In a recent entry on its blog, the National Organization for Marriage posted an
item about Bronx Assemblyman Michael Benedetto calling for both sides of the argument over marriage equality to tone down the rhetoric:
According to the NY Daily News:
Bronx Assemblyman Michael Benedetto, who supports legal gay marriage, sort of inserted himself as a referee, issuing a statement about the tone of the argument between Diaz and advocates:
"The state legislature has been presented with an important and historic issue and whenever topics of such import fall before the house a civil and rational dialogue is required. Unfortunately, in the discourse between the Senator and bill proponents things are getting out of hand. The Senator is entitled to his views and to vocalize his support of those views. His critics are entitled to challenge them and respond to them. However, there is a responsibility that both sides must adhere to: to carry on their discussions in a manner that is respectful to both sides of the debate. Threats of bodily harm, profanity and overly harsh statements do not contribute to the debate and only serve to cheapen the importance of the issue."
That's all well and good but the headline of the item reads -
Another Defender of Sen. Rev. Diaz Steps Forward
And of course that headline is misleading. Benedetto is not defending Diaz. He is merely telling both sides of the argument to act in a more mature fashion.
NOM's misleading headline seems to be a part of a plan to canonize Diaz as an "innocent defender of marriage who is being viciously attacked." Of course that's a big lie. Diaz is giving as good as he is getting.
Diaz, probably the most visual and vocal legislator against marriage equality in New York (not for the power he holds, but for the color of his skin, no doubt, i.e. yet another way NOM
plays communities against one another) has been allegedly receiving death threats.
While this is not a good thing, Diaz himself is hardly an an innocent.
A recent march against marriage equality - which Diaz led - featured many anti-gay statements including one pastor
saying that gays are worth of death and Diaz's wife
calling gays an abomination during her speech.
Diaz himself
compared homosexuality to being a drug addict in a recent interview on NY1 Spanish-Language Public Affairs Program.
So to make Diaz out to be an innocent is a colossal lie. And to make it seem that a marriage equality supporter is also supporting Diaz, when he is actually telling everyone - Diaz included - to cool it with the hot rhetoric is yet another lie.
But we know how NOM hates to be called liars even when caught in the act.
Related post:
NOM's attempt to exploit 'gay indoctrination' lie backfires
NOM is running a sugary con game on America
NOM showing large scale hypocrisy in Minnesota
Marriage Equality - Simple answers to NOM's complicated lies
