Family Research Council head misrepresents credible information to hurt ENDA

Recently, Family Research Council head Tony Perkins submitted testimony to Congress in opposition of Employment Non-Discrimination Act.

The bulk of his testimony were anecdotes of supposedly how ENDA would hurt free speech.

As Goodasyou.org pointed out, at least one of his anecdotes was a distortion of the facts. Perkins claimed that the person in the case was able to sue because he was merely perceived as gay.

Perkins was making the point that the lawsuit in that case was frivilous.

But Jeremy Hooper from Goodasyou.org showed that the person in the case was not only perceived as gay, but also harrassed and fired because of that perception.

And I think I found another sly distortion from Perkins regarding ENDA. The part I want to address is in bold:

The principle at stake is whether personal disapproval of these chosen and harmful behaviors (homosexual conduct and sex changes) should be officially stigmatized under law as a form of bigotry that is equivalent to racism. Since such disapproval is the dominant viewpoint in the American public,explicitly taught by leading religions,and empirically supported by the negative health consequences of those behaviors

Perkins is pushing the "homosexuality has negative consequences" factoid that has served the religious right well for so many years.

The endnotes of his testimony says:

Evidence for the negative health consequences of homosexual conduct is available even from pro-homosexual sources such as the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association. See their "Top Ten Issues to Discuss with Your Healthcare Provider" online at: http://www.glma.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Page.viewPage&pageId=586&parentID=533&nodeID=1

To echo Jeremy Hooper in his denunciation of Perkins, it's a matter of perception.

Perkins is pushing the notion that "if people engage in same-sex intercourse, they face negative consequences."

However, at no time does the Top Ten Issues even imply this. This is what it does say:

LGBT people have some unique health needs and concerns. Unfortunately, many health care providers don’t fully understand these issues, so it’s important to take charge of your health by asking your healthcare provider about the health matters that may apply to you.
The following lists will help you communicate even more effectively with your healthcare provider:

10 Things Gay Men Should Discuss with Their Healthcare Providers

(Click here to downoad .pdf version)

10 Things Lesbians Should Discuss with Their Healthcare Providers

(Click here to download .pdf verson)

10 Things Transgender Persons Should Discuss with Their Healthcare Providers (Click here to download .pdf version)

Now while this medical information breakdown does concede that in some cases, lgbts face bigger health problems than the heterosexual population, at no time does it ever say anything about these health problems being the "negative effects of homosexual behavior."

But it does say few things that Perkins may not appreciate. For example, take the subject of depression/anxiety in the lesbian community:

Lesbians have been shown to experience chronic stress from homophobic discrimination. This stress is compounded by the need that some still have to hide their orientation from family and colleagues at work, and by the fact that many lesbians have lost the important emotional support most others get from their families due to alienation stemming from their sexual orientation.

Or substance abuse:

Research indicates that lesbians may use illicit drugs more often than heterosexual women. This may be due to added stressors in lesbian lives from discrimination. Lesbians need support from each other and from health care providers to find healthy releases, quality recreation, stress reduction, and coping techniques.

Or how about this point regarding how difficult it is for the members of the transgender community to receive adequate health care:

Transgender persons are often reluctant to seek medical care through a traditional provider-patient relationship. Some are even turned away by providers. A doctor who refuses to treat a trans person may be acting out of fear and transphobia, or may have a religious bias against GLBT patients. It’s also possible that the doctor simply doesn’t have the knowledge or experience he needs. Furthermore, health care related to transgender issues is usually not covered by insurance, so it is more expensive. Whatever the reasons, transgender people have sometimes become very ill because they were afraid to visit their providers.

In other words, Perkins made the claim that being an lgbt has "negative health consequences," but cited a pro-gay document which in part said the health problems lgbts face have more to do with dealing with an unaccepting society.

If he weren't so consumed with using the material inaccurately, Perkins would realize that Ten Top Issues actually makes the case for ENDA. Less worries about how you would be perceived on the job as an lgbt leads to less stress. And less stress leads to good health.

Gone are the days when folks like Robert Knight brazenly cited Paul Cameron studies during their Congressional testimony.

But as Perkins proves, members of the religious right still have a way of distorting lgbt lives to suit their agenda.

Independent polling shows 'No on 1' leading in Maine

From Americablog Gay comes this awesome news:

Jesse Connolly, the campaign manager for No on 1/Protect Maine Equality posted new poll results over at DailyKos:

A new public poll from Democracy Corps was released yesterday, showing us with a slight lead this race 50% to 41%, a significant jump from kos's numbers from the other week of 46-48.

The numbers are encouraging, but it's that 9% undecided that will determine this race. The investment of our supporters has allowed us to get on TV before our opponents and counter every lie they have tossed at us.

Tonight at midnight is the end of the third quarter and all of you kossacks know what that means: we will need to turn in our fundraising report.

Our campaign will be judged on the strength or weakness of this report.

I suggest that everyone go to the link and see what they can do contribute to this campaign.

One thing I have to mention about this campaign is how much I like its consistency. From the very beginning, the No on 1/Project Maine Equality folks have defined the issue and hammered their message home.

And they weren't afraid to not only use actual families but also challenge the opposition on their lies.

That's how it's done.

The following commercial says it all:

FRC's Tony Perkins caught in a distortion and other Wednesday midday news briefs

Perception as a weapon: We'd de-arm both employers and Tony P. - Goodasyou.org catches FRC's Tony Perkins in a distortion about his anti-ENDA testimony.

Federal Court Throws Out Suit Against Miami Hospital By Lesbian Barred From Dying Partner - This is a hot mess!

President Obama Must Speak Out On Maine Now - I have one problem with that. Mixner should say this to ALL lgbt spokespeople. The situation with Matt Foreman calling AIDS a "gay disease" comes to mind. Foreman meant that lgbts should take a bigger role in AIDS/HIV prevention just as Julian Bond meant when he called AIDS a "black disease." However, Foreman's words were misconstrued by the religious right.

Ex-Gay Group Calls Hate Crime Laws “Anti-Ex-Gay” - This is funny.

Many Maine Catholics Supporting Marriage Equality, Despite Bishop's Efforts - This is good news!

Focus on the Family Seeks to Exempt Alabama Gays from Antibullying Protection - Why of why am I not surprised?

Doctors settle case for denying lesbian treatment - Good news for us usually means that One News Now and the rest of the religious right aren't pleased.

I get bizarre, disturbing email regarding my Kevin Jennings coverage

Not everyone is happy with my coverage of the Kevin Jennings situation.

I received this email last night. Read it all at your own risk:

Isn't it great that we are in America, where we can all voice our opinions about anything? First of all, I and most people who have a problem with the conference at hand AND Mr. Jennings, are NOT from the "religious right" to use your terminology. We are ordinary Americans who are concerned about the direction of morality in society at large and in the public schools specifically. Do you find that offensive? You claim that, "The so-called fistgate attack was pitiful because neither Jennings nor GLSEN had anything to do with the questions asked." True but very misleading. Mr. Jenning's organization, GLSEN, DID SPONSOR THE EVENT! Your reasoninbg is totally fallacious. You make it sound like GLSEN and Jennings had NO idea what was going to be said in the conference. If so, why hasn't Jennings come out and publicly denounce the conference and the remarks and teachings that were made there? To me, that is the most telling feature of the story. Jennings, by his silence, is condoning the disgusting behavior described in detail by the panel. Just because the gay community finds certain behaviors normal and appropriate for the youth of today does not make it so. By continuing to push your agenda in the public schools, you are opening yourself up to a backlash that will set your program back 100 years. Just as many straight people were beginning to have some sympathy for the gay people and starting to perhaps be a little more inclined to support some of the gay agenda, you ram "queerness" down the throats of their kids (pun intended) in PUBLIC school.That alone makes you an idiot. These feelings are shared by many of my gay friends who found the behavior of the panel to be "totally outrageous" as one friend put it.
I am not against homosexuality in general terms. What people do behind closed doors in their bedroom is their own business. It becomes mine when my child is given instruction in the deviant details ( how to enjoy fisting) of sex without my knowing or my permission. It doesn't matter if we are talking gay or straight sex, it is still inappropriate! It is unbelievable that the public school system allows these type of conferences. My tax dollars go to pay the salaries of the 3 administrators who led the conference, as did yours. The only difference is that my position is supported by about 85% of the population. I understand that as a gay man you feel that you have been treated unfairly in life. You also feel that it is important to teach children to be accepting of the gay lifestyle from a young age. The problem is for you that most Americans disagree and if you think ACORN being torn to shreds was something, wait until you see what happens to gay rights group who continue to push their agenda in our schools. Call it a threat if you want to, but it is reality. The American people are truly fed up and they will not stand for the type of garbage that went on in that conference any longer.

Now I don't regard the person's comments as a threat. But the comments were a challenge to me on my blog. And I don't take challenges lightly. I hope you found my response to be sufficient. Even though I was tempted to use profanity, I decided to take the high road:

I found your long response somewhat amusing. Let me address your silly points one by one.

1. I never said that GLSEN did not sponsor the event. But I did call into question the notion that this was a GLSEN event. It was also co-sponsored by the Massachusetts Dept. of Education.

2. Jennings was not present at the time of the incident. He was not aware of what happened. The person who talked about fisting was fired but was rehired with back pay by an arbitrator for a multitude of reasons, including the fact that the taping of the incident was misleading. As I recall, Jennings did criticize the conversation but he also criticized the illegal taping of the event.

3. I think that you are under some silly impression about a few things. First of all, not all gays are into fisting but some heterosexuals are.

Secondly, I alway find it funny that ignorant people have to pull the bandwagon technique. Your platitudes about "Americans are getting tired of having so-and-so shoved down their throats" only reveal just how weak your argument is in that you have to invent back up. Can't your argument stand on its own merits? Don't you have any guts to stand on your own rather than call an invisible posse?

4. Try to take this in and deal with it - lgbts are not going to live our lives in accordance to your ignorance. There is more to our lives than bedroom behavior. We have families, jobs and yes pay taxes also. Those tax dollars you alluded to belong to us also.

We have children in schools and our children will not be taught that their families are inferior just to suit your silly notions of superiority.

In addition, this country does not solely belong to you or folks who believe as you. You don't run a damn thing. You do not dictate policy. And you need to get over yourself.

I hope you enjoyed this verbal asswhipping as much as I enjoyed giving it to you.

I'm ashamed to admit it but that was fun. It is clear that my work is having an effect on some people.

Let's not be so quick to blame Obama if Kevin Jennings is dismissed

The echo chamber of attacks on Kevin Jennings is intensifying regarding the alleged approval of statutory rape. My guess is sooner or later we will hear the fraudulent phrase of "anger is swelling over an education pick of President Obama" despite the fact that very few people who are not lgbt or are not of the right ever heard of Jennings.

But I am viewing some disturbing things from members of the lgbt community.

Now I am not saying that I agree with statutory rape, period. Nor am I trying to drum up defense for Jennings solely due to the fact that he is gay.

I sincerely believe that Jennings is getting a bad deal and I also believe that he is the best person for the position that he has been appointed to.

And it is with that same sincerity that I am calling out some folks for throwing in the towel already. I am hearing a few lgbts claiming that Jennings committed a crime and he has to go.

Now I have stated my opinion on Jennings and the alleged incident involving supposed statutory rape but in all honesty, none of us know the facts.

We don't know what was said exactly between Jennings and Brewster.

We don't know just how old the alleged adult was in the case.

And we don't know what exactly the law dictates in the matter.

But we do know that the forces involved don't like President Obama, Jennings, or lgbts in general.

We do know that these folks have been known to lie and distort.

We do know that they lied when they said Jennings "encouraged" the relationship. Hell, we don't even know if it was a "relationship" rather than a one-time mistake.

And we do know that they not only distorted the tape of Jennings talking about the incident, but have been enveloping Jennings with a tissue of lies from the very beginning in sleazy attempts to derail his appointment.

Now they are whining about a double standard regarding Jennings and Roman Polanski despite the fact that Polanski was convicted of a crime and we still are not aware that Jennings did anything wrong.

So why in the hell are some of us so quick to give in? Why are we so quick to give their distortion credibility? Shouldn't our loyalty be to Jennings?

I sincerely hope that this situation doesn't end like I think it will - with Jennings' dismissal and another embarrassment for the Obama Administration.

But if this happens, perhaps it will teach us something.

Maybe before we start whining about how Obama isn't doing enough for us, why don't we concentrate on doing for ourselves.

You can't expect loyalty for perceived allies if you are not willing to give it to members of your own community.

Warren G. shows the hypocrisy/homophobia of rap music

I was going to pull out some news briefs but something via Vanity Fair caught my eye.

Rap artist Warren G said the following in an interview:

I ain’t against gay people. I’m just against it being promoted to kids. . .
I know people that’s gay. My wife’s got friends that are gay. I got family that’s gay. Cousins and shit. He cool as fuck. He cool as a motherfucker. He’s my homie. I just mean that on some of these TV shows, they got dudes kissing. And kids are watching that shit. We can’t have kids growing up with that. . . .but let’s keep it behind the scenes. Ain’t nothin’ wrong with it if that’s what two dudes wanna do. Cool. But that’s not bring that out into the world, where the kids can see that. We don’t want all the kids doing that. ‘Cause that ain’t how we was originally put here to do. Like I said, I ain’t got no problem with the gays.

What? Excuse me? Is this the same guy who spent a considerable amount of time rapping about "money 'n' bitches." Isn't this the same guy who got arrested last year for drug posession?

Who the hell appointed him as a moral spokesperson? I guess when you reduce the worth of black people to the lowest common demoninator of sex, that means all black people get reduced, lgbts of color included.

Well speaking for myself and so many lgbts of color he has insulted (and many of them lead households that include children), I want to school Mr. G. on a few things.

With all due respect to Warren G, maybe he should stop obsessing over what he thinks is gay sexual behavior and start focusing on heterosexual sexual behavior. Since he has a problem with two men kissing, I would sincerely hope that he has an equal problem with songs and videos that objectify women as sex objects, that teaches black children to be underacheivers, and that romanticize the selling of drugs.

Or have I just described the contents of his last albums?

Just to be clear about things - homosexuality is not a "lifestyle." Putting on a skin tight dress or wearing your pants down past your ass, drinking and hitting on each other in a club, and then having wild sex that leads to illegitimate births is a lifestyle.

Why don't folks like Warren G. ever criticize that?

You see this is the problem that lgbts of color face in the black community. This open hypocrisy that we are supposed to say nothing about.

I am so sick and tired of members of black community who will screw each other till the cows come home without the courtesy of a wedding ring and then have the absolute nerve to pass judgment on lgbts of color just because we want a little affection from each other.

I am so sick and tired of black pastors who will say nothing about the depressing rate of black men in prison and black girls with babies but will break each other's necks to get camera time in order to dehumanize lgbts of color.

I am so damn tired of being treated like a dog being allowed to come in a house as long as he doesn't pee on the furniture. "Oh I don't have a problem with gay people as long as they are not in my face about it."

What the hell is that supposed to mean anyway?

I am sure the entire African-American community does not feel the same way as Warren G. but damn his comments get me angry.

Can black folks have a serious conversation about lgbt issues? Is it totally impossible?

Lgbts of color are not objects to be pointed at or referred to as dogs or "the other."

We are contributing members of society and especially the black community.

And I don't think it's asking too much for the black community to gives us the respect we are entitled to.

Brian Camenker, Matt Barber create anti-gay hot mess

People for the American Way has clips from last weekend's Take Back America conference.

The clips are interesting to say the least. Most particularly interesting are the clips from the Countering the Extremist Homosexual Movement seminar co-moderated by Brian Camenker of the hate group Mass Resistance and Matt Barber of the Liberty Counsel.

First let's take a look at Camenker:



He does project a certain aura of creepiness, doesn't he? Is it just me or is Camenker practically drolling while enthralling the audience with pseudo-salacious material about the transgender community.

And here I thought Peter LaBarbera was spooky.

Now let's look at Matt Barber:



Barber is no slouch in the weird department as his rapid fire delivery of lies is just incredible. He seems to be going through his routine with the urgency of a good actor who realizes that he is trapped in a abysmal film.

And he also makes it a point to call President Obama “a secular humanist, a radical socialist moral relativist.”

Perhaps it would have been more to the point for Barber to have taken a page from former wrestler Dusty Rhodes and say something like "he doesn't like Obam or his mama."

For the record, despite what Barber says, remember three things:

Adding sexual orientation to hate crimes legislation does not give lgbts an unfair advantage. Both the heterosexual and lgbt orientation will be protected.

No employer should have the right to fire a capable employee even if said employer has a "deeply held belief" that homosexuality is wrong.

No researcher or physician has ever called homosexuality a "dangerous lifestyle." Someone should tell Barber that Paul Cameron doesn't count.

But making bad generalizations about the lgbt community is nothing new to Barber as this piece regarding him and lgbt families proves.

What are these people? Dedicated students to the National Organization for Marriage's School of self sabotage?

All I can say that if these are the folks who have been picked to adequately teach others how to attack lgbts, then let's not waste any time grinding them in the dust.

I don't believe in the concept of playing with your prey.

Related posts:

The anti-gays are encouraged to get more militant and disgusting

Mike Huckabee and Congressional leaders to attend conference with hate group

Dissecting a One News Now article