The anti-gay hate group and Congress

Some in the lgbt community have publicly asked why should we be concerned about the doings of the Family Research Council. Apparently some of us figure that if we close our eyes and put our fingers in our ears, FRC will do us no actual harm as a community.

Think again, especially after you read this from the organization's webpage:

Congress may not always act responsibly, but there are plenty of members who do! Today, we honored the House and Senate leaders who stood on principle and notched a perfect 100% on FRC Action's annual scorecard. Almost 30 of the 93 congressional "True Blue" winners dropped by the Capitol Hill Club for our special reception, and it was encouraging to see the camaraderie in the room among the leaders who take the slings and arrows for the rest of us as they stand for family values.
As part of this year's event, we also welcomed new members of Congress, who will be valuable reinforcements for the pro-family cause. This year, FRC Action scored votes on everything from repealing ObamaCare and protecting DOMA to the President's court nominees and safeguarding conscience rights. I appreciate the members who took time out of their busy schedules to join us--as well as the FRC and FRC Action staff, Tom McClusky, Connie Mackey, Sherry Crater, Mike Mears, and Tim Potter, for your tireless efforts for our values. Congratulations to the 112^th Congress's class of True Blue winners! Thank you for all you accomplished in the name of faith, family, and freedom.

This ridiculous award underscores the simple fact that in spite of all of the highly specious things FRC has done to undermine gay equality, it has a degree of credibility to some members of Congress.

And it is Congress which passes laws (well duh). That's why it is so important for us to continue to publicly debate and denounce FRC,  as well as show all of the reasons why the organization is a hate group.

And on that last point, FRC always makes it easy for us.

Related post - 16 reasons why the Family Research Council is a hate group

Family Research Council is to blame for near massacre at its headquarters

Today, Floyd Lee Corkins, the young man who opened fire at the Family Research Council headquarters last year, plead guilty to several counts in court.

And today, FRC head Tony Perkins again blamed the Southern Poverty Law Center for the incident, which could have been deadly if it were not for a security guard who disarmed Corkins before he harmed anyone.

Perkins claimed that SLPC gave Corkins a "license for violence" by labeling the FRC as a hate group. Perkins also contended that the SPLC gave his group the label to "silence" it because it speaks out on Christian principles in regards to homosexuality.

Now a stereotype about gays is that sometimes we can be brutally honest even to the point of not caring about hurt and angry feelings. I generally refrain from that stereotype, but today I feel the need to embrace it.

Someone has to sit Mr. Perkins down and school him on the truth. I am very certain that Perkins is already aware of this truth, but he needs to be told publicly so that everyone else can know.

SPLC isn't responsible for Corkins' near massacre at FRC headquarters last year. If Perkins wants to blame someone, he should look to himself and his organization.

For years, while under the guise of Biblical principles, FRC  dehumanized the lgbt community. Time after time, the organization performed a mass slander against us by claiming that we are like drug abusers, that we are pedophiles, that we are terrorists and that we are led by Satan. It actively undermined any effort of the gay community to achieve any form of equality or the right to self-determination. FRC is even so cold-hearted as to claim that efforts to prevent gay youth from committing suicide is wrong.

In addition, FRC relies on phony experts to create "studies" and "papers" designed to lend some degree of credibility to its negative claims about the gay community, even if these "studies" and "papers" cherry-pick legitimate studies.

Let's be clear. This is not an accident. FRC's actions against the lgbt community are intentional. FRC's actions against the gay community are deliberate. When Perkins calls gays pedophiles, he knows what he is saying is not true and you can tell by his weaselly verbiage: 

There is a disproportionate number of male on boy — when we get on pedophilia, male on boy is a higher incident rate of that. We never said all homosexuals are pedophiles. that’s not what we’re saying.

When Tony Perkins smears efforts such as the "It Gets Better Campaign," he knows that his attacks could hurt gay youth, but he doesn't care. When an FRC phony expert such as Peter Sprigg cites a study while omitting crucial parts of it which would destroy his "dangers of homosexuality" claim, he knows exactly what he is doing.

And when Perkins claims that FRC is not about hatred, it's the biggest lie of them all. It's the organization's lifeblood. FRC can't get people to read its emails, listen to its phony experts, visit its webpage, or donate money if the organization doesn't give folks a reason to. And what's a better reason to support FRC than stopping a so-called sinful homosexual out to destroy your values and harm your children in the process?

Through its lies and distortions, FRC nursed fears of gays, stoked the egos of some Christians based upon a few arguably mistaken Biblical verses, and exploited stereotypes about gay sexual intercourse until it created a wall of hatred against gays.

But here is the thing about hatred. It's like a fire which can't be controlled. Sooner or later it backfires on its creator. And in this case, the hatred which FRC sowed against the gay community backfired on the organization in the form of a young man with a gun, a warped mind, and an ugly mission which thankfully he was unsuccessful in accomplishing.

No one should blame SPLC for what happened at FRC headquarters last year. SPLC merely called out the fact that FRC was promoting hatred.

Corkins did more. He proved it.

On that day in which he walked into FRC headquarters, the organization met what its effort to promote hatred of gays had given birth to.

A demented child.

Boy Scouts delay decision as hate group leader gets destroyed on CNN' and other Wednesday midday news briefs

The somewhat bad news:

Utah Boy Scouts Council Achieves Delay In Consideration Of Anti-Gay Policy I say "somewhat" because until the decision is taken up again in May, we can hopefully expect scenes like the following:

 

To put it nicely, Soledad O'Brien treated FRC's Tony Perkins like she was the parent and he was her child whom she just caught misbehaving. It was brutal how she made him contradict himself. Now there are some who are still complaining as to why people like Tony Perkins are given interview time. If I said it once, I will say it a million times - an censored idea gains power, but an idea exposed as a lie loses power. And you can't expose lies by keeping those who tell them silent. WE NEED THIS DEBATE!  No matter how the Scouts rule in May, we have already won the battle of public opinion by letting the right dig themselves into a hyperbolic hole. And that victory will play out in other fights. So instead of whining, the lgt community needs to take charge. What folks need to do is ask where in the hell are HRC and GLAAD representatives in this mix? They need to get on these shows.

 In other news:  

Rios Claims Gay Men Are Child Predators by Nature - That's right suckers! Keep it up and help the lgbt community out.

 Anti-Gay, Anti-Immigrant, Birther Groups Join Forces to File Mother of All Prop 8 Briefs - I'm beginning to think that all of these organizations fear gay folks.  

UK Coalition for Marriage Puts NOM-Style Spin on Its Marriage Vote Defeat - Simply delicious.

Superbowl champion Brendon Ayanbadejo gives stunning defense of lgbt rights

I've heard a lot about this interview and, while I'm not one to fall for hype, I was impressed. Member of the Superbowl champions Baltimore Ravens and a strong ally/spokesman for the lgbt community Brendon Ayanbadejo simply rocks in this interview with Don Lemon:

Does the Family Research Council's bland video make the case for gays to join the Boy Scouts?

The Family Research Council just posted its video about the Boy Scouts thinking of lifting the ban on gays and I gotta tell you from my heart:

 It sucks.

Not in the manner of yesterday's video by Janet Porter. While her video contained wild charges of pedophilia and abuse, I'm guessing FRC choose to take the high road and hold back on the hyperbole. Thusly, the organization ends up with a bland video which is just as bad as Porter's.

FRC's video doesn't explain why the organizations feels that gays shouldn't be allowed to become members. But believe it or not, in the first part of the video FRC actually makes the case for gays to be members. After all, what parent wouldn't want their child, gay or straight, to be a member of such an upstanding group which produced leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr.?

 

'Kanye West called 'half a f@g' in blistering homophobic attack' and other Tuesday midday news briefs

Duff Goldman, 'Ace Of Cakes' Chef, Offers To Bake Rejected Lesbian Couple's Wedding Cake For Free - In a followup to yesterday's post about a lesbian couple discriminated against for only seeking a wedding cake comes a happy ending.  

Kanye West Blasted As 'Half A Fag,' 'Pioneer Of Queer Sh*t' On New Lord Jamar Track - Kanye West isn't necessarily one of my favorite people but this ridiculous rant by a rapper who chooses to attack him opens a window to the world of what the gay black male has to deal with. Apparently a lot of the homophobia from within the black community comes at us because some folks feel that they are the arbiters of just what encompasses a "suitable black man," i.e. made of stone, not showing emotions, and being a picture of masculinity as improbable to sustain as a Barbie doll's figure is for a woman. I think in Lord Jamar's tribute, I will do some Bette Davis interpretations.  

Boy Scout memo: legal challenges, pressure from churches cited in policy change - Maybe, just maybe the Boy Scouts aren't pulling our legs with its possible decision to change its anti-gay policy. 

 Matt Barber, as mature and measured as ever - Dear American Christians. This is reason one through five why you are losing popularity.  

Transgender woman settles lawsuit with Boston over treatment during 2010 arrest - And I hope the girlfriend got PAID!

Fear vs. fairness in the Boy Scouts - a video presentation

Let's play the comparison game.

The following is that awful religious right video about the phony dangers of gays in the Boy Scouts:




Compare this monstrosity to this video of gay Scouts, leaders, and their families who yesterday delivered 1.4 million petition signatures to Boy Scout headquarters asking that the organization end its "no gays allowed" policy:



In the matter of the Boy Scouts, it is the classic case of fear vs. fairness.

Let's all hope that fairness wins.

OMG! The religious right creates HORRENDOUS anti-gay Boy Scout video!

It's rare that I post more than three times a day, but this is one of the days in which I simply HAVE to make an exception to show you this monstrosity.

It is probably the worse anti-gay video of 2013, but not because it is offensive. It's because of how badly done it is.

Here are a couple of religious right characters talking about how wrong it would be for the Boy Scouts to do away with its "no gays allowed" policy. It simply boggles the mind how BAD this is.

From Janet Porter's attempt to hypnotize you with her eyes, to the awful muddled background voices, it's just terrible:



Editor's note - Someone please save this video because when the religious right sees how bad it is, they are going to either get rid of it or replace it. 

Hat tip to Right Wing Watch.

'Don't say gay' bill sponsor Stacey Campfield gets SCHOOLED on TMZ

Stacey Campfield, the Tennessee politician behind that awful "Don't Say Gay" bill in that state recently got schooled big time by the folks at (wait for it) TMZ. This is epically awesome:

Tennessee State Senator Stacey Campfield -- Homosexuality Is Dangerous - Watch More Celebrity Videos or Subscribe

 

Now allow me to throw out a couple of thoughts.

Campfield oozes with entitlement. He is quintessential anti-gay bigot in that he doesn't look at gays as normal people.  In his small mind, he doesn't see lgbts raising children, going to work, and leading normal productive lives. Instead, he has psychologically dissected us from our sexual orientation and then has transformed said orientation into a sex act (sodomy) which is both not totally indigenous to the gay community and not totally avoided to by the heterosexual community. To him, being gay does not exist, except for an act having to do with penises and rectums.

It's a sad way to dehumanize people and families by reducing them to sex acts thought up in one's fevered imagination. And what's worse, it's not enough for him to believe this way, he wants to codify that ignorant belief into law, which means he wants lgbts and our families to abide by his definition of who we are in spite of the fact that it's a vicious lie.

While Campfield whines about gays not leaving people alone and trying to allegedly shove our lifestyle down people's throats, he is the aggressor. No one asked him to push this law which would bar teachers from talking about gay issues with students and force schools to out gay students to their parents.

Campfield is pushing this law by his own volition. He is forcing his beliefs on gay families. He is doing the throat shoving.

Perhaps if Campfield doesnt' want to be bothered by THE GAYS, perhaps he should practice what he preaches and stop harassing them.

'FRC's Peter Sprigg blistered during CNN interview' and other Monday midday news briefs

This is what happens when a journalist does his/her homework. If this keeps up, the Family Research Council will be doing a "Sarah Palin" and only appear on Fox News: 



 In other news:  

Journalists Win Release of Documents Tracing Right-Wing Funding For Texas Gay Marriage Study - Looks like THIS story isn't dead yet.  

Delaware Bishop Attacks Marriage Equality: ‘Unrestrained Romanticism Damages Marriage’ - Cause apparently love has nothing to do with marriage.  

Santorum: Dropping Gay Ban Will 'Murder' the Boy Scouts - Oh the hyperbole, the hyperbole!

Bakery refuses services to lesbian couple - why the slippery slope argument applies

This situation happened recently involving a bakery in Oregon whose owner refused create a cake for a lesbian couple.

No doubt, if he is found to be violating the state's anti-discrimination law, he will definitely be NOM's newest martyr. Also, there will be - and they are already showing their faces - others who say that why should the lesbian couple worry about him. Why can't they just get their cake from another baker?

Be forewarned. This situation is about more than just a cake. It's a case where the slippery slope argument does apply.

The folks and groups who would defend this baker have never made it clear when they wouldn't defend anyone on the grounds of so-called religious liberty. They have never made a point as to say when they would stop using the religious liberty argument.

In other words, today it may be bakers refusing services to gays. What if tomorrow it's car dealerships or restaurants or apartment rentals?

Personally I hope he is found in violation of the law. It's not that I want him to be forced to bake a cake for a gay or lesbian couple.

A message should be sent this baker and others that their personal religious beliefs do not preclude them from treating every potential customer with the same amount of fairness and dignity.

Video - President Obama says Boy Scouts should be open to gays

You've heard about it. Now here is the video. The religious right is going to blow a gasket.

Good.

NOM losing marriage battle in France

Remember that so-called rebellion against marriage equality which took place in France? That's the large march against marriage equality held in Paris and heavily promoted by the National Organization for Marriage a few weeks ago. It's also the same march whose number of participants fluctuate from from 300,000 to 500,000 to a 1 million, depending on who was telling the story that is.

Well the French government has just sent its answer to that march:

The French National Assembly has approved the most important article of a bill to legalise same-sex marriage.

Deputies voted 249-97 in favour of redefining marriage as being an agreement between two people - not just between a man and a woman.

President Francois Hollande's Socialists and their left-wing supporters backed it, opposed by many opposition UMP and centrist MPs.

The proposals have generated protests and counter-protests for months.

Opinion polls suggest that around 55-60% of French people support gay marriage, though only about 50% approve of gay adoption.

Correspondents say the ease with which the article passed suggests the bill as a whole will pass.
Debates are expected to go on for more than a week, as MPs discuss hundreds of amendments, most of them filed by the centre-right opposition.

On the way they are expected to approve the other key measure in the bill, which would allow gay couples to adopt children.

Know Your LGBT History - In-the-closet politicians and pastors

In the history of the gay equality in the United States, these things are bound to happen - a fervent anti-gay politician or pastor turns out to be gay himself.  And these folks are usually outed by a hot scandal.

Sometimes you pity them and sometimes you think they got the embarrassment they deserve.

Whatever the case may be, the following video - via the blog Towleroad - looks at a cavalcade of them:




Past Know Your LGBT History posts:

'Whoops! UK Catholic Church undermines NOM's fake study, core message' and other Friday midday news briefs

Earlier this week, I wrote a post accusing the National Organization for Marriage of stealing an image from the 1963 March on Washington (which was coordinated by an openly gay African-American - Bayard Rustin and where MLK made his famous "I Have A Dream" speech)  to use for its upcoming march against marriage equality. There was a lot of speculation as to whether or not the picture NOM used was in fact from the 1963 March on Washington. Thanks to a Facebook friend, we have a clear picture of the truth. Take this graphic and send it out to all:

In other news:

Gays Can Be Good Parents, But Same-Sex Marriage Is Still Unjust, Says U.K. Catholic Church - Hilarious! In it's zeal to to attack marriage equality, the U.K. Catholic Church undermines that fake study NOM helped push which claimed that gays aren't good parents AND NOM's core message against marriage equality - i.e. that marriage equality should not be allowed because children "need" a mother and a father in the home.

Fumbling damage control: It gets worse for San Francisco's team - Somewhere in the world, former SF quarterbacks Joe Montana and Steve Young are shaking their heads. How did the 49ers screw this one up so badly?

6 Reasons Why This Gay Former Eagle Scout Supports the New Boy Scouts Gay Policy - Awesome piece I support because it's so good and also I like to spotlight  lgbts who know what they are talking about and need exposure to a wider audience.  

Attempt To Repeal Omaha’s LGBT Protections Fails - Nice try dipsticks!

Not the best way to explain your opposition to marriage equality

Somewhere, Maggie Gallagher is pulling her hair out. U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock (R-Ill.) attempts to explain why he doesn't support marriage equality.

And as you can see, he doesn't have a clue.

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.

'Bigot has explosive meltdown over possible Boy Scout policy change' and other Tuesday midday news briefs

Bigot has meltdown over possible change in Boy Scout policy:



While it's wrong for me to wish a heart attack on Mr. Fischer, his data is equally wrong. According to the American Psychological Association:

 . . . homosexual men are not more likely to sexually abuse children than heterosexual men are.

In related news:

 Birds of a feather Barber & Fischer show Boy Scouts what extremism looks like - (Me doing my "Celie" from The Color Purple) - "Dear God, please put a check on some of those who claim to be following your laws. They is crazy

 In other news:

Cecil Chao, Hong Kong Billionaire, Still Offering 'Deluxe Luxury' To Man Who Woos His Lesbian Daughter - Sometimes the desire of the human spirit not to give up on a lost cause is downright hilarious.

  California Archbishop Compares Marriage Equality To ‘Legalizing Male Breastfeeding’- Just when you think you have heard it all . . .

 McCain On Immigration Reform: Gay Couples Are A ‘Red Flag’ And ‘Not of Paramount Importance’ - The hell they aren't!  

Booklet on anti-gay propaganda an online success - If you haven't seen my press release from last night. Yeah I know you may be tired of me promoting my booklet but remember that I'm not Ellen nor Neil Patrick Harris. I gotta work my own runway and spotlight sometimes.

Colorado Catholic adoption agencies wants to discriminate against gay couples

Civil unions may just become a reality in Colorado. With that in mind, the Catholic Charities there are threatening to close its adoption services. The above news report tells the entire story and does an adequate job to give a fair view to both sides of the issue.

However, the report failed to mention that the Catholic Charities receives over $7 million in government grants (pg. 6).  While members of the Colorado Catholic Charities went on and on in the report about their faith, none of them addressed the money situation and the basic unfairness of accepting tax dollars while seeking to discriminate against the taxpayers who happen to be lgbt.

Booklet on anti-gay propaganda an online success

COLUMBIA--On January 8, South Carolina blogger Alvin McEwen published an online booklet designed to take a new direction in refuting anti-gay propaganda.

Three weeks later, he is astounded as to how successful the booklet, How They See Us: Unmasking the Religious Right War on Gay America, has been.

Since being published on the online site Scribd, the booklet has generated over 8,000 reads, over 81,000 embedded views and over 600 downloads.  It was also named to Scribd’s Rising List, which is a list of publications on the site generating many reads and views in a short amount of time.

McEwen credits the booklet’s success to fellow bloggers who, like himself, embedded the booklet on their sites and publicized it by word of mouth.

“This booklet wouldn’t have been as successful as it was without the help and promotion of many of my friends and people who believe in the work which I am doing. So I am extremely grateful for their help and encouragement,” McEwen said.

However, mainstream gay media attention has eluded How They See Us.  

McEwen sent press releases to various large scale gay magazines and blogs with little success.  He said he understands the lack of attention by the mainstream gay media because of so many things happening in the gay community and the fact that he has neither a national name nor reputation.

For the most part, McEwen has received much positive feedback for How They See Us.  But as with all projects, there were a few complaints. Two complaints bothered McEwen tremendously.

A good gay = pedophile lie NEVER dies

With news from coming in that the Boy Scouts may rethink its policy of keeping gays out, it didn't take long for the religious right to start pulling the pedophile card.

Allow me to decode what they are saying via Right Wing Watch:

Bryan Fischer from the American Family Association:

Tony Perkins from the Family Research Council:

"The Boy Scouts of America board would be making a serious mistake to bow to the strong-arm tactics of LGBT activists and open the organization to homosexuality. What has changed in terms of the Boy Scouts' concern for the well-being of the boys under their care? Or is this not about the well-being of the Scouts, but the funding for the organization?

"The Boy Scouts has for decades been a force for moral integrity and leadership in the United States. Sadly, their principled stances have marked them as a target for harassment by homosexual activists and corporations such as UPS which are working to pressure the Boy Scouts into abandoning their historic values.

"The mission of the Boy Scouts is 'to instill values in young people' and 'prepare them to make ethical choices,' and the Scout's oath includes a pledge 'to do my duty to God' and keep himself 'morally straight.' It is entirely reasonable and not at all unusual for those passages to be interpreted as requiring abstinence from homosexual conduct.

In other words:

 Lies unchallenged never change and they never die. Don't be fooled by the mock concern of Perkins and Fischer. I would bet my paycheck that when they heard of what the Boy Scouts were considered , they rubbed their hands thinking about the fundraising they are going to do off of it.

And trust me, they will fundraise. Why let a good gay = pedophile lie go to waste?

'Politifact TORCHES NOM' and other Monday midday news briefs

Politifact: NOM's Pants Are On Fire - The National Organization for Marriage is a sleazy organization which gets away with its continuous lies because the lgbt community and media is too blase to care and therefore the mainstream media follows suit. I mean really, how many of you just yawned while thinking of a snarky comment about NOM being caught in a lie again? We have to take this stuff more seriously and point it out every chance we get.  

Boy Scouts Of America Forces Local Troop To Remove LGBT-Inclusive Nondiscrimination Clause - Well that sucks.  

Non-discrimination bill passes in Va. Senate - Good for the Virginia Senate. But the Virginia House isn't necessarily looking in our favor.  

Family to memorialize slain trans woman - We need to stand up for our transgender brothers and sisters.

Maryland Marriage Equality Leads To Big Paydays For Wedding Vendors - Sweeeeeet!

Martin Luther King, Jr.'s niece makes wild claims about Obama, NAACP

Alveda King

According to Alveda King, Martin Luther King, Jr.'s niece, African-Americans are angry at Obama and the NAACP for their stances on abortion, contraception, and, of course, marriage equality.

In fact, she is claiming that African-Americans are taking drastic action. King said the following in an article in the American Family Association's One News Now:

 King says the NAACP could turn itself around, but only through repenting. The movement of African-Americans calling for repentance from the NAACP is growing. "African-Americans are coming out and burning membership cards to the NAACP," King says. "Thousands of African-Americans across this land have spoken out against the president's agenda, which includes homosexual marriage, abortion, contraceptives."

It is sad that national figures seem to always be followed by family members who do nothing more than ride their coattails to fame.

Former President Jimmy Carter had Billy Carter and former President Bill Clinton had Roger Clinton.

Fortunately, President Obama doesn't seem to have that problem with a personal relative. But, as a proxy, Martin Luther King, Jr's niece seems to be wanting to fill in the role.

Last year, I had to check Ms. King because I suspected that she told a blatant lie about Bayard Rustin, an openly gay aide to MLK and the coordinator of the 1963 March on Washington. At the time, she claimed that Rustin tried to persuade MLK into supporting gay equality and when he refused, Rustin resigned.

As a black gay man whose sees Rustin as a role model, I couldn't let that claim pass without calling her out. Subsequently, my demands for the truth led to a personal interview with Ms. King. This interview led me to believe that she was not only being deceptive about Rustin, but also her involvement in the Civil Rights Movement. She tried to talk over me when I asked her questions and ended the interview by hanging up on me.

This time, I don't think anyone needs an interview to refute Ms. King's charges about Obama and the NAACP. After all, Obama was elected with a landslide of electoral college votes as well as the popular vote. And an enormously large part of that was the black community.

Furthermore, just how many African-Americans are burning their NAACP membership cards? One person? Two people? Three? And just where is this "growing" movement of African-Americans calling for the NAACP to "repent?"

Ms. King seems to be speaking in generalities but if one asked her for particulars, I doubt she could point out any of them.

She really should give it up because she is fooling no one but the willfully ignorant. She is a poseur and a fake. And not even a good one.

WOW! NOM posts a rude pic, wants to make ugly history

From my online buddy Jeremy Hooper comes something from the National Organization for Marriage which is just so (my Julia Sugarbaker voice)- STUPID:

It's stupid because it's half-sighted. So a man and a woman copulating creates a child. But it says nothing about the well-being or caring of the child.

Any man or woman can make a child, but it takes a real mother or father to be a parent. And in that respect, the gay community has done very good for itself.

But this ridiculous poster from NOM enhances the sad fact of how the organization is attempting to play heterosexual households and same-sex households who are raising children against one another.

The raising of a child is not a competition. It is a blessing which belongs to everyone who can partake in it.

By the way, boys and girls. I hear that NOM is planning a national march on Washington at the same time the Supreme Court will be deliberating on DOMA and Prop 8.

You realize that if this happens, NOM will make history.

Generally, marches on Washington are about attaining rights which are deserved but not given, such as the 1963 Civil Rights March on Washington (organized by a gay man by the way - Bayard Rustin) and the several marches for gay equality. Marches on Washington are about bringing attention to an injustices such as war and poverty.

With NOM's march, this will probably be the first time there will a march on Washington demanding that  inequality, discrimination, and second-class status be foisted on a group of Americans (lgbts).

Go figure.

Know Your LGBT History - Tales from the Crypt - 'The Assassin'

 Let's have a little fun today. Having a character in a movie or tv show being revealed as lgbt is always a good plot twist, even though sometimes it's not necessarily a positive one for the community.

Check out this episode of Tales from the Crypt entitled  "The Assassin" and tell me what you think. The plot twist is probably easy to tell, but I want to know how do you feel about it?

Is it offensive, empowering, or just a plot twist which shouldn't be made a big deal out of.


Past Know Your LGBT History posts:

'Prop 8, DOMA Supreme Court briefs distorts parenting study' and other Friday midday news briefs

Anti-gay legal briefs ‘mischaracterized’ parenting study - Well will you look at this. Lawyers defending Prop 8 and DOMA distorted a study to claim that same-sex parents are less able to raise children than heterosexual parents. This distortion is in  briefs they submitted to the Supreme Court. And this news comes from the organization who conducted the study via The Washington Blade:

 “We have pointed this out repeatedly, yet to our dismay we continue to see our 2002 research mischaracterized by some opponents of same-sex marriage.” - Carol Emig, president of Child Trends.

My beautiful gay community, this is huge and if it does not receive as much or more attention than Jodie Foster's speech at the Golden Globes, well then I guess we can point out a problem as to why things are so difficult in the fight for equality.  

Editor's note - Distorting legitimate research for their own ends is an unfortunate hallmark of religious right groups. Pages 8 - 10 of my booklet, How They See Us, spotlights 12 times in which religious right groups have engaged in this specious practice.

In other news:

Alveda King claims marriage equality as facet of 'reproductive genocide' - Jimmy Carter had Billy Carter. Bill Clinton had Roger Clinton. And now the Martin Luther King, Jr. family has Alveda.

Russian Parliament Advances National Bill Banning ‘Propaganda of Homosexualism’ - Oh brother!

If You Could Refrigerate Homosexuality, It Wouldn't Be A Sin - I. . . I just can't comment on this. I just can't.

Do religious right groups really care about placing children in homes at all?

The above graphic supplied by my blogging comrade Jeremy Hooper has me thinking about children and the religious right

It is from the National Organization for Marriage and encompasses a standard religious right talking point used when the organization attempts to stymie marriage equality, i.e. claiming that allowing gays to marry would deprive children of the "right" to have a mother and a father.

I have heard that same talking point used extensively by other religious right organizations such as the Family Research Council and politicians and public figures who carry their water, so to speak, such as Rick Santorum and Mike Huckabee.

I am of the personal belief that a child needs a good home, regardless of whether that home encompasses the mother/father dynamic, single parent dynamic, or the gay parent (s) dynamic. No matter how much research groups like NOM can manufacture or cherry-pick, the fact is a home with love and support is what matters most.

And it's better than no home at all, which brings me to my point.

According to several groups involved in the adoption of children, there are over 120,000 children waiting to be adopted. In fact, one group, Children Awaiting Parents,  says:

Most are school-aged or older. There are brothers and sisters who need to stay together. More than 60% of the children come from minority cultures. The majority are boys. Many have emotional, physical, learning disabilities or mental retardation. All are waiting for the love and security that only a permanent family can offer. 

For all of their pronouncements that "every child has a right to a mom and a dad" and "children need homes with mothers and fathers,"  I am not aware of any effort by NOM, FRC, or any religious right group or their supporters working to get children out of the foster care system and into that mother/father dynamic they preach so fervently about.

No initiatives. No sponsorship of legislation. Nothing

The only time I hear these groups and individuals suddenly care about children having decent homes at all is when they are attempting to them away from gay households.

That tells me either these religious right groups and their supporters are willfully forgetting children in foster care or that they don't really care about whether or not children actually are placed in good homes.

Just as long as they aren't placed in gay homes.

Rhode Island House of Representatives overwhelmingly pass marriage equality bill

From the San Diego Gay and Lesbian News:

The Rhode Island House of Representatives, led by openly gay Speaker Gordon Fox, today passed a bill that supports marriage equality. The House voted 51-19 to approve the measure.

 Rep. Joseph M. McNamara told a personal story of holding a lesbian couple's twin daughter, looking at the happy little girl, and saying that's when it dawned on him that marriage equality was also family equality. McNamara said the twins deserve the same equality of any straight family, and that by providing marriage equality was the right thing to do.

 Rep. Arthur J. Corvese, a Catholic Democrat who loudly and angrily railed against the bill and against gay activists and the ACLU, shouted out all the usual suspect arguments on why same-sex marriage will open Pandora's box for marriage. He said marriage isn't about gay rights, or civil rights, or about love, but about procreation. He also used the phrase, "the criminal media," leading one pundit to utter, "Is this man crazy?"

 Rep. James N. McLaughlin attempted to substitute an amendment to the bill to essentially gut it and keep marriage between a man and a woman. He gave a rambling and incoherent speech, then the parliamentarian ruled that his amendment was not germane and was out of order. Rep. Joseph Almeida, who is Cape Verdean American who was born in Providence, said the issue was a "civil rights struggle" and "don't divide us" to opponents of the bill.

Minority Leader Brian C. Newberry said he supported the bill and urged the Senate not to play politics with their vote on the measure, accusing the high chamber of drawing up a wish list to use a vote on the marriage bill as a bargaining chip.

Openly gay Rep. Frank Ferri, who said he and his "husband" have been together for 32 years, called today: "This is an exceptional moment, and it's taken a long time." He praised Speaker Fox for his patience since 1997 in getting to this moment in Rhode Island history.

The marriage bill now goes to the state Senate, where its President, Teresa Paiva Weed, a Democrat, opposes the measure. Weed, however, has agreed to allow a vote, which may take weeks or months before it clears the Senate Judiciary Committee.

'Stanford researchers create HIV-resistant cells' and other Thursday midday news briefs

HIV-Resistant Cells Created By Stanford Researchers Could Protect Patients From AIDS - This is really good news! 

Bryan Fischer is hijacking the civil rights movement (is what I would say if I adopted his own movement's tactics) - Dear Mr. Fischer, "Christian is not the new Black" That is all. One more thing - you dumb ass!

NOM – Rhode Island Insults The Very Legislators They’re Lobbying - NOM plays both sides of the coin in Rhode Island. 

Minnesota Columnist Claims LGBT Students Don’t Need Bullying Protections - First they said we have no need for marriage equality because we already have civil rights. Now they say our children don't need protection from bullies. I cringe to hear the next thing they will claim that we don't need.

Religious right - 'gays have bad health issues, so let's undermine attempts to discover why'

According to Think Progress, Rep. James Lankford (R-OK) had a very interesting exchange with a constituent about how a workshop which counsels lgbts with substance abuse problems and mental health issues is allegedly pushing the "homosexual agenda:"

CONSTITUENT: I want to know if you’re aware of the Substances and Mental Health Services Administration that has a book called the Provider’s Introduction to Substance Abuse Treatment for Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay and Transgender Individuals.

 LANKFORD: Wow.

CONSTITUENT: They are going around the nation, they just did this here in Oklahoma, December 7th, and having conferences that are educational. [...] About 2 percent of the conference is dealing with substance abuse and mental health issues. 98 percent is doing indoctrination or pushing the homosexual agenda. This is what our president is doing. He has a federal agency doing it. Our state, the Oklahoma Mental Health and Substance Abuse Department, put this conference on and is indoctrinating our citizens who are totally against this. Is there any way you can look into this?

LANKFORD: Oh yes, sure. You know I can absolutely get a chance to take a look at it. We’ll start the process, try to see what we can do to identify it. Some of those things you have the power of humiliation where you can raise it and put in sunlight. They love functioning in the dark. You put some sunlight on it, that does help. But, we’ll see. I’m glad to take that on. 

It has not been confirmed whether or not the woman speaking was Sally Kern - although it does look like her. And those of us who are lgbt know Sally Kern very well. She is the Oklahoma legislator who once said that homosexuality is more dangerous than terrorism, causing a huge uproar and a boon for religious right organizations who anointed her as a victim "unfairly vilified"  for merely expressing an opinion.

I'm pretty sure we are going to be hearing more about this, but regardless of who this constituent was, the fact that she is attacking a program which would help lgbts fight substance abuse and mental health problems is something we should remember, especially in light of the fact that a huge argument used against the gay community by people like the Family Research Council's Tony Perkins is the idea that we are susceptible to substance abuse and mental health issues: 




And there you have an interesting conundrum which very few point out regarding the hypocrisy of the religious right and those who support their efforts to keep us under heel.

On one hand, you have them calling us "dangers to society" because we are supposedly more susceptible to substance abuse and negative mental health issues. And on the other, they object to any program which would help us conquer these negative behaviors, claiming that they are in actuality a plot to "indoctrinate" or push the alleged homosexual agenda.

They seem to be attacking us for negative health issues while undermining attempts to  create solutions to these issues.

And I have a hard time believing that this is not intentional.

Right tries to historically revise Stonewall Riot

Because of President Obama's inaugural speech, the famous Stonewall Riot of 1969 has officially taken its place as one of the great moments in American history.

However, some people have taken it upon themselves to demonize what exactly happened at that bar in 1969 to help spark the modern day gay rights movement even to the point of rewriting history.

Buster Wilson of the American Family Association inaccurately claims that Stonewall was a hotel full of homosexuals who got violent during a police raid (no doubt implying that the police found gays having all sorts of illegal sex):



Then there is Pat Buchanan (who once described AIDS as nature's retribution on gays). Now you would think that he gets it wrong. But (and I fainted when I heard him describe it), he actually kinda gets what Stonewall was right. He was wrong by calling it a barroom brawl, but he was right when he said the police were harassing gays and the gays stuck up for themselves:

 

But in all honesty, describing what happened at Stonewall, including the events which led up to it, belongs to those who were there. I think they should have precedent in telling the story:

 

'AFA cheers on Russia's attempt to criminalize homosexuality' and other Wednesday midday news briefs

AFA Headline Of The Day - From Joe Jervis comes something I saw this morning and it frankly got me nauseated. The American Family Association, via its phony news site One News Now, is cheering on Russia's efforts to "criminalize" homosexuality.  

Sadie, 11-Year-Old Transgender Girl, Writes Essay In Response To Obama's Inauguration Speech - This is so awesome that this child has the courage to not only come out but also to so such a positive thing when so many adults won't even get off their butts.  

Audio: You guys, stop hurting Tony and Tim's feelings. They just want to call you unnatural and deny you of rights—gah!- And THIS post is when I really wish the adage about lightning striking would prove true.  

Sandy Rios Mourns Obama's Inauguration and Equality for Non-Christians - Rios manages to attack Obama, those who practice religions other than Christianity, atheists, gays, and African-Americans all at the same time. Someone give her an award!

How many times can Bryan Fischer mention 'gay sex' during an Obama tirade?

I thought I had seen it all when it comes to members of the religious right using Obama's inauguration speech to reduce gay equality to something stupid about sexual intercourse.

I was wrong:



Bryan Fischer is not a researcher, he is not a medical doctor, nor is he a psychiatrist or a psychologist. Just who in the heck is he to call someone ignorant about homosexuality and the gay community?

And what's with this constant emphasis on the alleged sexual behavior of gay males?

It's like I said yesterday, when ordinary Americans think about gay couples, they generally see this:

But people like Bryan Fischer sees this:

 I'm not a psychiatrist either but if I were, I would probably be able to write a book on Fischer.