Anti-gay BarbWire reveals source of distorted picture, still flippant about its use

In my last post, I talked about how Right Wing Watch discovered that the rabidly anti-gay online news source, BarbWire ran photo-shopped picture to accompany an awful story linking gay men to pedophilia.

The picture was originally this:

But BarbWire ran a photo-shopped copy which looked like this:

BarbWire subsequently removed the photo but the author of the article, Jeff Allen, was highly flippant about the photo, calling it an innocent mistake. In addition, he implied that the picture was pulled from the internet and actually attempted to blame Right Wing Watch for discovering his mistake.

Allen's nonchalant attitude wasn't enough for me. I felt that he or someone else from BarbWire had to answer for the photo. To imply that anyone is a pedophile or support pedophilia in any way is a serious charge.

'Anti-gay BarbWire runs distorted NAMBLA pic to smear gay men' & other Thursday midday news briefs

In it's zeal to link gay men to pedophilia, the noxious right-wing publication BarbWire just made a serious error.  The article in question itself is filled with anecdotes and cherry-picked science. I guess to somehow put an explanation point on it, the following picture was included:

But through the perseverance and the clever eyes of Right Wing Watch, it has been proven that the above picture is (wait for it) a FRAUD:

The picture has been removed and the author of the piece, Jeff Allen, implied that picture was pulled from the internet.  He also called it "an innocent" mistake and is trying to blame Right-Wing Watch for the entire incident:

@RightWingWatch An innocent mistake is not deception, but a painting a mistake as intentional -- that's deception @jmattbarber
— Jeff Allen (@jeffallen1987) May 15, 2014

Personally, I still think a definitive confirmation that this picture was pulled from the web in its distorted state should be given by Allen and BarbWire. In addition, an apology to the men in the picture should be given. No matter the situation, I find Allen's flippancy about the entire situation to be alarming. Mistake or not, this was not innocent.

If it turns out that the distortion of the picture was not a creation of BarbWire, it still speaks to the publication's lack of credibility in linking gay men to pedophilia.  If it can't check the veracity of a picture, then you have to wonder about the veracity of its articles.

In other news:

How Conservatives Are Trying To Derail Houston’s LGBT Nondiscrimination Ordinance - Here we go again with the lies about bathrooms and our transgender sisters.

Arkansas Gay Marriages On Hold For Now - We've waited decades. Waiting a little longer won't matter. Warriors are never defeated by minor setbacks.

Hubris-driven NOM witch-hunting Arkansas judge for daring to not agree with its discriminatory cause - It's one thing to take your ball and stomp home when you can't get your way, but it's not even your ball.

Welcome to Give Out Day! - Let's end today's news briefs talking about a great cause. And in my state of South Carolina, nine organizations are taking part. Whatever you can give for the cause of equality!

Equality Matters knocks down anti-gay lies, distortions

With the lgbt community winning more equality battles, it's good to see that many of us will not be content on resting on our laurels.

Media Matters is an excellent site when it comes to being a watchdog of conservative misinformation. However, just in case you aren't aware, it also features a site focused solely on deconstructing anti-gay distortions.

Equality Matters has been around for a number of years, but the above video gives the perfect reason why it is such a necessary tool for not only the lgbt community but also our allies.

Overreaction to Michael Sam's kiss goes on and on and on . . .

As this wild, heated discussion on a Dallas morning show demonstrates, some people have a serious problem with Michael Sam kissing his boyfriend Saturday.

Some say ESPN should have realized that children were watching. I say big deal. My guess is children younger than 10 thought the entire thing was gross - as children that age tend to think of all kissing - and have probably already forgotten about it. But honestly, in this society where violence on television is so ordinary from news programs to movies, just how damaging is it to children to see two men kiss? Seriously. Folks have gotten all "Helen Lovejoy" over the idea that children could be exposed to watching two men kiss, but no one has told me just what would happen that folks are so scared of.

And then others talk about the cake smashing. Again I say big deal. Don't folks do that at weddings? And what's a wedding without a child as a flower girl or a ring bearer? And I'm not even going to talk about the garter toss.

 It just amazes me how some folks are still up in arms about this in defense of protecting the innocence of children when in all likelihood, the children they are claiming to protect have probably already forgotten about the kiss.

If I was snarky, I would say that those who continue to raise hell over Michael Sam's kiss are simply jealous that they have never received a kiss like that.

But to answer the question of one of the women, no we cannot just accept one person's opinion and leave it alone because we all have opinions. And being called to defend your opinion is just the price you pay for having one.

'Newt Gingrich claims gays are repressing straight people' & other Wed. midday news briefs

Newt Gingrich Complains Straight People Are Being Repressed - What he actually said is that lgbts should be open to understanding the feelings of those expressing anti-gay sentiments. You know, like folks were understanding of Donald Sterling's feelings after his racist rant. Oh wait . . . 

Clay Aiken Wins Democratic Nomination In North Carolina House Race - Who says this is going to be a boring election season?  

Audio: Tony Perkins, caller discuss 'horrible,' 'repulsive' homosexuality - Tony Perkins' idea of a fair debate on the lgbt community.  

Peter LaBarbera Angry He Was 'Forced' To Watch Michael Sam Kiss His Boyfriend - OMG! A comment here is just too damn easy to make! I can't do it without cracking up!  

Virginia’s Universities Must Reject ‘Ex-Gay’ Junk Science - Look who is springing up at Virginia universities like weeds.

SC legislative attack on colleges because of gay issues ends in strange irony

A legislative attack on two SC colleges for assigning gay-themed books has ended with the strangest irony you will ever take notice of.

From The State:

  . . . state senators voted Tuesday to require Upstate and the College of Charleston to spend nearly $70,000 to teach the Constitution and other U.S. founding documents. That is the same cost as the colleges paid for gay-themed books that they assigned to freshmen last fall.

The two books, Fun Home and Outloud: The Best of Rainbow Radio, were called either pornographic or not in line with "South Carolina values," according to some legislators. They originally cut over $70,000 collectively from the budget of the colleges.  One legislator in particular, Sen. Larry Grooms, told The State that Tuesday's vote should be considered a censure against the colleges for spreading pornography:

“We spoke to the fact, ‘You did something wrong,’ ” Grooms said. “This is a way of making amends.”

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/2014/05/13/3445261/usc-upstate-cuts-center-tied-to.html?sp=/99/205/&ihp=1#storylink=cpy

Sen. Brad Hutto, who has been a vocal opponent of legislative actions against the colleges, accused his fellow senators of getting ridiculously riled up over the fact that the books were talking about lgbt issues.

Bryan Fischer throwing hissyfit over Idaho marriage equality decision

In case you haven't heard, another anti-marriage equality law was struck down:

U.S. Magistrate Judge Candy Dale has ruled Idaho's ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional. In her 57-page decision, Dale stated, "Idaho’s Marriage Laws withhold from them a profound and personal choice, one that most can take for granted. By doing so, Idaho’s Marriage Laws deny same-sex couples the economic, practical, emotional, and spiritual benefits of marriage, relegating each couple to a stigmatized, second-class status. Plaintiffs suffer these injuries not because they are unqualified to marry, start a family, or grow old together, but because of who they are and whom they love."

This is the 12th time the courts have ruled for marriage equality since DOMA was overturned. But what makes this victory sweeter is the reaction of the American Family Association Bryan Fischer:

Read more here: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2014/05/13/3183291/judge-rules-idaho-gay-marriage.html?sp=/99/1687/&ihp=1#storylink=cpyU.S. Magistrate Judge Candy Dale has ruled Idaho's ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional.In her 57-page decision, Dale stated, "Idaho’s Marriage Laws withhold from them a profound and personal choice, one that most can take for granted. By doing so, Idaho’s Marriage Laws deny same-sex couples the economic, practical, emotional, and spiritual benefits of marriage, relegating each couple to a stigmatized, second-class status. Plaintiffs suffer these injuries not because they are unqualified to marry, start a family, or grow old together, but because of who they are and whom they love."

Read more here: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2014/05/13/3183291/judge-rules-idaho-gay-marriage.html?sp=/99/1687/&ihp=1#storylink=cpy

I'm co-author of Idaho marriage amendment just overturned by judicial tyrant. Gov. should ignore unconstitutional ruling.
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanJFischer) May 14, 2014

At issue in Idaho: are we a nation of laws or a nation of tyrannical judges wielding gavels like sledgehammers?
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanJFischer) May 14, 2014