'Gay hotelier lied about his meeting with anti-gay Sen. Ted Cruz' & other Friday midday news briefs.

Sen. Ted Cruz

Gay Hotelier Ian Reisner Lied About Cutting Check for Ted Cruz Presidential Campaign - The controversy involving gay hotelier Ian Reisner and anti-gay senator Ted Cruz, i.e. the one in which Reisner said that he was being attacked for merely wanting to establish a dialogue with Cruz and that no money was given during the meeting. The controversy which led to an internal conversation regarding the so-called "intolerance" of gays. Well the narrative was all wrong. Reisner conveniently didn't mention the check he gave Cruz, which puts an entirely new dynamic on the situation. It also proves that sometimes the lgbt community need to stick to our guns rather than being bamboozled into concern trolling ourselves. 

North Carolina Governor Vetoes ‘License To Discriminate’ Bill - This took place yesterday and had the lgbt community reeling . . . in a positive way.  

Pat Robertson: Gay Men Are Pedophiles Who Want To Recruit Your Sons (Video) - Part 35,0000. Seeing that Sen. Marco Rubio chose Pat Robertson's show to whine about anti-Christian persecution, I would love to hear his take on this.  

Let Love Define Family Series Looks At 'Religious Freedom' Bills - This NEEDS to be noted.  

Transgender People Talk About Coming Out #TransStories - These are wonderful stories.

Comedy site 'Funny or Die' nails The Duggars with a biting satire

The site Funny or Die puts its spin on the Duggars controversy and actually gets to heart of the matter in a biting satire:

The Duggars Respond To Sexual Abuse Scandal from Funny Or Die

Family Research Council spokesman defends countries which persecute gays

FRC's Peter Sprigg defends countries persecuting gays.

This morning, I wrote about how the Family Research Council exploited actual cases of anti-Christian persecution in the Middle East in order to showcase phony anecdotes of anti-Christian persecution in this country.

In an irony which would be funny if it weren't so vile, FRC spokesman Peter Sprigg yesterday actually criticized the Obama Administration for its work against countries which persecute gays.

According to Right Wing Watch:

 . . . on yesterday’s edition of “Washington Watch,” FRC senior fellow Peter Sprigg — who once called for the U.S. to “export homosexuals” — criticized Randy Berry, the Special Envoy for the Human Rights of LGBT Persons, for reportedly traveling to travel to Uganda and Jamaica, where homosexuality is also criminalized. Sprigg said that Berry and the Obama administration are trying to “force this American-style homosexual agenda down the throats of other countries” such as Uganda, “which is one of the countries which has been most bitterly attacked by homosexual activists around the world.”

For the record, Sprigg is actually defending anti-gay persecution in Jamaica where, according to a Human Rights Watch report entitled Not Safe at Home:

LGBT citizens in Jamaica are often driven from their communities by neighbors and sometimes even family. Some health professionals stigmatize them by casting judgment on their sexuality when they seek care. Police protection against bias and physical attacks is generally poor.

And in Uganda, where laws and persecution against gays have been the subject of international unrest for a number of years.

But to Sprigg and the Family Research Council, gays and the Obama Administration are at fault for attempting to put an end to this persecution.

I guess that makes one thing clear -  we know that the Family Research Council supports the persecution of gays in foreign countries, but its obvious that the group doesn't care about anti-Christian persecution in foreign countries, that is unless it can exploit the cases for its own benefit.

'Fox News tiptoed around the Duggar scandal' & other Thursday midday news briefs

Fox News Devoted Less Than Two Minutes To The Duggar Controversy - It's not that I want Fox News to go buckwild on the Duggars scandal, but we all know that if this situation involved a prominent lgbt activist, the network would have probably devoted several shows and a prime time special to it. 

Rick Santorum's 5 Worst Smears: Attacking Gay Rights, Working Women & Church-State Separation - Like some sentient fungus, Rick Santorum just won't go away. He is taking another chance at running for president. Just in case he tries to "retool" his image, let's not forget his past positions, particularly on lgbt equality. 

Family Research Council exploits true victims of religious persecution to fundraise - A reminder of this morning's post. The Family Research Council is so sleazy, it would blame Job's calamities on the lgbt community in order to make a little money.  

Divisive anti-gay marriage bill falls in Texas Legislature - And another one bites the dust. The problem is that there are so many others in waiting.  

Why The Assault On LGBT Rights In The Texas Legislature Failed - The Texas legislature in general was seriously "jonesing" to kick lgbt equality square in the teeth. But it looks like the anti-gay bills all failed, leaving the Texas lgbt community feeling like Buster Keaton in that movie where the house fell on him, but left him unharmed because he stood in the path of an open window.

Family Research Council exploits true victims of religious persecution to fundraise

Leave it to the Family Research Council to sink to a new low in order to fundraise. I received the following email from FRC president Tony Perkins:


Please Take a Stand for Persecuted Christians In America . . . and Everywhere!

When I testified before U.S. Senators about religious persecution, I wore it.

When I testified before the United Nations about religious persecution, I wore it.

When I travel around the country wearing it, people ask me what it stands for—and it helps open their hearts to Christ and His people.

"It" is a simple lapel pin.

The pin features the Arabic letter "N" (which looks like a "U" with a dot above it).

ISIS uses this, "N" when wanting to identify Nasrani, or Nazarene, followers of Christ.

In the Middle East today . . . it means persecution and death for your fellow Christians.

But I'm asking you today to let me send you a Nasrani Pin to show you stand with persecuted Christians overseas . . . to show you stand for Jesus and His people anywhere . . . and to show you stand with FRC against the growing persecution here as well.

When ISIS terrorists—Islamic jihadist radicals—enter towns in northern Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East, they find out where the Christians live and work.

The terrorists issue a three-way ultimatum: Convert to Islam . . . or pay a crushing religious tax that many can't afford . . . or be brutally executed.

And if the Christians won't renounce their faith?

Their home or business is marked with the "N." They are marked as Nasrani: followers of Jesus of Nazareth. And they pay a heavy price.

Christian children, moms, dads, the elderly are being massacred. Some are crucified. Some are beheaded. Some are shot. Some are bled to death by having their throats cut as they are held still. Some are tortured before enduring any of these deaths.

They are the Nasrani martyrs.

They will not renounce their Lord.

Will you stand with them today? Will you claim the same Nasrani mark? Will you stand with FRC's efforts to wake up the slumbering U.S. government and United Nations to their plight . . . even as FRC also stands against persecution of Christians in America?

When you support FRC's efforts to stand for religious freedom—in other words, to stand for persecuted Christians in the United States as well as overseas—I will send you a Nasrani Pin as my thank you.

So far so good. I don't believe anyone should be physically attacked, murdered, or terrorized simply because of their faith. I actually commend FRC for bringing attention to this. BUT then the letter adds the following:

Clemson coach disassociates himself from anti-gay group after backlash from SC lgbts, allies

Dabo Swinney

In terms of lgbt activism, states like New York and California or the cities therein seem to grab all of the attention.

It's easy to forget that other states have lgbt activists who fight the good fight and generally win.

Take South Carolina for example, where folks got together and convinced Clemson's football coach Dabo Swinney not to attend an event held by an anti-gay group:

After protests over Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney's scheduled attendance at an event for a conservative group that opposes gay marriage, Swinney said Wednesday he is not taking part.

"After much thought, in order to avoid a distraction for the team and the entire football program, I've decided it is in the best interests of all involved that I not attend the event on June 2," he told The Huffington Post in a statement.

 . . . Swinney was scheduled to be honored June 2 at a fundraiser in Columbia, South Carolina, by the council, which says its "vision is to transform the culture in South Carolina by promoting the values and virtues of marriage, the traditional family model, and sexual purity."

GLAAD Vice President of Programs Zeke Stokes said in a statement: "Coach Swinney has an obligation to the players he leads and all students who attend Clemson to use his considerable profile to promote causes that bring us together, not tear us apart. The Palmetto Family Council's values are out of line with the values of love and acceptance for all people, and I hope the Coach will reconsider the message that his alignment with them sends."

Earlier, LGBT supporters, led by student William Ta'oma, launched a Change.org petition calling for Swinney to reconsider the invitation 

Even a state legislator, Todd Rutherford, called for Swinney to turn down the invite:

“I find it highly inappropriate that Coach Swinney would appear at a fundraiser for an organization that is so openly discriminatory and politically motivated,” the House Minority Leader said in a statement published by The State. “I cannot fathom why Coach Swinney or anyone else would knowingly assist a group whose mission is to fight against equal rights and equal treatment of others.”

Jeffy Ayers, interim director of SC Equality, praised Swinney's decision to withdraw.  “We commend Coach Swinney for having the courage to stand up and show this respect for diversity," he said. “Clemson students, alumni, faculty, and staff come from all walks of life, and we rely on role models like Coach Swinney to show the world that South Carolina’s community leaders will not stand for intolerance and hate.”

So this is somewhat of a victory, but I have a caveat.

The Palmetto Family Council goes way beyond opposing marriage equality. It also pushes totally inaccurate information about lgbts. On the portion of its webpage talking about "sexuality," PFC links to a Family Research Council brochure entitled The Top Ten Harms of Same-Sex Marriage. This brochure is filled with errors, including distortions of legitimate scientific work and studies deliberately taken out of context.

In addition, PFC also links to the discredited organization NARTH, or the  National Association of Research and Therapy of Homosexuality. This group promotes the unproven idea that people can change their sexual orientation. This theory has been condemned by many legitimate scientific groups, such as the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, and the American Psychological Association.

Those protesting against Swinney's appearance at the PFC event actually did him a favor. He would have been helping to promote the above mess by his appearance.

And what message would that send to lgbt football players he could potentially coach?

'Ireland vote for marriage equality affirms religious beliefs' & other Wednesday midday news briefs

Why Thousands Of Catholics Voted For Marriage Equality In Ireland - Marriage equality being passed via a referendum in Ireland was not a repudiation of the Catholic Church but an affirmation of the Catholic religion. Discuss.  

Ireland Gay Marriage Vote Is A 'Defeat For Humanity,' Vatican Official Says - Speaking of the Catholic Church, they aren't exactly pouring champagne over the passage of marriage equality in Ireland. 

Don't fall for Marco Rubio's phony fear of so-called 'intolerant' gays - Repeating my post from last night because it just sticks in my craw that Marco Rubio can get away with labeling gays as intolerant on a program owned by a man who falsely blamed gays for 9/11 (Pat Robertson) and NO ONE in the media notes the irony. 

 Audio: Will you please stop 'attacking' NOM president for saying your sexual orientation, family are 'disordered'? - Yeah, cause that sort of thing is . . . "intolerant" . . . I guess. 

 More Advertisers Drop '19 Kids And Counting' In Wake Of Child Molestation Scandal - Cash. Rules. Everything.  

Roy Moore: Impeach Ruth Bader Ginsburg Over Gay Marriage Case - And in similar news, I want that hot movie writer and producer Mike White to come knocking on my door with wedding ring in hand. Doesn't mean it's going to happen.

Don't fall for Marco Rubio's phony fear of so-called 'intolerant' gays

Sen. Rubio exploits his faith to obscure bigotry.

"Claiming that gays are intolerant on a television show owned by the man who falsely blamed gays for the worst terrorist attack on American soil strikes me as something an actual Christian couldn't do with a straight face.But Rubio did with not only a straight face but also with a figurative fake halo over his head."

There is no polite way to put this so I am just going to come out and say it.

Senator Marco Rubio is a liar. He is a charlatan. He is a fraud who is no different than so many so-called Bible-believing Republicans who exploit religion and "their faith" in an effort to provide cover for their homophobia.

Today, he was given a friendly interview on Pat Robertson's 700 Club in which he played "the game" pretty good. Amongst other things, he said:

“We are at the water’s edge of the argument that mainstream Christian teaching is hate speech,” he explained, “because today we’ve reached the point in our society where if you do not support same-sex marriage, you are labeled a homophobe and a hater. So what’s the next step after that, after they’re done going after individuals? The next step is to argue that the teachings of mainstream Christianity, the catechism of the Catholic Church, is hate speech. That’s a real and present danger.”

The "game" I speak of  has been played on many occasions and by many people from one-note politicians to two-bit media hacks with badly researched books to sell. It's the claim that gays are actually the intolerant ones and that we are automatically labeling "Christians" as haters and bigots if we don't agree with their speech or beliefs.

It's a deliberate tactic used by those against marriage equality  and it is designed to take attention away from the actual folks we should be concerned about, i.e. same-sex families and their children.

And the tactic also has a much more nefarious purpose. It also takes attention away from a crucial part of the battle over marriage equality and lgbt equality in general. Rubio and those on his side can take about their "faith" continuously, but note that while they do this, they never talk about their tactics.

Tactics like deliberately playing the African-American and gay community against one another,

or implying that marriage equality will corrupt and indoctrinate children, even while one of their leaders said that this idea was a deliberate lie,

or attempting to deceive the Supreme Court with a phony study speaking about the so-called negative effects of same-sex households.

Even if you didn't talk about these things, one shouldn't forget whose program on which Rubio chose to espouse his faith. The 700 Club, owned by Pat Roberston, i.e. the same man who (along with the late Jerry Falwell) blamed 9/11 partly on gays.

Claiming that gays are intolerant on a television show owned by the man who falsely blamed gays for the worst terrorist attack on American soil strikes me as something an actual Christian couldn't do with a straight face.

But Rubio did with not only a straight face but also with a figurative fake halo over his head.

And even if one ignored all of those things, Rubio still has some explaining to do regarding the host of one of his fundraisers who has ties to an African dictator who endorsed gay beheadings.

Naturally, Rubio won't mention these offenses committed by those on his side of the argument or himself.  He will just drone on and on about his faith and how he feels that his beliefs are in danger of being labeled as "intolerant." Meanwhile, people will ignore the tactics those on his side commit, which are the reasons why they are referred to as bigots or homophobes.

It's not Rubio's beliefs which are the problem. It's what he may be deliberately omitting that's the problem. That is crux of the matter. That is the reason why Rubio is such a fake Christian  in a congregation of evangelical and ecclesiastical liars. He is the epitome of what religious right conservatives are in contrast to what they claim to be.

Don't be deceived by people like Rubio. Their eyes may be looking towards heaven, but you can't mistake the smell of brimstone on their bodies.

'Conservatives, religious right learn NOTHING from Josh Duggar scandal' & other Tuesday midday news briefs

Marco Rubio: Gay Rights 'A Real And Present Danger' To Freedom - Conservatives, religious right learn NOTHING from Josh Duggar scandal Part 1 

Religious Right Groups Warn Gay Boy Scout Leaders Will Sexually Molest And Recruit Boys Into Homosexuality - Conservatives, religious right learn NOTHING from Josh Duggar scandal Part 2.

Texas House To Consider Horrific Anti-LGBT Adoption Amendment - It never ends with these people . . . 

Pastor’s Wife Says Josh Duggar Was Just ‘Playing Doctor’ And Blames Victims - Guuuuurrrllllllll!

 Graduation to Womanhood: Being Transgender at a Southern College - Awesome story!! 

Inside Out: Portraits Of Cross-Gender Children' Beautifully Documents Transgender Kids - Wonderful!

Video of a pro-marriage equality landslide vote in Ireland!

 Last week, Ireland became the first country ever to pass marriage equality through a public referendum and the vote wasn't even a nailbiter. A huge majority of voters (over 60 percent) showed  that they were in favor of marriage equality. Enjoy the video of a nation of happy lgbt couples and their supporters.

And ask yourself, why are some people so afraid of this.

'Fans rush to defend Josh Duggar' & other Friday midday news briefs

‘Boys are curious': Meet the Duggar defenders using religion to excuse fondling your sleeping sisters - Even in the midst of the scandal, Josh Duggar and his family has their defenders . . . 

‘Here are 6 of the most horrifying examples of the Duggars’ homophobia  - . . . who seem to not only justify what Duggars did but also miss the big point of hypocrisy.  
 
Montel Williams Goes Off on ‘Scumbag’ Josh Duggar: ‘Gay People Are the Danger to Kids?’ - Montel Williams gets the point, though.

The Family Research Council’s Strange Statement On Josh Duggar’s Child Molestation Confession - Meanwhile, Duggar's former employer, the Family Research Council is left in a stupor because a central point it makes, i.e. gays are harmful to children, just got blown up in its face.

Josh Duggar resigns from the Family Research Council after incidents of past molestations resurface

Josh Duggar

This is NOT meant to be celebratory news. Just an observation regarding anti-gay lies and people who live in glass houses:

Josh Duggar, the eldest son of conservative icons Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar of TLC’s 19 Kids and Counting fame, has announced that he is resigning from his position at the Family Research Council following revelations that he molested several young girls, including some of his sisters according to TMZ, when he was a teenager.

In Touch magazine first published details from the 2006 police report that showed that when Duggar was 14 he confessed to his father that he had sexually molesting five young girls. But Jim Bob waited more than a year before alerting the police and his since tried to keep the felony investigation out of the public eye.

“Twelve years ago, as a young teenager, I acted inexcusably for which I am extremely sorry and deeply regret. I hurt others, including my family and close friends,” the now 27-year-old Josh Duggar told People magazine in a statement Thursday. “I confessed this to my parents who took several steps to help me address the situation. We spoke with the authorities where I confessed my wrongdoing, and my parents arranged for me and those affected by my actions to receive counseling. I understood that if I continued down this wrong road that I would end up ruining my life.” 

Duggars, as well as other members of his family were vocal regarding their stance against lgbt equality, particularly marriage equality.  According to the Huffington Post:

 The Duggar family has found themselves in the midst of several controversies surrounding LGBT issues. In August, Michelle Duggar narrated a robocall asking voters to oppose a bill aimed at strengthening protections for transgender residents of Fayetteville, Arkansas. And in November, the family allegedly removed photos of a same-sex couple kissing from their Facebook page.

Last year, Duggar led a rally against marriage equality in Arkansas when he said the following:

“Arkansans should not face the threat of fines or being sued for living out the deeply-held convictions of their faith. We have the First Amendment in this nation, and we have the right to live out our faith. The rally will send a strong reminder to Arkansas Supreme Court Justices that an overwhelming majority of voters, 75 percent, voted to preserve marriage as the union of a man and a woman,”

Right Wing Watch points out that in December of last year, he led a campaign to defeat a non-discrimination ordinance in Arkansas, claiming that it would threatened the safety of children.

I'm sure that there will be plenty of words. But as I said before, this is nothing to celebrate. Just a reminder that those who become so high and mighty that they see nothing wrong with scapegoating  others would be best served to remember what is hiding in their own dark closets before pointing the finger.
 

Sen Ted Cruz thinks gay marriages will become 'mandatory'

Editor's note - Due to computer problems,  today's news briefs were canceled.

Along with the vile allegiance to anti-gay discrimination, Sen. Ted Cruz turns a strange phrase in this video. Starting at .20, he mentions something about "mandatory gay marriages." It was not a mistake by Cruz but a deliberate talking point. According to Salon:

"Mandatory same-sex marriage” and “mandatory gay marriage” are actual terms that Ted Cruz has been running around warning the masses about. It is a staple of his talking points on the issue."

MSNBC  also noted that Cruz has been using the phrase "mandatory gay marriage" on numerous occasions.

Anti-gay groups, their spokespeople, and supporters are uniquely skilled in repeating phrases, memes, and claims designed to sway the public in their favor, but I don't see it happening here with Cruz's insistence on using the talking point of "mandatory gay marriages."

It's an idiotic phrase which does nothing to turn the public against marriage equality. I think it puts people in the opposite mindset because it implies that the opposition to marriage equality is getting hysterically paranoid.

You won't find many people who believe that pro-marriage equality laws will force people to enter same-sex marriages.  But you will find them questioning the intelligence of those who do.

Bryan Fischer enters drama queen territory and begins making space

As we get nearer to the Supreme Court's decision on marriage equality, the American Family Association's Bryan Fischer is getting more shriller with her his calls to alarm.

Sorry for the punctuation error there, but Fischer has totally entered "drama queen" territory and is now making space for himself:

Anti-gay groups own the patent on scientific distortions

The sad fact that a pro-gay study has turned out to be fraudulent would only be made worse should, when discussing this situation, folks forget that anti-gay groups have practically wrote the book on distorting science.

FOF's Tom Minnery distorted science in 2011.

By now, I am sure many of you have heard about this monstrosity of a situation:

A study claiming that gay people advocating same-sex marriage can change voters’ minds has been retracted due to fraud. . . . The study was published last December in Science, and received lots of media attention (including from BuzzFeed News). It found that a 20-minute, one-on-one conversation with a gay political canvasser could steer voters in favor of same-sex marriage. Not only that, but these changed opinions lasted for at least a year and influenced other people in the voter’s household, the study found.

Donald Green, the senior author on the study, retracted it on Tuesday shortly after learning that his co-author, UCLA graduate student Michael LaCour, had faked the results. Science posted an official “editorial expression of concern” — a very big deal in the science world — on Wednesday afternoon.

“I am deeply embarrassed by this turn of events and apologize to the editors, reviewers, and readers of Science,” Green, a professor of political science at Columbia University, said in his retraction letter to the journal, as posted on the Retraction Watch blog.

I am personally furious for the obvious reasons that a pro-gay study turned out to be fraudulent, but also I can just imagine how anti-gay groups and spokespeople will attempt to spin this.  If they are smart, they would be wise to remain in their glass houses.

'Jindal enforcing anti-gay discrimination via executive order?' & other Wednesday midday news briefs

Jindal

Bobby Jindal Vows To Enforce Religious Freedom Measure Through Executive Order - Good news - the Louisiana legislature killed that awful anti-gay "religious liberty" bill. BAD NEWS - Gov. Bobby Jindal is pushing it through via an executive order. Oh yeah, Bobby. THAT will get you to the White House. 

Jindal: Protecting LGBT Rights Will Hurt Businesses In The Long Run - And naturally after he does that awful act, Jindal runs to the anti-gay hate group Family Research Council for cover. This post is specifically for those who underestimate the power of anti-gay groups and say the lgbt community shouldn't "give them any attention." 

 Backlash, Bullies, and Victory Blindness - Wonderful piece by my new friend Richard J. Rosendall on how conservatives (some who are gay) are attempting to undercut lgbt equality victories.  

Ted Cruz, Cornered Again on Gay Rights, Says ISIS is Worse Than He Is - But YOU were the one who said that marriage equality was the greatest threat to "religious freedom" and also implied something about "mandatory gay marriages." Don't deflect about ISIS when you can't stand the heat of the fire you started. 

 Host Of Rubio Fundraiser Was Foreign Agent For Dictator Who Endorses Gay Beheadings - Something to remember the next time Marco Rubio whines about being "labeled as a bigot." 

 Data Faked In Study About Gay People Changing Voters’ Minds - What the @%!$! There is absolutely NO EXCUSE for this type of behavior, especially from those who are supposed to be our allies. The only good thing which can come out of this is if and when the anti-gay right trumpet this situation, we can remind folks of the many, many times they have distorted science to demonize gays, INCLUDING a certain $850,000+ fraudulent study on gay parenting which blew up in their faces in time for the DOMA case at the Supreme Court. In fact, one can almost expect a stand alone post from me on these distortions so we can have a level playing field when it comes to just WHO likes to distort science.

'The New Black' explores relationship between black community & lgbt equality

After the 2008 Prop 8 vote, the African-American community shouldered the blame (whether unfairly or not) for that loss. Four years later, it was the African-American community which played a pivotal role in marriage equality coming to Maryland.

What changed over four year's time? If you ask me, it was less assumptions by lgbt community and more dialogue between that community and the African-American community as well as the basic acknowledgement of lgbts of color.

A wonderful film, The New Black, examines what happened in Maryland against the backdrop of the struggle of lgbt equality in the black community. Here is the trailer:



From The Huffington Post:

 The film is now enjoying a new life as part of an initiative to get students at historically black colleges and universities to talk about a longtime taboo in the African-American community — sexual identity and the church. The initiative is a project of the Human Rights Campaign, an advocate of LGBT equality, and Promised Land Films, the producers of the film. HRC designated $4,000 in grants to bring “The New Black” to so-called HBCUs. To date it has been shown at about a half-dozen schools, including Spelman College, Howard University and Tennessee State University. Chris Smith, an outreach coordinator for HRC, said the grant money covers the screenings and follow-up discussions.

Bobby Jindal exploits 'religious liberty' for public office

Don't be fooled by Bobby Jindal's false piety in the above ad. When Jesus was preaching the Sermon on the Mount and such, he wasn't doing it to gain power or get elected to any office. How sad it is that demagogues like LA Gov Bobby Jindal is exploiting Jesus' name. The ad may seem innocent, but let's not forget that "religious liberty" is a code word to anti-gay discrimination as much as "welfare queen" was a code word to black woman.

 McKay Coppins of Buzzfeed says the following:

Jindal has been out front in the religious freedom debate ever since December 2013, when Phil Robertson, the bearded family patriarch in A&E’s hit reality show Duck Dynasty, came under fire for the crude quotes he gave to GQ about homosexuality. After the cable network, facing boycott threats, announced it was suspending Robertson, Jindal rushed to his defense. Though often a punchline in secular political and media circles, Duck Dynasty — with its overt emphasis on Christian faith and family values — is hugely popular among religious conservatives in middle America. It also happens to be filmed in Jindal’s home state of Louisiana.

 . . .  Since becoming the face of the Robertsons’ conservative booster club, Jindal has set about expanding his religious freedom argument, speaking out forcefully in numerous public settings against legal compulsion for religious bakers and wedding photographers to participate in same-sex ceremonies, and condemning liberals who he says are trying to bully conservative people of faith like the Robertsons into submission or silence.

Jindal’s argument hasn’t always gotten through to the political class, where he is often viewed as a third-tier 2016 prospect prone to pandering. Last month, in a New York Times op-ed, he framed the debate over controversial religious freedom laws like the one in Indiana as a battle between conservatives and an unholy alliance of social progressives and big business. It was a uniquely populist pitch — aimed not just at social conservatives, but also blue-collar workers and middle-class Republicans who have little respect for the billionaires in their party’s business wing — but the point was largely lost to the news media, thanks in part to the Times’ headline: “Bobby Jindal: I’m Holding Firm Against Gay Marriage.”

I know a huckster when I see one and it's written all over Jindal's face.

Related posts:

Bobby Jindal's hypocritical spin on 'religious liberty' vs. anti-gay discrimination
  
Bobby Jindal wants to change the Constitution to suit his religion 

Bobby Jindal wants you to pray with THIS MAN

Bobby Jindal sidesteps controversy about rally by playing 'war on Christians' card 

The video Bobby Jindal probably doesn't want you to see before his prayer rally
 

'Irish priests make stunning move to support marriage equality' & other Tuesday midday news briefs

Marriage equality may be coming to Ireland (keep fingers crossed.)

Democratic House Freshman Aims To Ban LGBT Conversion Therapy As “Fraud” - Cue the "Christians are under attack" nonsense Part 1. 

Northern Irish Judge: Bakery That Refused Marriage Equality Cake Discriminated - Second verse, same as the first . . .  

Priests Defy Bishops To Support Marriage Equality In Ireland - You may not realize it, but days before the national referendum on marriage equality in Ireland this is a "HUGE DEAL." 

 Conservative Pundits Rail Against Dan Savage With Gay Jokes - Oh that's tacky. I mean really tacky (I wish I could say that like Maggie Smith.)  

Missouri Bus Driver Fired For Telling Little Girl She's Gay And Will Burn In Hell - OH PLEASE! PLEASE, Todd Starnes cover this story as a tale of supposed "religious persecution." PLEASE come to this bus driver's defense, Family Research Council. I am practically BEGGING YOU!  

North Carolina Teacher Omar Currie Reads His Class Gay Fable After Third-Grader Is Bullied - Before the anti-gay right puts their spin on this, here is the true story . . .

'Christian' publication, anti-gay spokespeople covering up the persecution of African lgbts

Janice Shaw Crouse helps to cover up persecution of African lgbts.

One News Now, the American Family Association's "online news source" just came out with an article attacking President Obama for his defense of African lgbts.

Of course it's one-sided with such excerpts as:

The Evangelical Alliance of Kenya, comprised of 700 pastors, welcomes Obama to visit their nation this summer — provided he stop pressuring Kenyans to forsake their religious convictions by endorsing the homosexual lifestyle.

“President Barack Obama is welcome to visit Kenya this summer — but please, leave the preaching to us,” the ecumenical coalition of religious leaders proclaimed.

Bishop Mark Kariuki, a megachurch pastor who advises some 700 pastors as the leader of the Evangelical Alliance of Kenya, says what isn’t welcome is a repeat performance of Obama scorning believers for not ascribing to his homosexual agenda.

“We would like to send a strong message to the U.S. president that the homosexuality debate should not become part of his agenda, as it has been his tendency whenever he comes to Africa,” Kariuki told Kenya’s Daily Nation newspaper on Monday.

 . . . Using funding — or the retraction of it — to persuade other nations to be on board with the worldwide push to embrace homosexual behavior, Western nations are doing all they can to normalize the unbiblical practice around the world.

. . . World Congress of Families Executive Director Janice Shaw Crouse says that Obama is indiscriminantly ramrodding the LGBT to uproot and destroy the religious and cultural mores that nations have embraced for millennia globally.

 . . . “There is a whole movement in which many people in the Obama administration are involved — Hillary Clinton at the forefront — that is pushing the ‘sexual rights’ agenda,” asserted Sharon Slater, who produced Cultural Imperialism: The Sexual Rights Agenda. “[African political leaders] were being blackmailed, bribed and bullied into accepting sexual rights that run counter to their religious and cultural values.”

Of course the article doesn't contain information regarding how African nations often target their own lgbt citizens in vicious acts of homophobic persecution. According to Salon, being gay is a crime in 38 of the 54 countries in Africa. In Kenya, lgbts are often beaten, given jail sentences of life imprisonment, brutally murdered, or gang-raped.

Last week, Gambian President Yahya Jammeh threatened to slit the throats of all gay men in the country.

And what's been going on in Uganda regarding anti-gay persecution needs no further introduction

These are the things that the Obama Administration have been fighting against. And these are the things you won't hear cited by One News Now or the folks they quote in their phony stories.

My question to the editors of One News Now, Crouse, etc is how can a Christian not only be against stopping the persecution of a fellow human being but also engage in steps to hide it?

'Jeb Bush mistakes 'tolerance' for being a doormat' & other Monday midday news briefs

Jeb Bush

Jeb Bush: A ‘tolerant country’ should allow discrimination based upon ‘religious beliefs’ - You ever notice that when folks who don't support lgbt equality talk about gays showing "tolerance," they always seem to mean "don't cry too loud when we stomp all over your rights and dignity."  I mean that's essentially what they are saying - "We will let you exist if you don't respond to all the times that we remind you that we don't want you to exist."

Is It Okay To Refuse Service To A Same-Sex Couple For Religious Reasons? Jeb Bush: ‘Absolutely.’ - More on this nonsense via Think Progress.  

Obama administration: Gambia president’s anti-gay threats ‘unconscionable’ - The president of Gambia threatened to slit the throats of his lgbt constituents. I'm going to remember to cite this the next time the anti-gay right claims that Obama is attempting to "force" homosexuality on the rest of the world. 

 US Christians ‘bankrolling’ no campaign in Ireland’s gay marriage referendum - Watch Ireland, keep your fingers crossed, and remember this article the next time NOM "poor mouths" about not having any money.  

A Bunch Of Guys Flooded A Black Lesbian Facebook Event With Racist Comments - Just some seriously unfunny homophobic crap!  

Seton Hall University Priest Says He Was Fired For Gay Marriage Support - The Silencing!!!

Homophobia so breathtakingly sick and nauseating - a gift from America to Uganda

It's common knowledge American anti-gay figures and groups went over to Africa and infected the continent with their lies and venom, thereby creating a veritable hell on Earth for lgbt Africans.

Thanks the HBO series, VICE, we see just how ugly it has become. There is no violence in this trailer, but what you will see and hear won't soon be forgotten

From The New Civil Rights Movement:

The latest episode of HBO's VICE, "A Prayer for Uganda," exposes what American Christian extremists, like Scott Lively, have done to the country of Uganda. A poor, landlocked nation of about 37 million people, Uganda has become synonymous with its "Kill The Gays" bill, that was debated for year, generating international condemnation and fear. It became law and then was tossed out by the Ugandan Supreme Court, but only on a technicality.

Family Research Council wants to silence Dan Savage sitcom. Will Kirsten Powers come to his defense? Of course not!

Dan Savage

Here is something for Kirsten Powers to write about. Oh wait. She only cares about "The Silencing" of conservative voices no matter how much vile they spew.

Us lgbts and liberals are on our own.

From a Family Research Council email:

What does an X-rated gay sex columnist have in common with Walt Disney? Nothing. And that's exactly the problem. Most Americans have probably never heard of Dan Savage, but unfortunately, that's all about to change this fall. Despite massive outcry -- thousands of phone calls, emails, and petition signers -- Disney's ABC is taking its LGBT activism to new lows with plans to bring the controversial Christian-basher to life in a sitcom called "The Real O'Neals."

Savage, whose "anti-bullying" videos are a favorite of the President's and Hollywood, has turned out to be the biggest bully of all -- using his platform as an opportunity to ridicule students and curse faith. Lately, though, the militant atheist has taken a break from hurling sexual threats at Republicans (warning: graphic content) to focus on this new fall sitcom, which producers say, "will follow the younger years of Savage's life and the experiences of his family following his decision to come out of the closet."

The trailer is already worse than anyone could imagine. When the show isn't mocking Christians, it's celebrating homosexuality. "…[I]t's a savage, if you will, caricature of a Catholic family and the Faith, where the parents are divorcing, one son has anorexia, the daughter runs a fake charity, and the son pictured in the middle is gay. Oh, and there's a Virgin Mary statue over the toilet."

While the Left is counting the days until the comedy airs, Savage's real-life legacy of bioterrorism and death threats is no joking matter. Our friends at Media Research Center (MRC) have come out swinging at ABC for glorifying a man whose dark attacks on Christians and conservatives are so profane that the network couldn't even air them on TV. Already, a coalition of organizations have sent a letter to ABC, asking the network to reconsider giving Savage another platform to be an apostle of division and hate. On Change.org, MRC's grassroots petition to get "The Real O'Neals" off the air has 10,000 signatures -- and counting. #CancelSavage is the cry on Twitter, where Americans are telling ABC to stop its one-sided attack on men and women of faith.

In other words, the Family Research Council and others are attempting to "silence" a show because it was created by Dan Savage. Granted, FRC lodges some accusations against Savage (with links to right-wing sites) but that is besides the point. The rallying cry of many anti-gays on the right  is that lgbts are attempting to silence those who disagree with us. Goodness knows they flood the airwaves and the bookstores with this tripe of a talking point.

And the concern trolls looking to make a buck aid and abet by giving ill-informed opinions or writing sloppy one-sided books on the matter.

How much do you want a bet that these concern trolls (particularly one blond pseudo-liberal)  will be silent over this situation instead of telling FRC to hush up and simply turn the channel. They are too busy collecting the bucks for unfairly labeling lgbts as bullies

For the record, here is a trailer for 'The Real O'Neals.' I find the show hilarious:

'Anti-gay attempt to silence Dan Savage comedy FAILS miserably' & other Friday midday news briefs

Bad news, religious right: ‘Pro-gay bully’ Dan Savage’s new sitcom is pretty hilarious - While a certain back-stabbing manipulator of the lgbt community is trolling the right-wing circuit advertising her sloppy book on how "liberals and gays are trying to silence people," an actual attempt at silencing has failed miserably. I think this show will be a smash. The preview is hilarious:

In other news:  

Unprecedented anti-gay marriage bill dies in Texas House - Well that explains my inexplicable good mood today. 

 What The Nation’s Doctors Say About Transgender Rights And Marriage Equality - This post underlines the problem when pundits begin talking about lgbt issues, particularly transgender issues. I could care less about what some shrewy pundit who has NO BACKGROUND in the issue has to say. Journalists owe it to the public to give us intelligent and informed opinions on these issues, such as what this post has done.  

Here's the latest conservative outlet equating gay rights with slavery; yes, slavery, and yes, literally - And the other side is constantly whining that lgbts don't want to debate the issues. How can you debate someone whose ideas sounds as if they come from a mental asylum? 

 Anti-LGBT Groups: Girls Scouts Running A 'Dangerous' 'Social Engineering Experiment On Children' - They are picking on the Girl Scouts again, y'all.  

Conservative Host Sandy Rios Thinks Amtrak Engineer's Sexuality Is 'A Factor' In Crash - But . . but. . . but if you challenged her by demonstrating how basically idiotic her claim is, you are "silencing" her!

Anti-gay Missouri state House Speaker resigns after affair revealed

The text messages which led to the downfall of an anti-gay legislator.

 

And part two of the incident regarding married and "righteous" Missouri state Speaker of the House (or should I say former) John Diehl has unfolded with the confession, apology, and resignation:

Diehl, 49, announced Thursday that he was resigning both the speakership and his legislative seat, a day after the Kansas City Star’s website reported that he had exchanged sexually charged messages with a college freshman who worked as a legislative intern. Calling the messages “a serious error in judgment,” Diehl, R-Town and Country, said in a statement that he was “willing to face the consequences” and leave public office.

 . . . The intern involved in the texting, Katie Graham, 19, of Joplin, released a statement Thursday evening identifying herself, thanking her supporters and expressing hope that the internship program would survive. “I want to thank everyone who has reached out to me during this difficult time,” Graham said. “Your support means a lot. This is extremely difficult for both families, and I hope everyone can begin the healing process. I strongly support the Missouri Capitol internship program, and hope it remains a positive experience for other students in the future.”

Far be it from me to pick or gloat, but as I said earlier this week when posting on this issue, according to Right Wing Watch:

Earlier this year, Diehl and the president pro-tempore of the state Senate filed an amicus brief in defense of the state’s anti-gay-marriage amendment, leading the Missouri Family Policy Council, the state affiliate of the Family Research Council, to praise the speaker “for demonstrating moral leadership and true integrity in standing up for the sacred institution of marriage and the family values of the people of Missouri.” The state affiliate of the Southern Baptist Convention thanked him for “fighting to defend biblical marriage.”

 . . .  Diehl also co-sponsored a 2012 bill to ban Gay-Straight Alliances in public schools, which read: “Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, no instruction, material, or extracurricular activity sponsored by a public school that discusses sexual orientation other than in scientific instruction concerning human reproduction shall be provided in any public school.” The St. Louis Post-Dispatch at the time called it a “hateful and unconstitutional attack on individual rights” and slammed Diehl for backing “a loathsome bill in a cynical attempt to garner support from the right wing.”

 

#TBT - Can anyone tell me about this 70s Australian tv drama called 'The Box'

I was trolling around youtube and found a clip from this Australian 70s drama called 'The Box.'  I know nothing about this show, but all I can say is that even in the 70s, America was beat out by other countries when it comes to depictions of gays:

'Bubbles and racism in the lgbt community' & other Thursday midday news briefs

Now Is the Time to Start Talking About Racism in the LGBT Community - WONDERFUL piece, which I have a small disagreement with. It's not so much as racism than it is bubbles. Unfortunately, large segments of my lgbt community live in bubbles which unfortunately insulates them from the fact that our struggle is multicultural and other voices and people need to be heard, celebrated and lifted up as leaders. Think of this from the perspective of a gay man. We have folks like Larry Kramer, Michelangelo Signorile, Vito Russo, Harvey Milk, Evan Wolfson. I refuse to believe that out there aren't gay men of color out there who we can see as reaching the same status in the lgbt community as these wonderful leaders have. They are out there, but do they get attention or time to shine? And do their opinions get as much respect as the folks mentioned? Or their contributions to the totality of the lgbt struggle for equality? I ask this question as a person who has wondered about this regarding the projects I have created and the posts I have written. 

Okay, let's talk about 'silencing' - And before folks accuse me of whining in the news item above, this wonderful post by Jeremy Hooper serves a dual purpose. It outlines just how the game is run on lgbts regarding "professional victimhood" and so-called censorship by the anti-gay right and their collaborators. Insulting a community and then pulling the "stop trying to silence me" card when you get responses for your comment is yet another way of "gaming the referee." It's an ugly tactic, but thanks to certain degrees of laziness by folks who should know better, it generally works.  

Gambian Dictator On LGBT People: ‘If You Do It Here, I Will Slit Your Throat’ - Remember what I said about the "multicultural struggle."  

Texas Bill Could Protect Welfare Providers Who Force Kids Into Gay Conversion Therapy - I won't "mess with Texas." I will just throw some holy water and anointing oil at the state.  

Marriage protection bill passes another hurdle in Alabama Legislature - You know, folks used to wait until AFTER the Supreme Court ruled in a way they didn't agree with before showing their proverbial asses.

Another anti-gay, oversexed, heterosexual hypocrite done caught, y'all

The above "sexually charged text messages" are from Missouri Speaker of the House John Diehl to a college intern. Diehl is married with three children. Naturally, the intern he traded messages with is NOT his wife.

It's certainly a juicy scandal, made more apropo to the lgbt community because according to Right Wing Watch:

Earlier this year, Diehl and the president pro-tempore of the state Senate filed an amicus brief in defense of the state’s anti-gay-marriage amendment, leading the Missouri Family Policy Council, the state affiliate of the Family Research Council, to praise the speaker “for demonstrating moral leadership and true integrity in standing up for the sacred institution of marriage and the family values of the people of Missouri.” The state affiliate of the Southern Baptist Convention thanked him for “fighting to defend biblical marriage.”

 . . .  Diehl also co-sponsored a 2012 bill to ban Gay-Straight Alliances in public schools, which read: “Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, no instruction, material, or extracurricular activity sponsored by a public school that discusses sexual orientation other than in scientific instruction concerning human reproduction shall be provided in any public school.” The St. Louis Post-Dispatch at the time called it a “hateful and unconstitutional attack on individual rights” and slammed Diehl for backing “a loathsome bill in a cynical attempt to garner support from the right wing.”

As with the case of SC Rep. Mark Sanford, LA Senator David Vitter, etc., etc., perhaps some folks need to stop accusing gays of attempting to ruin marriage and instead focus on those who claim to be defending it.

'Should Tim Cook hold Texas accountable for its homophobia?' & other Wednesday midday news briefs

Tim Cook

Why Tim Cook Should Threaten to Shut Down Apple Campus Amid Texas Anti-Gay Crusade - Texas has gone anti-gay crazy. Michelangelo Signorile thinks Apple CEO and out gay man Tim Cook can do something about it. What do you think? 

FDA releases plan to end lifetime ban on gay, bisexual blood donors - Wonderful idea. The only downside is envisioning Porno Pete LaBarbera going insane and posting dirty pics of gay men. Where does he get those anyway?  

How The FDA’s Revised Blood Ban Caters To Religious Anti-Gay Beliefs - Then again . . .  

Michigan ‘Death Star’ Bill Would Override Local Employment Laws, Including LGBT Protections - "Death Star" bill? I say we use that name. 

 Eureka Springs Upholds LGBT Protections; Anti-Gay Leader Blames Threats Against Christian Voters: VIDEO - THIS has been the talk of the morning. BTW I don't buy the claim that "Christians were scared to vote." 

 Fischer: Support For Gay Rights Is 'Evidence That Satan Exists' - No, honey. The fact that you have a job shows that Satan has an evil sense of humor.

Dear Phyllis Schafly, a lady always knows when to leave. Take the hint.

Phyllis Schafly

I know that conservatives assume that Phyllis Schafly is some type of arch-goddess of their movement, but there comes a time when some folks just need to be put out in the pasture.

The legendary Lena Horne is reputed to have once said "A lady always knows when to leave the room."

Ms. Schafly, take the hint. Or at least remember your gay son when you spin such trash as below:

In an interview with conservative radio host Chuck Wilder on Monday, Eagle Forum founder Phyllis Schlafly said that lawsuits against business owners who violate nondiscrimination measures by refusing service to gay and lesbian customers show that marriage equality advocates ultimately seek “to wipe out the Christian religion.” “Have you noticed that only Christian small-businesspeople have been harassed and sued for refusing to participate in same-sex marriages even though our fast-growing immigrant populations, you know of Muslims, Hindus and other faiths are also opposed to that concept?” Wilder asked. “The use of same-sex marriage to attack Christian businesses but not businesses run by members of other religions demonstrates what is really driving the demand for the new constitutional right to same-sex marriage.” “Well, that is right,” Schlafly responded. “They want to wipe out the Christian religion. And most of these other religions do not recognize same-sex marriage. I assume there are some Muslim bakers and photographers and other people who have been harassed, but they’re not being attacked and they’re not being criticized.”

US Congresswoman claims Christians are being persecuted in America but draws blank when asked for examples

The Family Research Council are going to be soooo angry at Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn:

At the South Carolina Freedom Summit, Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN 7) advocated State Department intervention when asked what role the United States should play in protecting Christians around the world:

One of the things that we should be doing here is being very strong in our stance with religious freedom in our country... Our allies around the globe want to see us stay strong on our rights and not erode those rights... With the human rights violations and religious persecutions around the globe, we need a State Department that is going to step in and say, "This is not acceptable."

Blackburn thought that Christians are being persecuted in the U.S., but could not give any examples when asked by this reporter. Watch her remarks below:

I think that says it all regarding this "Christian persecution" nonsense. Thank you, Congresswoman Blackburn

'The knife of Kirsten Powers' & other Tuesday midday news briefs

The supposed 'Silencing': How Kirsten Powers Is helping far-right sell pervasive meme - This situation brought me down yesterday and it is still poking at my mind today. Jeremy Hooper puts the entire situation in perspective better than I can. But in a nutshell, I learned an ugly truth. Sometimes when a pundit claims to be for lgbt equality, it is only for the knife to go deeper when they stab the community in the back. Such is the case with "Fox News liberal" Kirsten Powers. She has just published a "liberals and gays are trying to silence their critics" book, which should garner her much popularity and attention. I learned two things by this experience regarding her book. From the excerpts I read thus far, her book is no different than any of the books written by conservatives like Jonah Goldberg, Laura Ingraham, or Ann Coulter. Heck, the cover of Powers's book is clearly stolen from the cover of one of Coulter's book - i.e. skinny blond in fetching outfit standing defiantly with her hand on her hip besides the book title. Powers offers nothing new. It's not simply the idea that Powers is pushing. It's that the idea is pretty much a carbon copy of the other books which whines that liberals and gays are "silencing" people and she uses the same half-baked anecdotes already offered as proof of a conspiracy and flowery language to cover up the fact that her theory is simply a conservative wet dream. Powers is merely tracing, i.e. copying a formula and claiming that her spin on it is original when it is actually old and stale. The only difference being is that she is supposedly a "supporter" of lgbt equality. In essence, she is exploiting her so-called relationship with lgbts to sell her book. And the second thing I learned? From reading Jeremy's post, people like Powers are always whining about being silenced, but they generally (and probably deliberately) mistake debate challenging their ideas as attempts to silence them. Sorry for the long expository, but it depresses me when stories of our pursuit for equality are bastardized for profit, particularly those who are supposed to be on our side.

Breaking–Exclusive: Activist Admits Her Testimony To Senators On Texas Anti-Gay Bill Was False - This just took place. Watch how quickly some in the media will try to obscure this. 

 How To Assess The ‘Truth’ When Writing About Transgender People - This isn't difficult to do if folks were willing to learn rather than scare themselves.  

What Happened When A Gay Dad Challenged A School Over Its Cancelation Of An LGBT-Themed Play - Wonderful!  

Ireland Is About To Become The First Country To Vote For Same-Sex Marriage - Don't count the chickens before they hatch. And I hope they hatch very well.