Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters: 10/01/2009

Friday, October 30, 2009

Will Bernice King continue to 'run game' on lgbts of color?

Bernice King, the youngest daughter of Martin Luther King, Jr., has been chosen to lead the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the organization that her father help to found.

Personally I am reticent about the entire matter; that is to say I am undecided on whether this is a good thing .

Bernice King has been very vocal against marriage equality. She has led marches against it and her opinion of marriage equality is best typified by the following statement:

“I know in my sanctified soul that he (Dr. King) did not take a bullet for same-sex marriage.”

It not so much the statement that angered me but what it represented.

An unfortunate consequence of the cultural battle over marriage equality is how it allowed some black leaders to shirk their responsibilites to lgbts of color.

Evoking the implication that the fight for marriage equality was a bastardized attempt by "wealthy white gays" to piggyback on the so-called untouchable legacy of the 1950s/60s civil rights movement allowed black leaders to neglect the needs of their own.

Never mind addressing the HIV rate amongst African-American MSMs, never mind addressing issues of isolation, and lack of self esteem that plague lgbts of color. As long as the focus was on fighting marriage equality and labeling it as a plot of "the white man," black leaders like Bernice King were able to willfully and intentionally hide the mess of the outright dehumanization of lgbts of color by their own people behind the curtain.

Now that King has a bigger spotlight, I can't help but to wonder will she continue those shenanigans?

Or will she step up and be a true leader?

Will she take the easy road and publicly demonize lgbts (and by extension lgbts of color) in front of eager crowds via religious condemnations?

Or will she note the irony that in some circles, the same religious condemnations will be thrown at her for being a woman who dares to take a leadership position in the black community?

Will she get the poignancy of President Obama signing hate crimes legislation named after both a heterosexual African-American victim of a hate crime and a gay victim of a hate crime?

Or will the poignancy conveniently slip her mind? Or worse yet, will she try to push away the poignancy via talking points surreptitiously provided by religious right groups?

Will King address the fact that lgbts of color have a place in the black community and deserve as much respect as their heterosexual counterparts?

Or will she try to placate us via silly patronizing comments about "not having a problem with anyone's sexual preference" - comments that are not the words of a thoughtful conscientious leader but a Machiavellian leader trying to play both sides of the issue.

Will Bernice King break the chains of ignorance and hypocrisy that shackle not only the lgbt of color community but the black community at large?

Or will she add another link to that chain?

I'm waiting to see what Ms. King will do.

And I am not the only one.

Will Bernice King be a leader to ALL African-Americans?

Or will she continue to run game on me and mine?

Know your lgbt history - The Warriors

The Warriors (1979) is a cult classic and one of my favorite movies.

It is about a Coney Island gang going to a conclave in Brooklyn where the leader of the largest gang in New York, Cyrus of the Grammercy Riffs, is uniting them all together to take over the city.

However during the conclave, Cyrus is murdered in the middle of his speech and everyone thinks that the Warriors committed the crime.

This means that the gang members must battle their way back home through a multiude of gangs gunning for their heads.

And to make matters worse, the gangs are clued by a mysterious D.J. (played awesomely by the late Lynne Thigpen) who serves as sort of a biased Greek chorus and urging on the gangs.

These gangs include the Grammercy Riffs, the Baseball Furies, the Orphans, the Turnbull A.C.'s, and the Rogues (the gang who did in fact murder Cyrus).

And then there is my favorite gang, the Lizzies.

Now whether the name is a take off of the word "lesbian" or the infamous Lizzie Borden (the New England woman put on trial and found innocent of the axe murders of her father and stepmother in 1892 and who was rumored to be a lesbian herself) is not known.

Whatever the case may be, when the Warriors are separated into two camps by pursuing police (let't not forget about them either), one group ends up with the Lizzies who offer them comfort and a little touchy-feely.

Of course comfort and a little touchy-feely are the last things the Lizzies have in mind for the Warriors as the following clip (the good stuff begins at 3:02) shows:

What you can do to help in Maine, Washington state, and Michigan and other Friday midday news briefs

3-2-1 Countdown for Equality: No Bittersweet Victories - What you can do to win in Maine, Washington state, and Michigan

Obama Expected To Announce End Of HIV Travel Ban - This is good news!

LAPD to cut ties with group linked to Boy Scouts - I'm sorry but the Boy Scouts are NOT the victims here.

What's wrong with being gay? -Throughout the Kevin Jennings controversy, a critical question was omitted.

Transgender speaker approved - Another bit of good news.

Christian Anti-Defamation Commission defends exorcists and hate groups from the 'scary gays'

Now that President Obama has signed lgbt-inclusive hate crimes legislation, every wannabe religious right activist with access to a computer and someone dumb enough to fund them is coming out of the woodwork looking to profit on the supposed coming persecution of Christians by the lgbt community.

Last night, Pam Spaulding clued me in on the following from Gary Cass and the Christian Anti-Defamation Commission:

"In other nations, like Canada, where hate crime laws have been enacted, it is Christians, specifically conservative Christians who hold to the historic Christian faith and it's values, that become the object of institutionalized, governmental hate."

"Christians who dare to tell the truth about the social, moral, spiritual and health consequences of illicit homosexual acts are accused of hate speech and intimidated into silence with threats of fines or jail."

"The fact the hate bill had to be passed in such an unscrupulous and cynical manner (attaching it to the Defense Authorization Act) reveals the depth of President Obama's commitment to a radical, anti-Christian agenda. He will stop at nothing to undermine the will of the majority of Americans to pay back militant homosexual activists who raised millions of dollars for his campaign and worked to get him elected."

So the Christian Anti-Defamation Commission is claiming that Christians will be under siege thanks to President Obama signing hate crimes legislation.

Now this factoid has been refuted continuously, so there is no need to go over it again.

I would prefer to show you just exactly who does the Christian Anti-Defamation Commission feels would need defending from so-called persecution.

Remember the controversy earlier this year about the church in Connecticut, Manifested Glory Ministries, which attempted to exorcise a young teen from the "spirit of homosexuality?"

Guess who went on record defending this vile act?

The Christian Anti-Defamation Commission:

CADC wants to know where is the tolerance for a church who tried to help a young man who freely asked for help to overcome homosexual temptations? No church deserves to be maligned for trying to help a troubled teen who asked for prayer.

Why are homosexuals so outraged?

And then there the group's statement defending those 11 groups who have been referred to as official anti-gay hate groups by the Southern Poverty Law Center:

The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), a liberal pro-homosexual legal group, has compiled a list of “hate groups” throughout America. According to their latest list of 926 hate groups, if you advocate for biblical righteousness you are lumped together with violent neo-Nazis and skinheads. This is slanderous on its face.

Fine Christian groups that work hard to protect biblical marriage have been demonized on the SPLC list. The only reason Christian organizations are labeled hate groups is because of their stance on traditional marriage, as defined in the Bible. There is absolutely nothing hateful about this. In fact, the opposite is true. If you will not speak the truth to those lost in homosexuality, or in any other sin, you are unloving.

Here are just two of those "loving" groups:

The Family Research Institute - that is the organization run by discredited researcher Paul Cameron.

We all know Paul Cameron. He is the guy who has been censured by individuals and groups from diverse backgrounds including the American Psychological Association, The American Sociological Association, conservative leader Williams Bennett, and anti-gay group Exodus International.

He is the guy who makes up stories about gay men castrating children in bathrooms.

He is the guy who publishes phony studies claiming, amongst other things, that gay men eat feces.

He is the guy who said the following:

“If you isolate sexuality as something solely for one’s own personal amusement, and all you want is the most satisfying orgasm you can get—and that is what homosexuality seems to be—then homosexuality seems too powerful to resist. The evidence is that men do a better job on men, and women on women if all you are looking for is an orgasm.” - Rolling Stones magazine, March 18, 1999

Then there is Abiding Truth Ministries - that is the group founded by Scott Lively. He is the guy who wrote that fradulent book The Pink Swastika which connects the gay community to the Nazi party; the book that has been repeatedly discredited.

If these three groups (Manifested Glory Church, The Family Research Institute, and Abiding Truth Ministries) are the examples of Christians needing protection from the lgbt community by the Christian Anti-Defamation Commission, then I have one question.

Who is going to protect the lgbt community from the Christian Anti-Defamation Commission?

Related posts and articles:

'Christian' organization doesn't know the difference between a pro-family group and a hate group

Who's crazier? The church that tries to 'exorcise' homosexuality or those who would defend it?

'A Mighty Army' Page 4

Queer Science

The Holy War on Gays

Making Myths

Thursday, October 29, 2009

One News Now resurrects old hate crimes lie

It's been an entire day since President Obama signed lgbt inclusive hate crimes legislation into law and no one, pastors included, has been arrested for merely saying that homosexuality is a sin.

But leave it to the American Family Association's One News Now to bring up an old inaccurate story of persecution:

A Christian evangelist who was once arrested, jailed, and charged under Pennsylvania's hate crimes law says the federal hate crimes bill signed into law by President Obama is one of the most dangerous laws in the history of the United States.

. . . Michael Marcavage, director of Philadelphia-based Repent America, was one of 11 Christians who were jailed and charged with a hate crime for carrying Bible verse banners and preaching at a 2004 homosexual pride event in Philadelphia. The charges were later dismissed -- and in 2008, the state's Supreme Court ruled the law had been passed illegally by the Pennsylvania legislature.

Of course One News Now omitted some details about this case.

Marcavage's group (Editor's note - Marcavage is in the picture above) wasn't merely carrying banners and preaching at the Philadelphia pride event. Repent America members allegedly harassed attendants. Supposedly, they began shouting in order to drown out events happening on stage at the events.

When the police attempted to get them to move to an area at the edge of the festival, they not only went deeper into the crowd of gays but also began using a bullhorn to condemn festival-goers.

That was when the group was arrested.

And their behavior at the Philadelphia event was business as usual for Repent America.

Regardless of One News Now's biased tone, we aren't exactly talking about "innocent Christians" here.

One time, according to the organization Philly Pride, in 2003, Repent America members were part of a group of protestors who entered a parade carrying signs that said “God Abhors You” and “AIDS: Judgment or Cure?” Allegedly, they called several people “fags” and told them that they were “going to hell.”

(Editor's note: The above paragraph was changed. The original paragraph contained an error claiming that 11 Repent America members entered the 2003 parade. However this is an error. It is not known just how many protestors entered the 2003 parade or if all of them were Repent America members. Michael Marcavage of Repent America sent me a letter which said in part:

Repent America members never carried such signs nor ever called people fags as you have cited. In fact, we wholeheartedly oppose such messages and behavior. Philly Pride has been made aware of this and perhaps their website misled you . . .

It is believed that you utilized an article on Philly Pride's website where they strategically placed photographs of "previous demonstrations" to mislead people into believing that it was Repent America . . .

I should also mention that Marcavage said the following in 2005:

The signs mentioned belonged to a group called the "Street Preachers' Fellowship" . . . The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Philadelphia Daily News, etc. have already printed retractions in regards to similar comments.)

But as I said before, we are not dealing with "innocent Christians." In August 2004, Repent America members were kicked out of a Philadelphia Phillies baseball game because they raised a banner that told spectators that they were going to hell unless they became Christians.

And while hate crimes charges against Marcavage and his group for their behavior in at the Philadelphia pride event were dismissed, there is another component to this story which One News Now omitted.

When Repent America members tried to sue the city of Philadelphia for violating their rights, they were turned back.

In 2007, a federal judge ruled that the city of Philadelphia did not violate the rights of Repent America members by placing them under arrest. Specifically, U.S. Judge Lawrence Stengel said:

“There is no constitutional right to drown out the speech of another person.”

This decision was upheld by a federal appeals court in 2008.

Picture taken from http://wildhunt.org/blog/2008/03/even-intolerant-fools-deserve-free.html

Sources:

The arrest of 11 Demonstrators at Outfest 2004, www.phillypride.org/news.
html

Michael Marcavage: Bible tells us to execute homosexuals, www.exgaywatch.com, February 11, 2005

Charges Over Gay Festival Disruption Dismissed, 365Gay.com, February 17, 2005

Judge Dismisses Lawsuit over Protest at Gay Festival, Southern Voice, January 25, 2007

3rd Circuit Upholds Removal of Christian Protesters at Gay Pride Event, The Legal Intelligencer, July 17, 2008

Another heterosexual South Carolina public official . . . another sex scandal and other Thursday midday news briefs

Prosecutor found with stripper fired - In South Carolina where they ban gay marriage, heterosexual government officials can't keep their hands to themselves whether it be in Argentina or a graveyard.

Porno Pete LaBarbera Too Hateful Even For Maine's Anti-Gay Haters - Will wonders ever cease?

Three Degrees of Separation: LaBarbera, Gallagher, and Stand for Marriage Maine - But wait. If anti-gay marriage folks in Maine denounce Peter, then why won't one of their biggest donors do the same?

Judge Rules Against Anti-Gay Marriage Group - And it gets better!

School Board Objects to Pictures of Gay Americans - Goodbye Barbara Jordan, Bayard Rustin, Lorraine Hansberry, Alan Turling, Alexander the Great, etc., etc.

Mr. LaBarbera goes to Maine and no one gives a damn

As I mentioned yesterday, Peter LaBarbera traveled to Maine to butt into the fight against marriage equality.

He took with him such "experts" as Brian Camenker of the hate group Mass Resistance.

Apparently the press conference was very, very sparsely attended:

About eight people held signs at the news conference, which featured Peter LaBarbera of Americans for Truth About Homosexuality, which is based in Illinois; and Brian Camenker of Mass Resistance, a Massachusetts pro-family group.

"I'm here today to address the media in Maine, and to speak to the people of Maine, about the "yes" vote on Question 1, and what we know to be the intimidating influence that radical homosexual groups have had in influencing a 'no' vote on Q1," Madore said.

In response, Jesse Connolly of No on 1 said he's proud of the financial support the campaign has gotten from a variety of groups, including the Human Rights Campaign and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.

"Have we received money from HRC and the task force?" he said. "Absolutely. They are wonderful organizations that do a lot of good for a lot of good people."

If you ask me, the Fruedian slip of the millenium occured when LaBarbera made this statement:

Based upon LaBarbera's consistent years of anti-gay activity, one wonders if he is talking about the Maine vote or his personal life.

But since I am not a psychologist, I refuse to speculate on such matters.

The following links give a much better story than I about the entire situation:

The day the hate groups took over the anti-gay campaign in Maine

Audio and video: Peter LaBarbera's anti-gay 'rally' at Maine statehouse draws feeble numbers

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

President Obama signs hate crimes legislation and the clock begins

As far as I am concerned, let's not be so quick to let this story regarding hate crimes legislation die just yet.

Religious right groups have claimed that adding sexual orientation and gender identity to existing hate crimes legislation would lead to pastors being arrested in the pulpit for simply preaching that homosexuality is a sin.

Let's test that theory. To the right of this page is a countdown clock.

Are religious right claims true? How long will it take before pastors are led away in handcuffs, like so:

Make no mistake about it, this claim about pastors being arrested is a lie - an blatant lie that has been refuted continously.

And now that they have lost this round, will the religious right try to put this lie on a shelf, close the door, and never bring it up again?

I think they will try. And I also think we must never let them get away with it.

Religious right group's entire campaign against lgbt equality have been built on junk science, anecdotes taken out of context, distortion of legitimate research . . .

and fear stories having no basis in reality.

I say we remind the nation about how wrong their fear stories are.

Anti-gay marriage side in Maine getting desperate, more on the FRC/Paul Cameron connection, and other Wednesday midday news briefs

MassResistance's Brian Camenker Joining PornoPete At Augusta Statehouse! - Anti-gay marriage side in Maine getting desperate. Good. When you get desperate, you get careless.

Peter, Paul, and anti-marry: 'No on 1' to challenge 'Yes on 1's' liability-in-waiting - And when those who call themselves your enemies get desperate, you take advantage.

Family Research Council: Obama program to help gay elderly is wasted since gays die young anyway. Is FRC again using "science" of known hate group? - I made a huge post out of this but failed to illustrate the Paul Cameron connection like it needed to be illustrated. Luckily Americablog Gay has my back.

Scholastic Reverses Decision: Will Include LGBT-Inclusive Book in Book Fairs - They had better have put it back in the book fair!

The Big Con: How Matt Barber Swindled Me Out of $30 - This just in: Matt Barber's book is a big fat fraud!

Endorsing hateful anti-gay comic books is a Christian virtue to Beverly LaHaye

When we talk about religious right groups , it's important that we don't allow that we don't allow them to whitewash their beliefs or activities.

A perfect example of someone trying to do this is Concerned Women for America founder Beverly LaHaye speaking at a recent event in Texas about the history of her group:

Beverly LaHaye remembers standing in her kitchen about 30 years ago when she heard a secular feminist declare on national television that they spoke for America's women.

The California preacher's wife shared virtually none of National Organization for Women founder Betty Friedan's beliefs, LaHaye told a crowd of at least 100 people Monday during a dinner at the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center.

She realized Christian women were "in the majority, but we had no voice," LaHaye said. "We were silenced."

Three decades later, her nonprofit activist group, Concerned Women for America, included 500,000 members fighting for the return of conservative Christian values to American life, she said.

. . . LaHaye, the wife of the accomplished Christian leader the Rev. Tim LaHaye and the author of nine books about the importance of being an effective Christian wife and mother, urged the crowd attending the Southern Baptists of Texas annual convention to become more active in politics to defend those values.

She called for the reintroduction of God into the day-to-day functions of American politics, where she said the framers originally intended him to be as they created the country more than 200 years ago.

. . . She repeatedly encouraged the audience to "stand up against the wiles of the devil" and join their Christian faith and with activism.

"It's time for Christian men and women to stand up for righteousness," LaHaye said.

Now I could go on a tear about how her group, Concerned Women for America, is no different from all of the other religious right groups with its eagerness to demonize the lgbt community via Paul Cameron studies, junk science, and distorted science. I have in the past and most likely will do so in the future.

However, in this case, I think I will let the following comic do the talking.

This 1986 comic was created by a man named Dick Hafer and it is a vile representation of some of the most evil anti-gay lies out there.

This was the time when the AIDS crisis was in full bloom, ignorance was all around and Paul Cameron was a credible name.

If these images get you angry, then good.

They are supposed to:

You can click on the pictures to see them larger. If you want to see the entire comic (God help you) go here.

But what does Beverly LaHaye have to do with this vile comic book that stigmatizes the lgbt community? Why she endorses it (again click on the image to get a larger view of it):

Her endorsement is the second one and reads as follows:

America needs to wake up to the facts regarding the Homosexual movement. Dick Hafer exposes the depravity of their lives iin his book, Deathstyle. This is a book which needs to be read by all of those concerned about our society and our nation.

The comic was was printed over 20 years ago, but far as I know, LaHaye has never rescinded her or Concerned Women for America's endorsement of it.

And that's just one of the reasons why this comic must not be forgotten, particularly when one takes into account that Concerned Women for America continues to use some of the bad statistics housed in it (i.e. Paul Cameron's work).

Also, never mind what you may see on shows like Hannity and the O'Reilly Factor when CWA and other religious right spokespeople come aboard with their carefully versed, clipped speech about the so-called persecution of Christians.

This comic book is their true face. And we should bring it out for public viewing with as much vigor as LaHaye and company try to hide it.

Editor's note - The webpage featuring this comic is not anti-gay. It's a site that looks at "problem-based comics" from the past.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Maine's governor shows guts, endorses marriage equality

This is awesome:

Maine governor joins families in fight for marriage equality

Governor John E. Baldacci met with Bangor families at the home of Sally Dobres to discuss marriage equality for the state of Maine.

"In the past, I opposed gay marriage while supporting the idea of civil unions," the governor said before the small crowd. "I came to believe that this is a question of fairness and of equal protection under the law, and that a civil union is not equal to civil marriage."

More here

With a little over a week left to go, the folks in Maine still need your help and prayers.

The following commercial says it all:

Anti-gay hot mess in Washington, D.C. and other Tuesday midday news briefs

Hot mess in Washington, D.C. - This is the testimony of one of those speaking against marriage equality in Washington, D.C.:

Speechless, I tell you. I'm just speechless

And in other Tuesday midday news briefs:

Seven Days, Folks- Seven Days. Lemme Ask: Do We Want A Win In Maine? - An excellent question with the vote seven days away. Keep working and keep praying.

Army Secretary: Repealling DADT Would Not Cause Major Turmoil - Shhhh! Don' tell Elaine Donnelly just yet. LOL

Video: Joe's hostility laid Behar - Uh Mr. Joe the Plumber, yes you have a right to your opinion. But no you don't have the right to voice that opinion and expect others who disagree with you to shut up.

Family Research Council's coldhearted attack on lgbt senior citizens

Religious right groups often place themselves on the pedestal of virtue and respectability. However if one assesses how they conduct business, one would wonder if they actually deserve to be knocked off that pedestal.

Last weekend, it was Matt Barber of the Liberty Counsel actually defending countries who torture and execute lgbts

Yesterday, the Family Research Council spoke out against Obama Administration plans to create a national resource center for lgbt seniors:

HHS has no idea how many LGBT seniors exist. No one does! The movement is only a few decades old, and people who are 80- or 90-years-old didn't grow up in a culture where it was acceptable to identify with this lifestyle.

Of course, the real tragedy here--apart from the unnecessary spending--is that, given the risks of homosexual conduct, few of these people are likely to live long enough to become senior citizens! Yet once again, the Obama administration is rushing to reward a lifestyle that poses one of the greatest public health risks in America.

Only a few decades old? Who knew 20 or 30 years was such a short time?

What a crude and totally insensitive remark.

And totally untrue. Via that ugly statement, FRC tried to refute information supplied by the Obama Adminstration as to the number of lgbt seniors:

Experts estimate that as many as 1.5 to 4 million LGBT individuals are age 60 and older. Agencies that provide services to older individuals may be unfamiliar or uncomfortable with the needs of this group of individuals. The new Resource Center for LGBT Elders will provide information, assistance and resources for both LGBT organizations and mainstream aging services providers at the state and community level to assist them in the development and provision of culturally sensitive supports and services. The LGBT Center will also be available to educate the LGBT community about the importance of planning ahead for futurelong term care needs.

Also, according to a September 18, 2008 issue of Newsweek:

Over the next 25 years, persons in America who are 65 and older are expected to grow from about 12 to 20 percent of the total population, and various estimates indicate that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered individuals will comprise 7 to 10 percent of that senior population. Meanwhile, like the Baby Boomers of all stripes, aging gays and lesbians are radically redefining what it means to be a senior—and how they fit into the larger community. They're coming out of the closet, vocalizing their experiences and needs, and, most importantly, demanding public recognition. "If you go back 40 years, there were virtually no openly gay seniors," says Gary Gates, a senior research fellow and demographer at the Williams Institute. "But now you have a large enough group that people are paying attention."

It doesn't matter whether or not the specific number of elderly lgbts are known.

The point is finding out who they are and taking care of their needs, i.e. a perfect reason for the creation of this national resource center.

But we shouldn't be surprised that FRC feels the need to attack the idea.

Just noting the existence of lgbt seniors refutes the "gays have a short life span" and the "homosexuality poses a great health risk" lies that FRC and other so-called pro-values groups push.

In fact, it is their continued citings of discredited Paul Cameron data, reliance on outdated studies, and constant distortion of legtimate studies that have led these lies to take root in the minds of many people.

But the meanspirited way FRC went about attacking the idea of an lgbt senior resource center belies its claim to be a Christian organization.

Expressing a belief that homosexuality is a sin is one thing. Actively trying to throwing a monkey wrench into plans to help senior citizens simply because you do not agree with their sexual orientation is entirely something else.

And part of FRC's reasoning for its opposition actually goes against the nature of Christianity.

In the Bible (Matthew 25:45), Jesus said " . . .whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me."

So now FRC, which claims to espouse the values that Jesus taught, is implying that since the number of lgbt senior citizens are allegedly small, they shouldn't warrant any help from the government.
The organization must be reading that new Conservapedia version of the Bible everyone is talking about.

In its eagerness to espouse its version of "values," FRC seems to have abandoned basic Christian decency, as well as common human decency.

The organization forgets that some of these lgbt seniors could be someone's mother, someone's father, or a veteran.

And isn't it moral to take care of our elderly citizens, period?

In the real world, the answer to this question would be yes. But in the bizarro world of pseudo Christian values that FRC populates, we know the answer is "only if they are not homosexuals."

Hat tip to www.Goodasyou.org

Related articles and posts:

Gay couples enter golden years with more risk

‘Invisible And Overlooked’

The Family Research Council continues to use 'outdated' work

How religious right groups distort legitimate research to demonize the gay community

Why we should care about Paul Cameron

U.N. official defends murder of lgbts and the religious right defends HIM

Monday, October 26, 2009

Obama to sign hate crimes bill Wednesday afternoon, my clock to go up Wednesday night

Finally on Wednesday afternoon at 4:45 p.m., a bit of justice will prevail:

President Obama will sign lgbt inclusive hate crimes legislation into law

President Obama intends to sign into law Wednesday a long-sought hate crimes protection measure as part of a major defense bill, according to an administration source.

The president plans to pen his name to the fiscal year 2010 defense authorization bill, which includes a provision known as the Matthew Shepard & James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. The measure would make illegal hate crimes based on actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity, among other categories, and would allow the Justice Department to assist in the prosecution of such crimes.

And in related news, my online countdown clock will go up Wednesday night.

For those not in the know, allow me to explain.

Religious right groups and their cohorts have been spreading the lie that this new law attacks free speech. Despite all evidence to the contrary, they say it will lead to such things as pastors not being able to say that homosexuality is a sin for fear of being arrested for hate crimes violation.

My clock will serve as a reminder of just how inaccurate this claim is.

It will show how long it takes from Obama signing the legislation to a pastor getting arrested for merely preaching that homosexuality is a sin.

Of course no pastor will ever be arrested for simply preaching that homosexuality is a sin and that's the point of my clock - to show the inaccuracy of this claim.

And on a larger scale, I want to demonstrate just how ugly and empty the tactics religious right groups use to scare people of faith.

Lastly, I hope to challenge the lgbt community to be more assertive in refuting religious right lies.

Just think - if they are wrong about this claim (and they are), just what else are they wrong about? What lies are they getting away with because we haven't been aggressive enough in challenging them?

The only problem I've run into is trying to find an html program of an online clock. I used to have the sites saved but can't seem to find them now.

Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.

Lgbt rights makes James Dobson's hands all sweaty and other Monday midday news briefs

Dobson: 'It's Coming Apart' - The advancement of lgbt rights makes Dobson's hands all sweaty (that's a direct quote)

It's just good for FRC that crimes against truth aren't tracked - Family Research Council mantra - "if at first you don't succeed, lie, lie again.

Judge denies Prop. 8 backers delay on memos - Give it up, turn it loose boys and girls.

The rise of the gay dad - A story that needs to be told often

Maine’s “Yes” Side Claims LGBT Groups Contributed $5 Million to Defeat Question 1 - More lies from the anti-gay marriage folks in Maine.

The increasingly rude attacks on Kevin Jennings' character and James Dobson gets involved

If you think that yesterday's post on just how twisted and determined people are to demonize Kevin Jennings was bad, check out the following video. It defies all description:

UPDATE - As you may have noticed, the video has been pulled. For those who did not see it, the video featured a picture of Kevin Jennings with someone else's mouth superimposed on his saying all sorts of rude things such as "indoctrinating children into homosexuality" and comparing it to a drug dealer gtting people hooked on his supply.

UPDATE 2 - The video has returned but with some changes. The author claims that it's a parody and repeats lies about the incident with Brewster:

Meanwhile, this is what James Dobson had to say about Jennings on his radio show:

Beyond the criticism of Jennings's past and fears of his future work, Jennings symbolizes Dobson's "greatest nightmare."

"I have been fighting for family values, and marriage, and family, and for schools that honor the values and principles that parents believe in for 25 years. And it's coming apart," Dobson said. "It's unbelievable what's taking place. And Kevin Jennings is the quintessential expression of that far left agenda."

So now I guess it's safe to say that Dobson has gotten officially involved in this issue.

This is not just an attack on Jennings, but the entire lgbt community.

It represents the fact that some people out there simply will not let go of their beliefs that lgbts are the "other."

Dobson says that he has been fighting for families for over 25 years. Do you think he means our families too?

Hell no.

Dobson and those like him don't see us as having families, raising children, or conducting ourselves in a decent ordinary fashion.

They don't see us as having rights and privileges like every other American.

They see us as eternal outsiders. They see us as threats to their ignorant idea of family. No matter how many lgbt families exist, no matter how many children we raise to be responsible adults, no matter how much love and support we give, it will never matter to Dobson and company.

They see us a diseased, mentally ill people trying to recruit children and silence so-called Christians.

Well it's perfectly alright for them to have those beliefs. And it's just as acceptable for us to challenge them every chance we get.

The last time I checked, this is our country too, the defintion of family belongs to us too, and no matter how many times he tries to imply it, Dobson does not sit on the right hand of God.

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Attacks on Kevin Jennings get uglier

Don't let this picture get you too angry.

It's indicative of the desperation of an ugly smear campaign.

One could say that for the majority of folks, the Kevin Jennings story is dying down (unfortunately, that doesn't include Fox News - pan down for more details).

But don't tell that to the assorted crazies on the far right who are determined to keep pushing the "Kevin Jennings is the boogeyman" line.

The picture on the left merely indicates the depths that some people, who claim to be concerned for the welfare of America's children, are stooping to.

No doubt it's probably something you are aware of already regarding the mindsets of a lot of the anti-Kevin Jennings crowd, but there is nothing wrong with repeating the point so as to keep those folks from putting on their phony cloaks of respectability.

The picture is only one of the few things I found on various right-wing sites taking the guise of "sarcasm."
Other things I found include:

In honor of Safe Schools Czar Kevin Jennings: HANSEN!!! - An ugly way to connect Jennings to NAMBLA yet again.

Top 10 Kevin Jennings Pick Up Lines - Trust me when I say you don't want to read this list. The inane mindset of this site is best demonstrated by another graphic on it comparing Obama to the Holocaust by evoking images of health care reform being the "Final Solution" (for those of you who aren't up on history, The Final Solution was the name given to the Nazi plan of extermination of Jewish people).

Take it from me - it won't do any good arguing points with some of these people. But there is nothing wrong with keep their ugliness in mind.

They are good reasons why Jennings must stay where he is in the Obama Administration and why we must continue to support him.

UPDATE - Apparently Sean Hannity has no problem with using the research of a hate group in his latest anti-Kevin Jennings smear.

It's simply par for the course for him.

Related posts:

Massachusetts hate group behind attack on Kevin Jennings' character

Sean Hannity smears Kevin Jennings, but suddenly HE is the victim?

Saturday, October 24, 2009

U.N. official defends murder of lgbts and the religious right defends HIM

Religious right groups would like to have you to believe that lgbts despise them because we have a nefarious agenda for America and that they are the last line of defense against it.

Religious right groups will like to have you to believe that lgbts despise them because we want to silence Christianity.

Neither assumption is true.

Lgbts despise religious right groups because they exploit the fears and egos of people of faith while instigating negative action against the lgbt community.

I personally despise them for that and for the reason that they are totally duplicitous.

For proof of this, look no further than the Liberty Counsel's Matt Barber and One News Now:

Homosexual activists who have been trying to gain recognition from the United Nations are still upset over comments by General Assembly President Ali Abdussalam Treki.

When asked by a journalist for his position on a U.N. declaration about homosexuality, the Libyan diplomat stated: "As a Muslim, I do not agree with it. My opinion is not in favor of this matter at all. I believe it is not acceptable for most of the world, and it is totally unacceptable for our tradition and religion." His comments brought swift response from the international homosexual movement.

But Matt Barber of Liberty Counsel says Treki's statement is in tune with the majority of countries and religions that believe homosexuality is aberrant behavior. And Treki, he adds, is not attacking homosexuals.

"All I hear [Treki] saying is that the rest of the world cannot be forced to accept behaviors that are demonstrably destructive to both individuals who engage in those behaviors and to the society around them," states Barber.

Treki has been harshly criticized by activist groups around the world. Barber believes that illustrates that those groups demand tolerance, but are the least tolerant themselves.

"They are completely intolerant of other people's belief systems [and] of other cultures," says the Christian attorney. "We hear talk of cultural diversity -- [but] there is no cultural diversity as far as the left is concerned and as far as homosexual activists are concerned. It's either their way or the highway."

I noticed how One News Now didnt clarify about the U.N. declaration Treki was against.

The declaration was a statement calling for the universal descriminalization of homosexuality.

And while the phony news service makes it seem that Treki is under attack by the so-called dreaded homosexual activists, it omits comments by U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the ranking Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

"The anti-gay bigotry spewed by this Qaddafi shill demonstrates once again that the UN has been hijacked by advocates of hate and intolerance. Likewise, the leadership of the UN Development Program is held by the Iranian regime, which denies the presence of gays in Iran even as it murders them and other innocent citizens. We must ensure that billions annually in U.S. taxpayer dollars no longer foot the bill for the UN's anti-freedom agenda without significant reform."

Consider these facts:

30 Islamic countries having laws on the books that make homosexuality a criminal offense. In most cases punishment ranges from floggings to life imprisonment. In Mauritania, Bangladesh, Yemen, parts of Nigeria and Sudan, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Iran, convicted homosexuals can also be sentenced to death. - Homophobia on the rise in the Muslim world

In Jamaica, gay leaders are not just killed, but murdered in ugly fashion. - Leading Gay Activist Found Murdered in Jamaica

In Uganda the government is actually trying to pass a bill making being gay a crime worthy of the death penalty. - Uganda Parliament Takes Up Anti-Gay Bill Adding Death Sentence and Bans on Free Speech

Barber contends that Treki isn't gaybashing, but I say his condoning the wholesale torture and murders of lgbts is much worse.

Furthermore, it is sad that Treki uses his Muslim identity as reason to oppose the decriminalization declaration.

Is he saying that as a Muslim," he agrees with the wholesale butchering of lgbt men, women, and children (such as those two gay teenaged boys hung in Iran in 2005)?

One needs to ask the same question of Barber and One News Now. Both Barber and the phony news service are trying to frame this issue as that of intolerant lgbts verbally attacking a man, and by extension, countries for simply expressing their religious disagreement with homosexuality.

Well when that religious disagreement includes murder, torture, or imprisonment and the defense of those acts, you had better believe there needs some verbal attacks.

And if Barber and One News Now were true Christians (and if Barber was any type of true man), they would be in our corner and not in the corner of the oppressors helping to hide their bloody hands.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Know Your LGBT History - New York Undercover

The weekend is here and I will be taking a break from my Kevin Jennings coverage (albeit a brief one because I'm working on a post that will hopefully tee you off) to focus on another segment of Know Your LGBT History; a look at positive and negative portrayals of our community in television and movie history.

The following clip is an episode of the 90s urban drama, New York Undercover, that ran on the Fox Network.

The episode, Blondes Have More Fun, features the two main stars of the show going undercover in the lgbt community to find a murderer of drag queens.

This episode excellent performances from Joe Morton and the legendary Miss Coco Peru:

Anti-marriage equality forces in Maine tell ANOTHER lie and other Friday midday news briefs

Obama didn't start this war with Fox News. They started it with him:

And in other news briefs:

New SFMM Ad, Featuring... Task Force's Monique Hoeflinger??? - Anti-marriage equality forces in Maine have stepped into it this time. You can smell the desperation when they resort to tactics like this.

Goodasyou.org breaks down the ad's deception here.

Anti-gay marriage group challenges reporting requirements - What do they have to hide in Maine?

Isn't This Special? Gainesville, FL Anti-Trans Amendment Supporter Arrested For Bathroom Voyeurism - What happens when those pushing against lgbt equality are guilty of the crime they say lgbt equality will cause?

Peter LaBarbera tries to hide his true face and reveals the duplicity of the religious right

Apparently Peter LaBarbera is feeling left out of the attacks on Kevin Jennings because he tried to start his own phony controversy.

A few days ago, LaBarbera posted a piece which claimed that the book company which published Jennings' book is "pro-pedophile" because of several other books which it published.

And in other news, the police are coming to arrest me since my cousin whom I hugged at the family reunion (which I didn't have to attend but decided to) robbed that bank.

I should get 10 years.

The real issue here is a response which LaBarbera received because of his smear and his answer to the response; both of which he published:

The email:

Gee, that’s huge! Does he also drive the same make car as Ted Bundy? And why are you still pushing that lie about an “underage” boy, when we now know [Brewster — a sophomore student counseled by Jennings after the boy had a sexual encounter with an older man] he was not underage? [The Age of Consent in Massachusetts is 16.] Have you no shame at all?

LaBarbera's response:

Dear Sir, it appears that it is you who has no shame. Yes, we think it’s scandalous to be linked in any way to an organization that encourages predatory, exploitative man-boy sex. It would be like signing up with a pro-Nazi publishing house. And in my mind, under 18 is “under age.” How sad and pathetic that your “gay” movement is resting on the technicality that Brewster was (allegedly) 16 and not 15 (as his teacher Jennings recollected) — to absolve Jennings of his reckless counsel to the boy.

In LaBarbera's response, we see the mindset of all religious right groups -when the truth is not to your liking, create a new truth. Make inaccurate judgements and accusations but never admit you are wrong even when you have been proven wrong.

And above all, put up a front. LaBarbera sounds so proper in responding to that email, it's almost as if he wore white gloves when typing it.

I laughed loudly when reading it because that's not the response he gave me when I also emailed him about the situation with Brewster a few weeks ago. This was his response:

you are a fool, Alvin . . . Kevin Jennings is a lying, reckless, anti-Christian bigot. It's no wonder you are defending him.

That is LaBarbera's true face and that of the religious right. Some people will allow themselves to be fooled (i.e. some vestiges of the news media), but we who have been the victims of their invectives should never be fooled.