No Sam Rodriguez, marriage equality doesn't work like that

From Right Wing Watch:

During last week’s National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, where Jeb Bush and Mike Huckabee made their pitches for the Latino vote, NHCLC head Sam Rodriguez told a TIME reporter that Republicans will not “fight arduously” to overturn a Supreme Court decision striking down bans on same-sex marriage. Of course, on the very same day Rodriguez announced that he and other NHCLC leaders signed a pledge to commit civil disobedience in defiance of any Supreme Court legalizing gay marriage. Rodriguez also told a reporter for the Christian Broadcasting Network that such a ruling would usher in a wave of anti-Christian persecution and possibly hate speech laws banning pastors from quoting the Bible. 

 Words don't do this video half-justice. You simply have to see it and hear this wild tangent NHCLC head Sam Rodriguez goes on. And as pathetically funny as he is, Rodriguez's words do serve a purpose. He gives a window into the mindset of so many folks who oppose marriage equality. To them, it's not a matter of Scripture, but a paranoid delusion created by their religious beliefs, entitlement, and egos all stroked by anti-gay groups such as NOM, the Family Research Council, and even Rodriguez's group.

None of this stuff Rodriquez is predicting would take place should SCOTUS rule in favor of marriage equality. But what can you do when someone is stubbornly clinging to their paranoia even when it is proven that they have nothing to fear?

LGBT CODE RED - Mike Huckabee is running for president!

Mke Huckabee

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee Announces Presidential Run - Possibly with the except of Bobby Jindal, Mike Huckabee is the ABSOLUTE WORST candidate for president when it comes to lgbt equality. 

Six Times Mike Huckabee Used Bad Theology To Support His Policies - Example No. 1 

 Mike Huckabee is either a clueless fool or a brazen liar - Example No. 2 with a little background. In this post, Huckabee talks about the "intolerance" of gays while folks like him have done their utmost to show us courtesy and respect. Too bad the examples of his definition of "courtesy and respect" I included in this post makes him out to be a hypocrite. 

 Mike Huckabee - definitely not 'pro-sodomy' but extremely 'pro-ignorant' - And how can one forget this 2009 interview he conducted with fellow right-winger Ann Coulter in which he assured her that he is not "pro sodomy," whatever that is. Who are we kidding. WE KNOW what he meant.

 The friends of Mike Huckabee - And let's not forget his past friendship with a particularly rabid anti-gay hate group from Massachusetts. 

In short, if Mike Huckabee gets anywhere near the Oval Office even to use its toilet, "we'uns" is in trouble.

NOM - We aren't going anywhere

Like a fungus at the end of your heel which you can't seem to get rid of, NOM is insisting that regardless of what the Supreme Court rules, it's not going away. That and other news courtesy of my buddy Matt Baume and the American Foundation for Equal Rights

'Ben Carson's Top 10 Anti-Gay Statements' & other Monday midday news briefs

Ben Carson (the anti-Obama - not a compliment) is in for 2016.

GOP Presidential Candidate Ben Carson's Top 10 Most Anti-Gay Comments - In celebration of Ben Carson's announcement that he is running for president . . . never mind. It's too depressing to go on. Just read the darn thing.  

One Of These Photos About Religious Freedom Is Nothing Like The Others - WONDERFUL! Sometimes points have to be made with a certain simplicity. 

Consultant's resignation shines light on city councilman's perceived 'betrayal' of Columbia's lgbt community - Repeating this morning's post to remind folks that it's not all about stuff going on in California, New York, D.C., or any of the big cities. Us lgbts in southern states are fighting the good fight, too. 

 James Dobson: Gay Marriage Signals 'The Fall Of Western Civilization' - The anti-gay right predicts that some form of lgbt equality will doom mankind part 1,001. 

 Supreme Court declines to hear new LGBT-related cases - One is good for us. The other? Not so good.

Consultant's resignation shines light on city councilman's perceived 'betrayal' of Columbia's lgbt community

 

Cameron Runyan (hoisting a bottle of champagne) during a 2008 lgbt political event (photo by Jonathan Sharpe/Free Times)

A consultant hired by the city of Columbia to help create a human rights ordinance and commission resigns after months of complaints by a group of pastors. However that is nothing compared to the story behind the controversy. It involves a councilman elected partly on the strength of the city's lgbt community and the betrayal they felt when he suddenly turned against them.

A controversy about including lgbts in a human rights ordinance in the city of Columbia, SC has led to the resignation of a consultant the city hired to help create the ordinance and a commission. According to an article in the April 29th edition of The State newspaper:

Growing tensions over a plan to protect gays from discrimination in the city of Columbia have led to the resignation of a consultant city leaders hired to help develop a human-rights ordinance. Christine Johnson, a lesbian and advocate of gay rights, said she quit because City Councilman Cameron Runyan had obstructed her efforts to help create the proposed ordinance. Johnson said in an April 10 resignation letter that Runyan helped set up meetings with church groups to discuss ending her city contract. Runyan made misleading statements to church leaders, as well as misleading comments on a Columbia radio program concerning the proposed city human-rights ordinance, she said in her letter to City Manager Teresa Wilson.

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/news/local/article19918173.html#storylink=cpy

 According to the article, the city of Columbia hired Johnson in December 2014 and her consulting was not to last more than six  months. However, the fact that she is openly gay led to months of complaints by a group of African-American pastors calling themselves the Christian Coalition. Bishop Eric Davis, a member of the group,  told The State  that the Christian Coalition doesn't want lgbts included in ordinance. The group even went so far as to have a February 26 meeting to discuss the "non-renewal" of Johnson's contract.

“Christine Johnson is not only a practicing lesbian, but she’s an advocate, an LGBT advocate,” Davis said. “So from a Christian perspective, our question was, ‘Is that built-in bias?’”

Davis said he believes homosexuality is a sin and said he has broad support from African-American churches representing 100,000 members.

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/news/local/article19918173.html#storylink=cpy

Runyan denies that he had anything to do with Johnson's resignation, but the incident is yet another chapter in the quiet but intense war between him and Columbia's lgbt community. However, this story isn't your conventional one about an anti-gay elected official attempting to run roughshod. It reads more like a soap opera with the elements of betrayal being heavy in the mix.

'Tony Perkins angry at Right Wing Watch but fails to refute accusations' & other Friday midday news briefs

Tony Perkins

Tony Perkins is denying he calls for pro-equality judges to be impeached; he's lying and here's empirical proof - "Please proceed, Mr. Perkins." Poor Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council. He thinks he has proof that Right Wing Watch distorted his words when it accused him of calling for SCOTUS judges to be impeached. And he continues to figuratively dig his own grave by offering said proof. 

Airbnb Removes Texas Property Listing After Owner Reportedly Rejects Gay Couple - A dimension of the "religious liberty" argument the anti-gay right haven't thought of. They claim that business should have the right to not serve gay couples. Fine, but what if nationwide consortiums and groups designed to steer people to hotels, inns, restaurants, etc decide that they don't want to include you in their guides because of your discriminatory tactics. These things cuts both ways, don't they. Of course businesses shut out of these consortiums and groups can form their own so-called "Christian-friendly" groups. But being widely known as a part of group of businesses coming together because they refuse to serve gays is a stigma sure to backfire. Mercy, I just LOVE AMERICA!!

 Alan Keyes: Gay Marriage Ruling A 'Just Cause For War' - Alan Keyes is easily one of the most pathetic African-American men in the world (yeah, I said it.) He supposedly has all of this intelligence but I wonder if he can point to at least ONE concrete thing he has done with his intelligence to make the world a better place. He depresses the heck out me.  

24 Heartbreaking Struggles From The Transgender Community - This needs to be read and spread. I don't think of the transgender community as victims, but there is nothing wrong with getting REAL about the ignorance one has to deal with.

Video shows anticipation, tension of crowds outside Supreme Court

 As seen by this video, the scene Tuesday outside SCOTUS was a mixture of tension and anticipation, but very peaceful while the justices insides heard oral arguments regarding marriage equality.