Chris Matthews issues hypocritical sympathy for gay Republicans

Editor's note - Today's midday news briefs will be late due to a doctor's appointment.

During this recent interview with Media Matters for America founder David Brock and political analyst Ron Regan, I was secretly hoping that Hardball's Chris Matthews would be struck by lightning.

Okay not literally, but figuratively in a way of speaking.

The three were discussing the recent controversy involving Richard Grenell, Mitt Romney's openly gay foreign policy advisor who was forced to quit the Romney campaign after an outcry from religious right figures and organizations such as the American Family Association and Gary Bauer.

Matthews was incredulous that such "bigotry" (a word he used) would dictate this situation and the three in general were in agreement that Romney should have stood up to the religious right in defense of Grenell.

During the interview, Matthews also expressed sympathy for those who are gay Republicans on Capitol Hill and have to deal with these organizations.

But it seems to me that Matthews' sympathy was phony. He has been embroiled in a recent controversy with the group Faithful America in regards to his consistent invitations to Family Research Council head Tony Perkins to speak as an "expert" on Hardball.

Rev Graham should not endorse Amendment One shuck and jive

Rev. Billy Graham

Using religion to distract is the unkindest cut of them all so why should we be surprised that Amendment One supporters in North Carolina are doing just that.

That has been their modus operandi since the beginning, but now they have stooped exceedingly low.

Legendary pastor Billy Graham has endorsed Amendment One in full page ads set to appear in 14 newspapers across the state:

“At 93, I never thought we would have to debate the definition of marriage,” the national religious leader says. “The Bible is clear — God’s definition of marriage is between a man and a woman. I want to urge my fellow North Carolinians to vote FOR the marriage amendment on Tuesday, May 8.”

I mean no disrespect to Rev. Graham, but it disappoints me that he is lending his name  and reputation to this deceptive campaign. His statement is deliberately simplistic and ignores several issues, including the fact that Amendment One is not a Biblical issue and that marriage equality is already outlawed in North Carolina.

However, I would prefer to give him the benefit of the doubt. I personally don't believe that he would endorse Amendment One if he was educated on the realities of what would happen should it pass.

Legal experts across the state, even those who are conservative, have spoken out against Amendment One, calling it extreme because it "threatens a range of other protections for unmarried partners and their children, including domestic violence protections and child custody law."

University of North Carolina law professor Maxine Eichner, during a recent press conference on Amendment One, said:

. . . as indicated in the “Statement from Family Law Professors,” which was signed by family law professors from every law school across the state, every one of us believes that the Amendment One threatens domestic violations protections for unmarried couples, whether they are same-sex or opposite-sex.

I sincerely doubt that Rev. Graham would knowingly endorse something which could harm not only children, but also women trapped in domestic violence relationships.

I also sincerely doubt that Rev. Graham would endorse Amendment One had he known the parties involved in its attempted passing, included:

• An organization (The National Organization for Marriage) which unashamedly uses a strategy deliberately dividing the black and gay communities, a strategy so heinous that the NC NAACP has come out strongly against Amendment One,

• A pastor, Patrick Wooden, who spread foul sexual lies about the gay community in order to get voters on Amendment One's side, 

• A Neo-Nazi group which has also endorsed Amendment One,

• And the amendment itself, which was allegedly written to protect the white race.

Rev. Graham, these are the people on your side, sir. And maybe it's just me but there is something really, really wrong with that.

There is a saying that "the road to hell is paved with good intentions" and it is very apt here. Rev. Graham's supposed "good intentions" in endorsing this sham of an amendment would definitely send innocent North Carolinians down a road to hell paved with harmed children, damaged domestic violence laws, racism, and the stigmatization of the state's gay community

I know in my heart that this is not the future he intends for North Carolina.

'Does Romney fear the religious right' and other Thursday midday news briefs

Presumptive Republican nominee for president Mitt Romney and his campaign are embroiled in a scandal regarding the resignation of an openly gay man, Richard Grenell, as Romney's national security and foreign policy spokesman. Grenell only had the job for two weeks. There is a huge belief that Grenell was let go to appease members of the religious right. Here are three voices on the matter:



Did Grenell Jump or Was He Pushed? - And Box Turtle Bulletin gives a good chronology of the controversy.


Hailing Gay Spokesman's Resignation, Religious Right Keeps up the Pressure on Romney - I guess admonitions against gloating means nothing to these so-called Christian people.

NOM now up to $425k in North Carolina - Look at this. NOM is bankrolling Amendment One in North Carolina in a HEAVY manner.

African American Voters Came Out Against Discriminatory Amendment After Overhearing ‘Caucasian’ Argument - And we see why now.

Bullied gay student protects himself and now faces expulsion

I don't condone the way this young man in Indiana defended himself but I understand and am totally in his corner:

Darnell "Dynasty" Young's classmates at Tech High School cursed at him in the school hallways and taunted him with homophobic slurs.

They followed him home from his bus stop and threatened to beat him up.

One night, as he walked home from his after-school job, they threw rocks at him.

When the 17-year-old and his mother, Chelisa Grimes, told school officials, she said, teachers and administrators seemed to blame Young for being openly gay.

His behavior and the way he dressed called attention to himself, they said.

He accessorized his outfits with his mother's purses and jewelry. And he loved to dance.

His dance routine to Beyonce's "Single Ladies" won second place at Tech's talent show in December.

"They said that the problem was he was too flamboyant, with his bags and his purses and his rings," Grimes said.

Desperate to protect her son from bullies, Grimes gave him a stun gun to carry, just in case.

"I had to do something," she said. "They throw bottles and rocks at him."

Now Young faces expulsion from school.

"It has been a nightmare," Grimes said. "I'm trying to fight for my baby's education."

Young's story is one that could unfold in countless schools across America.

More to the story here.

You know what? Who cares if the young man is flamboyant. There are worse things you can be in life. And if the child carries himself with pride and no shame, then more power to him.

It's a terrible thing when adults blame the teen victims of bullying for their abuse. And it's even worse when a child is made to feel that he or she is a freak and that their creative deserves to be stifled.

Anti-gay marriage amendment supporter in North Carolina urinates on sign

From my online buddies Jeremy Hooper and Louis Marinelli ,  comes proof that some folks are getting out of hand in voicing their support for Amendment One in North Carolina - the bill which would not only outlaw marriage equality (which is already outlawed in the state as it is) but would cause chaos with unmarried couples and domestic violence laws.

Recently, a teen was filmed shooting down an anti-Amendment One sign (causing a justifiably negative reaction). THIS particular young man, Chris Kaliber, goes farther.

He states on his video page that he is "voting for the Bible."

But the way he chooses to do so has nothing to do with the Bible or the ballot box, but demonstrating that he chooses not to control his water



This is not a joke. I asked him on his video page - "Regardless of how you feel, was it really necessary to do this thing. Make your choice at the ballot box."

This is what he said - "Yes, yes it was."

As disgusting as what this young man does, I don't blame him more than I blame the National Organization for Marriage.

History has shown us that instigators generally come into communities and exploit people's fears, beliefs, and prejudices until chaos arises.

Take a good look, Maggie Gallagher, Brian Brown, and the rest of the folks at NOM. This is what YOU  helped cause.

Editor's note - Again, the only way we can speak out against this madness is to make it known, regardless of how angry we may get.

Anti-gay street group's video of supposed violence fits its record of entrapment

TFP street group creates questionable incidents of alleged 'pro-gay' violence.

Peter Sprigg, the National Organization for Marriage (and no doubt many others in the religious right) are touting the following video of a religious right organization supposedly being attacked by those who favor marriage equality:



If you don't want to seen the entire video (called Attacked by Tolerance), I don't blame you.  It merely shows snippets of incidents We don't really see many of these incidents in their entirety. This is what its summary says:

In this video, volunteers with the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property (TFP) describe how they were violently assaulted by pro-homosexual "marriage" advocates while supporting traditional marriage on college campuses and in the public square.

No doubt, TFP hopes to make the video go viral and it probably will. But let's put some truth in. No doubt, Sprigg, NOM, and other who push this video will omit the following facts:

What exactly is the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family, and Property (TFP)? David Badash of The New Civil Rights Movement, a pro-gay blog, did some research and found the following:

According to their website,

TFP Student Action is a project of the American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property. Founded in 1973, the American TFP was formed to resist, in the realm of ideas, the liberal, socialist and communist trends of the times and proudly affirm the positive values of tradition, family and private property. The American TFP was inspired by the work of the Brazilian intellectual and man of action Prof. Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira.

What We Do

Networking with thousands of students and concerned parents, TFP Student Action defends traditional moral values on college campuses. Inspired by the teachings of the Holy Catholic Church, TFP volunteers are on the front lines of the culture war, working to restore the values of Christian civilization.

TFP activities are carried out by 75 full-time volunteers and have the support of 120,000 members nationwide. The director of TFP Student Action is John Ritchie.

Now, here’s what else you need to know about TFP.

According to the UN Refugee Agency, “[i]n a 1986 article, The Washington Post described TFP as an “all-male, extreme right-wing group with chapters in 13 countries” (15 May 1986). The Brazil-based organization was financed mainly by wealthy South American families and supported the Pinochet dictatorship in Chile (ibid.). It was banned for its paramilitary activities in Venezuela, where it was implicated in 1984 in a plot to assassinate the Pope, a charge that the group denied.”

 Now the following is what I have discovered - TFP has a history of creating contrived incidents of supposed violence by gay equality supporters and videotaping these alleged incidents for use by religious right groups.

'North Carolina anti-gay amendment created to protect white race?' and other Wednesday midday news briefs

Pastor: Telling parents to punch kids was joke - Is he serious? I hate to see when he is really trying to be funny.

Wife of NC State Senator says Amendment One is necessary ‘to protect the Caucasian race’ - Gasp and swoon! Has anyone told Patrick Wooden yet?

How a Bullied Gay Marion Teen Used Secret Identity to Fight Back - This young man should be commended.

David Barton says AIDS is God's Punishment for being Gay. Julia Sugarbaker Disagrees - I mean to post this excellent piece a while back. It says it all about phony Christians casting stones.


Matt Barber: 'The LGBT Agenda and Constitutional Rights Cannot Exist in Harmony' - I can't decide whether Matt Barber gives me bad gas or he looks like he is in a constant state of having bad gas. The latter statement would explain all of his outrageously mean-spirited statements about gays.