The 2011 Five Most Embarrassing Moments of the Anti-Gay Right Caught on Video

As 2011 comes to a close, it is time yet again count down those special moments in which the religious right and other assorted members of the anti-gay industry made complete asses of themselves on video:

5. Brian Brown gets laughed at on Fox News - In 2011, a curious thing happened to the National Organization for Marriage. As the organization battled against marriage equality in several states - successfully in Maine and unsuccessfully in New York - NOM's leaders seemed be slowly backing away from giving interviews and having debates on news programs.

Now it could be that they were shying away from the press so they didn't have to answer ever growing questions about NOM's finances. But one could also point out the simple fact that as NOM's people gave more interviews and took part in more debates, their argument became less credible.

NOM's president, Brian Brown, emphasized this point. Now in his defense, Brown had a bad year which was accentuated by a picture of him crying when the state of New York passed a marriage equality law and a later video of him pushing a reporter out of a Newt Gingrich fundraiser.

But for my money, Brown's less-than-finest hour came in August when he was debating the issue of marriage equality on Fox News and not only was his points shot down by the host of the program, John Stossel, but also by the audience. Now seriously, if you are a conservative who can't get positive play on Fox News, you might as well quit your gig:



In all honesty though, it was Brown's own fault. He repeated his talking points in a delivery so wooden that he looked less like a so-called defender of marriage and more like a third rate actor auditioning for the sequel to The Stepford Wives. The Stepford Bigots maybe?

4. GLSEN spanks the Family Research Council - In August, the Family Research Council attacked GLSEN (the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network) in a video, claiming that the organization distributed an explicit sex guide to school children in 2005.

But not only was the claim false, it was debunked over a year before FRC made it. So GLSEN sent FRC a cease-and-desist letter from its lawyers saying (and allow me to paraphrase here):


"Look suckers! You are telling a straight up lie and if you don't correct this, we are going to have so many lawyers up your behind that FRC will be funding GLSEN for years to come."

Like any other bully when stood up to, FRC backed down hard, changing the video to the following below:



As you can see, it now tells folks to go to a new video, which is an edited version of the original video.

But while FRC was quick to send out a new version of lies, the organization ignored the Christian tenet of apologizing to those you have wronged. All of this was done silently and without any acknowledgement by FRC of what it had done to GLSEN.

3. Al Franken humiliates Focus on the Family - In July during a Congressional hearing, Senator Al Franken became the idol of many in the lgbtq community when he publicly called out Focus on the Family's Tom Minnery for distorting a study in order to badmouth same-sex households:



Those on the right whined that Franken unfairly attacked Minnery, but who cares what they think. The big take away was that it was the first time that a member of the religious right was publicly caught and dressed down during a Congressional hearing for their common practice of cherry-picking  and misrepresenting studies to demonize the lgbtq community.The only reason why this video doesn't rank higher is because it was wasn't Peter Sprigg of the Family Research Council who was dressed down. He is long due for the numerous times he has cherry-picked studies.

2. Maggie Gallagher's Thanksgiving insult - In September, Maggie Gallagher stepped down as chairwoman of NOM. She claimed that she wanted to devote time to other projects. I personally think it was because she became such a polarizing figure whose public persona actually worked against her argument. Since that time, Gallagher kept a pretty much low profile. That is until November when she pushed the following video tips on supposedly how to "handle the same-sex debate at Thanksgiving."



The video was an embarrassment, as you can see by the number of likes compared to dislikes. To the lgbtq community and our allies, the outright lying tone Gallagher took in it (claiming that those on her side of the argument wasn't interested in "shaming" those who disagreed with them) reminded us why she was polarizing.

And I imagine those who stood on Gallagher's side of the marriage equality argument rolled their eyes and wondered just why did she feel the need to grab the spotlight.

Now I got into a little trouble concerning the video when I made the following statement:

To say that Gallagher's video wasn't popular would be an understatement. To say that she created the youtube version of Battlefield Earth and Plan 9 from Outer Space (two motion pictures renowned for how bad they were) would be more to the point.

Some folks have said that her delivery wasn't exactly comforting. Also, Gallagher simply didn't say anything we haven't heard before. If her aim was to tug at hearts, then my guess is that she used how the Snow White's wicked stepmother wanted to tug at her heart as a model.

And forgive for saying so because I am certainly not trying to rag on Gallagher's looks but the way her hair would bob in her face when she made what she thought were emphatic points totally distracted from her message. All the while Gallagher was talking, I kept thinking about that scene in the motion picture Valley of the Dolls when actress Pattie Duke was singing at a telethon and her dancing caused her necklace to bob and weave as if it took a life of its own.

To reiterate, I wasn't attacking Gallagher's physical appearance, only the campy quality of the video. To tell the truth, I rather liked Gallagher's appearance. Her hair was on point, the pearls were fierce, and girlfriend was rocking that faux Chanel suit. However, from what I hear in regards to her salary (and not just with NOM but also with past groups), I doubt that the suit was fake.

This is NOM's second video on the countdown. When both videos are combined, they make a point about the organization. Brown's video demonstrates why NOM will lose in the end. The points he made about marriage are false, coming from a boardroom rather than any place of truth. Gallagher's video reveals why the organization is having success in some places even though its argument is below weak.

Someone is funding NOM, majorly. We don't know yet. But sooner or later, the truth will come out.

1. Poor Rick Perry - Maggie Gallagher's Thanksgiving monstrosity would have been number one if it weren't for Rick Perry.

Poor Rick Perry. At one time, the long-time Texas Governor was seen as the conservative savior, i.e the one who could defeat Obama in 2012. However after a series of gaffes, Perry was seen as less of a political genius and more of a beneficiary of Texas complacency.

Then came the following video in which Perry tried to regain his footing by pulling the "prayer in schools" and anti-gay cards at the same time:



The sad thing is that a while back, an ad like this would have probably gone over big. But unfortunately for Perry, the ad did the opposite.

This video didn't just yell "desperate." It screamed it with the volume of a virgin in the middle of his first orgasmic experience. And I won't even mention his Brokeback Mountain jacket.

At this point, it would be just plain cruel.


Related post:

The 2010 Five Most Embarrassing Moments of the Anti-Gay Right Caught on Video

'NYT dismantles phony Catholic Church victimhood' and other Thursday midday news briefs

Bishops Say Rules on Gay Parents Limit Freedom of Religion - An excellent breakdown of claims from the Catholic Bishops that they are so-called "victims" of the push for lgbtq equality. And the comments section is simply BRUTAL as the readers aren't buying their explanations.

The Canyonwalker Translation Project - An excellent idea to reach lgbtqs in foreign countries. Anyone who can should help.

FRC Hosts Michael Brown to 'Explain the Homosexual Agenda'- Hold on to your hoolahoops. We have YET ANOTHER phony anti-gay expert on the horizon. And he will be making his presence known in North Carolina also. Long story short - Michael Brown is a grandstanding so-and-so who wants his piece of the anti-gay pie of notoriety. Like so many others, he pushes the same lies about our community, including how we are "plotting" to take over America. So many nuts, so many lies.

Watching Jamaica - Thank you Box Turtle Bulletin for reminding us to keep an eye our for our brothers and sisters in Jamaica.

Hate group's publication deliberately distorts Associated Press article

The American Family Association's One News Now is known for being a fraudulent news sources by often creating a story around the erroneous comments of anti-gay leaders or telling only one side of an incident (making sure to make the gay community look at fault).

But the audacity goes even farther. One News Now has on occasion been inaccurately manipulating AP articles to put the gay community in a negative light:

The original AP article:

Girls seeking abortions in New Hampshire must first tell their parents or a judge, some employers in Alabama must verify new workers' U.S. residency, and California students will be the first in the country to receive mandatory lessons about the contributions of gays and lesbians under state laws set to take effect at the start of 2012.

. . . A California law will add gays and lesbians and people with disabilities to the list of social and ethnic groups whose contributions must be taught in history lessons in public schools. The law also bans teaching materials that reflect poorly on gays or particular religions.

One News Now rendition:

Girls seeking abortions in New Hampshire must first tell their parents or a judge, employers in Alabama must verify new workers' U.S. residency, and California students will be the first in the country to receive mandatory pro-homosexual indoctrination under state laws set to take effect at the start of 2012.

. . . Also in California, a new law will add homosexuals to the list of social and ethnic groups whose contributions must be taught in history lessons in public schools.

One News Now - and the AFA in general - does seem to have a goal in mind. But it's obvious that this goal does not entail correctly informing or educating its readers.

Lesbians of color take centerstage in 'Pariah'

I do a lot of talking about the need to focus on issues and interests of the lgbtq community of color.

Now, I want to back up all of my talk by focusing on an outstanding movie, Pariah:

A world premiere at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, the contemporary drama Pariah is the feature-length expansion of writer/director Dee Rees’ award-winning 2007 short film Pariah. Spike Lee is among the feature’s executive producers. At Sundance, cinematographer Bradford Young was honored with the [U.S. Dramatic Competition] Excellence in Cinematography Award.

Adepero Oduye, who had earlier starred in the short film, portrays Alike (pronounced ah-lee-kay), a 17-year-old African-American woman who lives with her parents Audrey and Arthur (Kim Wayans and Charles Parnell) and younger sister Sharonda (Sahra Mellesse) in Brooklyn’s Fort Greene neighborhood. She has a flair for poetry, and is a good student at her local high school.

Alike is quietly but firmly embracing her identity as a lesbian. With the sometimes boisterous support of her best friend, out lesbian Laura (Pernell Walker), Alike is especially eager to find a girlfriend. At home, her parents’ marriage is strained and there is further tension in the household whenever Alike’s development becomes a topic of discussion. Pressed by her mother into making the acquaintance of a colleague’s daughter, Bina (Aasha Davis), Alike finds Bina to be unexpectedly refreshing to socialize with.

Wondering how much she can confide in her family, Alike strives to get through adolescence with grace, humor, and tenacity – sometimes succeeding, sometimes not, but always moving forward.

For more information to Pariah's main webpage as well as its digital toolkit

'NOM's people are obsessing over gay sex (again)' and other Wednesday midday news briefs

Audio: NOM's Jennifer Roback Morse calls gay sex 'completely shameless activity' - AND we are here again.

Amazon, Barnes & Noble hawking anti-LGBT calendar by self-proclaimed ‘sissy’ - This here is a CONSUMMATE disgrace. An excerpt from this "self-proclaimed sissy" calendar:

The “truth” is that AIDS is an “elective” disease.
It STOPS the day guys quit sticking it to each other.
And for the tragedy of women and children infected…
THAT stops the day their gay husbands and fathers stop cheating on them.
Anyone need MORE education, science or funding to understand THAT?

Rural North Carolina LGBT Rights Group Met by Homophobic Christian Protesters at First Meeting: VIDEO - Please don't give me an crap about "it's to be expected in North Carolina." You defeat ignorance by taking it head on in places where it thrives. These folks should be supported and commended.

Gingrich Intends to Pack Courts with Judges from Regent and Liberty University, Federalist Society - The idea of Mat Staver or Matt Barber as federal judges should scare the hell out of anyone.


It's Official: Gay Is the New Black - I'm not hot on the title but I love this piece written by a black woman, by the way. An excerpt reads:

The civil rights issue of our time is gay marriage, and the key players in our country's most significant civil rights movement are on the wrong side of it. The black church has taken on a new role: oppressor.

One News Now's hypocritical stance on the persecution of Christians and gays

Today, the American Family Association's One News Now is singing the praises of Congress:

The U.S. House has passed a resolution that calls on the government of Turkey to end repression of the remnants of ancient Christian and pre-Christian civilizations and return the property taken from them.

House Resolution 306, spearheaded by Representative Ed Royce (R-California) and Howard Berman (D-California), was recently passed by a huge majority, calling on the State Department to raise the issue. Aram Hamparian of the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) tells OneNewsNow the persecution has been going on for many centuries.

. . . The more serious persecution occurred early last century.

"They were largely seized during the period of the Armenian genocide, which started in 1915, which was an effort to wipe out the entire Christian population of the Ottoman Empire. And it very nearly succeeded in doing that," the ANCA executive director laments. "Armenians and Syrians, Greeks, Pontians and others represented over two million of the citizens of the Ottoman Empire, and today they represent less than one percent."

About a million and a half people were killed, and now only a handful of churches exist, compared to thousands that were in Turkey prior to the alleged genocide. Turkey denies the latter and has lashed out at the House for passing the resolution.

Speaking out against persecution and genocide are good things for any person or any nation to do.

However, One News Now isn't exactly consistent with this stance. Earlier this month, the publication featured an article raising holy hell when Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke out against anti-gay persecution which is presently taking place in foreign countries:

The Obama administration has announced it will begin considering how countries treat homosexual citizens when determining allocations of foreign aid. The Associated Press reports it is the first U.S. government strategy that deals with "human rights abuses against gays and lesbians abroad." Speaking in Geneva, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said "Gay rights are human rights, and human rights are gay rights." Sitting among her audience were representatives from several nations where homosexuality is considered immoral.

The announced policy, according to Matt Barber of Liberty Counsel Action, "displays the arrogance of the Obama administration."

It is "frankly offensive," says the attorney, that President Obama "feels compelled to export American culture's decline in morality, and export that immorality to other nations that are trying to adhere to traditional principles relative to human sexuality."

Barber also notes that the administration is apparently ignoring the fact that foreign nations -- like the United States -- are sovereign countries. He adds that the U.S. is "using essentially blackmail and the purse strings" of the nation to force countries to change their moral principles.

Someone should ask One News Now - and the author of both articles, Charlie Butts - just what is the difference between anti-Christian and anti-gay persecution.

I'm pretty sure that in the eyes of God, there is no difference.

NC group uses 'sniper crosshair' image to bash marriage equality

According to today's issue of North Carolina's Charlotte Observer, one of the proponents of the upcoming referendum to outlaw marriage equality in the state, Rev. Mark Harris, the head of the state's Baptist Convention, wants a "civil debate" over the issue:

"But I hope we can express our positions - keep the conversation to the facts and our principles - and do it in a civil way," Harris, 45, said. "It doesn't mean I'm going to change someone else's position or they're going to change mine. "But in America, we all ought to be able to express ourselves without things getting out of hand."

Now generally when those against marriage equality claim that they want a "civil debate," the lgbtq community and our allies bristle because we know that in the past when these folks call for "calm" and "rationality," it's usually before they pull out all sorts of sundry claims about the gay community.

But I believe Harris when he says he wants a civil debate. However, I also believe that this issue has gone way past out of hand and a perfect example of this is the image below:

According to Jeremy Hooper of Goodasyou.org:

This is the actual graphic that the North Carolina Family Policy Council, the leading anti-equality group in the Tar Heel State, is running in its quarterly publication in order to scare citizens into voting for the state's proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.

Maybe it's just me, but civil debates on marriage equality don't necessarily encompass images of an assassin targeting newlyweds.

If Rev. Harris truly wants a rational and civil discussion on the issue, he needs to have a serious talk with his allies.

Editor's note - The image can be clearly seen at this link on page. 13.