Your religion WILL NOT protect you from criticism

When it comes to people who hide behind their religion while attacking us gays, we need to be clear about something.

First check this out from Religious Right Watch:

Jack Hakimian is a Florida pastor who is turning into something of a Religious Right martyr after the North Miami public schools rebuked him for delivering anti-gay screeds on school property. Today, Hakimian took his case to American Family Radio, where he complained of “censorship” by gay groups. He said gay rights advocates “know that if we keep debating from biology, from theology and from sociology that homosexuality is not a healthy lifestyle, it’s not God’s plan, we will persuade people’s minds,” and so those advocates “want to destroy our presence.”

The thing which is sadder than Hakimian's ridiculous screed is that if we as a community cried foul, he, Tony Perkins, Donald Wildmon, and other members of the religious right would call US the bullies.

No matter how these folks push the false notion that they are "talking about the lifestyle," the fact remains that they are talking about us as people.

We haven't called them out. They've called us out.

The late lesbian poet Audre Lorde once said "your silence will not protect you." Allow me to paraphrase her words when speaking to people like Hakimian and other denizens of the religious right:

Your religion will not protect you from criticism.  You don't know us and based upon your words, you do not care to know us.

That's fine. Lgbtqs don't exist to get in your so-called good graces. Nor do we seek "tolerance" from you like some pet who has urinated on your favorite rug.

You can believe what you want and you can say what you want.  But when you start talking about us, don't expect us to sit in a corner and cry. And above all, don't expect us to take your abuse with the pitiful good nature of a battered spouse.

We are not "things" nor are we "trapped in a lifestyle." We are human beings and we will not settle for less than being treated like human beings. Your religion does not entitle you to take verbal potshots at us without the courtesy of a highly angry response nor does it entitle you to freely lie about who we are without the courtesy of a stern correction. Our lives will not be dictated by your fevered imaginations of what we allegedly do in the bedrooms. Nor will you restrict every aspect of our lives to those fevered imaginations.

I don't care if you speak in tongues, can heal the sick, or raise the dead. You don't have rights and privileges above us. You never have and you never will.

Basically, it comes down to this - if you can't handle our response, don't call us out in the first place.

'Is NOM distorting another photo?' and other Thursday midday news briefs

NOM photos suggest packed [trucks in front of the Chick-fil-A one] - For a supposedly Christian organization, the National Organization seems to have a problem with being truthful about photos. Check out the link and tell me what you think.  

10-Year-Old Delivers Marriage Equality Speech To New York City Council - Outstanding!  

Will Anti-Gay Actor Kirk Cameron Say Yes To A Lunch Invitation From Bullied LGBT Youth In New Jersey? -If Cameron doesn't meet with these teens, don't be surprised. Folks like Cameron only TALK about their Christianity.  

John Kirkwood on Gay Judges: 'We Were Better Off When the Mafia Ran Illinois' - I'm guessing he means it would give new meaning to the phrase "stick em up!"

 The 20 Openly Gay Athletes Of The 2012 Olympics - During the 1984 Olympics, there were rumors of one gay athlete on the American team (which I knew was Greg Louganis). My, have we come a long way!

Matt Barber - 'How dare Hilary Clinton not talk about gay sex!'

Matt Barber

Editor's note - Today is one of my two post mornings. After reading this piece about the stupidity and homophobia of Matt Barber, pan down for a good laugh with the post NOM's Ruth Institute quietly acknowledges how dumb it is

Secretary of State Hilary Clinton recently addressed the International AIDS Conference in Washington where she said that the United States is committed to creating an AIDS-free generation.

But leave it to Matt Barber of the Liberty Counsel to get angry at Clinton because she didn't use her speech to talk about gay sex:

 "Shame on Hillary Clinton in choosing to ignore the reality that, in the United States, people are primarily infected with AIDS through deviant homosexual behavior," Barber offers. "She has essentially postured with a false air of resolve while cowardly refusing to address the real cause of AIDS in the U.S., and that's homosexual behavior."

He points to the fact that even the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been forced to admit that reality.

Of course Barber omits that the CDC actually said

Stigma and homophobia may have a profound impact on the lives of MSM, especially their mental and sexual health. Internalized homophobia may impact men’s ability to make healthy choices, including decisions around sex and substance use. Stigma and homophobia may limit the willingness of MSM to access HIV prevention and care, isolate them from family and community support, and create cultural barriers that inhibit integration into social networks.

Racism, poverty, and lack of access to health care are barriers to HIV prevention services, particularly for MSM from racial or ethnic minority communities. A recent CDC study found a strong link between socioeconomic status and HIV among MSM: prevalence increased as education and income decreased, and awareness of HIV status was higher among MSM with greater education and income

Barber is angry that Clinton didn't do the very thing that the CDC has outlined as a leading factor of HIV/AIDS infections, i.e. the stigmatizing of gay men.

I say good for her.

NOM's Ruth Institute quietly acknowledges how dumb it is

The National Organization for Marriage's Ruth Institute does have a degree of shame.

Yesterday, I wrote a post on how a Facebook group I help to moderate was accused by the organization using Sesame Street characters Ernie and Bert to "recruit" children:

The claim by the Ruth Institute was nonsense and those in the Facebook group got a good laugh over it. As a matter of fact, it was so hilarious that some of us felt that we needed to go to the Ruth Institute Facebook post which made the claim to tell the organization how we appreciate the laugh.

Apparently our thank you's (none of which were threatening or obscene) wasn't appreciated because the post has been taken down.

Shucks. Oh well at least I will have the memories. I am very proud in particular of the message which I left:

"As one of the moderators of the Facebook site you have accused of using Bert and Ernie to seduce children, I have one thing to say to the Ruth Institute - 'y'all stupid.' In addition, if you pardon my French - Y'all need Jesus."

NOM's Ruth Institute - Facebook group using 'Bert and Ernie' to seduce children!!

This is hilarious! The National Organization's Ruth Institute just told a lie on a Facebook group and guess what?

It's a group in which I am one of the moderators.

The Facebook group in question is called I bet this turkey can get more fans than NOM. It is a place where folks post articles and photos regarding the lgbtq community. Many times, the photos are comical views at the religious right and their nonsensical claims.

Imagine my surprise when I saw the following via Equality Matters:

The photo was clearly created to poke fun at the controversy between Chick-Fil-A and Jim Henson's Muppets over comments made by the restaurant's owner in regards to the gay community.

But according to Equality Matters, the Ruth Institute seems to claim that this photo has a more sinister design:

In a July 25 Facebook post, the Ruth Institute linked to an image created by a pro-equality group in response to the recent controversy surrounding The Muppets and Chick-fil-A’s anti-gay politics. The image, which depicts Sesame Street’s Bert and Ernie as a same-sex couple, seemed to anger the Ruth Institute, which sarcastically added “Oh, no we don’t want to seduce your kids! You’re so paranoid and uptight!”

And it gets funnier:

This has to be one of the single most ridiculous things I have EVER read in my life.

Again, the Bert and Ernie graphic had NOTHING to do with any attempt to seduce children and anyone in their right mind would know this.

But then again we are talking about the National Organization for Marriage and its supporters, so those with common sense need not apply.

To my fellow moderators, please don't post any pictures of Batman and Robin nor any pictures of Bugs Bunny in drag.

And please, no pictures of Popeye and Bluto

I cringe to think what we would be accused of next.

'Hate group wants $35 million to 'restore' America' and other Wednesday midday news briefs

NOM’s Ruth Institute Peddles Conspiracy Theories About “Gay Agenda” - Who keeps telling the religious right our secret plans for overthrowing America and having Judy Garland's birthday declared a national holiday? Our secret fearless leaders (the one stroking his Persian cat) will be angry. Just who will he feed to the sharks due to the failure to keep our agenda secret?  

Read: FRC's $35 million plan to 'go on the offense to advance the Christian worldview' - The Family Research Council wants $35 million to 'restore America.' Aw hell, I can do that for low, low price of $19.95. 

Sen. Inhofe: Military Uniforms Inappropriate Because Pride Parades Are ‘Political, Partisan’ - Oh whine, whine, whine!

 One Million Moms Protests Gay-Themed Show It Hasn’t Even Seen Yet - Move along, folks. Crazy religious right group. Nothing to see here, except for the show they are protesting. It sounds promising. 

Chick-Fil-A Recalling Jim Henson Kids' Meal Toys As Partnership Severed Over Anti-Gay Donations - I smell a rat on the part of Chick-Fil-A.  

Conservative Media Attack The Muppets For Founding Company's Chick-Fil-A Rebuke - Keep it up. Don't be surprised if Miss Piggy karates you. I hear she is a black belt. 

Defender of anti-gay parenting study makes HUGE error

Professor Christian Smith makes sad defense of flawed study.

You simply have to hand it to the folks attempting to defend Mark Regnerus' flawed study on gay parenting.

Not necessarily for truth, mind you, but for chutzpah. Regardless of how many times the study has been called out for its faults, these folks continue to hang in there in their attempts to defend it.

But in doing so, they cause more criticism to rain down on it.

Christian Smith, professor of sociology and director of the Center for the Study of Religion and Society and the Center for Social Research at the University of Notre Dame, recently wrote a piece in The Chronicle of Higher Education defending Regnerus' work.

In the article, An Academic Auto-da-Fé, Smith claims that Regnerus and his work are being unjustly attacked by progressives:

Whoever said inquisitions and witch hunts were things of the past? A big one is going on now. The sociologist Mark Regnerus, at the University of Texas at Austin, is being smeared in the media and subjected to an inquiry by his university over allegations of scientific misconduct.

Regnerus's offense? His article in the July 2012 issue of Social Science Research reported that adult children of parents who had same-sex romantic relationships, including same-sex couples as parents, have more emotional and social problems than do adult children of heterosexual parents with intact marriages. That's it. Regnerus published ideologically unpopular research results on the contentious matter of same-sex relationships. And now he is being made to pay.

In today's political climate, and particularly in the discipline of sociology—dominated as it is by a progressive orthodoxy—what Regnerus did is unacceptable. It makes him a heretic, a traitor—and so he must be thrown under the bus.

. . . Regnerus has been attacked by sociologists all around the country, including some from his own department. He has been vilified by journalists who obviously (based on what they write) understand little about social-science research. And the journal in which Regnerus published his article has been the target of a pressure campaign.

It's an interesting piece with two flaws - one relatively minor and one which can be seen as major.

Mike Huckabee's 'moral values' include lies about gay community

Huckabee has no problem lying about gays.

As you all know, former Arkansas governor and current radio show host Mike Huckabee has called for a "Chick-Fil-A Appreciation Day" to blunt the criticism the restaurant has been receiving for its negative view of lgbtq equality.

One part of Huckabee's statement announcing this day struck me as odd:

Too often, those on the left make corporate statements to show support for same sex marriage, abortion, or profanity, but if Christians affirm traditional values, we're considered homophobic, fundamentalists, hate-mongers, and intolerant.

So Huckabee claims that folks like him are "affirming traditional values."

If we were to take a look at Huckabee's past statements he made about the lgbtq community, we would see that apparently his idea of 'affirming traditional values" is to attack the gay community with lies.

Huckabee has made so many ugly and false statements about the gay community that Media Matters for America was able to catalogue them. Here are just a few:

Huckabee Made Virulent Anti-Gay Comments As A Public Official

As A Public Official, Huckabee Called Homosexuality An "Aberration" And Condemned The Government For Supporting It Along With Pedophilia, Sadomasochism, And Necrophilia. In a 2007 appearance on Meet the Press, Tim Russert asked Huckabee about his assertion in a 1998 book claiming "it is now difficult to keep track of the vast array of publicly endorsed and institutionally supported aberrations -- from homosexuality and pedophilia to sadomasochism and necrophilia." Huckabee responded that "all of these are deviations from what has been considered the traditional concept of sexual behavior." Russert also asked Huckabee about his assertion in 1992 that "I feel homosexuality is an aberrant, unnatural and sinful lifestyle." Huckabee responded that "all of us are sinners." [Towelroad.com, 1/2/08]

Huckabee Claimed That Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage Is Like Legalizing Drug Use, Incest, And Polygamy. 

From an April 9, 2010 article concerning an interview Huckabee gave to the College of New Jersey's magazine The Perspective:

He continues to oppose any government recognition of same-sex relationships. Even civil unions are "not necessary," Huckabee said. "I think there's been a real level of being disingenuous on the part of the gay and lesbian community with their goal of civil unions," he alleged, referring to LGBT activists who first claimed that their goal in several states was to enact civil unions, but subsequently launched efforts to implement full marriage rights.

Huckabee went on to draw parallels between homosexuality and other lifestyles that are considered by some to be morally aberrant. "You don't go ahead and accommodate every behavioral pattern that is against the ideal," he said of same-sex marriage. "That would be like saying, well, there are a lot of people who like to use drugs, so let's go ahead and accommodate those who want who use drugs. There are some people who believe in incest, so we should accommodate them. There are people who believe in polygamy, so we should accommodate them." [The Perspective, 4/9/10]

Huckabee Said He Opposes Same-Sex Marriage, In Part, Because Of The "Ick Factor." 

From a June 28, 2010 New Yorker article:

One afternoon in Jerusalem, while Huckabee was eating a chocolate croissant in the lounge of the Crowne Plaza Hotel, I asked him to explain his rationale for opposing gay rights. "I do believe that God created male and female and intended for marriage to be the relationship of the two opposite sexes," he said. "Male and female are biologically compatible to have a relationship. We can get into the ick factor, but the fact is two men in a relationship, two women in a relationship, biologically, that doesn't work the same."

I asked him if he had any arguments that didn't have to do with God or ickiness. "There are some pretty startling studies that show if you want to end poverty it's not education and race, it's monogamous marriage," he said. "Many studies show that children who grow up in a healthy environment where they have both a mother and a father figure have both a healthier outlook and a different perspective from kids who don't have the presence of both." [New Yorker, 6/28/10]

And let's not forget the recent segment of his radio show in which he, while talking to a victim of child molestation, falsely connected homosexuality with pedophilia in an attempt to defend the Boy Scouts' decision to keep gays out.

Seems to me that if bearing false witness is a "value" which Huckabee affirms, then he has bigger problems than gay folks.

And if Chick-Fil-A teams with him, then the restaurant deserves all of the bad press it receives.

'Is organization using gay porn in attempt to 'cure' gays?' and other Tuesday midday news briefs

Evidence that NARTH Founder Uses Porn to Treat Ex-Gays - Oh this is good!

 A Leader of Washington’s Anti-Gay Marriage Campaign Has Been Found Guilty on Gun Charge - Shame, shame, shame! 

 Chick-fil-A defenders won't (can't?) defend what Dan Cathy actually said (NOM edition)- NOM seems to have the "Mike Huckabee disease."  

First Female U.S. Astronaut, Sally Ride, Comes Out In Obituary - R.I.P. Sally Ride - a woman who never let ignorance keep her from reaching the stars.

  U.S. religious right presses anti-gay laws in Africa - Simply disgusting!

Mike Huckabee is not necessarily a good ally for Chick-Fil-A

Mike Huckabee

Chick-Fil-A has a new ally in the controversy regarding the gay community.

Former Arkansas governor and current radio show host Mike Huckabee is announcing a “Chick Fil-A Appreciation Day."

Huckabee is calling for folks to eat at Chick-Fil-A on August 1 to support the company from what he calls “vitriolic assaults":

I have been incensed at the vitriolic assaults on the Chick Fil-A company because the CEO [sic], Dan Cathy, made comments recently in which he affirmed his view that the Biblical view of marriage should be upheld. The Cathy family, let by Chick Fil-A founder Truett Cathy, are a wonderful Christian family who are committed to operating the company with Biblical principles and whose story is the true American success story… I ask you to join me in speaking out on Wednesday, August 1 “Chick Fil-A Appreciation Day.” No one is being asked to make signs, speeches, or openly demonstrate. The goal is simple: Let’s affirm a business that operates on Christian principles and whose executives are willing to take a stand for the Godly values we espouse by simply showing up and eating at Chick Fil-A on Wednesday, August 1.

As Huckabee rushes to the defense of Chick-Fil-A, he conveniently omits the reason as to why the gay community is angry at the company. He conveniently does not mention how Chick-Fil-A donated nearly $2 million to anti-gay hate groups and ex-gay groups in 2010 .

And he omits any specific mention of the viciously anti-gay comments of Chick-Fil-A's president, Dan Cathy, who claimed that gays are helping to invite "God's judgement" on the country.

Huckabee's failure to mention these things could be seen as merely an accidental slight on his part.
But not necessarily.

He committed the same willful distortion in 2010.

Sen. Jim DeMint doesn't like being called out for his homophobia

Sen. Jim DeMint

It's about time.

Looks like some fun has come down my way and wouldn't you know it, Sen. Jim DeMint is involved.

From the Charleston Post and Courier:

Supporters of U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint have contacted Charleston area television stations urging them to pull the plug on an ad featuring a comment DeMint made about homosexuals teaching in public schools, according to the group that produced the ad.

The local stations have continued to air the 30-second piece, said Warren Redman-Gress, director of the Charleston-based Alliance for Full Acceptance.

“We are really thankful the TV stations see the value in what we’re doing, and, in that first salvo, have stood by us,” he said.

The ad begins with a hypothetical question: “What if you saw this headline? ‘Senator Jim DeMint: Jews Should Not Teach Public School,’” and then swaps the word “Gay” for “Jews” in the headline.

DeMint supporters argued the ad falsely portrays DeMint as anti Semitic.

The ad refers to a controversial 2004 remark that DeMint made about a state GOP platform item saying gays should not teach in public schools. Asked about that platform during a televised debate, DeMint said, “I don’t think they should,” adding that government should not endorse particular behaviors. “We need the folks that are teaching in schools to represent our values.”

Sen. DeMint's whine is so pitiful that I doubt anyone is falling for it. But here is the ad so you can judge for yourself:




Personally, I think that no one watching the ad would mistake Sen DeMint for being anti-Semitic. A serious homophobe, yes. But anti-Semitic? No.

Of course reasonable people should ask what's the difference between being anti-Semitic and homophobic?

Neither are things one should aspire to be, particularly if one is a United States senator.

Regardless of color, shape, or form, bigotry is bigotry.

Please help AFFA keep all 3 of their ads on local TV

you can view them at 

www.affa-sc.org/imagine

http://www.affa-sc.org/affa/donate.htm

'NOM trotting out old claim of gay parental abuse' and other Monday midday news briefs

A picture that you can all enjoy and send to your friends!

Muppets Abandon Chick-fil-A Because Of Its Anti-Gay Policies - If there was any justice, Miss Piggy would karate Brian Brown.

 A new, nakedly hostile NOM era has 'Dawned' - I've written many times of this woman's claims of abuse by her gay father . But now with NOM, refuting this woman's generalizations will take on new urgency. 

 Related post on Dawn Stefanowicz -  Attack on lgbt parenting ignores the bigger issue 

  Gay in Cameroon: after beatings in prison, rejection at home - We need to pray for our brothers and sisters in Cameroon.  

AIDS 2012: “Keep the Promise” march draws more than 2,000 - A successful march pinpoints an important issue.

Hat tip to one of my Facebook buddies for the Brian Brown pic.

NOM wants you to 'Eat Mor Chikin'

Brian Brown want you to 'Eat Mor Chikin'

Say what you will about the National Organization for Marriage, the organization deserves some type of an award for brazen audacity. NOM has gone from demanding that businesses stay neutral in the fight over marriage equality to inviting its followers to support a business because said business is in line with its views against marriage equality. I read the following on its blog:

Thanks to your recent efforts at DumpStarbucks.com and DumpGeneralMills.com, we've shown the cultural elite, the gay millionaires who fund anti-marriage initiatives, and the biased media that the defenders of marriage are willing to put our money where our mouth is.

Well, this Wednesday, we have a chance to do it again—and this time even more literally—by coming out in support of National Eat at Chick-fil-A Day.

Imagine if folks all across the country united together in support of heroes like Dan and Truett Cathy that stand for strengthening marriage and family!

Imagine the potential impact of the message that companies favoring the radical redefinition of marriage risk fallout with their customers—combined with the message that heroes who stand for marriage and family cannot be silenced!

Imagine how clearly that message would be heard across the nation if Chick-fil-A reported record sales this Wednesday!

Well, let's not just imagine it—let's make it happen.

On his radio show this week, Mike Huckabee called on his listeners to support the principled stand of the Cathy family by making this coming Wednesday (July 25th) "National Eat at Chick-fil-A Day."

Please join me this Wednesday in supporting this courageous company, while at the same time sending a powerful message of support to every individual and every company with the courage to stand for marriage.

Visit your local Chick-fil-A restaurant for lunch or dinner on Wednesday. Better yet— stop and tell the manager that you're there to honor and respect the integrity, faith and courage of Dan Cathy and the Cathy family.

Show your support! Eat Mor Chikin!

A commentator on the same blog post put the issue in an eloquent perspective:

This discussion shouldn't be about the positions of Starbucks, General Mills and Chick-fil-A. The discussion should be about NOM and the double standard they seem to applaud. If NOM had never mentioned the "neutral stance" this discussion wouldn't even take place. But since they shook their finger at Starbucks and Gen. Mills for speaking out and supporting marriage equality, NOM has effectively said: "even though Chick-fil-A is not neutral, we are going to break our own principles and applaud them for not staying neutral on the subject." So the question is, why would we take NOM's principles seriously if they don't seem to do themselves?

How Chick-Fil-A screwed up and ignited a firestorm

Dan Cathy of Chick-Fil-A switches from chicken to crow.

Well no more lemonade and waffle fries from Chick-Fil-A for me because of the company's insulting of the gay community.

For those who haven't been keeping up, please get your head out of that cave, take those fingers out of your ears, and check out this lovely piece by Forbes magazine on how Chick-Fil-A flunked crisis management BIG TIME:

It’s no secret that fast-food chain Chick-Fil-A donates to anti-gay Christian charities — the chain has been getting flak from gay-rights groups for a while now on that. But this week, the company flunked crisis PR 101 and spawned a social-media firestorm with its inept handling of the issue. If there was a gay person — or supporter — left in the U.S.A. with a Facebook account who didn’t know about the boycott of Chick-Fil-A, there isn’t now.

The flames were re-ignited Tuesday when company president Dan Cathy told the Baptist Press he is “guilty as charged” of donating to anti-gay charities. Then the company tried to fix the problem with an announcement on Chick-Fil-A’s Facebook page that sent the whole controversy massively viral. Here’s the exact verbiage:

“The Chick-fil-A culture and service tradition in our restaurants is to treat every person with honor, dignity and respect – regardless of their belief, race, creed, sexual orientation or gender. We will continue this tradition in the over 1,600 Restaurants run by independent Owner/Operators. Going forward, our intent is to leave the policy debate over same-sex marriage to the government and political arena.

“Chick-fil-A is a family-owned and family-led company serving the communities in which it operates. From the day Truett Cathy started the company, he began applying biblically-based principles to managing his business. For example, we believe that closing on Sundays, operating debt-free and devoting a percentage of our profits back to our communities are what make us a stronger company and Chick-fil-A family.

“Our mission is simple: to serve great food, provide genuine hospitality and have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A.”

Translation: “We’d like to close our eyes now, count to ten, and you should forget all about our fervently avowed political views — which we won’t be changing — and go back to eating our chicken a lot.”

Which didn’t work.

This non-response didn’t answer the questions on many people’s minds: Will the company stop donating to groups that are actively opposing gay-marriage laws, and controversial “gay-curing” groups such as Exodus International? Also, how are gay employees treated at the company given the corporate culture?

By essentially refusing to address the issues its founder raised, Chick-Fil-A just made a lot of people madder.

You can say that again.

Click here for the rest of the Forbes magazine article.

Let us fight for the right to love, not to destroy

I'm sorry but I can't post any news briefs today.

My heart and prayers go out to all of those caught up in that awful madness in Aurora, CO. I simply can't comprehend why someone would take it upon himself to do what this man did. Did he think that his cause was so righteous that it was perfectly okay to attack a bunch of innocent people?

I know I am not alone with my puzzlement or my prayers for those caught up in this tragedy. And I hope I am not alone in my soul-searching.

We all must learn something from this, particularly those of us who fight for lgbtq equality. There are times when we (myself included) personalize our fight against certain individuals due to their nasty comments and lies. While we are perfectly justified in pointing out hypocrisies, let's never personalize our fight so much that we lose perspective in what exactly are we fighting against and for.

Our struggle for equality is not against any person or religion. Our struggle for equality is against fear and ignorance. It's against entitlement and thoughts of supremacy which deceives people into thinking that they own the patent on the words "morality," "love," "values," and "family." We fight not to destroy nor to hate but for the right to love.

Because it is our right.

The following video is dedicated to us all, but especially the victims of the recent tragedy. Remember that we are ALL pulling for you:

THESE bigots have too much time on their hands

From Right Wing Watch comes something so ridiculous that there are no words:

The Public Advocate, the fervently anti-gay group led by Virginia politician Eugene Delgaudio, devised a protest song, complete with references to Jerry Sandusky and child abuse, to condemn Ernst &Young CEO James Turley’s attempt to overturn the Boy Scouts of America’s ban on gay members, a ban that was recently reaffirmed:

Transcript:

We've heard about dear Turley's plan,
And we're here to say,
It's sad that such a senseless man
Is with the B.S.A!

Morally, Morally,
That's the way we like.
Do not touch our girls and boys,
Just go take a hike.

We have seen just what can come
When anyone at all
Can get quite close to little ones
And frankly, we're appalled!

Morally, Morally,
What will it be like
If we let the unsavory
Get close to our dear tykes?

Morally, Morally,
That's the way we like.
Do not touch our girls and boys,
Just go take a hike.

You say that we should open doors
And welcome one and all.
With no attention to the boors
Who'll make our children bawl.

Morally, Morally,
Whatever shall be done
If we hire Sandusky,
and let him near our sons?

Morally, Morally,
That's the way we like.
Do not touch our girls and boys,
Just go take a hike.

Public Advocate is the same group which recently stole a gay couple's wedding photo to use in a homophobic ad.

Between you and me, I don't think P. Diddy will be pushing a remix of that song any time soon.

Chick-Fil-A exposes NOM's phony call for company neutrality

Maggie Gallagher of NOM

With the news of Chick-Fil-A's stance against marriage equality, some of us were waiting for the National Organization for Marriage to show its hypocrisy.

You may remember that a while back, NOM was demanding that companies in Minnesota adopt a neutral stance on the amendment the state will be voting on in regards to gay marriage. It sent the following letter to 50 Minnesota companies:

As a cultural matter that has little to do with your corporate mission to serve customers, earn profits, and provide good jobs for the people of Minnesota we would request that _____ adopt a neutral stance on the Minnesota marriage amendment. We do not request that you endorse our efforts to protect the age-old definition of what is a marriage, but only that you stay neutral and respect the conscience rights of your customers and employees who are on both sides of the issue.[...]

Wading into a culture war over an issue where _____ has no business interest is to invite public backlash, much like what Starbucks is experiencing in the DumpStarbucks.com campaign, with little upside. Polls have put support for the Minnesota marriage amendment at 56% – higher than polls in North Carolina had support for the marriage amendment there just prior to the 61-39% victory for marriage in that state.[...]

We are carefully watching what _____ will do on this important measure, with the expectation that you will not be engaged on one side or the other. Please let us know if this is not the case.

Naturally, NOM has taken a different tone with Chick-Fil-A's stance, calling the company's president, Dan Cathy, "a corporate hero for marriage" on its blog.

This two-faced hypocrisy reeks of something former NOM president Maggie Gallagher would think of. She does have a habit of speaking out of both sides of her mouth such as praising same-sex families on one side while condemning them on the other while at the same time attempting to fool people into thinking that she is not being two-faced.

People are not stupid, NOM.

'US Gay Black Men face highest risk of HIV/AIDS in the world' and other Thursday midday news briefs

U.S. Black Gay Men Face Highest Risk Of HIV/AIDS In The World - I can't BEGIN to tell you how it feels to wake up one morning and realize that you are in a high-risk group for HIV/AIDS. And there are so many people to THANK. First to the black community: thank you for your hypocrisy over sexual matters and your desire to keep us gay men hidden from the public spectrum in spite of the fact that we are your brothers, sons, nephews, choirmasters, and pastors. Thank you so much your desire to make us ashamed of who we are. Thank you gay community for smothering us with crap which has nothing to do with us. Thank you for focusing on nonsensical things in a bad attempt to homogenize the gay community into some bland, Borg-like community and ignoring the fact that not all of us are white and skinny or white and muscular or celebrities or attendees at some ridiculous upper crust cocktail party. Thank you for inadvertently rendering us as invisible as the black community does.  Thank you to the religious right who is sure to use this information to smear gay men. How can I forget about you? And last but not least, thank you other gay black men - those who will not speak up, the ones (particularly the celebrities who KNOW who they are) who are in the closet, and the rest who just don't give a damn.

NOM unveils its new Corporate Hypocrisy Project - Apparently NOM thinks only those who support gay equality should practice neutrality. The organization believes in different rules for those who support homophobia. 

 Barton, Green & Barber Agree: Not Voting for Romney is a Sin - Wait until the Black Church community hears this!  

Gay Harassment Case - This is sad. We need to pray for this couple. 

Romney targeted over flip flops and positions on gay rights

From Think Progress:

Modeled as satire on the anti-bullying “It Gets Better” project, American Bridge 21st Century and Courage Campaign Super PAC have launched the “Mitt Gets Worse” campaign. In testimonials, various activists explain how harmful Mitt Romney’s anti-LGBT positions are and how much worse he would make the U.S. for LGBT people if he were president.

The campaign features testimonies from Adam Bink of the Courage Campaign, Julie Goodridge, whose suit led to marriage equality in Massachusetts, Jennifer Chrisler of the Family Equality Council, and Kathleen Henry, who chaired the Governor’s Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth. However, if you ask me, the most powerful videos features Romney talking. That way, we can see his flip flops and negative positions on gay rights.

The follow video is Romney in 2007 attempting to explain his support of Don't Ask, Don't Tell in contrast to public comments he made supporting gays and lesbians serving openly in the military. It underlines the danger that the gay community will have should Romney be elected:

Mike Huckabee spreads confusion about homosexuality and pedophilia

The reason why the Boy Scouts made such a ridiculous decision regarding keeping gays out is because people like former Governor and now radio talk show host Mike Huckabee. Listen how he and a caller who was molested as a child makes it seem that gays want to be in the Boy Scouts to "go after" children.

I feel sorry for this caller but he is wrong. A gay man did not molest him. A pedophile (a person who TARGETS children) molested him. And it's sad that Huckabee aided and abetted this poor man's ignorance:



This isn't accidental on Huckabee's part. He has in the past:

• aligned himself with Southern Poverty Law Center – identified hate group Mass Resistance whose leader Brian Camenker once made a claim in 2006 that “gays were trying to get legislation passed to allow sex with animals” in Massachusetts,
• attacked lgbt families by comparing them to people raising puppies,
• bent over backwards to assure Ann Coulter that he wasn’t  “pro-gay” and “pro-sodomy.”

Just count this as another notch on his belt of homophobic ignorance.