What the religious right is scared to tell you about gay marriage referendums . . .

Today, I am beginning something new and necessary on my blog. Thanks to the efforts of many folks (myself included), it seems that anti-gay groups are relying less on junk and cherry-picked science and more on basic and anecdotal lies to smear the lgbt community and our right to equality. From time to time, I am going to feature some factual memes which are designed to combat their spin with the truth and get the conversation going. I would love some feedback.

And feel free to steal and place it anywhere:

'Survivors of the 1980s AIDS crisis tell their stories' & other Wed. midday news briefs

Survivors of 1980s AIDS crisis reveal what happened to them - We have a responsibility to see that these folks are NEVER forgotten and a duty to make sure that such a ugly crisis never happens again.

Charlotte tries to ease tensions over LGBT protections - One wonderful way to ease tensions, establish a dialogue and refute all of the religious right myths, especially about the transgender community.  

Indiana gay rights bill is dead: 'We took a beating from all sides' - And deservedly so. NO ONE on either side wanted this bill.  

Ted Cruz Scares Me the Most - Join the club. It's growing immensely.  

Erick Erickson's New Book Warns The "Leftist-Homosexual Mafia Will Shut You Down" - Just a preview of another right-wing book full of lies and anecdotal (and false stories) about gays "persecuting" Christians. They are still working that "gays will force pastors to officiate gay weddings" lie. This is a battle of rhetoric so don't be blase or nonchalant. An unchallenged lie is easier to be taken as truth than a challenged lie.

Franklin Graham & anti-gay hate group rallying to 'save' America

Get a load of THIS mess:

In the nine and a half years I have covered the religious right, they have had more "We have to save America because it's in deep crisis" rallies than I've cared to count.

To paraphrase Rod Serling, according to these folks,  America has been on death's door so many times, we've worn out the welcome mat.

In this particular case, these set of rallies involve Franklin Graham and the anti-gay hate group American Family Association:

AFA is proud to partner with Franklin Graham in encouraging you and your family to attend the Decision America Tour rally in your state. Franklin is traveling to all 50 states in 2016 to hold prayer rallies, to preach the Gospel, and to challenge believers to take a stand and take action. He’ll be urging Christians to vote, to live out their faith in every part of their lives, and to pray for our nation just as Nehemiah cried out to God to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem and restore hope to His people.

Well isn't that special. Of course my opinion is that any self-respecting Christian wouldn't pray with Franklin Graham. Aside from his teaming with the AFA, Graham himself has been not been necessarily Christian in his rhetoric. Such as:

his consistent approval of laws in Russia which serve to persecute and otherwise victimize the country's lgbts,

his ugly and prejudiced attacks on the entire Muslim community, including a call to ban Muslim immigration ,

or that time when he said gays should be kept away from churches and children,

or when he said God would smite Obama for the marriage equality ruling.

Unfortunately to many of his supporters, none of these things matter because nothing says "I love Jesus" like rallying with a Islamophobic, homophobic pastor reaping off of his father's good name.

 I can just see Graham now. He will be in the middle of a massive throng of gullible believers, arms held up, hands stretched out and eyes closed tight so he can eek out some tears while he soaks up all of the attention like that villain in Poltergeist II when he wouldn't let his followers leave his doomsday cult.

Seems to me that if America is in trouble, it's only because this country has allowed folks like Graham to not only get away with their con, but also anoint them as credible religious leaders to boot.

If anyone planning to attend any of Graham's rallies had sense, they would douse him with holy water and then head for the hills.

'Cruz, Rubio's appeals to blatant homophobia' & other Tue. midday news briefs

Ted Cruz

 Homophobia pushes Ted Cruz to the win in Iowa caucuses - Naaaaw! 

 Ted Cruz's Religious Right Support Carries Him To Iowa Victory - More information on the above point.  

Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio Have Pledged to Pass This Vile Anti-Gay Law in First 100 Days of Presidency: WATCH - No slouch in the homophobia department, check out the law that Iowa Republican Caucus third placer (and eventually winner Ted Cruz) has vowed to pass within 100 days of either winning the presidency. It ain't pretty. It would allow business and individuals to discriminate against gays under the guise of "religious liberty." 

A simple question someone should ask Marco Rubio about his bigotry - My post from last year reminding folks that Rubio would actively take rights away from same-sex couples and their children while having the temerity to make himself seem like a victim if people called him a bigot for doing it.  

Transgender Police Officer Banned From Workplace Restroom - This is seriously some nonsense!  

Gay Republicans Care More About Democrats Losing Than LGBT Equality - And they wonder why they get hardly any respect in the lgbt community.

'Ted Cruz doesn't care about gay people'

So Ted Cruz won the Iowa Caucus. What does this mean?

Definitely too much analysis by the Beltway media. As far as I'm concerned, it's an appropriate time to remind folks that a Ted Cruz Administration in the White House would be a nightmare for the lgbt community:

Jacksonville, FL anti-gay activists aiming low to defeat non-discrimination ordinance

The handiwork of an anti-gay activist smearing a Jacksonville Councilman

While everyone's eyes are on the Iowa Caucus, there is an interesting situation developing in Jacksonville,  FL.

According to Media Matters:

Jacksonville is set to be the next major battleground for LGBT equality as the city council considers extending non-discrimination protections to include LGBT people. Here's what the media should know about the groups and activists leading the fight against LGBT equality in Jacksonville. As the largest US city that has never enacted protections for LGBT people, Jacksonville is considering updating its Human Rights Ordinance (HRO) to include non-discrimination protections based on gender identity and sexual orientation in areas like housing, employment, and public accommodations. Anti-LGBT activists leading the fight against expanding Jacksonville's HRO falsely claim that adding LGBT protections would allow sexual predators to enter women's restrooms, a bogus talking point that was used to defeat similar protections in Houston in 2015.

Media Matters point out the three entities who are heavily involved in defeating the non-discrimination ordinance.  The organization also gives information which the media should point out. The groups are:

 The Liberty Counsel:

Right-wing Christian legal group based in Orlando, FL

Designated an anti-LGBT "hate group" by the Southern Poverty Law Center

Represented notorious Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis

Has a history of misleading media outlets

Florida Family Policy Council:

Florida chapter of national anti-gay group Focus on the Family

Headed by anti-gay activist John Stemberger 

Urges gay people to seek help in leaving the "gay lifestyle"

And last, but certainly not least, this guy:

"Pastor" Kenneth Adkins channeling anti-transgender stereotypes

This is Pastor Kenneth Adkins. Amongst other things, he is responsible for the awful graphic above smearing a councilman. He supposedly leads a group of black pastors against the non-discrimination ordinance:

Adkins has said that the definition of the expanded HRO is "Giving Civil Rights to men who engage in Anal Sex with each other," called City Council Member Tommy Hazouri the "anti-Christ" for supporting the HRO, and photoshopped Hazouri's face onto pornographic images.

He has also:

Took photos of himself dressed up as a woman to oppose the Jacksonville HRO

Garnered local media attention with his vocal antics against the expanded HRO

Stroll over to Media Matters for the full story on these folks. If we lose this one, we really need to assess our priorities as an equality movement. There has been a lot of talk lately over a certain nasty event which happened a recent lgbt conference.  All I am going to say about that is  if we don't get our stuff together and stop with the bickering and bullshit academic "queer studies" lingo, we are going to lose to people like THIS guy above.

Often.

'LGBT rights on the menu for Trump, Cruz in Iowa caucus' & other Mon. midday news briefs

Phil Robertson judges gays again

Phil Robertson: 'Rid The Earth Of' Gay Marriage Supporters - At a Ted Cruz rally, of course. And then he misquotes Thomas Jefferson. Not that it matters because no matter how many times you refute it, the so-called evangelical gullible will believe him out of spite. Much like they do with anti-lgbt propaganda. 

Trump toys with reversal on marriage equality: I’d appoint judges who would overturn it - Because apparently that is NOW prerequisite of being on the Supreme Court. Eh. I still don't believe him.

Gays for Trump: How the Log Cabin Republicans Were Deluded By a Demagogue - This is why the Log Cabin Republicans get no respect. It's not that they are Republicans that I have a problem with. It's that they are doing practically NOTHING to change their party from within. 

President Obama Opens Up About His Hope For LGBT Acceptance - Be honest. You are going to miss Obama when he leaves office. 

This Transgender Girl Scout Stood Up To A Bully By Selling Thousands Of Cookies - Good for her!!!!