Gary Bauer - the anti-gay talking head who undermined the fight against HIV/AIDS in the Reagan Administration

Gary Bauer

The late President Reagan gets a lot of deserved flack for his negligence in the early days of the AIDS crisis. Today, we learned that there needs to be some flack dispensed around because Reagan isn't the only person in his Administration who needs to be called to the carpet.

According to Right Wing Watch:

Anyone who is familiar with Gary Bauer's anti-gay extremism will not be surprised to learn that his bigotry goes way back. Just in time for World AIDS Day, we now know that when Bauer was working in the Reagan White House, he fought hard to keep gay people off the nation’s first AIDS commission.

Right Wing Watch published part of a memo he sent to Reagan regarding this:

 3. Millions of Americans try to raise their children to believe that homosexuality is immoral. In many states homosexual practices are illegal, including sodomy. For you to appoint a known homosexual to a Presidential Commission will give homosexuality a stamp of acceptability. It will drive a wedge between us and many of our socially conservative supporters. 

4. While it is true that homosexuals have been major victims of AIDS, they are also responsible for its spread. Recent students show the average gay man with AIDS has had over 150 different sexual partners in the previous 12 months. 

Bauer proposed instead appointing a relative of someone with AIDS, or a caregiver, or as a last resort, a “reformed” homosexual: “that is, someone not currently living a gay life style. We have identified several individuals that meet that criteria.”

 In the end, Reagan ignored Bauer’s pleadings and appointed Frank Lilly, an openly gay geneticist, to the Presidential Commission on the HIV Epidemic.

Right Wing Watch also goes on to say that Bauer undermined the fight against HIV/AIDS in the Reagan Administration by keeping then Surgeon General C. Everett Koop from gaining access to the Reagan and the cabinet after the president asked Koop to prepare a report on AIDS.

Bauer’s role as an anti-gay zealot in the Reagan White House was also revealed in "Faith in the Halls of Power: How Evangelicals Joined the American Elite" by D. Michael Lindsay.

As Kyle reported back in 2010, the book says Bauer interfered with the efforts of Surgeon General C. Everett Koop when he was tasked with drafting a report on AIDS for President Reagan:

 [In 1986] President Reagan asked the surgeon general to prepare a report on AIDS as the United States confirmed its ten-thousandth case. Leaders of the evangelical movement did not want Koop to write the report, nor did senior White House staffers who shared Koop's evangelical convictions. As Dr. Koop related to me, "Gary Bauer [Reagan's chief advisor on domestic policy] ... was my nemesis in Washington because he kept me from the president. He kept me from the cabinet and he set up a wall of enmity between me and most of the people that surrounded Reagan because he believed that anybody who had AIDS ought to die with it. That was God's punishment for them." 

It is also worth knowing that after leaving the Reagan Administration, Bauer became the first president of an anti-gay group we all know well - the Family Research Council. Under Bauer's leadership, the organization created an ugly catalogue of homophobic lies and cherry-picked science which eventually led it to be designated in 2010 as an anti-gay hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Bauer is presently involved in the  Campaign for Working Families and Our American Values; two organization which supposedly works for "family values and faith."  Bauer is also looked upon as one of the leading voices of the conservative evangelical movement.

In my eyes, Bauer has taken his place amongst such notables as 'Bloody Mary' Tudor, Tomas de Torquemada, and others whose manic religious zeal and self-righteous mindset caused untold chaos to a host of innocents.

To some folks, maybe I am being a bit hyperbolic. Perhaps, but then again perhaps not.  I remember when HIV/AIDS came on the scene and began knocking down members of the lgbt community like a goddamn hurricane. I remember the ugly things people said about those affected by HIV/AIDS, such as when columnist Pat Buchanan said that nature was reaping retribution on the gay community.

And I remember, even though I was too young to take part in, the demand that Reagan address this issue. No one knows what would have happened had Reagan addressed the HIV/AIDS crisis sooner than he did. But it is rather nauseating and disturbing that there was someone in his cabinet who worked to undermine the fight against HIV/AIDS because he felt that those affected "deserved" what they got.

So what can be done with this knowledge of Bauer's "activities?" Just a simple word of mouth. Don't let it be forgotten. Tell the story. Repeat the story. Shine a spotlight on the story every chance you get. 

History will not be kind to Gary Bauer, so long as we have something to do with it.

'Atlanta fire chief suspended over anti-gay book' & other Tuesday midday news briefs

The Perfect Ex-Gay Christmas Gift - A gag gift guaranteed to make you "gag."

Clerks object to issuing same-sex marriage license - Someone needs to do their jobs or move out of the way. 

 Atlanta fire chief suspended over book controversy - Don't give me any crap about "personal opinion" or "the First Amendment." If you are in a position like this guy, one of the main things is trust. You have to have the trust of your lgbt employees and lgbt constituents you serve. And I don't trust anyone who compares my life to bestiality or pedophilia. 

Read: ADF creates fake 'victim' superbook; misapplies business matters to churches - Speaking of fake victims, enjoy this book full of them.  

Thanksgiving Arguments: How To Talk To Your Evangelical Uncle About Marriage Equality - I would have said bash him over the head with the turkey but apparently we don't do things like that . . .

Gay men have over 20,000 sexual partners? Really?

One of the saddest things about fighting stereotypes is no matter how much you achieve, said stereotypes don't go away. In fact, they get repeated with force and volume.

As an African-American, I've dealt with being called lazy, criminal-minded and stupid more times than I can count.

As a gay man, I've had to deal with the following, courtesy of Right Wing Watch:

Lord Christopher Monckton, a columnist for the far-right WorldNetDaily, today came to the defense of an Australian politician, Rosalie Crestani, who is trying to pass a law to prevent her local government from mentioning LGBT issues and holding diversity trainings. Monckton, who derisively refers to the LGBT community as “QWERTY,” like the keyboard layout, said that Crestani discovered during a consultation with “an expert in non-heterosexual lifestyles” that “homosexuals had an average of 500-1,000 partners in their sexually active lifetime, and that some had as many as 20,000.” “One wonders how they found time for anything else,” Monckton quips, adding that gay people lead “short, miserable lives” as part of their “deathstyle.

Regardless of what Monckton implies, if gay men did actually have up to 20,000 sex partners, no matter how long or short our lifespans would be, we would NOT be unhappy. I can assure you that. Seriously though, the idea that gay men are oversexed and have an enormous amount of sex is repeated by members of the anti-gay right, even if this idea contradicts a lot of the other things they say about gay men, as Monckton demonstrates as he continues to ruminate about alleged gay sexual habits:
 

As the experts she has consulted have pointed out, the QWERTYs – who represent about 0.5 percent of the population – have brilliantly promoted themselves by carefully shifting the debate away from what homosexuals actually do to each other (just ask any proctologist: all of them are heartily sick of trying to repair the gross damage caused by deviant sexual practices) and on to “celebrating” what is misleadingly presented as a “valid alternative lifestyle.” 

How in the world can gays be 0.5 percent of the population and be having all of this sex? And just what proctologists did Monckton consult? The man is lying through his teeth. And he proves something awful about anti-gay stereotypes. No matter how many times they are refuted, they are constantly repeated. The following is from an anti-gay comic published in the 1980s, which I have featured several times.  It pretty much says the same thing Monckton does:

It's easy to laugh at this stuff now. But don't. Though, with the exception of folks like Matt Barber, Linda Harvey, Peter LaBarbera,  Brian Camenker, and Bryan Fischer, the vast majority of the anti-gay right wouldn't dare to overtly repeat this mess, we should remember how successful such stereotypes were decades ago when they were repeated openly and we should also remember how successful they are now when repeated in places like Uganda and Russia when enterprising homophobes exploited religious beliefs to attach such awful images to the idea that homosexuality is a sin.

That's why when we read things like what Monckton wrote, we can't be quick to laugh or be nonchalant about it. Stereotypes are generally used to hurt people and they aren't hurting you, you can bet they are hurting someone else.

Related posts:

 All of the 'evil and dirty' things that the gays do

How They See Us: Unmasking the Religious Right  War on America - Scribd or Wordpress

' Anti-gay #DefendtheDuggars twitter campaign backfires' & other Monday midday news briefs

Religious Conservatives' Attempt To #DefendTheDuggars Backfires Hysterically - And the moral is if you are known for conducting boycotts, your defending something against a boycott by labeling your opposition as opponents of free speech will bite you in the ass. 

In prep for Pope's 2015 visit, World Meeting of Families readies gay stigma, exclusion - Mercy! Give us all strength!  

For Most Gays, The Golden Years Are Looking Something Less Than Golden: VIDEO - Which is an issue we need to address.  

Evangelical 'Kingmaker' Working To Vote 1000 Christian Pastors Into Political Office - 'Bloody Mary' Tudor and Torquemada would be very proud.  

Fischer: Impeachment Campaign Should Copy The Gay Rights Movement - What?!

'Religious freedom' bills will be next chapter in anti-gay discrimination

In the 50s and 60s, they said we were perverts who ought to be jailed.

In the 70s, they said we recruit children.

In the 80s, they said we were diseased freaks who run around catching AIDS.

In the 90s, they said we wanted "special rights."

In the 2000s, they said we wanted to redefine marriage.

Now they claim we are trying to put Christians out of business and jail them.

According to Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, those against marriage equality aren't wasting any time plotting their next move. In fact, they see the victories for marriage equality as a gateway to allow discrimination against gays on  larger scale:

Most state legislatures don’t come back into session for a few months, yet legislators are already announcing their intent to introduce so-called “religious freedom” bills for 2015. These bills would introduce identical or even broader versions of the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA)—the law that was distorted to allow corporations like Hobby Lobby to use religion to ignore the Affordable Care Act’s contraception mandate. Legislators are advocating for these bills by claiming they will create broad religious exemptions from nondiscrimination laws.

AU strongly believes in religious freedom and appropriately tailored religious accommodations. Despite the fact that these bills claim to protect religious freedom, in reality they are a threat to civil rights. The language in these bills is too broad and unclear, and could open the door for serious and even harmful unintended consequences, including nullifying discrimination, public safety, and health laws.

Several states pushed RFRA bills in 2014, but experienced passionate backlash from civil rights groups and the business community: even the NFL threatened to change the location of the 2015 Super Bowl if the RFRA bill passed in Arizona. The bill still passed the legislature, but Governor Brewer thankfully vetoed it.

At least five states have announced religious freedom bills for the upcoming session: Georgia, Michigan, Texas, North Carolina, and Utah.

Read the rest of the article to see the progress of those laws and count on the number of states to grow. This will be the next chapter of the so-called culture war and if the lgbt community is smart, we won't be caught napping . . . this time.

 

'Anti-gay group demonstrates its hypocrisy on boycotts' & other Friday midday news briefs

One of America's most anti-gay organizations rallies for the Duggars; because of course they would - The irony of the week: the American Family Association, the group famous for wanting things taken off the air, whines about others wanting something off the air.  

A new, harsher version of Uganda’s anti-gay law could effectively make all gay and lesbian people homeless - Oh Good LORD, Uganda! 

Ninth Circuit rejects Alaska’s appeal for 11-judge review of gay marriage ruling - Like I said to SC Attorney General Alan Wilson, "give it up, turn it loose."  

Gambian Leader Signs Law Imposing Life Imprisonment for Homosexual Acts Amid New Crackdown - In the Motherland, some folks are acting like real "muthers."

 ACLU to amend lawsuit to force Kansas agencies to recognize same-sex marriages - Even though he was re-elected after practically wrecking his state's economy (something I STILL can't figure out), one would think that Gov. Sam Brownback would have more pressing concerns than to be a complete jerk to Kansas same-sex couples who fairly won the right to be married.  

5 Ways The President’s Plan On Immigration Helps LGBT Immigrants - What Obama did last night IS in part an lgbt issue.  

Daubenmire: Christians Can Never Compromise On Allowing Gays To 'Come Out Of The Closet' - I just had to post this because of the audacity. "Allow us to come out of the closet?" Lord, please help me to remember that this is a "clean" blog cause if I forget, I got some choice words for Daubenmire I haven't used in YEARS.!

Repost - Message to the religious right - this isn't just about marriage, it's about history

Just a simple repost this morning. I wrote this in  2008 in the wake of our stunning Prop 8 defeat. It was the response to conservative claims that our anger after that loss was due to the fact that we were being lawless crybabies.

Our anger was not a product of lawlessness but from years of psychological, mental, and physical abuse by those who did not see us as equals. As you can read by this link, the post received the most comments of anything I ever wrote:

Message to the religious right - this isn't just about marriage, it's about history

I keep hearing all of this nonsense about us lgbts attacking people, about us using intimidation and violence to oppress people, about us somehow being ugly aggressors. Newt Gingrich (who wrote the book on deceptive messaging during his tenure in the U.S. House of Representatives) actually accused us of being "secular fascists." Gingrich's attack on us seem to be the prevailing theme with those on the other side of the Proposition 8 argument.

And I think there needs to be some historical perspective on this matter.

 True, Proposition 8 has galvanized our community. We have become a bit more politically engaged in our anger. That is a good thing. However, any display of violence on either side of the argument should never be tolerated.

Nor should letting the religious right frame the moment. I have a few questions to people like Newt Gingrich, Bill O’Reilly, Chuck Norris, Gary Bauer, Peter LaBarbera and the rest who are trying to push this "gay intimidation" image.

Where were you in the late 1970s when Anita Bryant accused us of trying to “recruit” children?

Where were you in 1983 when Paul Cameron accused gay men of stuffing gerbils up our rectums and castrating children? Or afterwards when he went from state to state pushing his phony research papers all designed to make us the boogiemen of American society?

Where were you when Jerry Falwell exploited the AIDS crisis to generate more money for the Moral Majority? Or when those dying of AIDS were cast out of their communities and excommunicated from their churches?

Where were you when Colorado passed that law in 1992 that basically said cities in the state had absolutely no right to protect gays and lesbians from discrimination?

Where were you when over the course of 20 years all of those phony “pro-family” groups told lies in front of federal and congressional state houses in attempts to beat back pro-gay laws or spread discredited research that gave “upstanding, moral” families the perfect excuse to put their gay sons and daughters out on the cold streets?

Where were you when organizations like Concerned Women for America, the Family Research Council, the Traditional Values Coalition, and Focus on the Family unconsciously gave reasoning for groups of roaming thugs to bash our heads in, chase us out in heavy traffic, beat us to bloody pulps with nail embedded boards, and hang us from fences on dark and lonely roads?

How is it that you can dare call us aggressive when for over 30 years, you have done everything in your power to make America hate and fear us?

How it is that you can dare infer that we don't have a right to get just a tad angry when for over 30 years, you have done everything in your power to make us hate and fear ourselves?

Every lie, every indignity, every attempt to dehumanize the lgbt community has brought us to this point. The Proposition 8 vote was the last straw in a chain of indignities that stretch as long as Jacob's ladder.

This ain’t just about marriage. Nor is this a single moment in time.

We are not the aggressors. We are learning to fight back.

When I was coming out, it wasn’t the fact that I was gay that bothered me more than the knowledge that so many had already written my life for me; told me who I was, what I liked, what I didn’t like, and even where I was going after I died. Worst of all, they had the nerve to tell me that I had absolutely no rights to the words "values," "family," "tradition," or "honor."

 And you know what the saddest thing about this is? I was not alone.

Hundreds of thousands of lgbts went through the same experience. It was our "rite of passage." So while I may not have a media spin machine behind me and therefore very few will give a damn about what I say, while I may not be a member of a religious think tank who is presently working to use this moment to again dehumanize lgbts, and while I may not be considered as a "leading gay talking head," I am an American, a human being, and a child of God.

Therefore, I will never forget what has brought me to this point of outrage. And I will do my best to make sure that this country never forgets either. Lastly, I will do my best to make sure that YOU never forget.

Not forgetting our marriage equality struggles in the midst of our victories

We are celebrating the continued expansion of marriage equality across the country and (for the really meaner folks) how the National Organization for Marriage is falling fast down the pit of irrelevancy (and when they reach the bottom, I think we should bulldoze a lot of stuff in it and bury them), but let's not forget that the struggle for marriage equality and lgbt equality in general is not over. Let's also not forget where we came from, i.e. how certain views were of the mainstream and how these views contributed to NOM's past success.

With that in mind, I am showcasing two commercials which ran during NOM's initially successful attempt to ban marriage equality in California via Prop 8 in 2008. The second commercial is very interesting because  for all of their inspired rhetoric, the folks involved in that commercial, particularly Rev. Miles McPherson, refused to testify during the trial which eventually overturned Prop 8:

'SC Attorney General loses final attempt to stop marriage equality' & other Thursday midday news briefs

Transgender Day of Remembrance: A Day to Honor the Dead and the Living - First and foremost, let us honor those who are no longer with us as well celebrate, mentor, and inspire those who are still with us.  

U.S. Supreme Court decision paves way for same-sex marriage in SC -  
So this battle ends 
not with the thundering of the troops 
or the clashing of armor 
and soulless bodies, departed spirits headed to their Maker 
But with the inevitable acquiesce of the acceptance of love 
over ignorance. 

RFRA Madness: What’s Next for Anti-Democratic ‘Religious Exemptions’ - But do not be fooled and don't celebrate too quickly. We made that mistake after the overturning of the sodomy laws. Say hello to the new chapter in the 'culture wars.' 

NOM CRATERS: Funding for Anti-LGBT National Organization For Marriage Drops by Over 50% - Even though I am a strong proponent of "beating the arrows on the floor until they are consumed," (It's a Biblical reference. Look it up) I can't help but to be absolutely thrilled over this.  

This Right-Wing Legal Powerhouse Wants To Make Gay Sex Illegal - I fail to see how this group can call itself the "Alliance Defending Freedom."

Arkansas rally demonstrates why marriage equality is winning

In Arkansas yesterday,  reality tv personality Josh Duggar led a rally against marriage equality which clashed with supporters. This took place because today, there will be court deliberations about the Arkansas anti-marriage equality law.

That's something interesting to remember, particularly when one hears the arguments from rally attendees as to why the law shouldn't be overturned.  At the most, their earnest, yet clueless overtures give perfect reason why these laws are being overturned in places as diverse as South Carolina, New Jersey, Virginia, North Carolina, etc.

In layman's terms, these laws were passed with wide emotional appeal but with no clue as to how they can be proven as constitutional in a court of law:

KATV - Breaking News, Weather and Razorback Sports

Hat tip to Goodasyou.org

Two things which made me smile today

It's been a good day. Two things especially caught my attention:

My buddies Sheila Morris and Teresa Williams got their license today in Richland County. I don't think anyone can blame Sheila for being a bit emotional.

Sheila Morris says she is overwhelmed to have completed the full marriage application & hopes for her license today. pic.twitter.com/GTINEswTUQ
— Amicia Ramsey WLTX (@AmiciaRamsey) November 19, 2014

And then there is Montana:

Montana's ban on same-sex marriage was struck down Wednesday afternoon by a federal judge who called the ban unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Brian Morris did not stay his injunction, which means state officials could begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples immediately. In 2004, Montana voters passed an amendment to the state Constitution defining marriage as between one man and one woman. In his ruling, Morris said that amendment violated the Equal Protection Clause in the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and barred Montana from enforcing it.

All in all, not a bad day.

'South Carolina marries first gay couple, gives out same-sex marriage licenses' & other Wednesday midday news briefs.

South Carolina's first gay marriage is happening right now outside the Charleston courthouse #chsnews @CRBJ pic.twitter.com/pMjhv8lPwJ
— Ashley B. Heffernan (@AshleyBHeff) November 19, 2014

Breaking: First Same-Sex Couple Marries In South Carolina As State Petitions SCOTUS - Dear Attorney General Alan Wilson, you are just going to have to move out the way since you can't get along with the situation.

 1st same-sex marriage licenses issued in South Carolina - And it's not the only one either.  

First Openly Gay NBA Player Jason Collins Announces Retirement - Thank you Jason for making history.  

Tyler James Williams: Media Portrayals Of Black Men Feed Black Homophobia - This is true. Black gay men are portrayed as fey and "non-threatening." And I personally resent that. I try to be as threatening as possible. You should see my "black thug" face. I tried to droop my pants, but it ain't gonna happen, bub. Especially not with a caboose this big. 

 #Humanum Day Two: How many ways can you dismiss gay lives? - Meanwhile, the Vatican is continuing its association with anti-gay figures.  

WHOA! Mark Regnerus made the #Humanum conference videos - First discredited research. Now bad videos. Apparently the Catholic Church has learned NOTHING since that Galileo situation. Something nasty is coming our way and I say bring it on. My hair is wrapped up, I got my tennis shoes on, my face is greased, and I got my windmill fighting technique on point.

SC Attorney General uses last trick to stop marriage equality from coming to Palmetto State

Wilson

Hold up on the praise dance. South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson is going to the outer limits to keep marriage equality away from the Palmetto State. According to lgbt journalist Chris Geidner:

South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson on Tuesday evening asked Chief Justice John Roberts to stop same-sex couples from being able to marry in the state beginning Thursday. Wilson is seeking a stay during his appeal of a trial court ruling from last week that the state’s ban on same-sex couples’ marriages is unconstitutional. 

The application, which Roberts can decide on his own or refer to the full court for resolution, was filed just hours after the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals denied a similar request.

The trial court judge put his Nov. 12 ruling on hold until noon Thursday, Nov. 20, and the state had asked the 4th Circuit and now the Supreme Court to keep that ruling on hold during its appeal.

Since the justices turned down five states’ requests on Oct. 6 to take a marriage case appeal — including a decision from the 4th Circuit striking down Virginia’s marriage ban — the justices have, on three occasions, turned down requests to issue stays of lower court rulings during appeals. This includes one, in Kansas, since the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld four other states’ bans.

Now, however, with requests in from the plaintiffs in those four states’ cases asking the Supreme Court to take one or more of the appeals and resolve the question, Wilson is hoping that he can get a stay issued from the court to stop the trial court ruling from going into effect Thursday.

For Pete's sake. Wilson can continue to bang his head against a brick wall. However why does he continue to use taxpayer money to do it? He has lost the battle and would be better served to not act like Pickett during the Battle of Gettysburg.

IT'S OVER - South Carolina can begin marrying same-sex couples on Thursday

While members of the religious right are in Rome acting the fool in front of the Pope, in America marriage equality has crossed a HUGE plateau down South:

The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals today denied the State of South Carolina’s motion to stay last week’s U.S. District Court ruling striking down the state’s discriminatory marriage ban, setting the stage for marriages to begin for same-sex couples at noon on Thursday, Nov. 20.

South Carolina’s Attorney General filed a motion for an emergency stay to delay marriages following a ruling by the U. S. District Court for the District of South Carolina striking down the state’s discriminatory marriage ban in accordance with the Fourth Circuit’s earlier decision striking down a similar ban in Virginia.

"The end game is clear - marriage will soon be available for same-sex couples in South Carolina. This is a great victory for same-sex couples and their families because it removes one more hurdle to finally walking down the aisle," said Beth Littrell, Senior Attorney in Lambda Legal’s Southern Regional Office based in Atlanta.

“We urge the Attorney General to stop trying to delay the inevitable - their actions are damaging to families they were elected to protect,” said South Carolina Equality lawyer Malissa Burnette, partner at Callison Tighe & Robinson.

“We are ecstatic as we get ready to go pick up our license at Noon on Thursday,” said Lambda Legal client Colleen Condon.

In honor of the inevitable and for those who fought hard for marriage equality in South Carolina, some praise shouting:

 

'Vicious homophobia replaces 'good will' at the Vatican' & other Tuesday midday news briefs

AG Wilson, same-sex Charleston couple on legal collision course in 4th Circuit - headed to U.S. Supreme Court? - We all knew that attaining marriage equality in South Carolina would be one hell of a fight. That's what it's shaping up to be. Come on, Mr. Wilson. Give it up, turn it loose. 

#Humanum speaker accuses gay activists of hijacking civil rights movement; 'God will not be mocked!' - Girlfriend, you can run that line about "highjacking" until you are blue in the face. And speaking of mocking God, you all are getting mighty close to it. 

 #Humanum at the Vatican: Courting inequality at expense of goodwill - Looks like to the Pope, vicious homophobia equals "good will."  

Jim Garlow: Religious 'Onslaught' Needed To Fight 'Demonic' Gay Marriage - And Garlow is just one guest at the Vatican.

 15 same-sex couples marry in mass legal ceremony in Sedgwick County - Victories like this should happen all of the time.  

Myths About Transition Regrets - A very good friend of mine, Brynn Tannehill, dispels some ugly myths about our transgender brothers and sisters.

Children should never be props for homophobia

In this fight over marriage equality, the most disturbing thing to me is how folks affiliated with the National Organization for Marriage, the Heritage Foundation, and other so-called pro-family groups have no problem exploiting children as props for homophobia.

What I mean by that is typified by a  talking point they all use:

All children have a right to a mother and a father.

It's a short, but powerful statement which they have used to define their side of the issue. It has also been a battle cry which they have used to rally their supporters.

But it is also fiendishly deceptive statement which typifies the lack of reality encompassing opponents of marriage equality.

First of all, by the statement, it is implied that every time gays adopt children or have children, we are depriving children of something, that we are taking their rights away, that we are harming children.

It is implied that we are so selfish that we are willing to put children in a state which will lead them constantly disadvantaged.

To me as a gay man, that is totally offensive.  And it is a lie.

However, more importantly, the statement that "all children have a right to a mother and a father" deliberately ignores the reality that all children do have mothers and fathers.

You see, when NOM, the Heritage Foundation, etc. start talking about families, they mean only one concept of family. A man and a woman joined together and raising children. While there is nothing wrong with this concept, to heavily imply that this is the only concept that matters in terms of family is dangerous.

These organizations ignore the fact that sometimes the mother/father setting may not be the best place for the child, i.e. some mothers and fathers have no business raising children. These organizations also conveniently ignore single parent households, children being raised by relatives.  And more importantly, orphans and especially children in the foster care system.

One can imagine how better the world would be if these so-called pro-family groups would used their skills, money, and influence to find permanent homes for orphans and children in foster care instead of attacking families for not fitting into their narrative.

Unfortunately though, one gets the impression that they don't care about these children or any families they can't exploit for their narrative.

Media fails to hold Tony Perkins, Family Research Council accountable for homophobia

Tony Perkins

Let's get real for a second.

The only reason why Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council has the reputation (undeserved) of a normal Christian leader is because the media is slack in calling him out for the myriad of times he and his organizations have defamed, demonized, and outright lied on the lgbt community.

And it seems to me that another reason is because the lgbt community isn't holding the media - especially OUR media - accountable for this.

Case in point is something he retweeted today.

As many of you already know, Perkins is in the Vatican as one of the invited guests of Pope Francis. He and others, including Maggie Gallagher and Brian Brown of the National Organization for Marriage is "discussing" their view of marriage, a view which of course omits the lgbt community.

There were others invited, including an Archbishop Nicholas Okoh from Nigeria. Perkins really liked him. He even retweeted a statement Okoh made:

Where the culture and the Gospel clash, the culture must bow to the Gospel. -- AB Nicholas Okoh of Nigeria #Humanum
— Tony Perkins (@tperkins) November 17, 2014

Bear in mind, this is the SAME Archbishop Okoh who supports Nigeria's viciously brutal anti-gay laws.

According to Right Wing Watch, he also called gays "manifestations of the devil."

Of course the bigger question is what in the hell is someone like that doing being invited to have an audience with the Pope. But for the purposes of how Perkins likes to constantly harp on how Christians are being persecuted in Ammerica, further questions about his support of Okoh's statement needs to be asked of him.

Most likely these questions won't be asked.  The lgbt community call him a bigot and make jokes about how he is secretly gay. Meanwhile, Perkins will go on Fox News where Megyn Kelly and  company will treat him like a legitimate Christian leader. And they will be very sure to let him control the conversation and not even mention Okoh.

And to me, that's just so damn scandalous, it turns my stomach. 

But I simply have to ask. Am I the only one?

'Anti-gay leader Tony Perkins says something extra stupid' & other Monday midday news briefs

At least three NOM personalities at Vatican #Humanum conference - So the Pope has invited, amongst others, three members of NOM and the Family Research Council's Tony Perkins to attend a Vatican meeting on marriage. Am I right to be a bit paranoid as to the outcome? 

Tony Perkins: Normalization of 'Inappropriate' Homosexuality In US Causing Worldwide Anti-Christian Persecution - Speaking of Tony Perkins, he is claiming that the United States's pro-lgbt stance is causing other countries to persecute Christians because they are not in favor of the United States's pro-lgbt stance . . . I think.  

Michigan Tells Court That 300 Same-Sex Couples’ Marriages Are Void - And the nominees for SOBs of the year are . . .  

How the Religious Right Scams Its Way Onto the New York Times Bestseller List - EVERY issue involving the religious right sooner or later has an effect on the lgbt community.  

France's Sarkozy, Thrice Married, Plans Presidential Run To Repeal Gay Marriage - This is just beyond cold blooded.

Arizona wedding chapel's discrimination legal, owners still whine about 'persecution'

This is rich. A wedding chapel in Arizona which holds religious and non-religious weddings turns down a lesbian couple. The wedding chapel is well within its rights according to state law and the lesbian couple will not pursue legal action, but do bring up a good point of the chapel not posting anything about hold same-sex marriages.

So why is the owner of the chapel still furious? Because the lesbian couple chose to take the story to the media. Cue the "War on those who believe in Jesus" crap.  It's bad enough that some businesses do not want to cater to the lgbt community. But when they get angry when that fact is known, the situation becomes highly surreal:

Related post - Before the anti-gay movement makes Arizona wedding officiant their next martyr...

Know Your LGBT History - My Top Five LGBT Villains in Cinema

As you all may or may not have noticed (and I hope you have), the Know Your LGBT History portion of my blog has been under hiatus. The reason was simple. I was burnt out and running out of topics.

I wanted to bring it back with a bang so I hope that this post does the trick.

My Top Five LGBT Villains in Cinema

I love villains. Who cares about the heroes because it's the villains which make the movie. If it's a good villain, it will be a good movie. If the villain sucks, then the same will be said for the movie.

Lgbt villains are a difficult class to pinpoint. Our community have had to deal with movie characters who are villains for simply being lgbts. Unfortunately, these villains embody  the very worst ofthin, one-dimensional stereotypes which do nothing but insult us. I'm glad to say that times are changing.

That's not to say that there were certain villains who transcended the stereotypes via nuanced performances or just downright campiness. With that in mind, I present my Top Five Villains who did just that. One note - this list will contain plot spoilers.

Honorable Mention: Mercy Croft - The Killing of Sister George (1968) - Late actress Coral Browne portrays Mercy Croft (I love that name), the innocuous television executive who is more than she seems in this controversial rendition of the hit Broadway play. Beryl Reid portrays June Buckridge, an actress who portrays a kind nurse, Sister George, on a popular soap opera. However, in reality, Buckridge is a loud, boisterous, drunken lesbian whose off-the-set exploits get her into trouble involving her job and threatens her relationship with her partner, Childe (Susannah York). Croft is the media executive who not only delivers the news of her firing to Buckridge, but also (in a scene still controversial by today's standards) seduces and steals Childe. Then she proceeds to verbally DEVASTATE Buckridge after being caught. Croft is honorable mention solely because many don't see her as a villain.  Her incredible tongue lashing of Buckridge does have some truth to it because Buckridge is not a likable character. However, after having the temerity to steal someone's girlfriend and then verbally annihilate the person, Croft needs to have some type of recognition.





5.  Raoul Silva - Skyfall (2012) - Silva (Javier Bardiem) is the villain in Skyfall, which is probably the best James Bond movie I have ever seen. His plot is simple. He wants revenge on Bond's boss, M (Judi Dench) for what he felt was a betrayal. But his methods are complex, including this scene where he teases Bond with a seduction. Some have said he was merely playing with Bond's head. I say that there was more to Silva than meets the eye and this scene proved it:




4. Mrs. Danvers - Rebecca (1940) - The oldest and easily the creepiest on our list. Mrs. Danvers (Judith Anderson) is the head housekeeper of the estate Manderley whose actions in the motion picture are possibly because of her secret love of the late mistress of Manderley, Rebecca De Winters. As such, she despises the new wife  (Joan Fontaine). She deviously manipulates Fontaine's nervousness and inadequacies until she has the poor child contemplating suicide. Then she tells to go ahead and do it. Not to worry though. Evil doesn't triumph in the end.  Mrs. Danvers' secret love for Rebecca is hinted in a sly manner, such as in this scene of her and Fontaine in Rebecca's bedroom:




 
3. Dr. Frank N. Furter - The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) - Can a space alien doctor from the planet Transsexual in the galaxy of Transylvania be all that bad? I won't even bother with the plot of this movie or explaining Dr. Furter (Tim Curry) because you probably know it already. But I do have one question. What exactly was his mission before he decided to make a man for "dynamic tension?"





2. Mr. Kidd and Mr. Wint - Diamonds are Forever (1971) - A pair of assassins from easily the campiest James Bond movie in the series. Kidd and Wint are lovers and cold blooded assassins hired to kill all of the chains of a diamond smuggling operation. They trade silly witticisms while doing just awful things such as blowing up helicopters, stuffing scorpions down the backs of their victims, throwing old women into canals, chaining folks to cement blocks at the bottom of swimming pools, etc. etc. The following scene, which cements who is in control of the relationship, is a classic:




1. The Nun - Come Back Charleston Blue (1972) - I know what you are thinking  - who the hell is that. Bear with me. Come Back Charleston Blue was a blaxploitation movie sequel about a  Harlem neighborhood besieged by the murders of drug dealers and the theft of their products. Residents claim that it is the work of Charleston Blue, a Prohibition era gangster who disappeared while on his way to kill legendary gangster Dutch Schultz. In reality, it is the work of a neighborhood photographer and community leader, Joe Painter (Peter De Anda). Painter is slowly but surely taking over the drug ring in Harlem by getting rid of the competition. Helping him is a character who I will call The Nun, although he is known as "the freak" in the movie and is credited as a "drag queen" by the credits.  In a scene stealing performance (and unfortunately what looks like his only performance), actor Tony Brealond is Painter's second in command and a former soldier in Vietnam. Through subtle hints, it is implied that he is also Painter's lover even though Painter is also carrying on with Carol (Jonelle Allen), the niece of the neighborhood mob boss.



Some may ask why would I pick this character with no name from a movie which many of you don't remember or know. Basically because he is one of the only few lgbt of color characters in cinema not picked as comedy relief or to be pitied. He is the epitome of the "genderfuck" with an attitude.    He commands respect and at times is downright fierce (particularly in the graveyard scene where he, clothed as a grieving widow, leads a massacre of mob figures) And then there is my favorite scene - when he starts a knock-down brawl with a bunch of pastors at a youth recreation center after being called a bad influence on young boys.

Past Know Your LGBT History Posts:

'I'm not gay no more' video star has unsavory past of deception' & other Friday midday news briefs

UPDATE: "I'm Not Gay No More" - So, the 'I'm not gay no more' video star has a lurid path of deceptions. Well color ME surprised. 

Meet Cathi Herrod, Arizona’s Extreme Anti-LGBT “Legislative Terrorist” - If I said it once, I said it 1,000 times. The lgbt community CANNOT trust the mainstream media to tell the true story about anti-gay activists unless we either lead the truth-telling or do it ourselves with our own media. I could care less about Kim Kardashian's naked ass. But I do care when someone who wants to take away my equality is given a sweet, cuddling interview by the media.  

Before the anti-gay movement makes Arizona wedding officiant their next martyr... - Speaking of which, let's clip this fake martyr's wings before she has the opportunity to fly.  

How We Built The Queerest Youth Ministry In Town - I LOVE this! 

 Alabama Defends Marriage Ban With ‘Largely Unbelievable’ Expert - Works for me. In the past when the religious right would cite discredited work, they would be able to get over because very few folks knew about said work. The lgbt community has come a LONG way over the years in calling out discredited and cherry-picked science. We've made a disability into an asset. 

THIS AFTERNOON - One stole the lead character's girlfriend then proceeded to give her a blizzard-inducing dressing down. One is a space alien who abandoned his original mission to build the perfect man. One is the second command in a neighborhood drug cartel and he will not be disrespected. But which one will be chosen as No. 1 in the 'Know Your LGBT History' Top Five LGBT Villains of Cinema. Find out this afternoon on Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters. This will NOT be a negative list.

SC attorney general hints that he is ready to take marriage equality case to the Supreme Court

Wilson

As to be expected, SC Attorney General Alan Wilson is digging real deep in order to keep marriage equality out of South Carolina. A recent article in The State  hinted that he is prepared to take it to the Supreme Court. And it because of that reason, Wilson is claiming, that the court should put a hold on the recent ruling bringing marriage equality to South Carolina:

Attorney General Alan Wilson has asked a federal appeals court to put on hold a judge's order allowing gay marriage in the state, warning that not doing so will cause irreparable damage to South Carolina.

U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel on Wednesday threw out the state's constitutional ban on same sex marriage and blocked any state official from enforcing it. But the judge wrote his order would not take effect until noon Nov. 20 so Wilson could appeal.

Wilson asked the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia, on Thursday to stay the judge's order until the entire appeals panel can consider the issue.

In the alternative, if the appeals court doesn't issue a stay, Wilson asked for time to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Here is where it gets interesting:

The 4th Circuit has already struck down Virginia's gay marriage ban, a 2-1 ruling that applied to other states in the circuit. The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal of that case last month and South Carolina remains the only state in the circuit refusing to allow such marriages.

In asking for the stay, Wilson argued the dissenting opinion in the Virginia case was the correct one.

That opinion supports South Carolina's position that "same-sex marriage restrictions do not discriminate on the basis of sex and that South Carolina's definition of marriage, dating from colonial times, a union of a man and a woman is supported by rational grounds," Wilson wrote in his request.

He warned that without a stay South Carolina will suffer harm because same-sex marriages will go forward only to cause legal confusion about the status of those married if the state prevails.

In other words, Wilson is prepared to take this as far as it can go. I wonder how much of the taxpayers money will he be using?

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/2014/11/13/3809561_sc-appeals-ruling-that-tosses.html?sp=/99/205/&rh=1#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/2014/11/13/3809561_sc-appeals-ruling-that-tosses.html?sp=/99/205/&rh=1#storylink=cpy

'BET editor stands up for black gays, Duck Dynasty - The Musical' & other Thursday midday news briefs

BET Editor Clay Cane Slams Black Church For Conversion Therapy: ‘Being Gay Is Not A Sin' - THANK YOU, Clay Cane for having the guts to do what unfortunately many media personalities in the black community WILL NOT do - Publicly stand up for lgbts of color.

WATCH: GOPer Who Performed Exorcism On Obama Gets The Colbert Treatment - The anti-gay Gordon Klingenschmitt gets the Colbert treatment. Go get him, Stephen!! 

 Cleveland.com Falsely Claims Non-Discrimination Law Would Open Women’s Restrooms To Men - Second verse unfortunately same as the first. Of course anti-gay groups are on the case with this lie.

'Ducky Dynasty' Musical Causes Friction With Gay-Friendly Broadway - Duck Dynasty The Musical? What the hell are the songs going to be? Never mind. I don't want to know.  

Why Florida Is Threatening To Cancel The Drivers Licenses Of This Same-Sex Couple - Oh lighten up, Florida! 

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!! - Tomorrow afternoon on Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters will  see the return of 'Know Your LGBT History' featuring 'The Top Five LGBT Villains of Cinema.' You can start guessing who they will be now, but you will never figure out my list! I will give you a hint. This will NOT be a negative list.

South Carolina lgbts celebrate marriage equality decision

Even though the fight is far from over, South Carolina lgbts and their allies took time out to celebrate a federal judge's decision which brought marriage equality a little closer to the Palmetto State. I have to tell you, as one of was heavily involved in attempting to stop that awful 2006 ballot initiative which barred marriage equality in the state, I was as elated as the folks on this video:

wistv.com - Columbia, South Carolina |

'I'm not gay no more - the remixes' & why we laughed

By now you all have heard about the video of the young man at the Church of God in Christ’s 107th Holy Convocation in St. Louis and his proclamation about "not being gay no more." The video has caught fire and gone viral, with so many folks ridiculing it that the whoever filmed it - no doubt church officials - has placed it on private view.

However, that only makes the situation worse because there are so many copies on youtube:



And then there are the remixes seen below.

But first, let me address something. A twitter friend of mine made a good point about hypocrisy. He said that it's a shame that so many folks laughed at this video but would weep at hearing about gay men forced in reparative, or 'ex-gay' therapy.

Like I said before, it's a good point. However there is something different with this video. It's just so damn surreal. It's a basic farce. I don't care how loud folks in the video, including the young man, shouted and danced about his "deliverance." Nor do I care that the pastor handed him $100 as sort of a symbolic gesture of God's grace (seen in the original video).

'South Carolina gets marriage equality, but . . .' & other Wednesday midday news briefs

Judge rules that gays have constitutional right to marry – first federal ruling on an S.C. same-sex marriage case - WHOOPEE! HURRAY!! Okay celebration is over. Two things we must remember. The ruling has been stayed until Nov. 20 and Governor Haley and Attorney General Wilson can appeal it, which they probably will. And here I thought tea party legislators were all about NOT wasting money. But even more important than that, as the next news brief shows, if marriage equality DOES become the unadulterated law in SC, we will be seeing the opposition twist the fight to that of  'religious freedom.' In the words of actress Pam Grier from Coffy, "you'd better believe it's coming."

GOP Texas Lawmaker Wants To Enshrine 'License To Discriminate' Against Gays In State Constitution - THIS is the next fight and it's time to gear up for it. It will be coming to SC sooner or later.

Religious liberty = discrimination: A complex issue explained in simple terms - THIS is how we gear up for the post marriage-equality war. By explaining the "religious liberty" lies in simple terms. Discrimination is discrimination and if visuals help, USE THEM. This post was published by me this morning but it bears repeating.

 'The War on Christmas' mirrors anti-LGBT movement's current playbook - In the world of the religious right, businesses should be able to discriminate against gays but GOD HELP THEM if they don't say "Merry Christmas."

Pope Demotes Outspoken Conservative Cardinal - "Bye, Felicia." 

Religious Right Group: Net Neutrality Threatens Free Speech - Proof that the religious right sells out to the highest bidder. Net Neutrality is for YOU TOO, dumb asses!

Religious liberty = discrimination: A complex issue explained in simple terms

Almost on a daily basis, anti-gay groups and their allies in the conservative media bombard the airwaves  and internet with anecdotes and horror stories of Christians who own secular businesses, such as cake decorating or non-religious wedding chapels,  supposedly having their livelihoods threatened because they refuse to serve gay customers like the law says they should.

Noted conservative author and media figure (and that's not said to give compliments but to note how low conservatives have sunk in terms of who is given status in their community) Erick Erickson has coined a phrase "you will be made to care" which illustrates how allegedly marriage equality is an issue which will drop us all into a dark abyss of intolerance and coercion.

And we hear the phrase "religious freedom" and "religious liberty" so many times that the press, as they often do, repeat the phrases without giving any shred of nuance, much like the dogs of Pavlov have been trained to salivate.

But let's break it down.

In Texas, legislators may push a bill which would allow businesses and government contractors - in the spirit of religious freedom of course - to refuse to serve gays and fire their employees who happen to be gay. And the lawmaker behind the bill, State Sen. Donna Campbell, wants to enshrine this so-called right in the state constitution.

She makes this outrageous claim:

“Our Judeo-Christian values are under assault and I’m not going to let that stand. We have the right and religious freedom to express ourselves. When the government moves outside the proper bounds of the primary role, especially in order to legislate societal norms, they’re on shaky ground. Really it’s a few, just a few advocates, of tolerance. They are trying to criminalize faith and traditional values of the majority of Texans. Tolerance is going too far in this instance.”

Campbell is spewing nonsense. What attack is she talking about? She seems to feel threatened by the American principle that customer should be treated the same in a place of business.

Apparently some evangelicals, like Campbell, want special rules which don't necessarily have a thing to do with how they worship or where they worship. You see, the 'religious liberty' argument doesn't have a thing to do with them. When you eliminate the spin, you discover that the "religious liberty" argument  has everything to do with the gay community. It's just an ornate way of handing us a laminated card of inferiority, a way of searing a scarlet letter into our consciousness.

The 'religious liberty' argument is a farce designed to send a constant reminder to gays from folks like Campbell saying "We don't care what the law says or what the court says. You don't deserve to be on our level and in our minds you never will be. You don't deserve equal treatment under the law and we will never let you forget that."

It's not that complex to gauge or figure out because we have been through this sort of thing before in history. Allow me to put it another way:

If you have a problem with the following:

Then you SHOULD have a problem with this:

After all, how is the 'religious liberty' argument, which would allow discrimination against gays, any different than one which would allow discrimination against Jewish people, African-Americans, the Chinese, etc?

 In the end, it doesn't matter how one sugarcoats it. Discrimination is discrimination.

Cake decorators and non-religious wedding chapels may seem like a minor facet in the argument about discrimination but they are a crucial facet.  If we allowed them to discriminate against gays, at what point does said discrimination stop?

One day, we are discussing cake decorators and non-religious wedding chapels. How long will it be before we start talking about apartment complexes, restaurants, stores, and other places of business?

Is it even right for the 'religious liberty' argument to be used in those cases and what assurances do we have that in the future, it won't be?

SC attorney general makes embarrassingly bad move to stop marriage equality challenge

Wilson

You simply have to give up props to SC Attorney General Alan Wilson. He may not be on the right side of history regarding marriage equality, but he is brazen:

South Carolina's attorney general is asking a federal judge to toss out a challenge to the state's gay marriage ban.

Attorney General Alan Wilson argues in court documents filed Monday that a federal case brought by a same-sex couple in Charleston should be dismissed. He cites last week's federal appeals court decision upholding such bans in other states.

Wilson said the Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision that states have the right to set rules for marriage supports South Carolina's constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. Wilson noted the decision came in a case in which a court found no fundamental right to same-sex marriage.

The Charleston couple has asked a federal judge to rule in their favor without a trial.

There is just one problem with that. South Carolina does not fall in the jurisdiction of the Sixth District Appeals Court. The state is in the jurisdiction of the Fourth District Appeals Court. And it was that court which, earlier this year, ruled in favor of marriage equality, affirming a lower court's decision.

Last month, the Supreme Court refused to listen to challenges to that particular decision, thereby upholding the Fourth District Appeals Court's marriage equality ruling for the state's in its jurisdiction, which includes South Carolina.

The only reason why gay couples aren't getting married in the Palmetto State is because Wilson has been hemming and hawing and jumping through every hoop in an effort to keep it from happening.

It's safe to say that Wilson's attempt today affirms just how desperate he is.

Come on, Alan. Give it up and turn it loose.

'AFA angry at Kellogg's support of gay pride' & other Monday midday news briefs

So the American Family Association is angry at Kellogg for sponsoring Atlanta's Gay Pride march and festival. One would think the organization would've have been angry about the strange relationship between those three elves promoting 'Rice Krispies.' What does "snap, crackle, pop" mean anyway?

Hat tip to Jeremy Hooper

In other news:

Religious Right Aiming To Block All Obama Judicial Nominations - History repeats itself. Every time the Republicans win an election, the religious right take it as a cue to act the fool. Then they take it too far. They always do . . .

Uganda Could Pass Another Draconian Anti-Gay Law - And this one could be worse than the last monstrosity.

Two Brides Tie The Knot In Russia, Prompting Outrage - Bravery does not come from pleading victimhood status when you know you are in an insulated environment. It comes from things like this - putting yourself on the line for basic freedom.

My Lesbian Mom Died Terrified of Going to Hell - It's not right how people use religion to scare each other.

Transgender child's rap song devastates ignorance

 If you have seen this video, so what. See it again. In fact, view it every time you feel depressed, despondent, or overwhelmed by the anti-gay machine. Having the courage to stand up for yourself  knows no race, no age, and definitely no sexual orientation or gender identity.

From the Huffington Post:

Alex hasn't even left elementary school but he already has a firm grasp on his identity and what it means to be transgender. He wrote a rap about coming out to his mother and shared it on stage at Camp Aranu’tiq, a camp for transgender and gender-variant youth.

According to its website, Camp Aranu'tiq focuses on, "building confidence, resilience, and community for transgender and gender-variant youth and their families through camp experiences."

Missouri gays closer to marriage, The Advocate choose Putin' & other Friday midday news briefs

Federal Judge Rules Missouri Gay Marriage Ban Unconstitutional - Boom! We haven't lost the momentum in spite of yesterday's ridiculous appeals court ruling. 

You'll Never Guess Who The Advocate's Person Of The Year Is - Anti-gay Russian president Vladimir Putin. There are so many questions with this pick and deservedly so. Did The Advocate give such attention to all of the anti-lgbt persecutions efforts in Africa. And why not someone more positive. While I'm sure the magazine made the choice on what is considered as impact, I still feel a more positive choice would have been in order. Personally I see nothing wrong with Laverne Cox. Why not put Putin in a category about those who seek to harm the lgbt community? Just my opinion.

In Blistering Dissent, Appeals Court Judge Slams Colleagues Who Upheld Gay Marriage Bans - Speaking of yesterday's ridiculous appeals court ruling, the dissent deserves another read. Judge Martha Craig Daughtrey NAILS what's wrong with the ruling, i.e. the justices didn't see lgbts as people needing redress of a wrong done to them.  

Tyler's Story From The Let Love Define Family Series - A single gay father talks about adoption and his son. Awesome story.  

Dallas adds LGBT protections to city constitution in landslide vote - Sweet!!

Family Research Council's president' won't stop lying about organization's 'hate group' designation

Beltway media wrongly gives Perkins, FRC free pass to lie.

In a recent fundraising letter to followers, Family Research Council president Tony Perkins pulled out all of the stop to weasel as much money as possible. Of course he used the usual lie about how Christians' "religious liberty" was being attacked. Perkins also brought up the awful incident in which the group was targeted by a deranged gunman named Floyd Corkins. In 2012, Corkins sought to begin a mass shooting at FRC headquarters but was stopped by the security guard before anyone was seriously hurt.

The fact that Corkins was prevented from carrying out his plot was a good thing. The unfortunate thing is how FRC has continuously exploited the incident, such as in the fundraising letter when it said:

On August 15, 2012, Floyd Corkins walked into FRC’s Washington offices and opened fire. His intent was to kill as many FRC employees as he could. And he had the ammunition to murder or maim dozens. But thanks to divine intervention, and the quick actions and bravery of the unarmed Leo Johnson, who took a bullet as he subdued Mr. Corkins, no one else was hurt.

What instigated this unprovoked attack? The website of the wealthy liberal organization misnamed the Southern Poverty Law Center. You see FRC was targeted on the SPLC “hate map” for its stand against same-sex “marriage.”

Uh no.

Probably for the thousandth time on this blog, NO.

Corkins was man off of his medication who had thought about harming anti-gay groups long before SPLC called out FRC as an anti-gay hate group. And also, FRC earned the designation not because of its stand against marriage equality, but for something much more sinister and enduring.

According to SPLC's Richard Cohen right after the Corkins incident:

Contrary to what the FRC has repeatedly claimed, we do not list the FRC as a hate group because of its opposition to gay marriage or because of its religious beliefs. Instead, we list the FRC because it engages in baseless, incendiary name-calling and spreads demonizing lies about the LGBT community.

The FRC portrays gay people as sick, evil, perverted, incestuous and a danger to the nation. It insists that gay people are “fundamentally incapable” of providing good homes for children – a myth that has been rejected by all relevant scientific authorities. One of its key leaders has actually said that homosexual behavior should be criminalized.

Perhaps the FRC’s most dangerous lie is its claim that pedophilia is a “homosexual problem,” to use Perkins’ words. Here’s what the American Psychological Association says: “Despite a common myth, homosexual men are not more likely to sexually abuse children than heterosexual men are.” The APA adds, “There is no scientific support for fears about children of lesbian or gay parents being sexually abused by their parents or their parents’ gay, lesbian or bisexual friends or acquaintances.”

Linking the LGBT community to pedophilia is not an expression of a religious belief, as Perkins would have it. It’s simply a lie – and a particularly ugly one at that. Constantly portraying gay people as sick, evil, perverted, incestuous and a danger to the nation simply adds fuel to the fire.

It's one thing to be bullheaded and stubborn when it comes to beliefs, but this issue of why SPLC designated FRC to be a hate group has been covered repeatedly. Enough times to for Perkins to know that his claim is false.

In other words, Tony Perkins is lying. And he knows that he is lying every time he makes that claim.

GLAAD has compiled a list of comments by FRC president Tony Perkins and spokesperson Peter Sprigg which more than proves SPLC's points about FRC. For example:

Tony Perkins:

 Says about gay people: “They are intolerant. They are hateful. They are vile. They are spiteful"..."pawns" of the "enemy.” (See 1:30 mark.)

Claims LGBT activists are going to "start rolling out the boxcars" and carting away Christians (a reference to the Holocaust)

Claims gay parents ''provide distorted values to innocent adopted kids"

Despite what health experts have said, insists that pedophilia is “a homosexual problem.”

Peter Sprigg:

 “I would much prefer to export homosexuals from the United States than to import them into the United States, because we believe that homosexuality is destructive to society.” (See 0:11 mark here.) [*NOTE: A week later, Peter rolled back his statements, saying he "used language that trivialized the seriousness of the issue and did not communicate respect for the essential dignity of every human being as a person created in the image of God"]

Says he wants to see being gay punished by law: “I think that the Supreme Court decision in Lawrence v. Texas, which overturned the sodomy laws in this country, was wrongly decided. I think there would be a place for criminal sanctions against homosexual behavior.”

Claims: “There is, for example, a single and simple solution for smoking-related illnesses, and we have all heard it—‘If you don’t smoke, don’t start. If you do smoke, quit.’  It’s long past time for public health authorities to say the same” (about being gay)

Claims transgender men and women "are people who DENY who they really are;" says laws protecting transgender individuals "force private actors to affirm delusions"

It's relatively sad to consider that Perkins and the Family Research Council have gotten away with what they have been doing for so long. One reason may be because they are so deeply entrenched in the jaded Washington D.C. Beltway that they are given somewhat of a free pass by the media. After all, many members of that group has referred to Perkins as an evangelical or faith leader on a number of occasions, in spite of his vicious dehumanization of the lgbt community.

But every time Perkins is referred to as a "faith leader" and every time he gains access to the media without having to answer for his statements against the lgbt community is a poor indictment on not just the Washington D.C. Beltway media, but all American media in general.