FRC's Tony Perkins demonstrates ability to be two-faced about the Boy Scouts

Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council

Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council is working the Boy Scouts story like it's a corner and his pimp is going to knock him senseless if he comes up short.

All week, he has consistently sounded the alarm as to the possibility of sexual abuse and sexual misconduct should the Boy Scouts eliminate its "no gays allowed" policy:

This is what he said during a radio show today:

Perkins: I don’t think the vast majority of those who are involved in homosexuality choose that lifestyle. You say what do you mean by that? I mean that oftentimes it is the result of abuse, trauma, something that happened in their lives that led them down this path and that’s one of the reasons we’re very concerned about the Boy Scouts. They’ve already had—last Fall by court order these files, what they call the ‘perversion files’ with the Boy Scouts, detailed hundreds, hundreds of cases that had happened between the 1960s and the mid-1980s and that’s with the policy in place. With an open door policy it can only get worse. So that could lead to these experiences and trauma for young boys that could lead them into that lifestyle. So that’s one reason I think parents are concerned and rightfully so.

This is what he said earlier this week during another radio show:

Perkins: The national board released about 15,000 pages of documentation on sexual predators and what had taken place in the Scouts from 1960-1995. One lawsuit alone cost the Scouts a settlement of about $20 million. Through the litigation the leading attorney who has litigated for the families of what they called the ‘preyed upon children’ estimates that each predator molested up to twenty-five children, roughly 1,900 predators’ names were revealed. This is under the current policy which forbids those who would be inclined to this from coming in, what’s going to happen when they just throw the door open?

It's strange that in his radio appearances, Perkins is constantly mentioning the (nonexistent) possibility of sexual abuse because it's not what he or FRC want folks to mention when they encourage them to call the Boy Scouts about the possible change in policy. They want folks to say this:

Sample Phone Script:

Hello, my name is _________, from __________.

Thank you for your service as a board member of the Boy Scouts of America.
As you're aware, a new proposal indicates that the Boy Scouts of America may revoke their longstanding policy of safeguarding Scouts by restricting homosexuals from holding leadership positions over boys. For decades, your national organization has kept the interest of the boys it serves as the focus of all its actions. No matter what, the Boy Scouts of America could be counted upon to do the right thing and not yield to any social pressure, and has thus far stood strong.

Please do not jeopardize the safety and moral integrity of Scouting in the interest of social activism. The proposal to relegate the decision on homosexual leaders to local chartered organizations sends the wrong signal from the national body: that political correctness ultimately triumphs over character.

Please retain the current long-held and time-tested policy regarding homosexual leadership and membership. America stands with you. Lead the way. Please stand strong.

Thank you, and God bless you.

Makes one wonder about Perkins' opinion on facts and fiction.

Hat tip to Right Wing Watch.

'Online booklet on anti-gay bigotry crosses 100,000 reads threshold' and other Thursday midday news briefs

How They See Us: Unmasking the Religious Right War on Gay America crosses the 100,000 read threshold - Yeah, I have been working this booklet on you all like a runway, but as the next two briefs demonstrate, it emphasizes how our community NEEDS TO PLACE an emphasis on attacking religious right propaganda.

Wyoming House Defeats Domestic Partnership - And do you know why? Probably because of legislators' opinions like these: 

State Rep. Mark Baker (R-Rock Springs) again raised the public health argument in the debate on the House floor, claiming that "only 1 percent of homosexuals die of old age" and that domestic partnership would cause higher health care costs for the state, according to a tweet by Trevor Brown, the state government reporter for the Wyoming Tribune Eagle.

 One guess where and WHO he got that from.

News Outlets Rely On Tony Perkins For Anti-Gay Boy Scouts Commentary - Again, see what I mean. Don't demand that the media stop going to Perkins. Demand equal time!

BREAKING: Colorado Senate Committee Advances Civil Unions Bill - This just came in. Religious right head explosion at 5 . . 4 . .3 . . 

Swanson Predicts the Future: Homeschooled Children Will be Given to Pedophiles, Gays Will Burn Christians at the Stake - Religious right figure claims this will happen if Colorado passes the Civil Unions Bill. He isn't going to be happy with the news above.

 NOM Again Retreats to Canada For Anti-Marriage Fearmongering Material - I never get tired of using the words "NOM" and "pitiful" in the same sentence.

Religious Right - Gays will cause boy scouts to get freaky with each other

With the religious right all in a frenzy over ths possible change in the Boy Scouts policy of "no gays allowed," America has been subjected to all sorts of claims and images about "nubile innocent boys" at the so-called mercy of "predatory older Scoutmasters" in the middle of the forest with no one around to save them - not even Batman.

So I guess the following claim was bound to be heard. However,  it makes one wonder if some of these folks attacking the Boy Scouts have forsaken all reason and are starting to borrow plots from pornographic movies.

Recently the Family Research Council's Tony Perkins and John Stemberger of the Florida Family Policy Council had an online "chat" about the many things wrong with the Boy Scouts changing its policy and the following came up via Stemberger:

The greatest threat immediately is going to be not just adults but it’s going to be the kids. There are so many young people today in high school and public school especially who are acting out homosexuality just because it’s the popular and cool thing, so you’re going to have lots of crazy stuff happening with boys. We’ve been through a whole round of problems that the Scouts have had with improper conduct with adults over the years and this just seems insanity to me that they would open the door and allow openly gay leaders and boys to flourish.

In other words, according to Stemberger, if gays are allowed to participate in the Scouts, the young boys get together and do all sorts of stuff with each other.

As if they probably don't already. Don't blame us gays for that one. Curiosity about sex is a hallmark of childhood.

One gets the impression that Perkins, Stemberger and company will next be conjuring up visions of young boys in whips, and chains, and bondage outfits.

Did NOM steal images from the 1963 March on Washington?

After the hell lgbts get from some members of the African-American community who accuse them of "highjacking" the Civil Rights Movement, I hope earrings and wigs are snatched off over this one if it turns out to be a fact.

The following is a picture of the National Organization for Marriage is using to advertise its upcoming march during Supreme Court deliberations of Prop 8:

For those who are history buffs, if that picture looks familiar, it's probably because it seems to be stolen from the picture of the original 1963 March on Washington:

If this is the case, the fact that NOM practically steals the picture for its purposes is just plain brazen.

And ironic.

Almost everyone knows that the 1963 March on Washington was where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his famous I Have a Dream speech.

But not everyone knows that the 1963 March on Washington was planned and coordinated by Bayard Rustin, an openly gay African-American man.

Let's break this down -  The National Organization for Marriage seems to have stolen a picture of a legendary march planned and coordinated by a gay man in order to take rights away from the gay community at large.

No wonder Maggie Gallagher left her leadership position at NOM. All of the pandering she could ever do can never cover up the organization's sleaze.

Big hat tip to Jeremy Hooper who spotted the similarities between the pictures.

'Anti-gay bill contains nasty caveat for lgbt youth' and other Wednesday midday news briefs

Tennessee ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill Now Requires Teachers To Inform Parents If Their Child Is Gay - Actor Samuel Jackson said it best - "This here is some repugnant shit!" So teachers can't discuss the gay community in their classes, BUT they will be required yank in-the-closet gay children out to their parents.

Exclusive: Gay marriage foes suffer from fundraising shortfall - Don't dance. This dragon ain't dead yet.  

Fred Karger Reports: NOM's Brian Brown Was Paid $500K+ In 2011 - Not when it's so lucrative to attempt to keep the gay community in a state of unhappiness.  

Stop what you're doing and leave four messages for Boy Scouts of America (please RT and reblog) - If you haven't contacted the Boy Scouts yet in regards to their anti-gay policy, do it now!

  Sandy Rios Warns Gay Rights Lead to 'Fascism' and a 'Lack of Freedom' - That's right. Keep talking. Help us out.

Religious right engages in orgy of homophobia over Boy Scouts

Buster Wilson

If the Boy Scouts are legitimate with the possibility of doing away with its anti-gay policy, then I applaud the organization.

But in my personal opinion, if the group decides to do away with the policy, I would be very surprised.

Plainly speaking, the idea that the Boy Scouts may be doing away with this policy has created, in polite terms, an orgy of homophobia from religious right groups.

The Boy Scouts have been hit with a wave of vulgar comments and disturbing visual images of "predatory gays" taking advantage of children.


If there were prizes given out for most consistent tone of homophobia, Bryan Fischer of the American Family Association would win the majority of them. His usual tone of bigotry has been replaced by a manic-like John The Baptist screech of doom of what would happen to children should gays be allowed to participate in the Boy Scouts.

Believe it or not, however, Fischer doesn't even come close to winning the top prize of homophobia on display.

That award goes to his AFA colleague Buster Wilson who yesterday went on a tangent worthy of Dostyevsky to paint a nauseatingly detailed scenario of  children at the mercy of  so-called evil gay Scoutmasters:

Imagine with me a troop of young boys, ranging in ages from 12-16. These young boys are going to be out in the woods, away from their parents. Not just away from their parents but away from any contact with their parents. Back in my day, there were no cell phones. And today, most camps sites are out cell range.

They would be out in the woods for 2-4 days, nights, depending on what time of the year it was. They will sleep in pairs or threes, in sleeping bags, in tents or out in the open. They will shower and wash in the creeks or lakes that outline their camp site. It would be nothing for boys to wonder about with their shirts off, or sometimes just in their underwear or swim suit because they had just been to the latrine or to the swimming hole. These will all be under the direction of the Scout leader who led them there.

Now, you could say that I am setting up a scenario that is just my own. That there are no reports of the kind of activities that my evil mind is conjuring up, that our homosexual friends want nothing more than to lead these young men to maturity and personal growth and I’m evil for believing that such horrible thoughts could actually become reality. But then, I would refer you again, to my friend Bryan Fischer’s latest article where he reminds us all of the Jerry Sandusky story.

Yeah, that's the same Jerry Sandusky who would have been allowed in the Scouts under its current "no gays allowed" policy because he had a wife, children, and as far as everyone knows, has had no sexual relations with an adult male. He is hardly a gay male.

Regardless of how the Boy Scouts decide, one thing is clear.  Whoever said ignorance is bliss is a damn liar.

And it's downright embarrassing when people not only show pride in their ignorance but puts it on public display.

Editor's note - if you are so inclined,  Contact Wayne Brock, Chief Boy Scouts Executive, at 972-580-2004, 972-580-2000, or by email at Wayne.Brock@Scouting.org.

I 'love' Bryan Fischer and you should too

 I don't know about you all, but I am starting to love Bryan Fischer.

He is a loudmouthed, ignorant fool who repeats the most off-the-wall lies about the gay community. It's like nothing is out of bounds with this guy, such as the above clip in which he claims that the gay community is attempting to destroy the military.

 And that's why I love him.

One minute of Bryan Fischer running his mouth moves the gay community probably 5 steps closer to full equality. With just a few words, he destroys "love the sinner, but not the sin" lie religious right groups such as the Family Research Council and the National Organization for Marriage attempt to perpetrate.

One minute of Bryan Fischer negates every argument, every false issuance of piety, every fake show of love pushed by the religious right.

He is the religious right personified, uncensored by phony kindness and the fraudulent sense of concern about our "souls."

Not matter how much he will deny it, Fischer cannot stand us. He loathes the gay community. He probably has nightmares about us.

And the best part of it? He will not shut up nor will he tread lightly.

He comes full throttle, immersed in his homophobia and hatred in front of millions and millions of people.

I know that it may not seem like it now, but Fischer's words are building up to something like a pot boiling on the stove. The American Family Association, which allows him to have a radio program, has already put up a proviso that the words he utters are his opinions only.

So the group is obviously concerned about this man's wackiness, but not concerned enough to put a kibosh on his mouth.

And that's a good deal for the gay community. All we have to do is let him keep talking.

Bryan Fischer is the gay community's best weapon in the pursuit of full equality.