Monday, February 04, 2013

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:


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.

Sunday, February 03, 2013

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.



Saturday, February 02, 2013

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.



Friday, February 01, 2013

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.

Thursday, January 31, 2013

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.




Wednesday, January 30, 2013

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.



Tuesday, January 29, 2013

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.

Monday, January 28, 2013

Booklet on anti-gay propaganda an online success



COLUMBIA--On January 8, South Carolina blogger Alvin McEwen published an online booklet designed to take a new direction in refuting anti-gay propaganda.

Three weeks later, he is astounded as to how successful the booklet, How They See Us: Unmasking the Religious Right War on Gay America, has been.

Since being published on the online site Scribd, the booklet has generated over 8,000 reads, over 81,000 embedded views and over 600 downloads.  It was also named to Scribd’s Rising List, which is a list of publications on the site generating many reads and views in a short amount of time.

McEwen credits the booklet’s success to fellow bloggers who, like himself, embedded the booklet on their sites and publicized it by word of mouth.

“This booklet wouldn’t have been as successful as it was without the help and promotion of many of my friends and people who believe in the work which I am doing. So I am extremely grateful for their help and encouragement,” McEwen said.

However, mainstream gay media attention has eluded How They See Us.  

McEwen sent press releases to various large scale gay magazines and blogs with little success.  He said he understands the lack of attention by the mainstream gay media because of so many things happening in the gay community and the fact that he has neither a national name nor reputation.

For the most part, McEwen has received much positive feedback for How They See Us.  But as with all projects, there were a few complaints. Two complaints bothered McEwen tremendously.

A good gay = pedophile lie NEVER dies

With news from coming in that the Boy Scouts may rethink its policy of keeping gays out, it didn't take long for the religious right to start pulling the pedophile card.

Allow me to decode what they are saying via Right Wing Watch:

Bryan Fischer from the American Family Association:




Tony Perkins from the Family Research Council:

"The Boy Scouts of America board would be making a serious mistake to bow to the strong-arm tactics of LGBT activists and open the organization to homosexuality. What has changed in terms of the Boy Scouts' concern for the well-being of the boys under their care? Or is this not about the well-being of the Scouts, but the funding for the organization?

"The Boy Scouts has for decades been a force for moral integrity and leadership in the United States. Sadly, their principled stances have marked them as a target for harassment by homosexual activists and corporations such as UPS which are working to pressure the Boy Scouts into abandoning their historic values.

"The mission of the Boy Scouts is 'to instill values in young people' and 'prepare them to make ethical choices,' and the Scout's oath includes a pledge 'to do my duty to God' and keep himself 'morally straight.' It is entirely reasonable and not at all unusual for those passages to be interpreted as requiring abstinence from homosexual conduct.

In other words:






 Lies unchallenged never change and they never die. Don't be fooled by the mock concern of Perkins and Fischer. I would bet my paycheck that when they heard of what the Boy Scouts were considered , they rubbed their hands thinking about the fundraising they are going to do off of it.

And trust me, they will fundraise. Why let a good gay = pedophile lie go to waste?