Analyzing and refuting the inaccuracies lodged against the lgbt community by religious conservative organizations. Lies in the name of God are still lies.
You can mark down Massachusetts hate group Mass Resistance as one of the many anti-gay groups furious over the pro-marriage equality developments of last week.
As overwhelming as the “gay” blitzkrieg was, it would not have been
successful without the terrible incompetence of the lawyers on our
side. This included pro-family lawyers, state attorneys general, and
even private lawyers hired to assist.
It's painful for us to discuss this. We are reluctant to sound
unkind to the pro-family legal people who worked hard on these cases.
But this is such a horrible outcome that something must be said.
. . . Many conservatives were furious at the nasty manner that Federal Judge Richard Posner slapped down the arguments from the lawyers of Wisconsin and Indiana. The pro-homosexual press
certainly had a field day with it. But if you read the reports
carefully, you can almost feel a bit of empathy for Posner having to
listen to pathetic legal arguments that never went beyond “marriage is a
tradition” or that “ it’s about the welfare of children.”
It’s especially frustrating to know that there are so many excellent
and unassailable (albeit not “politically correct”) arguments and
facts about homosexual behavior that were never used.
The pro-family lawyers refused to consider using the vast storehouse
of medical dangers, diseases, psychological problems, addictions,
domestic violence rates, multiple partners, “gay pride” perversions, or
suicidal behavior, etc. associated with homosexuality, as
counter-arguments. They wouldn’t bring up natural law or morality. They
certainly would not talk about the emotional trauma suffered by
children growing up around homosexual behavior. Nor would they talk
about the ex-gay movement (proof that homosexuality is not inborn) and
the changes that come with healing.
Instead our side came up with only soft arguments like "every child
needs a father and a mother," “marriage is about procreation, ” the
need to respect “the long history of traditional marriage,” and similar
blather. In fact, many lawyers on our side accepted civil unions as a
reasonable alternative and had no argument against homosexual
"parenting" — which made their "mother and father" argument impossible
to defend.
. . . You can mark this down as historic. It's probably the first (and only) time I partly agree with Mass Resistance.
The group wants the softer, kinder, and gentler Maggie Gallagherish talking points and marriage equality replaced with hard driving anti-gay talking points about alleged gay sex habits and diseases, talking points which was immensely popular in the 80s and 90s.
Propaganda like the following:
Poor Mass Resistance. The organization is oblivious to a fault. Granted, it was right on the first point that talking points and arguments used by those against marriage equality were useless arguments which couldn't move a leaf down the street.
But there is a reason why those arguments had to be used. All of that tripe about the so-called dangers of homosexuality. All of that mess about the diseases, multiple problems, diseases, mental problems, etc. is a huge lie. It doesn't exist.
It's a giant fib created by anti-gay groups over the past decades from a combination of junk science, cherry-picked legitimate science, urban legends taken as truth, and just basic out-and-out lies.
That's why it couldn't be used in the courts.
Anti-gay groups did use these lies in the marriage equality fights and that's how they won victory after victory when it came to public votes. However, in the courtroom, things became different. They couldn't use that crap in an arena where they would be questioned regarding its veracity.
And now you begin to see the hole these anti-gay groups dug for themselves. It's a hole which continues to be filled with every court victory we receive.
Anti-gay NC pastor Patrick Wooden knows what he can do with his cell phone now.
While it certainly not the practice of this blog to gloat, the news out of North Carolina is just too good not to. The picture above is Pastor Patrick Wooden of Upper Room Church of God in Christ in Raleigh, NC and other celebrating the night in 2012 that Amendment One which banned marriage equality in NC passed.
During the fight, Wooden gained extreme notoriety by claiming,
during the campaign, that gays engage in so much anal sex that they have to wear diapers and
also they use instruments such as cell phones as sexual aides.
Well as of today, Wooden has been told by a federal judge where he can stick HIS cell phone.
Federal U.S. District Court Judge Max O. Cogburn Jr. has overturned
North Carolina's ban on same-sex marriage in a case filed by members of
the clergy seeking to marry gay couples.
The case is separate
from the one being overseen by Chief U.S. District Court Judge William
Osteen Jr. in Greensboro. Osteen put off a ruling in that case until
Monday.
The amendment to the state constitution banning gay marriage was overwhelmingly approved by voters in 2012.
The
U.S. Supreme Court announced Monday it would not hear appeals of
decisions striking down similar marriage prohibitions in other states.
In July, the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals struck down Virginia's gay
marriage ban. The appeals court in Richmond has jurisdiction over North
Carolina, and judges here are required to follow its ruling.
Friday's
ruling came despite attempts by North Carolina's Republican leadership
in the General Assembly to intervene in both cases.
. . . The ruling was
met with celebration among scores of same-sex couples who had spent
hours lined up at county courthouses across the state, awaiting a ruling
allowing them to marry.
Buncombe County Register of Deeds Drew
Reisinger kept his Asheville office open late to begin issuing marriage
licenses to waiting couples.
The Wake County Register of Deeds
Office said it would stay open until 9 p.m. Friday to issue marriage
licenses.The first marriage took place right at 6 p.m. and was carried
live by local TV stations.
In terms of the marriage equality fight, one thing which helps the lgbt community are those who are fighting against us.
I've divided them into two camps. First, there are the policy wonks like those from the Heritage Foundation and the National Review. They write pieces about the sustainability of marriage and how allowing gays to marry is akin to slavery. They twist incredibly good tangents which showcases their intellectual prowess.
But nothing they say has anything to do with the real world. They offer only hypothetical tangents which loses your interest in the third paragraph unless you already agree with their opinion. In other words, their pieces would never stand up in court against examples of actual same-sex couples and families who are hurt by anti-marriage equality laws.
Then there are folks like West Virginia Family Foundation, who sent out the following message yesterday when marriage equality came to that state. I think it's self-explanatory why we are winning against THAT particular crowd:
While SC Governor Nikki Haley and Attorney General Alan Wilson succeeded in temporarily postponing the inevitable by getting the state Supreme Court to halt the issuing of same-sex marriage equality licences, they got upstaged by the generosity and progressive thinking of Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin.
Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin wants to extend full family benefits to
same-sex couples that work for the city who have a valid marriage
license from any state in the country.
In a letter to city
council, City Manager Teresa Wilson, and the city's human resources
director, Benjamin said it was time to extend those benefits because of
the "significant amount of recent movement regarding marriage equality"
in South Carolina.
That letter was submitted hours after
Charleston County probate judge Irvin Condon began accepting same-sex
marriage applications.
Benjamin says he realizes new costs may come up as a result of his new benefits offer, but he expects them to be minor.
"Let
me be clear," Benjamin said. "This is no longer a discussion of faith,
politics, or even law. It is simply a matter of time. But we have an
opportunity now to demonstrate leadership, foresight and the
responsibility the of Columbia should expect from their city."
However,
city officials say given Thursday's ruling by the State Supreme Court
to halt all marriage licenses to same-sex couples until the matter is
fully settled by a higher court, Benjamin's request has been put on
hold.
While the lgbt community is on the threshold of a HUGE victory regarding marriage equality, it's important that we don't forget where we came from in terms of struggles. The following commercial should remind you:
This is an actual commercial from a 1998 nationwide campaign called Truth In Love. Several anti-gay organizations united to create television ads, newspaper ads, and articles claiming that people can be "set free" from homosexuality.
It was huge, making the cover of Newsweek and featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show.
It was also a big flop. The commercial above carries a very nasty twinge. According to Wayne Besen, of Truth Wins Out:
In Aug. 2003, Truth Wins Out founder Wayne Besen received a call from
Virginia attorney Michael Hamar. He had a client who believed he may
have been infected with HIV from 'ex-gay' leader Michael Johnston.
Johnston
was the founder of National Coming Out of Homosexuality Day. He was
Rev. Jerry Falwell's personal ex-gay leader. Johnston also starred in a
video for the American Family Association, "It's Not Gay, and an ad for
Coral Ridge Ministries. Additionally, he partnered with anti-gay
activist Peter LaBarbera, who paraded Johnston around and hawked his
tale of change.
In Aug. 2003, Besen took the train down to
Norfolk, where Hamar introduced him to two men who claimed to have had
unsafe sex with Johnston. Others have since been identified.
Atlanta's
GLBT newspaper Southern Voice broke the story. In the article, a
spokesperson for the American Family Association admitted that Johnston
had what he called, a "moral fall." Johnston was shipped off to Pure
Life Ministries, a sex addiction facility in rural Kentucky. He never
left the facility and works there today.
So whenever you get overwhelmed by this fight over marriage equality, always remember the fights we had to endure and what we have overcome.
Galvanized by SCOTUS decision which will probably sooner or later pave the way for marriage equality in South Carolina, lgbts and their allies in the Palmetto State held a rally at the State House then delivered a petition to Attorney General Alan Wilson. The petition, with over 5,000 names, calls for Wilson and SC Governor Nikki Haley to stop defending the state's marriage equality law, which the two have pledged to do:
Jeff Ayers, chairman of the S.C. Equality board, said Gov. Nikki Haley
and Wilson’s decision to defend the ban is being influenced by the fact
they are up for re-election. He added said the lesbian, gay, bisexual
and transgender community will keep their actions in mind on Nov. 4.
. . . S.C.
Equality supporters at the rally held signs that said: “Nikki + Alan
give it up and move on.” And the statue of George Washington, on the
north steps of the State House, was adorned with a rainbow flag.
Read
more here:
http://www.thestate.com/2014/10/08/3731915_richland-charleston-counties-issuing.html?sp=/99/205/&rh=1#storylink=cpy
The crowd was further galvanized by the news that Richland and Charleston counties are issuing marriage license applications to same-sex couples. Charleston Councilwoman Colleen Condon and Nichols Bleckley (who attended the rally) made history as the first gay couple to receive a marriage license application in the state. According to The State, a probate judge in Greenville rejected three marriage license application. The article also said if the SC Supreme Court does not deliver an injunction, marriage licenses would be given after 24 hours.
Editor's note - Due to the marriage equality rally at the South Carolina State House at noon today, there will be no midday news briefs post
Other than Reince Preibus, Republicans have, for the most part, been intelligently silent on the recent marriage equality victories enjoyed by the lgbt community. My guess is that they are attempting to play it cool. Some pundits and experts are claiming that they have a good shot to win the Senate in this upcoming election so they are probably not trying to create a controversy. Unfortunately, for "evangelical Republicans," such as Mike Huckabee, that's not a course of action they agree with. Yesterday, Huckabee had a full bodied tantrum, even invoking the standard right-wing threat of leaving the Republican Party when they can't get their way:
The day after a SCOTUS decision destroyed the marriage equality ban in five states, two more states follow today:
A federal appeals court has struck down gay marriage bans in Idaho and Nevada.
The
9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco made the ruling
Tuesday. It did not decide on a similar case in Hawaii, which legalized
gay marriage in December.
State and federal court judges have been
striking down bans at a rapid rate since a landmark U.S. Supreme Court
ruling last year. The 9th Circuit ruling comes a day after the Supreme
Court effectively legalized gay marriage in 11 more states, for a total
of 30, when it rejected a set of appeals.
The appeals court ruled
that gay couples' equal protection rights were violated by the bans.
Judge Stephen Reinhardt said during oral arguments in September that he
expects the Supreme Court ultimately will decide whether gay marriage
bans are constitutional.
The Right's New Strategy After Gay Marriage Loss: Finding the Gay 'Partial Birth Abortion' - As this excellent article by Michelangelo Signorile demonstrates, the anti-gay right is determined to continue the fight against marriage equality in spite of their losses. The lgbt community would do itself good to pay attention to their plans and tactics. We celebrate when we get full marriage equality. Until then, we fight like hell.
The Erasure of 'Gay' From Black History & the Black Community Must Stop - And finally, a piece I wrote EXCLUSIVELY for The Huffington Post. It takes on the argument of comparing the lgbt civil rights movement vs. the African-American civil rights movement and then shoots it up to an entirely new level. I'm surprised at the immense positive reaction it has garnered. It is the fastest post I've ever written to go viral and it is still being shared.
If liberals should be anything, it's worried. When it comes to
marriage, time is not on their side. Deep down, the Left knows it needed
the Court to force same-sex "marriage" on America before more people
saw the fallout for Christians like Aaron and Melissa Klein. Or sportscasters like Craig James. Or CEOs like Brandon Eich.
Ask them if same-sex "marriage" is just about two people who love each
other. For them, it was about losing their business, their livelihood,
and their freedom.
If the Supreme Court thinks America isn't ready for same-sex
"marriage," they're right. As more states are forced to recognize it,
people will see the ensuing attacks on religious freedom. They'll feel
the wedge driven between parents and their children when school
curriculum is changed to contradict the morals moms and dads are
teaching at home. They'll shudder as more people lose their jobs because
they refuse to celebrate (not just tolerate) same-sex "marriage." Maybe
then they'll realize that the true goal is not about the marriage altar
-- but fundamentally altering society. - Family Research Council president Tony Perkins' deluded statement about the recent SCOTUS decision
In spite of today's SCOTUS ruling, SC Attorney General Alan Wilson will continue to fight for the state's ban on marriage equality:
South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson says he will keep fighting to uphold the state's constitutional ban on gay marriage. Wilson
issued a statement Monday hours after the U.S. Supreme Court decided
not to hear an appeal of a ruling allowing same-sex marriage by a
federal appeals court with jurisdiction over South Carolina.Wilson
says no ruling has been made in a lawsuit by a same-sex couple legally
married in Washington, D.C., who live in South Carolina. They are asking
to overturn the state's gay marriage ban. Wilson says he will keep
fighting until there is a ruling in that case.
A
lawyer for the same-sex couple, Carrie Warner, says she'll be filing
paperwork soon asking for an immediate ruling in their favor.
Wilson's decision to keep on fighting, which is supported by Governor Nikki Haley, is going to be interesting because South Carolinians who support marriage equality and, no doubt invigorated by today's ruling, will be uniting on the State House steps in Columbia at noon on Wednesday.
Unless you were living in a cave with your fingers in your ears, you know the surprising decision the United States Supreme Court made this morning in denying appeals from five states regarding federal judges overturning their marriage equality bans. The collection of articles and tweets below will give you a picture of where it all stands.
But I do say this - the lgbt community and especially our leadership organizations should be out of the gate not only explaining what these decisions mean but how we got to this point. The other side will immediately raise the talking point about "activist judges," when in fact it was their hubris, lies, and inability to fashion a coherent and logical argument against marriage equality which has led them down the path of loss.
The graphic above, taken from Think Progress, gives a view of what marriage equality looks like after today's SCOTUS decision
SCOTUS Denies Appeals On Gay Marriage From 5 States - This article from Talking Points Memo is huge. It says that marriage equality has not only come to five states (Utah, Indiana, Virginia, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin), but six other states will most likely eventually have marriage equality because of the SCOTUS ruling (Colorado, Kansas, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia and Wyoming).
Meanwhile, the opposition is in a complete state of shock.
Bryan Fischer issued this uncharacteristically boring tweet:
The Supreme Court, by doing nothing, just issued the de facto Roe v. Wade ruling of sodomy-based marriage.
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanJFischer) October 6, 2014
It's boring because we can usually count on him for visions of fire, brimstone, and an angry God knocking heads. Now Peter LaBarbera has a better, but more confusing tweet:
It's civil disobedience time in #Oklahoma + other states: OK (76% opposed) offers the best chance to reject the SCOTUS ruling on SSM. #tcot
— Peter LaBarbera (@PeterLaBarbera) October 6, 2014
What that hell does that mean? People who don't support marriage equality should refuse to attend gay weddings? Sure. Works for me.
Or does it mean come to gay weddings and interrupt the proceedings. Feel free to come to mine. We will sit you right next to the mothers of the grooms and when the preacher asks if anyone objects and you feel the need to stand up, we will take a 15 minute intermission to watch you get your behind whipped.
As fast as one anti-gay event is over (the Values Voter Summit), here comes another one.
Today marks the second annual 'Ex-Gay Awareness Month.' If you don't remember the first one from last year, it's because it was a tremendous flop.
Anyway, this is where supposed ex-gays (professional ex-gays who claim to be delivered from homosexuality so much that they get a pay check every time they portray themselves as such) gather with anti-gay groups and talking heads in a sad attempt to cast themselves as victims of gays who supposedly want to deny their existence.
It's an interesting racket, except for the simple fact that no one is buying the crap they are selling because we all recognize it as a passive-aggressive way to cause the lgbt community more consternation.
For example, one of their goals this year is to lobby Congressional leaders to NOT pass pro-lgbt legislation.
Also, if you are a glutton for punishment, take a look at their itinerary of events and who they are aligned with.
And if you need further proof of how fake 'Ex Gay Awareness Month' is, check out this video of their featured speaker, Alan Keyes - a sad man who will be remembered by history only as the man whom President Obama defeated to become an Illinois senator and thus beginning his road to the White House:
Editor's note - It is on very rare occasion that I make such an appeal but I implore you all that before or after you read these news briefs, please read my morning post, Family Research Council distorts Navy survey, stoops to new low by attacking gay servicemembers. Of all of the ugly acts of homophobia undertaken by FRC, this ranks as one of the worst because the group is not only demonizing our gay and lesbian service members, but it is exploiting a real problem in the military - sexual assault - by sending out false information. When inaccurate information is sent out about a problem, the problem rarely gets solved. FRC is doing our military a serious injustice. In other news:
It's that time again, LGBT History Month, when we celebrate and honor the lgbts who have made positive impacts in the world. I am very satisfied with this year's list, particularly with the inclusion of the late Sylvester James. Sylvester James was one of the greatest singers ever and he rarely gets his due.
Holding The Religious Right To Its Own Standard - Unintentionally hilarious piece. You know you can't do that sort of thing. They always find a way to weasel out of adhering to their own rules, particularly when it comes to Supreme Court justices recusing themselves.
Lesbian Couple Sues Sperm Bank For Providing Wrong Donor’s Sperm - A lesbian couple is suing a sperm bank for providing them with the sperm which produced a mixed race child. On its face, this sounds like a horrendous story. However, as you read the story, you get a better understanding of the issue's complexities. I still think the suit is horrendous but it says a lot, not only about sexual orientation, but the problems people create for mixed raced children.
No matter how low I think the Family Research Council will stoop to attack lgbts, the organization never ceases to astound me . Case in point is the following I received via email:
In a survey of 5,536
Navy personnel, only 27% say morale is "good" or "excellent," a
freefall from past responses, where strained troops still managed to
keep their spirits up. Now, a half-decade deep into the President's
social experiment with the military, the scars are starting to show.
Almost half of enlisted troops said they "distrust senior leaders" -- an
opinion shared by 40% of officers. And the wave of pessimism threatens
to affect more than just the Navy.
From uncertainty over their retirement to the frustration with
"excessive political correctness," most of our brave men and women
barely recognize the military they gave up their lives to serve.
Instead, sailors say they harbor widespread doubts about the men
commanding them, "complaining of poor leadership and a disciplinary
environment that tolerates absolutely no mistakes."
What they mean is no politically incorrect mistakes. What the Obama
military does tolerate, unfortunately, is a brave new world of sexual
liberalism and religious censorship -- both of which are tearing at the
fabric of America's fighting force. Sexual assaults and suicides are
through the roof since the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" in 2010 --
and suddenly, the biggest cheerleaders for repeal are nowhere to be
found. The Pentagon downplayed
the effects of open homosexuality when it was implemented in 2011 --
something it will have a tough time doing now, with the rate of
male-on-male assaults at a record high. While the media highlights the
female victims, the Pentagon's 1,400-page report explains that service
men are just as affected -- if not more so.
Now, four years later, the administration is scratching its head at
the sky-high suicides and sexual attacks. Defense officials are racing
to reassure people that they're doing everything they can to get to the
bottom of these issues -- only to inject more policies that accelerate
both. They put political correctness ahead of national security and then
seem surprised when both the nation and the people that protect us are
at risk.
According to the Washington Times, the survey "was released amid complaints
by some aviators about excessive political correctness as the military
seeks to stamp out sexual harassment and misconduct in an increasingly
gender-integrated Navy." Obviously, these are complex and emotional
issues -- from personal safety to private beliefs. If we want to solve
these crises, a key component to addressing them is the same vibrant
faith this administration is trying to stamp out. Is this really the
time we want to tell service members they can't rely on God?
The Family Research Council is clearly implying that it is the Obama Administration's supposed attack on religious liberty and the decision to allow gays to serve openly which led to the survey's negative responses.
That is a lie.
Neither article linked by the Family Research Council (one from Military.com and the other from The Washington Times) mentions anything regarding "religious liberty" or gays serving openly in the military as reasons for the negative responses to the Navy survey.
The article from Military.com said:
A U.S. Navy
retention survey found that sailors are increasingly unhappy with
lengthy deployments, a high operational tempo, and recent calls to
reduce pay and benefits.
In addition, fewer numbers of Navy sailors aspire to earn positions
held by their superior officers as sailors have a widespread distrust of
Navy leadership, the independent survey found.
"Sailors are most likely to leave uniformed service because of a
perception of increasingly high operational tempo, poor work/life
balance, low service-wide morale, declining pay and compensation, waning
desire to hold senior leadership positions, and a widespread distrust
of senior leadership, all of which erodes loyalty to the institution,"
the survey states.
The Washington Times article says pretty much the same thing. Now while the headline of the article in that publication mentions 'political correctness,' the article itself only mentions the term in the following paragraph:
The independent survey was released amid complaints by some aviators
about excessive political correctness as the military seeks to stamp out
sexual harassment and misconduct in an increasingly gender-integrated Navy.
This still means that FRC's claim is a lie.
Perhaps the most vicious lie in FRC's piece is the following:
Sexual assaults and suicides are
through the roof since the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" in 2010 --
and suddenly, the biggest cheerleaders for repeal are nowhere to be
found. The Pentagon downplayed
the effects of open homosexuality when it was implemented in 2011 --
something it will have a tough time doing now, with the rate of
male-on-male assaults at a record high. While the media highlights the
female victims, the Pentagon's 1,400-page report explains that service
men are just as affected -- if not more so.
A link between the repeal of DADT and the rate of male-on-male rapes in the military has not been proven, except for in the minds of people ignorant to buy into the stereotype of predatory gay males.
According to Media Matters:
A study by
Palm Center, a research institute focused on sexuality and the
military, has found no evidence that open service has led to increased
sexual assault. Nor, the center reported, did repeal lead to a decline
in military cohesion or morale . . . Increased reporting of incidents may well reflect Defense Department efforts to encourage servicemembers to speak up if
they've been assaulted. Emphasizing that sexual assault remains a
"heinous" problem, Rep. Niki Tsongas (D-MA), co-chair of the Military
Sexual Assault Prevention Caucus, told CNN that the rise in reports may
well reflect "legislative and military changes" encouraging people to
come forward.
As The New York Times reported in
June 2013, the military's DADT policy discouraged victims of
male-on-male sexual assault from reporting incidents, for fear that
admitting to even non-consensual same-sex relations could lead to
discharge.
Furthermore, in creating the stereotype of the predatory gay male, FRC exploits and undermines the real problem of male-on-male rape in the military.
A December 14, 2013 article in The Baltimore Sun, Breaking the Silence, talked extensively about this issue. The article noted that the problem has unfortunately existed for decades. It also noted that male-on-male rape in the military was not an issue of sex but of power and emasculation:
Military data show that the typical perpetrator is a man who has
served longer in the military than his victim and holds a higher rank.
In most cases, the assailant identifies as heterosexual.
Roger Canaff, who has trained Army lawyers in prosecuting
sexual assault cases, says many attacks amount to a particularly violent
form of hazing.
It “isn't necessarily seen as a sexual act,” says Canaff, a
former prosecutor in New York and Virginia. “It's seen as a humiliating
act. It's the ultimate act of emasculation.
“You see that in fraternity life, sometimes. You see that in the civilian world. The military has it also.”
We've seen on a number of occasions that, for an organization which talks about Biblical principles, FRC has no problem with trashing the commandment about " not bearing false witness."
This time, we are seeing that while the group talks about the greatness of America (which it did recently in celebrating the anniversary of The Star Spangled Banner), the Family Research Council has no problem disrespecting the men and women whose service has led to this country's greatness, and also exploiting their problems to demonize the entire gay community.
Ever since the Human Rights Campaign's The Export of Hate report came out, various religious right figures spotlighted in it have been screeching and complaining about how HRC is exposing them to danger or trying to silence them.
The most annoying reaction has been that of Michael Brown, founder of the FIRE School in Ministry in Concord, N.C., and host of the daily, nationally syndicated talk-radio show “The Line of Fire.”
His reaction has been a folksy, Will Rogers type of "Aw shucks. I don't know what HRC is talking about. I'm only defending Christian values."
The low key and semi comedic tone Brown has taken is a deliberate attempt to take attention away from the fact that he not only deserves to be included in Export of Hate, but he also deserves the profile given to him by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
However for my money, the most awful thing about Brown is the video above, which I don't think he has ever disavowed:
During an interview with GOD TV’s Sid Roth of It's Supernatural!, Michael Brown discussed his new book, A Queer Thing Happened To America, about the deleterious impacts of gay rights in America. Best known for its over-the-top promotional ad, A Queer Thing Happened To America focuses on “analyzing the foundational arguments of the gay civil rights movement and exposing the extreme intolerance of those calling for tolerance.” Before the interview, a trailer for the book features a boy at school imagining the terror of having same-sex parents: over-sentimental mothers who bandage his wounds and kiss him before he goes to sleep and dysfunctional fathers who tie his shoe laces and send him off to school.
I think that when Shakespeare wrote that line about "daggers behind smiles," he had folks like Brown in mind
Congressman Defends Anti-LGBT Discrimination With Irrelevant Study - Such is the dangers of ignoring times when anti-gay groups and activists use anti-gay junk science. With no proper push back, these monstrosities make their way to Congress where they can do some REAL damage to the lgbt community.
During last night's post, I made reference to an interview the American Family Association's Bryan Fischer conducted with discredited researcher Paul Cameron in 2013. Below is a video of the interview:
Two reminders:
1. Cameron is a discredited researcher who is head
the Southern Poverty Law Center-designated hate group the Family
Research Institute. Almost two decades ago, he was THE go-to man for
anti-gay propaganda even though he was known to be a quack who pushed
such theories as gay men stuffing gerbils up their rectums.
His work has been cited on more than one occasion
by many anti-gay groups from the Family Research Council to the
American Family Association. As his history of fraud became widely
known, these groups distanced themselves from him without so much as an
apology for using him as a source in the first place.
But not totally. Last year, Bryan Fischer of the American Family Association conducted an interview with Cameron,
allowing him to freely cite the lies which got him dismissed and
censured from the American Psychological Association and the American
Sociological Association in the 80s.
2. Don't take Bryan Fischer too lightly. He may spout outrageously homophobic lies but he has considerable power as a voice of the AFA, including the power to get US Congressional leaders to appear on his show .
If you aren't alarmed by this, then what is your problem?
Earlier today, I published a piece about an explosive report by the Human Rights Campaign, The Export of Hate, which pointed out how various anti-gay figures were peddling lies and propaganda to foreign countries in an attempt to spread anti-gay hate abroad.
My piece also pointed out some individuals spotlighted in the report were claiming that HRC was lying about them, targeting them for violence, and attacking them simply for their Christian beliefs.
Well the following interview refutes those lies. It's between anti-gay talking head and Colorado state legislature candidate Gordon Klingenschmitt, and another anti-gay figure who is spotlighted in HRC's report, Paul Cameron.
Based on what you are about to see and hear, these two videos need no introduction.
However, there are two things you should keep in mind.
1. Cameron is a discredited researcher who is head the Southern Poverty Law Center-designated hate group the Family Research Institute. Almost two decades ago, he was THE go-to man for anti-gay propaganda even though he was known to be a quack who pushed such theories as gay men stuffing gerbils up their rectums.
His work has been cited on more than one occasion by many anti-gay groups from the Family Research Council to the American Family Association. As his history of fraud became widely known, these groups distanced themselves from him without so much as an apology for using him as a source in the first place.
But not totally. Last year, Bryan Fischer of the American Family Association conducted an interview with Cameron, allowing him to freely cite the lies which got him dismissed and censured from the American Psychological Association and the American Sociological Association in the 80s.
Cameron has visited Russia and Eastern Europe repeatedly since 2008 to peddle his “research.” In June 2008, Cameron first appeared at a roundtable on “deviation of social norms in modern society” at Moscow State University. In October of that year, he was in Moldova to lecture on the “demographic disaster” that he believes is being unleashed by contraception and rights for LGBT people and women. Cameron returned to Moldova in 2011 to lobby against anti-discrimination laws. The Moldovan government took Cameron’s message to heart and in 2013 passed a law banning LGBT “propaganda,” but it was quickly repealed as part of the nation’s drive to join the European Union. Cameron has also appeared elsewhere in Eastern Europe, including a controversial trip to Poland in 2009 when he was turned away from giving a speech on homosexuality at a university and forced to find a new venue after a newspaper learned of his background.
Cameron also returned to Russia in 2013, to address a Duma roundtable on “family values.” Cameron’s presence was intended to bolster support for a bill that targeted gay and lesbian parents and threatened to take away their children. Cameron’s testimony was full of false statistics, including the “fact” that one in three gay people support having sex with children. Duma member Alexander Sidyakin later tweeted that Cameron’s testimony was evidence that children should be taken away from LGBT parents and adopted by other families.
Even in countries Cameron has not visited personally, his influence has been felt. The original authors of Uganda’s horrific anti-homosexuality law cited Cameron’s work alongside that of Scott Lively when drafting their bill. When the bill was passed into law in 2014, Cameron openly applauded and claimed that harsh penalties were needed to discourage homosexuality, just like murder.
Just more proof that any ideas that HRC's report is an attempt to silence Christians or subject them to violence is a lie. Those who believe this tripe should be less fearful of HRC's report and more fearful that they think Cameron is the type of person who encompasses a true Christian.
Editor's note - Cameron's "statistics" were widely cited to create illustrations for the 1985 comic book, Deathstyle. I used these illustrations in my booklet, How They See Us: Unmasking the Religious Right War on Gay America. The purpose of How They See Us was to demonstrate the roots of anti-gay propaganda and how it doesn't change over the years.
Tony Perkins, Family Research Council President, On Claim Of Link Between Homosexuality And Pedophilia - Dear Family Research Council head Tony Perkins, the three word answer you gave about the organizations which have accused you and your organization of linking homosexuality to pedophilia only proves your hypocrisy, lack of integrity, and total disregard for truth, particularly in light of the fact that you are on record making this link. You do nothing but underscore that the Family Research Council will collapse under the weight of all of its homophobic lies. If I were you, I would buy a hard hat.
Faith, LGBT People, & the Midterm Elections - GLAAD comes out with a guide for journalist who challenge anti-gay spokespeople who claim to be speaking on the grounds of faith. This is an excellent resource to have.
Last week, the Human Rights Campaign unveiled a stunning report which accused various religious right leaders of spreading anti-gay hate and propaganda abroad.
The Export of Hate called out several religious right leaders, including Peter LaBarbera, Paul Cameron, and Scott Lively.
They spew venomous rhetoric, outrageous theories, and discredited science. Some claim that LGBT people are responsible for the Holocaust, the Rwandan genocide, and the spread of HIV/AIDS. Others argue that LGBT people are luring away children, and that acceptance of LGBT people will lead to the destruction of families around the world. Some even suggest that the death penalty could be an appropriate punishment for simply being LGBT.
HRC's report also includes short videos spotlighting each leader.
Now these individuals had every opportunity to refute the report. The following are various responses they gave:
Peter LaBarbera-
LaBarbera says he’s tempted to “laugh off HRC’s shenanigans,” but he understands some people with a violent bent might take action against him on account of the report.
LaBarbera, Peter“Basically they're trying to create an image of pro-family Christians as being the haters that they claim we are,” he says.
“We don't hate homosexuals. We don't hate anybody," the activist counters. "We simply want people to repent and turn away from homosexual behavior. But because we're not haters they had to create hateful images to associate with us.”
Scott Lively - I believe they are now deliberately trying to incite murder against me and every other person on their enemies list . . .Because I am a Bible-believing Christian I am not afraid of death. But neither am I volunteering for martyrdom. As of today I am for the first time going to start taking precautions against the possibility of being assassinated by agents of the LGBT movement. For one thing, I will no longer publicize my travel schedule in advance.
Michael Brown- I'm here to the put the HRC on notice: Your fear-mongering tactics will
be exposed and, speaking for myself (but with confidence that my words
apply to others), I will not bow down to your bullying tactics or your
rap-sheet nonsense.
Robert Oscar Lopez - This is a teachable moment because it reveals a great deal about what makes the Human Rights Campaign tick. They’re after your kids, plain and simple; all their other issues are mere window dressing.
They have convinced themselves that gays are a tribe unto themselves, so their consuming goal is to populate the tribe so they don’t disappear.
Parenthood is their great white whale. They want to have children to love them and call them Mom and Dad. They need to get those children from you because biology prevents them from siring them naturally. Gentlemen readers, these folks are trying to find a way to get the sperm out of your testicles and into their laboratories; lady readers, these folks need to find a way to implant an embryo of their sperm in your womb, keep you obedient during the gestation, and take your baby away forever.
While all of these individuals played the "fear card," not one outright denied the charges of HRC's report. The only person who came relatively close was Michael Brown, but he sidestepped HRC's pertinent accusation:
And I simply reported the facts in terms of American culture and
education and the media and religious rights in light of LGBT advances.
That in itself, as well as the absolutely shrill responses, proves that HRC's report was a huge success. It struck a raw nerve.
Because of the following comments (which folks have to read to believe they came from a human being), I am practically BEGGING the Family Research Council to make Robert Oscar Lopez a speaker at its next year's Values Voter Summit.
PLEASE!!!!!!!:
Lopez
This is a teachable moment because it reveals a great deal about what makes the Human Rights Campaign tick. They’re after your kids, plain and simple; all their other issues are mere window dressing.
They have convinced themselves that gays are a tribe unto themselves, so their consuming goal is to populate the tribe so they don’t disappear.
Parenthood is their great white whale. They want to have children to love them and call them Mom and Dad. They need to get those children from you because biology prevents them from siring them naturally. Gentlemen readers, these folks are trying to find a way to get the sperm out of your testicles and into their laboratories; lady readers, these folks need to find a way to implant an embryo of their sperm in your womb, keep you obedient during the gestation, and take your baby away forever.
The main item on the gay lobby’s agenda is patently insane. People don’t generally want to let lesbians milk sperm out of their testicles.
People don’t usually like the idea of gay men gestating babies in their wombs and then taking them away. (And no, “visitation” plans where these gamete donors get to see their progeny a few times a month are not a good arrangement; that stuff’s really creepy.)
And at least with me, these HRC lackeys cannot pull the old “are you saying my children are worth any less?” routine. Just because you control a human being doesn’t mean that’s your child. Even if someone is your child, criticizing you is not the same as insulting your child.
This is basic, but somehow the HRC manages to whitewash the complexities. Despite all the choreographed photographs of happy gay couples with children, people generally do not like growing up and knowing that half of them was sold to a gay couple.
Michele Bachmann Tries To Walk Back 'Boring' Gay Marriage Remarks - This is FUNNY! At the Values Voters Summit, Michele Bachmann said that the issue of marriage equality was not an issue and it was boring. Now she is attempting to walk back her comments. I've never seen a white woman moonwalk before. Should be interesting.
Serbia gay pride march takes place undisturbed - The gay pride march in Serbia took place peacefully in spite of the threats of violence. That's something which should make us all smile.
The Family Research Council's Values Voter Summit is over and as predicted, it was as nauseating as hell. It's the one time of the year which I don't envy the folks who stand on the very front line to monitor anti-gay groups and the like.
They have to actually attend or intensely watch mess like this.
So what to me is the stand out moment of the Values Voter Summit? Is it the fact that Sen. Ted Cruz won the straw poll again but has absolutely no chance of winning the presidency (proving that there is a merciful God) or Sarah Palin's incredibly stupid botch of White House address (girlfriend, even a first grader knows that address)?
No. To me, one can basically describe not only this Values Voter Summit, but every other one of those monstrosities, and the entire mindset of the anti-gay right by the speech of the Liberty Counsel's Mat Staver.
Mat Staver spent a good portion of his speech at the Values Voter Summit today fuming over a letter sent by People For the American Way, the Southern Poverty Law Center, and five other civil rights and LGBT organizations to Republican National Committee chair Reince Priebus, asking members of the GOP not to participate in the conference, citing the anti-gay extremism of its sponsors.
Staver's organization, Liberty Counsel, is among those very sponsors and he is not very happy about being labeled an anti-gay extremist, despite this long and documented record of being one.
Staver fumed that he is being attacked merely for believing "in God's natural created order of male and and female and marriage as the union of one man and one woman."
"For me believing in something that is that obvious," he complained, "I am considered by some groups to be a hater. But I hate no one. I hate no one, but I believe in God's truth and I will not be silent in the face of intimidation."
In an effort to prove that he is not an extremist, Staver then went on to liken himself to Jesus when he turned over the tables of the money changers in the temple before declaring that marriage equality teaches that children do not need mothers or fathers.
"That is an absolute lie from the very pit of Hell," he said.
I would almost understand Staver's anger except for one simple problem - Staver is on record, in writings and videos, spouting all sorts comments which contradicts his claims of innocence.
Claims marriage equality obliterates the idea of God:
"Same-sex marriage is ultimately the abolition of gender; it’s
ultimately the abolition of any moral behavior with regards to human
sexuality. This whole assault on marriage is really an attempt to
obliterate not only morality but Judeo-Christian morality, to obliterate
marriage and to even obliterate the idea that there even is a God."
On the repeal of the discriminatory Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell: "We believe they've slapped the military in the face
and have betrayed the men and women in the service by using the
military to push the homosexual agenda. We will ask the House to refuse
to fund the repeal, which will take millions of dollars to fund."
“It may sound crass, but take a fan for example, and instead of
having the male plug, have the female plug, and try to see if you can
make it work. You’re not going to be able to plug it into a wall. The
fact is nature teaches you -- you don’t have to have anything -- that’s
why a five-year-old can understand that this is against nature. That’s
why it’s been called a crime against nature. (0:00 - 0:27)
Staver is not an anamoly when it comes FRC's Values Voter Summit or the anti-gay right. He is just one in a large number of these folks on the right who claim that they are being unjustly persecuted for being Christian and that they don't voice hate, even though there is a paper trail more than a mile long which contradicts their claims.
Yet they keep saying "we are not haters." "Those things they say about us aren't true." "These people are lying on us because they want to destroy America's Christian heritage."
It seems to me that the values of these folks are less about Christianity and more about the Jedi mind trick. Whatever the case may be, all of this stuff is going to come to a head one day. People like Staver can only outrun the truth for so long before they get winded and tired.
