Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters: Jun 4, 2010

Friday, June 04, 2010

Know Your LGBT History - The Night Strangler

Kolchak, the Night Stalker was a one-season 1970s cult favorite about a Seattle reporter who finds himself fighting supernatural creatures such as vampires, witches, and werewolves.

Though it only aired a short time, it was a very influential series amongst many horror fans, including the creators of the X-Files.

Kolchak, the Night Stalker stemmed from two television movies - The Night Stalker, about a vampire in Las Vegas, and The Night Strangler.

For the purpose of this site, let's talk about The Night Strangler (1973). In it, Kolchak is trying to solve the mystery of a 100-year-old alchemist who is killing women for their blood. The blood, taken at a certain time, is key to his potion which gives him immortality.

In movies like this where women are being murdered, it's usually a focus on young women at the prime of their life, such as stripper Charisma Beauty (played by Nina Wayne.)

What makes Charisma apropo to this site is the fact she is in a relationship with a woman named Wilma Krankheimer (portrayed by Virginia Peters).

Charisma and Wilma seem to have a stereotypical butch/femme relationship going. A good look at their relationship is seen here from 3:00 - 5:00:

McCollum overruled staff concerns in hiring disgraced Rekers and other Friday midday news briefs

McCollum's staff had questions about selection of expert - When you have staff, maybe you should listen to them. Turns out, McCollum's staff tried to make him aware of the problems with Rekers.

Has Lisa Miller Fled The Country? - Don't give up faith, Janet Jenkins. You have an entire community of folks in your corner praying for the safe return of your daughter ;p. Remember that God don't like ugly, even if it's done supposedly in His name.

June bugged: Laurie Higgins vs. 30 gay days - Porno Pete's replacement in the Illinois Family Institute tries to earn her bones attacking lgbts AND President Obama. Did you leave anyone out, Laurie?

Exodus HQ Flees Responsibility for ‘Biblical’ Kill-the-Gays Music Group - Gays and lesbians? A big no-no. Speaking out against a music group who agrees with harming gays and lesbians? A bigger no-no.

West Valley City passes anti-discrimination ordinance - A Utah town? I must in the Twilight Zone. I'm just kidding. This is excellent news.

Religious right manipulating bus incident to attack lgbt community

As we all know, religious right groups are quick to manipulate public events to cast the lgbt community as an invading horde out to attack Christians and deny them their rights..

And a 2008 incident on a school seems be right up their alley.

This is from One News Now:

An Indiana school bus driver and her school district are targeted by a lawsuit alleging harassment directed at a Christian student.

In November 2008, a Christian at Carmel High School was engaged in a conversation with school bus driver Betty Campbell on homosexuality and homosexual marriage when the driver berated the girl, Rachael Zimmer, for her Christian-based stance. When the girl's father complained, he was told that the driver's behavior fell within the scope of her employment. The Zimmer family has now sued Carmel Clay Schools.

A more objective news source says this:

. . . the parents of a young Carmel Clay student say that Campbell took the message too far when she berated their daughter for her anti-abortion beliefs and opposition to gay marriage. They allege that harassment of their daughter began long before an incident recorded by a bus camera in November 2008.

"I don't want to hear one more word about anyone going to hell if they are gay or if they're Buddhist or whatever, 'cause it's none of your damn business," Campbell is heard saying on the tape.

Dr. Ed Zimmer, the girl's father, says that exchange never took place. The driver accused Zimmer's daughter Rachel of telling a fellow student that his brother would go to hell because he's gay.

Another news source says this:

According to the surveillance video, the bus driver told the girl: "I don't want to hear one more word about anyone going to hell if they're gay or if they're Buddhist or whatever cause it's none of your damn business."

"I'm not trying to be mean but you can't talk like that to people. I have heard you darling. It's not like I have never heard you," Campbell said in the video.

However, Zimmer said during a deposition, and while she was under oath, Campbell admitted she had never heard the girl talk about gays going to hell.

Naturally since the school isn't at liberty to talk about the lawsuit and the family of the young girl isn't bound by the same rules, expect them go on talk shows repeating that the One News Now version of the story while wringing their hands in abject phony misery.

How long will it be before the Family Research Council distorts the incident for another attack against ENDA?

I have a few questions and thoughts:

1. If this happened two years ago, then why is a lawsuit being filed now.

2. I don't think anyone should excuse the bus driver's comments and certainly she should be reprimanded if she said something nasty to the child. But at the same time, I have a serious problem with how people are whitewashing or being silent about this child's alleged comment. Something happened on that bus and - I'm saying this as politely as I can - I don't believe the child is an innocent party to it.

What did she say exactly? The vague way she has been described by supporters as merely having a Christian stance is always a warning flag to me. Usually when any form of this phrase is used, it means folks are trying to hide something. While free speech is important, I have a problem with condoning any form of ugly language as a mere expression of "Christian beliefs."

3. Lastly, the naked exploitation of this incident to attack the lgbt community as a whole shouldn't be ignored.

The One News Now article also contains this comment from a member of the American Family Association:

Micah Clark of the American Family Association of Indiana tells One News Now that the driver is known to be a lesbian.

Why is that important to the story except to semantically implicate the entire lgbt community for this driver's actions and to somehow imply that children are in danger if gays and lesbians are allowed to be near them.

This story is far from over but it's unfortunate that some people already have their knives out and their palms open.