'Maggie Gallagher avoids interview on NOM scandal?' and other Wednesday midday news briefs

Photo: This is how Maggie Gallagher responded to NOM scandal today on MSNBC - Uh oh. I think it's safe to say NOM has realized that it has a BIG problem. Maggie Gallagher did not show up for a booked appearance on MSNBC to discuss the organization's race-baiting scandal. Jeremy says that there is a video forthcoming.

Money Bomb Day 3: Peter LaBarbera pollutes Raleigh to attack ‘dangerous and hateful Sex Radical Dan Savage’ - Batten down the hatches. Porno Pete is coming to North Carolina.

Ellison Denounces National Organization for Marriage - And we have our first - but hopefully not last - member of Congress to denounce NOM's ugly tactics.

Michigan Civil Service Commission Upholds Firing Of Assistant AG Over Anti-Gay Bullying - Glad to hear about the fact that there is some justice in this world.

GOP Leaders Make Mockery Of ‘Religious Freedom’ By Appointing Commissioners Who Advocate Fear Of Others - Well this was smart of Boehner. Appointing Robert George, one of NOM's founders, to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. Just tell me that Boehner has no power to make other appointments.

And finally from Tea Party Jesus comes NOM Jesus:




I didn't create this but I am proud that it links back to my blog. For those offended, there is no need. This is how some pervert Christianity in this country - brazen lies and deceptive tactics backed by an obscenely large amount of money and an evangelical zeal that somehow God overlooks the sins you commit if you commit them in His name.

Those who are true followers of Christ need not be angry at Tea Party Jesus or me. You need to speak up against those pushing this image. And you know who they are.

How NOM links gays to pedophilia while keeping its hands clean

Maggie Gallagher of NOM

" . . . although NOM says it has no evidence that gay men molest children at higher rates than straight men, it frequently links to websites of others who claim to. We also point out that NOM, despite its claims, keeps bringing up the subject of children and sex." - Mark Potok of the Southern Poverty Law Center

One of the revelations coming out about the scandal involving National Organization for Marriage and the release of their confidential files is how the group sought to confuse the issue of marriage equality by bringing up issues of "children's innocence," as if to imply that allowing gays and lesbians to marry will damage children.

In a story which was supposed to come out in May but got moved up, the Southern Poverty Law Center breaks down just how NOM does this.

The piece, NOM Lets Others Do Their Dirty Work,  is probably one of the best take downs of NOM's deceptions that I have ever read :

NOM leaders express pride in sleazy divide and conquer strategy

Maggie Gallagher of NOM

Faced with concrete proof of its plan to hinder marriage equality by driving a wedge between the black and gay communities, the National Organization for Marriage owned up to the plan.

With a deceptive caveat.

NOM President Brian Brown said the following on the organization's blog:

“The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) was formed in 2007 and has worked extensively with supporters of traditional marriage from every color, creed and background. We have worked with prominent African-American and Hispanic leaders, including Dr. Alveda C. King, Bishop George McKinney of the COGIC Church, Bishop Harry Jackson and the New York State Senator Reverend Rubén Díaz Sr., all of whom share our concern about protecting marriage as the union of one man and one woman.

“Gay marriage advocates have attempted to portray same-sex marriage as a civil right, but the voices of these and many other leaders have provided powerful witness that this claim is patently false. Gay marriage is not a civil right, and we will continue to point this out in written materials such as those released in Maine. We proudly bring together people of different races, creeds and colors to fight for our most fundamental institution: marriage.”

Brown obviously wrote that tepid response in sad attempt to quell the firestorm. 

But not Maggie Gallagher. She said the following:

At least Brown tried to finagle in his lie. Gallagher's explanation to me amounts to a huge middle finger in the face of the gay community. Gallagher seems to be saying "Yeah we are doing it but so what. What can you do about it?"

Remember the words in the  document uncovered last night:

 The strategic goal of this project is to drive a wedge between gays and blacks - two key democratic constituencies. We aim to find, equip, energize and connect African American spokespeople for marriage; to develop a media campaign around their objections to gay marriage as a civil right; and to provoke the gay marriage base into responding by denouncing these spokesmen and women as bigots. No politician wants to take up and push an issue that splits the base of the party.

NOM didn't work with black leaders nor did the organization reach out to black leaders. NOM used black leaders as shields in order to drive a wedge between the black and gay community. NOM wanted to provoke the gay community in order to start a nasty argument between the two communities (gay and African-American) on what constitutes a civil right. NOM clearly said that it wanted to provoke the gay community to verbally attack black leaders as "bigots."

And it's only because the document didn't state that NOM was hoping for something a bit more physical that I'm pressed to believe that verbal attacks by the gay community on black leaders is the only thing the organization wanted.

But I can't help wondering if there would be a NOM rapid response crew conveniently available if the disagreement between the black and gay community had turned into something more than simply verbal.

This was just plain sleaze. There is no other word for what NOM did. And all in the name of God and saving marriage.

But someone should tell me something - if NOM has to stoop to such sleazy tactics to "save" marriage from gays, then who is going to save marriage from NOM?

Hat tip to Joe.My.God for the graphic of Gallagher's response.

'More nauseating revelations come from NOM files' and other Tuesday midday news briefs

As more revelations regarding the disgusting tactics used by the National Organization for Marriage to impede marriage equality come out, let us do all we can to make sure people know about these things. Enough with the predictions of "this will be the end of NOM." Let's do what we can to make those predictions a reality:

Did NOM Hire Someone to Unsuccessfully Find ‘Victims’ of Gay Parents? - From Right Wing Watch comes another revealed endeavor of NOM.

Jeremy Hooper from Good As You has been running revelations all morning. Put on your wading boots and carry a good can of air freshner cause what NOM has been attempting is thick and it stinks:

NOM Strategy, Exposed: Please, lets get some thinkers up in here!

NOM Strategy, Exposed: Actively seeking 'elites'

NOM Strategy, Exposed: Maggie's Marriage Anti-Defamation Alliance

NOM Strategy, Exposed: Highly partisan org. 'sideswipes' first, asks questions later

Top 10 Highlights From NOM’s Race-Wedging, Donor-Hiding, Victim-Playing Confidential Strategies - And just in case you need another break down of NOM's strategy, Think Progress is here for you.

And in other news:

House Speaker John Boehner Won't Drop Defense Of Marriage Support - Go ahead Boehner. Waste that money.

“Bully” movie will be “unrated” after 475,000 petition MPAA to overturn “R” rating - A victory for a film which needs to be seen.

Anti-Gay Commentators Distort GLAAD’s Commentator Accountability Project - Surprising no one of course.

NOM's deliberate manipulation of black, gay communities is nauseating

Brian Brown of NOM

The blockbuster news which came out last night that the National Organization for Marriage was deliberately driving a wedge between the black and gay communities to stop marriage equality continues to disturb the hell out of me.

So many things bother me about it. It's not only the fact that NOM specifically said it wanted drive a wedge between the black and communities. It's also the fact that NOM was recruiting African-American leaders to speak out against marriage equality for the purpose of getting the gay community provoked.

So in essence, NOM didn't want these black leaders for their skill or intelligence. NOM was and is using black leaders as sacrifices or tokens in its war against marriage equality.

It makes one realize why NOM didn't comment on Patrick Wooden's rambling lies on gay men, anal sex, surgery, and cell phones. NOM was probably thrilled over Wooden's words. It wouldn't have mattered to the organization that Wooden was lying, that he was demeaning gays, that his comments were creating divisions which would make it so difficult for young lgbtqs of color to come out and build self esteem.

Wooden's comments is probably what NOM wanted because they drove a wedge.