NOM's Brian Brown vs. Rev. Al Sharpton - it's not even a contest

The National Organization for Marriage's loss in New York is making the organization look for new avenues to spin its talking points.

A few months ago, when NOM was riding high with "victories" in Maryland and Rhode Island, I doubt the group would have agreed to appear on MSNBC news.

But after New York, NOM president Brian Brown appeared on the news channel in a debate with the Rev. Al Sharpton while anchor Thomas Roberts directed traffic.

Maybe the word "massacre" is too extreme a word to use, but it's safe to say that Sharpton took Brown's antiquated talking points and played him like a yo-yo. Brown seemed edgy and uncomfortable throughout the entire segment, as if he didn't want to be there. In other words, I highly enjoyed it.

NOM astroturfed 'legal scholars' in New York

In a press conference held by the National Organization for Marriage and its allies days before the NY Senate voted for marriage equality, NOM head Maggie Gallagher brought up the so-called negative religious impacts of marriage equality by citing the work of "leading legal scholars."

Skip to 16:29 of the video where Gallagher makes these comments

Gallagher: It's not just pastors who are talking about it. My understanding is that there was a letter from a Stanford law professor who is an expert on religious liberty, a Harvard law school professor; Mary Ann Glendon, and one of the editors of a book called Same-Sex Marriage and Religious Liberties. The leading legal scholars are acknowledging . . . that the foundational idea that equality requires gay marriage . . . is going to impact people who disagree . . . "

According to Equality Matters, these scholars Gallagher spoke of are not objective, but have a very strong personal disregard to not only marriage equality but to the gay community in general. For example, take Mary Ann Glendon:

She has called marriage equality a "radical social experiment," warning that "children will have to be taught about homosexual sex" and fear mongering about the threat posed by "alternative family forms":

But, believe it or not, Gallagher's biggest deception at the press conference is a name she chose omit.

A man by the name of Robert George  was one of the so-called legal scholars who signed the letter and my guess is that Gallagher chose to omit his name for following reason (brought to you by Equality Matters):

George is the Chairman Emeritus of the board for the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) and has a long history of anti-gay activism. George has argued that marriage equality will pave the way for polygamy and claims same-sex marriage will lead to "disastrous effects" on children.

Allow me to break it down: in a high intense press conference, Gallagher nonchalantly snuck in a notion that "leading legal scholars" have an objective concern over the plight of religious liberties should marriage equality be passed in New York.

However, she omitted - and probably not by accident - the simple fact that these so-called "leading legal scholars" have negative views on marriage equality in general.

Also, Gallagher omitted - and again probably not by accident - that one of these  so-called "leading legal scholars" (Robert George) is on NOM's Board of Directors - the very same board on which she also serves.

Of course Gallagher pulled a big deception and as sure I am sitting here, count on her doing it again and again.

And frankly, neither Gallagher nor NOM really care about getting caught because very few have made an effort in calling them out on their questionable tactics.

THE GAYS ARE COMING - a short history of homophobic documentaries

Batten down the hatches (and keep down your breakfast) because the anti-gay hate group Family Research Council is coming out with a documentary about the so-called dangers of marriage equality:



FRC's documentary is, in reality, one-sided trash will feature such phony horror stories as:

• The British couple whose Christianity supposedly barred them from becoming foster parents - omitting the fact of course that it wasn't their religious beliefs which caused problems, but their ineffective answers as to how they would treat the bullying of lgbtq foster children who may be placed in their care,

• Julea Ward, who not only felt that her personal beliefs that homosexuality is a sin should take precedent over the needs of the patients she will be paid to counsel, but also that Eastern Michigan University should accommodate this madness,

• and other various lies about children being "recruited,"  HIV/AIDS,  interviews with those who want to deport gays or put them jail for sexual behavior (that's you, Peter Sprigg), and junk science from the discredited National Association for Research & Therapy of Homosexuality (betcha they won't mention former NARTH associate George Rekers).

I should be upset but instead, I am exasperated. Is this the thousandth "homosexuals are evil space aliens who are plotting to take over the world if we don't stop them" documentary coming from the religious right?

I'm exaggerating but religious right groups do have a history of anti-gay "documentaries."

Let's look at some of the past junk: