Back in stride, up for the downstroke
I took a much needed break from posting after Wednesday. I apologize for not previously announcing it.
The battle over marriage equality in my state of South Carolina took more out of me than I cared to admit. It also allowed me to self-examine my role in the movement for gay equality.
And I did not like what I saw.
I have been involved in many organizations and endeavors in South Carolina but I have been unable to put my full potential behind a lot of the efforts we have attempted in this state. Mainly because many of these efforts were not what I wanted to do.
To put it plainly, I am of the opinion that we need to be more aggressive in exposing how the anti-gay industry lies about us. We need to put them on the spot, so the speak, about their "studies" and "research papers."
Unfortunately, some of my colleagues don't see the need in this. They tend to be more reactive than proactive, more symbolic than substantial. Some of my colleagues want to "win the hearts and minds" of those who oppose us.
The problem with this line of thinking is that a: you tend to put yourself in a position in which you are begging for "acceptance."
and b: you are under the incorrect assumption that all gays and lesbians are of the same mind.
To speak more to the second point, all of us are not of the same mind. Many of us do feel that we don't deserve our fair share of the American Dream and why is that?
Because of what we see and hear everyday from people like Lou Sheldon and Peter LaBarbera. I speak from personal experience. In college, I heard many of the negatives about being gay and there was no one there to speak with authority to say that the things I heard were lies. It put me in a bad funk that took me years to overcome.
Sadly, those lies continue to be repeated and other than a few places (i.e. Wayne Besen, Box Turtle Bulletin, Joe Brummer, and others) there are few places where we can go in which someone is saying "Lou Sheldon is lying on you," or "James Dobson is not telling the truth about your lives." Our leadership rarely focuses on making the anti-gay industry explain their attempts at propaganda.
And because of this, we are wasting a very good opportunity to turn this battle for gay equality in our favor. The thought on America's mind should not be "are gays and lesbians deserving of rights" but "why are these so-called traditional values organizations telling lies."
I intend to change that. To wit, I am rededicating myself to the exposure of the anti-gay industry. It shall be the focus that I will put more effort in achieving.
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Drained and bloody
It was a good day Tuesday for the gay community, despite some losses.
In my state of South Carolina, we lost the amendment vote by a margin of 78 percent but I am not upset. A little spiritually drained, but not upset. It was probably the first time that gays in this state actually organized ourselves on a political basis. And 200,000 votes isn't bad.
So what happens next?
We continue to do what we need to do. Progress is always slow so patience an extreme virtue for people trying to change the world for the better.
Or in the words of Lucy Liu: "you really didn't think it would be that easy, did you?"
As for me, it will be business as usual and I continue to post on this blog and work on getting my book completed.
I appreciate everyone who have supported me this far and I will continue to work to expose the lies of the anti-gay industry.
It was a good day Tuesday for the gay community, despite some losses.
In my state of South Carolina, we lost the amendment vote by a margin of 78 percent but I am not upset. A little spiritually drained, but not upset. It was probably the first time that gays in this state actually organized ourselves on a political basis. And 200,000 votes isn't bad.
So what happens next?
We continue to do what we need to do. Progress is always slow so patience an extreme virtue for people trying to change the world for the better.
Or in the words of Lucy Liu: "you really didn't think it would be that easy, did you?"
As for me, it will be business as usual and I continue to post on this blog and work on getting my book completed.
I appreciate everyone who have supported me this far and I will continue to work to expose the lies of the anti-gay industry.
Sunday, November 05, 2006
South Carolina, Amendment 1 and Me
or
The Supression of Black Gay Voices
As many of you know, South Carolina is faced with one of those dreary "marriage amendments." The organization I am affiliated with, the South Carolina Equality Coalition, has been steadily fighting this amendment on many fronts.
One front is on the editorial pages of the state's newspapers. I wrote a column about how the amendment affects me. It was not printed. Now one of the editors, a black minister, wrote a column in which he said while the amendment would clutter the state's constitution, it should be passed to send a message about the "sin of homosexuality."
I am not claiming intentional suppression of my opinion. I am just pointing out the fact that in these amendment fights, it has been so difficult for those of us who are black and gay to get our voices heard. Subsequently, these amendment fights have pitted the African-American and gay communities against each other regarding comparisons of the African-American civil rights movement and the gay civil rights movement.
Meanwhile, those who are like me will have our voices suppressed and our opinions unheard. People will pass over our lives like they are not important.
If anything, we are the inheritors, the children if you will, of the African-American and gay civil rights movements. We are the fusion of the two maligned groups.
And while the parents squabble, the children are being ignored.
But thank God I have a blog because I can post what I wrote:
My favorite childhood memories are of family picnics, holidays and days at the beach. There was bound to be a mishap during these outings, like being rained on at Lake Murray or accidentally setting our neighbor’s yard on fire during the Fourth of July. Over the years, memories of these misfortunes faded away, but the love and support of my large family did not.
As I grew into a young man, I began to wish that I could build a family of my own. But in 1990, I ran into an obstacle while I was attending college at Winthrop.
I realized I was gay. As a 19-year-old at the crest of facing the real world, this realization was an extra burden. To make matters worse, no one talked much about gay men and lesbians back then, much less about them raising families. Subsequently, it took me time (and many tears and sleepless nights) to realize that there was nothing wrong with being gay and having a family.
But apparently, my perfectly normal desire to raise a family has mixed up some people’s concept of what makes a family.
At least that is what some of my fellow South Carolinians might think.
On November 7th, our state will be deciding on a constitutional amendment that addresses the very definition of family.
As a lifelong South Carolinian and a native son of Columbia, allow me to share what the amendment means to me and to my understanding of family. Raised in a black, Christian church, the importance of family was instilled in me from the day I was born. In my life I have seen that the desire to start a family and have it protected by your community is a normal part of the human condition. No one, gay or straight, should have to apologize for feeling that way, especially my fellow gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender South Carolinians who are already members of loving families and productive communities across our state.
Unfortunately, anti-gay forces are attacking our families. Those who push this Family Discrimination Amendment preface their justifications with the caveat that they do not hate gay people.
I actually believe them.
Their attempts do not spring out of hatred but rather a misguided sense of entitlement. They feel they must dictate to South Carolinians what makes a family, that they have the patent on what constitutes a "real family" and to heck with the rest of us who do not fit their "standards."
Let me register my vehement opposition to this ignorant, prejudiced and narrow-minded ideology.
Families are not about one strict and unbending definition. A family is about creating beauty and success regardless of its makeup—from single mothers working two jobs to grandmothers raising their grandchildren. My definition of family may have changed since I was a boy, but the importance of family to me has not.
Amendment 1 does not just attack gay families, it attacks all families.
Though it may seem that the fight over this Amendment will end negatively for South Carolina’s families, I remain optimistic that its opponents have used this opportunity to talk with other South Carolinians about a more complete and realistic definition of family. I am filled with the hope that the gay community can convince fellow South Carolinians to look at us as ordinary people and leave the allotting of spaces in Heaven to our God.
After all, hope is another condition present in every human being.
And gay folks are just as human as anyone else.
or
The Supression of Black Gay Voices
As many of you know, South Carolina is faced with one of those dreary "marriage amendments." The organization I am affiliated with, the South Carolina Equality Coalition, has been steadily fighting this amendment on many fronts.
One front is on the editorial pages of the state's newspapers. I wrote a column about how the amendment affects me. It was not printed. Now one of the editors, a black minister, wrote a column in which he said while the amendment would clutter the state's constitution, it should be passed to send a message about the "sin of homosexuality."
I am not claiming intentional suppression of my opinion. I am just pointing out the fact that in these amendment fights, it has been so difficult for those of us who are black and gay to get our voices heard. Subsequently, these amendment fights have pitted the African-American and gay communities against each other regarding comparisons of the African-American civil rights movement and the gay civil rights movement.
Meanwhile, those who are like me will have our voices suppressed and our opinions unheard. People will pass over our lives like they are not important.
If anything, we are the inheritors, the children if you will, of the African-American and gay civil rights movements. We are the fusion of the two maligned groups.
And while the parents squabble, the children are being ignored.
But thank God I have a blog because I can post what I wrote:
My favorite childhood memories are of family picnics, holidays and days at the beach. There was bound to be a mishap during these outings, like being rained on at Lake Murray or accidentally setting our neighbor’s yard on fire during the Fourth of July. Over the years, memories of these misfortunes faded away, but the love and support of my large family did not.
As I grew into a young man, I began to wish that I could build a family of my own. But in 1990, I ran into an obstacle while I was attending college at Winthrop.
I realized I was gay. As a 19-year-old at the crest of facing the real world, this realization was an extra burden. To make matters worse, no one talked much about gay men and lesbians back then, much less about them raising families. Subsequently, it took me time (and many tears and sleepless nights) to realize that there was nothing wrong with being gay and having a family.
But apparently, my perfectly normal desire to raise a family has mixed up some people’s concept of what makes a family.
At least that is what some of my fellow South Carolinians might think.
On November 7th, our state will be deciding on a constitutional amendment that addresses the very definition of family.
As a lifelong South Carolinian and a native son of Columbia, allow me to share what the amendment means to me and to my understanding of family. Raised in a black, Christian church, the importance of family was instilled in me from the day I was born. In my life I have seen that the desire to start a family and have it protected by your community is a normal part of the human condition. No one, gay or straight, should have to apologize for feeling that way, especially my fellow gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender South Carolinians who are already members of loving families and productive communities across our state.
Unfortunately, anti-gay forces are attacking our families. Those who push this Family Discrimination Amendment preface their justifications with the caveat that they do not hate gay people.
I actually believe them.
Their attempts do not spring out of hatred but rather a misguided sense of entitlement. They feel they must dictate to South Carolinians what makes a family, that they have the patent on what constitutes a "real family" and to heck with the rest of us who do not fit their "standards."
Let me register my vehement opposition to this ignorant, prejudiced and narrow-minded ideology.
Families are not about one strict and unbending definition. A family is about creating beauty and success regardless of its makeup—from single mothers working two jobs to grandmothers raising their grandchildren. My definition of family may have changed since I was a boy, but the importance of family to me has not.
Amendment 1 does not just attack gay families, it attacks all families.
Though it may seem that the fight over this Amendment will end negatively for South Carolina’s families, I remain optimistic that its opponents have used this opportunity to talk with other South Carolinians about a more complete and realistic definition of family. I am filled with the hope that the gay community can convince fellow South Carolinians to look at us as ordinary people and leave the allotting of spaces in Heaven to our God.
After all, hope is another condition present in every human being.
And gay folks are just as human as anyone else.
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Using a tragedy in a Machiavellian sense
First of all, I apologize for not posting for the past two days.
As I have said before in a past post, South Carolina has been embroiled in a serious fight concerning one of those bothersome "we need to protect marriage" amendments. Subsequently, much of my time has been devoted to getting the word out.
Despite the fact that no one has given my community any chance of beating the amendment back, we have made excellent ground. Gays in South Carolina are more organized and more aligned togther than any other time ever in the history of this state.
But then I also believe in miracles and upsets and I have my fingers crossed.
On a more serious note, a recent trial has demonstrated how the anti-gay industry will continue to manipulate public events in order to demonize the gay community.
The trial involves a 22-year-old man who raped and brutally murdered an older woman, Mary Stachowicz.
Here is the part that tweaks the ears of Peter LaBarbera and other so-called "pro family" experts: The man is claiming he did it because the woman made fun of him for being gay and tried to "change" his orientation.
Now this is a defense allegation and it is purely sketchy. It is also worth mentioning that Ms. Stachowicz was robbed.
But the interesting thing about the entire trial is how the anti-gay industry reports it as compared to the legitimate news media:
Prosecutor Says (Homosexual) 'Monster' Nicholas Gutierrez also Raped Chicago Catholic Mother, Mary Stachowicz, as Trial Begins - (http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/638121334.html)
Woman's death at hands of 'gay' her fault, says lawyer
Trial begins over death of Christian who questioned homosexual lifestyle choice - (http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=52711)
Man Raped and Murdered Woman because she Vocally Opposed Gay Lifestyle says Defense Lawyer - (http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/nov/06110202.html)
Now a look at a legitimate newspaper does include the detail that the defense is using a "she wouldn't leave him alone because he was gay" defense but one added this:
Raymond Scacchitti, 42, testified in the trial of Nicholas Gutierrez, 23, charged in the Nov. 13, 2002, slaying of Mary Stachowicz, 51.The two men, who also worked at the F.J. Sikorski Funeral Home, lived in an apartment above the business where Stachowicz's body was found in a crawl space. Scacchitti said Stachowicz knew he and Gutierrez were gay and never questioned them about their lifestyle." - (http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/chi-0610290301oct29,1,4088569,print.story?coll=chi-newslocalchicago-hed)
This is just an allegation from a witness in the trial but I noticed how none of the so-called "pro family" sites included the above detail.
Now no one really knows why Ms. Stachowicz was murdered and frankly, I personally don't care. It should not have happened. My heart and prayers go out to her and her family.
But I cannot stand to see how the anti-gay industry is exploiting her death. They are comparing her case to that of Matthew Shepard in an attempt to prove a bias against Christians:
"Mary Stachowicz will never be remembered the way Matthew Shepard is, thus showing how politically corrupt the whole concept of hate crime legislation really is." - Catholic League President William Donohue
Mr. Donohue and the rest have already attempted to attack the gay community for the crime. I noticed how in many of their articles and press releases, the charge of "media bias" and "no comments from pro-gay groups" are tossed around.
Apparently they can't wait until the trial is over to manipulate the facts.
First of all, I apologize for not posting for the past two days.
As I have said before in a past post, South Carolina has been embroiled in a serious fight concerning one of those bothersome "we need to protect marriage" amendments. Subsequently, much of my time has been devoted to getting the word out.
Despite the fact that no one has given my community any chance of beating the amendment back, we have made excellent ground. Gays in South Carolina are more organized and more aligned togther than any other time ever in the history of this state.
But then I also believe in miracles and upsets and I have my fingers crossed.
On a more serious note, a recent trial has demonstrated how the anti-gay industry will continue to manipulate public events in order to demonize the gay community.
The trial involves a 22-year-old man who raped and brutally murdered an older woman, Mary Stachowicz.
Here is the part that tweaks the ears of Peter LaBarbera and other so-called "pro family" experts: The man is claiming he did it because the woman made fun of him for being gay and tried to "change" his orientation.
Now this is a defense allegation and it is purely sketchy. It is also worth mentioning that Ms. Stachowicz was robbed.
But the interesting thing about the entire trial is how the anti-gay industry reports it as compared to the legitimate news media:
Prosecutor Says (Homosexual) 'Monster' Nicholas Gutierrez also Raped Chicago Catholic Mother, Mary Stachowicz, as Trial Begins - (http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/638121334.html)
Woman's death at hands of 'gay' her fault, says lawyer
Trial begins over death of Christian who questioned homosexual lifestyle choice - (http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=52711)
Man Raped and Murdered Woman because she Vocally Opposed Gay Lifestyle says Defense Lawyer - (http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/nov/06110202.html)
Now a look at a legitimate newspaper does include the detail that the defense is using a "she wouldn't leave him alone because he was gay" defense but one added this:
Raymond Scacchitti, 42, testified in the trial of Nicholas Gutierrez, 23, charged in the Nov. 13, 2002, slaying of Mary Stachowicz, 51.The two men, who also worked at the F.J. Sikorski Funeral Home, lived in an apartment above the business where Stachowicz's body was found in a crawl space. Scacchitti said Stachowicz knew he and Gutierrez were gay and never questioned them about their lifestyle." - (http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/chi-0610290301oct29,1,4088569,print.story?coll=chi-newslocalchicago-hed)
This is just an allegation from a witness in the trial but I noticed how none of the so-called "pro family" sites included the above detail.
Now no one really knows why Ms. Stachowicz was murdered and frankly, I personally don't care. It should not have happened. My heart and prayers go out to her and her family.
But I cannot stand to see how the anti-gay industry is exploiting her death. They are comparing her case to that of Matthew Shepard in an attempt to prove a bias against Christians:
"Mary Stachowicz will never be remembered the way Matthew Shepard is, thus showing how politically corrupt the whole concept of hate crime legislation really is." - Catholic League President William Donohue
Mr. Donohue and the rest have already attempted to attack the gay community for the crime. I noticed how in many of their articles and press releases, the charge of "media bias" and "no comments from pro-gay groups" are tossed around.
Apparently they can't wait until the trial is over to manipulate the facts.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Batten down the hatches! Another "manufactured marytr"
Yesterday, I talked about how the anti-gay industry took the case of the firing of a anti-gay amendment supporter and tried to make it a case of gays "silencing the opposition."
Well possibly here comes another one. I say possibly because we don't know all of the facts in the case.
The Associated Press is reporting that a student attending Missouri State University is suing the school because allegedly she was brought in front of an ethics committee for refusing to write and sign letters to the Missouri state legislature to approve gay adoption and foster parenting. (http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/49318.aspx)
Now details are sketchy but we all know that won't stop James Dobson, Agape Press, Donald Wildmon or any other members of the anti-gay industry.
Even as you read this, they are creating letters, press releases, and talking points about the incident. I expect a full article in Agape Press featuring the student in a Joan of Arc mode.
I also fully expect so-called "pro family" and conservative columnists (i.e. Matt Barber, Peter LaBarbera, Bill O'Reilly, Kevin McCullough, etc.) to write all sorts of drivel that will be featured in places such as Town Hall and World Net Daily.
I wish they would wait for the full story. Officials at the school have declined comments until they get the full story.
Now if the situation happened like the young woman is claiming then by all means give her recompensement.
But the anti-gay industry is notorious for taking an incident (a misunderstanding or a bit of singular bad behavior by someone overzealous) and try to frame it as a plot to hurt Christians.
I am going to follow this situation and keep you all posted. Until then, watch and count how many times the anti-gay industry will milk the incident.
Yesterday, I talked about how the anti-gay industry took the case of the firing of a anti-gay amendment supporter and tried to make it a case of gays "silencing the opposition."
Well possibly here comes another one. I say possibly because we don't know all of the facts in the case.
The Associated Press is reporting that a student attending Missouri State University is suing the school because allegedly she was brought in front of an ethics committee for refusing to write and sign letters to the Missouri state legislature to approve gay adoption and foster parenting. (http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/49318.aspx)
Now details are sketchy but we all know that won't stop James Dobson, Agape Press, Donald Wildmon or any other members of the anti-gay industry.
Even as you read this, they are creating letters, press releases, and talking points about the incident. I expect a full article in Agape Press featuring the student in a Joan of Arc mode.
I also fully expect so-called "pro family" and conservative columnists (i.e. Matt Barber, Peter LaBarbera, Bill O'Reilly, Kevin McCullough, etc.) to write all sorts of drivel that will be featured in places such as Town Hall and World Net Daily.
I wish they would wait for the full story. Officials at the school have declined comments until they get the full story.
Now if the situation happened like the young woman is claiming then by all means give her recompensement.
But the anti-gay industry is notorious for taking an incident (a misunderstanding or a bit of singular bad behavior by someone overzealous) and try to frame it as a plot to hurt Christians.
I am going to follow this situation and keep you all posted. Until then, watch and count how many times the anti-gay industry will milk the incident.
Monday, October 30, 2006
Agape Press - a study of a slick contradiction
The October 20th edition of anti-gay Agape Press features an article on a Virginia food plant employee who was allegedly fired for supporting one of those "marriage amendments" via a written message on his truck (http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/10/202006a.asp):
Luis Padilla was reportedly terminated from his employment at a Cargill Foods plant in Harrisonburg because of a written message on the rear window of his pickup truck that read: "Please, vote for marriage on Nov. 7." That is the day when voters in Virginia will be considering a proposed amendment to the state constitution protecting traditional marriage.
According to the Daily-News Record in Harrisonburg, Padilla -- who worked in Cargill's human resources office -- was dismissed for insubordination when he refused to remove the message, which company officials could be considered harassment. He apparently had removed the sign when first requested, then later posted it again and parked his truck outside the company parking lot. The newspaper report indicates the former Cargill employee was trying to reach an accommodation with the company about the message when he was fired.
Now apparently, Mr. Padilla has been hired back and will be compensated for the three weeks he was out from work (http://www.wdbj7.com/Global/story.asp?S=5606139&nav=S6aK).
Of course, Agape Press will push Mr. Padilla as yet another "manufactured martyr" in its war against the gay community. The article contained all sorts of platitudes about "those who want tolerance can't show tolerance" and the like without even considering the fact that this may have been an incident of a overzealous employer. No gay representative was even quoted in the article, even though it pretty much accused the Virginia's gay community of getting Mr. Padilla fired.
Personally, I am glad Mr. Padilla got his job back. He clearly was not harassing anyone with his message, therefore he should have a right to state his opinions. Like it or not, not everyone feels that gays have the right to have their relationships protected.
But four days later, Agape Press featured this article, AFA: Online Queries Reveal Wal-Mart's Promotion of Homosexuality (http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/10/242006c.asp) :
. . .the American Family Association (AFA), one of the groups that has called on Christian consumers to spend their dollars elsewhere as a sign of their displeasure with Wal-Mart's pro-homosexual leanings, says the nation's largest retailer is not just working with the homosexual agenda of the NGLCC, it is promoting it. As proof, AFA offers up examples of books available for purchase through Wal-Mart's online bookstore -- books the pro-family group contends support or defend homosexuality. . .
(AFA 's Randy) Sharp also notes that Wal-Mart is now considering same-sex "partner" benefits, bolstering AFA's notion that the retailer has moved from neutrality to actively promoting the homosexual lifestyle. "Through their services, through their benefits, through their products -- all of these things lead to only one analysis," says the special projects director, "and that is that Wal-Mart is supportive of homosexual marriage in America."
One more fact you should know: Agape Press is owned and distributed by the American Family Association.
So in other words, according to the American Family Association, it is terrible that a man is fired for expressing potentially anti-gay beliefs but a company that caters to its gay customers and establishes benefits for its gay employees is even worse.
That is just plain wrong.
If Mr. Padilla has a right to state his opinion about homosexuality then Wal-Mart should have that same right to seek out gay money and protect its gay employees.
Why does the American Family Association think that Mr. Padilla should have his rights but Wal-Mart shouldn't have the same rights?
Hypocrisy is NOT a Christian value.
The October 20th edition of anti-gay Agape Press features an article on a Virginia food plant employee who was allegedly fired for supporting one of those "marriage amendments" via a written message on his truck (http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/10/202006a.asp):
Luis Padilla was reportedly terminated from his employment at a Cargill Foods plant in Harrisonburg because of a written message on the rear window of his pickup truck that read: "Please, vote for marriage on Nov. 7." That is the day when voters in Virginia will be considering a proposed amendment to the state constitution protecting traditional marriage.
According to the Daily-News Record in Harrisonburg, Padilla -- who worked in Cargill's human resources office -- was dismissed for insubordination when he refused to remove the message, which company officials could be considered harassment. He apparently had removed the sign when first requested, then later posted it again and parked his truck outside the company parking lot. The newspaper report indicates the former Cargill employee was trying to reach an accommodation with the company about the message when he was fired.
Now apparently, Mr. Padilla has been hired back and will be compensated for the three weeks he was out from work (http://www.wdbj7.com/Global/story.asp?S=5606139&nav=S6aK).
Of course, Agape Press will push Mr. Padilla as yet another "manufactured martyr" in its war against the gay community. The article contained all sorts of platitudes about "those who want tolerance can't show tolerance" and the like without even considering the fact that this may have been an incident of a overzealous employer. No gay representative was even quoted in the article, even though it pretty much accused the Virginia's gay community of getting Mr. Padilla fired.
Personally, I am glad Mr. Padilla got his job back. He clearly was not harassing anyone with his message, therefore he should have a right to state his opinions. Like it or not, not everyone feels that gays have the right to have their relationships protected.
But four days later, Agape Press featured this article, AFA: Online Queries Reveal Wal-Mart's Promotion of Homosexuality (http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/10/242006c.asp) :
. . .the American Family Association (AFA), one of the groups that has called on Christian consumers to spend their dollars elsewhere as a sign of their displeasure with Wal-Mart's pro-homosexual leanings, says the nation's largest retailer is not just working with the homosexual agenda of the NGLCC, it is promoting it. As proof, AFA offers up examples of books available for purchase through Wal-Mart's online bookstore -- books the pro-family group contends support or defend homosexuality. . .
(AFA 's Randy) Sharp also notes that Wal-Mart is now considering same-sex "partner" benefits, bolstering AFA's notion that the retailer has moved from neutrality to actively promoting the homosexual lifestyle. "Through their services, through their benefits, through their products -- all of these things lead to only one analysis," says the special projects director, "and that is that Wal-Mart is supportive of homosexual marriage in America."
One more fact you should know: Agape Press is owned and distributed by the American Family Association.
So in other words, according to the American Family Association, it is terrible that a man is fired for expressing potentially anti-gay beliefs but a company that caters to its gay customers and establishes benefits for its gay employees is even worse.
That is just plain wrong.
If Mr. Padilla has a right to state his opinion about homosexuality then Wal-Mart should have that same right to seek out gay money and protect its gay employees.
Why does the American Family Association think that Mr. Padilla should have his rights but Wal-Mart shouldn't have the same rights?
Hypocrisy is NOT a Christian value.
Friday, October 27, 2006
Gays hate God? Riiiiiiiiiiiiiight!
World Net Daily columnist Kevin McCullough has an interesting theory about gays and marriage equality.
Apparently we gays hate God.
In a recent column( http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=52633), he draws an incredibly interesting (albeit irrational and sex driven) theory about why we gays are pushing for marriage equality:
"No longer satisfied with practicing the unspeakable perverse sexual pleasures that their hearts seek in private bedrooms, they wish to be able to do so in public. They are also suffering from such immense guilt over their sexual behaviors, because they know inherently that the actions they perform are in fact unhealthy, that they will go to any means necessary to try and shut down the voices in their heads that tell them it is wrong.
They wrongfully believe that the guilty voice within them is an echo of a prudish state that seeks to limit their freedoms. They wrongfully believe that the judgment they feel is emanating from "Bible thumpers." And what they fail to admit is that the voice that condemns them the loudest is never a human voice – but in fact the voice of their own conscience informed by the truth of the God who created them."
And basically Kevin wraps it up by saying:
"Radical homosexual activists hate marriage because fundamentally they hate God, and the guilt of both drives them to extremes."
World Net Daily isn't exactly a gay positive publication (and that is the understatement of the decade for those of us who have seen it) and Mr. McCullough is not exactly a gay positive individual. On occasion, he has said some unsubstantiated things about the gay community. And he has never backed any of it up with proof:
"The "alphas" in homosexual relationships, be they men or women, are many times recruiting younger partners. A vast percentage of those who enter the homosexual life do so after having been sexually initiated by an older person of their sex – be it consensual or not – it usually has the feel of enticement or seduction." - The ‘Gay’ Truth, May 30, 2003
Also, his activities attacking the gay community go further. In an earlier post, I made reference to a situation regarding David Parker's war with his son's elementary school in Massachusetts.
Parker created a media event last year because he was upset that his son brought home a b0ok showing a same-sex couple. Parker escalated the situation until he was arrested. A year later, Parker's son was involved in a fight at school with a friend over a cafeteria seat. School officials were quick to stop the situation and notified the Parkers and the parents of the other child.
But almost a month later, a press release was sent out claiming that Parker's son was attacked by a gang of students because of his father's fight against the school.
McCullough was one of the initial spreaders of this story (http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=50669).
Now the school was quick to refute the claim about the fight involving Parker's son (http://www.lexingtoncares.org/ChildsAltercationUnrelated.html).
But no one, McCullough included, who claimed that Parker's son was attacked because of his father's anti-gay stance apologized or addressed the lie they told.
That is the caliber of "Christian" McCullough is.
I am sorry if I sound mean but McCullough's claim about gays hating God disturbs me. It makes me angry because it was God who led me to know that I am perfect in His sight as a gay man. If it had not been for Him leading me and guiding me through my coming out process, I would not be here today.
McCullough's nasty claim is an anathema to me. His arrogance reminds me of a childhood friend who, when I got the best of him in sports, would tell me that his loss didn't matter because he was a Christian and was going to heaven while I was going to hell.
Mr. McCullough, some of us in the gay community may distance ourselves from religion because of people like you attempting to bogart the throne of God like you are a bouncer at some celestial nightclub, but we never distance ourselves from God nor his love of us.
Despite attempts to legislate our lives, you will never legislate our faith. God loves us for the gay, lesbians, bisexual, or transgender creations that we are.
And we love God.
Links to spiritual gay groups:
www.operationrebirth.com
http://www.soulforce.org/
http://www.gaychristian.net/
http://www.christiangay.com/
http://www.whosoever.org/
World Net Daily columnist Kevin McCullough has an interesting theory about gays and marriage equality.
Apparently we gays hate God.
In a recent column( http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=52633), he draws an incredibly interesting (albeit irrational and sex driven) theory about why we gays are pushing for marriage equality:
"No longer satisfied with practicing the unspeakable perverse sexual pleasures that their hearts seek in private bedrooms, they wish to be able to do so in public. They are also suffering from such immense guilt over their sexual behaviors, because they know inherently that the actions they perform are in fact unhealthy, that they will go to any means necessary to try and shut down the voices in their heads that tell them it is wrong.
They wrongfully believe that the guilty voice within them is an echo of a prudish state that seeks to limit their freedoms. They wrongfully believe that the judgment they feel is emanating from "Bible thumpers." And what they fail to admit is that the voice that condemns them the loudest is never a human voice – but in fact the voice of their own conscience informed by the truth of the God who created them."
And basically Kevin wraps it up by saying:
"Radical homosexual activists hate marriage because fundamentally they hate God, and the guilt of both drives them to extremes."
World Net Daily isn't exactly a gay positive publication (and that is the understatement of the decade for those of us who have seen it) and Mr. McCullough is not exactly a gay positive individual. On occasion, he has said some unsubstantiated things about the gay community. And he has never backed any of it up with proof:
"The "alphas" in homosexual relationships, be they men or women, are many times recruiting younger partners. A vast percentage of those who enter the homosexual life do so after having been sexually initiated by an older person of their sex – be it consensual or not – it usually has the feel of enticement or seduction." - The ‘Gay’ Truth, May 30, 2003
Also, his activities attacking the gay community go further. In an earlier post, I made reference to a situation regarding David Parker's war with his son's elementary school in Massachusetts.
Parker created a media event last year because he was upset that his son brought home a b0ok showing a same-sex couple. Parker escalated the situation until he was arrested. A year later, Parker's son was involved in a fight at school with a friend over a cafeteria seat. School officials were quick to stop the situation and notified the Parkers and the parents of the other child.
But almost a month later, a press release was sent out claiming that Parker's son was attacked by a gang of students because of his father's fight against the school.
McCullough was one of the initial spreaders of this story (http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=50669).
Now the school was quick to refute the claim about the fight involving Parker's son (http://www.lexingtoncares.org/ChildsAltercationUnrelated.html).
But no one, McCullough included, who claimed that Parker's son was attacked because of his father's anti-gay stance apologized or addressed the lie they told.
That is the caliber of "Christian" McCullough is.
I am sorry if I sound mean but McCullough's claim about gays hating God disturbs me. It makes me angry because it was God who led me to know that I am perfect in His sight as a gay man. If it had not been for Him leading me and guiding me through my coming out process, I would not be here today.
McCullough's nasty claim is an anathema to me. His arrogance reminds me of a childhood friend who, when I got the best of him in sports, would tell me that his loss didn't matter because he was a Christian and was going to heaven while I was going to hell.
Mr. McCullough, some of us in the gay community may distance ourselves from religion because of people like you attempting to bogart the throne of God like you are a bouncer at some celestial nightclub, but we never distance ourselves from God nor his love of us.
Despite attempts to legislate our lives, you will never legislate our faith. God loves us for the gay, lesbians, bisexual, or transgender creations that we are.
And we love God.
Links to spiritual gay groups:
www.operationrebirth.com
http://www.soulforce.org/
http://www.gaychristian.net/
http://www.christiangay.com/
http://www.whosoever.org/
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