Don't get discouraged, lgbt community

I really really really (yes I said really three times) hate this melee between the Obama Administration and the lgbt community for so many reasons.

Right now, a few friends of mine are very discouraged. Many of them worked their asses off to get Obama elected and they feel betrayed over the situation.

There is a lot of people with credible concerns over the DOMA brief and other things.

Then there are the ones I wish would just go away.

You know them - the ones who are always talking about some psuedo intellectual bullshit about revolution and taking to the streets.

Or the ones who are always quick to cite what black folks did during the civil rights movement even though their knowledge of such things obviously from television movies and pieces of simple lessons they learned in elementary school.

Never mind the intricate details or Machiavellian plans that went behind every march, the fights, and the disagreements between major African-American civil rights groups that exist even until this day. All they know is Rosa Parks refused to move from her seat, Martin Luther King Jr. said his "I Have A Dream" speech, black people marched en masse, and presto, they got their rights.

Then there are the ones who will talk about the glorious past history of the outsider street politics of Stonewall, Queer Nation, and Act-Up while forgetting the fact that those situations took place when the lgbt community had no political power to speak of.

I know what you are thinking. Obama's actions proves that we don't have any political power now. Well that's not true.

One thing that always irks me when people like to cite the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 60s is the fact that they tend to skirt over details, like the fact that even though African-Americans helped Kennedy to be elected, he had to be pushed to support civil rights.

Just like Obama has to be pushed to do the right thing. Of course in this case, it looks like Obama has to be pulled, yanked, or tied down and carried.

But the fact of the matter is that I'm a cynical, pragmatic person so I never viewed Obama's election as a huge breakthrough for lgbts.

Don't get me wrong. I like President Obama, but I have never viewed his election as nothing more than a chess move that would get lgbts closer to where we need to be.

I'm not saying that we shouldn't be angry at President Obama. What I am saying is that we need to sit back, take a view of where we are as opposed to where we would be if McCain had been elected, and then use our anger in an intelligent manner that will get us closer to equality.

You see that's the good thing about the anger that many of us are feeling now. We are in the driver's seat, a place where we wouldn't have been had it been a Republican Administration.

We do have political power right now. And that power has the potential to yield positive results. That is if we don't allow our anger to lead us rather than us leading it.

Editor's note - Another reason why I hate this melee is that it is distracting me from the mission of this blog (exposing religious right lies) as well as taking the shine off of SC Black Pride week. But I will soldier on and hope to have pictures of events in the coming days.

Thursday midday news briefs

Campaign to save Maine's marriage law is launched. Opponents hired Yes on Prop. 8 campaign manager to kill our rights again. - The rematch!

Anti-bullying bill in jeopardy - Paul Cameronesque bullcrap rears its ugly head.

NOM threatens GOP primary challenges in New York - They are threatening to spend $500,00 to unseat any Republican who supports marriage equality. Where is this pathetic group getting all of that money?

Big city mayors pushing homosexual agenda - Because we all need fiber in our diets, a bit from One News Now complete with a quote from Peter LaBarbera who has YET to talk about his recent so-called press conference against President Obama supposedly pro-gay agenda. Was it that bad, Peter?

Presidential Memorandum: "A Very Small Step in the Right Direction" Presidential Action Highlights Need For DOMA Repeal - Sign the petition to DUMP DOMA!

And now for something completely different and campy. Can you spot the Oscar winners in this following clip:

Obama, Family Research Council, SC Black Pride and various other sh!*&

Today is the day that chaos will begin to reign. Lgbts of color in South Carolina will be celebrating our fourth annual black pride.

Continue to pray for me that I don't overdo things.

Since I am up early working on a couple of things for the function, allow me to briefly hit on a couple of things:



That's nice but lgbts didn't help to elect President Obama to receive crumbs. This had better be the appeitizer to a huge meal and not the meal itself.

Next - the Family Research Council tries to pull another fast one. This is the headline for one of its blog posts:

Two Parents = Fewer Run-ins with Police

It's not necessarily a correct headline. The post actually says:

In the latest Mapping America, the General Social Surveys show that adults who lived with both biological parents as adolescents are less likely ever to be picked up or charged by police.

So its adults who as adolescents lived with "their biological parents" are less likely to ever be picked up or charged by police, not necessarily folks who lived in two-parent households in general.

Gotta love that religious right bait and switch.

Finally is it just me or did no one give a damn about that press conference yesterday led by Peter LaBarbera, Matt Barber, and Sally Kern?

I have yet to see or hear anything from it.

Anyway, I'm outta here until lunch. Like I said before, pray for me and Black Pride.

This just in - Sen. Jim DeMint is a clueless (mutter mutter mumble)

Despite its bad reputation, I happen to love my home state of South Carolina.

There is one thing I would change about it, however. Why oh why do we elect the people we do to Congress.

Like Senator Jim DeMint, whose recent comments to One News Now about hate crimes legislation boggles my mind:

A leading conservative lawmaker says the only way "hate crimes" legislation can be stopped in the U.S. Senate is if senators believe that when they return home there will be some "pain" associated with a vote in favor of the controversial measure.

. . . Senator Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina) has pledged to do everything in his power to stop the hate crimes bill. He says his colleagues, especially red-state Democrats, need to be bombarded with at least 1,000 calls or emails from constituents who oppose the legislation.

DeMint argues the hate crimes bill violates free speech and the free practice of religion in America. He suggests that comments by pastors condemning a certain kind of lifestyle or behavior could be classified as hate speech under hate crimes legislation.

"And that's where we're headed, [that's] where we're losing our right to say that things are wrong," says the senator. "And in a society where you can't say things are wrong, you no longer have a moral society -- you no longer have minimum standards and high aspirations."

First of all, if DeMint is considered as a "leading conservative lawmaker," then the Republicans have big problems. Really though, this is nothing new from Jim (I don't think gays should be teachers) DeMint.

But his lies about hate crimes legislation is pitiful. The inaccuracy that adding lgbts to existing hate crimes legislation will lead to words rather than actions being punished has been refuted consistently from places as small as this blog to sites as nationwide as the Washington Post.

DeMint's foolhardy talk about the legislation is like an animal trainer bragging that he will put his head into the mouth of a lion even after he has been repeatedly told that the lion is untrainable.

Part of me is looking forward to DeMint falling on his face should he pursue a course to stop the passage of lgbt-friendly hate crimes legislation.

But I cringe for the image of South Carolina.

Wednesday midday news briefs

Barney's mad. But, wants us to keep giving to the DNC - What's going to happen next? I don't know

What the President will say about LGBT rights tonight - and who will be there? - Put up or shut up Mr. President.

Frank to introduce ENDA next week - Things aren't all bad. According to the article, the bill has eight sponsors - four Democrats and four Republicans.

Bias Killings Highest Since 1999 - The lgbt community should seriously invest in some self defense courses. And I don't say that as a joke. Also there is nothing wrong with traveling in groups and going Four Horsemen on a micky ficky (it's an African-American term for asshole) if he decides to act stupid.

GLAD DOMA Plaintiff Can Get Passport in Married Name - Nothing wrong with more good news.

And lastly, something to make you smile - Why am I including this youtube clip? Simply because I want you all smiling when you leave this post. And yes the lead singer did play Violet Beauregarde in the original Willie Wonka movie:

Religious right to help Obama look moderate

Number one on my weird stuff-o-meter has to be this upcoming press conference by various members of the religious right:

Americans For Truth About Homosexuality (AFTAH) is organizing a news conference Wednesday, June 17th at 11:00 AM, to highlight President Obama’s radical homosexual appointments and overall “gay” agenda:

Where: 29 South LaSalle Street, Suite 610, Chicago, IL
When: Wednesday., June 17, 11:00 AM
Who: Scheduled speakers:

Peter LaBarbera, Americans For Truth About Homosexuality
Matt Barber, Liberty Counsel;
Oklahoma State Rep. Sally Kern (R);
Hiram Crawford, pro-family, pro-life advocate, Chicago;
Mary Ann Hackett, Catholic Citizens of Illinois;
Diane Gramley, American Family Association of Pennsylvania;
David Smith, Illinois Family Institute;
Pastor Larry Rogers, Israel Methodist Community Church, Chicago;
Tom Brejcha, Thomas More Pro-Life Law Center;
Pastor Calvin Lindstrom, Church of Christian Liberty, Arlington Heights, IL

What: press event drawing attention to Obama’s emerging homosexual- and transsexual activist agenda:

Obama’s radical appointments including anti-traditional-Catholic Harry Knox (of the homosexual lobby group Human Rights Campaign) and Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network (GLSEN) founder Kevin Jennings;

Hate Crimes bill;

Obama’s radical promise to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), signed into law by President Clinton in 1996);

Obama’s ENDA (Employment Nondiscrimination Act) plans to force businesses to approve of homosexuality;

Obama’s plan to homosexualize the U.S. military (repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”);

Obama’s confusion about Christianity, the Bible and homosexual practice;

Obama’s lack of mandate to push the envelope on homosexual and transsexual issues

What? No Carrie Prejean. Somehow I think Sally Kern is a poor substitute.

Just a couple of things I noticed about the press release:

- Calling Knox an anti-traditional Catholic means that Knox “dared” to criticize Pope Benedict’s idiotic statement on condoms. And here I thought this country’s constitution guaranteed Knox that right.

- Thank God when Kevin Jennings' came up, the words “fistgate” didn’t also come up. But then again, I’m sure it will during the press conference.

- Businesses being “forced” to approve of homosexuality? The semantics behind that is just astounding. I guess that means that by hiring me, my employer is forced to approve of my Nina Simone imitations. That being the case, I wonder can I get them to pay for my outfits.

- And that point about President Obama’s supposed confusion about the Scriptures and homosexuality just speaks to what I posted about on Saturday.

I know of some Christian women who will not wear pants in church because they feel it’s a sin for a woman not to wear a dress in "the House of God."

I know of other Christians who don’t go to movies or dance because they regard both things as sins.

I consider myself a good person of faith, but yet I see nothing wrong (sorry Stephen King) with shaking my tail to a hot boogie beat on a Saturday night (I’ve always wanted to use that phrase ever since I read it in Needful Things).

Why should my definition of Scriptures be pushed as THE definition? For that matter, why should LaBarbera’s or anyone else’s be considered as THE definition? Just when did God appoint him or anyone else on the religious right as the decider of correct Scriptural definitions?

What’s so bizarre about this press conference is that it is taking place during a huge disagreement between the Obama and members of the lgbt community regarding his Administration’s defense of DOMA and overall slowness on lgbt issues.

Meanwhile President Obama is set to announce that he is extending benefits to lgbt federal workers. It's a bone but not a big one because he is doing it in a memorandum which means they won't extend after he leaves office.

However all of these situations happening at once only serve to benefit President Obama.

To folks blissfully unaware of the intricacies of this lovely so-called culture war between lgbts and the religious right, he is going to come across as a beseiged president in the middle of a vicious tug of war by two “pushy” constituencies.

While one side is saying he isn’t doing enough for lgbts, the other will say he is doing too much.

Which means he is going to garner major pity points as well kudos for taking the so-called middle road.

In other words, through their stridency and need to be seen and heard, the religious right will be trivializing not only their own cause but also the cause of lgbts who have very real concerns about the direction the Obama Administration is heading.

And thereby helping President Obama look presidential throughout the entire thing - something I know they didn’t intend to happen.

Common sense would have told LaBarbera and company to sit back and watch the fireworks between the Obama Administration and the lgbt community.

But LaBarbera and company is not necessarily known for respecting truth. So why their dealings with common sense be any different?

Is lgbt anger at President Obama community-wide?

Not counting today, I've got one more day of freedom before the madness of South Carolina Black Pride commences.

Come Thursday, I will be ripping all over the fair city of Columbia going to several events. I've already bought the epsom salt to soak my feet after it's all over.

It's going to be wild around here until Sunday but I will continue to adhere (or try to adhere) to my schedule of three posts a day generated to educate, edify and make you laugh.

Pray for me.

Speaking of which (prayer that is), I am almost reluctant to breach the following subject but feel that it is necessary.

There is a lot of appropriate anger at the Obama Administration in the lgbt community over his slowness in fulfilling campaign promises as well as the appalling defense of DOMA.

I've said it's a powder keg waiting to happen and it continues to grow. Various high profile lgbts are pulling out of a fundraiser next week. The Washington Blade plans to take pictures and videotape folks who will be attending.

I hope that the Blade reporters will also ask critical questions.

The fundraiser has been called a watershed moment. And I have a feeling that it will be. We could be on the verge of a huge lgbt leadership restructuring.

That is in some places. Down here in South Carolina, something happened that is indicative of my conflicted feelings over it all.

I was in the library today posting and I caught two young gay black men also on one of the computers.

I could hear them talking about the situation with President Obama. I don't know all of what they said but I do remember hearing the phrase "that's some white mess."

It occurred to me that these young men weren't exactly in the corner of the lgbt community.

And I don't know how to feel about that.

On one hand, I am a bit livid that these young folks have taken this point of view about the Obama Administration. President Obama does owe the lgbt community answers and actions.

But on the other hand, I can partially understand their point of view. And I can honestly tell you that they are not the only lgbts of color who feel that way, particularly in South Carolina.

I like to think that I've given a bit of hell to the black community on how it treats lgbts of color. But in all honesty, the lgbt community at large shares some of the blame for the isolation of lgbts of color.

On more than one occasion, it has been implied to us by the general lgbt community that our voices don't count.

If you disagree, then would you answer these questions?

How many lgbts of color have you seen on the cover of the Advocate magazine? What is the ethnic orientation for the people always cited or quoted as a credible source for the lgbt community?

How many prominent lgbts of color (activists, lawyers, doctors, etc.) can you name? And I'm not talking about just celebrities. By the way, there are many who are open and out.

Can anyone tell me how lgbts of color feel about marriage equality? Have their opinion as a group been solicited?

The lgbt community at large deserves as much blame as the black community for the inaccuracy that lgbt equality is a "white issue."

There has been so much said (and not listened to) about this situation, but still allow me to break it down to a quick point: lgbts of color have this unfair choice of being a part of a community that promises them partial visiblity and a degree of solidarity based on a common ethnic identity (the black community) or being a part of a community that seems to give them very little visibility but makes assumptions and demands on how they should feel and act(the lgbt community).

Guess what they will pick every time. Subsequently, when an issue (be it the anger with President Obama or marriage equality, etc) rolls around, the mindset of many lgbts of color is:

"These white gays only come to us when they want something. They never seem to care about what's going on with us at any other time. When they get what they want, watch how quick they leave. They don't give a damn about us."

So while I watch this situation regarding lgbt community anger at President Obama, I do so with a heavy heart.

And the belief that not all of the lgbt community is down with the anger.

Is it right or wrong to feel this way? I don't know. It's just one of those things that bugs me.

And it's definitely something to think about.

Tuesday midday news briefs

WSJ covers DOMA hate-brief controversy, DOJ says it will file more briefs defending law Obama onced called "abhorrent" - President Obama really needs to say something and NOW! He is sitting on a powder keg here.

Gay figures pull out of Biden fundraiser - Powder keg, meet match.

EXCLUSIVE: California lesbian couple allege discrimination at Fresno hospital - And the not good news keeps coming.

Court throws out ban on exposing children to gays - But there is some good news on the horizon.

DC board rejects gay marriage referendum effort - A little bit more of good news never hurt anyone.

Confession: Alleged homosexual deed led to killing - What the hell?

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

With everything going on with President Obama, the Democratic party and lgbts, I am almost hesitant to talk about the attacks on Kevin Jennings and GLSEN but I simply have to.

Today on his webpage, Peter LaBarbera continues to wage the war against Jennings. He has put up an affidavit by one Scott Whiteman, the man who taped the supposed "fistgate" incident.

To recap: GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network) founder Kevin Jennings was recently appointed to be Assistant Deputy Secretary for the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools, religious right groups have been trying to find a way to have him dismissed.

So they have been going through past files in pursuit of something especially damning that would cause the Obama Administration to fire Jennings.

One of the things they supposedly found was what they like to call "Fistgate." This was a situation that took place during a conference in 2000 at Tufts University in Massachusetts.

The state conference, "Teach-Out," was sponsored by the Massachusetts Department of Education, the Governor’s Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth, and the GLSEN.

Included among the conference-goers were preadolescents who were (like the rest of Teach-Out's attendees) allowed to ask questions about sex in a safe environment. One student asked what fisting was, and was answered with an explanation.

This led the incident to the supposed "Fistgate" incident.

Whiteman taped some of the students without their knowledge.

As a result of the outcry that was generated when parents heard tapes of the event, Margot Abels, a state employee who participated in the discussion, and two other state employees were fired.

Abels later sued the Massachusetts Department of Education and Whiteman for "violating her civil rights and the state's antiwiretapping law."

In 2001, she was not only reinstated but was also given back pay via arbitration. The arbitrator, Marc Greenbaum ruled that:

Abels was not acting on behalf of the Department of Education, but said the department had knowledge of and "supported" her participation in the presentation.

He also said:

that her participation was "authorized by her superiors, and her conduct, while controversial, did not violate then-established department guidelines."

The arbitrator also said that the tape was "misleading" because portions of it, which contained "important messages about AIDS prevention, abstinence, postponement, alternative forms of sexual intimacy and the need for students to enforce their own boundaries of personal security," were missing.

That's the story. But LaBarbera and company continue to inaccurately imply that GLSEN was solely responsible for the conference and, by way of connection, was responsible for the unfortunate incident:

“What’s Fisting?”: That’s the question that a teenager asked an adult at a Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network (GLSEN)-sponsored conference at Tufts University in Boston in 2000. (GLSEN was founded by Kevin Jennings, President Obama’s pick to head up the “Safe Schools” wing at the Department of Education.) What followed from this perverse question was a detailed explanation of this disgusting perversion, including “how-to” advise on how to “fist” (hand/arm-anal and -vaginal penetration) “correctly.” At left is the logo of the Chicago group MAFIA, Mid-America Fists in Action, Inc., a homosexual club that holds “fisting parties” for men into this vile and dangerous perversion. (MAFIA holds “fisting” parties every year at Chicago’s International Mr. Leather.)

I'm not even going to ask how LaBarbera has information regarding fisting parties. And the affadavit he reprinted is nothing new. It continues to inaccurately blame Jennings and GLSEN for the incident.

These continued attempt by the religious right to attack Jennings is starting to become a parody. Their hopes seem to be if they continue to make noise, sooner or later folks will start to take notice.

This is true to a degree. If one continues to make noise, you do get noticed. However sometimes its because people are starting to laugh or pity you.

I'm personally laughing myself. I generally do that when people continue to be a dead horse.

More on the religious right's war against Kevin Jennings:

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

Religous right distortions deserve more attention

From the Washington Blade comes this news:

The U.S. Senate is expected to approve hate crimes legislation by Wednesday, according to a Democratic source.

Lawmakers are expected to pass the measure by amending S. 1023, or the Travel Promotion Act, said the source. The bill is geared toward establishing a national travel promotion program to communicate U.S. travel policies and to promote travel to the United States.

"The idea is that that will be an amendment to the tourism bill that's going to be on the floor this week in the Senate, and we're thinking that the vote will happen probably [Tuesday] or Wednesday," said the source.

This news means we can expect more lies from the religious right about pastors being arrested for calling homosexuality a sin and how the bill protects pedophiles. It never ceases to amaze me out how those folks will lie even after being refuted.

But one thing we probably won't see should the law pass is an lgbt community so happy that we will get caught up in a celebration and forget about the other fights.

We are too focused for that.

I am aware of the fact that there has been a lot of anger towards President Obama regarding his slow movement on pro-lgbt legislation and his Administration's baffling defense of DOMA.

To say that the lgbt community is pissed is an understatement and personally, I like it.

Now I don't know if its because of Proposition 8, but there is an interesting tone of intensity in the community that I find refreshing.

It's about time but I have one small suggestion.

Can we take just a little bit of that intensity off of President Obama's Administration and focus on religious right lies? Not too much, mind you, because we need to continue to put the president's feet to the fire.

But earlier today, I talked about the myriad of researchers who have complained about the distortion of their work by the religious right and yet how very few people are aware of this.

Not counting the ones I mentioned in the post earlier today, there are many cases of this happening. The following are just a few of the ones I am aware of - A. Nicholas Groth, the six researchers of a Canadian study (Robert S. Hogg, Stefan A. Strathdee, Kevin J.P. Craib, Michael V. Shaughnessy, Julio Montaner, and Martin T. Schehter), Dr. Kyle Pruett, Dr. Elizabeth Saewyc, Carol Gilligan, Dr. Robert Spitzer, Dr. Francis Collins, Gary Remafedi, Professor Michael King, and Professor Lisa Diamond.

And religious right distortions are like cockroaches - for every one you see, there are at least five others you don't see.

The one thing that always frustrated me is how in the past the lgbt community let religious right lies slide. But now we don't seem to be in the mood to let anything slide.

On the blogs, there seems to be momentum and a push to expose religious right distortions. Sites like Truth Wins Out, Good As You, Box Turtle Bulletin, Americablog, Pams House Blend, and my humble blog , Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters (if I am forgetting a site, please charge it to my head and not my heart) are doing what we can.

But I am serious when I say I would love to a cover story in The Advocate magazine, The Washington Blade , or any of our major publications about the religious right misuse of studies. Now is the perfect time.

While we are demanding our rights to self-determination from the Obama Administration, let's take the next step and demand the right to proper news and education from those who claim to be our media representatives.

Monday midday news briefs

First - proof that the religious right just ain't that original when it comes to hyperbole:

"The real question here that needs to be asked -- and nobody on our side, from a columnist to a TV commentator to anybody in our party has the guts to ask: How can a president nominate such a candidate? And how can a party get behind such a candidate? That's what would be asked if somebody were foolish enough to nominate David Duke or pick somebody even less offensive." - Rush Limbaugh whining about President Obama's pick of Sonia Sotomayor for the Supreme Court

“Putting Kevin Jennings in charge of ‘Safe Schools’ is like appointing David Duke to head up a federal panel on Racial Reconciliation." Peter LaBarbera whining that GLSEN founder Kevin Jennings is being picked as Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Education Department’s Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools.

So I guess with a black president, bringing up David Duke's name is now a popular occurrence.

Now onto news briefs:

Focus on the Family Again Misstates Researchers’ Facts about Sexual Abuse and Origins of Sexual Orientation - In my zeal to post this morning and then rush off to work, I neglected to include Truth Wins Out (a very good webpage and organization) in the Focus on the Family debunking post. This organization, as well as Warren Throckmorton, originally broke the story by consulting directly with the researchers. Truth Wins Out has been on the front lines when it comes to debunking religious right distortions about the lgbt community

Gary Randall, Fundraising Failure - The fight to repeal the domestic partnership law in Washington (i.e. Referendum 71) seems to be failing financially. Who says Mondays always have to suck?

UPDATE: National Media Coverage of KRXQ Hosts’ Apologies - They had better!

State Assembly Votes to Approve Domestic Partnerships!- Good news out of Wisconsin this weekend!

Focus on the Family caught distorting research . . . again

This week ought to be fun. It's Black Pride Week in the state of South Carolina.

Which means I'm going to be ripping and running to get things done.

How nice is it to celebrate Black Gay Pride in a state where a Republican activist compares the First Lady to an ape.

But I will hold my head high and pray that I get through this week without having to cut anyone with my razor.

Nevertheless, last weekend yielded some very good news. Focus on the Family has been caught in another attempt to distort credible research. Via Box Turtle Bulletin (I skimmed to a few choice parts. Click on the link to get the full story):

Focus On the Family is preparing to have their Love Won Out roadshow make its stop in Grand Rapids, Michigan this weekend. One of the principle arguments they are likely to spring on unsuspecting parents (if past history is any guide) is Melissa Fryrear’s assertion that she has never met a gay person who hadn’t been sexually abused, while drawing the insistent link that this abuse somehow is a major cause of homosexuality. (We saw Pat Robertson mine this same material earlier this week.) This damaging and abusive claim — imagine the horror of parents of gay kids in that audience who will hear her say that — has been a very steady theme in Love Won Out’s arsenal.

To bolster that claim, Focus On the Family recently issued one of their “reports” by Jeff Johnston, who is touted as the “gender issues analyst” at Focus On the Family (his degree and qualifications are never mentioned). That report, “Childhood Sexual Abuse and Male Homosexuality,” is further intended to reinforce the claim that most gay men have experienced some form of sexual abuse in their childhoods, and that this is the reason they became gay. To back up his claims, he cites the book, Unequal Opportunity: Health Disparities Affecting Gay and Bisexual Men in the United States, edited by Richard J. Wolitsk, Ron Stall and Ronald O. Valdiserri. That book contains a large number of research papers on various topics related to men’s health, including child sexual abuse.

. . . Grove City College professor Warren Throckmorton contacted Ron Stall and Ron Valdiserri and asked them to comment on the Focus On the Family report. They responded with a statement condemning the report as “inaccurate and, in our opinion, a distortion of the scientific literature.” They go on:

Most basically, the Focus on the Family characterization of the literature on childhood sexual abuse among gay men represents a misunderstanding of scientific approaches to distinguishing between correlation and causation. The book chapter in question reports that gay men are more likely to report childhood sexual abuse by men than are heterosexual men. This correlation does not mean that the reported abuse caused the adult sexual orientation. If that were the case, then the fact that some heterosexual men report sexual abuse by women means that sexual abuse by women “causes” heterosexuality in men. It is also worth noting that the argument that childhood sexual abuse causes homosexuality in gay men is undermined by the fact that the vast majority of gay men are not sexually abused as children.

I guess we can include these researchers with the others who complain about how the religious right distorts their work.

This is something that needs to be brought to the public's attention as of yesterday. Instead of waiting for the religious right to attack us, the lgbt community need to be on the offensive and make the religious right explain themselves for their consistent misuse of science.

How long do we have to wait before the powers that be in the lgbt community, including those with stroke in the lgbt media (i.e. The Advocate magazine) bring attention to this issue?

Who made Matt Barber and the Liberty Counsel God's spokespeople?

What's the deal with the religious right today:

A Christian college in India allows applicants to indicate whether they are male, female, or transgender when they enroll.

Matt Barber, cultural affairs director at Liberty Counsel, says Madras Christian College administrators must have misread the book of Genesis, believing God created male, female, and transgender.

"You know, this is just ridiculous and insane," he contends. "It's really sad that a Christian college is joining in and entertaining this leftist, secular, humanist delusion that is transgenderism."

Now I have no idea what the truth is behind this situation. If Madras Christian College is doing this then I applaude the institute.

But what gets me is the audacity of Barber. What is it his business what this college does? It's not that he doesn't have a right to voice an opinion because that's not the point.

Sometimes it's not enough to have the right to voice an opinion. With rights come responsiblities and a degree of discernment. Everyone is always talking about their rights to voice an opinion but very few want to talk about their responsibility as to when they should voice that opinion. And sometimes a big part of that responsibility is knowing when to talk and knowing when to hush because the situation has nothing to do with you.

Neither Barber nor the Liberty Counsel contributes to this college. Neither he nor anyone working at the Liberty Counsel have children who attend this college.

So why is it Barber's business to make an officially public comment about something that has nothing to do with him other than the fact that he considers himself a Christian.

You see this is a problem with Christianity and religion in general that has plagued us through the ages. People take it upon themselves to be God's spokesperson when they would be best served to let God handle the things.

Whatever Madras College did is betweeen it and God, no one else. In the end, it is only He who should determine just who or who isn't following His word.

And He doesn't need any help from Barber or anyone else.

Family Research Council wants us to pray

"Praying with the Family Research Council makes about as much sense as me going to a Klan rally in search of a boyfriend."

I received this email from the Family Research Council via its leader Tony Perkins today:

Dear Friend of FRC,

The Lord has impressed on me the need for us, as followers of Jesus Christ, to take responsibility for the broken state of our nation and go to God. But we must go to Him on His terms, in humility, prayer, and repentance as outlined in 2 Chronicles 7:14. Then and only then can we claim the promise of God's forgiveness, healing and the renewal of our lives and our land.

Visit www.Call2Fall.com and click "I'm in" to participate in this nationwide effort.

The day after we celebrate our "Independence," we need to re-declare our "Dependence" upon God in humble and repentant prayer. At minimum, we hope that you will spend at least a few minutes literally on your knees in prayer during worship services on Sunday, July 5th.

Can you help us spread the word about Call2Fall?

Please take a couple of minutes and send an email to your family and at least five of your friends. Just copy and paste the link below into your email and encouraging them to visit this link:

http://www.call2fall.com/welcome_participant

There they can view a video, visit the website, and join this movement. Ask your church leaders to sign-up your church to become a host for Call2Fall.

Visit www.Call2Fall.com and click on "I'm in" and encourage five friends to do the same.

Can you imagine what God would do if millions of Christians all across our land would actually do this and mean it?

Bear in mind that the Family Resarch Council is the same organization that:

- admits that it relies on "outdated" work to demonize the lgbt community:

The Family Research Council continues to use 'outdated' work

Another flawed piece of work courtesy of the Family Research Council

- and recently took part in a huge attempt to destroy GLSEN's Kevin Jennings via a campaign of innuendoes and outright lies:

More attacks on GLSEN'S Kevin Jennings - Now the Family Research Council gets in the act

And that's just the stuff that I'm not too tired to mention. From its inception, the Family Research Council has set the bar high when it comes to breaking the commandment on bear false witness.

Yet this is the same group that is encouraging us all to pray with it? Praying with the Family Research Council makes about as much sense as me going to a Klan rally in search of a boyfriend.

Don't get me wrong. I believe in the power of prayer because it's how I was able to reconcile myself with my sexual orientation.

But if I am going to pray, it won't be with the Family Research Council.

I'm too pretty to be struck by lightning.

Know your lgbt history - Cruising

Just what can I say about this monstrosity when everything else has been said.

I think I have it. Cruising is the worse anti-gay movie I have ever seen. It goes beyond offensive. There is actually an aura of sleaziness that so permeates this movie that if, after watching it, you were dipped in quick dissolving acid and your remains were sprinkled with lime, you still wouldn't be able to get rid of the essence of filth that comes from watching this movie.

Cruising tells the story of a New York City police officer(Al Pacino) who infiltrates the so-called sadomaschistic world of homosexuality in order to find a serial killer of gay men. And this serial killer doesn't just kill gay men, he butchers them slowly and painfully (a point driven unnecessarily by the first murder scene.)

There are no redeeming qualities to this movie. The gay characters are from the pit of a joint fantasy by Peter LaBarbera, Lou Sheldon, Matt Barber, and Donald Wildmon. They are pathetic individuals who, when not being murdered, are either immersing themselves in vile festishes or being intimidated into having sex with police officers.

Even the ending stinks. After Pacino's character finds the killer, we are led to believe that he is taking up the mantle of murder because he can't deal with the idea that he himself might be gay.

Of course the lgbt community raised holy hell when Cruising came out. It was a bomb for that reason and others (the movie just plain sucks).

This scene epitomizes just how bad Cruising is. It's not work safe. I don't know what's worse about this scene; the fact that is dehumanizes gay men, the fact that none of the men in the scene can dance, or the fact that you just know that none of the men are wearing deodorant.

Friday midday news briefs

Public record investigations: Apparently 'hacking' to those who hack up equality - Harry Jackson can cry a river for all I care. No one is trying to attack his personal life. Investigations into whether or not he is a legitimate resident of Washington, D.C. are appropriate seeing that he is trying to influence policy there.

California HIV Emergency: Schwarzenegger, Legislature may slash HIV funding - Pray for those in California that this does not take place.

Michigan voters shifting views on gay couples - Mark one for Michigan.

Conservatives take stand against hate-crimes bill - Uh guys, the key thing to remember about lying is that you are supposed to do it when people don't know that you are lying.

Coming later today in my Know your lgbt history post - The most vile, vomit-inducing, anti-gay movie in the history of motion pictures. I think you all know what it is. But here is something to put you in a good mood:

An excellent video on civil rights for all!!

This is one of the best videos I have ever seen. It was made by BethCA66 (on youtube). This is what she says about it:

Making this video has left me drained, speechless and sad. I am triracial: African American, Native American and various flavors of European American. Although we're triracial, my family and I primarily identify as African American. Mormonanswerman has claimed that African Americans do not like to have comparisons drawn between the GLBTQ civil rights movement and the African-American civil rights movement. Speaking as an African American, the comparison holds true. The history of discrimination may be be different, but the effects of hatred, bigotry and bias are the same.

Amen sister! I dare anyone to watch this video and not be moved:



Whew! After that serious video, here is something from my childhood to make you smile:

Mass Resistance's funny war against Massachusetts' lgbt community

While I love making fun of Peter LaBarbera's stridency when it comes to stigmatizing the lgbt community, he doesn't come close to what Mass Resistance does in Massachusetts.

Mass Resistance is the religious right group that's so strident, it has probably done more for the case of lgbt rights by alienating everyone in the state.

It's the group also behind the so-called Fistgate scandal as well as the David Parker controversy; two unfortunate moral panics and the reasons why my hit count has egrown.

You think LaBarbera goes out of his way to demonize lgbts via pictures and such? Please. Compared to Mass Resistance, he is just a child who is holding his first camera.

Mass Resistance routinely films and takes pictures of pro-lgbt events, especially those with high lgbt youth participation. The group places these films and tapes on its webpage with language so lurid and melodramatic that it would give V.C. Andrews pause.

A perfect example is the recent Massachusetts Youth Parade the group attended:

Kids (below) using the excitement of public parade to show the world how they've "come out" as homosexual, thanks to hardcore activists in the schools. This is very sad to see.

Sounds terrible but I ask you, whats wrong with the following pictures (just some on the webpage that Mass Resistance shows as proof of the so-called indoctrination of children):





How dare these gay children hold hands with their partners in the daylight hours! Someone call the Attorney General.

Mass Resistance's ramblings gets worse. Apparently there was a prom held for lgbt youth. Mass Resistance called it a "transgender prom," but knowing the group's love of hyperbole, I don't trust their description.

Mass Resistance took pictures of attendees doing nothing wrong, added lurid and insulting captions to the pictures, and made unproven charges, such as claiming that the participants were smoking marijuana.

The page is here for your perusal and amusement.

Mass Resistance has also published an "report" by an unknown, unnamed college student named "Max" who allegedly attended the event on their behalf. Of course he had nothing positive to say:

"I remained in the building for an hour and a half and found the events inside disturbing, depraved and outright criminal."

. . . This “prom” was a recruiting propaganda event. The middle-aged fetishists handing out cards, the adult transsexuals dancing with underage school kids, the lack of supervision on the part of the organizers accomplished one goal and one goal only: to recruit as many teenagers as possible to the homosexual cause.

The homosexual cause is a cult. The people with the megaphones, covered in homosexual rainbow livery screamed about “gay pride” and “unity” as tourists walked by on that warm Saturday night. It was clear that the goal of this movement, just like that of any other cult, is to isolate kids from the rest of society, their parents and their friends, leaving them with only one option: to join the gay cause.

Damn, if only I could write fiction as good as "Max."

The lgbt community in Massachusetts have long gotten used to the exploits of Mass Resistance. They treat the group like an ugly birthmark; it's there, it's unsightly, but it causes no harm.

But while you are laughing, remember something. It's bullshit like that which make it so hard for our lgbt children to be open and honest. Yesterday, I talked about how the religious right are attacking GLSEN's Kevin Jennings for not betraying the trust of a gay youth who told him about a relationship with an older person. The talking point was that Jennings should have alerted the police and the child's parents.

And while religious groups want to read Jennings the riot act for that 1988 incident, none are saying a word about Mass Resistance attacking lgbt youth. In fact, one religious right figure (Peter LaBarbera of course) is presenting Mass Resistance's nonsense front and center on his webpage while adding a bit of hyperbole of his own.

I betcha that LaBarbera and Mass Resistance would give Hansel and Gretel hell for not letting the witch eat them.

Thursday midday news briefs

Those who followed my last post by now know that the discussion between me and the "sanctified lady with the stripper hat" has taken a weird turn.

She pulled the "gay sex is harmful and gay men eat feces" card out of her stripper hat. Yeah, she went there.

So subsequently, after informing girlfriend as to how her comments are no different than those of racists against black folks, I have decided to stop responding to her nonsense. I figure I got my points across and her comments accentuate my points.

Anyway, on to news briefs:

Five alternatives to another LGBT March on Washington - a good post from a good friend Matt Comer (the guy in the picture with me) via Pams House Blend.

Lesbian senator votes against Jesse Helms resolution - Alright, girlfriend!

Gay and Lesbian Adults More Likely to Read Blogs and Use Social Networking Tools - I sincerely hope so! I've been at this thing for almost three years and my face, hair, and nonexistent social life have been suffering serious neglect.

Why Miss California really got fired - Parts 1, 2, and 3 - I know, I know. I am SUCH a tool. But this needs to be shown because you just know that NOM and company are going to make Prejean into a martyr:

Me and my reprobate mind - responses to my column on lgbts of color

Tomorrow will be the last day that my column will be on the State newspaper's online EXTRA opinion webpage.

Surprisingly, the responses have been very positive.

I was given a lot of kudos for what I wrote. And many good discussions took place.

At my job, a lot of folks gave me support. Even those who may haved disagreed with my column respected me for being honest. It reminds me about just how limited folks are when they try to predict how African-Americans behave regarding lgbt issues.

The main thing is not religious disagreement but a lack of information. The fact of the matter is that many African-Americans are not educated about lgbts of color and the gay community in general. When we are able to break through that wall of ignorance, people will realize that black folks aren't monolithic when it comes to lgbt rights

However . . .

There is always some silly people who show their asses. And there was one in an AOL forum. I submitted my columns to several African-American forums on AOL, including a religious forum because I felt that this is a religious issue. This is the one response I received from a young woman:

I live in NYC.

See them every day, insecure and disgusted with themselves....

I don't need to be reminded.

My reply:

Well I don't know about New York but I know that if your own people are stabbing you in the back, you aren't inclined to feel good about yourself.

Still homosexuality is a black issue. And lgbts of color deserve as much dignity and respect as other facets of the black community.

Her two responses to me and another person who called her out on being so negative:

1. I was only concerned for a minute.

Go on to hell as you've decided to do.

If the LORD can't reach you, I can't either.....

And that goes for every confused unhappy homosexual practitioner who has turned away from GOD.

HE's turned you over to your own reprobate spirit.....

Have fun while you can.

2. My people are the people of the ONE TRUE AND LIVING GOD. Those are my brothers and sisters in CHRIST.

Homosexual practitioners are not part of that group.

My response to her nonsense:

Well you have a right to your belief my friend.

But until there is any holy book (Bible or otherwise) that say you sit on the right hand of God, I will think of your belief simply as your opinion. None of us are God so it is no one's place to condemn someone to hell.

This is the main reason why us black folks can't have a simple discussion on important issues like these.

Like I said before, we have to break through the ignorance. And it seems to be like horse manure in a stable - knee deep.