Exodus International, butts, and gays 'ramming their agenda down the throats of Americans'

A quote today from Alan Chambers, the president of the "ex-gay" group Exodus International, caught my attention:

“Criticism is easy to come by at Exodus,” said Chambers. “We are a large and diverse organization made up of many members. Our growth over the years has caused us to not always know what the hand or foot are doing, which sometimes causes us to look like we are ‘all butt’.

Granted, Chambers's admission comes as no surprise to anyone who follows the madness of anti-gay groups, but his verbiage stands up because it brings to mind something that needs to be addressed.

Why do so many homophobic people constantly complain about the so-called "homosexual agenda" being "rammed down their throats?

I kid you not. It's like that adage that every black person knows at least one person who goes by the nickname of "Peaches." I don't remember a week going in a long time by without reading something by someone homophobic claiming that gays and lesbians want to "ram" something "down their throats."

And why is that? Is it a skillful use of semantics? Semantics is a very important part of the religious right's propaganda campaign against the lgbt community. Through skillful phrasing, religious right spokespeople can semantically describe the lgbt community as invaders seeking to rape, pillage, and cause basic havoc, like so:

“But unfortunately, the evangelist observes, many Christians have been bullied into submission on the aggressive homosexual agenda in public schools.” - Evangelist Proposes to Combat Homosexual Agenda in Public Education, Agape Press, May 11, 2005

“Elsewhere in the battle against the homosexual agenda, the Broward County School Board in Florida has voted to allow a pro-homosexual group to indoctrinate its teachers on tolerance.” - Children Adopted by Homosexuals Suffer, Family Advocate Says, Agape Press, April 25, 2002

“The ACLU continues to use a law license to bully school districts and harass parents in order to brainwash their kids abut the ‘normalcy’ of homosexuality.” - Jan LaRue, ACLU Seeks Mandatory Homosexual Sensitivity Training, Concerned Women for America press release, July 14, 2005

.“For the third time in recent years, voters in Maine will go to the voting booth to stop the homosexual agenda being (from) being forced on them by activists and their own legislature” - Maine Activist Condemns Elitist Lawmakers Pushing Homosexual Agenda, the American Family Association, July 15, 2005

“One pro-family advocate feels the ACLU, in its efforts to force the homosexual agenda in American schools, is using the bullying tactics of Chairman Mao to ‘reprogram’ staff and students on the issue of homosexuality.” - Knight: ACLU’s Pro-Homosexual ‘Bullying’ Tactics Reminiscent of Chairman Mao, Agape Press, July 21, 2005

Of course maybe I could be acting needlessly paranoid.

Maybe the Rekers rentboy scandal has me looking to see a secret scared gay or lesbian behind every anti-gay comment.

Maybe sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

See, now they got me talking about stuff to be placed in people's mouths.

Janet Porter: homosexuals and 'baby-killers' are on the same side as the 'enemies of God'

One would think that after her huge string of embarrassments, religious right denizen Janet Porter would learn the definition of either "discernment" or "regrouping."

No such luck.

Today, the lovely Ms. Porter raised "holy hell" in response to being dropped by VCY,  the Christian station which ran her radio program for her disturbing sojourn in the belief of Dominionism (or the belief that Christians are called by God take everything over) even though she was dismissed a few months ago.

And how could Porter be a "respectable" religious right figure if she didn't attack the lgbt community in her diatribe:

We now have two generations who are lost in the lies of humanism, evolution and homosexuality, facilitated into fornication and abortion, trapped in pornography and devastated by divorce. Congratulations.

If you're still having a hard time discerning what to do, here's a helpful hint: if you find yourself on the same side as the ACLU, homosexual activists, the baby killers and the enemies of God, chances are, you're on the wrong side.

Girlfriend, ANY side of any battle you are on is the wrong side.

And for the edification of everyone, the following is the infamous "Oh Lord I demand you take the power of the media from the 'unrighteous' and give it to the 'righteous'" prayer that will probably be seen by future generations as the moment Ms. Porter officially "jumped the shark" :



Actually I'm not angry with any of Porter's actions. She is a needed commodity in this so-called culture war - for the lgbt community that is.

No matter how slick religious right talking points are or how coached their spokespeople are, it's always good to have someone like Porter around to remind us where they really stand.

THIS is what a hate attack looks like!

While religious right groups are crying bloody murder over an alleged incident involving their newest "victim of the so-called homosexual agenda," real crimes being committed against our children, particularly at Mt Si High School in Seattle, WA:

. . . a brutal assault in the boys' locker room is raising questions about the climate for gay students at the school and whether administrators are doing enough to respond to bullying.

The November attack was the culmination of several weeks of taunts about the perceived sexual orientation of a freshman boy, his mother said. The assault victim was another 14-year-old boy who told Snoqualmie police that he was tired of his friend being picked on.

The assault broke his eye socket, two teeth and left him with a concussion. Medical assistance wasn't called for almost an hour, and the boy continues to have problems with dizziness and concentration, according to medical records.

A 16-year-old student, who knew neither of the boys, has been charged with second-degree assault in King County Superior Court and no longer attends the high school. His family declined comment. Another student, who allegedly led the taunts and was seen talking to the assailant immediately before the attack, told police that he didn't know the assailant and hadn't told him to assault the victim.

If that school sounds familiar, then it's nice to know that folks have good memories:

Some who've followed Mount Si's history believe that administrators have not taken a stronger stance in defense of gay students — or those perceived to be gay — out of fear of community backlash.

Outspoken anti-gay rights pastor Ken Hutcherson and a group of parents in 2008 called for cancellation of the Day of Silence. They told the school board that the event was an example of Mount Si teachers forcing their liberal political agenda on students. When the day wasn't canceled, they urged parents to keep their students home. More than 100 held a prayer vigil outside the school.

Box Turtle Bulletin has an excellent history of Hutcherson's anti-gay activities:

For years, Ken Hutcherson, pastor of Antioch Bible Church in Redmond, WA, has been fighting to make Mt. Si High School a miserable place for gay students. He’s tried to get teachers fired for challenging him on gay issues and threatened to put another on his list. He’s sent his daughter to monitor Gay-Straight-Alliance meetings. He’s preached that God hates effeminate men and “joked” about beating them. He’s spread the message that the Bible opposes tolerance.

Is Hutcherson directly responsible for what happened to the student at Mt. Si? I'm sure there will be good points made by folks on both side of the argument.

But one thing is clear. This is definitely a case of "chickens coming home to roost."