Howard University students want to boycott black gospel singer's concert

Here is something you probably won't hear too much about because - and while I hate to say it, it's true - lgbt news tends to be too Eurocentric:

Tonex has been no stranger to controversy in past years. From his flamboyant interviews with any television crew willing to interview him express his homosexual behaviors and how he claims he is “finally free,” to outrightly bashing many Christian artists who he claims are wolves in sheep’s clothing. His new concert, set for September 15 at The Howard Theatre, is causing many students at the school to become quite upset. With a Facebook page created entitled “Don’t support Tonex concert” and a Twitter handle, @BoycottTonex (which as of this morning has been removed), students at Howard believe the same negative words he spoke about many current Christian artists are his exact behaviors.

Angela Powell said, “He’s confused. One second he says he’s not gay then does a tour and says he is. He said he quit gospel but then comes out and says he’s not finished with Christian music yet. He needs to sit down somewhere.”

 . . . Students have posted signs throughout Howard University asking people not to support the concert and to return their tickets for a full refund.

On a personal level, I feel this way. If the students want to boycott, that's their right. However, none of them own the patent to Christianity. If this is how Tonex wants to express his faith, then more power to him. It's refreshing to see an openly gay black gospel singer, especially in light of the rumors that so many black male gospel singers are in the closet.

'Anti-gay propaganda book reaches 50,000 reads as author announces plan for biographical series of posts' and other Tuesday miday news briefs

Editor's note - This is not necessarily a news brief but an announcement. Last night, my booklet, How They See Us: Unmasking the Religious Right War on Gay America crossed the 50,000 reads threshold. Thank you everyone for your supporting, your criticism, and your reading and passing along this very important booklet, which as far as I am concerned, is a minor lgbt cult classic. If you hadn't read it yet, please do so and also RT it on twitter and pass it to your friends. If you desire a personal copy, email me at Charlekenghis@aol.com and write 'anti-gay propaganda book' in the subject line. It is crucial that the lgbt community and our allies receive this information so we can deconstruct religious right anti-gay propaganda.

I feel that because of your support and patience, I owe everyone something. Therefore, I am announcing that starting in late October, I will be publishing a series of biographical posts on Saturdays. These posts will explain how the idea for 'How They See Us'  formulated in my mind two decades ago while I was a student at Winthrop University. And I intend to be very candid, talking about how I dealt with being one of the few openly black gay men not only on campus, but also in a predominantly white fraternity. I will also talk about my first "love," my first boyfriend, and even my suicide attempt in my senior year.  Why am I doing this? Because I want you all to understand my urgent feelings about exposing anti-gay propaganda. It was this propaganda which served as an albatross around my neck during those years. Look for these posts under the title - "Ghouls, Vampires, and Gay Men."

In other news:

How Homophobic Do You Have To Be To Get Fired From Fox News? - Pick yourself up from the floor on this one. This article answers your question.  

AG Greg Abbott to challenge San Antonio nondiscrimination ordinance - Apparently they won't let gays in San Antonio fight their hard fought victory even a little bit. 

 James Franco: 'I Wish I Was Gay' - Tell you what, James. Schedule an appointment and we will "talk" about it. 

 Elena Kostyuchenko, Russian LGBT Journalist, Threatens To Out Closeted Politicians - DO IT! We didn't start this, but it's on!

Is the 'hate group' label worrying the Family Research Council?

The Family Research Council recently sent out a fundraising letter to its supporters (none of your business how I received one). Naturally the letter followed the usual pattern of claiming that America is in danger of losing its so-called Judeo-Christian heritage and that Christian families are also in danger of being attacked by the nonexistent homosexual "agenda."

But one part caught my eye:

We are not haters as the same-sex lobby would have the public believe. We are not intolerant or self-righteous. We are defined and liberated by the grace of God. Jesus told us to "love your neighbor as yourself."

The Family Research Council has a strange idea of love if this is the case. Remember the following from its leaders:

 



 Of course it's relatively easy to refute the FRC leaders when they claim that they aren't filled with malice against the lgbt community, but here is the thing which I find interesting.

FRC now has to assure its followers, those who support the organization's efforts, that its not a hate group, that it does not attack gays because of malice or intolerance.

That doesn't strike me as something you have to do if you are "preaching to the choir."

But it is something you have to do if efforts to label you as a hate group have been successful.