Analyzing and refuting the inaccuracies lodged against the lgbt community by religious conservative organizations. Lies in the name of God are still lies.
Gay characters in soap operas are now more common place and that's because of good storylines and actors, rather than silly melodrama. The following is one of the first and best:
Ryan (Philippe) appeared on One Life to Live during the summer of 1992. Ryan's role was a breakthrough one: daytime television's first gay teenager. Ryan plays Billy Douglas, newcomer to the town of Llanview.
Billy is reluctant to tell anyone of his homosexuality, especially his parents. He is able, however, to confide in the town's pastor, Andrew. And then, due to the scheming of a woman Andrew scorned, rumors fly around town, that the pastor is a homosexual and has made advances on Billy.
The town quickly displays it's homophobia, with Billy's parents leading the way, demanding for the removal of Reverend Andrew from the parish. Upon witnessing the town's reaction Billy is now even more afraid to reveal his secret. Yet his silence only draws Andrew into deeper criticism.
It all comes down to a dramatic moment when the town meets at the parish where Andrew gives a riveting speech on the disease of prejudice and homophobia. Billy takes a public stand, against his father and in support of Andrew.
FRC Blames ‘Sexual Liberalism’ and ‘Family Breakdown’ for Mass Murders - The Family Research Council celebrates the defeat of background checks legislation in the Senate because apparently if Jesus had a gun, he wouldn't have been crucified (I'm being extremely snarky in the last part. In this day and age, you have to clarify everything, including a fart.)
As the situation in Boston reaches its crescendo, let's not forget our lgbt children. Today is GLSEN's Day of Silence across America's schools. What is the Day of Silence? Allow these videos to tell you:
Several religious right groups have been on a tear lately about the following:
A Fort Campbell lieutenant colonel’s email to subordinates regarding extremism and hate groups “inconsistent with Army Values” has raised the ire of evangelical Christians both locally and nationwide.
The message, which appears to have been generated by a single individual and not part of an Army-approved training program or command-generated memorandum, lists several state and national organizations with extensive support among the Christian conservative right – including the American Family Association and Family Research Council – as domestic hate groups.
The email that set off the controversy last week was actually sent by Lt. Col. Jack L. Rich to officer and non-commissioned officer subordinates on Friday, Aug. 10, 2012.
Now when the Family Research Council, the American Family Association (two groups mentioned in the email), and their allies (which includes Fox News "cultural reporter" Todd Starnes) complain about this letter - which they had been doing ad naseum, they claimed that the Rich was attacking "Christian" groups or ministries. Starnes even blames Obama and says he is "religiously cleansing" the military.
I have a feeling that we will be seeing and hearing more about this letter, so let's examine the crux of what it says. It talks about various hate groups, but I am willing to bet that the part which really gets FRC, AFA, and Starnes upset is as follows:
The religious right in America has employed a variety of strategies in
its efforts to beat back the increasingly confident gay rights movement.
One of those has been defamation. Many of its leaders have engaged in
the crudest type of name-calling, describing LGBT people as “perverts”
with “filthy habits” who seek to snatch the children of straight parents
and “convert” them to gay sex. They have disseminated disparaging
“facts” about gays that are simply untrue assertions that are remarkably
reminiscent of the way white intellectuals and scientists once wrote
about the “bestial” black man and his supposedly threatening sexuality.
For the life of me, I can understand why the Family Research Council and the American Family Association are upset. I mean it's not like they have used crude name-calling against the lgbt community:
Or linked gays to pedophilia:
Or spread disparaging and untrue assertions about gays:
I mean that's ridiculous:
Completely ridiculous:
Because if these things were true, then that would mean that their claim of being attacked because of their faith is a lie and a dodge created to obscure the point that Rich's letter was correct and they are anti-gay hate groups whose influence would damage the cohesiveness of our military force by exploiting the fears of heterosexual soldiers against their gay and lesbian fellow soldiers.
And it would mean that perhaps these groups and those who defend them (that especially includes Starnes) should worry less about Rich's letter and more about their definition of a "Christian" group or ministry because, unless I don't know my Bible, no Christian group lies, distorts, or bears false witness against any group, including gays.
French President Condemns Surge Of Homophobic Violence - As they move closer to passing marriage equality laws in France, homophobes are getting more and more violent and suddenly NOM is nowhere to be seen. I wonder why because Brian Brown and the group were all 'Viva La France' a little while ago.
Just damn humiliating. This recent anti-marriage equality protest in Minnesota was a huge failure and embarrassment for those in attendance. Even Focus on the Family's Glenn T. Stanton's appearance couldn't salvage it.
Just when you thought Dave Agema was bad enough when it came to state congressional legislators and leaders spouting off anti-gay propaganda, here comes another one. According to Radio Iowa, Iowa state Senator Dennis Guth of Klemme gave a speech which in part said the following:
“The media, for the most part, has bamboozled us into thinking that having a relationship outside of the boundaries of monogamous, heterosexual marriage is positive, happy and fulfilling,” Guth said. “Movies, television shows, articles and magazines abound with this theme, giving partial information to vulnerable audience: our children.”
Guth said there are “numerous” health and mental problems associated with homosexuality that “ultimately” shorten the lives of gays and lesbians.
“There are health risks that my family incurs because of the increase of sexually transmitted infections that this lifestyle invites. For example, there are more and more medical tests required before giving blood or giving birth,” Guth said.
Guth said “many civilizations have fallen” because the traditional family was not protected and he argued the homosexual lifestyle “is a lie.”
“If I saw someone going the wrong way on a one-way street, I would make every effort to stop and redirect them,” Guth said.
“Simply put, it saves lives to have honest communication not only about the sexually transmitted diseases that shorten lifespans, but also about the deep loneliness that accompanies a life based on youth, beauty and sex.”
All of what Guth said were lies. But before you get angry, please note that another state senator, Matt McCoy, a Democrat from Des Moines, called him out:
“Much of what you heard today on the floor of the senate is warmed over
rhetoric that has been invented by the Christian right, extreme groups,”
McCoy said. “…What I heard today was ignorant and I know where it came
from and I think that I am not gay by choice. I am not gay by choice,
but I choose not to be ignorant.”
Just a small reminder that while McCoy was right on, the lgbt community must do more to call out anti-gay propaganda because a lot of the folks repeating it are those who vote on our very lives.
