Viciously homophobic interview confirms HRC's 'Export of Violence' report

Earlier today, I published a piece about an explosive report by the Human Rights Campaign, The Export of Hate, which pointed out how various anti-gay figures were peddling lies and propaganda to foreign countries in an attempt to spread anti-gay hate abroad.

My piece also pointed out some individuals spotlighted in the report were claiming that HRC was lying about them, targeting them for violence, and attacking them simply for their Christian beliefs.

Well the following interview refutes those lies. It's between anti-gay talking head and Colorado state legislature candidate Gordon Klingenschmitt, and another anti-gay figure who is spotlighted in HRC's report, Paul Cameron.

Based on what you are about to see and hear, these two videos need no introduction.






However, there are two things you should keep in mind.

1. Cameron is a discredited researcher who is head the Southern Poverty Law Center-designated hate group the Family Research Institute. Almost two decades ago, he was THE go-to man for anti-gay propaganda even though he was known to be a quack who pushed such theories as gay men stuffing gerbils up their rectums.

His work has been cited on more than one occasion by many anti-gay groups from the Family Research Council to the American Family Association. As his history of fraud became widely known, these groups distanced themselves from him without so much as an apology for using him as a source in the first place.

But not totally. Last year, Bryan Fischer of the American Family Association conducted an interview with Cameron, allowing him to freely cite the lies which got him dismissed  and censured from the American Psychological Association and the American Sociological Association in the 80s.

2. According to HRC's report, The Export of Hate (pgs 11-12)

Cameron has visited Russia and Eastern Europe repeatedly since 2008 to peddle his “research.” In June 2008, Cameron first appeared at a roundtable on “deviation of social norms in modern society” at Moscow State University.  In October of that year, he was in Moldova to lecture on the “demographic disaster” that he believes is being unleashed by contraception and rights for LGBT people and women. Cameron returned to Moldova in 2011 to lobby against anti-discrimination laws. The Moldovan government took Cameron’s message to heart and in 2013 passed a law banning LGBT “propaganda,” but it was quickly repealed as part of the nation’s drive to join the European Union. Cameron has also appeared elsewhere in Eastern Europe, including a controversial trip to Poland in 2009 when he was turned away from giving a speech on homosexuality at a university and forced to find a new venue after a newspaper learned of his background.

Cameron also returned to Russia in 2013, to address a Duma roundtable on “family values.”  Cameron’s presence was intended to bolster support for a bill that targeted gay and lesbian parents and threatened to take away their children. Cameron’s testimony was full of false statistics, including the “fact” that one in three gay people support having sex with children. Duma member Alexander Sidyakin later tweeted that Cameron’s testimony was evidence that children should be taken away from LGBT parents and adopted by other families.

Even in countries Cameron has not visited personally, his influence has been felt. The original authors of Uganda’s horrific anti-homosexuality law cited Cameron’s work alongside that of Scott Lively when drafting their bill. When the bill was passed into law in 2014, Cameron openly applauded and claimed that harsh penalties were needed to discourage homosexuality, just like murder.

Just more proof that any ideas that HRC's report is an attempt to silence Christians  or subject them to violence is a lie.  Those who believe this tripe should be less fearful of HRC's report and more fearful that they think Cameron is the type of person who encompasses a true Christian.

Editor's note - Cameron's "statistics" were widely cited to create illustrations for the 1985 comic book, Deathstyle. I used these illustrations in my booklet, How They See Us: Unmasking the Religious Right War on Gay America. The purpose of How They See Us was to demonstrate the roots of anti-gay propaganda and how it doesn't change over the years.

Hat tip to Right Wing Watch for the Cameron interview.

'Family Research Council's Tony Perkins gives dodgy answer on anti-gay propaganda' & other Tuesday midday news briefs

Tony Perkins, Family Research Council President, On Claim Of Link Between Homosexuality And Pedophilia - Dear Family Research Council head Tony Perkins, the three word answer you gave about the organizations which have accused you and your organization of linking homosexuality to pedophilia only proves your hypocrisy, lack of integrity, and total disregard for truth, particularly in light of the fact that you are on record making this link. You do nothing but underscore that the Family Research Council will collapse under the weight of all of its homophobic lies. If I were you, I would buy a hard hat. 

Faith, LGBT People, & the Midterm Elections - GLAAD comes out with a guide for journalist who challenge anti-gay spokespeople who claim to be speaking on the grounds of faith. This is an excellent resource to have.  

Stop Persecuting Us! Five Religious Right Tactics On Clear Display At The Values Voter Summit - Another handy guide to have.  

Why It’s A Myth That LGBT People Are Financially Well Off - I can look in my bank account and debunk THAT myth.  

FRC senior staffer: 'Ex-Gays: The Best Kept Secret in Your Child’s School'  - Coming Friday, the second annual "Ex-Gay Awareness Month' Conference  (I know. I got a little nauseous, too).

Anti-gay leaders can't refute HRC 'Export of Hate' report

Last week, the Human Rights Campaign unveiled a stunning report which accused various religious right leaders of spreading anti-gay hate and propaganda abroad.

The Export of Hate called out several religious right leaders, including Peter LaBarbera, Paul Cameron, and Scott Lively.

They spew venomous rhetoric, outrageous theories, and discredited science. Some claim that LGBT people are responsible for the Holocaust, the Rwandan genocide, and the spread of HIV/AIDS. Others argue that LGBT people are luring away children, and that acceptance of LGBT people will lead to the destruction of families around the world. Some even suggest that the death penalty could be an appropriate punishment for simply being LGBT.

HRC's report also includes  short videos spotlighting each leader.

Now these individuals had every opportunity to refute the report. The following are various responses they gave:

Peter LaBarbera -   LaBarbera says he’s tempted to “laugh off HRC’s shenanigans,” but he understands some people with a violent bent might take action against him on account of the report. LaBarbera, Peter“Basically they're trying to create an image of pro-family Christians as being the haters that they claim we are,” he says. “We don't hate homosexuals. We don't hate anybody," the activist counters. "We simply want people to repent and turn away from homosexual behavior. But because we're not haters they had to create hateful images to associate with us.”

Scott Lively - I believe they are now deliberately trying to incite murder against me and every other person on their enemies list . . .Because I am a Bible-believing Christian I am not afraid of death. But neither am I volunteering for martyrdom. As of today I am for the first time going to start taking precautions against the possibility of being assassinated by agents of the LGBT movement. For one thing, I will no longer publicize my travel schedule in advance.

Michael Brown -  I'm here to the put the HRC on notice: Your fear-mongering tactics will be exposed and, speaking for myself (but with confidence that my words apply to others), I will not bow down to your bullying tactics or your rap-sheet nonsense.

Robert Oscar Lopez - This is a teachable moment because it reveals a great deal about what makes the Human Rights Campaign tick. They’re after your kids, plain and simple; all their other issues are mere window dressing. They have convinced themselves that gays are a tribe unto themselves, so their consuming goal is to populate the tribe so they don’t disappear. Parenthood is their great white whale. They want to have children to love them and call them Mom and Dad. They need to get those children from you because biology prevents them from siring them naturally. Gentlemen readers, these folks are trying to find a way to get the sperm out of your testicles and into their laboratories; lady readers, these folks need to find a way to implant an embryo of their sperm in your womb, keep you obedient during the gestation, and take your baby away forever.

While all of these individuals played the "fear card," not one outright denied the charges of HRC's report. The only person who came relatively close was Michael Brown, but he sidestepped HRC's pertinent accusation:

And I simply reported the facts in terms of American culture and education and the media and religious rights in light of LGBT advances.

That in itself, as well as the absolutely shrill responses, proves that HRC's report was a huge success. It struck a raw nerve.