The verdict is in - NOM lays another egg
The National Organization for Marriage's campaign against same sex marriage is shaping up as the Heaven's Gate of all anti-gay campaigns.
First was the awful "Gathering Storm" ad which made the organization a laughing stock. Now comes the "No Offense" ad.
Through this ad, NOM was obviously hoping to take advantage of the Miss California Carrie Prejean/Perez Hilton same sex marriage question at the Miss America Pageant feud.
For the record, the ad is another flop for NOM.
It has received only one and a half stars on youtube and has been criticized for taking quotes out of context.
Box Turtle Bulletin said the ad had many problems, including:
1. It relies on old and trivial news. By now everyone has seen the little tiff between Carrie Prejean and Perez Hilton. And while some may sympathize with Carrie, it’s hardly the sort of incident upon which to base a significant political position.
2. It gives voice to NOM’s opposition. When your dear friend indignantly says, “she called me FAT!!”, it may not be admirable but the very first thing you automatically do is look to her waist to see if it’s true. So it isn’t wise to remind viewers that some consider NOM to be bigoted and untruthful; it places the association in their minds.
3. It has no point. The theme is “gay marriage supporters are bad because they called me names." And seeking to demonize your opponent may not be the wisest choice when you’ve just reminded your viewer that you are being called a bigot.
This controversy is petering out and save for scrappings between Prejean and Miss California pageant officials, no one is really giving a damn about it.
And apparently the NOM press conference stunk also. According to Rebecca Armendariz of The Washington Blade:
Just got back from the NOM press conference. Maggie Gallagher and Miss California Carrie Prejean were there, and there was even a reporter from "Inside Edition" to ask Prejean about her breast implants!
Gallagher introduced Carrie and was very careful in choosing her words. She said that she understands that the "attacks" on Miss Cali don't reflect the views of most gay people, and remained civil, and a little emotional, about the need to preserve traditional marriage. I'm sure she's also really proud of the soundbite she brought out for the occasion - that Carrie "chose the truth over the tiara."
Carrie seems to think that her views represent the "majority of people in my nation." I didn't get called on, so I couldn't bring this to her attention, but that majority is dwindling. A CBS poll from earlier in the week says 42 percent of the country supports same-sex marriage, and an ABC poll from today boasts a big 49 percent.
If we don't preserve "traditional" marriage, Carrie says, children will not have mothers and fathers. Because, you know, that's the norm. Miss Prejean really needs to take a look at Dan Savage's powerful "Every child deserves a mother and a father" series on Slog.
I'm in agreement with my fellow bloggers when they say "bring on the parodies!"
But I have one question. The dollar amount of $1.5 million has been thrown around when talking about the cost of this ad as well as the "Gathering Storm" ad.
Who in the hell is trying to get a tax write off?
UPDATE - It looks like Hilton had the ad removed from Youtube citing copyright issues. Well to hell with it all. I say let's make next year's Wrestlemania match against him and Prejean.
But in all honesty, NOM can't complain about this because the group has done the same thing regarding the now infamous "Gathering Storm" audition tapes.
Debate the points of Hilton's actions amongst yourselves. Personally I'm a bit conflicted.
And in other news:
Maine Senate Backs Same-Sex Marriage - Happy, happy! Joy, joy!
McGillis Confirms Lesbian Rumors - Welcome to the conspiracy Kelly McGillis (cue thunder and evil laugh)
Religious right now trying to punish pro-gay speech - First Tinky-Winky, now Miley Cyrus. How dare she say that God loves everyone!
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Thursday midday news briefs
Video: Know Offense, NOM - NOM likes to claim that we won't discuss the issue of marriage equality. Per usual for them, that's a lie.
Transwoman wins half-million in lawsuit - My new best friend
SF police crackdown on Dore fair sex - I have to agree with the police on this one.
Paterson: Gay Marriage Opponents Suffer From 'Guilt' - Handle your business Governor Paterson!
And finally . . .
Joe Solmonese responds to NOM's new commercial - "The only terrible consequence of marriage equality they’ve demonstrated so far is a gay blogger disagreeing with a beauty queen. As far as my cameo, I appreciate them emphasizing my point that when debating the merits of this issue they only have lies on which to rely. While we believe in honoring all relationships, their relationship with the truth could use some help."
Can you say "BUUUUUURRNNNNN!"
One more thing about it. What's with comparing Carrie Prejean to Queen Esther from the Bible? Esther stopped the wholesale genocide of Jewish people. All Prejean did was answer a question, get a gay gossip columnist angry, and is now reaping the p.r. benefits of the entire thing.
I fail to see the comparison.
Video: Know Offense, NOM - NOM likes to claim that we won't discuss the issue of marriage equality. Per usual for them, that's a lie.
Nice Try, NOM -And from People for the American Way comes the news that NOM was taking quotes out of context in the new ad. Well I am shocked!!
Maine’s Governor Reportedly Backs Same-Sex Marriage - Meanwhile, in the real world that NOM does not seem to inhabit . . .Transwoman wins half-million in lawsuit - My new best friend
SF police crackdown on Dore fair sex - I have to agree with the police on this one.
Paterson: Gay Marriage Opponents Suffer From 'Guilt' - Handle your business Governor Paterson!
And finally . . .
Joe Solmonese responds to NOM's new commercial - "The only terrible consequence of marriage equality they’ve demonstrated so far is a gay blogger disagreeing with a beauty queen. As far as my cameo, I appreciate them emphasizing my point that when debating the merits of this issue they only have lies on which to rely. While we believe in honoring all relationships, their relationship with the truth could use some help."
Can you say "BUUUUUURRNNNNN!"
One more thing about it. What's with comparing Carrie Prejean to Queen Esther from the Bible? Esther stopped the wholesale genocide of Jewish people. All Prejean did was answer a question, get a gay gossip columnist angry, and is now reaping the p.r. benefits of the entire thing.
I fail to see the comparison.
Carrie Prejean is not going away - but it's good for us
Well this is interesting - Carrie Prejean is not going away. But I don't think it's going to be a bad thing for us.
I just saw her on the Today show in an exclusive interview where she talked about her teaming with the National Organization for Marriage in a new ad campaign.
And I have two thoughts.
The first one - Ms. Prejean said she has not received any threats because of her stance - so I dare Maggie Gallagher and company to try and spin the physical threat claim.
The second thought - Oh My God, you have to be kidding me! Her answers to Matt Lauer's questions were short, inarticulate and very, very vauge. She came across as obviously coached.
Her constant talking point - she is just trying "to protect marriage." And she is willing to do what it takes to "protect marriage."
That's it. And I won't even get to her answer to the question comparing her to Sarah Palin.
My opinion is that she lucked into a situation (thanks again Perez) and the religious right is trying to take advantage of it. The National Organization for Marriage in particular after that awful "Gathering Storm" ad campaign is trying to rebound by using her.
So basically while I respect her opinion, it's safe to say that her 15 minutes are not just almost up, they are careening to a close with the speed of a runaway freight train.
If Prejean is what NOM considers a rebound then the organization should just call the game.
UPDATE - The ad is up. And while it is interesting how it compares Perez Hilton with HRC head Joe Solmonese, it also makes a huge error in referring to the "Gathering Storm" ad. The point of this ad should have been making people forget how bad the first one was. And it also makes more vague and easily refuted charges.
Well this is interesting - Carrie Prejean is not going away. But I don't think it's going to be a bad thing for us.
I just saw her on the Today show in an exclusive interview where she talked about her teaming with the National Organization for Marriage in a new ad campaign.
And I have two thoughts.
The first one - Ms. Prejean said she has not received any threats because of her stance - so I dare Maggie Gallagher and company to try and spin the physical threat claim.
The second thought - Oh My God, you have to be kidding me! Her answers to Matt Lauer's questions were short, inarticulate and very, very vauge. She came across as obviously coached.
Her constant talking point - she is just trying "to protect marriage." And she is willing to do what it takes to "protect marriage."
That's it. And I won't even get to her answer to the question comparing her to Sarah Palin.
My opinion is that she lucked into a situation (thanks again Perez) and the religious right is trying to take advantage of it. The National Organization for Marriage in particular after that awful "Gathering Storm" ad campaign is trying to rebound by using her.
So basically while I respect her opinion, it's safe to say that her 15 minutes are not just almost up, they are careening to a close with the speed of a runaway freight train.
If Prejean is what NOM considers a rebound then the organization should just call the game.
UPDATE - The ad is up. And while it is interesting how it compares Perez Hilton with HRC head Joe Solmonese, it also makes a huge error in referring to the "Gathering Storm" ad. The point of this ad should have been making people forget how bad the first one was. And it also makes more vague and easily refuted charges.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Hate crimes legislation passes!!!
And a Republican puts her foot in her mouth - talk about two for two
I know you all have heard by now:
HATE CRIMES LEGISLATION PASSED THE HOUSE!!!:
The House this afternoon passed an expanded hate crimes bill that would protect gay victims, and its chief sponsor in the Senate called for prompt final action.
The measure passed 249-175 over the objections of conservatives, the Associated Press reports.
The bill -- named for Matthew Shepard, the gay college student who was beaten to death in Wyoming in 1998 -- is a stronger version of a bill that died two years ago under a veto threat from President Bush.
And this story gets more interesting. In an attempt to speak against the bill, several Republicans made asses of themselves, The big booby prize goes to North Carolina Congresswoman Virginia Foxx:
If you didn't vote for this bill -- against this bill and against this rule for anything else, you could vote against it because we are spending additional money. i also would like to point out that there was a bill -- the hate crimes bill that's called the matthew sheppard bill is named afte a very unfortunate incident that happened where a young man was killed, but we know that that young man was killed in the commitment of a robbery. it wasn't because he was gay. this -- the bill was named for him, hate crimes bill was named for him, but it's really a hoax that that continues to be used as an excuse for passing these bills.
The idea that Matthew Shepard's murder was not an anti-gay crime but a robbery gone wrong is not an old one. The religious right have been batting that lie around ever since ABC's 20/20 featured a report on Shepard's murder a few years ago. For the record, the report only hinted at this idea of the robbery motive, offered no proof, and was highly criticized.
But the most important thing was that it didn't change anything. When ABC's Primetime news program investigated the murder of Medgar Evers, it led to a new trial and the conviction of his murdered, Byron de la Beckwith.
The 20/20 program on Shepard's murder accomplished nothing but bad contributing to factoids by the religious right.
By the way, go here for the truth behind Shepard's murder and yes, he was killed because of his sexual orientation.
Someone should tell Foxx that there is a difference between telling a lie to excite your base and trotting that lie out in the public eye. In the latter case, you usually have to provide proof.
And in other news:
We won't be getting hearing the last from Miss California for a while - It was bound to happen. She will be helping NOM in their anti-gay marriage campaign. Tomorrow, they will unveil a new ad featuring her. Oh boy! Someone please ask her about her junk science citing church.
And I mentioning this last because I want to end this entry with good news:
The state Senate voted Wednesday to move New Hampshire a step closer to becoming the fifth state to allow gay marriage, but made a distinction between religious and civil ceremonies, bringing back an idea the House rejected in March.
The bill, which passed the Senate 13-11, goes to the House, which can agree with the Senate, kill the bill or ask to negotiate something different.
Gov. John Lynch would only see a bill if both chambers agree. Lynch has said marriage is a word that should be reserved for the union of a man and a woman, but he has not specifically said he would veto a gay marriage bill.
And a Republican puts her foot in her mouth - talk about two for two
I know you all have heard by now:
HATE CRIMES LEGISLATION PASSED THE HOUSE!!!:
The House this afternoon passed an expanded hate crimes bill that would protect gay victims, and its chief sponsor in the Senate called for prompt final action.
The measure passed 249-175 over the objections of conservatives, the Associated Press reports.
The bill -- named for Matthew Shepard, the gay college student who was beaten to death in Wyoming in 1998 -- is a stronger version of a bill that died two years ago under a veto threat from President Bush.
And this story gets more interesting. In an attempt to speak against the bill, several Republicans made asses of themselves, The big booby prize goes to North Carolina Congresswoman Virginia Foxx:
If you didn't vote for this bill -- against this bill and against this rule for anything else, you could vote against it because we are spending additional money. i also would like to point out that there was a bill -- the hate crimes bill that's called the matthew sheppard bill is named afte a very unfortunate incident that happened where a young man was killed, but we know that that young man was killed in the commitment of a robbery. it wasn't because he was gay. this -- the bill was named for him, hate crimes bill was named for him, but it's really a hoax that that continues to be used as an excuse for passing these bills.
The idea that Matthew Shepard's murder was not an anti-gay crime but a robbery gone wrong is not an old one. The religious right have been batting that lie around ever since ABC's 20/20 featured a report on Shepard's murder a few years ago. For the record, the report only hinted at this idea of the robbery motive, offered no proof, and was highly criticized.
But the most important thing was that it didn't change anything. When ABC's Primetime news program investigated the murder of Medgar Evers, it led to a new trial and the conviction of his murdered, Byron de la Beckwith.
The 20/20 program on Shepard's murder accomplished nothing but bad contributing to factoids by the religious right.
By the way, go here for the truth behind Shepard's murder and yes, he was killed because of his sexual orientation.
Someone should tell Foxx that there is a difference between telling a lie to excite your base and trotting that lie out in the public eye. In the latter case, you usually have to provide proof.
And in other news:
We won't be getting hearing the last from Miss California for a while - It was bound to happen. She will be helping NOM in their anti-gay marriage campaign. Tomorrow, they will unveil a new ad featuring her. Oh boy! Someone please ask her about her junk science citing church.
And I mentioning this last because I want to end this entry with good news:
The state Senate voted Wednesday to move New Hampshire a step closer to becoming the fifth state to allow gay marriage, but made a distinction between religious and civil ceremonies, bringing back an idea the House rejected in March.
The bill, which passed the Senate 13-11, goes to the House, which can agree with the Senate, kill the bill or ask to negotiate something different.
Gov. John Lynch would only see a bill if both chambers agree. Lynch has said marriage is a word that should be reserved for the union of a man and a woman, but he has not specifically said he would veto a gay marriage bill.
Wednesday midday newsbriefs
Updates on hate crimes legislation vote courtesy of Twitter - Bear with me because I'm not sure how this Twitter thing works.
Obama pushes for hate crimes legislation - Amen!
Reading, writing, and requesting notification when a teacher so much as mispronounces Uruguay - Sorry but learning about lgbt families is not the same as sex education and therefore requires no parent notification, no matter what the religious right says.
Rev. Irene Monroe: When queer communities of color are not needed to win marriage rights - Rev. Irene Monroe lays it down again and generates much needed discussion in our community.
Gays have right to attend high school proms - With the dates of our choice - you have better believe it!
Updates on hate crimes legislation vote courtesy of Twitter - Bear with me because I'm not sure how this Twitter thing works.
Obama pushes for hate crimes legislation - Amen!
Reading, writing, and requesting notification when a teacher so much as mispronounces Uruguay - Sorry but learning about lgbt families is not the same as sex education and therefore requires no parent notification, no matter what the religious right says.
Rev. Irene Monroe: When queer communities of color are not needed to win marriage rights - Rev. Irene Monroe lays it down again and generates much needed discussion in our community.
Gays have right to attend high school proms - With the dates of our choice - you have better believe it!
Hate Crimes Legislation Vote Today - keep your fingers crossed
Congress will be voting on hate crimes legislation today and hopefully it will pass.
Our friends at the phony news site, One News Now, is already conceding this point.
If it does pass (and hopefully it will), some of the credit has to go to the religious right. Organizations such as the Traditional Values Coalition and the Liberty Counsel are encouraging their supporters to inudate Congress with emails and phone calls speaking against hate crimes legislation.
But their information is not only wrong but alarmingly wrong:
Hate Crimes Bill Protects Cross-Dressers and Pedophiles but Not Veterans or Grandmas
Contact: Liberty Counsel Public Relations Department, 800-671-1776
WASHINGTON, April 28 /Standard Newswire/ -- On Wednesday, April 29, the U.S. House is scheduled to vote on so-called "hate crimes" legislation, which would give "actual or perceived" "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" the same federal protection as race. Last week the House Judiciary Committee refused to exclude pedophiles from the bill's protection. The Committee also refused to include veterans. Moreover, the bill does not include the elderly. H.R. 1913 (Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009) is not about stopping crime but is designed to give "actual or perceived" sexual preference or "gender identity" (which is still classified as a mental disorder) the same legal status as race. The DSM IVR (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual used by psychologists and psychiatrists to diagnose mental disorders) lists more than 30 "sexual orientations" and "Gender Identity Disorders," including pedophilia. The hate crimes bill does not limit "sexual orientation" or "gender identity" and, thus, includes all these disorders and fetishes. The use of "actual or perceived" includes those with disorders or deviant sexual preferences and those who do not have such disorders or fetishes, so long as it is alleged that the person charged allegedly "thought" the other person had such disorder or fetish.
It's one thing to inudate your representative with emails and phone calls, but it's quite another to do such using bad information. Elected officials are not stupid and just how many of them will be swayed by information that they know to be inaccurate?
I have a feeling that the information put out by the religious right may have the opposite effect, i.e. alienating members of Congress and demonstrating the need for lgbt inclusive hate crimes legislation.
At least I sincerely hope so.
Congress will be voting on hate crimes legislation today and hopefully it will pass.
Our friends at the phony news site, One News Now, is already conceding this point.
If it does pass (and hopefully it will), some of the credit has to go to the religious right. Organizations such as the Traditional Values Coalition and the Liberty Counsel are encouraging their supporters to inudate Congress with emails and phone calls speaking against hate crimes legislation.
But their information is not only wrong but alarmingly wrong:
Hate Crimes Bill Protects Cross-Dressers and Pedophiles but Not Veterans or Grandmas
Contact: Liberty Counsel Public Relations Department, 800-671-1776
WASHINGTON, April 28 /Standard Newswire/ -- On Wednesday, April 29, the U.S. House is scheduled to vote on so-called "hate crimes" legislation, which would give "actual or perceived" "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" the same federal protection as race. Last week the House Judiciary Committee refused to exclude pedophiles from the bill's protection. The Committee also refused to include veterans. Moreover, the bill does not include the elderly. H.R. 1913 (Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009) is not about stopping crime but is designed to give "actual or perceived" sexual preference or "gender identity" (which is still classified as a mental disorder) the same legal status as race. The DSM IVR (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual used by psychologists and psychiatrists to diagnose mental disorders) lists more than 30 "sexual orientations" and "Gender Identity Disorders," including pedophilia. The hate crimes bill does not limit "sexual orientation" or "gender identity" and, thus, includes all these disorders and fetishes. The use of "actual or perceived" includes those with disorders or deviant sexual preferences and those who do not have such disorders or fetishes, so long as it is alleged that the person charged allegedly "thought" the other person had such disorder or fetish.
It's one thing to inudate your representative with emails and phone calls, but it's quite another to do such using bad information. Elected officials are not stupid and just how many of them will be swayed by information that they know to be inaccurate?
I have a feeling that the information put out by the religious right may have the opposite effect, i.e. alienating members of Congress and demonstrating the need for lgbt inclusive hate crimes legislation.
At least I sincerely hope so.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Tuesday afternoon news briefs
This is going to be a wild week!
Social Security Administration to Provide Benefits in Lambda Legal Case Representing Gay Father’s Children - Step by step, our families are winning this fight.
Arlen Specter--Republican Shrinkage Continues - The story that everyone is talking about so I figure what the heck.
One more thing - according to Goodasyou.org, Carrie Prejean will be appearing on a radio show with our favorite anti-gay spokespeople Matt Barber and Matt Staver. I guess we can expect to hear more self-righteous rhetoric. I bet they won't ask about her church's beliefs regarding pedophilia and homosexuality.
This is going to be a wild week!
NOM's and Harry Jackson's Stand4Marriage Rally flops; Marion Barry joins the anti-gays - Definition of irony defined by the above picture - "Christians" teaming up with a crack smoker to defeat gay marriage. You see this is what I'm talking about when it comes to what lgbts of color have to deal with. In the black community, you can be a thief, murderer, or drug addict. Just as long as you aren't gay or lesbian.
Franks and Gohmert Team Up With the Religious Right - A perfect example of what I've been talking about regarding Miss California. Why would Congressmen team up with hate groups? And just in time for tomorrow's vote on hate crimes legislation. Call your Congressman - I've already called mine.
Resisting fellows who get in bed with fellows makes strange, hate-certified bedfellows - Another view of the press conference courtesy of Jeremy from Goodasyou.orgSocial Security Administration to Provide Benefits in Lambda Legal Case Representing Gay Father’s Children - Step by step, our families are winning this fight.
Arlen Specter--Republican Shrinkage Continues - The story that everyone is talking about so I figure what the heck.
One more thing - according to Goodasyou.org, Carrie Prejean will be appearing on a radio show with our favorite anti-gay spokespeople Matt Barber and Matt Staver. I guess we can expect to hear more self-righteous rhetoric. I bet they won't ask about her church's beliefs regarding pedophilia and homosexuality.
Why the Miss California/Rock Church story is important
With my post about Miss California's church now exploding on the blogs, I really would like to clarify what this issue is about.
It's not about faith or the supression of faith. And to a degree, it's not even about Perez Hilton and Carrie Prejean.
It's about lies and ugly tactics being enhanced by egos and Biblical verses.
It's about people who are so blinded by what they think is God's view of homosexuality that they are willing to break his other commandments to further this view - particularly the one about bearing false witness.
Google the name "Paul Cameron" and count how many supposed "pro-family" and "traditional values" organizations use his research even after its been continuously discredited.
Better yet, get on the Family Research Council, Concerned Women for America, or the Traditional Values Coalition webpages and read how they lie about hate crimes legislation. Read their lies about how the law will lead to pastors being jailed for speaking against homosexuality in the pulpit. They know that this is not true.
Watch religious right spokespeople get on talk shows and bring up anecdotal incidents about Christians supposedly being discriminated against because of the alleged "gay agenda." Then research said incident and discover that these spokespeople weren't exactly honest and left out many details that presents a totally different view of the incident.
The fact of the matter is that there continues to be a plethora of bad information put out about the lgbt community and the propagators of this bad information are by those who claim to be Christians.
Paul Cameron's bad studies only scratches the surface.
Just how many folks like Prejean have been taken in by this stuff and convinced that their lgbt neighbors are not deserving of basic rights under the law?
That's the real story here.
And lastly, would someone answer a question for me?
I hear so many of my heterosexual African-American brothers and sisters claim that this isn't an issue of civil rights. I would like to know if some of these folks can tell me just what is the difference between what is being done to the lgbt community by the propagators of these inaccurate fear tactics and the lies that stigmatizes black men as overly criminal and black women as sluts?
When you can answer that question, I will be in your corner.
But it's not going to happen because I know you can't.
With my post about Miss California's church now exploding on the blogs, I really would like to clarify what this issue is about.
It's not about faith or the supression of faith. And to a degree, it's not even about Perez Hilton and Carrie Prejean.
It's about lies and ugly tactics being enhanced by egos and Biblical verses.
It's about people who are so blinded by what they think is God's view of homosexuality that they are willing to break his other commandments to further this view - particularly the one about bearing false witness.
Google the name "Paul Cameron" and count how many supposed "pro-family" and "traditional values" organizations use his research even after its been continuously discredited.
Better yet, get on the Family Research Council, Concerned Women for America, or the Traditional Values Coalition webpages and read how they lie about hate crimes legislation. Read their lies about how the law will lead to pastors being jailed for speaking against homosexuality in the pulpit. They know that this is not true.
Watch religious right spokespeople get on talk shows and bring up anecdotal incidents about Christians supposedly being discriminated against because of the alleged "gay agenda." Then research said incident and discover that these spokespeople weren't exactly honest and left out many details that presents a totally different view of the incident.
The fact of the matter is that there continues to be a plethora of bad information put out about the lgbt community and the propagators of this bad information are by those who claim to be Christians.
Paul Cameron's bad studies only scratches the surface.
Just how many folks like Prejean have been taken in by this stuff and convinced that their lgbt neighbors are not deserving of basic rights under the law?
That's the real story here.
And lastly, would someone answer a question for me?
I hear so many of my heterosexual African-American brothers and sisters claim that this isn't an issue of civil rights. I would like to know if some of these folks can tell me just what is the difference between what is being done to the lgbt community by the propagators of these inaccurate fear tactics and the lies that stigmatizes black men as overly criminal and black women as sluts?
When you can answer that question, I will be in your corner.
But it's not going to happen because I know you can't.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Why does Miss California’s church believe that homosexuality and pedophilia are linked?
Church cites discredited Paul Cameron data
When the Miss America controversy started, I defended Carrie Prejean, Miss California, for her answer to Perez Hilton’s question regarding same-sex marriage. I felt that it was her right to answer the question as she felt.
But now we are in totally different territory.
Someone has alerted me to the fact that her church, The Rock Church of San Diego, uses junk science in order to villify the lgbt community.
I looked at the church’s webpage and found there to be a lot of inaccurate information, particularly regarding gays and HIV:
male homosexuals are 430 times more likely to contract HIV than a heterosexual, while heterosexuals have a 1-in-750,000 chance of contracting the virus responsible for HIV, a male homosexual has a 1-in-165 chance of getting HIV. A 20 year old gay male has a 30% chance of either dying or contracting AIDS before the age of 30. They are also 23 times more likely to get other sexually transmitted diseases than a heterosexual.
But it’s the next section that caught my eye like a blinking light:
There are also moral repercussions stemming from homosexual behavior as evidenced by the fact that one third of all sexual crimes against children are committed by homosexuals even though they are representative of only one percent of the population. Pedophilia has even been called central to the gay lifestyle. The agenda of the North American Man Boy Love Association (NAMBLA) is to lower the age of consent so that sex with children will be legal.
The idea that homosexuality and pedophilia are linked is a lie that has been refuted continuously. The American Psychological Association, the National Association of Social Workers, the American Academy of Child Psychiatrists and the Child Welfare League of America all say that the homosexuality and pedophilia are not linked.
So where did that notion come from? The discredited researcher Paul Cameron:
In a 1985 article published in Psychological Reports, Cameron purported to review published data to answer the question, "Do those who commit homosexual acts disproportionately incorporate children into their sexual practices?" (p. 1227). He concluded that "at least one-third of the sexual attacks upon youth are homosexual" (p. 1228) and that "those who are bi- to homosexual are proportionately much more apt to molest youth" than are heterosexuals (p. 1231).
By the way, Cameron got into trouble with the Nebraska Psychological Association for that particular study regarding homosexuality and pedophilia. He distorted the work of one A. Nicholas Groth to make his claims. Groth complained, saying the following:
“(Cameron) misrepresents my findings and distorts them to advance his homophobic views. I make a very clear distinction in my writing between pedophilia and homosexuality, noting that adult males who sexually victimize young boys are either pedophilic or heterosexual, and that in my research I have not found homosexual men turning away from adult partners to children . . . I consider this totally unprofessional behavior on the part of Dr. Cameron and I want to bring this to your attention. He disgraces his profession.”
So apparently this Christian church has no problem with using data by a discredited researcher who has been kicked out of the American Psychological Association as well as rebuked and censured by organizations such as the American Sociological Association and the Canadian Psychological Association due to his tendency to distort credible research in order to stigmatize the lgbt community.
Cameron's organization, the Family Research Institute, is listed as an official hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, by the way.
As I said before, I respect Ms.Prejean’s religious beliefs. And I have rolled my eyes and turned the channel every time I heard about the controversy with a prayer on my lips that it would soon leave the news cycle.
But here is the thing that bothers me - if a racist were to use FBI crime statistics to infer inaccuracies about the African-American community, he would have no credibility.
How is it that a church can say some of the ugliest things about the gay community and use bad science to back it up without fear of reprisal?
You see this is the issue that doesn’t get talked about much.
There is a plethora of bad information out there which stigmatizes the lgbt community as disease ridden sexual deviants.
And the people who are pushing this bad information aren’t wearing hoods and sheets. They don’t burn crosses or use secret handshakes.
They are the people in America’s churches; in the pews and in the pulpits.
They are also the spokespeople of these so-called traditional values groups who get on television and take self-righteous stances knowing fully well that they are engaging in lies.
And why do they get away with it? Because no one seems to have caught on to their game.
When Tony Perkins, Matt Barber, Peter LaBarbera, Maggie Gallagher, and the rest go into their routine, we know they are lying. We know that behind their words are inaccuracies that would be called out for the bigoted lies they are if they were about groups other than the lgbt community.
The sad thing is that there are so many people like Prejean who don’t know; who fall for it with unsurprising ease.
Prejean is not the one who we should be fighting. She never was.
She is merely a symptom of the bigger problem.
Church cites discredited Paul Cameron data
When the Miss America controversy started, I defended Carrie Prejean, Miss California, for her answer to Perez Hilton’s question regarding same-sex marriage. I felt that it was her right to answer the question as she felt.
But now we are in totally different territory.
Someone has alerted me to the fact that her church, The Rock Church of San Diego, uses junk science in order to villify the lgbt community.
I looked at the church’s webpage and found there to be a lot of inaccurate information, particularly regarding gays and HIV:
male homosexuals are 430 times more likely to contract HIV than a heterosexual, while heterosexuals have a 1-in-750,000 chance of contracting the virus responsible for HIV, a male homosexual has a 1-in-165 chance of getting HIV. A 20 year old gay male has a 30% chance of either dying or contracting AIDS before the age of 30. They are also 23 times more likely to get other sexually transmitted diseases than a heterosexual.
But it’s the next section that caught my eye like a blinking light:
There are also moral repercussions stemming from homosexual behavior as evidenced by the fact that one third of all sexual crimes against children are committed by homosexuals even though they are representative of only one percent of the population. Pedophilia has even been called central to the gay lifestyle. The agenda of the North American Man Boy Love Association (NAMBLA) is to lower the age of consent so that sex with children will be legal.
The idea that homosexuality and pedophilia are linked is a lie that has been refuted continuously. The American Psychological Association, the National Association of Social Workers, the American Academy of Child Psychiatrists and the Child Welfare League of America all say that the homosexuality and pedophilia are not linked.
So where did that notion come from? The discredited researcher Paul Cameron:
In a 1985 article published in Psychological Reports, Cameron purported to review published data to answer the question, "Do those who commit homosexual acts disproportionately incorporate children into their sexual practices?" (p. 1227). He concluded that "at least one-third of the sexual attacks upon youth are homosexual" (p. 1228) and that "those who are bi- to homosexual are proportionately much more apt to molest youth" than are heterosexuals (p. 1231).
By the way, Cameron got into trouble with the Nebraska Psychological Association for that particular study regarding homosexuality and pedophilia. He distorted the work of one A. Nicholas Groth to make his claims. Groth complained, saying the following:
“(Cameron) misrepresents my findings and distorts them to advance his homophobic views. I make a very clear distinction in my writing between pedophilia and homosexuality, noting that adult males who sexually victimize young boys are either pedophilic or heterosexual, and that in my research I have not found homosexual men turning away from adult partners to children . . . I consider this totally unprofessional behavior on the part of Dr. Cameron and I want to bring this to your attention. He disgraces his profession.”
So apparently this Christian church has no problem with using data by a discredited researcher who has been kicked out of the American Psychological Association as well as rebuked and censured by organizations such as the American Sociological Association and the Canadian Psychological Association due to his tendency to distort credible research in order to stigmatize the lgbt community.
Cameron's organization, the Family Research Institute, is listed as an official hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, by the way.
As I said before, I respect Ms.Prejean’s religious beliefs. And I have rolled my eyes and turned the channel every time I heard about the controversy with a prayer on my lips that it would soon leave the news cycle.
But here is the thing that bothers me - if a racist were to use FBI crime statistics to infer inaccuracies about the African-American community, he would have no credibility.
How is it that a church can say some of the ugliest things about the gay community and use bad science to back it up without fear of reprisal?
You see this is the issue that doesn’t get talked about much.
There is a plethora of bad information out there which stigmatizes the lgbt community as disease ridden sexual deviants.
And the people who are pushing this bad information aren’t wearing hoods and sheets. They don’t burn crosses or use secret handshakes.
They are the people in America’s churches; in the pews and in the pulpits.
They are also the spokespeople of these so-called traditional values groups who get on television and take self-righteous stances knowing fully well that they are engaging in lies.
And why do they get away with it? Because no one seems to have caught on to their game.
When Tony Perkins, Matt Barber, Peter LaBarbera, Maggie Gallagher, and the rest go into their routine, we know they are lying. We know that behind their words are inaccuracies that would be called out for the bigoted lies they are if they were about groups other than the lgbt community.
The sad thing is that there are so many people like Prejean who don’t know; who fall for it with unsurprising ease.
Prejean is not the one who we should be fighting. She never was.
She is merely a symptom of the bigger problem.
The wolves at Free Republic don't like Iowa right now
You know it's a slow news day when we aren't the lead story at One News Now. The Freepers still "love" us though. Apart from spinning the Miss California situation on its head repeatedly, they also had very interesting comments regarding same sex marriage being available in Iowa:
The more the left, and the rest of this country, coddles to homosexuality the more deaths of homosexuals will occur from there own chosen lust. Homosexuality is a deathstyle not a lifestyle.
"Watch your cornhole, bud"
Iowa? I knew hayseed rednecks married 1st cousins but didn’t know they could be the same sex.
I live in Texas, will be happy to provide name and address. As for them showing up on my lawn; well we have laws in Texas and if we feel our health or property are in danger we have the right to use any means deemed necessary to protect.
Meanwhile,we STILL haven’t seen Obama’s birth certificate....
This nation is ripe for judgment and it is coming.
The Freepers are so reliable.
You know it's a slow news day when we aren't the lead story at One News Now. The Freepers still "love" us though. Apart from spinning the Miss California situation on its head repeatedly, they also had very interesting comments regarding same sex marriage being available in Iowa:
The more the left, and the rest of this country, coddles to homosexuality the more deaths of homosexuals will occur from there own chosen lust. Homosexuality is a deathstyle not a lifestyle.
"Watch your cornhole, bud"
Iowa? I knew hayseed rednecks married 1st cousins but didn’t know they could be the same sex.
I live in Texas, will be happy to provide name and address. As for them showing up on my lawn; well we have laws in Texas and if we feel our health or property are in danger we have the right to use any means deemed necessary to protect.
Meanwhile,we STILL haven’t seen Obama’s birth certificate....
This nation is ripe for judgment and it is coming.
The Freepers are so reliable.
Monday midday news briefs
Facebook organizing FAIL - National Organization for Marriage's new failure. I had to get my shots in also.
Iowa same-sex marriages begin; dozens apply for licenses - I do love progress.
Maggie Gallagher's Letter to the NY Times - New game - every time Maggie Gallagher uses the word "bigot" in her talking points, take a drink.
House Oks adding sexual orientation to hate crimes law, which now goes to Senate - In Alabama? I'm as shocked as you.
Homosexual adoption sports new name in Michigan - Brought to you by One News Now and religious right spokesperson Gary Glenn. Glenn runs the gambit of lies, including citing the distortion of the 1997 Canadian study as well as pro-gay studies he takes out of context. The big question is who are you going to believe - a man who has a bias against the gay community or organizations with more credibility when it comes to research in same sex households?
Facebook organizing FAIL - National Organization for Marriage's new failure. I had to get my shots in also.
Iowa same-sex marriages begin; dozens apply for licenses - I do love progress.
Maggie Gallagher's Letter to the NY Times - New game - every time Maggie Gallagher uses the word "bigot" in her talking points, take a drink.
House Oks adding sexual orientation to hate crimes law, which now goes to Senate - In Alabama? I'm as shocked as you.
Homosexual adoption sports new name in Michigan - Brought to you by One News Now and religious right spokesperson Gary Glenn. Glenn runs the gambit of lies, including citing the distortion of the 1997 Canadian study as well as pro-gay studies he takes out of context. The big question is who are you going to believe - a man who has a bias against the gay community or organizations with more credibility when it comes to research in same sex households?
It's a good question - Why the f*&! do some people have children?
To hear the religious right (especially the groupies at NOM) tell it, allowing lgbts to marry or adopt would "doom" children to bad homes "by design."
They should take a look at the pictures from the webpage Why the F-- Do You Have Children. Granted the webpage is meant to be satirical but it does pose a good question about the role of marriage and children in society. Are gays and lesbians really the problem?:
To hear the religious right (especially the groupies at NOM) tell it, allowing lgbts to marry or adopt would "doom" children to bad homes "by design."
They should take a look at the pictures from the webpage Why the F-- Do You Have Children. Granted the webpage is meant to be satirical but it does pose a good question about the role of marriage and children in society. Are gays and lesbians really the problem?:
Friday, April 24, 2009
President Obama picks African-American lesbian mother for key Labor position
From Americablog:
A great pick for the Labor Department today -- a very strong advocate working men and women:
Labor unions scored a victory today when the President Barack Obama named a top labor advocate to serve in a key position in the Labor Department.
Mary Beth Maxwell will join the administration as senior adviser after serving for years as the executive director of the labor coalition American Rights at Work. In the administration, Maxwell will work with the White House Task Force on Middle Class and Working Families, a group that is working to improve the lives and jobs of workers.
Mary Beth Maxwell is also openly gay. She was under consideration for Secretary of Labor earlier this year as we reported in December. Here's a profile from the WSJ:
For the rainbow cabinet of the nation’s first African American president, Mary Beth Maxwell is the perfect labor secretary you’ve probably never heard of: a gay woman, community organizer and labor leader with an adopted African American son. And this founding executive director of American Rights at Work is about to get the full-court press.
She's the perfect adviser to the labor secretary now, too.
Now some folks probably feel that I shouldn't make a big deal about Maxwell in this manner (i.e. focusing on the her sexual orientation), but I don't care for two reasons:
1. Lgbts of color have very very few public role models to look up to.
2. BET has shown the anti-gay movie Soul Plane continuously over the past year and being that I haven't cut anyone because of it, I'm entitled to some joy.
So. . . .
Eat that, Hary Jackson, Ken Hutcherson, Peter LaBarbera and the rest (you know you are) who exploit the fear between the black and gay communities!!!!
From Americablog:
A great pick for the Labor Department today -- a very strong advocate working men and women:
Labor unions scored a victory today when the President Barack Obama named a top labor advocate to serve in a key position in the Labor Department.
Mary Beth Maxwell will join the administration as senior adviser after serving for years as the executive director of the labor coalition American Rights at Work. In the administration, Maxwell will work with the White House Task Force on Middle Class and Working Families, a group that is working to improve the lives and jobs of workers.
Mary Beth Maxwell is also openly gay. She was under consideration for Secretary of Labor earlier this year as we reported in December. Here's a profile from the WSJ:
For the rainbow cabinet of the nation’s first African American president, Mary Beth Maxwell is the perfect labor secretary you’ve probably never heard of: a gay woman, community organizer and labor leader with an adopted African American son. And this founding executive director of American Rights at Work is about to get the full-court press.
She's the perfect adviser to the labor secretary now, too.
Now some folks probably feel that I shouldn't make a big deal about Maxwell in this manner (i.e. focusing on the her sexual orientation), but I don't care for two reasons:
1. Lgbts of color have very very few public role models to look up to.
2. BET has shown the anti-gay movie Soul Plane continuously over the past year and being that I haven't cut anyone because of it, I'm entitled to some joy.
So. . . .
Eat that, Hary Jackson, Ken Hutcherson, Peter LaBarbera and the rest (you know you are) who exploit the fear between the black and gay communities!!!!
Friday midday news briefs
Gay student dismissed from Cornell Christian group - We are in the right here despite how the religious right may spin the situation.
Right Sounds False Alarm On Hate Crimes Legislation - People for the American Way breaks it down.
Faked Evidence of ‘Gay Conversion’? - More fakery courtesy of the ex-gay movement? I'm shocked!
'Gay' activists show true colors following Miss USA pageant - One News Now gives a misleading headline and many of the commentators calls the phony news service on it
Gay student dismissed from Cornell Christian group - We are in the right here despite how the religious right may spin the situation.
Right Sounds False Alarm On Hate Crimes Legislation - People for the American Way breaks it down.
Faked Evidence of ‘Gay Conversion’? - More fakery courtesy of the ex-gay movement? I'm shocked!
'Gay' activists show true colors following Miss USA pageant - One News Now gives a misleading headline and many of the commentators calls the phony news service on it
What's wrong with my beautiful black people, Lord?
A friend of mine emailed me a link that he said drove him out of his mind. In reading the link, I don't blame him for wanting to cut someone.
The link is a webpage for a new book, Crooks and Homos in the Pulpit (not that's not a typo). The preview of the book says the following:
Do church leaders such as Bishop T.D. Jakes, Bishop Eddie Long, Dr. Creflo Dollar, Joel Osteen, or reported homosexual Pastor Ted Haggard truly understand God's Word? If so, why have they become corporate CEO's, allowing money, greed, and materialism to take over their souls? These leaders are whoring God's people from the pulpit, while teaching legions of pimps, crooks, liars, and homosexuals, who pose as pastors, to follow in their footsteps.
In Crooks and Homos in the Pulpit, author Reuben Armstrong exposes the false doctrine of prosperity and "feel good" message that Jakes, Long, Dollar, Osteen, and Haggard proclaim. You will discover what the Bible says about false leaders such as these men and the judgment they face.
Armstrong points out that too many churches have become corporate meet and meat markets. Through extensive research, he outlines what really goes on inside the "house of worship." He exposes the shocking lifestyles of prosperity preachers, the sexual favors given in pastoral studies and Sunday School rooms, and the church hoochie mommas and puff daddies these people attract as their groupies.
Armstrong's book is a wake up call to the Body of Christ. He points to the crooks, liars, thieves, and homosexuals who are flaunting their sickening lifestyles in front of God's people, while taking the last dollar that church folk have. Christians can no longer allow the likes of Jakes, Long, Osteen, Dollar and Haggard in their pulpits. It's time for God's church to rise up against all false teachers and say, "Enough is enough! Take your false doctrines with you straight to the pits of hell!"
Just another piece of trash masquerading as an expose. No doubt it's going to be a big seller in the black community.
This book reminds me of that ridiculous mess by J.L. King a while back which help to fuel the so-called "down low" phenomena.
Very few individuals know just how stupid this "spotting down low men" mania got. A wannabe writer by the name of Sharahzad Ali wrote a book which featured "signs" for women to recognize if their mate was secretly gay:
1) Men are very territorial, if another man enters their space or violates their square, he'll move away or take a step back, if he doesn't move this might be a sign that he's open for getting closer. Notice if they brush shoulders or lean over across each other touching ever so slightly – like lovers do.
2) Is he effeminate? Some men slowly move into a more feminine stand, or pose. They might start wearing their belts tighter to show their shape, or it might just be the flinging up of a finger or how they place their feet when standing. Or they may start wearing footies around the house and walking on their toes. It's doubtful they'll slip and do any of this.
3) If he holds eye contact too long with a man, or if he holds on to his hand after shaking it, or if he prolongs hugging a man past the greeting stage.
4) If you notice him watching other men just a little bit too much, or if he raises his voice a bit too loud when he's with you and other men are present to get their attention. Does he seem to follow a man to the restroom at a restaurant or club?
5) Check out his friends, how do they act with each other, are they masculine or working hard to appear so, do they talk on the phone a bit too much for two adult men?
6) How does he sleep at night, what position does he sleep in? Does he sleep like a woman, or like a man? What does he talk about in his sleep?
7) Has he been single just a bit too long? What is his history with women? Why did they break up, Does he go on long drives alone? Is he cruising?
8) Discuss homosexuality with him, see how he reacts. If he reacts too strongly on the negative or too violently – perhaps he's protesting so strongly to throw you off track so he isn't suspect himself.
9) Discuss child molestation with him and see how he feels about it, ask him was he ever molested, does he know any men who were, and how does he think it affects a man's sexuality.
10) You can touch his rectum to see if he has those tell-tale humps on his anus from having it stretched open with a penis. Then later on ask him if he's ever had hemorrhoids really bad.
11) Check his underwear for tiny streaks of bloodstains, or clear stains which may be semen. There may not be any because men on the DL are usually `Tops' so they can justify themselves as not being Gay.
12) Chart your sex life. Note how often you and he are intimate and if you're always the one who has to start the process rolling. Is he in a hurry? Is it a problem for him getting an maintaining an erection, when it never used to be that difficult?
13) If he has a lot of unexcused absences, and if he's out later than he usually is a couple of times a week. He might be cruising or stopping by a Gay after-hour joint after his regular activities.
14) If he likes anal stimulation, or likes to have his prostrate massaged – and asks/begs for it.
15) If he wants to have anal sex more than vaginal sex, or skips your vagina altogether.
16) If he asks you to "toss his salad" and you agree, and his legs go up too quickly, he's probably used to doing it.
17) Some women get their Gay friend to "hit" on their man to see if he goes for it (Not good).
18) If he asks you to strap on a dildo and do him in the rear this may be a hint of what he's used to.
I don't know what's funnier - the signs or the fact that someone took this mess seriously.
This new book about "crooks and homos in the pulpit" is like Ali's book - a symptom of ignorance in the black community.
That's the problem with not discussing vital issues - there tends to be a lot of fear, bad information, and an unnecessary salacious quality added.
If there were real discussions in the black community about lgbts of color, it would go a long way to dispelling so many inaccuracies.
Until we start having these real discussions, expect see more exploitation by phonies masquerading as concerned professionals.
Hell, I may just write my own book.
The link is a webpage for a new book, Crooks and Homos in the Pulpit (not that's not a typo). The preview of the book says the following:
Do church leaders such as Bishop T.D. Jakes, Bishop Eddie Long, Dr. Creflo Dollar, Joel Osteen, or reported homosexual Pastor Ted Haggard truly understand God's Word? If so, why have they become corporate CEO's, allowing money, greed, and materialism to take over their souls? These leaders are whoring God's people from the pulpit, while teaching legions of pimps, crooks, liars, and homosexuals, who pose as pastors, to follow in their footsteps.
In Crooks and Homos in the Pulpit, author Reuben Armstrong exposes the false doctrine of prosperity and "feel good" message that Jakes, Long, Dollar, Osteen, and Haggard proclaim. You will discover what the Bible says about false leaders such as these men and the judgment they face.
Armstrong points out that too many churches have become corporate meet and meat markets. Through extensive research, he outlines what really goes on inside the "house of worship." He exposes the shocking lifestyles of prosperity preachers, the sexual favors given in pastoral studies and Sunday School rooms, and the church hoochie mommas and puff daddies these people attract as their groupies.
Armstrong's book is a wake up call to the Body of Christ. He points to the crooks, liars, thieves, and homosexuals who are flaunting their sickening lifestyles in front of God's people, while taking the last dollar that church folk have. Christians can no longer allow the likes of Jakes, Long, Osteen, Dollar and Haggard in their pulpits. It's time for God's church to rise up against all false teachers and say, "Enough is enough! Take your false doctrines with you straight to the pits of hell!"
Just another piece of trash masquerading as an expose. No doubt it's going to be a big seller in the black community.
This book reminds me of that ridiculous mess by J.L. King a while back which help to fuel the so-called "down low" phenomena.
Very few individuals know just how stupid this "spotting down low men" mania got. A wannabe writer by the name of Sharahzad Ali wrote a book which featured "signs" for women to recognize if their mate was secretly gay:
1) Men are very territorial, if another man enters their space or violates their square, he'll move away or take a step back, if he doesn't move this might be a sign that he's open for getting closer. Notice if they brush shoulders or lean over across each other touching ever so slightly – like lovers do.
2) Is he effeminate? Some men slowly move into a more feminine stand, or pose. They might start wearing their belts tighter to show their shape, or it might just be the flinging up of a finger or how they place their feet when standing. Or they may start wearing footies around the house and walking on their toes. It's doubtful they'll slip and do any of this.
3) If he holds eye contact too long with a man, or if he holds on to his hand after shaking it, or if he prolongs hugging a man past the greeting stage.
4) If you notice him watching other men just a little bit too much, or if he raises his voice a bit too loud when he's with you and other men are present to get their attention. Does he seem to follow a man to the restroom at a restaurant or club?
5) Check out his friends, how do they act with each other, are they masculine or working hard to appear so, do they talk on the phone a bit too much for two adult men?
6) How does he sleep at night, what position does he sleep in? Does he sleep like a woman, or like a man? What does he talk about in his sleep?
7) Has he been single just a bit too long? What is his history with women? Why did they break up, Does he go on long drives alone? Is he cruising?
8) Discuss homosexuality with him, see how he reacts. If he reacts too strongly on the negative or too violently – perhaps he's protesting so strongly to throw you off track so he isn't suspect himself.
9) Discuss child molestation with him and see how he feels about it, ask him was he ever molested, does he know any men who were, and how does he think it affects a man's sexuality.
10) You can touch his rectum to see if he has those tell-tale humps on his anus from having it stretched open with a penis. Then later on ask him if he's ever had hemorrhoids really bad.
11) Check his underwear for tiny streaks of bloodstains, or clear stains which may be semen. There may not be any because men on the DL are usually `Tops' so they can justify themselves as not being Gay.
12) Chart your sex life. Note how often you and he are intimate and if you're always the one who has to start the process rolling. Is he in a hurry? Is it a problem for him getting an maintaining an erection, when it never used to be that difficult?
13) If he has a lot of unexcused absences, and if he's out later than he usually is a couple of times a week. He might be cruising or stopping by a Gay after-hour joint after his regular activities.
14) If he likes anal stimulation, or likes to have his prostrate massaged – and asks/begs for it.
15) If he wants to have anal sex more than vaginal sex, or skips your vagina altogether.
16) If he asks you to "toss his salad" and you agree, and his legs go up too quickly, he's probably used to doing it.
17) Some women get their Gay friend to "hit" on their man to see if he goes for it (Not good).
18) If he asks you to strap on a dildo and do him in the rear this may be a hint of what he's used to.
I don't know what's funnier - the signs or the fact that someone took this mess seriously.
This new book about "crooks and homos in the pulpit" is like Ali's book - a symptom of ignorance in the black community.
That's the problem with not discussing vital issues - there tends to be a lot of fear, bad information, and an unnecessary salacious quality added.
If there were real discussions in the black community about lgbts of color, it would go a long way to dispelling so many inaccuracies.
Until we start having these real discussions, expect see more exploitation by phonies masquerading as concerned professionals.
Hell, I may just write my own book.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Hate crimes legislation passes Judicial Committee - now the real fun begins
By a vote of 15-12, hate crimes legislation passes the House Judiciary Committee. It could go up for a vote by the full House as early as next week.
And the religious right are just itching for a way to defeat it.
Just in case the lie about pastors going to jail isn't enough the derail the bill, the religious right are now inaccurately claiming that the bill is not clear on what exactly is a sexual orientation.
Aiding and abetting this nonsense is Republican Congressman Steve King:
Steve King (R-Iowa) told Democratic members that "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" are vague terms that need to be specifically defined since courts will be analyzing those terms.
"This panel -- this Judiciary Committee, including the authors of this bill -- either don't know or won't say what the definitions are, for example, [of] gender identity [or] sexual orientation," King stated. "Does sexual orientation...include transvestism? Does it include transgendered? Are those two that are also part of sexual orientation?" he asked. "And if so, if that's two of 30 [orientations], what are the other 28 that are part of sexual orientation?"
This is nonsense. It's a lie perpetrated by the Traditional Values Coalition. What King was referring to are paraphalias, which are described as:
. . . fantasies, behaviors, or sexual urges focusing on unusual objects, activities, or situations . .
Paraphilias have nothing to do with sexual orientation.
King also inaccurately linked the transgendered community with paraphalias.
As this legislation moves to a vote, expect to see the religious right pull out all of the stops. According to People for the American Way, they already have.
Link here to read a listing of religious right lies and generally inaccurate statements about hate crimes legislation including:
Focus on the Family - Under "hate-crimes" laws like H.R. 1913, pastors could be prosecuted for preaching the biblical view of homosexuality. Similar laws have been used to prosecute religious speech in the U.S. at the state level and abroad.
"The homosexual activists' mantra is no longer tolerance — it's embrace and promote," said Ashley Horne, federal policy analyst at Focus on the Family Action. "Anything less will be silenced. Christians must speak up."
Family Research Council - The act would establish a new FEDERAL offense for so-called "hate crimes" and add "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" as protected classes. It will mandate a separate federal criminal prosecution for state offenses.
Adding "sexual orientation" to thought crimes legislation gives one set of crime victims a higher level of protection than it gives to people like you and me.
And of course the Traditional Values Coalition - The main purpose of this “hate crime” legislation is to add the categories of “sexual orientation” and “gender identity,” “either actual or perceived,” as new classes of individuals receiving special protection by federal law. Sexual orientation includes heterosexuality, homosexuality, and bisexuality on an ever-expanding continuum. Will Congress also protect these sexual orientations-zoophiles, pedophiles or polygamists?
Gender identity includes such gender confused behaviors as cross-dressing, she-male, drag queen, transvestite, transsexual or transgender. Under the Act, neither “sexual orientation” or “gender identity” are really defined. How can a law be enforced if the new classes receiving special protection remain undefined?
By a vote of 15-12, hate crimes legislation passes the House Judiciary Committee. It could go up for a vote by the full House as early as next week.
And the religious right are just itching for a way to defeat it.
Just in case the lie about pastors going to jail isn't enough the derail the bill, the religious right are now inaccurately claiming that the bill is not clear on what exactly is a sexual orientation.
Aiding and abetting this nonsense is Republican Congressman Steve King:
Steve King (R-Iowa) told Democratic members that "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" are vague terms that need to be specifically defined since courts will be analyzing those terms.
"This panel -- this Judiciary Committee, including the authors of this bill -- either don't know or won't say what the definitions are, for example, [of] gender identity [or] sexual orientation," King stated. "Does sexual orientation...include transvestism? Does it include transgendered? Are those two that are also part of sexual orientation?" he asked. "And if so, if that's two of 30 [orientations], what are the other 28 that are part of sexual orientation?"
This is nonsense. It's a lie perpetrated by the Traditional Values Coalition. What King was referring to are paraphalias, which are described as:
. . . fantasies, behaviors, or sexual urges focusing on unusual objects, activities, or situations . .
Paraphilias have nothing to do with sexual orientation.
King also inaccurately linked the transgendered community with paraphalias.
As this legislation moves to a vote, expect to see the religious right pull out all of the stops. According to People for the American Way, they already have.
Link here to read a listing of religious right lies and generally inaccurate statements about hate crimes legislation including:
Focus on the Family - Under "hate-crimes" laws like H.R. 1913, pastors could be prosecuted for preaching the biblical view of homosexuality. Similar laws have been used to prosecute religious speech in the U.S. at the state level and abroad.
"The homosexual activists' mantra is no longer tolerance — it's embrace and promote," said Ashley Horne, federal policy analyst at Focus on the Family Action. "Anything less will be silenced. Christians must speak up."
Family Research Council - The act would establish a new FEDERAL offense for so-called "hate crimes" and add "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" as protected classes. It will mandate a separate federal criminal prosecution for state offenses.
Adding "sexual orientation" to thought crimes legislation gives one set of crime victims a higher level of protection than it gives to people like you and me.
And of course the Traditional Values Coalition - The main purpose of this “hate crime” legislation is to add the categories of “sexual orientation” and “gender identity,” “either actual or perceived,” as new classes of individuals receiving special protection by federal law. Sexual orientation includes heterosexuality, homosexuality, and bisexuality on an ever-expanding continuum. Will Congress also protect these sexual orientations-zoophiles, pedophiles or polygamists?
Gender identity includes such gender confused behaviors as cross-dressing, she-male, drag queen, transvestite, transsexual or transgender. Under the Act, neither “sexual orientation” or “gender identity” are really defined. How can a law be enforced if the new classes receiving special protection remain undefined?
It's going to be very interesting to see what happens. Let's keep our fingers crossed and hope that the bill passes the other hurdles.
Thursday midday news briefs
Gay-themed library celebrates opening in Fort Lauderdale - An excellent idea that should be spread across the nation.
Vote caps decade-long Conn. gay marriage fight - More good news from Connecticut!
WA passes trans hate crimes bill - Nothing wrong with more good news.
The Zapata murder trial coverage - and the missed opportunity of the LGB media and blogosphere - In the midst of all of the good news, let's not forget we still have work to do.
For first time since early 2004, more Americans think nation is heading in the right direction than not - While not necessarly an lgbt issue per se, it's still nice to take note of this in light of last week's teabag parties.
Gay-themed library celebrates opening in Fort Lauderdale - An excellent idea that should be spread across the nation.
Vote caps decade-long Conn. gay marriage fight - More good news from Connecticut!
WA passes trans hate crimes bill - Nothing wrong with more good news.
The Zapata murder trial coverage - and the missed opportunity of the LGB media and blogosphere - In the midst of all of the good news, let's not forget we still have work to do.
For first time since early 2004, more Americans think nation is heading in the right direction than not - While not necessarly an lgbt issue per se, it's still nice to take note of this in light of last week's teabag parties.
The reason why Black Prides must exist
Forgive me for doing a little advertising this morning
Last night, I got angry with an episode of Tyler Perry’s House of Payne.
One of the child characters, Malik, found himself in the middle of the dilemma because one of his friends was HIV positive. The child was ostracisized and Malik had to defend him from the other children.
This the second time House of Payne focused on the issue of HIV and AIDS in the black community. The other time, another one of the leading characters was dating an HIV positive woman.
But at neither time did this show even talk about black gay men who are one of main groups affected in startling large numbers by HIV and AIDS.
It's almost as if the show was saying that HIV and AIDS is a problem only when it affects the "normal folks" in the black community.
But it’s par for the course with this show. House of Payne is one of the most popular shows in the black community and it has yet to have even a guest character who is lgbt. But it doesn’t seem to have a problem with making jokes about someone being gay or being on the “down low.”
And its indicative of the black community. No one in the black community seems to care about lgbts of color - our issues, or our lives in general.
Instead we are supposed to be placated by ridiculous assurances that "no one has a problem with our 'lifestyle' as long as we aren't in anyone's faces about it."
Meanwhile, we are pushed in a psychological closet and muzzled like dogs.
When our leaders talk about the problems of the black community, we know they won't include us.
When well meaning activists focus on the "State of Black America," we are absent.
When magazines like Ebony write articles comparing "black civil rights" and "gay civil rights," they conveniently can't find lgbts of color to comment.
Well that's nonsense and I'm tired of it. I'm gay, I'm an African-American and I am proud of both of my identities.
I don't feel as if I have to choose between the two. That's why I have been busy helping to coordinate Black Prides in South Carolina. This year will our the fourth one.
Black prides must continue to exist so that we can remind people that lgbts of color exist. Whether the rest of the black community approves of us or not is irrelevant. We deserve acknowledgement and respect.
It's as simple as that:
South Carolina to be United 4 Change:
Black, Bold & Proud in June
The African-American lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community of South Carolina and its allies will be out and proud June 18-21 as the state holds its Fourth Annual SC Black Pride in the state’s capital, Columbia.
The theme, United 4 Change: Black, Bold & Proud, promises many surprises that will celebrate the richness of South Carolina’s same gender loving community of color as well as the diversity of the LGBT community at large.
“Our purpose is to celebrate the often subjugated creativity, beauty, dignity, and brilliance of South Carolina’s Black LGBT community,” says Dr. Todd Shaw, Chair, of the SC Black Pride Committee. “Racism and homophobia attack same-gender loving [African-American] sisters and brothers [conjointly]. Now’s the time for the Black community to understand how much we contribute to the larger freedom struggle and for society to understand how much we contribute as loving mothers, fathers, teachers, preachers and young leaders.”
Organizers anticipate a record 4,000 South Carolinians and out-of-town guests will participate in the scheduled events, official parties and community expo.
All are welcome to attend! To learn more about this Pride’s many empowering events (including becoming a vendor and advertising in the Pride Guide), refer to:
South Carolina Black Pride
P.O. Box 8191
Columbia, SC 29202
www.southcarolinablackpride.com
info@southcarolinablackpride.com
2009 SC Black Pride Events
(All events are in Columbia, South Carolina)
*** Pre-Pride Events ***
Friday, May 29th
Sexxy Redd Party, $10 Admission
PT’s Cabaret, 1101 Harden St., 10 p.m. – 2 a.m.
Friday, June 12th
Mr. & Ms. SC Black Pride Pageant, $10 General Admission
PT’s Cabaret, 1101 Harden St., 10 p.m. – 2 a.m.
Sunday, June 15th
Volunteering Training & Appreciation Dinner, Free Admission
Harriet Hancock Center, 1108 Woodrow St., 6:30 – 8 p.m.
*** Pride Week ***
Thursday, June 18th
Welcome Reception, Free Admission – Cash bar
HUSH Restaurant & Tappas Bar, 1004 Gervais St., 7 – 9 p.m.
Friday, June 19th
MSM (Men who have Sex with Men) HIV Prevention Institute
"Evidence That Demands Action", 5605 Bush River Rd., 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 pm
$20-25 registration
Sponsored by AID Upstate, Greenville, SC with support from the AAMSM Workgroup
Juneteenth Black LGBT Film Fest & Talk Back, Free Admission
USC Law School Auditorium, 701 Main St., 7 – 10 p.m.
Saturday, June 20th
Community Expo! Free Admission
Vendors, Entertainment, Door Prizes
Courtyard by Marriott, 630 Assembly St.
Presidential Ballroom, 12 noon – 6 p.m.
Women’s Party!
Sponsored by SC Black Pride, 10 p.m. – 2 a.m., TBA
SCBP Ball Hosted by Econ Blahnik
“Operation Enduring Freedom,"
$30 Admission
Courtyard by Marriott, 630 Assembly St.
Presidential Ballroom, 12 midnight – 5 a.m.
Sunday, June 21st
Community Worship Service, Free Admission
Courtyard by Marriott, 630 Assembly St.
Co-Presided by
Pastor Rashawn Flournoy, Freedom Worship Church, Greenville, SC and
Bishop Tonyia Rawls and Rev. Marage Romeo of Unity Fellowship Church, Charlotte, NC
Forgive me for doing a little advertising this morning
Last night, I got angry with an episode of Tyler Perry’s House of Payne.
One of the child characters, Malik, found himself in the middle of the dilemma because one of his friends was HIV positive. The child was ostracisized and Malik had to defend him from the other children.
This the second time House of Payne focused on the issue of HIV and AIDS in the black community. The other time, another one of the leading characters was dating an HIV positive woman.
But at neither time did this show even talk about black gay men who are one of main groups affected in startling large numbers by HIV and AIDS.
It's almost as if the show was saying that HIV and AIDS is a problem only when it affects the "normal folks" in the black community.
But it’s par for the course with this show. House of Payne is one of the most popular shows in the black community and it has yet to have even a guest character who is lgbt. But it doesn’t seem to have a problem with making jokes about someone being gay or being on the “down low.”
And its indicative of the black community. No one in the black community seems to care about lgbts of color - our issues, or our lives in general.
Instead we are supposed to be placated by ridiculous assurances that "no one has a problem with our 'lifestyle' as long as we aren't in anyone's faces about it."
Meanwhile, we are pushed in a psychological closet and muzzled like dogs.
When our leaders talk about the problems of the black community, we know they won't include us.
When well meaning activists focus on the "State of Black America," we are absent.
When magazines like Ebony write articles comparing "black civil rights" and "gay civil rights," they conveniently can't find lgbts of color to comment.
Well that's nonsense and I'm tired of it. I'm gay, I'm an African-American and I am proud of both of my identities.
I don't feel as if I have to choose between the two. That's why I have been busy helping to coordinate Black Prides in South Carolina. This year will our the fourth one.
Black prides must continue to exist so that we can remind people that lgbts of color exist. Whether the rest of the black community approves of us or not is irrelevant. We deserve acknowledgement and respect.
It's as simple as that:
South Carolina to be United 4 Change:
Black, Bold & Proud in June
The African-American lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community of South Carolina and its allies will be out and proud June 18-21 as the state holds its Fourth Annual SC Black Pride in the state’s capital, Columbia.
The theme, United 4 Change: Black, Bold & Proud, promises many surprises that will celebrate the richness of South Carolina’s same gender loving community of color as well as the diversity of the LGBT community at large.
“Our purpose is to celebrate the often subjugated creativity, beauty, dignity, and brilliance of South Carolina’s Black LGBT community,” says Dr. Todd Shaw, Chair, of the SC Black Pride Committee. “Racism and homophobia attack same-gender loving [African-American] sisters and brothers [conjointly]. Now’s the time for the Black community to understand how much we contribute to the larger freedom struggle and for society to understand how much we contribute as loving mothers, fathers, teachers, preachers and young leaders.”
Organizers anticipate a record 4,000 South Carolinians and out-of-town guests will participate in the scheduled events, official parties and community expo.
All are welcome to attend! To learn more about this Pride’s many empowering events (including becoming a vendor and advertising in the Pride Guide), refer to:
South Carolina Black Pride
P.O. Box 8191
Columbia, SC 29202
www.southcarolinablackpride.com
info@southcarolinablackpride.com
2009 SC Black Pride Events
(All events are in Columbia, South Carolina)
*** Pre-Pride Events ***
Friday, May 29th
Sexxy Redd Party, $10 Admission
PT’s Cabaret, 1101 Harden St., 10 p.m. – 2 a.m.
Friday, June 12th
Mr. & Ms. SC Black Pride Pageant, $10 General Admission
PT’s Cabaret, 1101 Harden St., 10 p.m. – 2 a.m.
Sunday, June 15th
Volunteering Training & Appreciation Dinner, Free Admission
Harriet Hancock Center, 1108 Woodrow St., 6:30 – 8 p.m.
*** Pride Week ***
Thursday, June 18th
Welcome Reception, Free Admission – Cash bar
HUSH Restaurant & Tappas Bar, 1004 Gervais St., 7 – 9 p.m.
Friday, June 19th
MSM (Men who have Sex with Men) HIV Prevention Institute
"Evidence That Demands Action", 5605 Bush River Rd., 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 pm
$20-25 registration
Sponsored by AID Upstate, Greenville, SC with support from the AAMSM Workgroup
Juneteenth Black LGBT Film Fest & Talk Back, Free Admission
USC Law School Auditorium, 701 Main St., 7 – 10 p.m.
Saturday, June 20th
Community Expo! Free Admission
Vendors, Entertainment, Door Prizes
Courtyard by Marriott, 630 Assembly St.
Presidential Ballroom, 12 noon – 6 p.m.
Women’s Party!
Sponsored by SC Black Pride, 10 p.m. – 2 a.m., TBA
SCBP Ball Hosted by Econ Blahnik
“Operation Enduring Freedom,"
$30 Admission
Courtyard by Marriott, 630 Assembly St.
Presidential Ballroom, 12 midnight – 5 a.m.
Sunday, June 21st
Community Worship Service, Free Admission
Courtyard by Marriott, 630 Assembly St.
Co-Presided by
Pastor Rashawn Flournoy, Freedom Worship Church, Greenville, SC and
Bishop Tonyia Rawls and Rev. Marage Romeo of Unity Fellowship Church, Charlotte, NC
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Wednesday musings - hate crimes legislation, One News Now whiners
Apparently the hate crimes legislation vote has been delayed until tomorrow during today's Judiciary Committee.
Some Republican senators kept tacking on ridiculous amendments in an effort to undermine the bill.
Strange though how none of them offered up an amendment to eliminate religion as a protected class under hate crimes legislation.
Tomorrow will tell whether or not this was a stall tactic or just sour grapes.
Let's keep our fingers crossed.
And while those fingers are crossed, I've seen something that is sure to put a smile on your face.
Right wing writer Michelle Malkin has written a very interesting piece in One News Now today that's sure to set conspiracy theorists on their asses.
She links several controversial incidents (including the Miss America controversy and the mocking of teabaggers ) to the election of President Obama.
Feel free to read it if you want because I won't go into detail about it. I just think it's sad that Malkin is obviously running out of material to write about.
Maybe too much teabagging has affected her?
Anyway, some of the comments to her article are positive and some (including mine) are negative. One comment in specific caught my eye:
I am so confused. Lately on OneNewsNow, which is a Christian news site, and the AFA, a pro-family, Christian organization, there are all these comments that are from non-Christians. There seems to be a massive infiltration happening. I certainly don't surf liberal or gay web sites looking to stick my nose into their business. I would appreciate the same courtesy but, as I type, I know who I'm dealing with (yes, you) and know that that will not happen. Civility is only civil when you want it for yourself.
Now that just brings a smile to my face. Am I being juvenile? Maybe. But then again probably not.
One News Now invites people to comment on articles It's obvious that many of us have been taking advantage of this courtesy to remind the phony news service that sometimes it conveniently omits crucial portions of current events in an attempt to stigmatize the lgbt community.
I'm guilty of it and I will do it every chance I get.
In fact, more of us should.
But please be respectful. None of that Perez Hilton type of name calling. State your facts accurately and courteously.
As long as One News Now extends the courtesy, lgbts and our allies have every right to take advantage of it.
Apparently the hate crimes legislation vote has been delayed until tomorrow during today's Judiciary Committee.
Some Republican senators kept tacking on ridiculous amendments in an effort to undermine the bill.
Strange though how none of them offered up an amendment to eliminate religion as a protected class under hate crimes legislation.
Tomorrow will tell whether or not this was a stall tactic or just sour grapes.
Let's keep our fingers crossed.
And while those fingers are crossed, I've seen something that is sure to put a smile on your face.
Right wing writer Michelle Malkin has written a very interesting piece in One News Now today that's sure to set conspiracy theorists on their asses.
She links several controversial incidents (including the Miss America controversy and the mocking of teabaggers ) to the election of President Obama.
Feel free to read it if you want because I won't go into detail about it. I just think it's sad that Malkin is obviously running out of material to write about.
Maybe too much teabagging has affected her?
Anyway, some of the comments to her article are positive and some (including mine) are negative. One comment in specific caught my eye:
I am so confused. Lately on OneNewsNow, which is a Christian news site, and the AFA, a pro-family, Christian organization, there are all these comments that are from non-Christians. There seems to be a massive infiltration happening. I certainly don't surf liberal or gay web sites looking to stick my nose into their business. I would appreciate the same courtesy but, as I type, I know who I'm dealing with (yes, you) and know that that will not happen. Civility is only civil when you want it for yourself.
Now that just brings a smile to my face. Am I being juvenile? Maybe. But then again probably not.
One News Now invites people to comment on articles It's obvious that many of us have been taking advantage of this courtesy to remind the phony news service that sometimes it conveniently omits crucial portions of current events in an attempt to stigmatize the lgbt community.
I'm guilty of it and I will do it every chance I get.
In fact, more of us should.
But please be respectful. None of that Perez Hilton type of name calling. State your facts accurately and courteously.
As long as One News Now extends the courtesy, lgbts and our allies have every right to take advantage of it.
Wednesday midday news briefs
The Globalization of Gay Bashing - This is damned scary - that's all that needs to be said.
Orson Scott Card Joins NOM Board - It's like the hydra. One head drops and another one takes its place.
More Republicans embrace gay equality - It's about time, too!
Perez Hilton vs Dennis Prager on Marriage Equality - Because I'm all obsessive-compulsive about completing things, I am including this. When I first heard of this debate, it reminded me of those Lucio Fulci movies where zombies ate people alive. I was only hoping that Hilton would get away with only one body part chewed up. From what I hear though, he did rather well. That doesn't mean my opinion has changed about him, but I admire his tenacity to fight in a situation he unnecessarily exacerbated.
ACLU demands LGBT website access for TN students - Because according to One News Now, when anyone is looking for lgbt-related information, it's ALL ABOUT SEX!
The Globalization of Gay Bashing - This is damned scary - that's all that needs to be said.
Orson Scott Card Joins NOM Board - It's like the hydra. One head drops and another one takes its place.
More Republicans embrace gay equality - It's about time, too!
Perez Hilton vs Dennis Prager on Marriage Equality - Because I'm all obsessive-compulsive about completing things, I am including this. When I first heard of this debate, it reminded me of those Lucio Fulci movies where zombies ate people alive. I was only hoping that Hilton would get away with only one body part chewed up. From what I hear though, he did rather well. That doesn't mean my opinion has changed about him, but I admire his tenacity to fight in a situation he unnecessarily exacerbated.
ACLU demands LGBT website access for TN students - Because according to One News Now, when anyone is looking for lgbt-related information, it's ALL ABOUT SEX!
Will lies about hate crimes legislation ever die?
As Congress gets ready to take up the issue of adding lgbts to existing hate crimes laws, the religious right have quietly been trying to rally the troops against it by using the same old inaccuracies.
Yesterday, Matt Barber wrote a piece in One News Now which was full of his usual hyperbolic exaggerations. One passage in particular caught my attention:
While debating the notion of "conspiracy to commit a hate crime" in the last Congress, Representative Artur Davis (D-Alabama) admitted that the legislation could be used to prosecute pastors for merely preaching the Bible under the concept of "inducement" to violence.
This in an inaccuracy and I have a feeling that Barber knows this. Let's look at the original transcript passage courtesy of goodasyou.org (who broke the story of how Davis's supposed admission was a distortion in 2007 when the incident took place):
Mr. Gohmert: Even with your amendment, you still have to go back to the "rule of evidence" at page 15 of the underlying bill. And it says that these things may not be introduced as substantive evidence at trial unless the evidence specifically relates to the offense.
And if I understood the gentleman's amendment—and I will put the question back to you—if a minister preaches that sexual relations outside of marriage of a man and woman is wrong, and somebody within that congregation goes out and does an act of violence, and that person says that that minister counseled or induced him through the sermon to commit that act, are you saying under your amendment that in no way could that ever be introduced against the minister?
Mr. Davis: No.
Please bear in mind that this exchange said nothing about putting ministers in jail.
If someone commits a crime and blames a third party, then the police have an obligation to question that third party.
Then Barber relates this blatant lie (which was debunked by Pam Spaulding):
But the Christian needn't even touch the homosexual. If the homosexual merely claims he was subjectively placed in "apprehension of bodily injury" by the Christian's words then, again, the Christian can be thrown in prison for a felony "hate crime." The FBI has included mere words – "insults" and "intimidation" – in calculating "hate crimes" statistics and – under the current political regime in Washington – there's every reason to believe they'll subjectively consider "insults" and "intimidation" (read: traditional sexual morality) for purposes of prosecuting "hate crimes."
Spaulding said:
This law wouldn't do anything to stifle free speech. The ACLU's Washington Legislative Office passed along this document outlining that the legislation protects First Amendment rights of free speech and free association:
III. The New Bill Provides Strong Protection of Free Speech
The ACLU has a long record of support for stronger protection of both free speech and civil rights. Those positions are not inconsistent. In fact, vigilant protection of free speech rights historically has opened the doors to effective advocacy for expanded civil rights protections.
Fourteen years ago, the ACLU submitted a brief to the Supreme Court urging the Court to uphold a Wisconsin hate crime sentencing enhancement statute as constitutional. However, the ACLU also asked the Court "to set forth a clear set of rules governing the use of such statutes in the future." The ACLU warned the Court that "if the state is not able to prove that a defendant's speech is linked to specific criminal behavior, the chances increase that the state's hate crime prosecution is politically inspired." The evidentiary provision in the House bill will help avoid that harm.
And I would be remiss if I didn't include one of Barber's personal tactics - making wild unsubstantiated claims:
The entire push for federal "hate crimes" legislation is rooted in fraud. In fact, many of the most high-profile reports have turned out to be false. For example, investigators determined that the very "hate crime" (Andrew Anthos in Michigan) exploited by liberal lawmakers to justify the same legislation in the last Congress, was a false report. It never happened. (See report from Detroit News) And instances of such fabricated and politically motivated "hate crimes" continue to pile up.
If politically motivated hate crimes are truly piling up, then the proof is obviously somewhere in Barber's head because he doesn't elaborate on this point (much like last year when he attacked six Canadian researchers for complaining about how the religious right was distorting their work. Barber said they were under "tremendous pressure" to do such but he conveniently didn't elaborate on that either)
But Barber isn't alone in his pathetic attempt to talk against hate crimes legislation. Regina Griggs of the ex-gay group PFOX wrote a piece also. She should have left well enough alone:
Griggs say the bill puts hatred of ex-"gays" into legislation. "The legislation doesn't protect my organization, and it doesn't protect the rights of former homosexuals to live free, happy out of the closet, if you will, and to be getting their message out to the public and into the schools," she adds. "Change is possible; it's proven scientifically."
God. Where to start in proving that this statement is beyond stupid? First of all the legislation adds sexual orientation in general to exisiting hate crimes legislation; not just the lgbt orientation. This means a group of gays who physically assault a heterosexual simply because of his orientation could be prosecuted under the legislation.
This means it would in fact protect those who call themselves "ex-gays."
And lastly, if it has been scientifically proven that people can change their sexual orientation, then perhaps Griggs keeps that knowledge in the same place Barber keeps his knowledge about the "epidemic" of phony hate crimes.
Really though, if this is the best the religious right has in their attempts to stop hate crimes legislation, then I actually feel sorry for them.
As Congress gets ready to take up the issue of adding lgbts to existing hate crimes laws, the religious right have quietly been trying to rally the troops against it by using the same old inaccuracies.
Yesterday, Matt Barber wrote a piece in One News Now which was full of his usual hyperbolic exaggerations. One passage in particular caught my attention:
While debating the notion of "conspiracy to commit a hate crime" in the last Congress, Representative Artur Davis (D-Alabama) admitted that the legislation could be used to prosecute pastors for merely preaching the Bible under the concept of "inducement" to violence.
This in an inaccuracy and I have a feeling that Barber knows this. Let's look at the original transcript passage courtesy of goodasyou.org (who broke the story of how Davis's supposed admission was a distortion in 2007 when the incident took place):
Mr. Gohmert: Even with your amendment, you still have to go back to the "rule of evidence" at page 15 of the underlying bill. And it says that these things may not be introduced as substantive evidence at trial unless the evidence specifically relates to the offense.
And if I understood the gentleman's amendment—and I will put the question back to you—if a minister preaches that sexual relations outside of marriage of a man and woman is wrong, and somebody within that congregation goes out and does an act of violence, and that person says that that minister counseled or induced him through the sermon to commit that act, are you saying under your amendment that in no way could that ever be introduced against the minister?
Mr. Davis: No.
Please bear in mind that this exchange said nothing about putting ministers in jail.
If someone commits a crime and blames a third party, then the police have an obligation to question that third party.
Then Barber relates this blatant lie (which was debunked by Pam Spaulding):
But the Christian needn't even touch the homosexual. If the homosexual merely claims he was subjectively placed in "apprehension of bodily injury" by the Christian's words then, again, the Christian can be thrown in prison for a felony "hate crime." The FBI has included mere words – "insults" and "intimidation" – in calculating "hate crimes" statistics and – under the current political regime in Washington – there's every reason to believe they'll subjectively consider "insults" and "intimidation" (read: traditional sexual morality) for purposes of prosecuting "hate crimes."
Spaulding said:
This law wouldn't do anything to stifle free speech. The ACLU's Washington Legislative Office passed along this document outlining that the legislation protects First Amendment rights of free speech and free association:
III. The New Bill Provides Strong Protection of Free Speech
The ACLU has a long record of support for stronger protection of both free speech and civil rights. Those positions are not inconsistent. In fact, vigilant protection of free speech rights historically has opened the doors to effective advocacy for expanded civil rights protections.
Fourteen years ago, the ACLU submitted a brief to the Supreme Court urging the Court to uphold a Wisconsin hate crime sentencing enhancement statute as constitutional. However, the ACLU also asked the Court "to set forth a clear set of rules governing the use of such statutes in the future." The ACLU warned the Court that "if the state is not able to prove that a defendant's speech is linked to specific criminal behavior, the chances increase that the state's hate crime prosecution is politically inspired." The evidentiary provision in the House bill will help avoid that harm.
And I would be remiss if I didn't include one of Barber's personal tactics - making wild unsubstantiated claims:
The entire push for federal "hate crimes" legislation is rooted in fraud. In fact, many of the most high-profile reports have turned out to be false. For example, investigators determined that the very "hate crime" (Andrew Anthos in Michigan) exploited by liberal lawmakers to justify the same legislation in the last Congress, was a false report. It never happened. (See report from Detroit News) And instances of such fabricated and politically motivated "hate crimes" continue to pile up.
If politically motivated hate crimes are truly piling up, then the proof is obviously somewhere in Barber's head because he doesn't elaborate on this point (much like last year when he attacked six Canadian researchers for complaining about how the religious right was distorting their work. Barber said they were under "tremendous pressure" to do such but he conveniently didn't elaborate on that either)
But Barber isn't alone in his pathetic attempt to talk against hate crimes legislation. Regina Griggs of the ex-gay group PFOX wrote a piece also. She should have left well enough alone:
Griggs say the bill puts hatred of ex-"gays" into legislation. "The legislation doesn't protect my organization, and it doesn't protect the rights of former homosexuals to live free, happy out of the closet, if you will, and to be getting their message out to the public and into the schools," she adds. "Change is possible; it's proven scientifically."
God. Where to start in proving that this statement is beyond stupid? First of all the legislation adds sexual orientation in general to exisiting hate crimes legislation; not just the lgbt orientation. This means a group of gays who physically assault a heterosexual simply because of his orientation could be prosecuted under the legislation.
This means it would in fact protect those who call themselves "ex-gays."
And lastly, if it has been scientifically proven that people can change their sexual orientation, then perhaps Griggs keeps that knowledge in the same place Barber keeps his knowledge about the "epidemic" of phony hate crimes.
Really though, if this is the best the religious right has in their attempts to stop hate crimes legislation, then I actually feel sorry for them.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Perez Hilton and Peter LaBarbera - two different sides of the same idiot coin
Oh please make this situation go away. I will do penance, I will go to church every Sunday, anything.
But make this nonsense about the Miss America pageant go away.
Who am I kidding? This situation is juicy and it's not going away any time soon.
And it's just as I figured yesterday - Perez Hilton is now front and center on Peter LaBarbera's Americans for Truth webpage.
Peter is trying to link Hilton to all of us:
You see, it’s all about holding the “right” position — that is, the “gay” position — and shutting up or overriding your beliefs, or risk being smeared as a hateful “homophobe” if you dare to disagree. This is the emboldened Queer Lobby’s and their Amen Corner’s M.O. — whether it’s forcing a New Mexico Christian photographer to shoot a lesbian “wedding” against her convictions; trying to get Prop 8 thrown out and declared “unconstitutional” because you lost at the ballot box; equating opposition to “gay marriage” with rank bigotry, or moral opposition to homosexual behavior with “bullying gays”; or pressuring the media into rejecting ads featuring successful ex-”gays” (as GLAAD, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, has done).
Not all of us like Hilton and not all of us agree with his actions. To link his stupid behavior with lgbts trying to gain our God-given right of self determination is homophobia defined.
It's no different than linking the behavior of black gang members to the African-American male in general or the behavior of a black woman you see on the Maury Povich show testing four men for the paternity of her child to all black women.
Really though, you can't blame Peter for trying to take advantage of this situation any more than you can fault a vampire bat for sucking blood. Both parties need to feed off of others to survive.
But I want to know something.
Am I being too hard on Perez Hilton?
I mean I don't think so. He asked a question. Miss California answered it. It may not have been the answer he liked but that should have been the end of the story. Of course it probably wouldn't have been but Hilton didn't make things better by getting on youtube and calling her a b*(#&& and a c*^$!
Whether we like it or not (and I hate it), Hilton is in the public eye and yes he has a responsibility to act as if his mother gave him good sense. But he didn't.
He called Miss California out of her name. She in return got on the Today show and took the position of Joan of Arc on the stake while at the same time talking about how she will pray for Hilton.
Who looks better? The pushy gay or the beauty queen?
Or a better question is who looks better? The lgbt community or the religious right?
It's too depressing to think about. One more question though:
African-Americans have Julian Bond, Cornel West, and a host of black intellectuals gaining attention. Women have Gloria Steinhem and, to an extent, Phyllis Schafly espousing their point of view about the role of women.
Just who in the hell does the gay community have to speak for us besides an immature gossip columnist whose claim to fame is outing a few celebrities and drawing ridiculous doodles on the pictures of other celebrities?
I know. We have many others who are far more intelligent and mature to espouse our community's values.
Okay, but then why is Hilton gaining all of the attention?
Oh please make this situation go away. I will do penance, I will go to church every Sunday, anything.
But make this nonsense about the Miss America pageant go away.
Who am I kidding? This situation is juicy and it's not going away any time soon.
And it's just as I figured yesterday - Perez Hilton is now front and center on Peter LaBarbera's Americans for Truth webpage.
Peter is trying to link Hilton to all of us:
You see, it’s all about holding the “right” position — that is, the “gay” position — and shutting up or overriding your beliefs, or risk being smeared as a hateful “homophobe” if you dare to disagree. This is the emboldened Queer Lobby’s and their Amen Corner’s M.O. — whether it’s forcing a New Mexico Christian photographer to shoot a lesbian “wedding” against her convictions; trying to get Prop 8 thrown out and declared “unconstitutional” because you lost at the ballot box; equating opposition to “gay marriage” with rank bigotry, or moral opposition to homosexual behavior with “bullying gays”; or pressuring the media into rejecting ads featuring successful ex-”gays” (as GLAAD, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, has done).
Not all of us like Hilton and not all of us agree with his actions. To link his stupid behavior with lgbts trying to gain our God-given right of self determination is homophobia defined.
It's no different than linking the behavior of black gang members to the African-American male in general or the behavior of a black woman you see on the Maury Povich show testing four men for the paternity of her child to all black women.
Really though, you can't blame Peter for trying to take advantage of this situation any more than you can fault a vampire bat for sucking blood. Both parties need to feed off of others to survive.
But I want to know something.
Am I being too hard on Perez Hilton?
I mean I don't think so. He asked a question. Miss California answered it. It may not have been the answer he liked but that should have been the end of the story. Of course it probably wouldn't have been but Hilton didn't make things better by getting on youtube and calling her a b*(#&& and a c*^$!
Whether we like it or not (and I hate it), Hilton is in the public eye and yes he has a responsibility to act as if his mother gave him good sense. But he didn't.
He called Miss California out of her name. She in return got on the Today show and took the position of Joan of Arc on the stake while at the same time talking about how she will pray for Hilton.
Who looks better? The pushy gay or the beauty queen?
Or a better question is who looks better? The lgbt community or the religious right?
It's too depressing to think about. One more question though:
African-Americans have Julian Bond, Cornel West, and a host of black intellectuals gaining attention. Women have Gloria Steinhem and, to an extent, Phyllis Schafly espousing their point of view about the role of women.
Just who in the hell does the gay community have to speak for us besides an immature gossip columnist whose claim to fame is outing a few celebrities and drawing ridiculous doodles on the pictures of other celebrities?
I know. We have many others who are far more intelligent and mature to espouse our community's values.
Okay, but then why is Hilton gaining all of the attention?
Tuesday midday news briefs
Video: Poignant - THIS is what we should be focused on. Forget beauty pageants.
Autumn Sandeen writes from from Angie Zapata murder trial - Another issue we should focus on
Suicide Vicitm's FamilyBlames School - This has to stop!!
NARTH To Export Ex-Gay Message To London - Super. The road show from hell.
Video: Poignant - THIS is what we should be focused on. Forget beauty pageants.
Autumn Sandeen writes from from Angie Zapata murder trial - Another issue we should focus on
Suicide Vicitm's FamilyBlames School - This has to stop!!
NARTH To Export Ex-Gay Message To London - Super. The road show from hell.
I love my beautiful black people but sometimes I think they have lost their minds
And IT begins.
Miss California and Perez Hilton are now doing the morning news show circuits, no doubt sparring with each other over her answer to his question and whether or not it cost her the Miss America crown.
Why Lord, why? I still think it's a dumb controversy.
And in another "Why Lord, why" moment, I ran into an interesting gossip site yesterday and it put made me think about what lgbts of color have to deal with in the black community.
There is this belief that black folks are more homophobic than other Americans. I don't believe this is the case. What I do believe is that there needs to be some serious discussion in the black community regarding homosexuality. Sometimes those who are in leadership positions in the black community shirk their duties when they don't encourage (and in some cases try to hinder) this conversation.
I also think that trepidation about gays and lesbians in the black community goes beyond that of a religious issue. We are a threat to the ideas of gender roles.
And as these items (and comments) prove, there is a salacious aspect that many want to throw at the lgbt community; an aspect that wouldn't exist if lgbts of color would have more support in the black community:
EXPLOSIVE!!!! RADIO SHOW CLAIMS TO HAVE EVIDENCE OF RAPPER CHINGY'S SECRET LIFESTYLE!!!
HMMMMM!!! R&B Singer Brandy Spotted LEAVING THE CLUB With A VERY BUTCH Looking Gal Pal!!!
LMAO!!!! Vivica Fox Is Trying To Date THAT GAY LOOKING BOY From High School Musical!!!
ON BLAST!!! Gay Community ANGERED By Rapper Bow Wow's HOMOPHOBIC Comments!!!
And IT begins.
Miss California and Perez Hilton are now doing the morning news show circuits, no doubt sparring with each other over her answer to his question and whether or not it cost her the Miss America crown.
Why Lord, why? I still think it's a dumb controversy.
And in another "Why Lord, why" moment, I ran into an interesting gossip site yesterday and it put made me think about what lgbts of color have to deal with in the black community.
There is this belief that black folks are more homophobic than other Americans. I don't believe this is the case. What I do believe is that there needs to be some serious discussion in the black community regarding homosexuality. Sometimes those who are in leadership positions in the black community shirk their duties when they don't encourage (and in some cases try to hinder) this conversation.
I also think that trepidation about gays and lesbians in the black community goes beyond that of a religious issue. We are a threat to the ideas of gender roles.
And as these items (and comments) prove, there is a salacious aspect that many want to throw at the lgbt community; an aspect that wouldn't exist if lgbts of color would have more support in the black community:
EXPLOSIVE!!!! RADIO SHOW CLAIMS TO HAVE EVIDENCE OF RAPPER CHINGY'S SECRET LIFESTYLE!!!
HMMMMM!!! R&B Singer Brandy Spotted LEAVING THE CLUB With A VERY BUTCH Looking Gal Pal!!!
LMAO!!!! Vivica Fox Is Trying To Date THAT GAY LOOKING BOY From High School Musical!!!
ON BLAST!!! Gay Community ANGERED By Rapper Bow Wow's HOMOPHOBIC Comments!!!
Monday, April 20, 2009
Why the Miss USA controversy is a STUPID issue
Oh God no.
There is a dumb controversy brewing over the Miss USA pageant that took place last weekend.
Apparently in the question and answer segment, Miss California stated her opinion that marriage should be between a man and a woman.
So batten down the hatches because here comes a whole lot of nonsense.
I should have known it couldn't last. For the past weeks, the lgbt community was on a unparalleled streak of good fortune. Iowa, Vermont, the mocking of NOM - we were hot.
Then this happens.
Now we are going to be distracted by a non-issue that only has the potential for us to look like bad guys.
You know what? I don't care what this woman said. It was her opinion. She expressed it. She didn't win the crown. Big whoop.
She will probably benefit from the controversy by becoming the newest religious right cause celebre. I can just see the spin now - "She was denied the crown because she stood up for the American family."
The optimist in me (I ate an optimist for dinner last week - you know us gays are also cannibals. Paul Cameron said so) sees a silver lining to this potential cloud.
If anything, maybe this controversy will teach my lgbt community not to canonize lgbt celebrities.
Gossip columnist Perez Hilton was a judge during the competition and since the controversy took place, he has been consistently rude to Ms. California and basically acted like a damn fool.
Way to go, Perez. Expect to see your vapid self in One News Now or on the Americans for Truth webpage as indicative of the entire lgbt community.
For the record, Hilton is simply a gossip columnist and a very immature one at that. I don't give a crap how many interviews he does or how many youtube videos he presents on the issue, or how often he is in the public eyes in general, Hilton does not represent the entire lgbt community.
And while some of us may be distracted and momentarily angry at Miss California, it's not a good thing to take crucial time away from the big picture of lgbt equality to talk about a single incident in a beauty pageant that will most likely be forgotten in a year.
Let this be a lesson to us all. Just because someone is an actor, singer, or gossip columnist and just happens to be gay does not mean that person shoud be taken as a sort of a spokesperson for the lgbt community.
We owe it to ourselves to adhere to a higher standard than that.
Oh God no.
There is a dumb controversy brewing over the Miss USA pageant that took place last weekend.
Apparently in the question and answer segment, Miss California stated her opinion that marriage should be between a man and a woman.
So batten down the hatches because here comes a whole lot of nonsense.
I should have known it couldn't last. For the past weeks, the lgbt community was on a unparalleled streak of good fortune. Iowa, Vermont, the mocking of NOM - we were hot.
Then this happens.
Now we are going to be distracted by a non-issue that only has the potential for us to look like bad guys.
You know what? I don't care what this woman said. It was her opinion. She expressed it. She didn't win the crown. Big whoop.
She will probably benefit from the controversy by becoming the newest religious right cause celebre. I can just see the spin now - "She was denied the crown because she stood up for the American family."
The optimist in me (I ate an optimist for dinner last week - you know us gays are also cannibals. Paul Cameron said so) sees a silver lining to this potential cloud.
If anything, maybe this controversy will teach my lgbt community not to canonize lgbt celebrities.
Gossip columnist Perez Hilton was a judge during the competition and since the controversy took place, he has been consistently rude to Ms. California and basically acted like a damn fool.
Way to go, Perez. Expect to see your vapid self in One News Now or on the Americans for Truth webpage as indicative of the entire lgbt community.
For the record, Hilton is simply a gossip columnist and a very immature one at that. I don't give a crap how many interviews he does or how many youtube videos he presents on the issue, or how often he is in the public eyes in general, Hilton does not represent the entire lgbt community.
And while some of us may be distracted and momentarily angry at Miss California, it's not a good thing to take crucial time away from the big picture of lgbt equality to talk about a single incident in a beauty pageant that will most likely be forgotten in a year.
Let this be a lesson to us all. Just because someone is an actor, singer, or gossip columnist and just happens to be gay does not mean that person shoud be taken as a sort of a spokesperson for the lgbt community.
We owe it to ourselves to adhere to a higher standard than that.
Monday midday news briefs
There has been a very interesting update in my last post. Check it out
Mormon Scion Matthew S. Holland Quits the NOM Board - And the hits keep coming to NOM.
David Mixner: Rick Warren Badly Needs A Private Retreat - Ya think?
Uganda’s Anti-Gay Vigilante Campaign Is Now In Full Swing - This ain't good AT ALL!
Too young to vote. Old enough to be publicly condemned by LaBarbera - Peter is now picking on children. Big man he is!
Mocking "Gathering Storm" from start to finish - Go ahead. You know you want to check out the link.
There has been a very interesting update in my last post. Check it out
Mormon Scion Matthew S. Holland Quits the NOM Board - And the hits keep coming to NOM.
David Mixner: Rick Warren Badly Needs A Private Retreat - Ya think?
Uganda’s Anti-Gay Vigilante Campaign Is Now In Full Swing - This ain't good AT ALL!
Too young to vote. Old enough to be publicly condemned by LaBarbera - Peter is now picking on children. Big man he is!
Mocking "Gathering Storm" from start to finish - Go ahead. You know you want to check out the link.
Anti-Day of Silence video creator alleges gay conspiracy
Haven't heard anything about it? My point exactly.
On Saturday, I talked about a video put out about it by Capitol Resource Institute which claimed that Day of Silence supporters were "threatening" pro-family groups.
The video uses negative phone messages, alleged emails of a threatening nature, and footage of Proposition 8 protests in an attempt to twist the argument of lgbt teen safety into a semantic one about tolerance (i.e. claiming that while Day of Silence supporters want tolerance and safety for gay teens but they aren't capable of showing tolerance themselves.)
All in all, the video does a poor job of connecting the Day of Silence to any acts of violence.
This weekend, I spoke to the self-described creator of the video (on youtube, he calls himself the Dark Lord of Debate). I asked him specifically about the inaccuracies of the video, most specifically its attempt to link the Day of Silence with the Proposition 8 protests. This is what he said:
Regardless of the exact connection of each event in the video to the Day of Silence, I believe the video is illustrative of the intolerance of those advocating the gay agenda to silence all who disagree with them--of which the Day of Silence is only a small part. The message was that those of us who believe in traditional marriage and sexuality are not going to allow our voices to be silenced the way they have been in other countries where the gay agenda has been more successful than in the US. In Canada, Australia, and several Scandinavian countries pastors have been imprisoned for merely preaching that homosexuality is immoral. We won't stand for that, and if you are as tolerant as your side claims I hope you won't either.
My answer to him was short but to the point:
You speak of anecdotes taken out of context. Also whatever the case is, these situations happened in foreign countries - countries that do not possess the same laws or constitutions as America. The error in your statement lies in the belief that there is some worldwide conspiracy on the part of gays and lesbians. And that notion simply isn't true. The situations that you allege happened in Canada, etc. have nothing to do with the situations in the United States because they do not have the same "cast of characters," so to speak.
All in all, your statements are extremely debatable but what is not a debatable point is:
1. You unfairly generalized about all of those who support the Day of Silence - not to mention all gays and lesbian in general
2. Your video is so over the top that its credibility is questioned - the footage of alleged violence has nothing to do with the Day of Silence. And the phone calls and emails are equally questionable.
The semantical argument you put forth regarding "tolerance" is merely a dodge. And it's a sad one.
The "Dark Lord" didn't answer me back as of yet, but his first message is interesting.
To him, the video was not about truth or accuracy but about fighting the "alleged gay agenda."
I personally fail to see what the Day of Silence has to do with alleged incidents in foreign countries. And anyone with good sense would fail to see the connection also.
But those on Dark Lord's side of the argument aren't necessarily known for their good sense.
UPDATE - Dark Lord answered me back and admits to a degree of exaggeration:
To a certain extent I agree with you. I know full well that not all gay activists are like those portrayed in the video, and to that extent the video is somewhat of an exaggeration, though no more than any typical political attack ad, which is basically what this video was intended as. The video is however accurate in exposing the fact that not all gay activists are as tolerant as they claim, and are fully capable of engaging in hateful behavior themselves, which is important to counteract the common view of conservatives as hateful bigots and liberals as paragons of tolerance.
I also disagree that there is no connection between the Day of Silence and prop 8. CRI is a Californian organization which also worked for the passage of prop 8, and you can bet many of the people making those calls and sending those emails (which were all authentic, btw) were the same people protesting prop 8. The Day of Silence and the response to prop 8 are very much connected the way I see it.
As far as the idea of a gay conspiracy, I fully recognize that there is no organized conspiracy of gays against Christians, but the gay lobby worldwide does have a fairly unified political agenda and both in other countries and the US that has included silencing any dissenting voices which object to homosexuality as normal. These other countries were also western democracies, and their laws started out as "hate crimes" legislation like we have in the US. Sure we have a constitution that protects free speech, but that only works as long as the courts are willing to follow it, which is why I'm not convinced the same thing can't happen here, and why I will continue to oppose all efforts to silence our voice.
At any rate, I know I'm not going to convince you, but maybe that will at least help you understand my perspective in making this video. I'm sorry you disagree with it, but that is your right. See you around.
Now I could go on a tangent like he did but I want to zero in on something that bothers me. This is my return message to Dark Lord's newest email:
You are going all over the place with these tangents regarding hate crimes and the alleged worldwide gay conspiracy. But I won't follow you up on it.
What bothers me basically is your admittance that the video is exaggerated. Don't you think it's bizarre to accuse gay activists of being hypocritical because some don't practice the tolerance that they claim to espouse when you aren't practicing the Christian tenet about truth that you want to portray yourself standing for?
Aren't you guilty of the same hypocrisy you have accused them of?
How can you defend Christian beliefs through a video which you have admitted makes exaggerated claims? Just when did it become appropriate for those who follow Christ to get their point across via cynical attack ads?
Jesus says "I am the way, the truth, and the light." He didn't say "I am the way, the truth and the light but feel free to exaggerate in my name when you are trying to talk to sinners."
(Editor's note - This post has been updated. See below)
The Day of Silence has come and gone. Now it's time for the so-called counterpart - The Allied Defense Fund's Day of Truth.Haven't heard anything about it? My point exactly.
On Saturday, I talked about a video put out about it by Capitol Resource Institute which claimed that Day of Silence supporters were "threatening" pro-family groups.
The video uses negative phone messages, alleged emails of a threatening nature, and footage of Proposition 8 protests in an attempt to twist the argument of lgbt teen safety into a semantic one about tolerance (i.e. claiming that while Day of Silence supporters want tolerance and safety for gay teens but they aren't capable of showing tolerance themselves.)
All in all, the video does a poor job of connecting the Day of Silence to any acts of violence.
This weekend, I spoke to the self-described creator of the video (on youtube, he calls himself the Dark Lord of Debate). I asked him specifically about the inaccuracies of the video, most specifically its attempt to link the Day of Silence with the Proposition 8 protests. This is what he said:
Regardless of the exact connection of each event in the video to the Day of Silence, I believe the video is illustrative of the intolerance of those advocating the gay agenda to silence all who disagree with them--of which the Day of Silence is only a small part. The message was that those of us who believe in traditional marriage and sexuality are not going to allow our voices to be silenced the way they have been in other countries where the gay agenda has been more successful than in the US. In Canada, Australia, and several Scandinavian countries pastors have been imprisoned for merely preaching that homosexuality is immoral. We won't stand for that, and if you are as tolerant as your side claims I hope you won't either.
My answer to him was short but to the point:
You speak of anecdotes taken out of context. Also whatever the case is, these situations happened in foreign countries - countries that do not possess the same laws or constitutions as America. The error in your statement lies in the belief that there is some worldwide conspiracy on the part of gays and lesbians. And that notion simply isn't true. The situations that you allege happened in Canada, etc. have nothing to do with the situations in the United States because they do not have the same "cast of characters," so to speak.
All in all, your statements are extremely debatable but what is not a debatable point is:
1. You unfairly generalized about all of those who support the Day of Silence - not to mention all gays and lesbian in general
2. Your video is so over the top that its credibility is questioned - the footage of alleged violence has nothing to do with the Day of Silence. And the phone calls and emails are equally questionable.
The semantical argument you put forth regarding "tolerance" is merely a dodge. And it's a sad one.
The "Dark Lord" didn't answer me back as of yet, but his first message is interesting.
To him, the video was not about truth or accuracy but about fighting the "alleged gay agenda."
I personally fail to see what the Day of Silence has to do with alleged incidents in foreign countries. And anyone with good sense would fail to see the connection also.
But those on Dark Lord's side of the argument aren't necessarily known for their good sense.
UPDATE - Dark Lord answered me back and admits to a degree of exaggeration:
To a certain extent I agree with you. I know full well that not all gay activists are like those portrayed in the video, and to that extent the video is somewhat of an exaggeration, though no more than any typical political attack ad, which is basically what this video was intended as. The video is however accurate in exposing the fact that not all gay activists are as tolerant as they claim, and are fully capable of engaging in hateful behavior themselves, which is important to counteract the common view of conservatives as hateful bigots and liberals as paragons of tolerance.
I also disagree that there is no connection between the Day of Silence and prop 8. CRI is a Californian organization which also worked for the passage of prop 8, and you can bet many of the people making those calls and sending those emails (which were all authentic, btw) were the same people protesting prop 8. The Day of Silence and the response to prop 8 are very much connected the way I see it.
As far as the idea of a gay conspiracy, I fully recognize that there is no organized conspiracy of gays against Christians, but the gay lobby worldwide does have a fairly unified political agenda and both in other countries and the US that has included silencing any dissenting voices which object to homosexuality as normal. These other countries were also western democracies, and their laws started out as "hate crimes" legislation like we have in the US. Sure we have a constitution that protects free speech, but that only works as long as the courts are willing to follow it, which is why I'm not convinced the same thing can't happen here, and why I will continue to oppose all efforts to silence our voice.
At any rate, I know I'm not going to convince you, but maybe that will at least help you understand my perspective in making this video. I'm sorry you disagree with it, but that is your right. See you around.
Now I could go on a tangent like he did but I want to zero in on something that bothers me. This is my return message to Dark Lord's newest email:
You are going all over the place with these tangents regarding hate crimes and the alleged worldwide gay conspiracy. But I won't follow you up on it.
What bothers me basically is your admittance that the video is exaggerated. Don't you think it's bizarre to accuse gay activists of being hypocritical because some don't practice the tolerance that they claim to espouse when you aren't practicing the Christian tenet about truth that you want to portray yourself standing for?
Aren't you guilty of the same hypocrisy you have accused them of?
How can you defend Christian beliefs through a video which you have admitted makes exaggerated claims? Just when did it become appropriate for those who follow Christ to get their point across via cynical attack ads?
Jesus says "I am the way, the truth, and the light." He didn't say "I am the way, the truth and the light but feel free to exaggerate in my name when you are trying to talk to sinners."
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Day of Silence a huge success again while the opposition tries to pull a fast one
Early reports are saying that yesterday's Day of Silence was a huge success despite the efforts of several religious right groups who advised parents to keep their children out of school during this day. This was the view from the Seattle Times which looked at the high school where area pastor Ken Hutcherson held an anti-Day of Silence protest last year:
No protesters disrupted classes at Mount Si High School, and about 21 percent of students called in absent Friday — more students than usual, but less than last year, when almost half of all students didn't come to school.
Mount Si was the focus last year of a protest over the "Day of Silence," a national movement to represent the silence many gay and lesbian students feel they must maintain at school to avoid harassment.
Again this year, Rev. Ken Hutcherson, of Antioch Bible Church in Redmond, urged parents to keep students out of school Friday but did not hold a protest.
About 150 of the school's 1,400 students signed up to participate in the Day of Silence, spokeswoman Carolyn Malcolm said, and there were no disruptions during the school day.
Nice try, Kenny boy but you lose again.
And there is a plethora of positive coverage from other areas in the country:
Teens speak volumes during Day of Silence
Students protest oppression during Day of Silence
Students stay mum to honor GLBT peers
March supports gay rights
Local students take a stand against harassment during national Day of Silence
ISU students ‘Break Silence’ in fight against prejudice
But those organizations who oppose the Day of Silence are not "going gentle into that good night," so to speak.
One group, Capitol Resource Institute, has put a video highlighting the alleged threats, "intolerance," and also other incidents of violence that it claims are indicative of Day of Silence supporters.
I looked at the video and listened to the comments, even the choppy ones.
Some of the comments are rude with one person saying that he wishes that members of the anti-Day of Silence groups would kill themselves (that's the one played repeatedly).
But these messages sound like they are coming from adults and not teenagers (the ones who mostly participate in the Day of Silence.)
The emails were equally rude, even though we don't know anything about these them - whether they are coming from folks mad at the anti-Day of Silence stance or folks mad at these groups in general.
Or even if they are authentic.
Capitol Resource Institute claimed that one email inferred a death threat even to the extent of sending a picture of a funeral to emphasize detail. But no where in the article does its spokesperson, Karen England, talk about alerting the authorities. (Editor's note - The article has now been updated to say that England has in fact filed a police report.)
And let's talk about the acts of violence the video shows.
These "acts" took place from various Proposition 8 protests, including the Phyllis Burgess incident which was debunked on this site as well as many others.
Why is this important?
Because the Proposition 8 protests had absolutely nothing to do with the Day of Silence.
All in all, the video is a pathetic attempt to get a visceral reaction rather than a logical one.
That's not to say that I agree with what was allegedly sent to these groups. Rude comments and threats should not be the way we fight our battles.
But the attempt by Capitol Resource Institute to connect the dots between the Day of Silence and the alleged negativity expressed to the groups opposing the Day of Silence is highly, highly suspect.
It just goes to show that some people just can't take a loss.
Early reports are saying that yesterday's Day of Silence was a huge success despite the efforts of several religious right groups who advised parents to keep their children out of school during this day. This was the view from the Seattle Times which looked at the high school where area pastor Ken Hutcherson held an anti-Day of Silence protest last year:
No protesters disrupted classes at Mount Si High School, and about 21 percent of students called in absent Friday — more students than usual, but less than last year, when almost half of all students didn't come to school.
Mount Si was the focus last year of a protest over the "Day of Silence," a national movement to represent the silence many gay and lesbian students feel they must maintain at school to avoid harassment.
Again this year, Rev. Ken Hutcherson, of Antioch Bible Church in Redmond, urged parents to keep students out of school Friday but did not hold a protest.
About 150 of the school's 1,400 students signed up to participate in the Day of Silence, spokeswoman Carolyn Malcolm said, and there were no disruptions during the school day.
Nice try, Kenny boy but you lose again.
And there is a plethora of positive coverage from other areas in the country:
Teens speak volumes during Day of Silence
Students protest oppression during Day of Silence
Students stay mum to honor GLBT peers
March supports gay rights
Local students take a stand against harassment during national Day of Silence
ISU students ‘Break Silence’ in fight against prejudice
But those organizations who oppose the Day of Silence are not "going gentle into that good night," so to speak.
One group, Capitol Resource Institute, has put a video highlighting the alleged threats, "intolerance," and also other incidents of violence that it claims are indicative of Day of Silence supporters.
I looked at the video and listened to the comments, even the choppy ones.
Some of the comments are rude with one person saying that he wishes that members of the anti-Day of Silence groups would kill themselves (that's the one played repeatedly).
But these messages sound like they are coming from adults and not teenagers (the ones who mostly participate in the Day of Silence.)
The emails were equally rude, even though we don't know anything about these them - whether they are coming from folks mad at the anti-Day of Silence stance or folks mad at these groups in general.
Or even if they are authentic.
Capitol Resource Institute claimed that one email inferred a death threat even to the extent of sending a picture of a funeral to emphasize detail. But no where in the article does its spokesperson, Karen England, talk about alerting the authorities. (Editor's note - The article has now been updated to say that England has in fact filed a police report.)
And let's talk about the acts of violence the video shows.
These "acts" took place from various Proposition 8 protests, including the Phyllis Burgess incident which was debunked on this site as well as many others.
Why is this important?
Because the Proposition 8 protests had absolutely nothing to do with the Day of Silence.
All in all, the video is a pathetic attempt to get a visceral reaction rather than a logical one.
That's not to say that I agree with what was allegedly sent to these groups. Rude comments and threats should not be the way we fight our battles.
But the attempt by Capitol Resource Institute to connect the dots between the Day of Silence and the alleged negativity expressed to the groups opposing the Day of Silence is highly, highly suspect.
It just goes to show that some people just can't take a loss.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Friday midday news briefs
Getting to the Roots of Hate Crime - An excellent article courtesy of Huffington Post.
Yea, Tony? That figure's honest? See nothing false about the witness you've borne? Interesting - Gasp! You mean the Family Research Council is actually misrepresenting a poll on gay marriage in New York? And in other "shocking" news, the sky tends to be blue on bright and sunny days
Gates says axing DADT 'complex' - Some folks may disagree but I don't. I remember what happened during the Clinton years. Let's proceed slowly but not stop the progress.
Ex-McCain aide to call for gay marriage support - Uh oh. I can just see the headlines courtesy of One News Now.
Laurie Higgins Endorses the Bullying of Gay Kids - Why am I not surprised.
Anderson Cooper’s Vulgar ‘Tea-Bagging’ Joke Epitomizes Media’s Hatred of Conservatives- And now some comedy courtesy of our friend Peter LaBarbera. Apparently lgbts had something to do with the mocking of teabaggers. We just got our fingers in everything (Don't you dare make a joke out of that.)
Getting to the Roots of Hate Crime - An excellent article courtesy of Huffington Post.
Yea, Tony? That figure's honest? See nothing false about the witness you've borne? Interesting - Gasp! You mean the Family Research Council is actually misrepresenting a poll on gay marriage in New York? And in other "shocking" news, the sky tends to be blue on bright and sunny days
Gates says axing DADT 'complex' - Some folks may disagree but I don't. I remember what happened during the Clinton years. Let's proceed slowly but not stop the progress.
Ex-McCain aide to call for gay marriage support - Uh oh. I can just see the headlines courtesy of One News Now.
Laurie Higgins Endorses the Bullying of Gay Kids - Why am I not surprised.
Anderson Cooper’s Vulgar ‘Tea-Bagging’ Joke Epitomizes Media’s Hatred of Conservatives- And now some comedy courtesy of our friend Peter LaBarbera. Apparently lgbts had something to do with the mocking of teabaggers. We just got our fingers in everything (Don't you dare make a joke out of that.)
The Day of Silence will be successful
Today is when thousands of high school students will show their support for their lgbt classmates via the Day of Silence.
I personally wish this idea had been around when I was in high school. Back then (the 80s is such a long time ago) just a rumor that a person was gay would elicit an automatic beatdown.
Some may argue that things may be pretty much the same, but I would have to disagree. The level of support that our lgbt children are receiving now is much better than it was when I was a child.
And of course the usual cast of characters are opposing the Day of Silence. In fact, pro-Paul Cameron group Illinois Family Institute is leading a charge to tells parents to keep their children out of schools during this day.
No doubt this plan will fail like the so-called Day of Truth these groups have been trying to push in direct opposite to Day of Silence.
Not that it will stop them from distributing a "we were successful" press release which I'm sure they worked on the same day they decided to announce the walk out.
Liberty Counsel and One News Now has even gotten into the act with a phony news article listing the supposed times that people have been threatened over opposing or not participating in the Day of Silence.
The article is a bunch of substantiated anecdotes and whinings put together by folks who fail to realize that they are losing this fight.
No matter though because this day is not about them.
It's about our children - the next generation of Americans. According to the Day of Silence webpage:
In 2008, hundreds of thousands of students from more than 8,000 K-12 schools, colleges and universities organized Day of Silence events. These numbers make the Day of Silence one of the largest student-led actions in the United States.
I feel confident that the level of participation this year will exceed that.
Slowly but sure we are winning this war.
Today is when thousands of high school students will show their support for their lgbt classmates via the Day of Silence.
I personally wish this idea had been around when I was in high school. Back then (the 80s is such a long time ago) just a rumor that a person was gay would elicit an automatic beatdown.
Some may argue that things may be pretty much the same, but I would have to disagree. The level of support that our lgbt children are receiving now is much better than it was when I was a child.
And of course the usual cast of characters are opposing the Day of Silence. In fact, pro-Paul Cameron group Illinois Family Institute is leading a charge to tells parents to keep their children out of schools during this day.
No doubt this plan will fail like the so-called Day of Truth these groups have been trying to push in direct opposite to Day of Silence.
Not that it will stop them from distributing a "we were successful" press release which I'm sure they worked on the same day they decided to announce the walk out.
Liberty Counsel and One News Now has even gotten into the act with a phony news article listing the supposed times that people have been threatened over opposing or not participating in the Day of Silence.
The article is a bunch of substantiated anecdotes and whinings put together by folks who fail to realize that they are losing this fight.
No matter though because this day is not about them.
It's about our children - the next generation of Americans. According to the Day of Silence webpage:
In 2008, hundreds of thousands of students from more than 8,000 K-12 schools, colleges and universities organized Day of Silence events. These numbers make the Day of Silence one of the largest student-led actions in the United States.
I feel confident that the level of participation this year will exceed that.
Slowly but sure we are winning this war.
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