Disgustingly anti-gay documentary has an atrocious theme song to match

In several posts, People for the American Way's Right Wing Watch has been chronicling a wacky and vile anti-gay documentary by infamous activist Janet Porter.

This documentary ironically called "Light Wins" features Republican presidential candidates Mike Huckabee and Rand Paul, as well as lots of discredited information such as the work of anti-gay activists John R. Diggs and David Barton.

Central to this documentary, as with anything anti-gay,  is the claim that gays are wanting to recruit children. The following is a clip featuring that madness:

And hold on to yourselves. This documentary has its own theme song, which is as bad as the documentary itself:



How in the hell is someone supposed to "tootsie roll" to that?

'Documentary looks at U.S. government's nasty war on gays' & other Monday midday news briefs

FBI director J. Edgar Hoover - rumored to be gay but helped to wage an ugly war ON gays

Uniquely Nasty: The U.S. Government's War on Gays - A documentary looks at the time in history where the United States government actively and specifically waged war against the gay community. Actions happening in the past may seem to be in the past, but the repercussions always come back to bite us in the behind. It would do the lgbt community well to remember ALL of our history. It's always nice to remember events like Stonewall, but we shouldn't forget the events which led to Stonewall nor the folks who had to endure the awful indignities during those times so that we wouldn't have to. Especially when folks are attempting to push a false narrative of "intolerant gays." 

How LGBT Teachers Deal With Intolerance Across The Country - While we are waiting for the SCOTUS decision on marriage equality, let's not forget the other issues the lgbt community has to deal with. 

 IBM cancels ribbon-cutting because of Bobby Jindal’s anti-gay executive order - Sock it to 'em, IBM!!!!  

GOP Candidates Vie to Be Most Antigay at Rightwing Event - While America was dealing with much more pressing issues last weekend, the anti-gay right had another one of their homophobia festivals. 

 Mike Huckabee: Fight Gay Marriage Like Dred Scott Ruling With Civil Disobedience - Yeah, but just WHO fought the Dredd Scott decision with civil disobedience? I may be wrong but I don't think Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation in response to the Dredd Scott decision.

Marriage equality explained by 'The Golden Girls'

The SCOTUS decision on marriage equality will be coming this week or next week. While we keep our fingers crossed, let's not forget that this is a simple issue. The opposition will try to complicate matters by their talking points and scary anecdotes, but the following clip from The Golden Girls says it all about why us gay folks want marriage:

'Huckabee cannot sign NOM's anti-marriage equality pledge because . . .' & other Friday midday news briefs

Huckabee's grandstanding may have backfired.

Mike Huckabee can't sign NOM's marriage pledge; he's already vowed to not - Uh oh. Huckabee can't sign NOM's ugly anti- marriage equality pledge. At least unless he goes back on his word. I just LOVE this! 

 Brian Brown Suggests Terry and I Stole Our Son from His Biological Parents - Yesterday, I pointed out how Brian Brown said some awful things about Dan Savage's family. Later that day, Savage wrote a very polite but direct answer. And by the way, I do not blame Dan's husband, Terry, for what he said to Brown. 

This trans woman just became the first to sing at a professional sporting event - Yes this is a landmark happening. Positive visibility is always a good thing. And I bet she was awesome.  

First ever gay couple graduates from Boston Police Academy - Not bad. Not bad at ALL! 

Chad And Jeff's Story From The Let Love Define Family Series - We can't EVER get enough happy stories about same-sex parents and their children.  

Former Religious Freedom Ambassador Debunks Right-Wing Myth That Obama Ignores Christian Persecution - Not that it's going to stop the religious right from spinning lies. But it's still good to have clarification.

NOM's anti marriage equality pledge would undermine presidential candidates

Below is the pledge The National Organization for Marriage wants candidates for president to sign. The pledge would undermine the Supreme Court should it rule for marriage equality.

It also includes a couple of other things which should send a chill up your spine.  Needless to say that anyone who signs this junk will NOT be making their residence at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue after 2016 (click on image to enlarge):

Hat tip to Jeremy Hooper

'NOM's Brian Brown calls out Dan Savage's family' & other Thur midday news briefs

Senator Pinckney's desk is veiled in black today in honor of his legacy. pic.twitter.com/4KneVVPj3I

— Zeke Stokes (@zekestokes) June 18, 2015

Editor's note - I was contemplating not posting another piece in light of that awful terrorist act in Charleston last night. Yes it was a terrorist act and I will not rehash it to prove my point. There is no need. My prayers and condolences got out to all of the victims (the deceased and their families) and I hope we can learn something. How many times must this happen before we all get down to discussing the things which keep us down?  

For those who want to know more, Buzzfeed is consistently updating about the incident.

I am only posting because I feel my news briefs are still needed, even on a day like today:

Audio: The one where Brian Brown attacks @FakeDanSavage's son at an anti-gay church conference - So even after being invited into Dan Savage's home, seeing his family, and having a discussion about the importance of ALL families, NOM's Brian Brown pulls this mess. Not smart, my friend.

Michigan GOP Lawmaker Wants School Officials Held Criminally Liable For Teaching Students About Homosexuality - Anti-gay state legislator Gary Glenn teams up with anti-gay activist Janet Porter. Vulgarity ensues.

Pledge Pressures Republican Presidential Candidates To Reinstate Anti-Gay Discrimination - Just. try. it. 

South Bend Mayor: Why Coming Out Matters - His message is important.

Tips for reporting (and not reporting) the upcoming SCOTUS marriage equality decision

Media Matters suggests five "do's and dont's" for the media when covering the upcoming SCOTUS decision on marriage equality.

I personally think these tips would work just as well when it comes to covering lgbt equality issues and this so-called cultural war. Attached are three of the tips:
  

DON'T Cite Debunked Horror Stories

In recent debates over marriage equality, anti-LGBT groups and activists have trotted out the same tired "horror stories" about the supposedly negative consequences of same-sex marriage on religious liberty, including that:

• public schools will be forced to teach children about same-sex marriage
• churches will lose their tax exempt status if they don't perform same-sex weddings
• religious adoption agencies that refuse to serve same-sex couples will be shut down
• pastors will be forced to officiate same-sex weddings

All these claims were thoroughly debunked years ago, but news outlets tend to cite them without checking the facts. Journalists should avoid lending credibility to anti-equality myths and hold commentators who push this kind of misinformation accountable.

DO Accurately Identify Anti-LGBT Commentators 
 
Mainstream media often fail to give their audiences relevant information about guests they ask to comment on marriage equality. If a guest represents an anti-LGBT hate group for example -- like the Family Research Council or American College of Pediatricians -- identifying the person as such is essential to providing audiences the context they need to assess that guest's point of view. On CBS' Face the Nation this past April, Bob Schieffer exemplified how the media should introduce such opponents when he accurately identified one of his guests as the president of an anti-gay hate group. Schieffer's decision to properly identify Tony Perkins, of the Family Research Council, infuriated anti-LGBT conservatives, who rely on softball media interviews to whitewash their extreme positions. Anti-LGBT groups also frequently use legal scholars and academics to advance their talking points without revealing the animus that motivates their work.

DON'T Pit Gay Rights Against Religious Beliefs
 
Pitting religious communities against proponents of marriage equality is a common practice in the media, but it ignores the fact that most religious people support legalizing same-sex marriage. Media outlets have historically had trouble separating anti-LGBT animus from sincere, mainstream religious belief, framing the debate instead as a "God vs. Gays" issue. A recent study found significant margins of people in major religious groups -- including 84 percent of Buddhists, 77 percent of Jews, 60 percent of Catholics, and 56 percent of Orthodox Christians -- support same-sex marriage. Among all religiously affiliated Americans, supporters are in the plurality, with 47 percent favoring same-sex marriage, compared to 45 percent who oppose it.

Aside from misrepresenting support for marriage equality among religious people, elevating the "God vs. Gays" myth reinforces the right-wing campaign for anti-LGBT "religious freedom" laws. Coverage of the marriage equality decision will offer media outlets an opportunity to accurately portray the support for same-sex marriage among religious groups, and dispel inaccurate tropes about religion and gay people.   

The rest of the "do's and don't's - DO Rely On Empirical Evidence, DON'T Cite Flawed Social Science - are equally important. Check them all out here