SC Pride attacked by ministers who want to stereotype the festival

Supposed Christian ministers are attempting to smear SC Pride.

I KNEW that this was coming. There have been groups behind the scenes in Columbia, SC either planning to cauyse trouble for the state's lgbt community. Led by former lgbt ally, Councilman Cameron Runyan, these groups have been content to be somewhat hidden. And now, here they are, ready to start trouble

From WISTV:

Top officials for two religious organizations have asked Columbia City Council members to eliminate funding for gay pride activities.

Leaders of the South Carolina Baptist Convention and South Carolina Pastors Alliance appeared Tuesday afternoon at a council work session.

Council members were examining plans to allocate money generated by the city’s accommodations and hospitality tax programs.

The latest draft of those plans identifies 94 potential recipients, ranging from performing arts and theaters to schools, merchants associations, museums and environmental activists. The groups also include the South Carolina Pride Movement. The spending plan recommends $47,500 for SC Pride. Baptist Convention Public Policy spokesman Mark Hendrick told the council he could not in good conscience support “drag queen performances and things like that.”

“It’s very offensive to me and my family,” Hendrick said.

Hendrick’s position was echoed by Mike Gonzales, who serves as executive director of the South Carolina Pastors Alliance, which he says represents more than 500 churches statewide.

Gonzales says his group is “very offended” the city would allocate any money for a gay pride march. “We just want to be very clear that we are opposed to any taxpayer money going to any of these things,” Gonzales told the council.

Hendrick and Gonzales were not scheduled to speak to the meeting.

They were introduced by Councilman Cameron Runyan, who has been heavily criticized for his views by members of the city’s LGBT community.

I doubt these men have ever attended an SC Pride. I have attended several and for their edification, allow me to clarify certain things. SC Pride is a family friendly event which brings a lot of revenue to the city due to the attendance and attention it garners.

It sounds as if these ministers want to stereotype the SC Pride festival as a free-for-all of nudity event complete with, wanton lasciviousness, and immoral behavior. Sorry guys. but that's simply not true. Unless you think celebrating the diversity of South Carolina's lgbt community, complete with, yes ,drag queens, a petting zoo for the children, and lgbt-friendly churches, as wanton lasciviousness and immoral behavior.

The good news is that for now, the whines of these folks will probably fall on deaf ears for now. The bad news is that I have a feeling that this is the opening salvo to an ugly war of lies on South Carolina's lgbt community.

'Anti-gay right angry at T.D. Jakes' & other Tue. midday news briefs

T.D. Jakes

Editor's note - Tomorrow morning, I will be posting some exciting news about my booklet, How They See Us: Unmasking the Religious Right War on Gay America.  Because of the new fight over lgbt equality vs. so-called religious liberty, there has been a huge spike in readership. Look for the press release!

Religious Right Freaks Out About TD Jakes Comments on Gay Rights, Church-State Separation - This is rich! Bishop T.D. Jakes says that it is possible that the black church and the lgbt community can co-exist as well as other comments on the separation of church and state and the self-appointed right-wing Christian moral squad has come after him screaming "apostasy!" It could be worse. At any other time in world history, these folks would have been screaming "heresy" and already had Jakes fitted for the stake they would use to burn him.  This is not to defend Jakes, but rather to point out the hypocrisy of those who claim that we lgbts are attempting to force "our way of life" on other Americans.

 Michael Sam, the First Openly Gay NFL Player, Leaves Football - Only good thoughts flowing from me to Michael Sam. We owe him a debt of gratitude for his bravery because it's not easy being a pioneer. I hope he gets his stuff together and returns to the sport he loves.

 Republican National Committee Endorses Anti-Gay Discrimination - And we are surprised because . . .? A fight is on and it's going to take more than shouting in the streets and calling people vulgar names on Facebook. AND I just LOVE a good fight!  

Church Kicks Out LGBT Catholic Groups During Papal Visit - Ain't that a . . .
 
What It Is Like Having an LGBT Parent: Let's Get the Facts Straight - Wonderful blog post by a young lady defending her father!

Judge gives anti-gay KY clerk a little leeway to lose yet again

Kim Davis

Those of us hoping for a swift resolution in the case of Kim Davis, the Kentucky clerk who refuses to give marriage licenses to gay couples, got disappointed yesterday.

From The Washington Blade:

A federal judge has given time to a Kentucky clerk seeking to appeal an order requiring her to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples — but attorneys involved in the case are split on the meaning of the decision. In a seven-page order, U.S. District Judge David Bunning, an appointee of former President George W. Bush, denies a stay request from Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis on his earlier injunction requiring her to give marriage licenses at her offices to all couples — gay or straight — as litigation against her proceeds to the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.

 Following the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in favor of same-sex couples, Davis, an Apostolic Christian, enacted a “no licenses” policy in her office based on her religious beliefs for all couples seeking marriage license regardless of their sexual orientation. Bunning says he’s basing his denying of the stay on the perceived unlikelihood that she would succeed on appeal, dismissing arguments Davis would be harmed if she had to give marriage licenses to same-sex couples before the Sixth Circuit renders a decision.

 . . . But at the same time, citing “the constitutional issues involved, and realizing that emotions are running high on both sides of the debate,” Bunning issues decides to “temporarily stay this order” pending Davis’ appeal of the initial order to the Sixth Circuit. 

So Judge Bunning denied a stay request from Davis on his earlier injunction which required her to give out marriage licenses. However, he temporarily stayed THAT ruling because he is sure that the Six Circuit court won't overturn it.

Okay then.  Personally I'm not worried. 

It's just a matter of time before justice bends our way again. No doubt, the anti-gay right wants to exploit Davis as a martyr on the altar of religious liberty vs. the so-called radical gay agenda. But they picked the wrong person.

For as long as Davis holds out, people will not see a Christian forced to choose between her faith and her job. They will see a government official discriminating against those who pay her salary  while expecting to be paid for the trouble.

I like the way that looks and we should all do what we can to consistently hammer that image into the minds of Americans.