After everything else they have thrown at him, the new thing is silly. From the Washington Post's religion blog:
Christian conservatives are up in arms over the appointment of Kevin Jennings as "safe schools czar." Or, more technically, director of the Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools.
Why the fuss? Well, it seems that Jennings wrote a remarkably frank book in 2007, "Mama's Boy, Preacher's Son: A Memoir," where he said some rather explicit things about homosexuality and some nasty things about God:
"What had He done for me other than make me feel shame and guilt? Squat. Screw you buddy--I don't need you around anymore, I decided." For years, he says in his book, he "reacted violently to anyone who professed any kind of religion."
Cue the controversy.
Americans for Truth About Homosexuality calls him a "vicious, anti-religious bigot." Catholic League President Bill Donohue calls Jennings' remarks about homosexuality and God "perverse." The Family Research Council has launched a "Stop Kevin Jennings" campaign, saying he is a "radical homosexual activist."
So Jennings has ugly words for God while having to deal with his sexual orientation . . . just like a lot of lgbts.
I guess if doubting God is reason to dismiss Jennings, then a lot of folks, along with lgbts, should be fired from their jobs.
The attacks on Jennings's reputation have ranked from the sublime (he said mean things about the religious right, he uses profanity) to downright ugly (he believes that children should be taught about gay sexual intercourse, he didn't tell the authorities about an alleged relationship between a supposedly underaged young man and an adult).
But this has to be the dumbest.
I hear there are now videos of him squeezing the Charmin and pulling tags off of mattresses. And if that doesn't cause a reaction, the religious right have witnesses who can place him at the grassy knoll on that fateful day in November of 1963.
Give me a break, people.
The most ironic thing is that these folks are implying that Jennings has indoctrinated children, i.e. turning them from God.
But if children and adults for that matter are being turned away from God because of this situation with Jennings, then maybe it's because they are bothered by the behavior of those claiming to be acting in God's service.
Since when is self-righteous and hypocritical character assasinations tenents of God's work? I never heard Jesus talking about tripping up your fellow man with lies and innuendo.
It's a lesson so bizarre that it sounds like an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents - the surprise ending being that the devils are the ones pretending to have the halos and wings.
The bottom line - Kevin Jennings is a good man whose struggle with his sexual orientation led him to found an organization that helped a great number of lgbt children with their struggles.
In any normal society, he would be hailed as hero.
I've written a lot about Jennings and the personal attacks against him; so much so that no doubt some folks may start asking questions about why I am so personally bothered by this story.
Well let me put it succinctly - it is very important to me that lgbt children be physically and psychologically protected so that they can grow into responsible adults.
If GLSEN had been around when I was in school, then maybe a person whom I loved dearly would be alive right now.
Related posts:
The continuing attacks on Kevin Jennings - now Fox News gets involved
The possible attack on the President's lgbt appointees
The tea party idiots - will they go after the lgbt community next?
Traditional Values Coalition attacks Kevin Jennings and . . . Tom Cruise?
Support Sean's Last Wish and Kevin Jennings
The religious right thinks that character assasination is a Christian virtue
The war against Kevin Jennings - now it's getting pathetic
Attacks on Kevin Jennings sleazy, un-Christian
More right wing lunacy on Kevin Jennings courtesy of Kevin McCullough
More attacks on GLSEN'S Kevin Jennings - Now the Family Research Council gets in the act''
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'Fistgate' and President Obama - religious right pushes a pitiful attempt of guilt by association
6 comments:
I was listening to Fox News this morning when the two hosts attacked Jennings. This conservative gay is going to have write an email protesting harshly what they had to say about Jennings.
I read what they said on Media Matters. Not very nice and of course very one-sided.
Extremely, extremely one-sided. I would hope that Jennings would go on Fox News and politely defend himself. What really galled me that the female broadcaster said that he is for promoting homosexuality or something like that. Great God, we both know what gay teenagers go through.
When you are in a position like that - i.e. a government appointee, I don't think you can defend yourself because the media would jump all over your boss, who in this case is the President. It would attract a lot of unneeded attention and serve as a distraction, which is what Fox News and company want no doubt.
They make me sick.
What all of us can do to support Mr. Jennings is to go to the GLSEN website and send Secretary Duncan a letter of support for Mr. Jennings here: http://www.glsen.org/cgi-bin/iowa/all/library/feedback/21.html
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