Anti-gay group finds new person to attack same-sex families

Earlier this year, the National Organization for Marriage got into trouble for secret documents outlining a strategy of playing the black and gay community like pawns over the subject of marriage equality.

NOM deserved all of the trouble it got for this. However, in those same confidential documents is another strategy which seems to be now coming to fruition.  

Equality Matters points this out:

NOM Intentionally Seeks Out Children Of Same-Sex Parents.  . . .  According to the organization’s internal documents, NOM planned to spend $60,000 in 2010 alone to try to get the children of same-sex couples to speak on camera: 

I think it's safe to say that NOM has its spokesperson.

Robert Oscar Lopez, a self-described bisexual English professor, has just published a piece in the Witherspoon Institute publication Public Discourse called Growing Up With Two Moms: The Untold Children’s View in which he detailed growing up in a same-sex household.

He does not go into detail about his childhood, but the gist is it is tough growing up in a same-sex household. For his candor on this aspect, I don't fault him. Growing up in marginalized household, be it a same-sex household or a single-parent household is tough.

But what I do fault Lopez for is how he puts down his own family

By citing his childhood, Lopez attempts to give credibility to a recent study on same-sex households which has been criticized for its lack of good science.

This study, by Mark Regnerus of the University of Texas, was in part paid for by the Witherspoon Institute, the same organization in whose publication Lopez's piece appears in.

How very convenient.

Lopez says the following about the study:

Mark Regnerus deserves tremendous credit—and the gay community ought to be crediting him rather than trying to silence him.

Regnerus’s study identified 248 adult children of parents who had same-sex romantic relationships. Offered a chance to provide frank responses with the hindsight of adulthood, they gave reports unfavorable to the gay marriage equality agenda. Yet the results are backed up by an important thing in life called common sense: Growing up different from other people is difficult and the difficulties raise the risk that children will develop maladjustments or self-medicate with alcohol and other dangerous behaviors. Each of those 248 is a human story, no doubt with many complexities.

Lopez's words are probably irrelevant.  He is really a symbol.
Or, for lack of a better word, a pawn.

The fact that he is a product of a same-sex household whose words can be used to discredit those households is the important factor here.

And don't think NOM is wasting this opportunity.

Already NOM's former president, Maggie Gallagher, is citing Lopez in a column:

In mediaworld, gay marriage activists are all ordinary loving couples who seek nothing more than to be left alone to snuggle as they choose, and opposing gay marriage is "controversial" for a business executive.

. . . Professor Robert Oscar Lopez, a self-identified Latino bisexual professor of English raised by two lesbian moms, wrote an essay praising professor Mark Regnerus' study on the subject.

Children with a gay parent, Lopez says, are typically kids like him, the product of a previous heterosexual relationship. By declaring the children of "bisexuals" off limits, critics of Regnerus are seeking to shut out the voices of the majority of children with a gay parent, Lopez says, the voices of people like him

He went on to say that Regnerus "deserves tremendous credit -- and the gay community ought to be crediting him rather than trying to silence him."

 It is not known whether or not Lopez is receiving compensation for his "story."  As it is, I really don't care.

The only question I have now is how long will it take before Lopez will be appearing on Fox News.
 

Call out a phony anti-gay study and you are a Nazi

Mark Regnerus' bad study continues to cause chaos.

And yet another person has risen to defend Mark Regnerus' fraudulent study on gay parenting.

Karl D. Stephan, a professor of electrical engineering (you read that right) has published a piece in the Crisis magazine lambasting the critics of Regenrus' study and claiming that Regnerus is being personally attacked because he supposedly dared to publish a politically incorrect study.

And to do so, he even invokes images of Nazi Germany and its persecution of Jewish people:

In the 1930s, many prominent scientists and engineers in Germany lost their reputations, their jobs, and some eventually their lives because of a non-scientific reason: they happened to be Jews, or outspoken Christians, or simply opposed to some political aim of the government. Everyone now agrees that this was a grievous violation of human rights, an early warning sign of the greater wrongs the German government would do in World War II. While that situation differs from the one Regnerus finds himself in by degree, does it differ in kind from what Jewish scientists suffered in Germany in the 1930s?

Regnerus has reached scientific conclusions that oppose the prevailing political winds. Though his punishment has come from activists rather than official government sources, it is no less politically motivated and no less unjust. Smith thinks the integrity of the social-science research process is threatened by the “public smearing and vigilante media attacks” mounted against Regnerus. If such attacks are successful, we have taken a long step away from scientific integrity and a long step toward the encouragement of a political atmosphere that is totalitarian in its effects.

It probably would have been better had Stefan had just addressed the reasons why folks are questioning Regnerus' work. He briefly talks about it in this mind-boggling paragraph in which he pretty much says he isn't going to address the study's errors:

Regnerus’s study, which he himself admits is not perfect, found otherwise. There were significant negative consequences of being raised by parents who were gay, according to the study. I am not going to address the controversial question of defining “gay” or how extensive the negative consequences were or how accurate and scientific the study was.

Stefan then attempts to make it seem that he is merely criticizing the process in which the peer-review of the study was attacked:

A journalist and self-described “minorities anti-defamation professional” whose pseudonym is Scott Rose wrote a letter to the University of Texas administration alleging that Regnerus’s paper falsified data. This is the most serious professional charge that anyone can level against a scientist, comparable to a malpractice charge against a doctor.

The first wrongdoing (as I pointed out in a letter published in the Austin American-Statesman) was for UT Austin to act on such complaints from a person who was not in a competent professional position to make such assessments. Scott Rose is not a sociologist. Rose has since published the full “evidence” he plans to present to UT Austin, and it consists of two kinds of arguments. One kind comprises disputes over methods and definitions that Regnerus used. If Rose had been selected as a reviewer of Regnerus’s paper, these arguments might have played a role at that point. But Rose, not being a qualified sociologist, has no professional standing to make them, and they must be assessed on their merits by other professional sociologists.

Scott Rose is a free-lance writer who has been calling out Regnerus' study from day one. He is probably the one most singularly responsible for a lot of the negative attention it has been receiving.

However, in calling his name, Stefan makes an error. He makes it seem that Rose is the only person responsible for Regnerus' study being criticized. This is not true.

In June, over 200 professors and therapists sent a letter to James Wright, editor of “Social Science Research,” the journal where Regnerus’s study was published, questioning the study and the process in which it was reviewed.

And it's not as if Stefan isn't aware of the letter. He even acknowledges it in an offhand way:

I have not even mentioned the press coverage with derogatory headlines, the letter signed by over a hundred sociologists objecting to Regnerus’s conclusions, and the politically motivated letter-mobbing of the journal’s editor, James Wright, which pressured him to request the review audit.

Furthermore, Stefan omits the other experts (pointed out by Equality Matters) who has condemned Regnerus' study.

 The grand irony of Stefan's sad defense of Regnerus' work is that he cites another defense of the study from sociologist Christian Smith. In his piece, Smith didn't even address the study's errors. Instead, just like Stefan, he attempted to make Regnerus a victim.

But at least he didn't have the poor taste to imply that Regnerus' critics were just like Nazis persecuting Jews.

What's that saying about if you have to invoke Nazis to describe your opponents, that's a sure sign that you have lost the argument?

'What gays have to deal with on a daily basis' and other Wednesday midday news briefs

The news briefs today are dedicated to the crap that gays are subjected to on a daily basis and it is directed at people who can't seem to understand why we at times get angrier than most folks:

 Bryan Fischer: Children Of Same-Sex Couples Must Be Saved Through ‘Underground Railroad’ Kidnapping - Real classy as usual, Bryan Fischer. People who don't understand gay anger can't seem to realize that we hear crap like this on a daily basis.  

Just an FYI to Minnesota For Marriage (subject: stock photo bride) - Speaking of which, check out what this woman says. It comes straight out of a religious right text. 

 Staver & Barber Say Democratic Platform Supporting Marriage Equality will Lead to Christian Persecution - Lies and more lies.

NCLR Responds to Indianapolis Public Schools Termination of Expulsion of Bullied Gay Student - This gay student was expelled for defending himself against bullies and then done dirty by the school district. 

NOM Is Still Protesting General Mills, Now For Supporting Healthy Living - Of course if gays were healthy, then the religious right would have nothing to kick about. 

Call out CAAP for its attempt to divide the black and gay communities

Bill Owens - NOM's tool

As I have pointed out in numerous posts, there is a plot to sabotage President Obama's support in the black community.

The Coalition of African-American Pastors (CAAP) is demanding that members of the black community withhold their votes from President Obama until he no longer supports marriage equality.

However, CAAP is merely a shell group which seems to be backed by the National Organization for Marriage, an anti-gay group who is endorsing Obama's opponent, Mitt Romney.

Tuan N'Gai is concerned about this situation and he has created a petition calling about CAAP for its actions:

Stop the Coalition of African American Pastors (CAAP) from dividing the Black Community and splitting the Black vote. Now is the time for justice and unity.

Instead of uniting the Black Community to fight against Voter ID/Suppression laws, drugs, violent crimes, lack of education, high unemployment and the disproportionate number of Black men in the prison system, the Coalition of African American Pastors (CAAP) is rallying for 100,000 signatures on a petition to stand against President Obama in this election because of his personal views on marriage equality. We must stop allowing our community to be divided over our diversity, and focus on those things that make us the same. Equality has never hurt anyone, it only makes us stronger.

I have already signed it and anyone else interested in calling out CAAP should sign it.  There is also a section to leave comments. I would suggest that you say succinctly why you feel about CAAP's efforts.

Bet succinct. But above all, be polite, direct, and to the point.

Proposition 8 supporters hit with a HUGE fine for violating campaign disclosure laws

Organizations which pushed Proposition 8, the California law banning gay marriage, just got hit with a huge fine today.

From The Huffington Post:

The campaign for Proposition 8, California's 2008 voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage, is facing a $49,000 fine for allegedly violating campaign disclosure laws during the 2008 election.

California's Fair Political Practices Commission  proposed the fine after an investigation revealed that ProtectMarriage.com - Yes on 8 failed to properly report over $1 million in campaign contributions.

The Sacramento Bee reported:

[Yes on 8] failed to report $1,169,292 in contributions under the timelines required by state law, including $508,150 in late contributions of $1000 or more given in the final days of the campaign. It also found that the committee failed to identify the donor behind a $10,000 wire transfer.

ProtectMarriage.com - Yes on 8 faces 18 counts of violating state political laws. . The group has agreed to both the violations and the fines, but the commission will meet to determine an appropriate recommendation on August 16.

It couldn't have happened to a nicer bunch.

'Father cruelly disowns gay son' and other Tuesday midday news briefs

This is What Hate Looks Like: Father Cruelly Disowns Son for Coming Out - Peter Sprigg of the Family Research Council and the rest like to claim that it is the gay orientation which leads to negative behaviors such as drug and alcohol abuse. Of course they never tell you that it's letters like the above one which really leads to such mess. It's a heartbreaker and the sad thing is that so many lgbtqs have a story like the letter tells.  

The dangerous new idea NOM is pushing to defame pro-equality voices - This madness is ludicrous on so many levels including the fact that President Obama had nothing to do with the Chick-Fil-A controversy. But who cares about truth when a lie can carry you so far. 

Joseph, Montana Gay Man, Allegedly Beaten Outside Club On His Birthday - Ugh. I hate stories like this.  

Hate Group Encourages Parents To Pull Kids From Classrooms Of LGBT-Inclusive Teachers - Give me a break, people!

Tea Party: Has Obama Been Hiding He’s Gay And Was Married To A Man? - That is one heck of a drug these people are on! 

NOM continues attempt to sabotage Obama's black support with edited press conference

This is last week's press conference featuring the Coalition of African-American Pastors, the phony group working with the National Organization for Marriage to get Mitt Romney elected.

Of course neither CAAP nor its president, Rev. Bill Owens, will tell you that. They will say that they are attempting to get President Obama to take back his support of marriage equality. If he doesn't, they say, then CAAP will begin a campaign to persuade African-Americans to withhold our votes come November.

Not vote for Romney, mind you, but withhold our votes. Of course if the Black community withholds our votes, then that will ensure Romney being elected.

Of course CAAP won't tell you that its president, Owens, is working with NOM as its liasion to black churches.

Nor will CAAP tell you that NOM has already endorsed Romney.

Nor will CAAP tell you that its recent effort is a part of a strategy by NOM to create a wedge between the black and gay community (two strong Democrat constituencies) over the subject of marriage equality with the expressed intent of "sideswiping President Obama."

Anyone believing that this is a genuine effort to express anger over President Obama's support of marriage equality is sadly mistaken.

And as the following clips (which were conveniently omitted from NOM's video of the press conference) demonstrate, this effort is also fueled by hate and ignorance:











And listen to how Owens behaves when a reporter asks him a question about the "Biblical definition" of marriage:






Hat tip to Jeremy Hooper for the videos.