New low: Exploiting the voices of lgbt youth to attack Kevin Jennings

Far be it from me to focus a little more attention on the religious right's flurry of lies against Kevin Jennings, but one thing about the entire incident has been really bugging me. And I have to talk about it just a little.

Is anyone paying attention to the plight of our lgbt youth?

Some of the attacks against Jennings have focused on the suggested reading list that GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network - the group that Jennings founded) has suggested for students. Some on the right have said that this is proof that Jennings approves of sexual behavior between adults and children.

For example, look at this article in One News Now:
 
Fox News has picked up on reports that Kevin Jennings, founder of GLSEN, the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network, has been surrounded by controversy concerning his organization as GLSEN has been accused of visiting middle and high schools where spokespersons engage in explicit sexual discussions with students.
 
In conjunction with the controversial talks, it has been uncovered that GLSEN has recommended an alleged pornographic reading list for underage students. Exact details of the reading list are too explicit for print, but the material includes frank descriptions and the glorification of adult-on-minor homosexual sex. Brian Camenker, head of Mass Resistance, the pro-family organization that first brought these disturbing details to light, is encouraging the public to contest the progression of this promotion.

Like usual, the One News Now article is one-sided and inaccurate. Jennings is NOT a czar. He is an appointee under Arne Duncan, secretary of Education.

Secondly, notice that Camenker from the hate group Mass Resistance and Paul Cameron enabler Robert Knight are the only people cited in the article.

Thirdly, the article omits this fact:

GLSEN states in red type: "All BookLink items are reviewed by GLSEN staff for quality and appropriateness of content. However, some titles for adolescent readers contain mature themes. We recommend that adults selecting books for youth review content for suitability. The editorial and customer reviews listed at Amazon.com often provide information on mature content.

GLSEN is not pushing anything on anyone. The organization has said that adults should review the list and select suitable books for students.

But there is the fourth thing which is the crux of this piece.

I was having an email exchange with a young man who swore up and down that the material on the reading list is pornographic. He even included passages that he said encourages children to have sex with adults:

Quoting _Queer 13_ about one young victim of statutory rape: "I really did enjoy those sexual encounters. That feeling of doing it to them and them doing the same for me was just too damn good."

Of course he omitted this part:

"This was the year I realized I was helpless, different, wholly alone and defenseless. This was the beginning of my worthlessness. It was always pointed out to me that I wasn't good enough and that there was always someone somewhere doing better, and that no matter what I did, I could still have done better."

Unfortunately the man who emailed me is not alone in his "selective omission." The right-wing webpage Big Government and other sites are posting seemingly salacious passages from the book list in an attempt to give an impression that these books are meant to titillate rather than educate.

And this is far from the truth. Some of these books are personal stories; they come from a place of sadness and rejection. They are the stories of how some of our lgbt children went through a rocky process to a place of love and self-acceptance.

The thing that should disgust people here is how their words are being used to exploit the lgbt community and thereby perpetuate conditions in which lgbt children are rejected and kicked out of their homes, lured into bad situations, and generally made to feel ashamed of their God-given orientation.

Are some of the books mature? Yes. But they aren't pornography anymore than a personal experience of rape should be considered as pornography.

Studies have shown that isolation and rejection push lgbt children into depressive and self-harming behaviors such as drug use and unsafe sex. And some of the stories in these books bear that out.

If anyone is angry over what they have read, then that is good. But to blame GLSEN for it is like blaming the messenger. GLSEN did not create situations in which lgbt children are depressed, isolated, and sometimes seek out love and support in places they shouldn't go.

Society is to blame here

I remember sitting in a meeting with a large group of  parents who were angry because a gay/straight alliance was being started at their children's school. They were going on and on about "their values" and how they wanted to "protect their children."

But when lgbt students who attended the same school spoke up about the need for a gay/straight student alliance and how they were picked on or isolated because of their orientation, the only thing these "upstanding" adults could say was, "I am sorry that this happened to you, but . . ."

And that got me a angry. But what? Why was there even a caveat? What were they saying here?

"I am sorry that this happened to you, but I can't do anything about it."

"I am sorry that this happened to you, but since my child isn't gay, why should I care?"

It's that attitude of ignorance which some folks are hoping will bring Jennings down. But regardless of whether it does or not, it won't eliminate our lgbt children nor the problems they face.

And I hope it doesn't make things worse for them.

I don't fault religious conservative groups and others on the right who exploit the voices of our lgbt youth for their own purposes. They can't help it if they don't care about lgbt children.

But I do fault everyone else who fall for their nonsense.

Related posts:

LGBT Youth At Risk

Family Rejection Of Lesbian, Gay And Bisexual Children Linked To Poor Health In Early Adulthood

In return to Jennings beat, FoxNews.com's Lott rehashes book smear

New smear launched against Kevin Jennings using old tactics of omission

Unraveling the Right's false attacks on Kevin Jennings

Sign the Affirmation Declaration

With a lot of attention devoted the Manhattan Declaration, that awful religious right driven hot mess, it's hard to remember that not all Christians are bullheaded individuals who seem to think that the world should rise and set in accordance to their beliefs.

The Affirmation Declaration serves as that reminder:

The Affirmation Declaration is a statement that expresses the convictions of Christians all over the world. It was written in response to the now famous Manhattan Declaration, to correct egregious errors contained in the document, errors that have been preached in the pulpits of many local churches for far too long.

With the growing notoriety and support for the Manhattan Declaration, our Affirmation Declaration reflects an urgent need to respond to the portion of the Manhattan Declaration dealing with issues related to sexual orientation—specifically, homosexuality and same-sex marriage. We strongly disagree with the contention that same-sex attractions and the oft-resulting romantic activities are immoral.

Because of the large number of people affected by this serious issue one way or the other, we felt it expedient to respond formally, both by submitting our Declaration to the drafters of the Manhattan Declaration, as well as by releasing our Declaration to the public, allowing Christians to show their support for love and affirmation, just as so many have shown their support for the propagation of false doctrines of oppression and inequality against the GLBTI (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex) community.

We also desire to let the world know that not all Christians are locked in what we believe to be an ancient worldview regarding homosexuality. We want to give people hope—hope to know that God loves them just as they are; hope to know that their gay loved ones are not destined for Hell; hope to know that although some Christian churches will never accept them or their same-sex unions, a great many will.

May the signatures we garner serve as a fire that will never burn out, lighting the way through the darkness of bad theology, and setting Christ's Church back on the right track as it relates to matters of sexual and gender orientation, and gender identity.

Go here to sign it.

Even if you don't sign it, it's a good thing to remember that there are Christians who still believe in the unconditional love of God.

Yes there were gay cowboys and other Thursday midday news briefs

Cowboy Museum looks at gay and transgender folk in the wild west - I'm a serious history buff and our lgbt community needs to be aware of their entire history. So this is excellent news.

DOMESTIC PARTNER BENEFITS BILL CLEARS COMMITTEE - Good news for lgbt couples from the U.S. Senate.

Press Release: Darrell Tucci Elected To GLSEN National Leadership Council - How about some positive GLSEN news instead of all of the lies that have been lately thrown out.

Lesbian Rabbi to Attend White House Hanukkah Reception - That's nice but I want more invites to more White House functions.

BBC’s Idiotic Polling Question - I hear that the next poll question will be should black men be lynched (that was sarcasm.)

Tom Joyner Morning Show addresses homophobia in the black community

From the National Black Justice Coalition (an excellent lgbt of color organization which we all should support) comes this news about an excellent commentary on the Tom Joyner Morning Show.

The commentary addresses homophobia in the black community (Editor's note - since I have no idea how to embed audio files on my blog, click on the "excellent commentary" link to hear it. It's one of the best commentaries I have ever heard):

We'd like to call your attention to a commentary from yesterday's Tom Joyner Morning Show, from regular TJMS commentator Jeff Johnson.

This brief clip includes commentary on the great lengths some factions went to in trying (unsuccessfully) to prevent Houston's election of an openly lesbian mayor, which leads him to calling out what he sees as a crisis caused by the African American community's unwillingness to be honest about its own homophobia. The clip is less than six minutes long, but in that time Jeff speaks an awful lot of truth to those that may not always want to hear it.

For those that don't know his work, Jeff Johnson is a Washington, DC based journalist, activist and commentator. He is the author of Everything I'm Not Made Me Everything I Am: Discovering Your Personal BEST and is chief correspondent for talk show The Truth With Jeff Johnson.

This clip is an example of the type of dialogue we need - open and honest, and a call to action asking the Black community to "stop being afraid, and start being willing to understand." His willingness and courage in speaking truth to those who may not want to hear it is inspirational, energizing and deserving of our praise.


Again, click here to listen to the commentary.

UPDATE - From Box Turtle Bulletin comes a partial transcript:

We as a Black community still have not been willing to have an honest conversation about the fact that we’re homophobic, about the fact that our churches in many cases are running the lead on demonization of homosexuality even when their doctrine speaks to restoration. And so if we want to be serious we’re going to lift up this notion of there’s a problem or theirs a crisis with our down-low brothers — the down-low brothers are leading the AIDS epidemic and we have a problem — but not recognize that you create down-low brothers by having a community that’s unwilling to embrace its own brothers that are gay.

… How can we begin to have honest conversations about the fact that these are our brothers, our sisters, our mothers, our fathers, our sons and our daughters that in many cases are dealing with a crisis of identity in an environment that tells them that who they are is wrong?

I don’t want to argue the theology of homosexuality. I don’t want to argue whether you think it’s moral or not. What I want to deal with is that these are members of our community that needs to be supported. There are young people in schools that are being abused because of their sexual orientation, and we’re turning our backs on it.

'Porno Petey' writes a dirty headline and other Wednesday evening news briefs

Due to my having to address Peter LaBarbera's absolutely hilarious "calling out," I had to push back today's news briefs until now:

New York gov extends protections to transgender New Yorkers - Good news out of New York. NOM will just plotz!

NC: largest county - Mecklenburg - approves domestic partner benefits for workers - Don't celebrate just yet. In the middle of the hearing regarding the vote, not only did the opposition try to push a phony report, but a commissioner said something nasty to another commissioner regarding her deceased son who died of AIDS. Par the course.

Liberty Counsel May Lead Pullout of CPAC if Homosexual Group GOProud Remains as Co-Sponsor - I rarely link to LaBarbera during my news briefs but the story not only shows the singleminded nastiness of folks on his side, but the headline is hilarious. What can one expect from Porno Petey?

Updated: Christian registrar Lillian Ladele loses appeal - Do the job you were paid to do or quit. It's that simple.

Oklahoma City school board passes protection for gay pupils - Good news from the land of Sally Kern.

Uh oh! Peter LaBarbera and Americans for Truth tries to call out my blog

Mark your calendars because it has finally happened!

Peter LaBarbera actually mentioned me by name in one of his silly anti-lgbt hit pieces. The piece is about Fox News's article on the smears against Kevin Jennings. Apparently LaBarbera didn't like my comments in it:

The fact that Fox reporter Maxim Lott had to go to homosexual activist Alvin McEwen of “Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters” blog — definitely a B-teamer among homosexual activists — is perhaps an indication of Jennings’ declining position. (McEwen is obsessed with bashing AFTAH — he smears us as the equivalent of racists — and he even denies the obvious connection between homosexual behavior and HIV, even as other homosexual militants admit, “HIV is a gay disease.”)

Well I'm honored that he calls me a "B-teamer" because I've never thought of myself as being so high. I'm just a young black gay male from the South with a part-time blog in which I try to expose lies of the religious right.

And Lord knows there are so many of them (and if you want to read about some really bad religious right distortions, check out the Best of links located on the right side of my blog).

I find it ironic that LaBarbera calls attention to my supposed ranking seeing that he is sinking down the religious right food chain faster than the Lusitania after it was hit by the torpedo.

Honestly speaking, if the Southern Poverty Law Center ever labeled LaBarbera's organization (Americans for Truth) as a hate group, it would be an act of charity.

But to answer LaBarbera's charges, I do think of AFTAH and him the same way one would think of racists mostly because of LaBarbera's attempt to smear the lgbt community in general.

Look at what he has written:

(McEwen is obsessed with bashing AFTAH — he smears us as the equivalent of racists — and he even denies the obvious connection between homosexual behavior and HIV, even as other homosexual militants admit, “HIV is a gay disease.”)

LaBarbera's claim about me denying the obvious connection between homosexual behavior and HIV, even as other homosexual militants admit, “HIV is a gay disease" stems from an email argument I had with him regarding a speech he and other religious right members exploited.

Last year, former Gay and Lesbian Task Force head Matt Foreman gave a speech in which he called HIV/AIDS a "gay disease."

However, what Foreman was doing was challenging the lgbt community to do more to fight the spread of the disease, much like noted African-Americans Phil Wilson and Julian Bond challenged the black community to do when they called "HIV/AIDS" "a black disease."

My post on that is here.

I was making the point that LaBarbera and others who used Foreman's words to stigmatize the lgbt community are no different than racists who would use Wilson and Bond's words to smear the black community.

And I want to make it clear that any problem I have with Americans For Truth has nothing to do with the religious beliefs of its founder (i.e. LaBarbera).

My problem lies with LaBarbera's need to rely on stigmatization, junk science (much like this piece in which LaBarbera actually defends the work of the discredited researcher Paul Cameron), and the exploitation of current events to make the lgbt community seem like the bad guy.

Or in other words,  my problem lies with the fact that LaBarbera is a liar. He relies on fear and distortions to make life harder for lgbts (myself included). And then he wraps himself up in the piety of Christian virtue, as if claiming that he is wearing a halo should obsure the fact that he actually has horns and is wielding a pitchfork.

And then he wants to be paid for it via "donations."

He labels what I write about him to be an "obsession," but I call it looking out for my interests and also for the interests of my lgbt brothers and sisters who either are not aware of what's going on or don't have the platform to let everyone know what's going on regarding LaBarbera and the rest of the so-called religious right.

I may be a "B-teamer," but at least I have never had to lie or rely on bad studies to defend myself, the lgbt community, or my personal religious beliefs.

Now I could go on about why LaBarbera has the nickname of "Porno Petey" in the lgbt community but I would rather leave you with an online discussion that I had with him.

It speaks for itself regarding his mindset Notice how LaBarbera sidesteps when asked point blank about negative religious right tactics AND their use of junk science::

Nice try Peter LaBarbera, but you are no hero

Seriously though, seeing who LaBarbera has attacked in the past (i.e. Jeremy Hooper from Goodasyou.org Wayne Besen, Pam Spaulding of Pam's House Blend, and so many others) I am honored to be in such company of such "radical gay activists."

Lgbts catching hell in Rwanda

Things are ugly in Uganda and look awful in South Africa for lgbts.

According to Box Turtle Bulletin, it's not exactly cool in Rwanda:

BTB has just learned that the Rwandan Parliament is scheduled to take up consideration of a change to Rwanda’s penal code which would criminalize homosexuality with a punishment of five to ten years. It would also ban counselling and advocacy that could be interpreted as “encouraging or sensitizing” people to enter into same-sex relationships.

The problematic section in the penal code is article 217 which states that:

Any person who practices, encourages or sensitizes people of the same sex, to sexual relation or any sexual practice, shall be liable for a term of imprisonment ranging from five (5) to ten (10) years and fine ranging from Two Hundred thousand Rwanda Francs (200.000 RwF) to one million (1,000,000)Rwanda francs.”

The fines range from US$350 to US$1750. The average annual income is just US$370.

One key phrase of the proposed penal code, “encourages or sensitizes,” would have the effect of criminalizing advocacy on behalf of LGBT people. It would also severely impact the ability to deliver health services to LGBT people.

The Horizon Community Association of Rwanda (HOCA) and the Coalition of African Lesbians (CAL) have denounced the bill (PDF: 56KB/3 pages), saying that Rwandan citizens still experience gross violations of human rights. “Our country and our people refuse to recognize the fact that we exist,” said Naomi Ruzindana, President of HOCA.

We need to start thinking of lgbt equality as more of a global issue. Whether or not we get full rights and privileges that we deserve in this country, let's not forget about our lgbt brothers and sisters catching hell around the world.

In celebration of D.C. pro-gay marriage vote, let's revisit the 'D.C. hot mess'

This post is for an facebook buddy who says that I'm always posting negative stuff:

Good news out of D.C.:

The City Council passed a measure Tuesday legalizing same-sex marriage, making the nation’s capital the first jurisdiction below the Mason-Dixon Line to allow such unions.

The bill, which passed by an 11-to-2 vote, may still face obstacles in Congress, among city voters and in the courts, but most advocates say they expect it to become law by the spring. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty has said he will sign it.

“Today’s vote is an important victory not only for the gay and lesbian community but for everyone who supports equal rights,” said Councilman David A. Catania, an independent and the author of the bill.

Opponents have vowed to overturn the bill by putting it to a referendum or by working with Congress, which has a month to review the measure once it is signed.

The city already recognizes gay marriages performed in states where the practice is legal — Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts and Vermont. New Hampshire will begin allowing same-sex marriage early next year.

Republicans and conservative Democrats in the House, which oversees the district’s budget, are considering a variety of legislative methods for blocking the bill, including adding a rider to future appropriations bills. But Democrats who support the measure can probably prevent that.

In celebration of this victory, I would like to replay a favorite video of mine from the testimony regarding marriage equality in D.C.

With opposition like this . . . never mind. I'm still speechless over it:

The 'enemy' won in Houston? and other Tuesday midday news briefs

D.C. history: Don't miss it - By the time I come back online, this may have been decided. But thanks to Goodasyou.org, you can catch it!

Unraveling the Right's false attacks on Kevin Jennings - All smears against Jennings and how they are wrong courtesy of Media Matters.

US Right Wing Charities Tied To Uganda Death Bill - Why are we even surprised anymore?

Sentence for hate crime: one year - He deserved more time.

Welch Apologizes For Failing to Defeat The "Enemy" In Houston's Mayoral Race - One guess who the "enemy" is.

Sen.Jim DeMint fears a gay president

In a recent interview, South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint said the following:

“Marriage is a religious institution. The federal government has no business redefining what it is,” DeMint says. This is one issue where he doesn’t support states’ rights; state government shouldn’t have the right to permit gay marriage: “Governments should not be in the business of promoting a behavior that’s proven to be destructive to our society.”

He cringes at the notion of a gay or lesbian president: “It would be bothersome to me just personally because I consider it immoral.”

Granted it wasn't the only wild thing DeMint said in the interview but that nugget of nuttiness particularly stands out.

I wish the writer, Albert R. Hunt, had allowed DeMint to go into detail about this because it sounds like DeMint was implying that Paul Cameronesque nonsense about "homosexuality being a deadly lifestyle."

I would have loved for him to be nailed for that lie.

Really though, I have to give DeMint points for consistency. He has never particulary like lgbt people.

Back in 2004 when he ran against Inez Tenenbaum for the seat he won, he talked about banning gay teachers.

When he apologized for the comment, the reasoning he gave was highly infuriating:

“I answered as a dad with my heart and I did not answer as a Senate candidate. I apologize for making the remark because it distracted from the debate,”

Then in June of this year, he wrote a letter to various national religious leaders and pastors inaccurately saying lgbt-inclusive hate crimes legislation would lead them being arrested for merely claiming that homosexuality is a sin.

So the fact that DeMint fears having a gay president doesn't surprise any of us lgbts in South Carolina.

It's just more proof that DeMint doesn't care about us - the people whom he was elected to represent.

Fox News cites me in article about Kevin Jennings . . . and almost gets it right

Last week, Maxim Lott of Fox News interviewed me for an article about the attacks on Obama appointee Kevin Jennings.

To tell the truth, knowing the reputation of Fox News, I was a bit fearful that I would be misquoted or quoted in a way to further smear Jennings.

Actually I found it to be an almost objective article . It even told the truth about "The Little Black Book" (although Lott omitted the fact that no students actually received the "Book") and the supposed "fisting/dental dams."

Of course our friends Peter Sprigg and Peter LaBarbera were quoted. But it was only fair that they would be.

One thing that I found interesting was that the original supposed "Fistgate" incident wasn't mentioned. Could it be this story was even too wild and vulgar for Fox? Maybe.

But I think Lott did go into a lot more detail than he had to about GLSEN's supposed "porngraphic reading list." One wonders if he was trying to induce discomfort rather than report. Media Matters adds some very excellent points about this:

Lott reported on passages from three of the books "targeted for children between Grades 7 to 12," two of which are from the same essays previously cited by The Washington Times as evidence that the books "clearly promote homosexuality and promiscuity," including "kids having sex with adults." But like the Times, Lott omited the portions of those essays in which the authors make clear that they are not promoting those practices. 

Media Matters places these portions in their proper context, showing that they are not "promoting" anything but giving personal experiences. Some of these personal experiences are rather sad and illustrate that this country needs to suitably address the needs of  lgbt youth.

If I were one for irony, I could easily point out that the constant barrage of negativity thrown at the lgbt community (and especially lgbt youth) by people like Sprigg and LaBarbera and the organizations they run with only add to conditions that cause lgbt youth to be placed in situations like those mentioned in the books .

Another thing which troubled me about Lott's s article was the recounting of the Brewster incident. It couldn't have hurt for Lott to have gotten some more quotes from Brewster regarding the incident. After all, the young man did compliment Jennings for his advice in the matter.

One point I would like to highlight before it's obscured by the hoopla of the supposed controversy is how clueless folks like Sprigg are regarding contemporary literature:

McEwen said that the attacks on Jennings and GLSEN were motivated largely by homophobia.

"There are a lot of heterosexual books that are just as explicit. In the first page of 'The Color Purple' [a 1982 novel that has caused controversy when assigned in schools], the character talks about being raped in graphic terms... what's in [GLSEN's] books is no different from what's in The Color Purple."

But Sprigg disagrees that books like "The Color Purple" are comparable to those recommended by GLSEN.

"We are not talking about 'The Great Gatsby' or 'The Grapes of Wrath' here," he said. "A lot of people who have only read the news and opinion pieces on this story, without reading the actual excerpts, may think that we are talking about the kind of sexual content that might, in a film, earn a PG-13 or R rating. We are not."

We certainly aren't talking about The Great Gatsby or The Grapes of Wrath. Weren't they both written before the 1940s?

But mostly I was glad to be able to throw out some very pertinent quotes in the articles:

"This is ridiculous guilt-by-association ... just another moral panic thought up by people who don't have any legitimate reason to oppose Jennings, so they've made a mountain out of molehill."

Of course some of the right-wing blogs might not think so. I've already seen one exclude the defenses of Jennings in the article and focus on the charges. 

You just can't convince some people of anything.

UPDATE - Apparently there is supposed to be a "witness" who claims that Jennings was at the conference where the supposed "Fistgate" incident took place. The witness also claimed that Jennings was aware of the incident that took place at the workshop. But there are two problems of a minor and major category with this witness. Jennings may have given an address at the conference but there is no proof that he was at the workshop in which the incident took place. 
 
And the big problem - we don't know a thing about the witness. It was a "taped" interview with an "anonymous" ex-teacher. For all we know, it could have been a member of Mass Resistance or a person dragged off of the street and paid. It's the same as taping an anonymous person accusing someone of murder. No court in the world would think that such evidence is admissible and the same goes for this nonsense.

'Anonymous' source the author of new Kevin Jennings smear and other Monday midday news briefs

Hoft's new Jennings claim is a dud - Another day, another smear against Kevin Jennings. For the sake of a good argument, I've heard the tape and it's totally ridiculous. We don't know who this teacher is or even if she is a teacher. For all we know, it could have been a member of Mass Resistance or a person dragged off of the street and paid. It's the same as taping an anonymous person accusing someone of murder. No court in the world would think that such evidence is admissible and the same goes for this nonsense.

Uganda “Kill Gays” Bill Sponsor Refuses To Yield - And this surprises us because . . .

My Grandmother Takes a Stand for Gay Marriage in Church Despite Loving Glenn Beck - Interesting article via the Huffington Post.

Manhattan Declaration's most eye-opening signature yet - Oh look. Another hate group signature for the Manhattan Declaration.

Church Wants Out of Antigay Group - This is good news.

Uganda's 'Kill the gays' bill brings out the nuts in America

Youtube is fascinating.

Andy Warhol once said that in the future, everyone would be famous for at least 15 minutes. And youtube makes it possible because any Tom, Dick, and in this case, dumbass can post a clip and get attention.

Sometimes these clips should be ignored.

Then there clips like this one. It's from a man who calls himself mrpleasantpreacher. Now according to mrpleasantpreacher, the United States could learn a lot from Uganda's anti-gay bill or it's commonly known, "Kill the gays" bill:



This man's sentiment isn't something that should be kicked aside by putting on a "Lada GaGa" record, twittering your friends, laughing at him, or whatever else our community does to blind us to the reality that some folks not only just don't like us but are willing to impede our social progress every chance they get.

As ugly as this man's words are, they gives our community a true picture of how some folks view us. No subtlety, no beating around the bush. None of that "it's not that I hate gay people, but I just hate when they (fill in the blanks)" phoniness which we witnessed last week (and probably will this week) with the attacks on Kevin Jennings.

When you eliminate all of the phony nuances (whether they be about "protecting the children" or "protecting traditional values") and the disguise of "Biblical truth," we are talking about pure unadulterated hatred here.

And none of us, whether we be lgbts, allies, or even those who the right who don't support lgbt rights, should ever forget that.

UPDATE - Apparently expressing the idea of shipping all lgbts (or as our friends puts it - sodomites) to Calfornia and putting a huge electrified fence around the state gets your video knocked off of youtube. Who knew?

Rachel Maddow, Kevin Jennings, and Uganda: what a wild week it was

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

What a wild week it was punctuated by the above clip of MSNBC's Rachel Maddow just totally eviscerating 'ex-gay' author Richard Cohen for his link to that Ugandan anti-gay bill.

And then there were other incidents of note:

Annise Parker becomes first openly lesbian mayor of major American city

Lesbians in South Africa getting raped as a corrective measure? What the hell? - Check out this post even if you have already seen it. I've added a clip I found from youtube in which some men in South Africa are interviewed about this issue. What they say will leave you speechless with anger.

Answer to Donnie McClurkin: Black & Gay is Beautiful - You damned right it is

And then there are the two big issues which took up a lot of attention this week: the "Jennings County War" and Uganda.

Kevin Jennings - it was an ugly week as the right didn't just try to slime Obama appointee Kevin Jennings. They tried to coat him with smelly motor oil from the inside and out.

It wasn't just the frequency of their attacks, but the grotesque lunancy of some of their charges which made reasonable folks (i.e. those in the media excepting Sean Hannity - but we all know about his "allegiance" to accuracy) totally ignore them:

Right-wing plan against Kevin Jennings: Tell a lie, let it get refuted, wait a while, repeat lie again 

When fisting and oral sex are the same: The latest smear against Kevin Jennings

While they lie about Kevin Jennings, Michelle Malkin attacks GLSEN's funders

Right-wing site removes post calling Kevin Jennings a pedophile

Latest smear against Kevin Jennings revists familiar lie - 'Little Black Book'

Uganda - then there was that awful anti-gay bill in Uganda finally receiving national attention from Time, CNN, the Associated Press, and various other sources:

Why is Uganda attacking homosexuality? 

Associated Press covers Ugandan anti-gay bill; religious right amazingly silent

Time magazine covers Ugandan anti-gay bill, calls attention to Rick Warren's cowardice

Ugandan MP Defends “Kill Gays” Bill

TWO Praises Pastor Rick Warren for Speaking Out Against Anti-Gay Uganda Bill

postscript to this story - Friday, the White House strongly condemned the bill. What took them so long?

Annise Parker becomes first openly lesbian mayor of major American city

Excellent news out of Houston:

In a close run-off race of historic proportions, Houston voters chose City Controller Annise Parker as Houston's next mayor. Parker defeated attorney Gene Locke Saturday with about 53 percent of the vote (with 99.86 percent of the precincts in). When sworn in in early January, she will become the first lesbian to hold the office of mayor of a major American city and only the second woman. Kathy Whitmire held the office from 1982-1991.

She is also the first openly lesbian mayor of Houston, TX and the first openly lesbian mayor of a major American city.

Of course Parker didn't run as "the lesbian candidate," but her victory is a milestone which should be celebrated by all.

And it's definitely something to remember whenever the fight for marriage equality doesn't go our way.

It's not all doom and despair, folks.

Know your lgbt history - The Ricki Lake Show

Editor's Note - I am taking a very short break from the "Jennings County Wars." However the following links are for those looking for recent information about the newest smears against Kevin Jennings: 

AIM Apologizes For Jennings Falsehoods -- Then Tries To Smear Him Again 

Morrissey Should Have Been Silent On Jennings And Just Been Thought A Fool

Though some may disagree with my assessment, the Ricki Lake Show did a lot of good for lgbt visibility.

When the talk show, hosted by actress Ricki Lake, first appeared in 1993, it was a bit different from the powerhouse shows like Oprah and Donahue in the fact that it was very youth-oriented, particularly when it came to focusing on the lgbt community.

When lgbt issues were generally discussed in a talk show setting, the narrative seemed to always be making gays and lesbians look like pitiful creatures begging for society's "tolerance."

The Ricki Lake Show did deal with topics about how ignorance of gays and lesbians can affect families, such as the following:



The show also had topics that dealt with the lgbt community as we are and not some sad prototypes needing to appeal to an idea of normalcy or caged creatures looking for  "tolerance."

The Ricki Lake Show  presented the lgbt life as it was, with warts and all but with an appreciation of our culture:



Past Know Your LGBT History posts: 

Know your lgbt history - Which Way Is Up

Know your lgbt history - Gays in Primetime Soaps

Know your lgbt history - Boys Beware

Know your lgbt history - The Boondocks

Know your lgbt history - Mannequin

Know your lgbt history - The Warriors

Know Your LGBT History - New York Undercover

Know Your LGBT History - Low Down Dirty Shame

Know Your LGBT History - Fortune and Men's Eyes

Know your lgbt history - California Suite

Know your lgbt history - Taxi (Elaine's Strange Triangle)

Know your lgbt history - Come Back Charleston Blue

Know your lgbt history - James Bond goes gay

Know your lgbt history - Windows

Know your lgbt history - To Wong Foo and Priscilla

Know your lgbt history - Blazing Saddles

Know your lgbt history - Sanford and Son

Know your lgbt history - In Living Color

Know your lgbt history - Cleopatra Jones and her lesbian drug lords

Know your lgbt history - Norman, Is That You?

Know your lgbt history - The 'Exotic' Adrian Street

Know your lgbt history - The Choirboys

Know your lgbt history - Eddie Murphy

Know your lgbt history - The Killing of Sister George

Know your lgbt history - Hanna-Barbera cartoons pushes the 'gay agenda

'Know your lgbt history - Cruising

Know your lgbt history - Foxy Brown and Cleopatra Jones

Know your lgbt history - I Got Da Hook Up

Know your lgbt history - Fright Night

Know your lgbt history - Flowers of Evil

The Jeffersons and the transgender community 

Ugandan bill defended and criticized, attacks against Jennings flopping?, and other Friday midday news briefs

Ugandan MP Defends “Kill Gays” Bill - Paul Cameron's lies are global.

TWO Praises Pastor Rick Warren for Speaking Out Against Anti-Gay Uganda Bill - So he finally did it. Real men of God don't wait for outcry to publicly attack injustice. They are usually the ones leading the outcry.

Another Californian, another Speaker milestone - The news ain't all bad today.

The Jennings smear = the latest right-wing "scandal" to flop in the mainstream - The attacks on Jennings seem to be flopping. No one should be blamed for it. Reasonable people generally don't like sticking their hands in a hot mess of lies.

Nearly half of New Jersey Catholics support gay marriage - How is that for a shocker?

Bouncers bop gay dancer: cops - What kind of mess is this?

Latest smear against Kevin Jennings revists familiar lie - 'Little Black Book'

Gateway Pundit continues to tell its Mass Resistance fueled lies on Obama appointee Kevin Jennings.

This time the site is claiming that Jennings and the organization he founded to help lgbt children, GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network), passed out a guide encouraging children to have sex with strangers in public parks.

It's the latest in the plethora of lies pushed against Jennings.

Let's look at the list of lies before hitting on the new one:

Gateway Pundit falsely claimed that Jennings and GLSEN were encouraging students to read explicit books. This was a serious misrepresentation of the facts.

The site brought up the Fistgate lie irregardless of the fact that this story had been refuted

It propagated a lie that Jennings had led the way to the passing out of "fisting kits" to children. The kits had nothing to do with "fisting" and they were created by Planned Parenthood.

Gateway Pundit made the false claim that Jennings and GLSEN passed out an explicit sex guide "Little Black Book"  to students at a conference in 2005. This was another falsehood. Fenway Community Health officials said they accidentally left about 10 copies of the ''Little Black Book" on an informational table they rented at the conference. Furthermore, no students actually got copies of the book.

That last lie is important to remember because the new lie Gateway Pundit is pushing is linked to it.

You see, the guide that Gateway Pundit is claiming that Jennings and GLSEN distributed to children encouraging them to have public sex with strangers is "Little Black Book:"

Right-wing site removes post calling Kevin Jennings a pedophile

Post also falsely claimed that there were videos of Jennings teaching children sex acts.

Today comes the news that some on the right have thrown a slur at Kevin Jennings which may have scared even them.

From Media Matters comes the news that the right-wing group Accuracy in Media (pardon me for laughing) has thrown a very ugly slur at Jennings. So ugly in fact that the site backtracked like a dancer doing the moonwalk:

In attacking the media for allegedly insufficient coverage of Obama administration official Kevin Jennings, a blogger for Accuracy in Media, which purports to "set the record straight on important issues that have received slanted coverage" -- and which has a record of antagonism toward gays -- smeared Jennings as a "pedophile" and falsely claimed that "[v]ideos have surfaced of Jennings teaching 14-year-old boys the dangerous sexual practice of 'fisting,' and discussing with them the particulars of oral sex." In fact, Jennings did not conduct that seminar and, in fact, reportedly criticized it when he became aware of its content.

From a December 10 AIM blog post by Allie Duzett, "an intern at the American Journalism Center, a training program run by Accuracy in Media and Accuracy in Academia":

I get nasty facebook message about Kevin Jennings and other Thursday midday news briefs

Hey Alvin McEwen, where's your chipmunks? or is it gerbels? I can't remember which small furry kicking and screaming and scratching little rodent you freaks prefer!! I'm sure Kevin jennings has some pre-adult advice on this topic as well.

I got that message on Facebook. Since my coverage of the Jennings situation this week, it's the third ugly message I've gotten. I don't know what's worse; being called a rat, a pedophile (and I'm being nice because the person couldn't spell the word correctly), or this one.

It's almost comical except for the fact that it reveals the mindset behind some of the people targeted by the anti-Kevin Jennings that has flowed out this week from the right:

While they lie about Kevin Jennings, Michelle Malkin attacks GLSEN's funders

When fisting and oral sex are the same: The latest smear against Kevin Jennings

Right-wing plan against Kevin Jennings: Tell a lie, let it get refuted, wait a while, repeat lie again

Since they can't refute the lies, they stoop to personal attacks.

No one really should be surprised. After all, look at the folks who are leading them by the nose.

Now on to other more vital news subjects:

This Uganda thing is getting scary. Like wake up in night sweats, fearful for your life scary. - It was just a matter of time before some knucklehead religious right member in America voiced open support of the Ugandan anti-gay bill.

GLAAD Responds to Recording Academy Statement on Buju Banton's Grammy Nomination - With the recent mess going on in Uganda and with Kevin Jennings, I failed to give this story adequate coverage. Luckily other folks are nailing it down rather awesomely.

Anti-Gay Rhetoric Rises in Race for Houston Mayor - Why oh why should we be surprised?

Tila Tequila Claims She's Engaged! - Frivilous I know but cut me some slack. It has been a week from hell! WORK IT GIRL!

Time magazine covers Ugandan anti-gay bill, calls attention to Rick Warren's cowardice

Time magazine has now reported on the Ugandan anti-gay bill and there are so many good things in this article, including the fact that it puts the blame for the bill on the shoulders of members of the United States religious right:

The bill has an American genesis of sorts, inspired to a large extent by the visits of U.S. evangelicals who are involved with a movement that promotes Christianity's role in getting homosexuals to become "ex-gays" through prayer and faith. Ugandan supporters of the bill appear to be particularly impressed by the ideas of Scott Lively, a California conservative preacher who has written a book, The Pink Swastika, about what he calls the links between Nazism and a gay agenda for world domination, which, by itself, would have raised the anti-colonial sensitivities of Ugandan society. Says the Rev. Kapya Kaoma, an Episcopalian priest from Zambia who authored a recent report on anti-gay politics in Uganda, Nigeria and Kenya: "The U.S. culture wars have been exported to Africa."

The article goes on to report the new developments about the bill - that the death penalty portion has been dropped.

You will forgive me of course for not shouting off of the rooftops on that one. I would be much happier if the entire bill was dropped.

The article calls attention to Rick Warren's inaction regarding this bill:

 . . . the popular preacher released a statement to Newsweek saying, "It is not my personal calling as a pastor in America to comment or interfere in the political process of other nations." That position irks the Rev. Kaoma, who is an Anglican pastor with the Archdiocese of Boston. Warren, he says, has immense influence among Uganda's political élite, counting many parliamentarians, including the country's First Lady Janet Museveni (who is reportedly close to Ssempa), among his friends. "He eats with them, he knows what goes on, they respect him," said Kaoma in a conference call. At the very least, Warren could get his purpose-driven nation to reflect on the purpose of this severe piece of legislation.

While they lie about Kevin Jennings, Michelle Malkin attacks GLSEN's funders

UPDATE - I have just completed an interview with Maxim Lott of Fox News about the so-called Jennings controversies. Keep your fingers crossed regarding the accuracy of the potential article.

Another day, another lie about Kevin Jennings.

From Media Matters comes the following distortion about a "Little Black Book:"

The Gateway Pundit blog falsely suggested that the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network, a group founded and formerly headed by Department of Education official Kevin Jennings, had distributed to children an explicit safe-sex booklet. 
 
But GLSEN wasn't the ones who brought this book:

In a May 19, 2005, article, The Boston Globe reported:  

Fenway Community Health officials yesterday said they left about 10 copies of the ''Little Black Book" on an informational table they rented at a conference sponsored by the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network of Boston. The annual event, held on April 30 at Brookline High School, was aimed at high school students, educators, counselors, administrators, and parents.

The ''Little Black Book," produced by the AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts, is targeted at 18-and-older gay men, according to the committee. The book uses vivid descriptions and colloquial terms to describe the ways HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases can be prevented and spread. 

A Fenway Community Health employee brought the pamphlets along with other materials and put them on the table by mistake, said Chris Viveiros, a spokesman for Fenway Community Health. 

''Fenway Community Health regrets accidentally making available a small number of copies of the Little Black Book, an HIV-prevention publication for gay and bisexual men over the age of 18, at an event where young people were present," said Dr. Stephen Boswell, Fenway Community Health's president and CEO.

The rest of the post is here.

Believe it or not, the folks at Gateway Pundit are calling this mess "Fistgate III."

And like Peter Jackson with the Lord of the Rings trilogy, they already have "Fistgate IV" in the works:

Earlier today it was reported that Kevin Jennings’ Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) organization was distributing gay bar directories to high school students at the 2005 Massachusetts GLSEN conference.

Oh the horror! 

There is just one problem with that story. The bar guides came from the "Little Black Book," the book that GLSEN did not hand out.

Remember (look at the Media Matters links to refresh your memory), it wasn't GLSEN who gave out the guides, but a community health group (Fenway Community Health) who accidentally provided a small number of guides.

And by the way:

On May 18, 2005, WHDH 7News Boston's Sean Hennessey reported that Brookline Superintendent of Schools William H. Lupini says that "none of his students, he believes, took the [Fenway] book home."

Gateway Pundit also claims that GLSEN advised students to attend leather bars in 1999 and 2000 but does not provide actual proof of this. All the site provides is a link to a blog by Mass Resistance, the anti-lgbt hate group in Massachusetts whose ability to stretch the truth I have talked about numerous times.

And the Mass Resistance blog links to two World Net Daily (the site that believe that President Obama is not a United States citizen) articles (here and here) that provides no proof that GLSEN was giving out leather bar guides to students.

Also, ironically, the Mass Resistance link actually exonerates GLSEN:

In 2005, GLSEN recommended the infamous "Ramrod" bar in Boston in the Little Black Book: Queer in the 21st Century, handed out to teens at their Boston conference. 

Remember, the Little Black Book" was not given out by GSLEN but accidentally by Fenway Community Health. But I guess that  really doesn't matter to the folks looking to take Jennings down.

For three days now they have posted blatant lies against Jennings (which you can read about it here and here) in an attempt to paint him as sort of a "pedophile-enabler."

My guess is since the Brewster incident blew up in their face a while back, these new attacks won't amount to much if they are exposed for the lies they are in a swift fashion. They're mostly on right-wing webpages (i.e. World Net Daily and the Washington Times) and homophobic fringe blogs.

But there seems to be another component to this madness.

Right-wing denizen Michelle Malkin has taken it upon herself to get into the situation, even appearing on Hannity tonight to no doubt tell more lies about Jennings. She is also making a push against corporations who fund GLSEN, the organization founded by Jennings:

Did you make sure to read the not-safe-for-school reading list of GLSEN, the radical gay rights advocacy group founded by Obama’s safe schools czar Kevin Jennings?

If you missed it last week and you’re a parent, you better go read it now in my summary post from last week. You’ll also get a recap of “Fistgate” (it is as bad as it sounds) and learn about GLSEN’s sponsorship of this year’s “Santa is Coming Out” extravaganza.

You might be wondering who’s behind GLSEN.

Well, they receive financial backing from numerous private foundations, corporations and corporate foundations.

Their national sponsors “make an annual commitment to GLSEN of $75,000 or more and, in addition to our gratitude, receive recognition as National Sponsors in our publications and website. Current National Sponsors are Cisco, Citi, Goldman Sachs, IBM, KPMG, National Education Association and PepsiCo.”

Yesterday, she announced that Eastman Kodak stands by GLSEN. Of course she isn't happy about that.

And I am so happy that she isn't happy.

This situation seems to be ready to explode again. Like some monster in an 80s horror movie, those who are smearing Jennings are rising up for another round of lies irregardless of the embarrassment they received from the Brewster sitaution.

What can we do?

Let everyone know that these people are lying, point blank. And we can start contacting GLSEN's major funders and urging them not to fall for fear tactics and lies:

Cisco Systems, Inc.
* 170 West Tasman Dr.
San Jose, CA 95134
USA
* (408) 526-4000
(800) 553-NETS
(800) 553-6387
Email contact info here.

Citi Foundation
Contact form here.
DaimlerChrysler Corporation
Contact Us by Telephone
1-800-992-1997
M-F 8:00AM-6:00PM EST
Contact Us by Mail:
Chrysler Group LLC Customer Assistance Center
P.O. Box 21-8004
Auburn Hills, MI 48321-8004
Email contact form here.

Ernst & Young
Email form here.
IBM Corporation
Corporate headquarters:
IBM Corporation
1 New Orchard Road
Armonk, New York 10504-1722
United States
914-499-1900
Email contact form here.

KPMG LLP
Email contact form here.
PepsiCo
PepsiCo, Inc.
700 Anderson Hill Road
Purchase, NY 10577
(914) 253-2000
Comment form here.

Time Warner
Headquarters
Time Warner Inc.
One Time Warner Center
New York, NY10019-8016
212.484.8000

Edward Adler
Executive Vice President
Corporate Communications
Time Warner Inc.
One Time Warner Center
New York, NY 10019-8016

Keith Cocozza
Vice President
Corporate Communications
Time Warner Inc.
One Time Warner Center
New York, NY 10019-8016

Also, the following are the rest of GLSEN's  listed sponsors

Let them know that you will not stand for a campaign of lies against a group created to help our children.

Exposing the 'ex-gay movement' and other Wednesday midday news briefs

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

MSNBC: The Story Behind ‘Curing’ the Gays - On the heels of her absolute destruction of "ex-gay" Richard Cohen, Rachel Maddow goes for dessert during an interview with Mark Benjamin, a man who infiltrated the ex-gay movement in 2005.  Huge hat tip to TruthWinsOut

Rise of the New McCarthyism: How Right Wing Extremists Try to Paralyze Government Through Ideological Smears and Baseless Attacks - People for the American Way nails the right on their character assassinations.

"On Fox News, percentages don't add up to 100 and, apparently, 'zero tolerance' means unless we get caught." - via Americablog and Media Matters, Fox News caught telling a blatant lie . . . AGAIN.

Colin Firth thinks Hollywood is full of 'secret' gay actors - And in other news from the department of No #!@(, Sherlock . . .

When fisting and oral sex are the same: The latest smear against Kevin Jennings

Editor's note - I wrote two posts this morning. This one is about the latest lie against Kevin Jennings. The first one was about Rachel Maddow making 'ex-gay' Richard Cohen bark like a dog over the Ugandan anti-gay bill.

Yeah, I know you all are tired of my posts on Kevin Jennings but I also know you will love this one.

You have heard of "Fistgate," the 2000 incident  which Jennings had nothing to do with but keeps getting blamed for?

Well get ready for "Fistgate II."

Apparently, the right-wing site Big Government is working hand-in-hand with the Massachusetts anti-lgbt hate group Mass Resistance even to the point of reprinting every bit of tripe the organization comes out with against Jennings.

Including the following factoid:

Supposedly neither Jennings nor GLSEN learned anything from "Fistgate" because they were allegedly handing out "fisting kits" to children a year later during another conference.

And Big Government not only has the story but a picture of the kit (see above).

But the truth of the matters comes from Massachusetts News, a defunct Massachusetts right-wing publication which published a 2001 piece on the conference. Despite its attempts to smear Jennings, the piece actually exonerates him.