Kevin McCullough attacks Barack Obama with an ENDA lie

Barack Obama scares the right-wing.

Obviously, everyone figured this campaign was going to be a coronation for Hilary Clinton. Everyone but Obama and his supporters.

I like what's going on. It puts everyone in a tailspin. And it teaches folks to not take the American voter for granted.

And it seems that no one is more surprised than the right-wing. I'm sure they had a lot of slings and arrows ready for Clinton. But with Obama looking like he is going to be the nominee, they have to scramble hard to get the "goods" on him.

That doesn't mean that they aren't trying. I have been paying slight attention to the Reverend Wright situation. I'm not too sure about what has been going on, but one thing that I do know is the right-wing has written so much about the situation that my head is spinning.

The conservative site Town Hall probably set a record with the number of hit pieces formulated to hurt Obama.

And speaking of which, conservative writer Kevin McCullough has written his own hit piece.

Apparently he is not happy that Obama supports ENDA. His entire piece is best served by focusing on the following lie:

So stifling would ENDA be in fact that if a Youth Pastor who works with young boys in a church program got caught in an inappropriate relationship with them, ENDA would make it nearly impossible for the church involved to fire the youth pastor. ENDA would directly challenge and seek to limit religious expression, doctrine, theology, and practice.

McCullough obviously thinks that people are stupid enough to fall for that faulty line of "logic." ENDA does not protect someone against unlawful behavior (i.e. a youth pastor having an inappropriate relationship with young boys).

In fact, no anti-discrimination law does. No law barring discrimination on the basis of race, religon, or national origin gives anyone cover to engage in unlawful behavior. And the same is for laws barring discrimination on the basis on sexual orientation.

The funniest thing is that McCullough is getting taken to task by the comments on the site. I rather like this one:

I'm pleasantly surprised to find some TH readers criticizing McCullough for his utterly loony rants. He assumes that whatever he fears or hates must be something liberals support--like school shootings, for instance.

Read stuff like this and weep, conservatives, because this is what conservatism has come down to. Your glory days of intelligent commentary are far behind you now, and McCullough is now what passes for a real conservative.

Actually, I would suggest that he, and his style, are quite appropriate for the present day. Today a conservative is very, very likely to be a theocratic hate-monger like McCullough. Today's conservatives, after all, are really right-wing populists, combining in equal amounts crudity, ignorance, and meanness in one very unattractive package. So, embrace McCullough; today he really does speak for most of you.

How true indeed.


Matt Barber tries to disavow credible researchers

I have talked several times about how the anti-gay industry distorted a 1997 Canadian study in order to claim that gays have a short life span.

They always omit the fact that in 2001, the researchers of the study went on record saying that their work has been distorted.

Matt Barber from Concerned Women for America has finally addressed this situation in a new piece written today:

Not surprisingly, that same homosexual lobby and its codependent enablers in the mainstream media moved quickly to sweep the IJE study under the rug. Under tremendous pressure, the researchers who conducted the study even jumped into the political damage control fray issuing a statement which read, "[W]e do not condone the use of our research in a manner that restricts the political or human rights of gay and bisexual men or any other group."

Naturally Barber does not go into detail talking about what "tremendous pressure" the researchers received.

I'm curious to see how much pressure, if any, was exerted in a four-year-period. The study came out in 1997. The letter was written in 2001.

Then to top it off, Barber (who is not a researcher) says this:

Of course, that's all just worthless fluff. All the political spin in the world doesn't change reality, nor does it eliminate the study's disturbing conclusions or practical implications. The research left ZERO wiggle room for anyone who would argue that homosexuality is a "perfectly normal and healthy alternative sexual orientation."

Barber's claim is bullshit. More than that; it's not only a blatant lie but a repeated drumbeat that the anti-gay industry is always sounding when they are caught lying:

No, we aren't wrong. It's those evil gays exerting pressure and forcing people to change their words.

The audacity of the anti-gay industry drives me insane. From Peter LaBarbera to Barber to James Dobson and even to those who cite their lies (Sally Kern), why is it that these people can't admit when they are wrong?

Oh no. They can't be wrong. They have a special pipeline to God so anything they say, no matter how incorrect or stupid it is, becomes correct.

It's happened so many times; a researcher or physician goes on record claiming that the anti-gay industry has distorted their work and then the anti-gay industry attacks the physician or researcher. Or downplays the complaint.

Or in some cases, totally ignores it.

Keep it up, guys. You can only tell a lie so long before it bites you in the ass. And I'm going to make sure I am around to point out the bite marks.

The webpage goodasyou.org has tracked this story , including posting the letter from the researchers crying foul over the distortion of their work.

Forgive me for copying, but I want to do the same thing:

Gay life expectancy revisited

Robert S Hogg, Steffanie A Strathdee, Kevin JP Craib, Michael V O'shaughnessy, Julio Montaner and Martin T Schechter

Over the past few months we have learnt of a number of reports regarding a paper we published in the International Journal of Epidemiology on the gay and bisexual life expectancy in Vancouver in the late 1980s and early 1990s. From these reports it appears that our research is being used by select groups in US and Finland to suggest that gay and bisexual men live an unhealthy lifestyle that is destructive to themselves and to others. These homophobic groups appear more interested in restricting the human rights of gay and bisexuals rather than promoting their health and well being.

The aim of our research was never to spread more homophobia, but to demonstrate to an international audience how the life expectancy of gay and bisexual men can be estimated from limited vital statistics data. In our paper, we demonstrated that in a major Canadian centre, life expectancy at age 20 years for gay and bisexual men is 8 to 21 years less than for all men. If the same pattern of mortality continued, we estimated that nearly half of gay and bisexual men currently aged 20 years would not reach their 65th birthday. Under even the most liberal assumptions, gay and bisexual men in this urban centre were experiencing a life expectancy similar to that experienced by men in Canada in the year 1871. In contrast, if we were to repeat this analysis today the life expectancy of gay and bisexual men would be greatly improved. Deaths from HIV infection have declined dramatically in this population since 1996. As we have previously reported there has been a threefold decrease in mortality in Vancouver as well as in other parts of British Columbia.

It is essential to note that the life expectancy of any population is a descriptive and not a prescriptive mesaure. Death is a product of the way a person lives and what physical and environmental hazards he or she faces everyday. It cannot be attributed solely to their sexual orientation or any other ethnic or social factor. If estimates of an individual gay and bisexual man's risk of death is truly needed for legal or other purposes, then people making these estimates should use the same actuarial tables that are used for all other males in that population. Gay and bisexual men are included in the construction of official population-based tables and therefore these tables for all males are the appropriate ones to be used.

In summary, the aim of our work was to assist health planners with the means of estimating the impact of HIV infection on groups, like gay and bisexual men, not necessarily captured by vital statistics data and not to hinder the rights of these groups worldwide. Overall, we do not condone the use of our research in a manner that restricts the political or human rights of gay and bisexual men or any other group.

B. Brian Blair distracts me

As a child of the south, I love my pro wrestling.

My love of professional wrestling dates back to when Ric Flair had just begun to dye his hair and Ricky Steamboat was a rookie.

So imagine my confusion when I read the following:

Hillsborough County commissioner Brian Blair has picked up Ronda Storm's gay-bashing mantle. The The Former Bubble Bee is venting mock outrage that Tampa high school students will protest violence against LGBT.

The April 25th Day of Silence was started in tribute to Lawrence King, whom was gay and murdered at age 15. Students will not speak and hand out cards explaining their silence. All this sounds rather harmless and hardly a disruption to schools. Blair is running for re-election against Kevin Beckner. The latter is openly gay and heavily-backed by the Democratic establishment. Blair is also being investigation for a possible ethics violation. Time for Blair to play the religious card.

"I have always believed that all citizens are equal and should be treated accordingly. On the other hand, no group of citizens should be given government sanction and support to promote their social and sexual agenda upon the rest of us and especially, on our children."

B. Brian Blair is a former professional wrestler. He was never up to the level of fame that reached Hulk Hogan, Flair, Steve Austin or the Rock.

His claim to fame was being a member of the Killer Bees, a tag team that included (much more talented and more title-winning) "Jumping" Jim Brunzell.

I want to talk about just how stupid his claims are.

I want to say that the Day of Silence usually doesn't cause any problems until folks like Blair start with their "gay agenda" nonsense.

I want to talk about how the Day of Silence is a student-led event that no one is required to participate in.

But I can't.

When I first heard of what Blair said, my mind pushed back to the point I have always thought of about the Killer Bees long before Blair even became a council member.

Those shorts were too damned tight.

I know my mind should be on the ignorance flowing from Blair's mouth, but . . .

Those shorts were too damned tight.

But my mind tends to gravitate. Blame it on my gay sensibilities.

Those shorts were too damned tight.

I hear that not only is Blair a council member but he is also the chaplain.

I don't care if he is the Pope. I can't take his words seriously.

Every time I read the following words:

"I have always believed that all citizens are equal and should be treated accordingly. On the other hand, no group of citizens should be given government sanction and support to promote their social and sexual agenda upon the rest of us and especially, on our children."

My mind can't help but to gravitate to the following link.

Maybe I'm getting desperate in my approaching middle-age.

Despite the fact that the words coming out of his mouth are dumb as hell, it would be more interesting if more anti-gay industry spokespeople wore such tight trunks.

Then again scratch that.

I may be desperate and I may think that Philip Seymour Hoffman and Jonah Hill are hot . . .

But no one could get me drunk enough to drool over Peter LaBarbera or Matt Barber in tight trunks.

Hat tip to Pam Spaulding and Pushing Rope.

A little bragging for Thursday

I apologize for the short post today. I am due to hear my little cousin sing at a concert.

So I thought I would pat myself on the back real quick.

I apologize for the indulgence.

My other webpage, Anti-Gay Lies and Liars reached over 1,000 hits a while back.

While compared to other blogs, this may not seem much, but it is a success as far as I'm concerned.

Anti-Gay Lies and Liars began in January and it is my way of breaking down the distortions of the anti-gay industry into easy-to-understand points for use by those who are concerned with the well-being of lgbts.

Central to this page is my time-line of how the anti-gay industry have relied on bad studies, lies, and out-and-out deceptions to dehumanize lgbts and deny us what is rightfully ours.

I periodically add more examples of lies and distortions. This year has been very fruitful so far thanks to Sally Kern, Matt Barber, and Peter LaBarbera.

And I find it interesting that no one has challenged any of my assertions.

Every now and then, I get challenges on this blog, but for some reason no one challenges me on the veracity of the information on Anti-Gay Lies and Liars.

I wonder why that is.

Seriously, thank you everyone who made Anti-Gay Lies and Liars a success.

And by all means, use it to educate yourself and others.

Lastly, if there is something that you wish for me to add, please let me know.

Apparently we are winning the culture war

I would be remiss if I did not mention the new item about our friend Sally Kern.

It would seem that PFLAG has a tape of its meeting with her. And this tape contradicts her claims that PFLAG took her statements out of context.

Well duh.

Still, it's good to have this thing on record. But what else can I say about this woman, who has lied, distorted, attacked an innocent group of people and then hid behind her faith when called to the carpet?

Not a thing, so I will just direct you all to the link. It's a doozy.

And on that topic, I have been ignoring our friend Peter since he has been busy with his "I wanna be just like Sally" fest.

But it would seem that he is playing the "Oh we are going to lose to those nasty homosexuals" game again:

My friend Laurie Higgins below has hit on a microcosm of why our movement is on the brink of an astounding cultural defeat — the triumph of immoral same-sex behavior as a “civil right.” In the last decade, some of our leaders, and many conservatives, chose to “downplay” the very force — homosexualism — that was leading the assault on marriage, normalcy and children in our culture.

About three years ago, I sat in a roomful of evangelical leaders at a major ministry where it was taught that you should not criticize homosexual behavior in advocating against “same-sex marriage.” The “expert” speaker cited poll data and negative audience reaction to the issue being raised.

Meanwhile, with each passing year, the other side CELEBRATES homosexual and gender-confused lifestyles with ever greater fervor, and happily promotes the same to kids, as if they are doing God’s work (when it is actually Satan’s). Their play book is simple: always stay on the offensive, even when it comes to advocating “transgender” identity/behavior to children (e.g., the 2nd-grade Colorado boy who was encouraged to come to school in a dress). We moral-minded express the requisite shock and horror; they continue to move forward.

Tell me: which side is destined to win the Culture War according to these lopsided Rules of Engagement?

So we are winning against Peter and company. Who knew?

Well all I can say is that if we are winning, then we should thank Peter and company.

If people are turning against them, it's because they are seeing through their bullshit, particular on the issue of lgbt rights.

But tell me, just how long can anyone push the following degree of propaganda before they are caught in their lies:

Religious right: Homosexuality is a sin

Okay, that is your right to believe that.

Religious right: Gay men have a short life span because of the diseases they catch.

Say what!

Religious right: Lesbians have a high rate of alcohol abuse. Generally all gays and lesbians have a high rate of alcohol abuse and suicide.

Now hold up. Where are you getting that?

Religious right: Gays and lesbians are trying to recruit children into their lifestyle.

What in the hell are you talking about?

Religious right: Gays have an organized campaign going to silence Christians and destroy marriage.

Hold it! Where is your proof of these claims about homosexuality? What’s the difference between what you are saying about gays and what the Nazis said about Jews?

Pause

Religious right: I believe that homosexuality is a sin. Why are you calling me a hater when all I am doing is speaking God’s word.

Let's talk about Mass Resistance for a second

This situation regarding Paul Ash (see yesterday's post) underscores just how bullheaded some people are.

I read that Ash, despite being threatened, will continue the curriculum. And I hope he does.

But it amazes me that throughout all the comments I read on various pages, no one wants to answer the following question:

What is wrong with teaching children the truth that other family situations exist? It has nothing to do with sexual intercourse.

I don't see the answer to this question. What I see is the following (taken verbatim):

visit www.massresistance.org. Also google Boston Children's Hospital Sex Change Clinic. See for yourself what sick people these devaints really are.

I guess I am a homophobe, It must be a good and nessecary emotion as it keeps me clean, not like the homosexuals whom deceive children about human sexuality, of the family nature and marriage. two men, two women that have intimate relations, are mutiplating the natural course of sex and family.

Children must be afforded respect and protection of their innocence and childhood. Respectful adults do not involve children in talk of devaint sexual practices, nor do they involve children in adult sexual concerns. Responsible and intelligent adults realize children are not sexual creatures, they need time to grow and mature before they learn about adult matters

Hello, Hello, Hello, James, Reality is A man and a woman, come together as one to produce children the family. This is real reality as you see life cannot be without this reality. This is the reality of life itself. So tell the children the truth, man and woman= children= family. And when man realizes this truth and bonds with woman then he will live in reality. Amen!!! Praise Jesus!!!

We seem to be dealing with people who don't want to even admit that their ideas of family aren't the only ones. They seem to want to evade the question and push the conversation into the realm of sexual intercourse.

And helping them along with the way is the group Mass Resistance.

For many who don't know, Mass Resistance is a vile group in Massachusetts whose reputation for lying is so bad that I think even our buddy Peter won't vouch for them.

They are responsible for some of the most mean-spirited attacks on lgbts that I have ever seen. The only thing that separates them from Fred Phelps group is lack of notoriety.

Yesterday, I said that they were behind the David Parker controversy but I didn't go into detail about it.

When Parker was arrested (he eventually refused to leave his son's elementary school after a meeting.) Mass Resistance members just happened to be there to take pictures of him being led away in handcuffs.

Coincidence? You tell me.

Then a year after the initial nonsense, the group sent out a press release claiming that Parker's son was attacked because of his dad's stance. Mass Resistance claimed that the child was dragged behind a building and beat up by a bunch of students who were angry at the controversy Parker started.

The press release got significant play throughout many anti-gay industry web pages and blogs.

The incident was investigated by the school, the area police, and the area social services.

The results of the investigations are here and here.

There was no gang attack.

The real story was that Parker's son had gotten into a fight with a friend over a cafeteria seat.

And furthermore, Parker was told of the incident after it happened, so he had full knowledge of the incident before Mass Resistance's press release went out.

His son and the friend made amends and even had a "play date" after the incident.

Mass Resistance conveniently omits this distortion of truth when they talk about the Parker situation. And to make matters worse, they continue to tell the lie that Parker's son was gang attacked.

Go on their page now and see the claim. When caught in that lie, they spin more lies.

And just so you know, none of the anti-gay industry groups or bloggers who ran the Mass Resistance press release issued any type of retraction.

Luckily, there are two things that work against Mass Resistance.

Their antics have pretty much alienated them from the majority of the public in Massachusetts.

Also, there is a group constantly watching them and making sure people know the truth - Mass Resistance Watch.

But still, it's sad to see a how a bunch of liars can prey on the fears and insecurities of so many.

Another attack on same-sex families and those who support them in Massachusetts

I have written on several occasions about David Parker, the parent in Massachusetts who tried to make it seem that his child was being “taught about homosexuality” in his kindergarten class.

Parker started a huge controversy several years ago, including being arrested because he claimed that the school would not give assurances that his child would not be taught about homosexuality.

In reality, he tried to push a incorrect definition of the state’s “opt-out”policy that said parents could opt-out their children when schools were teaching sex education.

Parker and his supporters tried to claim that the “opt-out” included discussions or even mentions of same-sex families.

This was not true and it has been the saving grace for the school, Joseph Estabrook Elementary, throughout the controversy, the lawsuits and all of the mess.

Let’s hope this continues because it looks like the situation is coming up again.

Apparently Mass Resistance, the group behind Parker and his controversy, is trying to start something up again.

The superintendent of schools, Paul Ash, sent out a letter to the editor to a local newspaper that in part said the following:

On March 18, we presented to the School Committee this new, formalized diversity curriculum in preparation for next year, when we plan to pilot four to five short units in each elementary grade. Some units will focus on families, including families with single parents, foster parents, and gay and lesbian parents. Other units will focus on racial and ethnic diversity and other areas in which human beings differ from one another. Resources in this curriculum include books, materials, and discussion points that help children feel welcome and allow them to talk about their families and the families of their friends. Some units will focus on stereotyping, historical roots of discrimination, and bullying.

Sounds nice, don’t it. Think again. It seems the part about same-sex parents got someone’s knickers in a dither. Allegedly a parent sent the following letter to the principal of Joseph Estabrook Elementary:

I will absolutely require prior notification to any discussion, education, training, reading or anything at all related (even remotely) to homosexuality. It is quite clear by the email I just received that you have a very specific agenda and my family will be exercising our rights to be notified and not to participate. This goes against everything we believe and practice. Thank you in advance for your expected cooperation.

The letter was forwarded to Paul Ash, who sent the following letter back:

Ms. Batten has forwarded to me your recent email. Ms. Batten told me that you are new to town and perhaps you are not aware of the lawsuit decided by the United States Court of Appeals (Parker vs. Hurley). This case established Lexington's right to teach diversity units, including stories that show same gender parents. The court decided we are not required to inform parents in advance of teaching units that include same gender parents or required to release students when such topics are discussed. The Appeals Court dismissed the claim that parents have a right to require the school provide advance notice or the right to remove their children. In addition, the School Committee has decided that teachers must be able to teach topics they feel are appropriate without the requirement parents be notified in advance.

Ash even said the following:

Based on your email, I know you strongly disagree with this policy. I can, however, offer you the opportunity to examine the curriculum. I invite you to visit the Estabrook School to look at the materials before they are piloted next year. If your child happens to be placed in a class with a teacher who will be teaching the four of five diversity units, you will then know what will be taught and will be able to talk to your son or daughter about the topics at home.

Our goal is to develop a curriculum that includes the many faces and backgrounds of all students in our community.

The parent conveniently sent the entire exchange to Mass Resistance, who gave their incorrect spin on the situation:

Ash arrogantly tells (the parent) that he will NOT be allowed to be notified when his child is taught about homosexuality, but that he may look at the broad curriculum. This is very insulting. The curriculum and the "materials" can be as general and non-specific as the school chooses.

That’s not only a lie, but it’s a blatant distortion. No one is teaching this man’s child about homosexuality. Acknowledging the existence of different families is NOT the same as teaching sex education.

And Mass Resistance has the nerve to complain when the Southern Poverty Law Center proclaims them an official "hate group."

This exchange reveals what lgbt families have to deal with. It’s one thing for people like Peter LaBarbera, Mass Resistance, Sally Kern, and the rest to have a negative idea of lgbts because that is their right.

But the line must be drawn when they attempt to codify their incorrect definitions of who we are into law. To them, we have no concept of the word family. To use the words of anti-gay activist Janet Parshall, we are “pretend families.”

To the anti-gay industry and those dense enough to support them, homosexuality is wrong not just because it is a Biblical sin. To them, we are outsiders trying to take away what they see as their country and their values.

But we can’t take away these things from them because they were never theirs alone to begin with.

They see us as outsiders because they are too ignorant to comprehend and too arrogant to share.

When they ruminate their lies about the “gay agenda” or the “gay lifestyle,” they never seem to mention same-sex families.

And this is not accidental. You see they seek to try and psychologically put a scarlet letter on us. They not only want to push the idea that we are outsiders, they want to codify the idea in laws and in our minds.

They want to make the ability of starting and having a family so difficult for us that we begin to buy into the lies of hedonistic, sex-crazed, and lonely lgbts.

But they won’t be successful, not in Massachusetts because the laws are on the side of lgbt families.

And they won’t be successful in general.

You see, the fact of the matter is that there are many same-sex families that include children. And these families deserve as much love and support as two-parent heterosexual households.

No family deserves a place on a pedestal above other families.

And no matter how many semantic gymnastics they undertake or how many studies they distort, or how many facts they omit, they can never eliminate the actuality of lgbt families.

In the end, that will be OUR saving grace.

UPDATE: Now it seems that the Ash is being threatened for his stance:

Lexington superintendent Paul Ash of Newton has been threatened by a New Jersey radio host urging listeners to “use threats and violence” against Ash for the school district's new diversity curriculum.

The radio host says “I advocate parents using FORCE AND VIOLENCE against Superintendent Paul B. Ash as a method of defending the health and safety of school children presently being endangered through his politically-correct indoctrination into deadly, disease-ridden sodomite lifestyles.” The site lists Ash’s last known addresses, a phone number, and a birth date.

The host, Hal Turner, is a virulent racist whom hardly anyone pays attention to.

But it would only take one fool to listen and cause problems.

Let's all pray for Ash and hope that this situation is taken care and above all, that no one gets hurt.

And naturally, David Parker, taking a page from Mass Resistance, spins lies:

Parker said he's not surprised by the threats. "You can put it under any guise you want but little children don't need other adults asserting sexual proclivities to them and normalizing it and parents are in an outrage," he said.

Again, teaching about different families is not the same as teaching about sex education, no matter how Parker and his cohorts try to spin the situation.

Day of Silence coming up. Let's get ready

Bet you thought I was going to post another entry on Sally Kern.

No, that little controversy is one for the ages. I'm sure it will come up again but for now, there is nothing new to add.

Especially in light of the fact that there are so many more important things to focus on.

On the 25th of this month is the annual Day of Silence. Its webpage says:

The Day of Silence (www.dayofsilence.org), a project of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), is a student-led day of action where those who in which concerned students, from middle school to college, take some form of a vow of silence to bring attention to the name-calling, bullying and harassment -- in effect, the silencing -- experienced by LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) students and their allies.

Naturally the anti-gay industry will have their hooks out trying to disrupt the day. This year, they will be launching a two-prong attack.

Anti-gay industry groups are encouraging parents to keep their children out of school during the Day of Silence.

Then the day after, they hold what they call "The Day of Truth."

According to the Allied Defense Fund, the group sponsoring it, Day of Truth:

was established to counter the promotion of the homosexual agenda and express an opposing viewpoint from a Christian perspective.

This of course is a huge lie.

ADF actually encourages children to repeat Paul Cameronesque lies about lgbts during this day. One of their resources is The Ten Biggest Myths of Homosexual Behavior.

The only myth is that the information in this packet is accurate.

The handout claims that "homosexual behavior is at much higher risk for many sexually transmitted diseases, including not just HIV, but also syphilis, gonorrhea, human papilloma virus (HPV), hepatitis, chlamydia, and a whole group of infections called ‘gay bowel syndrome.’ But "gay bowel syndrome" is an obsolete medical term that medical practitioners do not use.

The handout also uses two bad studies put out by anti-gay industry groups. The studies, The Negative Effects of Gay Sex by John R. Diggs and The Negative Health Effects of Homosexuality by Timothy Dailey, contains a multitude of errors:

The Negative Effects of Gay Sex

Twice, John R. Diggs includes the study done by Alan Bell and Martin Weinberg in their book, Homosexualities: A Study of Diversity Among Men and Women, as indicative of the entire gay population. In one passage, he even refers to it as “a far ranging study of homosexual men . . .” But Bell and Weinberg never said that their findings were indicative of all gay men. They actually said “. . . given the variety of circumstances which discourage homosexuals from participating in research studies, it is unlikely that any investigator willever be in a position to say that this or that is true of a given percentage of all homosexuals.”

Diggs cites a Canadian study twice in order to claim that gays have a shorter lifespan than heterosexuals. But his citation of the study is a mischaracterization. In 2001, the six original researchers (Robert S. Hogg, Stefan A. Strathdee, Kevin J.P. Craib, Michael V. O’Shaughnessy, Julion Montaner, and Martin T. Schechter) who conducted that study have gone on record saying that religious conservatives (like Diggs) was distorting their work.

In another section entitled Physical Health, Diggs claims that gays are victims of “gay bowel syndrome.” The term is an obsolete medical term. exist and even the CDC does not use it. In fact, if one was to look at the endnotes of Diggs’ study, he would find that two of the sources he quoted concerning “gay bowel syndrome” were from articles in published in 1976 and 1983, which is consistent with the years that the term existed. One last source was a letter to the editor printed in 1994 but Diggs does not make it clear as to whatwere the circumstances surrounding it.

He generalizes convenience sample studies as indicative of the gay population at large. Diggs takes studies done in foreign countries and claims that they are indicative of the gay population at large.

Diggs claims that there are five distinctions between heterosexual and homosexual populations including levels of promiscuity, physical health, mental health, lifespan, and monogamy. However, he spends very little time comparing the two dynamics. He uses all of his time castigating gay populations.

He uses an out of date book, The Gay Report (published in 1979) to claim that gays are engaging in deviant sexual practices. Only once does he attempt to tie the alleged deviant practices of gays in 1979 to present day; and to do so, he cites two events that took place regarding bondage workshops. However, there is a strong indication that heterosexuals took part in these events as well as gays. Diggs ignores this dynamic.

The Negative Effects of Homosexuality

Timothy Dailey use a 1985 survey of lesbians at a Michigan music festival to claim that lesbians have a high rate of domestic violence. However, according to the reviewer of the study, Suzana Rose, Ph.D., of the 1099 lesbians participants, most were white and between the ages of 20-45. She also said: “Questions concerning perpetrating abuse need to distinguish between actions taken in self-defense and actions initiated by the aggressor. This point was not assessed here. Findings are limited by the selective recruiting of participants.”

Dailey also uses the Weinberg and Bell book to claim that all gay men are promiscuous despite the fact that both authors said their work was not indicative of all gay men.

Dailey uses the term “gay bowel syndrome”

Dailey cites a study that says young gay men are in danger of catching disease at a high rate. He omits the part of the study that said they need places to build their self esteem as homosexuals. In addition, he performs mathematical manipulation on percentages gauged in legitimate studies in order to push forth a higher image of gay men catching diseases.

He generalizes convenience sample studies as indicative of the gay population at large.

For more information, check out this excellent video by Wayne Besen who breaks it down on a level we can all understand.

The Day of Truth is anything but truth.

The Rally and What We Can Learn

The Associated Press is reporting that over 1,000 people showed up for the pro-Sally Kern rally. It doesnt' surprise me.

The first rally, held in opposition of her remarks, was a bit more spontaneous and featured mostly constituents who were concerned with how an elected official was demonizing them.

This recent one was no doubt more planned to the last detail - from the groups bussed in to the guest speakers, to the pro-Kern banner, to the press releases (that were probably written before the rally took place) and pictures that are now making their way through the blogsphere.
And I noticed that Kern just happened to make an appearance at this rally.

Other than on anti-gay industry webpages, this controversy seems to be on its last leg. But as Oklahoma slowly gets back to normal, let me leave you all with some final (I hope) thoughts on the matter.

Kern has damaged her effectiveness as a legislator. She now has an unfortunate stigma attached to her as "that legislator who said gays are worse than terrorists."

No matter how many rallies are staged for her benefit, that is what people are going to remember.

And it couldn't have happened to a more deserving person.

Now the BIG lesson we must all carry from this is - KNOW your legislators and make sure they know you.

This entire controversy began because Kern gave a speech saying things she claimed were backed up with facts.

As it turns out, her statements were not backed up with facts, but anecdotes and lies she gleaned from anti-gay industry studies and propaganda films.

So the question is just how many Sally Kerns exist in legislatures across the country? I don't mean people who have a belief that homosexuality is a sin.

I mean legislators who are not only plugged into the anti-gay industry's web of lies but are willing to pass them along as fact.

And are willing to pass legislation that will harm the well-being of lgbts.

All politics is local and no matter how much press the national fights over ENDA and hate crimes legislation gets, the real story is what's happening on a state-by-state basis.

In Florida, Ronda Storms is doing all she can to make sure that lgbts cannot adopt children,

In Utah, Chris Buttars tried to ban GSAs in public schools,

In Tennessee, Stacey Campfield tried to pass legislation to keep public schools from even mentioning lgbts.

It is imperative that we get to know our local elected officials because despite what is said, things like that DO matter.

It's election day in Columbia, SC

Right now in Columbia, there is a huge city council election. I'm still not sure as to why but the candidates have been pulling out all of the stops, including television commercials which is something I have never seen in a city election.

We even have one candidate running unopposed but he still put out a bunch of campaign signs. Talk about covering your bases.

Here is what I am sure of and happy about. LGBTs are not an election issue, not even with the anti-discrimination ordinance that passed unanimously through city council. We even had some candidates actually sit down and talk with us.

And to me, that is refreshing. It's equally refreshing to see candidates introduce his or her family in commercial and know that they are not doing it to distance themselves from the gay community.

Columbia isn't a bad city to live.

In contrast (and you all knew this was coming), I hear that many of the so-called main anti-gay industry talking heads will be in Oklahoma tomorrow for the Sally Kern rally. Our friends Peter LaBarbera and Matt Barber will be there.

And it amazes me that they continue to cast this as an issue of free speech. To repeat, no one thinks that Kern should be silenced, but she should be more accurate before opening her mouth.

And Peter knows exactly what I'm talking about based on email messages we sent to each other this weekend regarding Kern citing Paul Cameron as a source for her claims.

No matter. The press release has already been written by Peter and company. No matter what happens, they will use hyperbole to make Kern sound like a 21st century Joan of Arc.

This issue is slowly pettering out, being of use to no one but the anti-gay industry. If Kern is smart, she should let the issue rest. Otherwise, I'm guessing that years from now, she will be complaining as to how she was "used" by Peter and company.

Now to the issue of comedy, our friend Robert Knight, formerly of Concerned Women for America, is angry at ABC for a story on Good Morning America regarding the possible gay gene.

And check out this part of his whine:

The Good Morning America story follows the script proposed in the gay strategic manual After the Ball, by Marshall Kirk and Hunter Madsen. The two Harvard-trained PR experts set out to “overhaul straight America,” which was the title of an article out of which After the Ball was born as a full-length book in 1989.

That book again. How many times are we going to be inudated with the claim that the lgbt community is using that book as a blueprint to take over America? It's a consistent lie that has been used over and over again.

And what makes it funny this time is that Knight is accusing ABC of being in on the plot.

When were they made a part of our conspiracy? Welcome to the gang, guys! Now perhaps one of you can get me the number of that cutie Philip Seymour Hoffman.

Hell, I will take Jonah Hill.

Seriously though, Jeremy from Good As You tears apart Knight's nonsense. It's an excellent read.

Now come on, y'all. Don't you think you are being just a teeny bit dishonest?

It's been one of those days.

I woke up this morning with a bad head cold. Subsequently, I missed work and have spent all day in bed watching old episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents and the Alfred Hitchcock Hour on hulu.com

They are very apropo for the stuff that has been going on.

Now I know some of you are probably tired of this but it's important:

On Wednesday, April 2, Concerned Women for America (CWA) will join over 50 pastors in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, to rally support for State Representative Sally Kern (R-Oklahoma City) and her right to free speech. Recently, Rep. Kern has been under attack from radical homosexual activists and their followers over remarks she made regarding the homosexual agenda. Rep. Kern took a Biblical stand against homosexual activism and has refused to back down from her statements despite receiving death threats.

CWA applauds Rep. Kern for continuing to be steadfast and resolute in this fight against the homosexual agenda and for shedding light on the threat it poses to our nation. Rep. Kern has been quoted as saying that the homosexual agenda is dangerous “because it destroys the basic moral fiber of this nation, which is traditional marriage and the traditional family.” She couldn’t be more right.

So they are pushing the free speech lie? Interesting. And don't think I didn't notice that other lie about death threats either.

Now this upcoming part by our friend Matt Barber is a real lulu:

“There are certainly those who hate Rep. Kern. They’ve made that perfectly clear with vicious personal attacks and even death threats. But millions of Americans proudly stand alongside Sally Kern and say, ‘Thank you. Thank you for boldly standing your ground and for unapologetically defending Biblical Truth.’

Millions of Americans? Where is he getting that? Talk about your puppets spewing talking points.

For someone who is supposed to dislike homosexuality, Barber seems to have the CWA hand waaay up his ass.

I can just imagine the award being made for Ms. Kern. No doubt, she will be sure to attend THIS function, even though she was "unable" to attend the last one featuring many of her constituents who were angry at her remarks.

We really don't have to predict how this will end do we? No matter how many people show up or don't show up, the anti-gay industry will announce that the event was a "triumph" for "Christian values" and the like:

CWA of Oklahoma State Director, Linda Caswell, said “Rep. Kern has exercised her right to free speech and has spoken boldly about the effects of homosexuality on our families and on our nation. We strongly encourage everyone to come to the rally and show your support for Rep. Kern. Let others know that we will not back down from taking a Biblical stand on the moral issues facing our state and our nation today.”

I see. Using bad studies and stereotypes (see the last post) to demonize the lgbt community are Biblical stances. Right.

I could get angry over this, but I'm too ill right now.

Also, too optimistic.

People, based upon their own personal beliefs about the situation, have been predicting whether or not this situation has been a boon or a curse for Ms. Kern.

Those who despise lgbts are saying Ms. Kern is being commended for her stance.

While those of us who are reasonable individuals seem to think that the rest of the nation is either laughing at Kern or shaking their heads at her ignorance.

It really doesn't matter right now.

Ms. Kern demonized lgbts, referred to bad studies, and out-and-out lied about a meeting she had with PFLAG (which, by the way, PFLAG gave the true story on). Sooner or later, it's all coming to come to a point.

I'm patient when it comes to things like these because you can only tell a lie so long before it bites you in the ass.

One more thing. In all of my posts, I neglected to say something very important, so let me do it now (hat tip to Pam Spaulding):

You can help fight these bigots by supporting Oklahomans for Equality and Cimarron Alliance.

Now if you have gotten this are in my post without throwing up your hands over yet another mention of Sally Kern, check out these links. They are rather good:

TWO Launches Dynamic Multi-Media Website Refuting the 'Ex-Gay' Myth

Gay idealist fights for undiluted protections

Philanthropists ensure gay community's future (I really like this one!)

Sally Kern cites Paul Cameron - it was bound to happen

It was just a matter of time.

Besides her Biblical admonitions about homosexuality, Sally Kern said there were studies as to the so-called "danger of homosexuality."

In the past, she hinted about the studies, focusing on the religious side of the argument. But in a recent letter to the editor, she sent out what she feels are proof of her claims.

She really should have stuck to the religious side of the argument.

Two things stood out in Kern's letter to the editor:

The study “The Longevity of Homosexuals” found that the average lifespan for lesbians is only slightly higher than that of homosexual men.

I looked it up. And that is a study conducted by our friend Paul Cameron. The entire piece is called The longevity of homosexuals: Before and after the AIDS epidemic

If you aren't familiar with Cameron, let me give you a few facts about him:

1982 - He invented a story about a child being mutilated in the bathroom by a gay man. When the police investigated and found the story to be false, he admitted to making it up.

1983 - He was kicked out the American Psychological Association after an investigation that he distorted the work of six researchers to prove negative theories about gay men.

1984 - A. Nicholas Groth, director of the Sex Offender Program at the Connecticut Department of Corrections, complained to the Nebraska Board of Examiners of Psychologists about Paul Cameron’s usage of his work to make the claim that gays molest children at a high rate.

1985 - The Midwest Sociological Society censures Paul Cameron. Also, the American Sociological Association and the Society for the Study of Social Problems both pass resolutions against him.

Like pretty much all of Cameron's work, the study, The Longevitity of Homosexuals, derives from his infamous 1983 survey regarding gays and lesbians. The survey contained many errors. Of over 4,000 people asked questions regarding sexual behavior, only 65 claimed to be gay or lesbian. Also, even before the study was completed, Cameron had publicly said it will prove negatives about gays and lesbians.

To find a good chronology of Cameron's distortions and lies (and how he has been rebuked and laughed at by legitimate researchers and physicians), you can go here, here, or here (pan down to the time line).

Kern also says:

“The International Journal of Epidemiology” states that the mortality rate for those engaging in homosexual relations before age 20 have their life expectancy reduced by as much as 30 years."

What Kern does not tell readers is that in 2001, the authors of the study went on record with the International Journal of Epidemiology saying that the religious right was distorting their work:

Over the past few months we have learnt of a number of reports regarding a paper we published in the International Journal of Epidemiology on the gay and bisexual life expectancy in Vancouver in the late 1980s and early 1990s. From these reports it appears that our research is being used by select groups in US and Finland to suggest that gay and bisexual men live an unhealthy lifestyle that is destructive to themselves and to others. These homophobic groups appear more interested in restricting the human rights of gay and bisexuals rather than promoting their health and well being.

The entire letter is here but I doubt Kern will want to read it.

Now I did not decipher the rest of Kern's letter, but it stands to reason that these two distorted pieces of work she cites negates her entire premise. And I'm sure anyone digging through her letter can find more distortions.

It's sad on so many levels. The saddest part is that Kern continues to mix distorted studies with Christian beliefs.

Sooner or later this thing is going to come to a point. But who is going to get stuck?

By the way, I wrote a nice, polite letter to the editor outlining the problems with Kern's sources. The address is tribune@bethanytribune.net

Hint, hint, hint.

The more Kern talks, the irresponsible she reveals herself to be.

But here is the rub. It doesn't matter as long as the truth doesn't come out. Someone has to make sure people know exactly what she is doing. Not the fact that she is a "bigot," or a "homophobe," but the fact that she is using bad studies from a man so filled with lies that he couldn't be truthful if his blood was replaced with truth serum.

That is the task that needs to be undertaken here.

Sally Kern tries to reverse her position on job discrimination.

Sally Kern has said she denies the PFLAG version of their meeting.

The PFLAG statement:

As PFLAG reported earlier today, Kern said she would consider meeting other families with GLBT loved ones in her district . . . and she told PFLAG representatives that “I agree with” the idea that gays and lesbians should not be fired from their jobs based on their sexual orientation.

Statement from Kern:

PFLAG has also spun my words to say that I am in favor of “sexual orientation” laws. I unequivocally do not support “sexual orientation” laws. While I do not advocate employers going on a witch hunt to fire homosexual employees who are performing their jobs in a manner just like any heterosexual employee, I do not support laws that would force employers to check their First Amendment rights to freedom of religion, speech, and association at the workplace door.

PFLAG never said that Kern is in favor of "sexual orientation" laws. In fact, there is nothing in their statement regarding these laws.

She also said the following:

While I did meet with PFLAG in what was a cordial and polite meeting, they have taken my statements and have spun them to make it appear that I am backing off my comments that homosexuality is a sin.

But according to the PFLAG press release:

“We appreciate Representative Kern taking the time to meet with us and consider an important, ongoing dialogue about our families and loved ones,” said Rev. Newton-Edwards. “Representative Kern expressed a commendable desire to consider every family, every Oklahoman and every constituent. Today, she took an important first step forward that, we hope, will be the beginning of many conversations with our families and our community.”

Kern did not express an apology during today’s meeting, nor did she back away from any of her earlier comments.

That doesn't sound like PFLAG was misrepresenting her statements.

Not only did Kern lie but she used the opportunity to say that she will no longer meet with PFLAG:

Since PFLAG has shown their lack of integrity by misinterpreting my statements from our meeting to fit their agenda — thus revealing their purpose of open dialog to be just a means of seeking to weaken my position and strengthen theirs — I see no benefit in having future meetings with them.

How convenient to make this statement. According to the PFLAG press release, Kern agreed to possibly attend future PFLAG meetings. I guess she has an excuse to get out of that now.

Then Kern adds this:

God’s Word does not change. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. His Word expresses His moral character. Therefore, my opinion also will not change.

Funny. Kern claims that God's word doesn't change. But apparently hers does.

Just more proof to the fact that Kern has not been truthful throughout this entire situation. She claims to stand for moral values, but thinks nothing of falsely accusing PFLAG of misrepresenting her position.

Cowardly and very un-Christian. But not surprising.

A study ripe for the picking. How long will it take for the anti-gay industry to pick it

A study recently reported in Medical News Today said the following:

The odds of substance use for lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) youth are on average 190 percent higher than for heterosexual youth, according to a study by University of Pittsburgh researchers published in the current issue of Addiction. What's more, for some sub-populations of LGB youth, the odds were substantially higher, including 340 percent for bisexual youth and 400 percent for lesbians, researchers found.

Now the question I have is how long will it take for our friends Peter, Matt, Janet, and the rest of the anti-gay industry to use this study.

If they do, they will be forced to omit a crucial part:

"Homophobia, discrimination and victimization are largely what are responsible for these substance use disparities in young gay people," said Michael P. Marshal, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychiatry at the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic of UPMC, who led the study. "History shows that when marginalized groups are oppressed and do not have equal opportunities and equal rights, they suffer. Our results show that gay youth are clearly no exception."

If they were to do this, it wouldn't be anything new. In 1998 Boston pediatrician Robert Garafalo complained that his study was being distorted. Garafalo had said that there is a danger of at-risk behavior amongst gay youth.

Anti-gay industry groups cited that ad naseum. However, they omitted that Garafalo found that the homophobia these youths were facing was a reason for their at-risk behavior.

Ironically when Garafalo complained, he was attacked as a "thrall of political correctness."

So back to my original question. Just how long will a distorted version of this recent study appear on anti-gay industry webpages, propaganda films, or worse, be cited by well-meaning but ignorant legislators (i.e. Sally Kern)?

Stay tuned for further updates. I have a feeling that they will be coming soon.


How are they going to spin this one?

It's the story that continues to get interesting.

Sally Kern met with members of the local PFLAG in her area:

Kern did not express an apology during the meeting, nor did she back away from any of her earlier comments.

Nevertheless, PFLAG said it believed the meeting was the beginning of a dialogue. It was her first meeting ever with a group working within the LGBT community.

And she made a commitment about workplace rights. During the meeting she told the PFLAG group that "I agree with" the idea that gay and lesbian Americans should not be fired from their jobs because of their sexual orientation.

Meeting with her constituents is the first thing Kern has done right in this situation. I'm curious to see how her comments about job discrimination will sit with members of the anti-gay industry.

Bear in mind, many of these groups think that protecting lgbts from job discrmination is a no-no, so I am anxious to see if they what they are going to do next.

Are they going to use what Kern said to show how much of a good legislator she is, turn their backs on her,

Or ignore her comments altogether.

My money is on the last option.

Peter LaBarbera and Matt Barber lie about Joe Solmonese - perfect example of distortions and bigotry

Matt Barber of Concerned Women for America, Peter LaBarbera and the rest of the anti-gay industry like to constantly beat the same tired drum of lies, claiming that the gay community wants to endanger America and silence Christians.

They are telling blatant lies, of course. And today's posting on the Americans for Truth (in name only) site is a perfect example of this:

Joe Solmonese of the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s leading homosexual pressure group, says the federal ban on accepting blood donations from “men who have sex with men” is “discriminatory

The entire article talks about comments Solmonese made regarding the CDC ban on accepting donations from men who have sex with men.

Its a well written piece, being sure to include all of the anti-gay industry talking points of so-called Biblical admonitions against homosexuality, distortions of old articles (an article from 2006 relating how gay activists in South Africa were allegedly trying to taint the blood supply there - having of course nothing to do with the United States), and even a little mention of our friend Sally Kern.

The article pretty much attacks Solmonese for comments he made regarding the CDC ban:

Solmonese recently placed politics over science, falsely declaring this commonsense public health precaution to be “discriminatory.” He has called for the ban to be lifted, with the wildly irresponsible claim that, “[T]here is no medical or scientific rationale for this discriminatory policy.”

But it omits something very important; something very crucial.

The entire controversy over Solmonese's comments came about last week, as this Concerned Women for America press release proves.

Solmonese's comments came about because of a hearing at the Food and Drug Administration in which the American Red Cross, the American Association of Blood Banks and America’s Blood Centers all said that the ban on blood donations from men who have had sex with men since 1977 should be lifted.

Solmonese was merely commenting on this testimony.

Now the links to Solmonese's comments on the Americans for Truth (in name only) web page are to a January 2008 article regarding a Seattle blood bank.

It seemed that Barber knew about the testimony from the hearing and rather than being forced to mention the parts about the American Red Cross, the American Association of Blood Banks, and the America's Blood Centers, he decided to dig and find earlier comments from Solmonese about the CDC ban.

The following comment is on both the original CWA press release and the article on LaBarbera's web page:

Solmonese recently placed politics over science, falsely declaring this commonsense public health precaution to be “discriminatory.” He has called for the ban to be lifted, with the wildly irresponsible claim that, “[T]here is no medical or scientific rationale for this discriminatory policy.”

Now some may say big deal, this doesn't mean anything.

But that mindset is wrong.

The original press release by Barber and company had to do with Solmonese's comments about the hearing. But because Solmonese's comments were backed up by credible officials from the American Red Cross, the American Association of Blood Banks, and America's Blood Centers, attacking Solmonese over them would have been futile.

So Barber or his cohorts dug up comments by Solmonese from two months ago talking about the very same subject. That way, they didn't have to mention the hearing or the organizations whom Solmonese's comments were referring to. They could continue to push forth the false image of the "reckless homosexual who will endanger America while pursuing his agenda."

Some people may not see that there is anything wrong with what Barber and company did but I think there is.

It's unethical and highly irresponsible.

Attempting to distort someone's comments is bad but the fact that these folks are doing it in the name of Christian values goes beyond the pale.

You see this is a perfect example of the levels that some people will stoop to in order to demonize the lgbt community. They claim to have nothing but love in their hearts but with their poison pens filled with enough venom to kill a herd of elephants they work little by little to dehumanize the lgbt community.

My question is how low can they stoop after this?

Nothing will shock me anymore.

What else can be said about you know who?

I've said pretty much all I could say about Ms. Kern. So barring something new happening, let me relate what will happen next:

She will probably get a rally. Peter LaBarbera and Janet Folger will attend and present her an award. She will be called a "defender of the American family." And she will probably say a speech or issue a statement on how "this time has been trying for her and her family but her faith in God has gotten her through."

Such is life.

But I think this story isn't over yet. Kern fears that gays will attain political power. Those supporting her, especially on the site One News Now, fear that we will continue to become a part of the mainstream of this country.

They are right and I think we should continue to give them more to fear about. Ultimately this fight over lgbt self-determination will come down to us being politically active and intelligently involved.

And despite all they do and say, all the times they pat themselves on the back, the anti-gay industry need to ask themselves just what their behavior is doing to the view of Christianity.

All actions have reactions. And sooner or later, all of the lies told about lgbts, all the dehumanizations, all of the distortions and discredited studies are going to add up.

And I don't think the anti-gay industry will be able to afford the bill.

Janet Folger distorts studies to defend Sally Kern - should we be shocked?

Sally Kern was on a local program, KFOR TV's Flashpoint, talking about her comments.

Taking the other side of the debate was Scott Jones, an openly gay pastor at the Cathedral Of Hope in Oklahoma City.

I was very disappointed.

I understand the need to not shout and talk over each other during a debate but Mr. Jones was a little too milquetoast for my tastes. Kern talked over him and was able to go off on long monologues.

It wouldn't have hurt for him to say every now and then, "Excuse me ma'am but can I get a word in edgewise."

Really though, that sort of thing is a conundrum in our community. On one hand, we have people who want extreme action regarding Kern and folks like her. They have sent ugly emails to her expressing their objections to her comments.

And on the other, folks with access to television and the media seem to appeal to the victim mentality:

"Sally Kern's words are going to cause more hate to be thrown at the lgbt community. More gays may get beaten up because of her."

I don't like either voice. One is too ugly and the other makes lgbts look like victims.

There has to be a medium. And I have yet to see it played out.

A lot of what Kern said is incorrect on a scientific level. But she plays that Anita Bryant card. That is when someone says some of the most outrageous things about lgbts, but then claim that "love" caused them to say such things.

"I don't hate homosexuals," they would say, "I just hate their lifestyle."

Why is it so impossible for someone to say "Sally Kern, you have claimed that medical information says that homosexuality is a deadly lifestyle. Let's see you back it up."

Yes I have said this on more than one occasion. And I am saying it again because I have yet to see someone ask her about this.

And that debate was yet another way for her to hide her lies behind her religion.

Meanwhile, our friend Janet Folger has risen to defend Kern. And she distorts medical information:

The Canadian Medical Association Journal (Jan. 11, 2000) said, "Among young gay and bisexual men in Vancouver, the HIV/AIDS epidemic has reduced life expectancy by up to 20 years."

According to the New England Journal of Medicine (Feb. 12, 1998), smoking, on the other hand, reduces your life expectancy "7.3 years for men and 6.0 years for women."

Homosexuality is three times more dangerous than smoking. Think about that when they insist on teaching it to your children. And that doesn't even touch the other life-threatening risks ranging from hepatitis to fatal rectal cancer.

Folger omitted that in 2001, the authors of the Vancouver study went on record saying that their work was being distorted. They also said:

It is essential to note that the life expectancy of any population is a descriptive and not a prescriptive mesaure. Death is a product of the way a person lives and what physical and environmental hazards he or she faces everyday. It cannot be attributed solely to their sexual orientation or any other ethnic or social factor. If estimates of an individual gay and bisexual man's risk of death is truly needed for legal or other purposes, then people making these estimates should use the same actuarial tables that are used for all other males in that population. Gay and bisexual men are included in the construction of official population-based tables and therefore these tables for all males are the appropriate ones to be used.

You see people like Folger is where Kern gets her information. And while we are focused on the religious aspect of what is said or how to be victims, Folger gets away with peddling her lies.

By concentrating on the ugly emails and then debating folks who seem to go overboard in being "polite," Kern and her defenders are slowly doing very well to turn the lgbt community into the aggressors and her as the innocent victim.

And whose fault is that?

Short post today

How is this for comedy: I received a check from AT&T for the grand total of . . . $.11.

That's not a typo. They sent me a check for eleven cents.

It just marks how strange and slow this day has been.

But check out these links:

A Boy the Bullies Love to Beat Up, Repeatedly

Apples vs. oranges; homosexuality vs. homicide

Exhibit A: Pat Buchanan - why we desperately need to discuss race

And don' think that I have forgotten about Ms. Sally Kern. This weekend, One News Now published a distorted article that claimed Kern was being sued for her comments.

Today, the story is gone from the front page. I'm sure that it is still in the archives, but I also noticed that the article isn't listed in One News Now's popular story archive.

Just more proof as to how reluctant the anti-gay industry is to defend Kern.

How to defend Sally Kern - when all else fails, lie like hell

In Peter LaBarbera's silly defense of Kern (highlighted in Thursday's post), he made it a point to infer that no complete transcript of her tape was produced.

Well this was a bold faced lie, as a copy of the speech has been online for sometime now.

So what does Peter do? He publishes the transcript of her speech without any acknowledgement that his original inferences were wrong.

And not only that, he is now embracing her words.

I guess Peter felt the need to "clarify" certain points; definite proof that many of Kern's statements presented a problem to defend.

You know, the very fact that I’m talking to you like this, here today, puts me in jeopardy. Okay, and so, so be it. Okay, and I’m not ‘anti’, I’m not gay bashing, but according to God’s Word that is not the right kind of lifestyle. It has deadly consequences for those people involved in it. They have more suicides and they’re more discouraged, there’s more illness, their lifespans are shorter. You know, it’s not a lifestyle that is good for this nation. Matter of fact, studies show that no society that has totally embraced homosexuality has lasted more than, you know, a few decades [Kerns told Americans For Truth’s LaBarbera that she meant to say “generations” here rather than “decades”].

So it’s the death knell for this country. I honestly think it’s the biggest threat even, that our nation has, even more so than terrorism or Islam which I think is a big threat, okay. [Kern told AFTAH that that here she was talking singularly about radical Islamic terrorism]

What a bunch of horseshit. Kern meant every words she said and an after-the-fact correction is useless here. And by the way, she is still incorrect regarding that "I meant generations" nonsense. Also, I still say that if she meant radical Islamic terrorism, she should have said so. I think she was talking about Islam in general.

Kern's speech is trash, pure and simple. It embodies every lie, every distorted study, every discredited study that the anti-gay industry has used against the lgbt community. That Peter took so long to embrace it is beyond me.

It's the same trash coming from his site every day.


And the lies keep coming, courtesy of One News Now

And now One News Now has gotten into the act. It took the phony news service time to "give the Christian perspective" on the situation. As of course they get the story all wrong:

Okla. lawmaker threatened with legal action for practicing free speech

Oklahoma state lawmaker Sally Kern has had to obtain legal representation in the wake of a barrage of tens of thousands of hate-filled emails and threatened lawsuits after she spoke publicly about the dangers of the radical homosexual agenda.

What lawsuits? This is the first time I have heard of lawsuits. Of course One News Now does not go into detail as to who is threatening to sue Kern. And the news site does not talk to people on the other side of this issue, like this legitimate news service did.

Of course the One News Now piece was written to rally support for Kern. As you can see by the comments section, this country has an excess of "guillible Christians" willing to be taken in by such tripe.

Peter LaBarbera tries to defend Sally Kern . . . and reveals more about why the comments came out of her mouth

Over two weeks after Kern's dumb comments, members of the anti-gay industry are slowly crafting a public relations defense for her.

Yesterday, it was the Thomas More Law Center. Today, it's our friend Peter LaBarbera and his group, Americans for Truth (in name only.)

Their defense is to try and turn focus on the responses Kern received regarding her comments, rather than the comments themselves.

Peter today, published a few unsavory emails that Kern allegedly received. To be honest, they are not nice.

Now I myself sent Kern a very short email asking just what sources did her information about gays and lesbians come from. And my letter represents a great number of emails by folks who decried her comments in a very respectful manner.

But of course Peter won't talk about those emails.

It is unfortunate that some folks choose to let their fingers wander on the keyboard before they calmed down from hearing Kern's comments. But you know what's more unfortunate?

Trying to make Kern into a victim.

I don't like some of the emails she received and I certainly don't think that she should receive death threats, but her comments were polarizing.

And people sending unsavory messages is what happens when polarizing comments are said. It happened in the case of the Dixie Chicks, it happened to Ann Coulter when she attacked the 9-11 widows, and it will probably happen again to someone else at another time.

What did Kern think the reaction would be? I tend to think that if her comments were about Christians, she would most likely receive the same type of vitriol.

However, the difference is that Peter and company would be trying to draw attention away from the vitriol rather than to it.

And on that note . . .

Our friend Peter also tries to lodge a serious defense of Kern's comments. The following are some his points along with my take on them:

Peter - No complete tape or transcript of the speech has been produced

My take - Unless Kern said at the end of the speech, "I'm just kidding. I really support the gay community," the fact that there was no complete tape is irrelevant. The comments on the portion produced is the reason for the anger.

Peter - Rep. Kern told AFTAH that she gave the (public) speech four times in her legislative district and never received a constituent complaint for its content.

My take - Again irrelevant. She certainly pissed off folks this time, didn't she?

Peter - Kerns told AFTAH that when she said, “I honestly think it’s the biggest threat our nation has, even more so than terrorism or Islam,” she was speaking singularly and directly to the threat of radical Islamic terrorism.

My take - She really should have indicated this in her speech and in her nonapologies about the speech. What took her so long?

Peter - Some homosexual activists are crusading to allow “men who have sex with men” (and women who have had sex with such men) to give blood – as part of their crusade for “gay rights” – despite the warnings by FDA that this would pose a “small but definite increased risk to people who receive blood transfusion if the policy were changed

My take - This is happening where in the United States? Oh that's right. It's not. Peter is referring to a 2006 article that dealt with gay activists in South Africa. But notice how he sneaks in the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) to infer how this is happening in the United States.

Peter - Homosexual activists are waging a legal/political/cultural war against the Boy Scouts of America, demanding that Scouts allow homosexual scoutmasters against their moral creed — and smearing this noble organization while seeking to cut off all government support for the Scouts nationwide.

My take - notice the phraseology behind the statement "demanding that Scouts allow homosexual scoutmasters . . ." The Boy Scouts do not allow gay scouts at all, but Peter is trying to covertly push the "gay pedophile" lie. For the record, I think the Scouts have every right to not allow gays, but they also should not have access to taxpayers' money. Some of that money comes from lgbts. You simply can't have it both ways.

Peter - Executive Director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, admitted what most of the rest of the country knew already when he said, “HIV is a gay disease”

My take - And Julian Bond of the NAACP called HIV a "black disease." Both comments were a challenge to both communities to take charge in eradicating these dieases, which is a good idea.

Peter - The GLBT “youth” movement – through organizations like GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network) — promotes homosexuality, bisexual and transsexuality as harmless “identities” to young people, thus putting children at tremendous risk. The result is widening youthful experimentation with “GLBT” behaviors and a plummeting of the average “coming out” age (when people publicly declare their homosexuality): some children now are even claiming that they are “gay,” lesbian, “bi” or “transgender” before they become teenagers

My take - The GLBT "youth" movement, as Peter puts it, sprung from the fact that young people are declaring and discovering their sexual orientation. If organizations like GLSEN did not exist, this would still be happening. GLSEN exists to provide support to these youth.

Peter - homosexual activists encourage the formation of “gay-straight alliance” clubs in middle schools across the nation

My take - That's right because these children need support rather than condemnation. And according to the Equal Access Act, it's perfectly legal.

Peter - the GLBT movement promotes homosexuality and transsexuality to our nation’s very youngest students – toddlers and kindergartners included — equating homosexuality with “love” in the minds of the most impressionable, grade-school children. Meanwhile, these groups are working to break down children’s natural opposition to homosexuality and establish “gay” activists as curricular role models in the classroom, while they simultaneously work to undermine parents’ rights and ability to keep their kids away from such lessons;

My take - Peter's comments here are filled with errors and entitlements. First of all, where is the proof that "homosexuality and transexuality" is being "promoted" to kindergartners and toddlers. And if children are equating homosexuality with love, it's probably because of their home environment. You see that is the part Peter omits when he says that gays are "undermining" parents. Many of those parents are lgbt and many of the homes these children come are same-sex households. And what's the deal with that comment, "children's natual opposition to homosexuality"? What natural opposition? Since when did Peter become a medical professional as to make such a comment?

If Peter's ridiculous tirade reveals anything, it's where Kern received her information as to homosexuality being more dangerous than terrorism. Don't you recognize the same vitriol? The same incorrect notions that lgbts are somehow outsiders and every move we make to protect our families and our futures being compared to tactics of a soulless invading army?

We get mad at Kern but really it's folks like Peter and other members of the anti-gay industry who are the blame for her nonsense.

And what makes matters worse, they claim that their demonization of the lgbt community, their distortion of legitimate medical information and statements made by our leaders, their entire program of misinformation about the lgbt community is somehow ordained by their Judeo-Christian values.

But in a way, I am glad that Peter wrote this "defense." He is taking responsibility for being one of the reasons behind Kern's lies.

Whether he meant to or not.

UPDATE: And now they lie about Joe Solmonese and donating blood

Peter's nonsense about gays giving blood may come from a recent Concerned Women for America press release:

But risking lives is apparently of little consequence to Joe Solmonese, president of the "Human Rights Campaign" (HRC), the nation's largest homosexual pressure group. Solmonese recently placed politics over science, falsely declaring this commonsense public health precaution to be "discriminatory." He has called for the ban to be lifted with the wildly irresponsible claim that, "[T]here is no medical or scientific rationale for this discriminatory policy."

"Joe Solmonese's demand is incredibly reckless and selfish," said Matt Barber, Policy Director for Cultural Issues with Concerned Women for America (CWA). "Unfortunately, it's a common demand among his fellow extremists.

Of course this is somewhat of a distortion. The press release juxtaposes Solmonese's comments with "recent studies" that are connotated to make it seem that gays are disease-ridden.

But what the press release fails to mention is that Solmonese's statements came about because of a hearing at the Food and Drug Administration in which the American Red Cross, the American Association of Blood Banks and America’s Blood Centers all said that the ban on blood donations from men who have had sex with men since 1977 should be lifted.

Solmonese was merely commenting on this testimony.

So what did the Concerned Women for America press release say about these organizations and their belief that the ban should be lifted?

Why nothing. Apparently the group was too busy trying to make Solmonese into a bad guy.

Just more proof as to why Sally Kern has the mindset that she does.

It's Wednesday and stuff is going on

The Sally Kern bullshit train rolls on:

“I see no reason to apologize for what God says, that homosexuality is a sin. I will not apologize. I did not say anything false. I did not say anything malicious or hateful. . . And they really want me to come down and talk to them? It would be like throwing myself to the lions."
Oh the poor thing. She calls some of her constituents worse than terrorists and won't meet with them, but it's the constituents who are in the wrong.

How dare they demand to meet with someone who is supposed to protect their interests but calls them names.

What do they think this is? America?

This new statement by Kern is a teachable moment. She said she won't apologize for what God said. Well I rarely get into Biblical discussions, but God Himself never said that homosexuality is a sin. Neither did Jesus.

The supposed admonitions against homosexuality come from Moses, but he also gave certain rules about behavior (i.e. eating shellfish and how women should be treated while having their periods) that we do not follow nowadays.

Supposedly the Apostle Paul also spoke out against homosexuality. But Paul also said that women should be silent in church and gave several statements that seemed to justify slavery.

Lastly, don't even get me started about Sodom and Gomorrah. People take serious dramatic licenses with the story of these two cities. I remember reading a Biblical comic book that inferred children were being raped in Sodom and Gomorrah, even though this idea is not in the Bible.

God never said that homosexuality was a sin, if you want to be technical about it. Some will probably argue against that point and that is their right.

The point is that God never said all of those other things Kern said about gays either. And no matter how much she tries to make this story one about her defending God's word, it just won't play like that.


UPDATE: And she just won't quit

Sally Kern has retained the services of the Thomas Moore Law Center, a right wing organization that claims to "defend and promote the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life through education, litigation, and related activities."

She is pushing the "I'm the real victim here" angle really hard. But the good news is that she may just agree to meet with some gays from her district.

However, get this: the law center is trying to tackle probably the hairiest thing potential Kern defenders have to deal with; her claiming that gays are trying to "indoctrinate" two-year-olds.

The law center is doing this by recounting past incidents in a manner that looks as if gays are in fact trying to "indoctrinate" children:

A 24-page pro-homosexual booklet is set to be distributed to all 16,000 school districts in the nation. The booklet produced by the National Education Association and the American Psychological Association falsely tells students that homosexuality is a “normal expression of human sexuality.”

Every year, homosexual rights groups, with the blessing of school officials, sponsor a “Day of Silence” when students and some teachers in schools across the nation remain silent ? with tape across their mouths ? throughout the school day. This year it’s on April 25. The stated purpose is to make others aware of discrimination against homosexuals. In reality, it is a means of propagandizing and pressuring students to regard homosexual, bisexual and transgender behavior as normal.

In the Montgomery County, Maryland School district, eighth and tenth graders are taught that homosexuality is innate? they’re born that way. As if to underscore the point, students are shown a film instructing them on how to use condoms in anal and oral sex.

Of course the law center's recounting of these events are distorted but it doesn't matter. What matters is repetition. Repeat lies long enough (especially if you have a network of anti-gay industry groups and blogs willing to do so) and pretty soon the lies become truth.

What gets me is how they are trying to blur the lines by saying the following:

“Her comments represent the view of a majority of Americans. All you need to do is look at all of the states that have overwhelmingly adopted constitutional amendments or statutes defending traditional marriages from the homosexual agenda. Christians believe that homosexual acts are acts of grave depravity, contrary to the natural law and under no circumstances can they be approved. However, Christians also believe one must love the sinner, but hate the sin.”

They are being very deceptive here. Now the marriage amendments may have had overwhelming support in many areas and many Americans may feel that homosexuality is a sin . . .

BUT I refuse to believe that a majority of Americans truly believe that gays are worse than terrorists.

Sorry, that is the real issue here. No matter how hard she tries to mask her lies under "Christian beliefs," no matter how hard she tries to manipulate semantics Kern can't run away from her words.

Big props to Pam Spaulding for this update.


And the winner in the category of "geeze he must be running out of material . . ."

Americans for Truth (in name only) has posted a bizarre picture of what it calls "gay terrorist."

I guess our friend Peter is trying to be funny. I'm not really offended by it.

But the word "pitiful" does come to mind.

And I'm not describing the person in the picture.


I just have to brag about my city of Columbia

I mentioned this before, but it deserves mention again. It just demonstrates how awesome my city of Columbia, SC is:


City Council Passes Gay, Lesbian Protection

Columbia is possibly the first city in South Carolina and one of only a handful of municipalities in the Southeast to make it illegal to discriminate against people in housing and public accommodations based on their sexual orientation.

City Council gave unanimous final approval to the protection March 5. At-large council members Daniel Rickenmann and Tameika Isaac Devine proposed it.

The measure makes Columbia one of only three cities in the South that have comprehensive nondiscrimination ordinances, says a write-up on the web site of the Washington Blade gay and lesbian newspaper, which serves the Washington, D.C., area. The other two cities are Atlanta and New Orleans, the story says.

The rest of the story is here.

Just wanted to end this post on a high note.