Family Research Council, right-wing media caught lying about 'gag order' in anti-gay bakery controversy

Tony Perkins, FRC, right-wing media caught spreading a lie.

It never ceases to amaze me how the anti-gay right will blatantly lie.

According to a recent Family Research Council email:

No wonder people like Cokie Roberts don't think same-sex "marriage" has "tangible, identifiable victims." The victims are being ordered not to talk about it! That's the latest twist in the long and bitter suit against Aaron and Melissa Klein, the young Christian bakers who turned down a lesbian wedding cake order in Oregon -- and have been paying for it ever since.

As prepared as the Kleins were to hear their $135,000 fine had been finalized, nothing could have prepared them for the Bureau of Labor's second punishment: forced silence. Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian decided to put his own stamp on the punishment by ordering the parents of five "to cease and desist from publishing, circulating, issuing or displaying, or causing to be published... any communication to the effect that any of the accommodations... will be refused, withheld, or denied to..."

His order made the Kleins speechless all right -- but not for long. Once the shock wore off, Aaron and Melissa made it quite clear that they wouldn't stop speaking out about their case, no matter what the government threatened. "We will not give up this fight," Aaron wrote on their Facebook page, "and we will not be silenced."

For those who are not aware of the situation, Aaron and Melissa Klein owns a bakery in Gresham, Oregon and they refused to bake a cake for a gay couple in 2013. In accordance to Oregon's non-discrimination law, they are now ordered to pay a $135,000 fine because of the mental and emotional stress their action caused the couple..

The Kleins claimed that baking a cake for the couple would have been against their religious beliefs and as such have become a cause celebre for the idea of "religious liberty," i.e. the belief that businesses can use religious beliefs as an excuse to deny services.

This supposed idea of a gag order only adds to the hysteria propagated by organizations, such as the Family Research Council,  as well as other groups and personalities on the right as they attempt to push the notion that marriage equality and lgbt equality in general will lead to the so-called  persecution of those who believe that homosexuality is a sin.

But the claim about a gag order is a lie. 

Anti-gay activist wants SCOTUS to rehear marriage equality case

It will be a couple of years before the anti-gay right is over our marriage equality victory. Until then, expect to hear stuff like the following from folks like anti-gay activist Janet Porter (creator of a recent and extremely outlandish homophobic documentary):

Janet Porter

Are you upset about what the Supreme Court did to marriage? Now, there’s something you can do about it. We can ask the court to rehear the case because two justices violated the federal law which states, “Any justice… of the United States shall disqualify himself in any proceeding in which his impartiality might reasonably be questioned.” Justices Kagan and Ginsburg both officiated homosexual so-called weddings, which disqualifies them from ruling on the case. Ask Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine to file a motion for rehearing the marriage case . . .  because it was illegally rendered. Ask him to call for a motion for rehearing the case.

The belief that Justices Kagan and Ginsburg should disqualify themselves because they officiated gay weddings is a cry which has been floating out there in the extreme right-wing bilgewater  for a while now without much momentum (even with an assist from Fox News).

I don't expect Porter's pathetic cry will amount to much. She would probably object to me calling her an anti-gay activist. Porter would like to refer to herself as a "pro-family" "Christian"  activist. However, based on the video below of her five years ago praying to God for total media control (I am not making this up),  one wonders if her type of Christian "activism" is actually helping the religion:

''Gay' Iwo Jima photo becomes subject of false outrage' & other Monday midday news briefs

Iwo Jima Marines, gay pride and a photo adaptation that spawns fury - Anatomy of a fake outrage. Paging Todd Starnes . . .

Gallery: Minnesota's first same-sex couple known to apply for a marriage license are still married today - Sort of puts a damper on the "gays don't have long relationships" lie, don't it?

Oops! Ballot Initiative Attacking Same-Sex Marriage Would Inadvertently Ban All Marriage - Please don't give the opposition ANY ideas.

The New Post-Homophobic Christianity - Wonderful piece by Sally Kohn.

AND because you know you love it, a potpourri of crazy over marriage equality decision:

Alan Keyes: Gay Marriage Decision Is Treason, Worse Than Dred Scott 

Dobson: 'I Fear That God's Judgment Will Befall This Once Great Nation' Because Of Gay Marriage Ruling

 

Staver: Gay Marriage Ruling Has 'Brought Sin And Judgment Upon ... The Court And On The Country'

 

Fischer: 'The Day Is Coming When It Will Be Against The Law For Christians To Hold Public Office'

NOM still smarting over SCOTUS marriage equality loss

The recent SCOTUS decision has given Brian Brown lots to cry about.

The National Organization for Marriage and its president, Brian Brown, had a special message for the Fourth of July which demonstrated that the organization is still angry and defiant about the recent SCOTUS decision on marriage equality:

On this Independence Day, we celebrate: The men and woman who sacrificed everything for Liberty. Those who founded this nation upon the radical notion that our rights come not from a benevolent government, but are unalienable, granted us by the Creator. Who recognize that the Creator endowed us with the institution of marriage as the union of one man and one woman. And who understand that marriage has served a great public good, bringing men and women together to provide the ideal environment for any children born of their union. And we are grateful for the tens of millions of Americans who, despite the grave error of our US Supreme Court in presuming that they have the power to redefine marriage, continue to revere the truth of marriage as serving a profound public good for families, children and society itself. May God continue to bless our nation and remind us that his plan for marriage is perfect.

If there's one thing I can't stand, it's a sore loser.

'Anti-gay right attempts to stop marriage equality becoming just plain SAD' & other Thur midday news briefs

Matt Barber

Barber: 'Wipe Out' The 'Immoral Scourge Of Same-Sex Marriage' - As much as I despise the viciously homophobic Matt Barber of the Liberty Counsel, he does have his uses. For example, today he reminds us that all of this junk we are hearing about some clerks refusing to sign marriage licenses for gay couples have less to do with their personal beliefs and more to do with an attempt to do away with marriage equality all together. Sorry Matt, but it's a constitutional right, but thanks for the needed information. 

 Bobby Jindal says Louisiana government won't recognize same-sex marriages for now - Case in point. You have no choice, Bobby. Deal with it.

Local officials drag their feet on gay marriage despite supreme court ruling - Folks, give it up and turn it loose. You lost. However I do have a complaint. We need to be reminding people that its about the couples being denied their constitutional right to marriage, not the clerks who should be either doing their jobs or resigning.

 5th Circuit Court: Obergefell Is ‘Law Of The Land,’ ‘Should Not Be Taken Lightly’ - The 5th Circuit Court to these folks trying to delay and stop marriage and equality - "All right. OUT of the pool!"  

Episcopal Church Overwhelmingly Votes To Allow Religious Weddings For Same-Sex Couples - Sweet!!!! 

 Mormon Church Makes First-Ever Donation To Utah LGBT Center - This is NOT a typo.

You DO NOT speak for African-Americans, Mike Huckabee

Nobody asked Huckabee to speak for black folks.

Dear Mike Huckabee,

I heard your recent comments about how comparing the gay civil rights movement to the African-American civil rights movement is offensive to black people. I want to get right to the chase with my questions about those comments.

From me, a gay black man, to you - just who in the hell do you think you are and who in the hell designated you as the spokesman for black people in terms of what offends us?


Furthermore, how dare you appoint yourself the person who decides what is or isn't discrimination. How dare you conjure images of the nightmarish past of segregation,  water hoses, and racial beatings as sort of a whip to beat lgbts in some type of psychological mindset that it's not "real discrimination" when our families are devalued or our lives are reduced to caricatures.

 Who gave you the right to disrespect the spirit of the African-American civil rights movement by using it as a tool to justify discrimination another group? How dare you besmirch the memories of all the nameless, faceless lgbts of color who had to deal with the double stigmatization of racism and homophobia.

Mr. Huckabee (thank God in Heaven I will never have to call you "President Huckabee"), I am a 44-year-old gay black man. I've been called a "nigger" and I've been called a "faggot." I've been threatened because I'm black and chased down the street by thugs wanting to beat my head in because I'm gay.

Since you know every damn thing to the point where you can speak for folks, please inform me as to what is the difference between those incidents.  Was I supposed to be less fearful of those who called me "nigger" than those who called me "faggot?"  Would have I had less to worry about regarding those who wanted to harm me because I am black than those who wanted to harm me because I'm gay?

I think I speak for a great majority of lgbts of color when I say don't you dare take it upon yourself to be so presumptuous about black people and especially us. We are not specimens on a lab table. You can't dissect, detach, or eliminate the "gay" from me nor any other lgbts of color so don't pretend as if we don't exist.

I am proudly black and gay, but one thing I am not is stupid. I know your type. You care about neither the black or gay communities. Based on your past history, you despise the lgbt community and you only care about the black community when you can use them for your own purposes.

Seriously, where are you on black issues? Don't think black people forgot your non-answer regarding the Confederate flag. On that same note, what is your record on other issues regarding the African-American community?

Don't use the black community and the gay community as pieces on a chess board. That IS offensive. And in the future, educate yourself about the common history of being black and gay in America.

But really the next time you feel the need to speak FOR black people, don't. Please don't. We have enough folks speaking out of their asses in an attempt to talk on our behalf.

'Gay couple recount foster care, adoption controversy 30 years later' & other Wed midday news briefs

Regrets Linger 30 Years After Gay Couple Had Their Foster Children Taken Away - Wonderful story (in spite of the title) about gays being foster parents and adopting children 30 years ago. It shows that people can change their ignorant behavior. And I have to commend one of the former antagonists in this situation. He could have easily said his feels about gays adopting and fostering children was once his "deeply held beliefs." Instead, however, he calls it for what it was - bigotry. 

Pat Buchanan doubles down on 1983 column claiming AIDS is nature's punishment - So Pat Buchanan isn't happy that gays can now marry. The "bitch" in me is very happy that he lived to see this day because, as this post notes, a column he wrote about gays during the beginning of the AIDS crisis is still cited today by the lgbt community as an example of how nasty and callous people were to us back. It's not pretty. 

 Pastor Who Said He'd Set Himself On Fire Over Same-Sex Marriage Now Saying He Loves The Gays - I know what you are going to say - "if he really loved us, he would kept his word."

  6 Truths About LGBT Lives That 4 Members Of The Supreme Court Won’t Accept - And unfortunately, they probably never will.  

After Marriage: How To Ask Smart LGBT Questions In 2016 - Is there any way we can drill this into the media's head?  

Conservatives Urge Facebook Users To Use American Flag Filter To Fight Against Rainbow Pics - Oh lighten up, guys!

  Tom DeLay Knows Of Secret DOJ Memo To Legalize '12 New Perversions,' Including Bestiality And Pedophilia - Tom DeLay is full of @!%^. End of story.