The religious right never wants to talk about same-sex families

You want an idea of what's wrong with some folks when it comes to gay issues, check out this tantrum by minister Matthew Hagee:

Transcript:

Hagee - We are at a tipping point when the Church can watch the homosexual agenda be advanced in public schools and we sit back and whine about it. Recently the California legislature decided that homosexual history in America will be taught to kindergarteners; that will be happen next year in California. And the Church goes, ‘Oh, that’s so sad.’ No, it’s shameful. It’s shameful that the homosexuals can get a curriculum in the public schools and the children of God cannot. It’s shameful when they will work tirelessly, when they will act relentlessly, when they will not stop until their will is pressed upon the majority, and we the children of God who are called to be salt and called to be light will whine but we won’t overcome. You need to know the Church was not put on this planet to whine, we were placed here to win.

It's so easy to inflame people by implying that children "being taught how to be gay." Of course the bill, SB48, isn't as dire as Hagee makes it out to be. But why explain things in a truthful manner when you can get a better reaction by appealing to their ignorance, fear, and sense of entitlement all at the same time?

Mostly though, it's all about entitlement. When those in the religious right whine about the so-called gay agenda corrupting children, particularly in public schools, they always omit the fact that gay children attend public schools and that same-sex families have children attending public schools. They always omit that both of these groups deserve lesson plans which speak to them and their family situation.

And let's not be naive. That omission is intentional.

To Hagee and the audience which applauded his drivel, it will never be about us. To folks like Maggie Gallagher, Brian Brown, and Rick Santorum, the idea of family never includes us. And to organizations like NOM and the Family Research Council, ideas about improving marriage and family has nothing to do with our needs because to them, we are "pretend families."

When they rail against us, they are merely throwing tantrums because we aren't buying into their idea of  entitlement. And we should never. 

One more thing. The last time I checked, lgbtqs are also children of God. Apparently Hagee not only wants to excise the gay community from our rightful place in society, but also our rightful place in God's eyes.

Hat tip to  Right Wing Watch.

Maggie Gallagher continues to mistake bigotry for victimhood

Maggie, Maggie, Maggie!

Even though she is no longer chairwoman of the National Organization for Marriage, Maggie Gallagher continues with this same whiny line:

"It's becoming increasingly clear that the gay rights movement, the gay marriage movement, really does believe you're like a racist if you think marriage is the union of husband and wife."

I've done this so many times and it warrants repeating yet again. I apologize to folks who have read this piece in other forms but don't blame me. Madame Gallagher is playing the Scarlett O'Hara game of thinking that if she places her fingers in her ears and ignores past events which have transpired in which NOM has been caught in unscrupulous behavior, she can plead victimhood.

The comical thing that this argument got literally laughed out of courts.

But Gallagher's argument has power amongst the very gullible, so as long as she plays that game, I will run the following reminder.

To whit, no one considers Gallagher or NOM bigoted for believing that marriage is a union between a man and a woman. Gallagher and NOM are bigoted because of their unscrupulous tactics. Let me repeat the history complete with new instances:

May 10, 2011 - NOM exploiting children to stop gay marriage in New York - NOM puts out a commercial in New York repeating the variation of the "kindergartners are being taught about gay marriage" lie which was exposed by Politifact in February.


May 14, 2011 - Politifact gives NOM 'Pants on Fire' rating for lying - Politifact catches NOM lying yet again. This time it is about marriage equality in Rhode Island. 

May 15, 2011 - Brian Brown reveals NOM's anti-gay game of divide and conquer - At a march against marriage equality in New York, NOM president Brian Brown repeats the lie that  " . . . kids as young as kindergarten are taught in Massachusetts that their parents are bigots because they believe marriage is the union of a man and a woman."

NOM exploits Penn State tragedy against gay community in completion of vile circle

Since the awful situation concerning Penn State and the molestation of children broke, various religious right spokespeople and groups have been tiptoeing around connecting the situation with homosexuality.

And now the National Organization for Marriage is doing some tiptoeing of its own via the organization it sponsors, the Ruth Institute.

From Equality Matters:

In a November 15 blog post, NOM’s Ruth Institute posted an excerpt from an article by anti-gay activist Michael Brown titled “What could end Rush Limbaugh’s career?” The article focused on a recent incident on Limbaugh’s radio show during which the conservative commentator toyed with the idea of saying what “nobody’s got the guts to say” about the Penn State scandal, but then backed away out of fear that voicing his thoughts would “end” his career.

Brown, of course, had his own theory for what Limbaugh was referring to:

He takes on the president, the Congress, and the media (not to mention his derisive attacks on foreign leaders and even radical Muslims), but there's one group he won't take on, one subject he won't touch.

What is it that, in his words, could end his career? What is it about the Penn State scandal that is "glaring; it's right in front of everybody," and yet "Nobody has the guts to actually give the explanation for what was going on and why there was trepidation in reporting it"?

Could it be that the sex abuse scandal involved a man allegedly abusing boys, meaning that the acts were homosexual in nature? And could it be that even Rush Limbaugh didn't have the guts to address this? (Contrary to the protestations of some, a man who is sexually involved with boys is a homosexual pedophile; a man who is sexually involved with girls is a heterosexual pedophile.)

The implication is absolutely tasteless and even more so when one takes into account that the Ruth Institute earlier this week attacked gay adoption by implying that gays are stealing children from the African-American community.

Now in all honesty, it would be a cheap shot for me to bring to attention the irony of the Catholic-affiliated groups NOM and the Ruth Institute trying to pin the acts of a pedophile on the gay community in light of numerous scandals involving the Catholic Church and priests who have been called out for molesting children.

I am not trying to paint the entire Catholic Church with a broad brush.

I just want it noted that it's simply highly ironic.

'Huffington Post honors queer youth with awesome photo spread' and other Wednesday midday news briefs

Sometimes we forget that this is what it's all about. Our time on this Earth is short so we must make sure that we do the right things while here. And one of the best things we can do is equip the next generation with mentoring and role models. These things are crucial in getting them to see the need to never give up on themselves and as well as convincing them to make the right decisions about their lives.

Chaz Bono's appearance on Dancing with the Stars may seem trite to some folks, but to others, it was the light at the end of the tunnel.

And in other news

Queer Kids (PHOTOS) - Speaking of which, check out this awesome photo display on the Huffington Post about the next generation of lgbtqs. I applaud and salute these kids on their bravery and fierceness.
  
HUD Secretary Becomes Highest Administration Official To Support Same-Sex Marriage - Not bad. Not bad at all.

Noebel Blames Gay Rights Advocates For Penn State Abuse Scandal - Another day, another fool.

Gay-bashing 'Prophetess' Can't Stay Out of Jail - Can it be? A family crazier than the Phelps clan.

So Marcus Bachmann Called Yesterday… - Guess who wants to be paid for nothing?

Ad brings home the sad message about bullying

If you haven't seen this anti-bullying video from The Netherlands, then you should.

NOM's evidence of 'gay intimidation' found to be laughably pathetic

In seven states (California, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, New York, Rhode Island and Washington), The National Organization for Marriage have tried to conceal its donors by claiming that said donors would be threatened and intimidated by gays.

And in those seven states, four federal judges and three state boards have declared NOM's claims to be highly vapid.

That's the subject of a very thorough and very pleasing Huffington Post article which examines how NOM has been unsuccessful in pushing the "gays are trying to intimidate us because we believe in traditional marriage" card.

The article points out that the main reason for NOM's losses is the simple fact that neither the judges nor the state boards have been swayed by the evidence it provides of so-called intimidation by the gay community.

In fact, some of the evidence NOM provided is downright laughable. One stand out in particular because it underscores just how empty and pathetic NOM's argument of so-called "gay intimidation is:

 . . . in Washington state, an opponent of marriage equality was collecting petition signatures to challenge a law granting legal protections to same-sex couples, when two ladies "glared at him and one said 'we have feelings too.'" He did not report the incident to the police.

When you are done laughing and maybe mopping up your keyboard, check out Amanda Terkel's article and above all, spread it - particularly that "glaring" example of so-called gay intimidation - to your friends and neighbors.

Let them see just how NOM is faking it.

'Religious rightie - DOMA needed to keep children from catching AIDS' and other Tuesday midday news briefs

Barber: DOMA Needed To Keep Kids From Becoming Gay & Getting AIDS - Matt Barber is a moron who lucked into a high position with the right-wing Liberty Counsel. But the luck is for the lgbtq community. He, like Linda (there are no gay people) Harvey are the true faces of the religious right and thus the faces we must make America see. BTW please notice that Barber cites some incredible stuff but doesn't say WHERE he got his figures. Like accurate figures actually mean anything to folks like Barber.

Catholic Charities Groups End Ill. Suit - It wasn't right for them to use tax dollars to discriminate. Of course neither they nor NOM sees it that way. Apparently they are the only ones who pay taxes.

Catholic Bishops Losing Voice on Economic Justice, Hunker Down for Culture War Battles - Speaking of which, did you ever see such a group of folks so behind the times that they refuse to recognize desertion by their followers.

MICHIGAN: Religious Exemption Stripped From GOP's Anti-Bullying Bill - Even the religious right can't handle a negative press backlash.

Bell, Book & Candelabra - A hilarious but necessary view of the Catholic bishops' conference.