Thank you Mass Resistance for furthering our cause

It is always gratifying to see those who are our opposition spin their heels so much that they actually help us out.

I've talked about the group in Massachusetts, Mass Resistance (the organization behind the David Parker mess) a few times.

Mass Resistance and its head, Brian Camenker, consider themselves as a "pro-family" group working to stop the "gay agenda."

To wit, they have done a lot of "interesting work." Aside from the David Parker incident is the following:

In 2000, MassResistance entered unauthorized into a statewide conference, called "Teach-Out," that was sponsored by the Massachusetts Department of Education, the Governor’s Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth, and the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, held at Tufts University. Included among the conference-goers were preadolescents, some as young as 12, who were (like the rest of Teach-Out's attendees) allowed to ask questions about sex in a safe environment.

One student asked what fisting was, and was answered with an explanation. This led the incident to be dubbed "Fistgate" by Camenker and others. A person working for Camenker's organization, Scott Whiteman, taped some of the students without their knowledge. As a result of the outcry that was generated when parents heard tapes of the event, Margot Abels, a state employee who participated in the discussion, and two other state employees were fired. One of the state employees was later re-instated to her job.

Abels filed suit against Camenker as a result of his distribution of the tape recordings. The case was settled out of court; the results of a second lawsuit is unavailable .

Then comes this interesting incident from last year:

On Saturday May 12, 2007 Amy Contrada, the writer of MassResistance, finally revealed herself to the LGBT community. For the first time she put herself out there, willing to be photographed and interact with our supporters.

Amy, wearing an ill-fitted tan blazer and sporting greasy unkempt hair, began her day at the Youth Pride Celebration on the Boston Common where she (and a man wearing a red cap) lurked around taking photographs of our youth and adult leaders. She carried both a video camera and digital camera to capture as much "depravity" as possible. Amy especially focuses on the young people who are brave enough to express their gender in a way that deviates from societies rigid binary gender norms so that she can "shock and appall" her misinformed readers.

After Youth Pride Amy headed over to the BAGLY Prom where she showed her true colors. When Trevor Wright, organizer for the Prom and blogger for QueerToday, yelled at her to move she became infuriated. During their interaction, Amy hastily asked Trevor if he knew what "cum vomit" was. She insisted she read about "cum vomit" on the GLSEN web site, and that we were brainwashing young people to be "crazed homosexuals."

This is par for the course for Mass Resistance. Because of their efforts, the group was given the designation of a "hate group" by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

And I can't think of a group (okay maybe one or two - hello Peter and Matt) who deserve it more.

But I noticed something from their webpage, which I go onto from time to time when I need a good laugh.

Mass Resistance has been losing big time.

They are presently complaining about the following things:

The Mayor of Boston has raised the pride flag over City Hall to commemorate Gay Pride Week

The Massachusetts Legislature recently approved $850,000 in state funding for gay programs in schools. Apparently even some legislatures the group thought of as "pro-family" approved the monies.

Major corporations and top politicians are actually supporting Gay Pride Week in Boston.

Mass Resistance is crying bloody murder over all of these incidents, but it seems to me that the group's behavior contribute to Massachusetts's embracing of lgbts.

After all, would you align yourself with a group that mentions the word "cum vomit' in front of a bunch of children?

And besides, they seem to have this "throw the baby out with the bathwater" attitude with anyone who doesn't support their efforts.

This is what they claimed a "pro-family" legislator sent to a constituent explaining his vote for the approval of the $850,000 funding:

Below is an email Moore sent to a constituent who complained about his support for the funding for homosexual programs in the schools. Note that:

Moore tries to split hairs by saying he "didn't support" the money but didn't oppose it because he believes it is needed. Huh?

He repeats the gay lobby's big lie that this is for "violence prevention", ignoring the actual content of these "programs." We've challenged legislators to find a single legitimate violence prevention or suicide prevention aspect of any of this.

He insults parents by saying that if parents don't present homosexuality in a positive way at home, then "it must be taught or reinforced in other settings" - i.e., the schools. In other words, he believes that the state knows better than parents.

Sounds like he should be reprimanded, huh? Well Mass Resistance had the stupid presence of mind to print the letter. I ask you, does this sound insulting:

Dear Mr. xxxxxxx:

I'm not exactly sure what you mean by supporting "the increase in funding for the homosexual lobby." I certainly did not support any amendment to any lobby group. I did not oppose an amendment by Senator Wilkerson of Boston for an increase in the Department of Education's Administrative Account to earmark and additional $100,000 about the Ways and Means Committee recommendation of $200,000 to fund a Gay and Lesbian Violence Prevention Education Program. I don't agree with the Gay/Lesbian lifestyle, however, I believe that violence against students who profess to be, or appear to be Gay/Lesbian is wrong and that students should be taught to be tolerant of all people race, creed, gender, age, sexual preference or whatever. Children usually learn prejudice from adults, sometimes even from parents. We don't have to agree with others or condone their behavior however children need to be taught tolerance of differences. Tolerance of difference is, in my opinion, a family value that should be sustained and, especially when that lesson is not learned in the home, it must be taught or reinforced in other settings. If that is the amendment to which you refer, I am sorry if you disagree with my position, however I do not share the view of some others that we should ignore attitudes that engender violence in our schools or among our youth.

I think the group that monitors Mass Resistance, Mass Resistance Watch, puts it in a nutshell:

Do you think the Massachusetts Legislature is now aware that MassResistance is a recognized hate group? YES! And I'm sure our State Legislators just experienced a little of bit the hatred that these bigots spew forth daily at GLBT people. I imagine that they overwhelming approved the increase in funding for at risk youth knowing that dangerous people like MassResistance are out there.

Thank you Brian and Amy. Keep up the good work.

It never hurts when anti-gay folks work diligently to make themselves laughing stocks.