Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Family Research Council's Peter Sprigg gave misleading testimony at hearing on 'ex-gay' therapy

Peter Sprigg, Family Research Council

Today, the Family Research Council bragged in its  Washington Update about testimony given by spokesman Peter Sprigg in New Hampshire. The testimony in question had to do with a bill banning ex-gay therapy for children. Ex-gay therapy is controversial in that it is supposed to be able to change one's sexual orientation.. States, such as California, Oregon, and New Jersey have passed laws against the practice, citing critics who contend that it is actual harmful. But FRC and other religious right groups have pushed back with testimony at legislative hearings:

In New Hampshire, it's double-your-trouble with two bills meant to take away freedom under the mask of "tolerance." The first is a bill that bans sexual reorientation therapy for children under 18, robbing parents of a crucial choice to help their confused kids. As if that weren't bad enough, liberals are also trying to award special rights on the basis of gender identity -- including using the government to punish businesses that designate bathrooms, locker rooms, and showers for men only and women only. FRC's Peter Sprigg was on hand in the Granite State to testify before the legislature on both attacks on locals' liberty. As he explained, the attacks on reorientation therapy usually have nothing to do with their effectiveness and everything to do with politics. And, as Peter points out, there is abundant anecdotal evidence that such therapies work. . . . Even the increasingly liberal American Psychological Association admits that "participants reporting beneficial effects in some studies perceived changes to their sexuality, such as in their sexual orientation, gender identity, sexual behavior, [and/or] sexual orientation identity." (To read Peter's full testimony, click here.)

I read Sprigg's testimony and found a few problems with his sources and claims.

'Trump rumoured to be rescinding transgender student protections' & other Tue. midday news briefs

Trump's possible next move will harm transgender students.

Trump admin to rescind trans student protections: source - The right calls US bullies but have no problem with actions which harm our transgender children under the false guise of "safety."  This will NOT stand. 

Julian Assange Defends Milo Yiannopoulos as Breitbart Mulls Dismissal - One fool defends another.

 Arkansas’ ‘bathroom bill’ is ripping apart Republican politics - As it SHOULD. 

Bryan Fischer: Court Ruling Against Anti-Gay Florist Is A Modern-Day Kristallnacht - Geez, Bryan Fischer. How disgustingly hyperbolic does one have to be? 

People Are Loving How This Rapper Helped Out A Gay Teen After He Was Kicked Out Of His Home - WONDERFUL story!

Milo Yiannopoulos is getting exactly what he deserves

Milo Yiannopoulos

By now, the vast majority of us know the particulars of the downfall of one Milo Yiannopoulos.

The British self-described gay "super villain" troll of the right traded racist, transphobic, Islamophobic and misogynistic rhetoric for extreme controversy, intense anger, a lucrative book deal, and much undeserved popularity. But now it may be all gone because of the one thing which ironically led to it all.

His mouth.

 He is now just another example of how the past can bite one in the ass and how it's not good to make too many enemies. Milo, for those who don't know, is facing an ugly backlash because of an interview in which he defended pedophilia. The backlash in question has left the communities he victimized in joy, the conservative community (particularly the folks at CPAC, the big gathering of conservatives in which he was going to give the keynote address) very embarrassed, and Milo himself defiant.

Never one for "going gentle into that good night," Milo has been contrite but stern in insisting that this incident won't stop him. In fact today, he is holding a press conference, in which I'm sure there will be an intensely contrite performance.

Give me a break. Granted, I'm not happy over anyone's downfall but if anyone had it coming, it was Milo. Flippant, nasty, hateful, and an all-around drag, that chyle brought me down faster than being trapped listening to a Bryan Fischer speech.

Basically, Milo should hush. He got exactly what he deserved. He not only demonized innocents but, worse than that, he was a religious right wet dream. He was everything they claimed the lgbt community to be and then some - caustic, flippant, shallow, materialistic, mean, immoral, and oversexed down his badly dyed hair.

The young man is now learning a hard, but necessary lesson that there are some things you can't joke about. And when you busy yourself deliberately making enemies, you lose sight of the fact that there will be times in which you need friends.

Most of all, Milo is learning that "super villains" lose and lose big.  As they are supposed to.