Thursday, August 02, 2007

Finis

A short post today.

The final galleys for my book have been finished and approved. All there is to do now is wait for my author's review copy.

If all goes well (and I think it will) then my book, Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters: Exposing the Lies of the Anti-Gay Industry, should be out by mid to late September.

Wednesday, August 01, 2007

Janet Folger puts her foot in her mouth but it's nothing new to see here folks

In her zeal to brand lgbts as purveyors of public sex, the Weeping Willow of the Anti-Gay Industry, Janet Folger seems to have stepped in it.

In that recent column of hers which I have talked about, News flash! Sex in public still illegal, Folger said the following:

Dr. E. Fields, in his book "Is Homosexual Activity Normal?", reveals "41 percent of homosexuals say they have had sex with strangers in public restrooms."

Now just who in the heck is Dr. E. Fields? Well according to this blog:

Edward Fields is a chiropractor who has spent the last 55 years involved with various neo-Nazi organizations in the United States. The ADL has a few interesting details on "Dr" Edward Fields:

In 1952, still shy of twenty, he met the flamboyant racist J.B. Stoner while the two were attending law school in Atlanta, and joined Stoner's Christian Anti-Jewish Party (formerly the Stoner Anti-Jewish Party), a very small mass-mailing outfit in Atlanta. Stoner said he founded the organization to "out-Hitler Hitler," whom he called a "moderate"; his aim was "to make being Jewish a crime, punishable by death."

Fields eventually dropped out of law school, choosing instead to attend Palmer School of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa, in 1953.

The following year he and another student allegedly posted signs on storefronts in Davenport and two other towns reading, "This store owned by Jews" and "Anti-Jewish Week, Feb. 21-28" (in fact, the end of February had been designated National Brotherhood Week).

No charges were filed, but Fields was placed on probation. He remained undaunted, apparently; his schooldays continued to be marked by anti-Semitic and racist pickets, meetings and mailings. During this time he built networks across the American far-right underground. He attended Palmer until 1956, and thereafter referred to himself as "Dr. Fields" - a title that conferred prestige among hardcore racists.

To her credit, Folger acknowledged what she did:

Special note: In the original version of this column, there was a sentence where I referred to some research conducted by a Dr. E. Fields.

It has come to our attention that Dr. Fields subscribes to a number of racist views of which our Faith2Action ministry was unaware. The research had been previously cited by some seemingly unchallenged sources, which I'm sure were also unaware of his racist views and writings.

We sincerely apologize for this mistake. As Christians, we disavow all racism as sinful and would never knowingly promote an advocate of racism.


Faith2Action maintains that the problem of sex in public restrooms is a very serious one that Fort Lauderdale and other cities have every right and duty to confront. In the future, however, we will not refer to any research by Dr. Fields.

Now if only she would get others to do the same regarding Paul Cameron.

Really though I am not surprised by Folger's citing racist sources. Others in the anti-gay industry have done the same.

In April 2007, professional "ex-gay" Stephen Bennett was promoting a video from YouTube that talked about the supposed homosexual menace.

Thing is, however, the video was made by a person who created other videos such as:

The Black Death (about how Asians nearly killed Europeans by giving them the plague)

Keep America white- Hitler- Blacks are racist-

Mexican druglords and human sacrifice-

White Europeans are the first Americans (parts I, II and III)

Black Crime

Black Intelligence - which purports to be a discussion of how white people are smarter than black people, and which shows a bunch of dark Hollywood-stereotype African natives jumping up and down like monkeys. The video is one of the most racist things you have ever seen. I thought about not even posting it, but the lesson will not be learned until we call the religious right on their bigotry publicly.

Please bear in mind that I am not calling Folger or Bennett racist. I am merely pointing out how so strident members of the anti-gay industry are that they will use anything to demonize the lgbt community.

Their egos seem to tell them that in the long run, what they are doing is right in the eyes of God. That being the case, who needs to do things such as research and checking one's sources.

The real question is Harry Jackson paying attention.

Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Something worth knowing about the Jim Naugle controversy

By now the controversy over anti-gay Florida Mayor Jim Naugle is probably wearing thin, except for in anti-gay industry circles.

But today, something came out that needs to be said yet again.

As I stated before, an effective anti-gay industry tactic is to distort something about the lgbt community and repeat it ad naseum.

With that in mind, I saw an article today that yet again clearly shows that Naugle and his supporters are attempting to create a moral panic about "public sex" to yet again demonize the gay community:

When Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jim Naugle linked the purchase of new toilets for beach parks to gay sex in public places, he uncorked a torrent of protest. But just how prevalent is public sex?

No one keeps detailed statistics on sex in public restrooms and parks. South Florida law enforcement agencies say they receive occasional complaints and make a few arrests, but they don't spend much time cracking down on it. Since 2005, Fort Lauderdale has reported two arrests for sexual activity in a public restroom.


''I don't know whether it's the perception or the reality, but it doesn't seem like it's that much of a problem,'' Broward Sheriff's Office spokesman Jim Leljedal said.

Miami-Dade Police cracked down on public sex at Tropical Park, 7900 SW 40th St., in August 2001 and made 17 arrests. Police spokesman Juan Villalba said he knows of no current sting operations.

And check out this quote from Anthony Verdugo, executive director of the Christian Family Coalition of South Florida:

''The majority of homosexuals and heterosexuals don't engage in public sex, and if you poll them they would say it's wrong,'' Verdugo said. ``But the issue is a valid issue that the mayor brought up in terms of public sex and listings on the website.''

No matter how valid the issue seems to be, it is not an issue that should be used to demonize an entire community for alleged actions of a few.

Someone alert Janet Folger!!

Friday, July 27, 2007

It's Monday so it's time for another lie courtesy of Minister Harry Jackson

A popular and effective distortion technique of the anti-gay industry is to misrepresent something about the lgbt community and repeat that misrepresentation irregardless of the correction of said fact.

A perfect case in point is the latest column by Minister Harry Jackson. Jackson is railing yet again about adding lgbts to hate crimes legislation.

In this column, he is upset because U.S. Representative Jim Clyburn sent him a letter asking him to stop distorting the issue. Jackson said he sent a letter back to Clyburn detailing for him the following exchange:

In the congressional subcommittee, Republican Congressman Louis Gohmert of Texas moved to remove "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" from the bill. It failed on a recorded vote of 19 to 13. Next, Congressman Mike Pence from Indiana offered an important amendment on Freedom of Religion.

A number of Republicans spoke in support of it. But the Democrats, Jerrold Nadler, Tammy Baldwin and Chairman John Conyers kept evading the issue.

Finally Congressman Gohmert asked, "If a minister was giving a sermon, a Bible Study or any kind of written or spoken message saying that homosexuality was a serious sin and a person in the congregation went out and committed a crime against a homosexual would the minister be charged with the crime of incitement?"

Gohmert was attempting to clarify and emphasize that the legislation would have an effect on the constitutional right to religious freedom and thus the Pence amendment was needed to protect religious speech. The Democrats continued to explain why they could not accept the amendment.

Lundgren continuously shot down their answers. He said, "What is your answer? Would there be incitement charges again the pastor?"

And finally Democrat Congressman Artur Davis of Alabama spoke up and said, ‘Yes.’ ”

Jackson's version this exchange is a lie. And it has been refuted repeatedly.

The following is the actual exchange (courtesy of the webpage Good As You):

GOHERT: ...If a minister preaches that sexual relations outside of marriage of a man and woman is wrong, and somebody within that congregation goes out and does an act of violence, and that person says that that minister counseled or induced him through the sermon to commit that act, are you saying under your amendment that in no way could that ever be introduced against the minister?

DAVIS: No.

You see how Jackson distorted the exchange?

And I should point out the fact that in matters of violent crime, if the alleged perpetrator claims that certain individuals were involved, then it is the duty of the police to question that person.

This goes for ministers or anyone else and it happens irregardless of hate crimes legislation.

Rep. Clyburn asked Jackson to stop distorting the issue.

Apparently he didn't pay attention to the request.


New webpage, same old lies

Unassuming people alarmed that gay/straight alliances are in their children's schools generally fall victim to the lies of the anti-gay industry.

And it's usually their fault.

Rather than attempting to try to educate themselves on the lives of lgbt children and their needs, these parents go trolling online for sources that enhance their negative point of view about homosexuality. And there are many out there.

Unfortunately, there is now a new one.

Linda Harvey of the so-called "pro-family" group Mission America has started another group, Truthatschool.org, that seeks to "stop the promotion of homosexuality" in schools.

This webpage follows the same lying anti-gay industry mantra, particularly in the section that gives parents warnings of how "homosexuality has infiltrated schools:"

3. A homosexual club for students - Students are trained to be activists who will pressure school boards, be very "out" and visible to other students, and become the darlings of their sympathizers in the media. Club meetings feature "X" rated topics and dwell on rejection of traditional values, particularly religious beliefs that don’t accept homosexuality. “Straight” supporters also attend and may be encouraged to explore alternate sexuality. Students with same sex attractions will be cheered on by club members if they begin this behavior.

8. AIDS speakers, “safe sex” health education classes - This was the first avenue into the schools. Validity of alternate “families” and homosexual practices are often basic assumptions of today's health ed, and graphic instruction in condom use is typical as a method for AIDS "prevention." Actually, such lessons encourage promiscuous sex among teens, including experimentation with homosexuality.

10. Openly homosexual teachers and staff - These teachers then become role models, in-house activists, and possible confidants for students who want to start homosexual behavior. Student molestation becomes a real risk.

Harvey, who by the way is featured slightly in my book as an anti-gay industry propaganda technique (i.e. the phony expert) is a former ad executive who transformed herself to a sounding board for the usual anti-gay industry lies:

Homosexuality is associated with destructive outcomes, including AIDS, a much higher risk of STDs, roughly three times the rate of alcoholism and drug abuse, much more promiscuity and domestic abuse, and a shortened life span. The staggering health consequences observed for decades among homosexuals are referenced in much more detail in our Resources

And just what are these "resources?" Here are two:

The Negative Health Effects of Homosexuality - Timothy Dailey, Family Research Council

The Health Risks of Gay Sex - Dr. John R. Diggs

As luck would have it, I talk about both studies in my book. The studies are slanderous diatribes full of distortions and cherry-picked studies.

You know. The ones that's keeping James Holsinger from becoming surgeon general.

But let me elucidate further:

The Negative Effects of Gay Sex

Twice, John R. Diggs includes the study done by Alan Bell and Martin Weinberg in their book, Homosexualities: A Study of Diversity Among Men and Women, as indicative of the entire gay population. In one passage, he even refers to it as “a far ranging study of homosexual men . . .” But Bell and Weinberg never said that their findings were indicative of all gay men. They actually said “. . . given the variety of circumstances which discourage homosexuals from participating in research studies, it is unlikely that any investigator willever be in a position to say that this or that is true of a given percentage of all homosexuals.”

Diggs cites a Canadian study twice in order to claim that gays have a shorter lifespan than heterosexuals. But his citation of the study is a mischaracterization. In 2001, the six original researchers (Robert S. Hogg, Stefan A. Strathdee, Kevin J.P. Craib, Michael V. O’Shaughnessy, Julion Montaner, and Martin T. Schechter) who conducted that study have gone on record saying that religious conservatives (like Diggs) was distorting their work.

In another section entitled Physical Health, Diggs claims that gays are victims of “gay bowel syndrome.” The term is an obsolete medical term. exist and even the CDC does not use it. In fact, if one was to look at the endnotes of Diggs’ study, he would find that two of the sources he quoted concerning “gay bowel syndrome” were from articles in published in 1976 and 1983, which is consistent with the years that the term existed. One last source was a letter to the editor printed in 1994 but Diggs does not make it clear as to whatwere the circumstances surrounding it.

He generalizes convenience sample studies as indicative of the gay population at large. Diggs takes studies done in foreign countries and claims that they are indicative of the gay population at large.

Diggs claims that there are five distinctions between heterosexual and homosexual populations including levels of promiscuity, physical health, mental health, lifespan, and monogamy. However, he spends very little time comparing the two dynamics. He uses all of his time castigating gay populations.

He uses an out of date book, The Gay Report (published in 1979) to claim that gays are engaging in deviant sexual practices. Only once does he attempt to tie the alleged deviant practices of gays in 1979 to present day; and to do so, he cites two events that took place regarding bondage workshops. However, there is a strong indication that heterosexuals took part in these events as well as gays. Diggs ignores this dynamic.

The Negative Effects of Homosexuality

Timothy Dailey use a 1985 survey of lesbians at a Michigan music festival to claim that lesbians have a high rate of domestic violence. However, according to the reviewer of the study, Suzana Rose, Ph.D., of the 1099 lesbians participants, most were white and between the ages of 20-45. She also said: “Questions concerning perpetrating abuse need to distinguish between actions taken in self-defense and actions initiated by the aggressor. This point was not assessed here. Findings are limited by the selective recruiting of participants.”

Dailey also uses the Weinberg and Bell book to claim that all gay men are promiscuous despite the fact that both authors said their work was not indicative of all gay men.

Dailey uses the term “gay bowel syndrome”

Dailey cites a study that says young gay men are in danger of catching disease at a high rate. He omits the part of the study that said they need places to build their self esteem as homosexuals. In addition, he performs mathematical manipulation on percentages gauged in legitimate studies in order to push forth a higher image of gay men catching diseases.

He generalizes convenience sample studies as indicative of the gay population at large.

The sad thing is that guillible parents are going to read Linda Harvey's mess complete with her bad sources and think of it as credible.

Truly an ignorant person can cause more damage than a learned fool.

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Shedding more light on yet another anti-gay industry lie

I have talked the situation involving a lawsuit some Christian employees had with the city of Oakland many times on this blog.

These employees, the Allied Defense Fund, and other members of the anti-gay industry have claimed that they were discriminated against simply because they wanted to start a Christian organization in response to other employees starting a gay tolerance group.

The employees and the Allied Defense Fund sued while the rest of the anti-gay industry distorted the case as "another" example of the supposed gay agenda trying to shut down Christians.

The situation had nothing to do with them being able to form their group, but with a flyer the organizers put up. The flyer used language in a manner that bashed gay employees. The city told the organizers that they could submit another flyer but the two women in the middle of the situation refused.

The Ninth Circuit Court ruled against them so they have been appealing to the Supreme Court.

I ran across something else that sheds light on the story and I want to share with everyone. The following is from an article printed on July 4:

. . . the seemingly harmless flier was not an isolated incident but part of a deliberate pattern of harassment. The association's flier was specifically posted outside of a lesbian co-worker's cubicle, placed on her desk and in the restroom. The plaintiffs went out of their way to harass their lesbian co-worker as well as to proselytize about their belief on city time and on the taxpayer's dime.

Just how tacky can a man get?

And our friend Peter LaBarbera and the Americans for Truth (in name only) have done it again.

In attempting to defend Ft. Lauderdale Mayor Jim Naugle for his rantings regarding gay men and public bathroom sex, LaBarbera published an absolutely long list of postings from gay men looking for sex in public places.

He says he received the list from a web page, which he did not mention. He made allusions to another page called Craig's list but it is not clear where he got the postings from.

What is clear is Peter's attention to detail.

Furthermore, he has the nerve to say:

by reprinting this information, Americans For Truth’s “gay” critics – in typical “shoot-the-messenger” fashion – will again accuse me of reveling in the homosexual perversions described below.

To that, I say hell yeah!

How else would one describe a man who not only searched through sex listings but meticulously cataloged and added cute little comments to a few entries.

To paraphrase a popular comedian:

That trick is nasty!!!!!!!

Really though, if one looks hard enough, one will find trash anywhere. And usually when folks like Peter look for evidence of "perversion" in the gay community, they seem to always ignore evidence of "perversion" in the heterosexual community.

It's the same mentality that leads them to call anal sex "gay behavior" while ignoring the fact that heterosexuals also engage in anal sex.

No doubt Peter's latest hot mess will appeal to those already with biases against the gay community. But to the rest of us, it demonstrates more excesses from a man seems to be having a much more fun time with gay sex than the rest of us.

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Anti-gay tactic - Ignore the truth and maybe it will go away

Yesterday, I talked about the controversy involving Ft. Lauderdale Mayor Jim Naugle and his robo-toilet idea. Naugle wanted the city to pay $250,000 for a robo-toilet that he claimed would curb anonymous gay sex in public restrooms.

Of course the city didn't accept the proposal and the lgbt community were furious. Apparently his idea of a robo-toilet was the latest in a long line of nasty comments and proposals Naugle lodged against the lgbt community.

Yesterday, he called a press conference claiming to issue an apology.

Which he did. Of course the apology was not to the lgbt community but for allegedly underestimating the "problem" of anonymous gay sex in public restrooms.

That's right. Naugle used the press conference to insult the lgbt community yet again. Needless to say that lgbts and other citizens in Ft. Lauderdale are banding together to voice their displeasure with him.

As they should.

I have been reading about the entire controversy and noticed something that you probably already know but I still want to make you aware of.

The following comment is one I posted yesterday. It is by an area sergeant when he was asked about the problem of "gay public sex" :

. . . one problem Naugle had in trying to justify buying a robo-john due only to his belief that it will stop the rampant anonymous t-room sex he's been thinking about is that the rampant anonymous t-room sex he's been thinking about isn't a problem. According to Sgt. Frank Sousa, "There's no evidence, no reports or arrests made for any men having sex in any restrooms." - Robo-johns and stereotypes, Sun-Sentinel, July 20, 2007

You would think that the word of a police sergeant would be enough. Think again. Apparently some folks feel that if they ignore the sergeant's comments, then their view of the issue will be the correct one:

Hurrah for Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jim Naugle for telling it like it is. The mayor is absolutely correct about gay men over taking the public restrooms as they troll for sex and drugs.Gays having sex in public is becoming an epidemic, not just in Florida but all over the U.S. - letter to the editor, Sun-Sentinel, July 22, 2007

I am not homophobic in any sense of the word. I count gays and lesbians among my closest friends and acquaintances, and respect them no less for their sexual orientation.That having been said, there's no reason the government needs to sanction behavior that the vast majority of Americans find morally reprehensible. That "cruising" in public areas is a problem in the gay community is well-known, especially among gays. To note that gays disproportionately engage in this activity (for whatever reason) is not homophobic, it's honest. Naugle has every right to his concerns. - letter to the editor, Sun-Sentinel, July 22, 2007

Instead of asking whether the laws against sex in the public restroom should be obeyed (as the mayor and the people of Ft. Lauderdale would like) The Sun Sentinel, a pawn for the homosexual lobby, asked if the mayor should resign for his stand against this illegal activity. He also voted against pornography in the public libraries. And for that, he's being protested against at Ft. Lauderdale City Hall today. - News Flash! Sex in Public Still Illegal, Janet Folger, World Net Daily, July 24, 2007

Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jim Naugle is catching a lot of flack for taking on the problem of public homosexual sex in his city, especially in public restrooms. - The Dakota Voice blogspot, July 24, 2007 (this site, of course, did not print the comment by Sgt. Frank Sousa)

Every now and then, a politician stands up and does the right thing no matter how loudly leftist activists spew. As you'll see from the link below, Mayor Jim Naugle in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, has his hands full with homosexual activists who are trying to bully their way, as usual. To his credit, Mayor Naugle is standing his ground and doing exactly the opposite of what they're demanding (that is if you can understand them through their spittle). They're even shouting out "shame on you" to the mayor, when in fact THEY'RE the ones who ought to be ashamed. - The Seventh Sola, July 25, 2007

Finally, a strong public official! City was overwhelmed by homosexuals having anonymous sexual encounters in public parks & restrooms, angering parents and community. Mayor announced a crackdown - that the city won't take it any longer. Homosexual activists (supported by local press, of course) demonstrated against mayor, held rally, called him a "bigot", etc., but mayor held his ground. - Mass Resistance webpage, July 25, 2007

Homosexual Activists Continue to Attack Mayor Naugle - a headline from Active Christian Media, July 25, 2007

Watch yesterday’s Sun-Sentinel video of Ft. Lauderdale Mayor Jim Naugle’s press conference in which he apologizes for not doing more to stop homosexual “sex” in the city’s public and beach restrooms . . . A note on the Naugle story: will the day ever come when LEADERS of the proud “gay” lobby apologize for their community’s own excesses — e.g., tolerating or encouraging men to commit anonymous sodomies with other men in public restrooms, parks, and bathhouses (sex clubs)? - Americans for Truth web page, July 26, 2007

I think you all will understand why I choose not to read any comments from Free Republic.

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

A stupid and misleading question courtesy of Janet Folger

If homosexuals aren't having illegal sex in the public restrooms why are they so upset about a mayor trying to stop it?

That ridiculous question comes from Janet Folger. She is referring to a situation involving Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jim Naugle. Naugle seems to be intent on attacking the lgbts in his community with a series of ugly comments and proposals.

This includes a plan to install a $250,000 robo toilet. Naugle claims that the toilet will curb activities of gay sex in public restrooms; something he says is rampant.

I should tell you that area police have refuted Naugle's claim:

According to Sgt. Frank Sousa, "There's no evidence, no reports or arrests made for any men having sex in any restrooms."

But Naugle soldiers on with his claims and backing him is Folger in a column today where she announced that Naugle was the recipient of a "Protector of the Family" award.

It was in this column that Folger asked that stupid question.

Well let me answer it.

Janet, if there is any problem with public sex (which the police have said there isn't), then it should be handled in a way that is quick and effective and does not stigmatize a group of people for the actions of a few.

I am a black gay men.

I do not have sex in public restrooms.

And when I say that, I speak for a huge number of lgbts.

I get angry at any inferrence that public sex is my nature as a gay man just like I get angry with any inferrence that criminal behavior is my nature as a black man.

The way Naugle has addressed the situation is no different than a white woman tiptoeing around me because she heard of a purse snatching in another city involving a black man.

As a proud gay black man, I will not allow anyone to stigmatize me and my lgbt brothers and sisters as oversexed fiends.

Because we aren't.

And the sad thing is that many so-called Christians don't seem to care that Naugle was not telling the truth about public gay sex. Many of them have written letters to the editor and responded online preaching admonitions against homosexuality.

I get it. Homosexuality is wrong but lying about lgbts is perfectly okay.

This is just par for the course for Folger by the way. She and her group, Faith2Action, have been strident in their attempts to defeat the new hate crimes legislation, including pushing the lie that lgbts seek to criminalize pastors for speaking out against homosexuality in the pulpit.

Last week, she reached the upper echelon of hypocrisy.

Folger has made a career out of claiming that Christians are being persecuted for their religious beliefs. She even wrote a book, The Criminalization of Christianity, that continues to press this theory.

However, she thinks its perfectly alright for Christians to act in a persecuting manner towards other religions.

Check out what she said about the incident of the Hindu minister being interrupted as he gave the opening prayer in the Senate:

"If you look and see what God's position is on idolatry, he's not fond of it, to put it lightly," says the Christian activist. "And what we've got to do is side with where God is on this -- and he is not for praying to millions of false gods on the floor of the United States Senate, which incidentally was followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to one nation under God."

Folger says the three Christian activists who were arrested for disrupting the Hindu prayer "are heroes and history will show them as such."

I guess in Folger's world, mischaracterization and persecution should be tolerated if Christians are doing them.

It's not a world that I want to live in and I don't care what anyone's religious view of homosexuality is, you cannot tell me that this is a world God advocates.