Why gay community will win the fight for marriage equality

I really believe that when it's said and done, the lgbt community will win the marriage equality fight. Marriage equality is about fairness, love, and equality. And let's face it, though our opposition is well-connected and has much money,  it will be their rhetoric in opposing our right to marry each other which will be part of their undoing. Especially when one compares their hyperbolic rhetoric to the reality:

Glenn T. Stanton of Focus on the Family: "This is a really pernicious lie of Satan to say that the gender part of humanity doesn’t really matter because the gender part of humanity is really denying the distinct God imaging in each of us as males and females. We need to understand that as Christians. That’s the biggest thing. The other is that, ‘you know kids don’t really need a mom and a dad they just need any configuration of loving adults who care for them,’ . . . As a good friend of mine says, ‘you know a lot of these people advocating for same-sex marriage, I’ve been in the marriage work for decades, I’ve never seen these people come to the stump to advocate for marriage, the only time they are for marriage is when it has same-sex in front of it.’ Think about that. These are not advocates of marriage; they’re advocates for redefining marriage."


Reality:

Jonathan Mintz, John Feinblatt and their daughters celebrate their wedding ceremony.

Mat Staver, The Liberty Counsel: "Basically marriage will be completely destroyed, families will be destroyed, children will be hurt by this and freedom of speech and freedom of religion, including in the pulpit itself, will absolutely be bulldozed over. This would open a floodgate of unimaginable proportions. That’s why with those kinds of consequences to have five of the nine justices ultimately have this kind of power in their hands, that’s not how this court and this country was established, to have five individuals to be able to have that kind of catastrophic, social re-engineering power in their hands, that’s just not something that was envisioned by the founders."



Reality:

72-year-old Byron and 86-year-old Phillipe, a couple who have been together for 51 years, poses at their wedding.

Gordon Klingenschmitt, anti-gay activist and "exorcist" - "Every kid deserves a mom and dad. We must defend traditional marriage. Sadly, Obama equates sin with holiness, confusing lust with love, thereby confusing the demonic with the Holy Spirit, when Satan can never be equal with God. There is one reason homosexual sodomy will never be "equal" to traditional marriage: Satan will never be equal to God."

 
 Reality:

Luz Heurtelo and Natassia Heurtelo before their wedding in Brooklyn.

I could say more, but is there any need? One side spins tales of revolution, destruction, and Satanic possession. And the other side simply shows basic love. Sure, I am preaching to the choir with this post but people forget that sometimes a choir needs practice and in this case, our choir needs to remember that we have beautiful voices which sound like angels when we sing together in harmony.

Lastly, we need to remember what  we are singing for.

Love, honey. The most powerful emotion in the universe.

Photos, captions courtesy of Buzzfeed.

Hat tip to Right Wing Watch for the religious right quotes.

Family Research Council angry at Obama for cleaning up its mess

FRC's Tony Perkins

As to be expected, the Family Research Council didn't care for President Obama's State of the Union address.

The organization particularly didn't care for the part where President Obama mentioned equal treatment for same-sex military couples. FRC especially didn't like the announcement before the SOTU speech that the Pentagon would be giving some benefits to these same-sex couples. And the brazen hypocrisy in which FRC engages in to criticize this will astound you:

 . . . Hours before his State of the Union address, the commander-in-chief gave his Pentagon the thumbs up to hundreds of thousands of dollars in new spending for homosexual partner perks. Starting August 31, the same-sex boyfriends and girlfriends of service members will be eligible for privileges that even cohabiting heterosexuals are not: military ID cards, access to military commissaries, gymnasiums, and movie theaters, participation in family support programs on bases and posts, and the chance to fly on Defense Department aircraft on the taxpayers' dime.

For a liberal movement so intent on policing discrimination, this policy is full of it! The U.S.government has decided that what you do in the bedroom qualifies you for federally-subsidized benefits (unless you happen to be heterosexual, like 96.6% of the U.S. population). Once again, it's exclusion in the name of "inclusion." Under this policy, Washington is officially in the business of incentivizing homosexual behavior in our military--an observation that appalls veterans like Senator Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.).

"The President is eroding our military's apolitical stance and forcing conformity onto the rest of society by pushing his liberal social agenda through the Department of Defense. In a weak attempt to not violate the Defense of Marriage Act, the administration is using a play on words by saying 'same sex domestic partners' can have access to benefits instead of 'spouses.'"

What's more, Sen. Inhofe points out, America is on a "slippery slope" with this kind of preferential treatment. "Why would the DOD extend benefits to same-sex partners and then deny cohabiting heterosexual couples the same benefits? The Department of Defense is essentially creating a new class of beneficiary that will increase costs and demand for limited resources that are currently available for military families, active and reserve forces, and retirees.

Why indeed would the DOD extend benefits to same-sex partners and then deny cohabiting heterosexual couples the same benefits?

Maybe because the cohabiting heterosexual couples generally have the option to get married, whereas the same-sex couples do not have that same option in most cases.

Also while some states offer same-sex couples the option of marriage, there is that annoying little pesky law called DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) which precludes the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages.

And here is the kicker. Anti-gay activist Robert Knight helped to craft DOMA while he was an employee of the Family Research Council.

In other words:

• FRC is claiming that the Obama Administration is discriminating against cohabiting heterosexual couples by offering same-sex couples benefits that cohabiting heterosexual couples cannot receive.

• However, the reason why these benefits had to be given is because by law, the federal government cannot recognize the marriages of same-sex couples no matter if these marriages are legal via state law.

• And the reason why the federal government cannot recognize these marriages is because of DOMA, a law which was partly crafted by an FRC employee.

It's not the Obama Administration which is practicing discrimination. If anything, the Obama Administration is cleaning up the mess that the FRC helped to become law.

The sad irony is that while FRC dismissively refers to same-sex couples as "boyfriends" and "girlfriends," it is because of efforts like groups like FRC that these couples aren't considered to be more than that by the federal government.

It's the equivalent of criticizing someone for being in a hole while omitting the fact that you are the one who put them there in the first place.

NOM's silly spokesperson attacks gay families again

Per usual, members of the religious right are attacking gay parenting (again). Jennifer Morse of NOM's Ruth Institute is talking to conservative host Michael Brown and proceeds to go on a ridiculous tangent about parenting in which she spouts very little facts. Her rambling starts at 2:00 of this clip:

 

Here are just a few things I noticed. I'm sure you can add more:

At 2:20 - Morse says that there needs to be more recruitment of adoptive parents coming from the mother/father dynamic. That's a good point which she brings up because as far as I know, NOM has NEVER undertaken any attempt or pushed any legislation to do this.

2:25 - Morse says that since American couples "go all over the world" to find children to adopt, including children of different races and handicaps so she does not believe that there is a shortage of homes to adopt children. Funny how she doesn't cite any statistics.

Fact: According to Adam Pertman, head of the Evan Donaldson Adoption Institute:

More than 104,000 children in the United States are waiting in foster care to be adopted by permanent, loving parents. These girls and boys, who are on average 8 years old, typically remain in temporary situations for over three years before being placed with "forever families."

Then Morse goes into a spiel which folks on her side the argument have done before and very few of us have called them out -  pitting heterosexual two-parent families against gay parents. She makes it seem that society is favoring gay parenting supposedly traditional heterosexual parenting, when in fact there has never been any competition regarding gay or heterosexual parents, except for in the talking points of folks like Morse.

She then claims that one cannot compare same-sex parenting to heterosexual parenting without going into detail as to why. Of course Morse is contradicted by many credible health organizations including the American Psychological Association and the National Association of Social Workers.

Everything else Morse says is purely blather and nonsense which has nothing to do with the reality of gays raising children.

And the religious right can't seem to figure out why they lose the vast majority of court cases involving gay adoption.

'No gays allowed' prom idea backfires on organizers' and other Tuesday midday news briefs

'Gay-free' prom idea backfires on supporters in Indiana town - MSNBC is now saying that idea of a "traditional" prom with no gays allowed has backfired on the organizers with the school and the church where they met coming out against their idea. I can remember a day when they would have been widely applauded. I do love change.  

BREAKING: French National Assembly Approves Marriage Equality And Same-Sex Adoption - That tremor you just felt? Members of the National Organization for Marriage suffering a spell of mass fainting. So much for THAT French Revolution the organization was pushing. At least Brian Brown got a free trip to France.  

We're Not Saying Gays Are Pedophiles, But… - Attack of the "yeah, but Christians."

 Pentagon to extend additional benefits to same-sex service members and their families - Sweet!

 Kenneth Faried, Denver Nuggets Star, Becomes First NBA Player To Join Gay Rights Sports Group - Good for him! I do love getting allies.  

Pedophilia Myth Tainted Cable News Coverage Of Boy Scouts' Anti-Gay Ban - Ugly madness

FRC- Obama wanted to force nursery schools to hire drag kings and drag queens

No matter how many times the Family Research Council claim that they are merely "defending" Christian values, the organization cannot hide that its stock and trade is bigotry and hysterical lies about the gay community. For example, check the following tidbit it sent out as a recent Washington Update (important part placed in bold):

 Just three weeks after a federal court ruled that the White House had overstepped its authority in certain "recess" appointments, the President isn't showing any signs of backing off his second-term power grab. During tomorrow's State of the Union speech, the President is expected to announce another round of "executive actions" on issues he doesn't feel Congress is moving quickly enough to address. Like his two dozen gun initiatives, these directives would help President Obama implement the more controversial parts of his agenda without the House and Senate's approval

. "It's a very dangerous road he's going down..." said Senator Charles Grassley (R-Iowa). "Just because Congress doesn't act doesn't mean the President has a right to." Although the White House wouldn't comment on the details, officials have confirmed that his actions would include special right for homosexuals and cross-dressers in the workplace. With lawmakers in both parties unwilling to push Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), the President is moving ahead on his own version, which would ban government contractors from "discriminating" on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

As a presidential candidate, Barack Obama promised to put the "whole weight of [his] administration behind... a fully inclusive [ENDA]." His position, which would have ordered employers (like schools and day care centers) to hire transsexuals, drag queens, and drag kings, was considered "too radical" even for his own party. Now the President is considering the next best thing: demanding full conformity with his views for anyone working with or for the federal government. 

You will notice that the piece never said a word about "Christian values." Rather, it shrieks portents of doom about young children held as captive audiences in schools with "transsexuals?," "drag queens," and drag kings."

Exploiting the fear of parents regarding the safety of their children is the lowest thing any one person or organization can do.

But I guess with FRC, it's business as usual.

FRC recycles failed DADT predictions to attack gays in the Boy Scouts

Ever since the Boy Scouts hinted about a decision to do away with its "no gays allowed" policy, the Family Research Council has been working the talk shows and sending out emails with portents of doom of what will happen if this takes place.

 But as Carlos Maza from Equality Matters points out, there is something pathetically familiar about these talking points.

They were the same ones FRC used to against the DADT repeal. Unsuccessfully, I might add. What's more, now that DADT has been repealed since 2010, none of their predictions of doom have come true.

Maza points out three failed predictions. Allow me to spotlight one:

“Gays Will Increase The Rate Of Sexual Assault”

FRC on the Boy Scouts’ ban:

So what exactly is the incentive?... Is it safety? Because unless something changed in the last seven months, the Scouts are still dealing with the fallout of more than 2,000 cases of child molestation with the current policy in place! Can they honestly tell parents that entrusting little boys to men with same-sex attractions is somehow going to reduce the incidence of child sexual abuse?

FRC on DADT repeal:

The military already has a serious problem with sexual assault by homosexuals. If the current law against homosexuality in the military is overturned, the problem of same-sex sexual assault in the military is sure to increase.

For the other two, check out Maza's post. He ends it by saying:

In the case of DADT, not a single one of FRC’s doomsday predictions turned out to be anything more than baseless fear mongering – motivated by the group’s extreme anti-gay animus. FRC demonstrated that, when it comes to serious policy analysis, it doesn’t deserve to be taken seriously.

So what’s changed?

Now that the Boy Scouts’ final decision on its gay ban has been postponed until May, it’s likely that media outlets will get another opportunity to cover the controversy. When they do, they should ask how groups like FRC have any credibility when it comes to predicting the consequences of repealing the ban.

'Dan Savage weighs in on Indiana prom controversy' and other Monday midday news briefs

Anti-Gay Bigots at High School In Indiana Can't Ban Gay Kids From Prom... - Oh boy. The prom controversy in Indiana just went nuclear. Dan Savage has weighed in and you KNOW Savage doesn't mince words.  

Obama May Be Reconsidering Executive Order To Protect LGBT Federal Workers - Do the right thing, Mr. President.  

Speaking Up against Ex-Gay Kent Paris at Summit Christian Church then . . . - One of my favorite bloggers and people, Kathy Verbiest Baldock, took a brave stand to speak up against a supposed "ex-gay" at Summit Christian Church in Nevada. Read what happened next.

  Teacher Says She Lost Job Over Gay Club - If this turns out to be true, then I hope she wins her lawsuit.

Sullivan High School student - 'my school and community supports lgbt students!'

A student at Sullivan High School in Indiana has written me about the controversy about several students and parents wanting to ban gay students from the prom and setting up a "traditional prom" instead:

I am a senior at Sullivan High School. Just wanted to let all of you know it is NOT the school that is banning same sex couples!! I hate how the school is being made out as the bad guy, that is not the case at all. The only prom that's banning them is the "traditional prom" that is being held somewhere else (it is not supported by the school). The only way they can go to the traditional prom is if they go with someone of the opposite sex.

Sullivan High School is ACCEPTING the same sex couples and the staff at SHS is for the same sex couples going and so are the majority of student and people in the community!!!! I absolutely hate how my town is getting called Anti-Gay Bigots because a few "Christians" are planning a separate prom!

Not all of Sullivan is like that I can damn well guarantee it. It appalls me that some people in my community cant accept others for who they are, but like i said not all of us are that narrow minded so please stop saying all of Sullivan County is like that because we aren't. My date (who is a guy) and I are attending the school prom that is ALLOWING same sex couples to go!

Please like this Facebook group it will help! http://www.facebook.com/pages/Support-the-Sullivan-High-School-Prom-for-All-Students/611335158883992

Related post:  Students, parents want lgbt students banned from the prom

Students, parents want lgbt students banned from the prom

Oh. My. God. This is a hot mess. Students and parents from Sullivan High School in Sullivan, IN actually want to ban lgbt students from their prom.

A team of Valley high schoolers and parents petition to ban gays from their prom.

NBC 2's Paige Preusse reports how Sullivan High School says there's nothing legally they can do to allow it... several students and parents are taking matters into their own hands. Several parents, students, and others who believe gays should be banned from the Sullivan High School prom met Sunday at the Sullivan First Christian Church.

"We don't agree with it and it's offensive to us," said Diana Medley.

Their idea is to create a separate...traditional prom. Students say there are several others from their high school who agree, but are afraid to take a stand.

 "If we can get a good prom then we can convince more people to come and follow what they believe," said student Kynon Johnson.

And now they want everyone to know where they stand.

 "We want to make the public see that we love the homosexuals, but we don't think it's right nor should it be publicly accepted," said a local student.

 But not all in the community think what they're doing is right. "We shouldn't be condemning people, and that's what judgement is. Christ came to save the people not to condemn them." Local man Jim Davis says we've all sinned...so why should gays be treated with less respect? "Love them as a person. You don't have to love what they do, because the gays may not love all the mistakes you make," said Davis.

The sad part is that Davis was the only person who spoke out against this awful idea. The television report (what you are reading is the transcript from the televised news report which does not allow embedded links) did not seek out anyone who was lgbt or an lgbt ally.

But if you think that is sad, check out this next passage:

Diana Medley is a special education teacher in town. She doesn't believe anyone is born gay. "I believe that it was life circumstances and they chose to be that way; God created everyone equal," said Medley. "I don't understand it. A gay person isn't going to come up and make some change unless it's to realize that it was a choice and they're choosing God," said Medley. 

God help the lgbt student who goes to her school because Medley has shown that she will close them out if they come to her for help.  I can't imagine what she would do if she sees an lgbt student being bullied.

When this controversy goes viral - and I have a feeling that it shall - I am betting that groups like the Family Research Council, the National Organization for Marriage, and networks like Fox News will rally to the side of these awful individuals.

I'm sorry for those who get offended by my words but these children and these parents are terrible.  This is not merely expressing an opinion, it is mass bullying of lgbt students, some who are probably already struggling with their sexual orientation and are having feelings of sadness, isolation and depression.

Imagine a community of people attacking you, not because of anything you did, but because of their prejudices regarding who you are.

For those who whine that "gays are the bullies," you need to sit your ass down and check out what's going on here.

If there are some lgbts who can be called bullies, it's because incidents like this have taught us well.

Editor's note - Those who want to see the video news report can see it here.

UPDATE - The video seems to have disappeared from the page and the article has been altered. The lead now reads "A team of Valley high schoolers and parents rally for a traditional prom that bans gays."

UPDATE 2 - The video is back up but it has been altered. It and the article seems to have been altered to include more information on Medley, including this passage:

Diana Medley is a special education teacher in town. She doesn't believe anyone is born gay."I believe that it was life circumstances and they chose to be that way; God created everyone equal," said Medley.

"Homosexual students come to me with their problems, and I don't agree with them, but I care about them. It's the same thing with my special needs kids, I think God puts everyone in our lives for a reason," said Medley.

For those who are curious as to what the original news report said, here it is saved from youtube:


 

Colbert makes a fool out of anti-gay state legislator Stacey Campfield

Know Your LGBT History - Jeanne Manford and PFLAG

In celebration of the news that the late Jeanne Manford, founder of PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) has been selected to receive the 2012 Presidential Citizens Medal, I present the story of PFLAG in her own words with an assist from Rachel Maddow and President Obama. I have never seen this video until now.

What a woman!


Past Know Your LGBT History posts:

'Meet the British Maggie Gallagher' and other Friday midday news briefs

Remember that episode of Sanford and Son where the lead character Fred Sanford met a white version of his nemesis, his sister-in-law Esther? In that spirit, I present to you the British version of Maggie Gallagher.

In this debate, she is commenting negatively on the decision by the British government to pursue the passage of marriage equality. For those who don't want to watch the entire thing, just take a glimpse at the first part and notice how the moderator makes her backtrack from her "marriage has existed the same way from the beginning of time" talking point.

However for those who are a student of such things, pay attention to what she says during the debate and notice how "oddly" her talking points mirror the ones used by Gallagher, NOM, and others attempting to hinder marriage equality in America, including the "homosexuals have no right to redefine the definition of marriage for all of us" lie.

If you don't think these folks are collaborating, then you are in a deep coma.

In other news:

Maryland Middle School Promotes Ex-Gay Therapy To Students - Unbelievable. Don't show this trash to our children!  UPDATE - The video has been pulled!

TWO Report: Gerard van den Aardweg, NARTH’s Nastiest Reparative Therapist - Wayne Besen dismantles another phony researcher from that discredited group that religious right organizations rely on so much.

Former Teammate Implies That Darnell Dockett Is Gay, Enrages Darnell Dockett - Wooooweee! Dude! There are worse things than being called gay.  A serial killer. A cannibal. A fan of Rush Limbaugh and Fox News.

Zach Wahls - the religious right's worst nightmare

If you don't know who Zach Wahls is, you had better learn.

He is a young man raised in a lesbian household, intelligent, articulate,and not shy about defending his family or gay equality. Wahls, an Eagle Scout, has also been on the front lines for the lgbt community in the recent Boy Scout ado. In short, he is the religious right's worst nightmare. And nothing says that more than two interviews this week in which he went head-to-head with Dr. Richard Land of the Southern Baptist Convention.

The first interview is when the Boy Scouts were deciding whether or not to change its "no gays allowed" policy. To say Zach did rather well would be an understatement:

 

This second interview was done after the Boy Scouts decided to postpone its decision.  Zach mops up the floor with Land. But for those who think that the second video is too long, allow me to clue you to a juicy part. At 6:40, Zach decides to ask Land a question about the talking point he keeps repeating concerning the Boy Scouts' "core values." It got a bit vicious after that and Zach did not back down :

 

Religious right reveals bigoted hand in Boy Scouts situation

My buddy Zack Ford at Think Progress just wrote an incredibly good piece which I think needs more attention.

 In How The ‘Scouts’ Safety’ Argument Reveals Conservatives’ Complete Anti-Gay Agenda, Ford says that how the religious right and some conservatives addressed the situation about the Boy Scouts reveals the depths of their bigotry against the lgbt community.

I especially like this part:

Though BSA refused to share any of the details of the two-year review that resulted in keeping the policy, plenty of conservatives voices have attempted to make the case on behalf of the organization, including Mike Huckabee, Bill O’Reilly, Rick Perry, the Family Research Council, the Liberty Counsel, the American Family Association, the National Organization for Marriage, and the Southern Baptist Convention, to name a few. While some have made weak appeals to “traditional values,” the overwhelming argument against changing the policy has been a claim that Scouts will be more vulnerable to abuse if gays are allowed to participate in the organization, an argument that doesn’t even address the question of gay Scouts. Here is a sampling of the underlying assumptions about gay people that inform this point of view:

• The LGBT community is viewed entirely as adult gay men.

• The only aspect of a person that defines a gay identity is participation in same-sex sexual behavior.

• Nothing is apparently more important to gay men than having as much sex as possible and talking about it at all times.

• For gay men, there is no difference between being attracted to other adult gay men and being attracted to underage boys.

• Gay men are so obsessed with having sex that consent means nothing to them.

• Even though the men most commonly found abusing boys identify as heterosexual, the fact that their victims were boys means that they must be secretly gay, as opposed to just being pedophiles.

• It’s impossible for a child to learn that gay people even exist without becoming “sexualized” and somehow put at risk.

• So long as homosexuality is prohibited, all Boy Scouts will remain totally chaste and never think, learn about, or talk about the existence of sex.

'FRC continues the gay = pedophilie lie' and other Thursday midday news briefs

STUDY: Coming Out Is Good For Gays’ Mental Health - Well duh. 

 CNN Devotes Three Segments In Three Days To Debating The “Gays Are Pedophiles” Myth - While I enjoyed watching the folks at CNN refute the religious right, this article brings up a good point.

  Thanks for the shout out, Ms Roback Morse! - Doggone it, Jeremy Hooper! You always get the good shout outs. LOL  

16 Must-See Black LGBT Films - Sweet! 

Lake County School Board May Slash All Student Clubs To Blockade Gay-Straight Alliance - Not so sweet.

Perkins: 'Ironic' That Critics of Pedophilia in Catholic Church Want Boy Scouts to Lift Gay Ban - Finally, there are some folks who feel that my post yesterday (Family Research Council is to blame for near massacre at its headquarters) went over the line. I said that by the vindictively demonizing language that it uses against lgbts and the lies it tells about us, FRC created a wheel of hatred which turned on the group. And I stand by it. I did not absolve the young man who attempted the violence of his culpability but I be damned if FRC will exploit his hatred as an excuse to pander its hatred. Let this news brief be proof of my statement.

The anti-gay hate group and Congress

Some in the lgbt community have publicly asked why should we be concerned about the doings of the Family Research Council. Apparently some of us figure that if we close our eyes and put our fingers in our ears, FRC will do us no actual harm as a community.

Think again, especially after you read this from the organization's webpage:

Congress may not always act responsibly, but there are plenty of members who do! Today, we honored the House and Senate leaders who stood on principle and notched a perfect 100% on FRC Action's annual scorecard. Almost 30 of the 93 congressional "True Blue" winners dropped by the Capitol Hill Club for our special reception, and it was encouraging to see the camaraderie in the room among the leaders who take the slings and arrows for the rest of us as they stand for family values.
As part of this year's event, we also welcomed new members of Congress, who will be valuable reinforcements for the pro-family cause. This year, FRC Action scored votes on everything from repealing ObamaCare and protecting DOMA to the President's court nominees and safeguarding conscience rights. I appreciate the members who took time out of their busy schedules to join us--as well as the FRC and FRC Action staff, Tom McClusky, Connie Mackey, Sherry Crater, Mike Mears, and Tim Potter, for your tireless efforts for our values. Congratulations to the 112^th Congress's class of True Blue winners! Thank you for all you accomplished in the name of faith, family, and freedom.

This ridiculous award underscores the simple fact that in spite of all of the highly specious things FRC has done to undermine gay equality, it has a degree of credibility to some members of Congress.

And it is Congress which passes laws (well duh). That's why it is so important for us to continue to publicly debate and denounce FRC,  as well as show all of the reasons why the organization is a hate group.

And on that last point, FRC always makes it easy for us.

Related post - 16 reasons why the Family Research Council is a hate group

Family Research Council is to blame for near massacre at its headquarters

Today, Floyd Lee Corkins, the young man who opened fire at the Family Research Council headquarters last year, plead guilty to several counts in court.

And today, FRC head Tony Perkins again blamed the Southern Poverty Law Center for the incident, which could have been deadly if it were not for a security guard who disarmed Corkins before he harmed anyone.

Perkins claimed that SLPC gave Corkins a "license for violence" by labeling the FRC as a hate group. Perkins also contended that the SPLC gave his group the label to "silence" it because it speaks out on Christian principles in regards to homosexuality.

Now a stereotype about gays is that sometimes we can be brutally honest even to the point of not caring about hurt and angry feelings. I generally refrain from that stereotype, but today I feel the need to embrace it.

Someone has to sit Mr. Perkins down and school him on the truth. I am very certain that Perkins is already aware of this truth, but he needs to be told publicly so that everyone else can know.

SPLC isn't responsible for Corkins' near massacre at FRC headquarters last year. If Perkins wants to blame someone, he should look to himself and his organization.

For years, while under the guise of Biblical principles, FRC  dehumanized the lgbt community. Time after time, the organization performed a mass slander against us by claiming that we are like drug abusers, that we are pedophiles, that we are terrorists and that we are led by Satan. It actively undermined any effort of the gay community to achieve any form of equality or the right to self-determination. FRC is even so cold-hearted as to claim that efforts to prevent gay youth from committing suicide is wrong.

In addition, FRC relies on phony experts to create "studies" and "papers" designed to lend some degree of credibility to its negative claims about the gay community, even if these "studies" and "papers" cherry-pick legitimate studies.

Let's be clear. This is not an accident. FRC's actions against the lgbt community are intentional. FRC's actions against the gay community are deliberate. When Perkins calls gays pedophiles, he knows what he is saying is not true and you can tell by his weaselly verbiage: 

There is a disproportionate number of male on boy — when we get on pedophilia, male on boy is a higher incident rate of that. We never said all homosexuals are pedophiles. that’s not what we’re saying.

When Tony Perkins smears efforts such as the "It Gets Better Campaign," he knows that his attacks could hurt gay youth, but he doesn't care. When an FRC phony expert such as Peter Sprigg cites a study while omitting crucial parts of it which would destroy his "dangers of homosexuality" claim, he knows exactly what he is doing.

And when Perkins claims that FRC is not about hatred, it's the biggest lie of them all. It's the organization's lifeblood. FRC can't get people to read its emails, listen to its phony experts, visit its webpage, or donate money if the organization doesn't give folks a reason to. And what's a better reason to support FRC than stopping a so-called sinful homosexual out to destroy your values and harm your children in the process?

Through its lies and distortions, FRC nursed fears of gays, stoked the egos of some Christians based upon a few arguably mistaken Biblical verses, and exploited stereotypes about gay sexual intercourse until it created a wall of hatred against gays.

But here is the thing about hatred. It's like a fire which can't be controlled. Sooner or later it backfires on its creator. And in this case, the hatred which FRC sowed against the gay community backfired on the organization in the form of a young man with a gun, a warped mind, and an ugly mission which thankfully he was unsuccessful in accomplishing.

No one should blame SPLC for what happened at FRC headquarters last year. SPLC merely called out the fact that FRC was promoting hatred.

Corkins did more. He proved it.

On that day in which he walked into FRC headquarters, the organization met what its effort to promote hatred of gays had given birth to.

A demented child.

Boy Scouts delay decision as hate group leader gets destroyed on CNN' and other Wednesday midday news briefs

The somewhat bad news:

Utah Boy Scouts Council Achieves Delay In Consideration Of Anti-Gay Policy I say "somewhat" because until the decision is taken up again in May, we can hopefully expect scenes like the following:

 

To put it nicely, Soledad O'Brien treated FRC's Tony Perkins like she was the parent and he was her child whom she just caught misbehaving. It was brutal how she made him contradict himself. Now there are some who are still complaining as to why people like Tony Perkins are given interview time. If I said it once, I will say it a million times - an censored idea gains power, but an idea exposed as a lie loses power. And you can't expose lies by keeping those who tell them silent. WE NEED THIS DEBATE!  No matter how the Scouts rule in May, we have already won the battle of public opinion by letting the right dig themselves into a hyperbolic hole. And that victory will play out in other fights. So instead of whining, the lgt community needs to take charge. What folks need to do is ask where in the hell are HRC and GLAAD representatives in this mix? They need to get on these shows.

 In other news:  

Rios Claims Gay Men Are Child Predators by Nature - That's right suckers! Keep it up and help the lgbt community out.

 Anti-Gay, Anti-Immigrant, Birther Groups Join Forces to File Mother of All Prop 8 Briefs - I'm beginning to think that all of these organizations fear gay folks.  

UK Coalition for Marriage Puts NOM-Style Spin on Its Marriage Vote Defeat - Simply delicious.

Superbowl champion Brendon Ayanbadejo gives stunning defense of lgbt rights

I've heard a lot about this interview and, while I'm not one to fall for hype, I was impressed. Member of the Superbowl champions Baltimore Ravens and a strong ally/spokesman for the lgbt community Brendon Ayanbadejo simply rocks in this interview with Don Lemon:

Does the Family Research Council's bland video make the case for gays to join the Boy Scouts?

The Family Research Council just posted its video about the Boy Scouts thinking of lifting the ban on gays and I gotta tell you from my heart:

 It sucks.

Not in the manner of yesterday's video by Janet Porter. While her video contained wild charges of pedophilia and abuse, I'm guessing FRC choose to take the high road and hold back on the hyperbole. Thusly, the organization ends up with a bland video which is just as bad as Porter's.

FRC's video doesn't explain why the organizations feels that gays shouldn't be allowed to become members. But believe it or not, in the first part of the video FRC actually makes the case for gays to be members. After all, what parent wouldn't want their child, gay or straight, to be a member of such an upstanding group which produced leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr.?

 

'Kanye West called 'half a f@g' in blistering homophobic attack' and other Tuesday midday news briefs

Duff Goldman, 'Ace Of Cakes' Chef, Offers To Bake Rejected Lesbian Couple's Wedding Cake For Free - In a followup to yesterday's post about a lesbian couple discriminated against for only seeking a wedding cake comes a happy ending.  

Kanye West Blasted As 'Half A Fag,' 'Pioneer Of Queer Sh*t' On New Lord Jamar Track - Kanye West isn't necessarily one of my favorite people but this ridiculous rant by a rapper who chooses to attack him opens a window to the world of what the gay black male has to deal with. Apparently a lot of the homophobia from within the black community comes at us because some folks feel that they are the arbiters of just what encompasses a "suitable black man," i.e. made of stone, not showing emotions, and being a picture of masculinity as improbable to sustain as a Barbie doll's figure is for a woman. I think in Lord Jamar's tribute, I will do some Bette Davis interpretations.  

Boy Scout memo: legal challenges, pressure from churches cited in policy change - Maybe, just maybe the Boy Scouts aren't pulling our legs with its possible decision to change its anti-gay policy. 

 Matt Barber, as mature and measured as ever - Dear American Christians. This is reason one through five why you are losing popularity.  

Transgender woman settles lawsuit with Boston over treatment during 2010 arrest - And I hope the girlfriend got PAID!

Fear vs. fairness in the Boy Scouts - a video presentation

Let's play the comparison game.

The following is that awful religious right video about the phony dangers of gays in the Boy Scouts:




Compare this monstrosity to this video of gay Scouts, leaders, and their families who yesterday delivered 1.4 million petition signatures to Boy Scout headquarters asking that the organization end its "no gays allowed" policy:



In the matter of the Boy Scouts, it is the classic case of fear vs. fairness.

Let's all hope that fairness wins.

OMG! The religious right creates HORRENDOUS anti-gay Boy Scout video!

It's rare that I post more than three times a day, but this is one of the days in which I simply HAVE to make an exception to show you this monstrosity.

It is probably the worse anti-gay video of 2013, but not because it is offensive. It's because of how badly done it is.

Here are a couple of religious right characters talking about how wrong it would be for the Boy Scouts to do away with its "no gays allowed" policy. It simply boggles the mind how BAD this is.

From Janet Porter's attempt to hypnotize you with her eyes, to the awful muddled background voices, it's just terrible:



Editor's note - Someone please save this video because when the religious right sees how bad it is, they are going to either get rid of it or replace it. 

Hat tip to Right Wing Watch.

'Don't say gay' bill sponsor Stacey Campfield gets SCHOOLED on TMZ

Stacey Campfield, the Tennessee politician behind that awful "Don't Say Gay" bill in that state recently got schooled big time by the folks at (wait for it) TMZ. This is epically awesome:

Tennessee State Senator Stacey Campfield -- Homosexuality Is Dangerous - Watch More Celebrity Videos or Subscribe

 

Now allow me to throw out a couple of thoughts.

Campfield oozes with entitlement. He is quintessential anti-gay bigot in that he doesn't look at gays as normal people.  In his small mind, he doesn't see lgbts raising children, going to work, and leading normal productive lives. Instead, he has psychologically dissected us from our sexual orientation and then has transformed said orientation into a sex act (sodomy) which is both not totally indigenous to the gay community and not totally avoided to by the heterosexual community. To him, being gay does not exist, except for an act having to do with penises and rectums.

It's a sad way to dehumanize people and families by reducing them to sex acts thought up in one's fevered imagination. And what's worse, it's not enough for him to believe this way, he wants to codify that ignorant belief into law, which means he wants lgbts and our families to abide by his definition of who we are in spite of the fact that it's a vicious lie.

While Campfield whines about gays not leaving people alone and trying to allegedly shove our lifestyle down people's throats, he is the aggressor. No one asked him to push this law which would bar teachers from talking about gay issues with students and force schools to out gay students to their parents.

Campfield is pushing this law by his own volition. He is forcing his beliefs on gay families. He is doing the throat shoving.

Perhaps if Campfield doesnt' want to be bothered by THE GAYS, perhaps he should practice what he preaches and stop harassing them.

'FRC's Peter Sprigg blistered during CNN interview' and other Monday midday news briefs

This is what happens when a journalist does his/her homework. If this keeps up, the Family Research Council will be doing a "Sarah Palin" and only appear on Fox News: 



 In other news:  

Journalists Win Release of Documents Tracing Right-Wing Funding For Texas Gay Marriage Study - Looks like THIS story isn't dead yet.  

Delaware Bishop Attacks Marriage Equality: ‘Unrestrained Romanticism Damages Marriage’ - Cause apparently love has nothing to do with marriage.  

Santorum: Dropping Gay Ban Will 'Murder' the Boy Scouts - Oh the hyperbole, the hyperbole!

Bakery refuses services to lesbian couple - why the slippery slope argument applies

This situation happened recently involving a bakery in Oregon whose owner refused create a cake for a lesbian couple.

No doubt, if he is found to be violating the state's anti-discrimination law, he will definitely be NOM's newest martyr. Also, there will be - and they are already showing their faces - others who say that why should the lesbian couple worry about him. Why can't they just get their cake from another baker?

Be forewarned. This situation is about more than just a cake. It's a case where the slippery slope argument does apply.

The folks and groups who would defend this baker have never made it clear when they wouldn't defend anyone on the grounds of so-called religious liberty. They have never made a point as to say when they would stop using the religious liberty argument.

In other words, today it may be bakers refusing services to gays. What if tomorrow it's car dealerships or restaurants or apartment rentals?

Personally I hope he is found in violation of the law. It's not that I want him to be forced to bake a cake for a gay or lesbian couple.

A message should be sent this baker and others that their personal religious beliefs do not preclude them from treating every potential customer with the same amount of fairness and dignity.

Video - President Obama says Boy Scouts should be open to gays

You've heard about it. Now here is the video. The religious right is going to blow a gasket.

Good.

NOM losing marriage battle in France

Remember that so-called rebellion against marriage equality which took place in France? That's the large march against marriage equality held in Paris and heavily promoted by the National Organization for Marriage a few weeks ago. It's also the same march whose number of participants fluctuate from from 300,000 to 500,000 to a 1 million, depending on who was telling the story that is.

Well the French government has just sent its answer to that march:

The French National Assembly has approved the most important article of a bill to legalise same-sex marriage.

Deputies voted 249-97 in favour of redefining marriage as being an agreement between two people - not just between a man and a woman.

President Francois Hollande's Socialists and their left-wing supporters backed it, opposed by many opposition UMP and centrist MPs.

The proposals have generated protests and counter-protests for months.

Opinion polls suggest that around 55-60% of French people support gay marriage, though only about 50% approve of gay adoption.

Correspondents say the ease with which the article passed suggests the bill as a whole will pass.
Debates are expected to go on for more than a week, as MPs discuss hundreds of amendments, most of them filed by the centre-right opposition.

On the way they are expected to approve the other key measure in the bill, which would allow gay couples to adopt children.

Know Your LGBT History - In-the-closet politicians and pastors

In the history of the gay equality in the United States, these things are bound to happen - a fervent anti-gay politician or pastor turns out to be gay himself.  And these folks are usually outed by a hot scandal.

Sometimes you pity them and sometimes you think they got the embarrassment they deserve.

Whatever the case may be, the following video - via the blog Towleroad - looks at a cavalcade of them:




Past Know Your LGBT History posts:

'Whoops! UK Catholic Church undermines NOM's fake study, core message' and other Friday midday news briefs

Earlier this week, I wrote a post accusing the National Organization for Marriage of stealing an image from the 1963 March on Washington (which was coordinated by an openly gay African-American - Bayard Rustin and where MLK made his famous "I Have A Dream" speech)  to use for its upcoming march against marriage equality. There was a lot of speculation as to whether or not the picture NOM used was in fact from the 1963 March on Washington. Thanks to a Facebook friend, we have a clear picture of the truth. Take this graphic and send it out to all:

In other news:

Gays Can Be Good Parents, But Same-Sex Marriage Is Still Unjust, Says U.K. Catholic Church - Hilarious! In it's zeal to to attack marriage equality, the U.K. Catholic Church undermines that fake study NOM helped push which claimed that gays aren't good parents AND NOM's core message against marriage equality - i.e. that marriage equality should not be allowed because children "need" a mother and a father in the home.

Fumbling damage control: It gets worse for San Francisco's team - Somewhere in the world, former SF quarterbacks Joe Montana and Steve Young are shaking their heads. How did the 49ers screw this one up so badly?

6 Reasons Why This Gay Former Eagle Scout Supports the New Boy Scouts Gay Policy - Awesome piece I support because it's so good and also I like to spotlight  lgbts who know what they are talking about and need exposure to a wider audience.  

Attempt To Repeal Omaha’s LGBT Protections Fails - Nice try dipsticks!

Not the best way to explain your opposition to marriage equality

Somewhere, Maggie Gallagher is pulling her hair out. U.S. Rep. Aaron Schock (R-Ill.) attempts to explain why he doesn't support marriage equality.

And as you can see, he doesn't have a clue.

FRC's Tony Perkins demonstrates ability to be two-faced about the Boy Scouts

Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council

Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council is working the Boy Scouts story like it's a corner and his pimp is going to knock him senseless if he comes up short.

All week, he has consistently sounded the alarm as to the possibility of sexual abuse and sexual misconduct should the Boy Scouts eliminate its "no gays allowed" policy:

This is what he said during a radio show today:

Perkins: I don’t think the vast majority of those who are involved in homosexuality choose that lifestyle. You say what do you mean by that? I mean that oftentimes it is the result of abuse, trauma, something that happened in their lives that led them down this path and that’s one of the reasons we’re very concerned about the Boy Scouts. They’ve already had—last Fall by court order these files, what they call the ‘perversion files’ with the Boy Scouts, detailed hundreds, hundreds of cases that had happened between the 1960s and the mid-1980s and that’s with the policy in place. With an open door policy it can only get worse. So that could lead to these experiences and trauma for young boys that could lead them into that lifestyle. So that’s one reason I think parents are concerned and rightfully so.

This is what he said earlier this week during another radio show:

Perkins: The national board released about 15,000 pages of documentation on sexual predators and what had taken place in the Scouts from 1960-1995. One lawsuit alone cost the Scouts a settlement of about $20 million. Through the litigation the leading attorney who has litigated for the families of what they called the ‘preyed upon children’ estimates that each predator molested up to twenty-five children, roughly 1,900 predators’ names were revealed. This is under the current policy which forbids those who would be inclined to this from coming in, what’s going to happen when they just throw the door open?

It's strange that in his radio appearances, Perkins is constantly mentioning the (nonexistent) possibility of sexual abuse because it's not what he or FRC want folks to mention when they encourage them to call the Boy Scouts about the possible change in policy. They want folks to say this:

Sample Phone Script:

Hello, my name is _________, from __________.

Thank you for your service as a board member of the Boy Scouts of America.
As you're aware, a new proposal indicates that the Boy Scouts of America may revoke their longstanding policy of safeguarding Scouts by restricting homosexuals from holding leadership positions over boys. For decades, your national organization has kept the interest of the boys it serves as the focus of all its actions. No matter what, the Boy Scouts of America could be counted upon to do the right thing and not yield to any social pressure, and has thus far stood strong.

Please do not jeopardize the safety and moral integrity of Scouting in the interest of social activism. The proposal to relegate the decision on homosexual leaders to local chartered organizations sends the wrong signal from the national body: that political correctness ultimately triumphs over character.

Please retain the current long-held and time-tested policy regarding homosexual leadership and membership. America stands with you. Lead the way. Please stand strong.

Thank you, and God bless you.

Makes one wonder about Perkins' opinion on facts and fiction.

Hat tip to Right Wing Watch.

'Online booklet on anti-gay bigotry crosses 100,000 reads threshold' and other Thursday midday news briefs

How They See Us: Unmasking the Religious Right War on Gay America crosses the 100,000 read threshold - Yeah, I have been working this booklet on you all like a runway, but as the next two briefs demonstrate, it emphasizes how our community NEEDS TO PLACE an emphasis on attacking religious right propaganda.

Wyoming House Defeats Domestic Partnership - And do you know why? Probably because of legislators' opinions like these: 

State Rep. Mark Baker (R-Rock Springs) again raised the public health argument in the debate on the House floor, claiming that "only 1 percent of homosexuals die of old age" and that domestic partnership would cause higher health care costs for the state, according to a tweet by Trevor Brown, the state government reporter for the Wyoming Tribune Eagle.

 One guess where and WHO he got that from.

News Outlets Rely On Tony Perkins For Anti-Gay Boy Scouts Commentary - Again, see what I mean. Don't demand that the media stop going to Perkins. Demand equal time!

BREAKING: Colorado Senate Committee Advances Civil Unions Bill - This just came in. Religious right head explosion at 5 . . 4 . .3 . . 

Swanson Predicts the Future: Homeschooled Children Will be Given to Pedophiles, Gays Will Burn Christians at the Stake - Religious right figure claims this will happen if Colorado passes the Civil Unions Bill. He isn't going to be happy with the news above.

 NOM Again Retreats to Canada For Anti-Marriage Fearmongering Material - I never get tired of using the words "NOM" and "pitiful" in the same sentence.

Religious Right - Gays will cause boy scouts to get freaky with each other

With the religious right all in a frenzy over ths possible change in the Boy Scouts policy of "no gays allowed," America has been subjected to all sorts of claims and images about "nubile innocent boys" at the so-called mercy of "predatory older Scoutmasters" in the middle of the forest with no one around to save them - not even Batman.

So I guess the following claim was bound to be heard. However,  it makes one wonder if some of these folks attacking the Boy Scouts have forsaken all reason and are starting to borrow plots from pornographic movies.

Recently the Family Research Council's Tony Perkins and John Stemberger of the Florida Family Policy Council had an online "chat" about the many things wrong with the Boy Scouts changing its policy and the following came up via Stemberger:

The greatest threat immediately is going to be not just adults but it’s going to be the kids. There are so many young people today in high school and public school especially who are acting out homosexuality just because it’s the popular and cool thing, so you’re going to have lots of crazy stuff happening with boys. We’ve been through a whole round of problems that the Scouts have had with improper conduct with adults over the years and this just seems insanity to me that they would open the door and allow openly gay leaders and boys to flourish.

In other words, according to Stemberger, if gays are allowed to participate in the Scouts, the young boys get together and do all sorts of stuff with each other.

As if they probably don't already. Don't blame us gays for that one. Curiosity about sex is a hallmark of childhood.

One gets the impression that Perkins, Stemberger and company will next be conjuring up visions of young boys in whips, and chains, and bondage outfits.

Did NOM steal images from the 1963 March on Washington?

After the hell lgbts get from some members of the African-American community who accuse them of "highjacking" the Civil Rights Movement, I hope earrings and wigs are snatched off over this one if it turns out to be a fact.

The following is a picture of the National Organization for Marriage is using to advertise its upcoming march during Supreme Court deliberations of Prop 8:

For those who are history buffs, if that picture looks familiar, it's probably because it seems to be stolen from the picture of the original 1963 March on Washington:

If this is the case, the fact that NOM practically steals the picture for its purposes is just plain brazen.

And ironic.

Almost everyone knows that the 1963 March on Washington was where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his famous I Have a Dream speech.

But not everyone knows that the 1963 March on Washington was planned and coordinated by Bayard Rustin, an openly gay African-American man.

Let's break this down -  The National Organization for Marriage seems to have stolen a picture of a legendary march planned and coordinated by a gay man in order to take rights away from the gay community at large.

No wonder Maggie Gallagher left her leadership position at NOM. All of the pandering she could ever do can never cover up the organization's sleaze.

Big hat tip to Jeremy Hooper who spotted the similarities between the pictures.

'Anti-gay bill contains nasty caveat for lgbt youth' and other Wednesday midday news briefs

Tennessee ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Bill Now Requires Teachers To Inform Parents If Their Child Is Gay - Actor Samuel Jackson said it best - "This here is some repugnant shit!" So teachers can't discuss the gay community in their classes, BUT they will be required yank in-the-closet gay children out to their parents.

Exclusive: Gay marriage foes suffer from fundraising shortfall - Don't dance. This dragon ain't dead yet.  

Fred Karger Reports: NOM's Brian Brown Was Paid $500K+ In 2011 - Not when it's so lucrative to attempt to keep the gay community in a state of unhappiness.  

Stop what you're doing and leave four messages for Boy Scouts of America (please RT and reblog) - If you haven't contacted the Boy Scouts yet in regards to their anti-gay policy, do it now!

  Sandy Rios Warns Gay Rights Lead to 'Fascism' and a 'Lack of Freedom' - That's right. Keep talking. Help us out.

Religious right engages in orgy of homophobia over Boy Scouts

Buster Wilson

If the Boy Scouts are legitimate with the possibility of doing away with its anti-gay policy, then I applaud the organization.

But in my personal opinion, if the group decides to do away with the policy, I would be very surprised.

Plainly speaking, the idea that the Boy Scouts may be doing away with this policy has created, in polite terms, an orgy of homophobia from religious right groups.

The Boy Scouts have been hit with a wave of vulgar comments and disturbing visual images of "predatory gays" taking advantage of children.


If there were prizes given out for most consistent tone of homophobia, Bryan Fischer of the American Family Association would win the majority of them. His usual tone of bigotry has been replaced by a manic-like John The Baptist screech of doom of what would happen to children should gays be allowed to participate in the Boy Scouts.

Believe it or not, however, Fischer doesn't even come close to winning the top prize of homophobia on display.

That award goes to his AFA colleague Buster Wilson who yesterday went on a tangent worthy of Dostyevsky to paint a nauseatingly detailed scenario of  children at the mercy of  so-called evil gay Scoutmasters:

Imagine with me a troop of young boys, ranging in ages from 12-16. These young boys are going to be out in the woods, away from their parents. Not just away from their parents but away from any contact with their parents. Back in my day, there were no cell phones. And today, most camps sites are out cell range.

They would be out in the woods for 2-4 days, nights, depending on what time of the year it was. They will sleep in pairs or threes, in sleeping bags, in tents or out in the open. They will shower and wash in the creeks or lakes that outline their camp site. It would be nothing for boys to wonder about with their shirts off, or sometimes just in their underwear or swim suit because they had just been to the latrine or to the swimming hole. These will all be under the direction of the Scout leader who led them there.

Now, you could say that I am setting up a scenario that is just my own. That there are no reports of the kind of activities that my evil mind is conjuring up, that our homosexual friends want nothing more than to lead these young men to maturity and personal growth and I’m evil for believing that such horrible thoughts could actually become reality. But then, I would refer you again, to my friend Bryan Fischer’s latest article where he reminds us all of the Jerry Sandusky story.

Yeah, that's the same Jerry Sandusky who would have been allowed in the Scouts under its current "no gays allowed" policy because he had a wife, children, and as far as everyone knows, has had no sexual relations with an adult male. He is hardly a gay male.

Regardless of how the Boy Scouts decide, one thing is clear.  Whoever said ignorance is bliss is a damn liar.

And it's downright embarrassing when people not only show pride in their ignorance but puts it on public display.

Editor's note - if you are so inclined,  Contact Wayne Brock, Chief Boy Scouts Executive, at 972-580-2004, 972-580-2000, or by email at Wayne.Brock@Scouting.org.

I 'love' Bryan Fischer and you should too

 I don't know about you all, but I am starting to love Bryan Fischer.

He is a loudmouthed, ignorant fool who repeats the most off-the-wall lies about the gay community. It's like nothing is out of bounds with this guy, such as the above clip in which he claims that the gay community is attempting to destroy the military.

 And that's why I love him.

One minute of Bryan Fischer running his mouth moves the gay community probably 5 steps closer to full equality. With just a few words, he destroys "love the sinner, but not the sin" lie religious right groups such as the Family Research Council and the National Organization for Marriage attempt to perpetrate.

One minute of Bryan Fischer negates every argument, every false issuance of piety, every fake show of love pushed by the religious right.

He is the religious right personified, uncensored by phony kindness and the fraudulent sense of concern about our "souls."

Not matter how much he will deny it, Fischer cannot stand us. He loathes the gay community. He probably has nightmares about us.

And the best part of it? He will not shut up nor will he tread lightly.

He comes full throttle, immersed in his homophobia and hatred in front of millions and millions of people.

I know that it may not seem like it now, but Fischer's words are building up to something like a pot boiling on the stove. The American Family Association, which allows him to have a radio program, has already put up a proviso that the words he utters are his opinions only.

So the group is obviously concerned about this man's wackiness, but not concerned enough to put a kibosh on his mouth.

And that's a good deal for the gay community. All we have to do is let him keep talking.

Bryan Fischer is the gay community's best weapon in the pursuit of full equality.

'Bigot has explosive meltdown over possible Boy Scout policy change' and other Tuesday midday news briefs

Bigot has meltdown over possible change in Boy Scout policy:



While it's wrong for me to wish a heart attack on Mr. Fischer, his data is equally wrong. According to the American Psychological Association:

 . . . homosexual men are not more likely to sexually abuse children than heterosexual men are.

In related news:

 Birds of a feather Barber & Fischer show Boy Scouts what extremism looks like - (Me doing my "Celie" from The Color Purple) - "Dear God, please put a check on some of those who claim to be following your laws. They is crazy

 In other news:

Cecil Chao, Hong Kong Billionaire, Still Offering 'Deluxe Luxury' To Man Who Woos His Lesbian Daughter - Sometimes the desire of the human spirit not to give up on a lost cause is downright hilarious.

  California Archbishop Compares Marriage Equality To ‘Legalizing Male Breastfeeding’- Just when you think you have heard it all . . .

 McCain On Immigration Reform: Gay Couples Are A ‘Red Flag’ And ‘Not of Paramount Importance’ - The hell they aren't!  

Booklet on anti-gay propaganda an online success - If you haven't seen my press release from last night. Yeah I know you may be tired of me promoting my booklet but remember that I'm not Ellen nor Neil Patrick Harris. I gotta work my own runway and spotlight sometimes.

Colorado Catholic adoption agencies wants to discriminate against gay couples

Civil unions may just become a reality in Colorado. With that in mind, the Catholic Charities there are threatening to close its adoption services. The above news report tells the entire story and does an adequate job to give a fair view to both sides of the issue.

However, the report failed to mention that the Catholic Charities receives over $7 million in government grants (pg. 6).  While members of the Colorado Catholic Charities went on and on in the report about their faith, none of them addressed the money situation and the basic unfairness of accepting tax dollars while seeking to discriminate against the taxpayers who happen to be lgbt.