Family Research Council calls SPLC out for hypocrisy but forgets its own PR problems

It is no secret that the Family Research Council despises the Southern Poverty Law Center.  In 2010, SPLC designated FRC as a hate group because of its long history of denigrating the LGBTQ community via lies and smears. Since that time, FRC have been steadily attempting to undermine the group. I guess FRC figures this to be easier than proving SPLC wrong.

Recently and unfortunately, SPLC had to dismiss one of its founder Morris Dees over allegations of racism and sexual misconduct.

And FRC is crowing about it:

For as much money as Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) has, they could certainly do better in the crisis PR department. A week after the organization's stunning announcement that founder Morris Dees had been fired for allegations of racism and sexual misconduct, the group's only move has been setting out to prove detractors right. Instead of seizing the moment for some honest soul-searching, SPLC decided to show once again how unapologetically partisan it is. 

 . . . Like so many of us who know the real SPLC, Rich Lowry of NRO couldn't believe the group could write that with a straight face. "The missive is touching in its assumption that the SPLC still has moral authority or integrity. The scandal is, nonetheless, a remarkable comeuppance for an organization that has weaponized political correctness for its own money-grubbing."

It's rather appropriate that the one finger FRC is using to point at SPLC sends three back against it. Let's talk about scandal and PR when it comes to FRC.

In 2008, FRC spokesperson Peter Sprigg caused controversy by saying that gays should be exported out of the United States.

 

FRC issued an apology but as far as it was known, did not take any action against Sprigg.

In 2011, FRC tangled and lost with GLSEN.  GLSEN (the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network) issued a cease-and-desist letter against the Family Research Council demanding that the organization remove video falsely accusing GLSEN of distributing an explicit safe-sex guide to children. FRC subsequently changed the video, tacitly admitting that it was pushing a falsehood against GLSEN. FRC, however, did not apologize.

Judge rules Trump's ban on transgender military troops cannot take effect as of yet

Guess what? Trump's ban on transgender men and women serving in the military, which the Pentagon says will not be a ban, may not as of yet be implemented, thanks to a recent ruling.

From Dominic Holden at Buzzfeed:

The Trump administration was wrong to claim last week it could begin to implement a ban on transgender troops, Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly said in a decision issued Tuesday that rebuked officials for insisting a court order blocking the ban since 2017 had been lifted. 

“Defendants were incorrect in claiming that there was no longer an impediment,” says Kollar-Kotelly’s notice in US District Court in Washington, DC. “Defendants remain bound by this Court’s preliminary injunction to maintain the status quo.”

What does this mean? We will see:

 Still, it wasn’t immediately clear if Kollar-Kotelly’s decision would change a timeline to implement the ban, which the Pentagon said will take effect on April 12, due to pending action from an appeals court. 

The underlying legal situation is complicated. The case is one of four in which judges issued nationwide injunctions that blocked the policy from being implemented. Courts had lifted three of the injunctions while all of the legal challenges continue — though the status of this fourth injunction in the DC court was disputed. The Justice Department argued that when the DC Court of Appeals vacated the injunction in January, it ceased to exist and the Pentagon was free to instate a ban. LGBT advocacy lawyers countered that the appellate court still hadn’t issued a mandate to lift the injunction, because a series of procedural steps had to first be undertaken while the plaintiffs decide to request a rehearing. 

The Trump administration issued its memo to set up the ban anyway. That led to Tuesday’s decision from Kollar-Kotelly.

The entire article is worth a read. 

'Stories across the country prove why the Equality Act is needed' & other Tue midday news briefs

These are the stories of LGBTQ people who need the Equality Act’s protections - This is why the Equality Act is needed.

Meet the two Democrats who won’t support federal nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people - Get in line and do the right thing, guys.

The State Department Held a Private Call Only for Faith-Based Media Outlets - Two to one, this is not going to end up good for the LGBTQ community in particular.

Almost 600,000 LGBTQ Floridians Will Lose Civil Rights Protections if This Bill Becomes Law - Ugh! 

Recent wins for LGBTQ families - We still fight and we still win.