Family Research Council ally against SPLC has odd history of 'attacking' anal sex

Rep. Bob McDermott

Below this post is one explaining how the Family Research Council, with the help of a state representative in Hawaii is attacking the Southern Poverty Center for a workshop held for teachers regarding tolerating differences in classrooms.

The post goes into detail as to how this is actually a vendetta against SPLC for naming the Family Research Council as a hate group in 2010. However, there is more information regarding the state Rep. Bob McDermott, who is leading the charge against SPLC.

Apparently he is known for his bizarre attacks against a sexual education program which he feels talks too much about anal sex. Earlier this year, he held a press conference complaining about the program, Pono Choices. According to the Honolulu Civil Beat:

Bob McDermott, it seems, is obsessed with anuses.

In particular, the state legislator believes that the anus is not the same as a penis or a vagina because it isn't involved in making babies.

Public schools should not teach kids in grades 6-8 that anal sex is appropriate behavior — something the Republican representing Ewa, Ewa Beach and Iroquois Point, argues is part of the "agenda" of a Department of Education sex-ed program called Pono Choices.

"The anus is presented as genitalia, just another sex organ," he informed reporters at a press conference at the Capitol Thursday. "This is another example of forced 'equality' by ignoring the natural function of the rectum and anus. Therefore 'political' correctness dictates that the male rectum and the female vagina are 'equal' in terms of being sexual organs. This totally ignores the obvious facts of human biology and reproduction."

McDermott wants the DOE to pull Pono Choices from schools or revise it to his liking because, he contends, it is not medically accurate or age-appropriate, and it does not adequately warn of the dangers of sex between gay men. 

The article goes on to say that McDermott managed to get a copy of Pono Choices and used it to make inaccurate claims about sex:

But McDermott holds views on human sexuality that are not supported by credible studies. Not only should gay men not have anal sex, the legislator said, but men who have anal sex with women are misogynistic. They are objectifying women, he explained. He also has problems with oral sex, which he said should be defined as mouth-on-genitals, not mouth-on-anus. Asked to explain why some women have anal sex with each other, McDermott seemed surprised that such practices exist, calling it "out of the mainstream."

It gets funnier:

His press conference drew a wide array of media, along with opponents and supporters of Pono Choices. A 15-minute PowerPoint presentation and an accompanying printout provided plenty of useful quotes. (E.g.: "Reproductive organs: The group of organs (including testes, ovaries, and uterus) whose purpose is to produce a new individual and continue the species.") A press release from McDermott's office used bold, underlined and italic type to emphasize points. And every time the word "anus" was used in the PowerPoint, it was in red lettering to contrast with the white lettering used for penis and vagina. (McDermott accused the broadcast media of being uncomfortable using the word, as if it were a Scarlet A.)

Apparently one journalist walked out of this press conference, calling it "performance art."

So this is the man leading FRC's charge against SPLC's tolerance workshop in Hawaii. He's not exactly the noble, upstanding individual that the organization has portrayed him to be in its emails.

He sounds sort of like a kook.

The Department of Education in Hawaii said that McDermott has continuously raised the issue but they stand by the program.