The Kevin Jennings controversy is a lesson for the Obama Administration

According to Chris Good of the Atlantic magazine's blog, Kevin Jennings has survived the attempts to get him fired.

Good gives the credit to " Brewster," the young man in the center of the controversy:

While the fire hasn't completely died down--53 House Republicans sent a letter calling for his job last week--it has certainly lost steam. Jennings is no longer a topic du jour, mostly due to one simple fact: the boy wasn't actually underage.

. . . If the boy had been under 16, Jennings would have appeared to violate the law, and that would have placed him in a very different situation, politically. With affirmed legal high-ground, one can bet that conservative pundits, bloggers, and political groups wouldn't have backed off in the least--and that the noise surrounding Jennings wouldn't have faded as it has. And the White House would have had a much more difficult time ignoring the calls for resignation.

The boy says he had no sexual contact with the older man, after all, so it's possible the point would have been moot. But, had the "underage" label stuck, attacks on Jennings probably would have resonated louder.

Instead, criticism of Jennings has devolved into a partisan back-and-forth. Without the objective gravitas of Massachusetts law to push it beyond politics, that's where it will probably stay.


It's an excellent piece but allow me to add a coda: some people out to get Jennings fired won't leave him alone.

But I think Jennings can deal with that.

The attacks against Jennings have been reduced to silly guilt-by-association slams by Peter LaBarbera, Brian Camenker of Mass Resistance, and various right-wing blogs with their crazy William Ayers/Comrade Obama/death panels conspiracy theories.

Most likely it will be a long time before he is the victim of a huge campaign of misinformation by Fox News or negative letters by House Republicans

But here is my take on the entire thing - this controversy was never about Jennings. It was about Obama.

If Jennings had been dismissed or had to resign, it would have been another nail in the coffin of the love/hate relationship between the President and the lgbt community.

Which leads me to the following conclusion:

Those who oppose Obama can't touch his popularity so some have determined that his weakness is his relationship with supposed allies.

And in that determination, they may have hit on something.

Therefore, it would be in Obama's best interest to take the Jennings controversy as a learning experience.

By all means, have the internal discussions and the battles that are needed to forge a positive agenda.

But at the same time, don't create weaknesses your enemies can exploit by giving the impression that you have no problem deserting your friends, i.e. the people who voted you into office.

Focus on the Family pumps money in Maine and other Wednesday midday news briefs

A powerful ad on marriage equality:



An excellent appearance on Rachel Maddow




In other news briefs:

Focus on the Family Pumps Neary $100 K into Maine - Should we be surprised?

910-308-7619 - Ten simple numbers lead to an interesting war between Joe Jervis and Peter LaBarbera.

Video: 700 Clubs, all of them for bashing gays - Feeling left out, Pat Robertson adds his less than two cents worth. I guess he doesn't blame lgbts for 9/11 anymore because he is too busy blaming us for other stuff. Someone should strap him down and make him watch the ad featured here.

Secret Service overwhelmed by death threats against Obama - Look for Hannity, Beck, and other folks (i.e. John Stossel) to piss this away.

And now it's time for some fiber in our diets:

BREAKING: Obama ‘Safe Schools’ Chief Kevin Jennings Used Pro-Pedophile, pro-NAMBLA Publisher for First Two Books - Peter LaBarbera - the very definition of slime that sticks on filthy innuendoes. So I guess since I hugged my sister's mama's baby daddy's cousin at the family reunion before he robbbed that bank, I should be arrested, huh?

Family Research Council brags about ability to fool 80,000 people

It used to be that when you are caught in a lie, you either admit the truth or slink into a dark corner enveloped by your shame.

As we have seen in the recent case involving Kevin Jennings, some folks are bound and determined to push a lie even if it has been refuted.

And of course number one on this list is the Family Research Council.

I received the following email from the group regarding hate crimes legislation:

The Senate Will Vote to Silence You!

The enactment of so-called "hate crimes" legislation is a long stated objective of the homosexual agenda. It is one step closer to being law and may be voted on this week.

Senate leaders attached the hate crimes legislation to a military funding bill, knowing it would put those who oppose this dangerous bill in a precarious position, vote for giving special protections to homosexuals or vote against funding for the troops. Democratic leaders believe passing their liberal agenda takes precedence over keeping our armed services safe.

The House voted 281 to 146 in favor of extending special federal protection to homosexuals as part of the $680 billion Defense Authorization bill and it is now going to come up for a vote in the Senate-likely this week!

We need your help to stop it.

What "hate crimes" legislation does is lay the legal foundation and framework for investigating, prosecuting and persecuting pastors, business owners, and anyone else whose actions reflect their faith.

The religious liberty protections in the bill are flimsy and when Republicans attempted to strengthen them, they were voted down by Democrats.

The act would establish a new FEDERAL offense for so-called "hate crimes" and add "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" as protected classes. It will mandate a separate federal criminal prosecution for state offenses.

The American credo calls for equal justice under the law, not equal justice unless you happen to be homosexual, then you get special treatment. ALL people deserve to be protected from crime, not just certain groups.

Sign our Petition TODAY to say equal protection under the law means equal protection for ALL. Please join the over 80,000 people who have already signed this petition.

That's 80,000 people in America (if we are to believe the FRC) who have been buffaloed and cajoled to believe that if sexual orientation and gender identity are included under already existing hate crimes legislation, the "gay police" is going to break into their churches or business and arrest people who publicly say that homosexuality is a sin.

Despite the fact that this lie has been refuted more times than I care to mention, FRC insists on repeating it.

I really shouldn't be surprised. The FRC have been lying about lgbts for years.

Funny thing about petitions, though.

They tend to only work if your position hasn't been publicly and continuously refuted.

In the long run, I am hoping that the only thing FRC's petition accomplishes is wonderment on how so many people can get bamboozled at one time.

Sean Hannity smears Kevin Jennings, but suddenly HE is the victim?

It appears that Sean Hannity has stopped trying to get a "czar scalp" to keep up with the one Glenn Beck supposedly got when Van Jones resigned.

Instead, he is now playing the victim:

We've told you a lot about safe schools "czar" Kevin Jennings, including his questionable associates, statements and admiration for men closely tied to the group North American Man/Boy Love Association (NAMBLA).

Well, according to an Obama supporter named Joan Garry, anyone who criticizes Mr. Jennings is a homophobe. Writing in the Huffington Post she argues, "Anyone who tells you that Kevin Jennings is not qualified for his job... is a big ol' homophobe... 53 GOP members of Congress are trying to get Kevin Jennings fired based on his sexual orientation."

Not surprisingly, Miss Garry sat on the finance committee for Obama for America. She cites no evidence to suggest that criticism of Jennings by me or by anybody else was motivated by his sexual orientation.

You know why? Because there is none.

Hannity is like a man trying to defend himself from a charge of murder by showing the bloody weapon.

My friend, you aren't a victim here.

All the attacks on Jennings have not been about his so-called "questionable alliances" (although based on the shellacking Hannity got from White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs last year about HIS alliance, one would think he should stay away from the issue of "questionable alliances") or Jennings' so-called "questionable statements."

It HAS been about Jennings' sexual orientation from day one.

We aren't talking about people who embraced Jennings with open arms but suddenly changed their minds after "shocking material" was made known to them.

We are talking about people (i.e. religious right groups and right-wing conservative blogs, organizations, and anti-gay hate groups) who dug through countless records, statements, videos, and audio to find something to stick on Jennings because maybe in a moment of clarity they realized that opposing him because of his orientation would make them seem homophobic.

Please note that I said a "moment of clarity," as in a brief passing fancy.

Their motivations were so obvious that sometimes one couldn't help but to gravitate between pity and disgust for their "full steam ahead" approach.

In Hannity's case, we are talking about a media figure who wanted a head for his trophy case and was so consumed with getting this prize that he sought to ruin a man's reputation based on wild conjecture.

Personally, I think homophobia did and continues to play a huge part in Hannity's attack on Jennings as the following links demonstrate:

Yet another falsehood-based smear of Jennings on Hannity: Jennings "indoctrinat[ing]" kids about homosexuality

Hannity and "Great American" panelists fearmonger about Jennings "indoctrinating" children, "promoting homosexuality"

Note to Hannity - manipulating the hysterical moral panic about "homosexual indoctrination" shouldn't insulate you from being called a "homophobe" any more than claiming to care for "the children" as a reason not to marry an interracial couple should insulate you from being called a "racist."

But in the long run, it doesn't matter why Hannity attacked Jennings.

It only matters that he did attack Jennings via lies and innuendoes and when those lies and innuendoes were exposed he not only stuck to them but added new ones.

His behavior reminds me of what the elders used to say about trying to cover up bad body odor with cologne.

You never get rid of the offending odor, they say, you just add to it.

More on Hannity's attacks on Jennings:


After Stephanopoulos interview about Jennings, Hannity accuses him of "regurgitating the entire talking points of the left"


Hannity escalates anti-gay bigotry, asks "Does Kevin Jennings support the group NAMBLA?"


Hannity "not convinced" of timeline conclusively debunking his smears of Jennings


Hannity repeats call for "Mr. Jennings to be fired" for views "out of the mainstream"


After statutory rape smear disintegrates, Hannity attacks Jennings with fabricated NAMBLA link


Hannity continued to push "statutory rape" smear even after Fox reporter questioned story's accuracy


Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters posts on Jennings:


How Fox News tried to help bring down Kevin Jennings


King's anti-Kevin Jennings letter creates backlash


Rep. King's office knew charges against Jennings were false BEFORE sending out letter


House Reps have a problem with gay appointees but not with anti-gay hate groups


Kevin Jennings receives an 'apology' for inaccurate murder claim


New lie lodged against Kevin Jennings - he 'advocates' murder

Will it be 'death of a thousand cuts' for Kevin Jennings?


Religious right continues to attack Kevin Jennings, lgbt community with proven lies


Who knew the American Family Association could moonwalk?


Join the Support Kevin Jennings Facebook group


Fox News corrects inaccurate Jennings article. Politico does the same


Smart answers to lies about Kevin Jennings - a list of talking points


New attack against Kevin Jennings - the 'NAMBLA' connection


Religious right owes Kevin Jennings an apology


New facts vindicate Kevin Jennings - the young man he counseled was of legal age


Let's not be so quick to blame Obama if Kevin Jennings is dismissed


Washington Times publishes ugly hit piece on Kevin Jennings


The new attack on Kevin Jennings - he said something ugly about God


The continuing attacks on Kevin Jennings - now Fox News gets involved


The possible attack on the President's lgbt appointees


The tea party idiots - will they go after the lgbt community next?


Traditional Values Coalition attacks Kevin Jennings and . . . Tom Cruise?


Support Sean's Last Wish and Kevin Jennings


The religious right thinks that character assasination is a Christian virtue


The war against Kevin Jennings - now it's getting pathetic


Attacks on Kevin Jennings sleazy, un-Christian


More right wing lunacy on Kevin Jennings courtesy of Kevin McCullough


More attacks on GLSEN'S Kevin Jennings - Now the Family Research Council gets in the act
'
Fistgate' and President Obama - religious right pushes a pitiful attempt of guilt by association

How Fox News tried to help bring down Kevin Jennings

I am hoping that those all fired up against Kevin Jennings have finally cooled their jets, so to speak.

But regardless, the entire sordid situation was character assasination of the highest order.

And a lot of it had to do with Fox News.

Now that the Obama Administration is firing back, the media in general is circling the wagons rather than saying the obvious - that there is a problem with the way Fox News is conducting business.

For those media outlets and any other folks who claim that the Obama Administration is "unfairly targeting Fox News," THIS is the video to show them:



See how it works. Hannity or Beck pushes a "line," and then the so-called "legitimate news media" at Fox continues to push the line, using the same inaccurate verbiage or talking points created by Beck or Hannity.

Or - Hannity or Beck starts a controvery based on distortions/information taken out of context.

The so-called "legitimate news media" on Fox allows the controversy to marinate i.e. via more lies courtesy of Beck and Hannity or the right-wing blogs such as Michelle Malkin's.

And then, people like Chris Wallace or Britt Hume or whoever else introduces the controversy with the phrase "there are new questions about . . ." or "there have been some troubling developments about . . ."

It's like baking a cake full of arsenic.

Well regardless of their lack of ethics, you have to give them points for skill AND audacity.

And the children shall lead them . . . into hatred?

I rarely talk about Fred Phelps and his "God Hates Fags" crew because they are nothing more than cariactures.

But the following video defies all description:



No words about what a shame this is; just an observation.

When Fred Phelps passes on, expect his family to become filthy rich by creating a cottage industry of "we were held hostage by a monster."

I envision appearances on Oprah, books written, a regular show on Lifetime network, and maybe even action figures.

Hat tip to Americablog Gay.

Pro-marriage equality group in Maine hits a double home run

This is too good not to share.

Since Maine approved legislation that would allow gay marriage, there has been a humongous fight over the act.

Opposers of gay marriage successfully put a referendum on the ballot.

And those who want to keep gay marriage in Maine have been steadily working to defeat the ballot measure with commercials like the following:



Outstanding!

And speaking of breaking down the lies, the group overseeing the effort to keep gay marriage in Maine, Protect Maine Equality, recently held a press conference addressing the usual lies about gay marriage put out by the opposition:





These folks mean business and they have been kicking ass from the start of the campaign.

They need our support. Go here to give it.