NOM's new mailer is full of old lies

The National Organization for Marriage has gone over the top in it's silly attack on marriage equality in New York with its new mailer. The mailer targets several NY senators who voted for marriage equality. Here is just a sample of one:

Comparing a Senator who changed his mind and voted for marriage equality to Benedict Arnold (the treacherous general who was going to turn over West Point to the British during the American Revolution) is a bit tacky and over the top, especially when one remembers who NOM flocked to the side of Maryland Rep. Sam Arora earlier this year when he decided that he was going to vote against marriage equality in that state after campaigning for the issue.

Now the second part of the mailer is the same mess we can expect from NOM - i.e. gay marriage will harm everyone's rights and will hurt children:

My apologies if you can't read this but that's not my fault. That is how the ad has been posted online, as if NOM intentionally made parts of it difficult to read. But allow me to read some of the claims to you (and refute them of course):

NOM claim - Massachusetts second graders were taught in class that boys could marry boys. They were force-fed a book called King & King about a prince who married another prince. Federal courts rule that parents had no right to object.

Truth - NOM's continued use of this claim demonstrates the organization's willingness to deceive. Originally NOM was claiming this:

"Massachusetts’ public schools teach kids as young as kindergartners about gay marriage. Parents have no legal right to object!"

But the organization was called out for lying by the site Politifact. So it seems that NOM has retooled this claim by use of clever semantics.  If we are to believe that children are "force-fed" ideas by simply having a story read to them in class, then I hate to think of what NOM thinks of  Hansel and Gretel or Little Red Riding Hood.

NOM claim - California kindergartners were taken, during school hours, to a lesbian wedding. The school called it a teachable moment.

Truth - NOM conveniently omits that the students obtained their parents' permission to attend this event.

NOM claim - California schools invited a gender diversity consultant into fourth grade classes to teach children that they can choose to be a boy, girl, or be both genders!

Truth - First of all, NOM is overstating the lessons for the sake of hysteria. Secondly, again NOM omitted the fact that parents were given prior notice and had to give their permission for the students to attend the lesson.

NOM claim - Catholic charities in Massachusetts, Washington, D.C. and Illinois have been forced to close their adoption agencies because they believe that children should have both a mother and a father.

Truth - Of course NOM again is not telling the full story The fact that these agencies receive tax dollars while using discriminatory practices (not allowing gay or lesbian couples to adopt) is the problem at the crux of the issue.

All in all, NOM's mailer adds up to tacky images and gross lies created to scare folks into standing against marriage equality.

In other words, business as usual for the organization.

Obama supports overturning DOMA - It's about time

I'm sure everyone has heard the big news of the day:

A day before the Senate Judiciary Committee prepares to hold hearing on the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, the Obama administration has endorsed Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s (D-CA) legislation to repeal it. Responding to a question from Metro Weekly’s Chris Geidner, White House Press Briefing, Jay Carney said Obama was “proud to support the Respect for Marriage Act” to “take DOMA off the books once and for all.” “This legislation would uphold the principle that the federal government should not deny gay and lesbian couples the same rights and legal protections as straight couples,” he added.

Obama has long favored repealing the 1996 measure and has instructed the Department of Justice not to defend Section 3 of the law, which prohibits the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages. But in backing Feinstein’s measure, Obama is also signaling his opposition to Section 2 of the statute, which stipulates that same-sex marriages — unlike heterosexual marriages — shall not be automatically recognized across state lines unless the state has legalized marriage equality or allowed for the recognition of out-of-state marriages between same-sex couples.

Feinstein’s bill currently has 27 Democratic co-sponsors. It would extend over 1,000 federal laws and protections to same-sex couples, including: the right to file joint federal income taxes and claim certain deductions, receive spousal benefits under Social Security, take unpaid leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act when a loved one falls seriously ill, and obtain the protections of the estate tax when one spouse passes and wants to leave his or her possessions to another.

Unfortunately the odds of the bill passing don't look so good. But still, it's nice to see the President make a move forward. Now keep it up, Obama.

Anti-gay leader likes a good 'fag' joke and other Tuesday midday news briefs

FAMiLY LEADER’s Bob Vander Plaats Erupts In Laughter At Faggot Joke: ‘That’s Pretty Good’ - More proof that the "super duper we break for Jesus" crowd is comprised of hypocrites.

70 Percent of Anti-LGBT Murder Victims Are People of Color - This is scary. Period.

Hypocritical. Just an example. - The hypocrisy of NOM's supporters defined.

BREAKING: Senate confirms first out gay male to federal bench - Just in case you haven't about this very good news.

Perry Won't Take Responsibility For Radical Attendees At His Prayer Event - Can you blame him? Assorted nuts belong in a can and not on their knees at a huge prayer event.

What NOM really thinks about the black community

One thing I found interesting about the controversy regarding Michele Bachmann and that ridiculous Family Leader pledge (the one which said African-American families fared better under slavery rather than now) is not who weighed in with their opinion, but whose words were conspicuously absent.

The National Organization for Marriage gave no criticism about the pledge. On the contrary, the organization actually praised not only the Family Leader, but also Bachmann for signing the pledge.

In this blog entry, NOM actually brags about being partners with the Family Leader in one of its endeavors (Presidential Lecture Series).

In another one, NOM praises Bachmann for being the first person to sign the now infamous pledge.

In this linked blog entry, NOM claims that Bachmann's signature of the pledge has put her in a first place lead in the Iowa primary.

Lastly, in this entry, NOM mentions that the other Republican candidates - Romney, et. al. - has refused to sign the pledge.

Now what's missing here?

Any criticisms or mention at all about the controversy regarding how the pledge seemingly embraced slavery.  And that's a pretty conspicuous omission seeing how NOM brags about how it has teamed up with the black church on more than one occasion to stop marriage equality.

NOM seems to be a master at exploiting the race card when it can be used against the gay community. In both Maryland and New York, the group allied itself with members of the black community under the pretense that it is trying to preserve the integrity of the African-American struggle for equality  from "homosexual interlopers" out to "exploit that legacy for their own hedonistic purposes."

How ironic is it that the organization sneaks out of the room when it is shown that one of its own is exploiting that legacy.

Of course it's not an irony for those of us who haven't bought NOM's lies about being the black community's best friend.

But it's still something to bring up and repeat. NOM doesn't care about the black community. It never has and it never will.

Now what it can get from the black community is another matter.

Related posts:

Reminder - Marriage equality also affects the black community

From one black man to the black community - stop the homophobic madness!

Reminder - Marriage equality also affects the black community

Whenever you have time, please check out this very awesome episode of NoMoreDownLow.TV

It serves as a reminder that, in spite of the spin by those on the right, marriage equality is also an African-American issue.

Churches supporting gay equality and other Monday midday news briefs

Straight Man Who ‘Appeared Gay’ Not Allowed To Give Blood - Well this is a first.

Us: 'Hey, this person said this'; Maggie: 'STOP ATTACKING US!!!!' - Maggie Gallagher of NOM shows herself to be a hypocrite . . . again.

Growing Number Of Churches Consider Allowing Same-Sex Ceremonies - Good to see more churches getting hip to gay equality.

Andrew Sullivan and Cynthia Nixon on what marriage means - Not one for making it about celebrities here, but both posts are excellent.

Michele Bachmann bashes Whoopi Goldberg to raise money

Michele Bachmann recently accused President Obama of having chutzpah (mispronouncing the word which means lack of shame in some circles). However, based on a recent fundraising letter, perhaps she should look in the mirror.

In the email - sent to me by a friend from Pam's House Blend - Bachmann actually had the nerve to attack recent comments made by The View's Whoopi Goldberg as a way to pump her base for money:

Concerned Fellow Conservative,

Looks like the Democrats have sounded their alarms in Hollywood. Donate

The Hollywood elite have been on the attack this week, falsely berating our campaign for President and our supporters.

On Tuesday, while on The View, Whoopi Goldberg spewed senseless accusations aimed at our campaign. Her comments were not only incorrect, but wrongly attacked my stance on single parents. As the daughter of a single parent, I learned firsthand the difficulties of growing up with one parent. However, it was from my strong and independent mother I learned when the going gets tough, the tough get going.

In order to show Whoopi, we won’t stand for her attacks, I have set a goal to raise $40,000 in the next 24 hours. Please follow this link right away to chip in $25, $50 or even $100 to help me reach my goal of $40,000 by tomorrow.

I am proud of my record and I refuse to allow liberals like Whoopi Goldberg to bully our campaign. This is yet another example of how the liberal Democrat establishment has put a target on my campaign for defeat. They'll say and do anything. The comments from Whoopi Goldberg have hit a new low and I must have the resources to defend myself and fight back.

Liberals across the country believe if they defeat our campaign, the Tea Party movement will be eliminated. I need your support to defend myself and our shared constitutional values right away.

I won't back down and today, I need to know you stand with me. To accomplish my goal of $40,000 in 24 hours, I'm relying on friends and supporters like you to step up to the plate to help me today. Please follow this secure link to make your donation of $25, $35, $50 or more.

I'm reaching out to you for help because the liberal media credits me with being an undaunted conservative who routinely leads the opposition to President Obama. That's why the radical supporters of President Obama's agenda are so committed to defeating me.

The Hollywood liberals believe if they attack my campaign, they have a shot at defeating me and dismantling the Tea Party movement. Your immediate donation will send a strong message to Hollywood, that we are not going anywhere. That's why any amount you can donate to my campaign today - up to the $2,500 legal limit - is appreciated.

I look forward to your immediate response and I thank you once more for your friendship and support.

Sincerely,

Michele Bachmann

P.S. As the big name liberals continue to come out of the woodwork to attack our campaign, I need your support. I ask that you make a generous donation of any amount you can afford to help me fight back against the millions of dollars liberals are flooding into Obama’s bank account. Can I count on your donation of $25, $50, $100 or even $250 today? Your support - no matter the size - makes a big difference. Please follow this link to make a donation today. Thank you

If that's not good enough for you, then you go to the page where you will be treated to not only the same plea but a photo of President Obama kissing Goldberg on the cheek.

Bachmann is referring to Goldberg calling into question her signing the Marriage Vow, a pledge put together by the Family Leader, an Iowa conservative group. Bachmann came under fire for signing this pledge, mostly because of an inaccurate passage which said African-American families benefited from slavery because supposedly more black children were born from two-parent households during that time.

Goldberg specifically went after the pledge for that point, calling for folks to stop bashing single-parent households and to also stop giving opinions on subjects they know nothing about.

Of course Bachmann claimed that she did not endorse the part about slavery. However, she also admitted that she never read the pledge.

Bachmann's fundraising letter, however, pushes the controversy to a new point and gives a very good clue about her ability to raise money.

The answer is quite simple.

Bachmann is a hateful monster in a skirt who will manipulate the ignorance of people to further her own political ambitions.

Or to put it another way, Bachmann is a demagogue. A demagogue is defined as a political leader who seeks support by appealing to popular desires and prejudices rather than by using rational argument.

This is Bachmann to a tee. She doesn't challenge people to think or find solutions to their problems. She gives them excuses to either hate, fear, or egotistically put themselves above others.

And when caught in a contradiction or lie, she doesn't apologize. She parries. She points the finger of blame at others. "The liberals are out to get me," she tells her followers, "because they hate YOU."

In Bachmann-land, Goldberg attacked her not because she was dumb enough - or rather uncaring enough -  to sign some ignorant pledge which actually praised slavery, but Goldberg is a part of the "conspiracy by liberals to harm America."

And people are either criticizing or laughing at her campaign not because of her basic disregard for facts, but because it's a part of the "conspiracy by liberals to harm America."

While folks laugh at Bachmann's supposed cluelessness, she is doing some laughing herself as she goes to the bank and on the talk shows. Or as her name is mentioned in the media countless times, thereby giving her some type of leadership status.

To me, that simple fact makes Bachmann nothing to laugh about but something to cry about simply because she is a perfect example of how this folks in this country never seem to learn the hard lessons which come from enabling past demagogues.

And how easily some of us will anoint as a leader any manipulative monster who utters the phrase "my faith" or the words "Jesus" and "God" as practically every fifth word of their speech.