, meaning that Peter and company can twist the articles around to suit their lies before the truth comes out.
Peter's latest entries are no different:
Sex Worker “Art” Show Hosted by College of William and Mary
UK Religious Schools Must Not Teach that Homosexuality Is Sinful or Morally Wrong
Deerfield High School Uses GLSEN’s “Lunchbox” Series — What’s in the Box?
Irish Boy, 14, Arranges Sex with Adult Men Using Gaydar
Peter received these articles from Lifesite, an anti-gay industry online publication from Canada. Other online sites are going to be repeating these articles verbatim from Lifesite and other so-called "pro-family" news sources, i.e. OneNewsNow and WorldNetDaily.
This is how lies and rumors are started. And these sites doing just like Peter, heaping all of these stories one after the other all at once so that it is almost impossible to respond.
An excellent communication tactic, but not very Christian.
I thought I could take a day off and obviously I was wrong.
I've noticed that our friend Peter LaBarbera is engaging in a new tactic: listing new entries on his page in rapid succession. These entries are articles from so-called "pro-family" sites, which means they are biased, claiming that Christans are being persecuted.
Ususally the articles are about incidents that have not gotten much notice in the mainstream press, meaning that Peter and company can twist the articles around to suit their lies before the truth comes out.
Peter's latest entries are no different:
Sex Worker “Art” Show Hosted by College of William and Mary
UK Religious Schools Must Not Teach that Homosexuality Is Sinful or Morally Wrong
Deerfield High School Uses GLSEN’s “Lunchbox” Series — What’s in the Box?
Irish Boy, 14, Arranges Sex with Adult Men Using Gaydar
Peter received these articles from Lifesite, an anti-gay industry online publication from Canada. Other online sites are going to be repeating these articles verbatim from Lifesite and other so-called "pro-family" news sources, i.e. OneNewsNow and WorldNetDaily.
This is how lies and rumors are started. And these sites doing just like Peter, heaping all of these stories one after the other all at once so that it is almost impossible to respond.
An excellent communication tactic, but not very Christian.
Monday, March 05, 2007
Frustration and Elation
Frustration
I took a break from doing work on my book Saturday and headed to the bookstore.
And got supremely pissed.
I didn't realize just how much the conservatives dominate the current events section of Barnes and Noble. It's as if every conservative commentator has three books each out.
What really pissed me off was a book entitled Conservative Comebacks to Liberal Lies.
I just knew that there was a section in it on the gay and lesbian community so I took a look. And it was as bad as I thought.
All of the cherry picked studies I cover in my book was included, but there was something else. The author freely cited Paul Cameron; in fact he cited about three of Cameron's discredited studies.
Why in 2007 are people still citing Cameron as a correct source? I have talked so many times about the stubborness of people citing headless monsters but now I am convinced that there is something else in play: the Dukakis factor.
In the 1989 election, George Bush played dirty politics, attacking Democratic candidate Michael Dukakis's character; calling him a card-carrying member of the ACLU and the like. Dukakis's inability to hit back fast and aggressively ended up costing him the election.
In that spirit, I have to ask just what are the gay rights organizations doing to attack the right's ability to demonize us. Why haven't those groups who are always calling me or sending me letters for donations taking more of an aggressive role in making the anti-gay industry explain themselves and their studies.
I have enjoyed writing this book and I hope to get people talking, but in all honesty, I should not have been in the situation to write it. I feel as if I am doing the work that HRC or the Gay and Lesbian Task Force should do.
Where is the big expose on Paul Cameron? Where is the truth to the lies that gay men have a short life span or gays molest children at a high rate?
While it is true that the religious right have been lying about our lives, we should ask just how much are we to blame for those lies being told over and over again?
Evil men prosper when good men do nothing.
And it is the same for organizations.
Elation
It's gone.
My manuscript is at the publisher's and and in a few months, Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters will be in print. Thank you all for your support and I hope that you continue to support my efforts. In the coming weeks, I will be sending out press releases announcing the findings of my book. For now, like I promised, I am now going to reveal my chapter list. If anyone has any questions at all, please email me at CharleKenghis@aol.com
Introduction -Meeting Robert Knight
Chapter One - From Anita to James
Chapter Two - Paul Cameron
Chapter Three - If you can't prove a point, then generalize
Chapter Four - Then Repeat
Chapter Five - Conspiracy Theory
Chapter Six - Dire Consequences
Chapter Seven - Phony Experts
Chapter Eight - Dehumanizing Semantics
Chapter Nine - Lies About Sexual Health
Chapter Ten - What It All Means
Frustration
I took a break from doing work on my book Saturday and headed to the bookstore.
And got supremely pissed.
I didn't realize just how much the conservatives dominate the current events section of Barnes and Noble. It's as if every conservative commentator has three books each out.
What really pissed me off was a book entitled Conservative Comebacks to Liberal Lies.
I just knew that there was a section in it on the gay and lesbian community so I took a look. And it was as bad as I thought.
All of the cherry picked studies I cover in my book was included, but there was something else. The author freely cited Paul Cameron; in fact he cited about three of Cameron's discredited studies.
Why in 2007 are people still citing Cameron as a correct source? I have talked so many times about the stubborness of people citing headless monsters but now I am convinced that there is something else in play: the Dukakis factor.
In the 1989 election, George Bush played dirty politics, attacking Democratic candidate Michael Dukakis's character; calling him a card-carrying member of the ACLU and the like. Dukakis's inability to hit back fast and aggressively ended up costing him the election.
In that spirit, I have to ask just what are the gay rights organizations doing to attack the right's ability to demonize us. Why haven't those groups who are always calling me or sending me letters for donations taking more of an aggressive role in making the anti-gay industry explain themselves and their studies.
I have enjoyed writing this book and I hope to get people talking, but in all honesty, I should not have been in the situation to write it. I feel as if I am doing the work that HRC or the Gay and Lesbian Task Force should do.
Where is the big expose on Paul Cameron? Where is the truth to the lies that gay men have a short life span or gays molest children at a high rate?
While it is true that the religious right have been lying about our lives, we should ask just how much are we to blame for those lies being told over and over again?
Evil men prosper when good men do nothing.
And it is the same for organizations.
Elation
It's gone.
My manuscript is at the publisher's and and in a few months, Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters will be in print. Thank you all for your support and I hope that you continue to support my efforts. In the coming weeks, I will be sending out press releases announcing the findings of my book. For now, like I promised, I am now going to reveal my chapter list. If anyone has any questions at all, please email me at CharleKenghis@aol.com
Introduction -Meeting Robert Knight
Chapter One - From Anita to James
Chapter Two - Paul Cameron
Chapter Three - If you can't prove a point, then generalize
Chapter Four - Then Repeat
Chapter Five - Conspiracy Theory
Chapter Six - Dire Consequences
Chapter Seven - Phony Experts
Chapter Eight - Dehumanizing Semantics
Chapter Nine - Lies About Sexual Health
Chapter Ten - What It All Means
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