Tony Perkins tells HUGE lie on 'Face the Nation' about SCOTUS impeachments

This week, SCOTUS will be hearing arguments regarding 50-state marriage equality. Folks are predicting that we are going to win one, however I have always been one for never "counting your chickens before they hatch."

But as the moment draws closer, national supporters and opponents of marriage equality appeared on Sunday news programs to debate the issue. On CBS's Face the Nation, Family Research Council head Tony Perkins debated Freedom To Marrys' Evan Wolfson.

It was a good debate, but I want to point to something before it gets drowned out. When Face the Nation's Bob Schieffer asked Perkins did he call for the impeachment of Supreme Court justices if they rule for marriage equality, Perkins was quick to say no, he did not.

Transcript (start at 3:32)

 Bob Schieffer: Did you really say that justices who come down on the side of gays in this issue should be impeached?

Tony Perkins: No I didn't say that.

Bob Schieffer: Because there are reports to that effect.

Tony Perkins: No I didn't say that.

Bob Schieffer: What did you say?

Tony Perkins: Well I said . . . I didn't say anything about impeachment of the judges. What I said is that they are not the final say on this issue . ..

Perkins is not being truthful. He in fact did say something about impeaching the judges. According to Right Wing Watch, on Thursday of last week, he was interviewed by the Iowa based radio host Jan Mickelson:

 . . . Perkins predicted will end with the court striking down bans on same-sex marriage across the country. Once this occurs, Perkins warned, “it will be open season on people of faith.” He predicted that the court will issue a ruling similar to Roe v. Wade, further dividing Americans and contradicting “natural law.” Mickelson suggested that if this happens, members of Congress should try to “remove” the Supreme Court’s “jurisdiction” over the marriage issue and “nullify” its decision, sending the message to the justices that “if you try it again we will impeach your sorry keisters.” Perkins heartily agreed: “I think you’re absolutely right.”

So why is this important? Because since people like Perkins are anticipating a loss at SCOTUS, they are attempting to shift the argument and make it seem like they are the victims who are being unfairly shunned because of their anti-marriage equality beliefs.

That's the constant mantra implied by spokespeople on that spectrum of the issue from Perkins to Maggie Gallagher to Ryan T. Anderson.

And Perkins implying that a SCOTUS judge should be impeached for merely ruling against his side on an issue doesn't exactly jibe with the image of  "shunned Christians," does it?

Perkins's falsehood is definitely something I wish some folks on our side would keep in mind when they begin "concern-trolling" about this issue.

Certainly no one should be shunned simply because of their opinion, but when we are so quick to believe folks like Perkins even after all of the distortions they have spun in the past, we are merely walking into their latest con game.

'Bobby Jindal defiantly taking Louisiana to anti-gay disaster' & other Friday midday news briefs

Bobby Jindal

Bobby Jindal Is Disappointed GOP Governors Backed Away From Religious Freedom Laws So Quickly - In an attempt to gain the favor of social conservatives for his possible presidential run, LA Gov. Bobby Jindal is careening towards disaster. 

New Ad: Bobby Jindal’s ‘Religious Liberty’ Stunt a Disaster for Louisiana’s Economy - And it won't be pretty. 

 Ted Cruz Introduces Anti-Gay Bill Spearheaded By Radical Activist - And he is not the only elected official careening, thus proving how much influence anti-gay activists hold.  

Michigan Bills Allowing Adoption Agencies To Reject LGBT Parents Move Forward - While Michigan acts foolish . . .  

Ariz. same-sex couples can again adopt, foster together - . . . Arizona's governor takes a serious stand for same-sex families.  

Tony Perkins: Impeach Supreme Court Justices Who Rule For Marriage Equality - Poor Tony. He is becoming a mockery.

Homophobic insanity of the American Family Association explained in one picture

If you need to demonstrate just how insanely homophobic the American Family Association is in one minute or less, just show the following picture:

AFA claims that the Supreme Court will usher in a targeting of Christians if it should rule for marriage equality later this year. That nonsense doesn't even DESERVE a refutation, but I will say this:

I wish these folks would stop comparing lgbts to Nazis. It trivializes a terrible moment in history and it's not even logical.

I don't think the progression of lgbt equality was something Hitler EVER had in mind.

God help the lgbt community if Mike Huckabee gets anywhere NEAR the White House

Mike Huckabee

There has been a lot of speculation on whether or not Mike Huckabee will run for president. I think he will and if he does, the lgbt community had better do what we can to keep him from getting elected.

And I say that based upon this conference call he had with other anti-gay leaders (courtesy of Right Wing Watch). On this call, you can practically start a drinking game with the lies and paranoid delusions Huckabee throws out about the lgbt community and how we will attempt to outlaw Christianity and force pastors to marry gay couples.

That's the one thing I hate about people like Huckabee. Not only do they think that their version of Christianity is the only one which counts, they don't even hold true to it because of the outrageous lies they tell.

Editor's note  - According to Right Wing Watch, because of apparent technical difficulties with the conference call, there are beeping noises throughout the call signifying participants dialing in.

'Approval of marriage equality at an all-time high, but . . .' & other Thursday midday news briefs

Breaking: American Approval Of Same-Sex Marriage Breaks All-Time Record - Excellent news, but there are some problems on the horizon. 

 LGBT Advocates Call for Indiana-Style Backlash After Two Anti-Gay Bills Advance - Say hello to problem 1.  

GOP lawmaker introduces bill to strip federal courts of power to rule on marriage equality - Though this bill doesn't have a chance in hell of passing, it is still problem 2 because of the following news brief. . .  

Rep. Steve King Introduces Court-Stripping Bill Written By Radical Anti-Gay Activists - This is why we need to take all prominent members of the anti-gay right seriously. No matter how crazy they are (and we got some crazy ones), if they can get their influence in Congress, that's another fight we have to deal with, regardless of whether or not we win said fight. 

How a transgender teen got South Carolina to change its license photo policy - WONDERFUL!!!  

STUDY: LGBT People of Color at Risk of Lifelong Poverty - We got a problem and part of it stems from the lack of positive reinforcement and attention lgbts people of color receive from society.

Cordileone won’t be back at this year’s anti-gay-marriage march - This is a BIG deal. NOM just lost a high-profile speaker for their Saturday march. 

Photo of lesbian couple taken from (the generous and always helpful) Right Wing Watch.

Family Research Council gets HAMMERED for lies told in anti-marriage equality video

In this wonderful video, writer, reporter, and video producer Matt Baume takes down all of the distortions contained in a new Family Research Council video speaking against marriage equality. It should be required viewing and demonstrates just what is the problem with American broadcast media these days - too many lazy pundits hogging up the air and not enough talented folks like Baume (who actually do the digging and the grunt work) getting the attention they deserve:

Hat tip to Joe Jervis.

'Dan Savage knocks down religious right's 'gay friend' meme' & other Wednesday midday news briefs

Dan Savage

Dan Savage: Why would Santorum and Huckabee’s ‘imaginary gay friends’ invite them to their wedding? - Thank you Dan Savage for pointing this out. Every time I hear someone try to make up for homophobic statements by citing their so-called "gay friend," I say "yeah, right!" 

NBC News To Air 2-Part 'Transgender Kids' Special - Kudos to NBC for doing this.  

Fox News Distraught That Children Are Learning That Transgender People Exist - Because we have some NASTY SOBs out there deliberately putting out bad information. 

  The anti-gay right can't run forever from its history of bigotry - Reiterating this morning's post. You don't spend YEARS dehumanzing lgbt people and then suddenly claim that we are bullying you.

Assembly Rejects Controversial Transgender Bathroom Bill - The folks who fought to defeat this deserve a HUGE round of applause.

 Legendary Activists in the Fight Against HIV - Speaking of folks deserving HUGE rounds of applause.

The anti-gay right can't run forever from its history of bigotry

The anti-gay right wants us to forget this image of the lgbt community they once pushed on a heavy scale.

As a gay man, I admit that I am enthused and encouraged by what I see as a more lgbt-inclusive American society.

While we still have some kinks to work on and straighten out, I am happy with our progress. Just a decade ago, we wouldn't be talking about lgbt issues as openly as we are now. We have more public figures who are out from the get-go, rather than coming out after long rumors and speculation. And marriage equality is closer to becoming a 50-state reality sooner than some of us ever realized (fingers crossed).

But I am nagged by something which is figuratively poking me in the back of the head with the urgency of a classmate eager to annoy the hell out of me.

There is a brazenly dishonest new tactic emanating from the anti-gay right which must be called out on a larger scale. That lie is the idea that somehow the progression of marriage equality and popularity of the lgbt community is suddenly making them isolated and derided for supposedly simply stating their opinions. Suddenly the lgbt community is being portrayed as bullies seeking to shut anti-gay figures down and deride them for speaking against marriage equality and lgbt equality. It's a skilled talking point helped along by think tank finances, intellectuals paid by these finances, and a "news" network  which mistakes omitted information, one-sided interviews, and sloppy (probably in some cases deliberately sloppy) journalism as conservative opinion and ideology.

And the award for the anti-gay activist making the least sense about opposition to marriage equality goes to . . .

I talked about this travesty today in which anti-gay activist Judge Roy Moore was given a civil rights award from a black organization ( The Coalition of African-American Pastors, is a known astroturfed group of National Organization for Marriage stooges) for his opposition to marriage equality. The crowning glory of this farce is when Moore and the head of CAAP, William Owens, attempt to explain what is wrong with marriage equality.

I don't think I should even bother answer Owens's last statement, except to say I don't do that sort of thing. It sounds dangerous.(speaking strictly with tongue in cheek, of course)

'Anti-gay activist compares marriage equality to segregation' & other Tuesday midday news briefs

Roy Moore

Justice Roy Moore compares marriage equality to segregation as he accepts civil rights award - There are NO words vulgar enough for me to express my absolute nausea and disgust over this. By the way, the group giving Moore this award, The Coalition of African-American Pastors, is a known astroturfed group of National Organization for Marriage stooges. 

Roy Moore Compares Anti-Gay Fight To Resisting Slavery & Segregation - Video footage of the insanity.  

Perkins: Obama 'Has Endangered Our Country And Our Future' By Supporting Marriage Equality - Oh yeah. That will play REAL good in front of the Supreme Court. 

 Adoption 'Conscience Protection' Tabled In Senate - Not the end of this vile anti-gay adoption junk but a good beginning to the end. 

 Anti-Gay Attorney Gene Schaerr Thinks Gay Marriage Will Lead To 900,000 Abortions: VIDEO - That noise you are hearing is the bottom of the barrel being scraped when it comes to reasons to oppose marriage equality. How long will it be before the rest of the anti-gay right repeats this lie?  

Religious Leaders On Same-Sex Marriage: “No One View Speaks For ‘Religion’” - AMEN! Thank you for not allowing the anti-gay evangelical right to bogart the discussion. 

 Irish Kids Encourage Citizens To Vote 'Yes' On Marriage Equality Referendum - Wonderful video which lets you know that while adults have gone crazy, the children are alright because they "get it."

NOM bringing pastor behind 'I'm not gay no more' debacle to its upcoming march

As many of you may or not know, the National Organization for Marriage will be hold another #march4marriage this Saturday in Washington, D.C.

Observers are already noting this march will probably be as disastrous as NOM's #march4marriage last year. However, that's not to say the organization doesn't have minor celebrities in attendance.

According to Jeremy Hooper, this man will be speaking at the march:

And just who is Rev. Brandon Porter, you ask? Why he is the pastor who "laid his hands" on a young man and supposedly "cured" him of his homosexuality. In fact, we happen to have the video right here:



By the way, the young man in the video, Andrew Caldwell,  has said he is still gay.  One can only hope that Porter brings as much success to NOM's march as he did in "delivering" Caldwell from "homosexuality."

'Republicans declaring legislative war on the lgbt community' & other Monday midday news briefs

The Fight for LGBT Equality is Not Over - According to this article in The American Prospect, Republican lawmakers have introduced over 100 pieces of anti-lgbt legislation in 29 states. They never know the meaning of the phrase "overdoing it."

California Ballot Initiative Would Pay People A $4,000 Bounty For Policing Transgender Bathroom Use - A bounty? What is this? Pro-wrestling?

 Maggie Gallagher won't toast you while you trap your spouse in sin - Excuse me? What self-respect same-sex couple would invite Maggie Gallagher to their wedding? As evil as that woman is, I wouldn't invite her to stand on my front yard. 

Anti-gay right owes Mayor Annise Parker, city of Houston an apology - From this morning. It would be a HUGE mistake for the lgbt community to allow the anti-gay right off the hook with regards to this. 

Arkansas Pastors Say Protecting Christian Tourism Trumps Protecting Local LGBT Residents - Another example of the ignorant idea that the lgbt orientation and Christian beliefs do not mingle. It does, particularly in the black church (yes, I said it).

  James Dobson Does Not Understand Bisexuality: 'That's Orgies!' - This is so gross for two reasons -1. Dobson doesn't understand bisexuality. 2. He DOES understand orgies. Ewwwww! I need a mental wish to get that picture out of my head.

Anti-gay right owes Mayor Annise Parker, city of Houston an apology

Dear Mike Huckabee, Todd Starnes, Phil Robertson, Tony Perkins, Family Research Council, Fox News, and assorted conservative & religious right figures,

By now you have all heard the decision coming down in Houston regarding HERO, the trans-inclusive non-discrimination ordinance. The judge has decided that those seeking a referendum against the ordinance did not gain enough signatures to force the issue.

And that being said, you all owe the city of Houston and particularly Mayor Annise Parker a public apology.

Granted, I am not naive. I know one is not forthcoming. The purpose of this letter is not to appeal to either your morality or integrity. It is merely to show how you all are lacking in both. It was bad enough that you helped to weave false stories of male predators attacking women in changing rooms, restrooms, and locker rooms because of this ordinance. You all have told this lie so many times, the lgbt community is almost (and unfortunately) becoming desensitized to it.

Breaking - Judge hands Houston a huge victory & the religious right a huge kick in the butt

Mike Huckabee and a lot of other folks have a bunch of egg on their faces tonight.

Excellent news out of Houston which means that a trans-inclusive equality ordinance wins and the religious right suffers a huge embarrassment.

From The Houston Chronicle:

Opponents of Houston's non-discrimination ordinance failed to gather enough valid signatures to force a repeal referendum, a state district judge ruled Friday, validating city officials' decision to toss out the petition foes submitted last summer.

After separate rulings from both a jury and state District Judge Robert Schaffer, attorneys for both sides entered dueling counts of the valid signatures, adding and subtracting voters as Schaffer responded to motions. By early this week, the counts were closer together than ever before, fewer than 1,000 signatures apart.

Ultimately, Schaffer on Friday ruled the final count of valid signatures was 16,684, leaving opponents short of the threshold required in the city charter of 17,249 signatures, or 10 percent of the ballots cast in the last mayoral election.

Last year,  the Houston City Council passed a transgender inclusive equality rights ordinance (HERO). Opponents of the ordinance rallied in August and claimed to have gathered more than enough signatures to force a referendum. However, according to city, the signatures contained many errors and taking this into account, a lot of them were disqualified, thereby meaning that HERO opponents had failed in their attempt.  In addition, there were accusations that they were engaging in underhanded tactics to gain signatures. 

Faced with this defeat, the HERO opponents sued the city of Houston, claiming that they did in fact get enough signatures.

'Why is the Family Research Council 'reediting' their public prayers to God?' & other Friday midday news briefs

WHOA: FRC 'reediting' all those heinous fasting-for-marriage prayers I've been showing you!! - I've never heard of such a thing. Taking the time to lodge public prayers to God to stop marriage equality and then "re-editing" them? What's the point? Obviously these prayers were not for God's consumption or the Family Research Council wouldn't care if they appeared too extreme or homophobic. 

Anti-Gay Activists Vow To Repeal Marriage Equality Laws Across The Country If They Win At SCOTUS - Well duh. They are going to try this even if they lose (and I hope they do lose). An interesting about this piece is that it shows the hypocrisy of the anti-marriage equality crowd. They will work to repeal marriage equality laws even if people in certain states voted FOR these laws. So much for "let the people vote" or "let the states decide."  

Ten Novel, Absurd, And Irrelevant Arguments Made In Supreme Court Briefs Against Marriage Equality - More false data, more junk science, more idiocy. The anti-marriage equality crowd is getting desperate.  

Anti-gay leader Mat Staver spins outrageous lie about gays costing government billions - Reiterating this morning's post because the media should pay as much attention to anti-gay lies as they do when anti-gay groups spin memes of "anti-Christian" persecution.

  C-Fam 'Mission' in Africa: Spreading Anti-Family Planning, Anti-Gay Gospel - And speaking of persecution . . .

Anti-gay leader Mat Staver spins outrageous lie about gays costing government billions

Mat Staver

One thing which is sad about this so-called cultural war is how anti-gay group leaders can say some of the most outrageous things about the lgbt community without them or anyone else batting an eye.

These folks, who are supposed to stand for morals and values, freely spin lies so outrageous that one can only wonder what values do they actually believe. Case in point is Mat Staver of the Liberty Counsel claiming that homosexuality costs government billions of dollars:

“Same-sex marriage leads to the devaluation of both a mother and a father, who each provide a unique contribution to the family,” Staver said. “Studies estimate that over the course of 26 years, our government spent more than $225 billion that could be directly attributed to the breakdown of the family culture and its resulting social consequences.”

Of course Staver won't reveal just what these studies he alluded to are or where he found them because no one is going to bother to ask him about it. Just like no one bothered to confront him about the lie he told to a Congressional committee last year regarding his support of Russia's anti-gay laws.

#TBT (1960s) - Police officer lectures children on what happens if he 'catches' them 'being homosexual'

From time to time, I like to look at old negative footage regarding the lgbt community to give myself perspective. And to remind myself that progress happens, no matter how slow we think it is taking place.

I wish the above video was a joke, but it's not. It is a snippet of an actual lecture in the 1960s of a police officer threatening school children with jail if he finds out they are gay. It's a reminder of how far we have come.

Because I swear if I had a child and he or she came home and told me that a police officer did this, I would put a knot on that officer's head so tall, it would have snow growing at the top:

'Meet anti-gay powerhouse group behind 'religious freedom' law push' & other Thursday midday news briefs

How An Extreme Anti-LGBT Legal Powerhouse Is Working To Enact "Religious Freedom" Laws - The Alliance Defending Freedom is a $39 million a year organization working hard to enact statewide anti-gay "religious freedom" laws. It has deep connections with other anti-gay groups and deep connections with members of various state legislators. And that's not counting the receptive relationship it has cultivated with Fox News. Now in spite of all of this, the lgbt community can defeat its nefarious efforts but that ain't gonna happen with merely putting offensively funny statements on facebook, useless one-note "direct action" tactics, and ridiculous squabbles about "Gay, Inc." We defeat this group by educating the public about its immoral tactics and lies to the public. But first we need to educate ourselves. In The Art of War, Chinese general Sun Tzu said, “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. . . .” So ask yourselves, just how much do you know about the enemies of lgbt equality other than simply labeling them as "bigots?"

Ted Cruz Asks Pastors To Preach And Pray Against Gay Marriage Ahead Of SCOTUS Arguments - Sorry, Teddy. I can assure you that MY pastor will be preaching about more important things. Not all Christians follow in lockstep of your nonsense.  

100 Prominent Catholics Place Full-Page Ad Asking Pope To Remove Anti-Gay San Francisco Archbishop - The point of my last news briefs emphasized in a good way.

Doubts Removed: The Day My Son's Breasts Were Surgically Taken Off - Wonderful story of how a mother supported her transgender son.  

Angie's List CEO Who Opposed Indiana 'Religious Freedom' Law Could Challenge Mike Pence - Religious right figures are spinning this to say their "boycott" of Angie's List drove him out. Think again, folks.

GLSEN's Day of Silence is Friday! Support our lgbt children

With all of the talk about anti-gay "religious freedom" bills, marriage equality, and presidential elections, it's easy to forget one of the most important reasons why we fight for lgbt equality - our lgbt children.

Tomorrow is GLSEN's Day of Silence, an annual event in which students across the country take a vow of silence in order to call attention to the "call attention to the silencing effect of anti-LGBT bullying and harassment in schools."

Check out the above video and links to find out more about it.

Now usually, I would talk about how the opposition spins lies about "homosexual indoctrination" in order to undermine the event. This time, I won't.

Who cares about them. They don't matter. Our kids do.

Was Marco Rubio lying about his non-support of federal anti-gay marriage amendment?

Sen. Marco Rubio

Dear Sen. Rubio,

For the remainder of your presidential run, perhaps it's best if you no longer speak. It would be safer that way:

From MSNBC:

Sen. Marco Rubio told reporters on Tuesday that he has never supported a national constitutional amendment banning gay marriage despite his general opposition to such unions, preferring to leave the issue to the states. But a 2010 voter guide from a leading social conservative group indicates he supported such an amendment as recently as 2010 and a spokeswoman for the organization told msnbc they stand by their account. 

“I’ve never supported a federal constitutional amendment on marriage,” Rubio told msnbc’s Kasie Hunt in an interview Tuesday.
 
But the Christian Coalition, a group that issues surveys to candidates and tracks their positions on a variety of issues, reported in their 2010 English and Spanish voter guides that Rubio supported a Federal Marriage Amendment. The guides are posted on the group’s website. The organization surveys candidates around the country and rates them, among other issues, on their specific stand on the issue of gay marriage.

Reached by msnbc for comment, a Christian Coalition spokeswoman confirmed that Rubio had filled out a candidate survey in 2010 when he was running for the Senate in Florida and attested to the voter guide’s accuracy, which she said was rigorously checked against candidate’s questionnaires, votes, and public statements. However, she said the group could not immediately produce a copy of Rubio’s survey without digging into their archives.