DOMA defense was doomed from Day 1 - Hey Boehner, I want my money back!

 $2.3 million on a losing defense. Way to go Boehner.

By a vote of 5-4, the Supreme Court declared the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) to be unconstitutional. They also dismissed the Prop 8 case, which means gays in California can resume getting married.

All in all, an awesome day for the lgbt community  It almost - but not quite - makes up for the ruling yesterday when the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act.

But for my money, I want to focus on DOMA because the case was doomed from the start. Speaker of the House John Boehner gave $2.3 million to lawyer Paul Clement and Clement pretty much wasted it on a piss poor defense.  In 2011, both Americablog and this blog broke stories which pointed out the following serious problems with the DOMA defense:


1. Clement tried to sneak in the testimony of former NOM chair Maggie Gallagher in a way which would have kept her from being cross-examined.

2. A professor cited by Clement in a brief defending DOMA, Lisa Diamond, complained that her work was being distorted.

3. Clement is also citing - in a second hand fashion - junk science from discredited researchers. In his defense of DOMA, Clement cites the work of Case Western Reserve University law professor George W. Dent, Jr.

But Dent's work - which Clement uses -  cited both Paul Cameron and George Rekers, two discredited researchers. Cameron has been censured or rebuked by several organizations for his bad methodology in his studies. He has published work which claimed, among other nauseating false things, that gays stuff gerbils up their rectums. (Editor's note-  the piece Cameron cited to make this claim - The Straight Dope - actually said that this claim was not true. Cameron dishonestly "flipped the script" to make it seem that The Straight Dope was affirming this claim.)

Rekers lost a lot of credibility for last year's scandal when he was caught coming from a European vacation with a "rentboy."

Also, Dent cited the work of Walter Schumm's study Children of Homosexuals More Apt To Be Homosexuals? A Reply to Morrison and to Cameron Based on an Examination of Multiple Sources of Data.

Schumm's study was criticized for using the same false methodology as Cameron's work. i.e. citing sources "from general-audience books about LGBT parenting and families, most of which are available on Amazon.com"

Furthermore, Dent cited a book called Straight & Narrow by Thomas E. Schmidt to make criticisms about gay health. However, Schmidt is not a credible researcher in the field of gay health. He is a professor of New Testament Greek at Westmont College in Santa Barbara and according to Rev. Mel White of the group Soulforce, Schmidt cited Cameron's discredited studies many times in Straight & Narrow (5th letter to Jerry Falwell.)

And last, but not least, Dent cited the work of the American College of Pediatricians. The American College of Pediatricians is not a credible organization, but an organization created to give credibility to junk science about the gay community. Last year, over 14,000 school district superintendents in the country were sent a letter by ACP inviting them to peruse and use information from a new site, Facts About Youth. The site claimed to present "facts" supposedly not tainted by "political correctness."  Of course these were not facts, but ugly distortions about the gay community, including:

Some gay men sexualize human waste, including the medically dangerous practice of coprophilia, which means sexual contact with highly infectious fecal wastes

It all goes to prove that just like cologne on bad body odor, money can't cover up the smell of bull.

Six possible outcomes for DOMA, Prop 8 decision (and 5 ways to win)

I am no good to anyone today. I woke up bright and chipper, went to the bathroom and unswallowed like crazy. Hence, I am bedridden. If I am like this now, imagine what I will be like on my wedding day (It's going to happen as soon as either Nate Torrence or Rob Kardashian come to their senses).

But things still stand like I said yesterday. Win or lose, we will continue to fight with dignity. We are on the right side of history and we will win. In the meantime, here is a graphic from Lambda Legal about the six possible outcomes for today's decisions on DOMA and Prop 8:

'Supreme Court will decide DOMA, Prop 8 tomorrow' and other Tuesday midday news briefs

Marriage rulings to be released on 'Lawrence v. Texas' anniversary; Ten years to day! - Tomorrow will be the day in which the Supreme Court will hand down decisions on DOMA and Prop 8. A little advice from me whether you want it or not:

If things don't go our way - None of that junk which happened in 2008 when Prop 8 passed. No blaming, no raising hell without any thought of how your anger would be manipulated by the religious right, no circular firing squads. And none of those tired slogans about us being "second-class citizens." If you must mourn, do it quick, fix your face and get ready to fight. Remember that fighting for equality is never supposed to be easy. You give up your fight for your rights after a setback, then maybe you don't deserve them in the first place.

 If things do go our way - Don't think it's over. Remember how we celebrated when the sodomy laws were struck down. While we were doing that, the religious right was preparing the next round of hell, which turned out to be the fight for marriage equality. And they decimated us in the 2004 election because of it. In other words, don't act like the Trojans who, while under the illusion that the Greeks were gone, brought in to their city the fake horse, i.e. the emblem of their destruction. In other words, celebrate quick, but be ready to fight like hell to secure what you have just won. Winning and securing are two different things entirely. But generally speaking, remember that this thing isn't just about YOUR relationship or YOUR potential marriage. It's also about future generations. It's also about our children. We are their pathclearers who will knock away the rocky patches of homophobia and the dark places of hate so they have a soft path to trod on the road to the fulfillment of their potential. Always remember that.

In other news:

 The Military Will Recruit At This Year’s San Francisco Gay Pride Celebration - I am ALL for this! 

 Video: Wayne Besen On MSNBC’s Hardball with Chris Matthews - One of my mentors kills it on Hardball.

  Lane Tech Prom King: Lesbian Student Wins Honor At Chicago School - Congratulations to Ola Wolan!

Religious right spokesman - ignore Supreme Court ruling if it doesn't go our way

American Family Association's Gary Glenn recently gave a speech in which he said if the Supreme Court rules against DOMA and Prop 8, the ruling should be ignored. In this speech, he cited Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King, Jr:

The grand irony of Glenn's speech? He has in the past advocated for homosexuality to be "criminalized." In fact, three years ago, a post I wrote about his statement led him to engage me in a war of words regarding the so-called dangers of homosexuality.

It wasn't even a battle which I broke a sweat. Check it out.

Conservative radio host: Obama is gay, wants to dress in drag

I swear if we followed some of these conservatives with a tape recorder, the lgbt community would win this so-called "culture war" hands down. I vote that one of the people we follow around is this conservative radio host Stan Solomon. In this video, he not only accuses President Obama of being gay, but also wanting to "dress in drag."

I mean how wacky do you have to be to knock arch anti-feminist Phyllis Schafly off of her talking points?

Hat tip to Right Wing Watch.

'Family supporting Prop 8 discovers son is gay' and other Monday midday news briefs

Mormon Family That Supported Prop 8 Discovers Their Son Is Gay - A serious film about reconciliation and changing of attitudes.  

Coy Mathis Case: Colorado Civil Rights Division Rules In Favor Of Transgender 6-Year-Old In Bathroom Dispute - Excellent news! 

 
Eric Fanning, Out Gay Man, Takes Over As Acting Secretary Of The Air Force - Pretty damn awesome if you ask me.  

Gay Foster Kids' Discrimination Battle Heats Up In States - This article deserves more attention.

Hate group wants Congress to investigate the Southern Poverty Law Center

Tony Perkins of FRC

Last week, I received the following money plea email from the Family Research Council:

The secret is out. The Obama administration has joined forces with perhaps the most anti-Christian organization in America today -- the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC).

By making reckless accusations against those who stand for biblical morality, the SPLC has incited violence and hatred against those who oppose the Obama administration on issues such as same-sex "marriage" and religious liberty.

The anti-Christian crusade instigated by the SPLC has already resulted in an armed terrorist attack on Family Research Council headquarters in Washington, D.C.

You would think that the Obama Justice Department would distance itself from the SPLC for creating a climate of animus and hatred toward groups like FRC, but since the attack on our headquarters the Justice Department has shown no signs of breaking ties with the SPLC.

That's why FRC is urging Congress to investigate the SPLC's ties to the Obama administration. Will you help us stand strong? The President needs to be exposed for colluding with the SPLC to stifle debate on social policy issues by means of intimidation, fear-mongering, and spreading lies.

The email ends with a plea by FRC for folks to send a "much needed gift" so that the organization can continue to supposedly expose SPLC and the Obama Administration

No doubt this is just a ploy for FRC to raise money (and a way to get back at SPLC for rightfully designating it as a "hate group") but I would advise the organization to tread lightly. There is a myriad of information out there which would prove that the Family Research Council is guilty of everything it has been accused of by the Southern Poverty Law Center. And then some.

In the possible Congressional investigation or hearing, I am sure the following will come out how the Family Research Council:

• distorted Centers for Disease Control data to demonize the lgbt community,

• accused gays of being tools of Satan,

• publicly wished for gays to be deported,

• publicly wished for "homosexual behavior" to be declared illegal,

• falsely accused an organization (GLSEN) of deliberately giving adult material to minors,

•  pushed a false connection between homosexuality and pedophilia,

• distorted scientific research and ignored the authors of said research when they complain about how you misuse their data,

• published papers and studies authored by fake experts filled with false data egregiously cherry-picked, and

• made inaccurate comparisons about such things as same-sex marriage as opposed to heterosexual marriage

The question for FRC is do you really want all of this to come out?

Do you really want there to be a Congressional hearing or investigation where no doubt you would be exposed as a fraudulent organization who has for over two decades hid its homophobia, lies, and propaganda behind "Christian principles."

I think the old adage of being careful of what you wish for because you just might receive it is very apropo here.

Related posts:

How They See Us: Unmasking the Religious Right War on Gay America

16 Reasons why the Family Research Council is a hate group

Melissa Harris-Perry pays tribute to Pam Spaulding

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

By now, many of you have heard that Pam Spaulding, a person who I consider as one of my mentors and a very, very good friend, is closing shop on her nine-year blog Pam's House Blend. She is truly a pioneer and taught me many things, as well as giving me personal support when I needed it on more occasions than I can mention. MSNBC's Melissa Harris-Perry just paid tribute to Pam and the House Blend. Oh and I am mentioned, too. However that's not important. But that picture of me? Geez!

Know Your LGBT History - Soap and Billy Crystal

How many of you knew that legendary comedian and Oscar host Billy Crystal portrayed one of the first regular gay characters on television. He did so in the television sit-com Soap

From the youtube video description:

In this clip, Jodie -portrayed here by a 29 year old Billy Crystal (Hail Billy Crystal)has a heart to heart with brother Danny (Ted Wass), who has been in denial about his brother's homosexuality. Jodie is not ashamed of his homosexuality. One of the first characters in television history to be out and out gay and not ashamed to admit so to his family. This scene broke barriers.

So despite the often...misrepresentation of gay people by the show, SOAP is one of the FIRST to help with the mainstreaming of homosexuality. To remove the taboo on talking about them, not only as a topic of discussion, but as people with feelings.

Note: In early episodes, Jodie was persuing a sex-change in order to live a "normal life" with his boyfriend. This storyline was dropped, as an LGBT consultant claimed it was too stereotypical and not true to life (though in the 50s- 60s, many gay men did have sex changes to avoid stigmas about their homosexuality. These days we understand that gay men do not wish to be women, and that sexual orientation is separate from the experience of gender- such as in the situation of transgender people).

 Past Know Your LGBT History Posts:

'Ex-gay groups promise to soldier on after death of Exodus International' and other Friday midday news briefs

Ex-Gay Christian Groups Will Continue After Exodus As Religious LGBT Support Grows - Oh come on, y'all. You really didn't think it would be that easy, did you? 

Myths and Stereotypes That Dehumanize Gay Men Must Be Challenged: Start With These 10! - I hate it when we assume that other people no longer believe these things. THEY DO!

 Linda Harvey: Gay Marriage Will Result In Generation Of ‘Barbarians’ - Shit! Who told her? Can't we keep ANYTHING a secret?  

Congressman Says Gays Should Hide Their Orientation At Work - Cause, you know, it's not like lgbts have families or loved ones we would like to talk about at work or pictures we want to put at our desks of our spouses and the like.

This male cheerleading team could teach Beyonce a few tricks

For those who have preconceived negative notions about the South, I give you Alabama's premiere all-male cheerleading team, the Prancing Elites:

 

No matter how much you try to hold it down, the natural fierceness comes out.

Eat your heart out, Roland Martin and Donnie McClurkin.

Religious right promises to throw a hissy fit if the Supreme Court rules against DOMA, Prop 8

Several religious right groups have signed a statement of resistance should the Supreme Court rule in favor of marriage equality. But if you ask me, I have no idea what the hell they are threatening to do:

As Christian citizens united together, we will not stand by while the destruction of the institution of marriage unfolds in this nation we love. The Sacred Scriptures and unbroken teaching of the Church confirm that marriage is between one man and one woman. We stand together in solidarity to defend marriage and the family and society founded upon them. The effort to redefine marriage threatens the proper mediating role of the Church in society.

 Experience and history have shown us that if the government redefines marriage to grant a legal equivalency to same-sex couples, that same government will then enforce such an action with the police power of the State. This will bring about an inevitable collision with religious freedom and conscience rights. We cannot and will not allow this to occur on our watch. Religious freedom is the first freedom in the American experiment for good reason.

 ... If the Supreme Court were to issue a decision that redefined marriage or provided a precedent on which to build an argument to redefine marriage, the Supreme Court will thereby undermine its legitimacy. The Court will significantly decrease its credibility and impair the role it has assumed for itself as a moral authority. It will be acting beyond its proper constitutional role and contrary to the Natural Moral Law which transcends religions, culture, and time. As Christians united together in defense of marriage, we pray that this will not happen. But, make no mistake about our resolve. While there are many things we can endure, redefining marriage is so fundamental to the natural order and the true common good that this is the line we must draw and one we cannot and will not cross.

Go here to see a veritable who's who list of the folks who signed this statement including FRC head Tony Perkins, Focus on the Family head James Dobson, failed Fox News presidential candidate Benjamin Carson, and even Alveda King. Talk about your lack of quality control.

Whoop te do.

Should the Supreme Court rule in our favor, there isn't anything these folks can do but two things:

Nothing and like it.

 

'Religious right cheering shut down of ex-gay group' and other Thursday midday news briefs

Hate Groups Cheer End Of Exodus - Well I have officially seen it all. 

Greater Than AIDS Billboard In Dallas Criticized For Accepting, Promoting Homosexuality - So some folks think that teaching AIDS education should encompass teaching shame about being an lgbt. I don't think so. 

Landmark Study Finds Widespread Anti-Gay Housing Discrimination - This is NOT good.  

Will there be a black vs gay Prop. 8 meme redux, or will the work building stronger coalitions prevail? - Oh mercy, I hope not. Whatever the rulings may be, let's show some common sense.

Survivors of 'ex-gay' programs have intense confrontation with Exodus International president

Last night, news traveled around the lgbt community that Exodus International, one of the largest and oldest organizations pushing "ex-gay"therapy was shutting down and its president, Alan Chambers, was issuing an apology for the hurt the organizations has caused the lgbt community. While the jury is out on whether or not this mea culpa is sincere, take a look at a preview of a program which will be airing tonight on OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network). Journalist Lisa Ling is joined by a group of survivors of "ex-gay" programs and they confront Chambers. This preview is probably one of the most intense things I have ever seen.

'Ex-gay' leader apologizes to the lgbt community for pain he caused

If you heard a gigantic pop today, it's because of the multitude of religious right heads exploding. And why? Because of this: Alan Chambers, head of Exodus International, the oldest and largest group pushing "ex-gay" therapy has publicly apologized for the hurt his organization has caused.

From Buzzfeed:

In a letter “to members of the LGBTQ community,” Alan Chambers, the head of Exodus International, a group that has long backed “change therapy” for gays and lesbians, issued an apology Wednesday, stating, “I am sorry for the pain and hurt many of you have experienced.”

The public statement comes in advance of a Thursday airing of the television broadcast “God & Gays” on Our America with Lisa Ling on OWN, in which Ling talks with Chambers about these issues.

In his apology, Chambers wrote, “I am sorry we promoted sexual orientation change efforts and reparative theories about sexual orientation that stigmatized parents.”
Later, he added:

I hope the changes in my own life, as well as the ones we announce tonight regarding Exodus International, will bring resolution, and show that I am serious in both my regret and my offer of friendship. I pledge that future endeavors will be focused on peace and common good.

Nice, but you are gonna have to do more Alan. Check out the rest of the story here. 

UPDATE - According to the story, not only is Chambers apologizing but Exodus International is shutting down. I can just see the religious right heads spin.

'Fox News has a problem with the transgender community' and other Wednesday midday news briefs

Fox News' Coverage Of Transgender Community Challenged By Equality Group - For the longest time, I predicted that Fox News would become a problem to the lgbt community. I'm glad to see some of my brothers and sisters finally getting hip to the problem.  And yes I said the lgbt community as a whole because if you mess with one of us, you mess with all of us.

Fox News’ Transphobia Problem - And here is the report mentioned in the first news brief.

Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski Becomes Third Republican Senator To Back Marriage Equality - Way to go, Senaor Murkowski!  

West Virginia Democrat Signs On As The 52nd Sponsor Of The Employment Non-Discrimination Act - Meanwhile, we have 52 sponsors for ENDA!

Delaware Poised to Adopt a Transgender Rights Law - Good for Delaware!

Family Research Council unveils poor effort to stop gay equality

With the fight over the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) heating up, we can always count on organizations like the Family Research Council to be the "loyal opposition," even if they have to distort the issue.

The organization has recently announced a special site entitled Stop ENDA in which it lists reasons why it's not a good idea to protect lgbts from employment discrimination. Granted the reasons are highly specious and should lead to more questioning of FRC spokespeople at to their claims. My guess is that Tony Perkins and company will not be asked to speak specifically to them or will dodge if asked:

ENDA is a "one size fits all" solution to alleged discrimination that erases all marriage-based distinctions. It grants special rights to homosexuals while ignoring those of employers. The federal government should not force private businesses to abandon their moral principles.
FRC Action opposes this legislation on the following grounds (which by the way FRC offers absolutely no proof of):

• Such legislation affords special protection to a group that is not disadvantaged.

• The issue is not job discrimination.

• The first "religious exemption" clause is very narrow and offers no clear protection to church-related businesses.

• The second "religious exemption" clause fails to offer protection for all hiring by church-related organizations or businesses.

• It is unlikely that the "religious exemption" included in the bill would survive court challenge.

• ENDA would mandate the employment of homosexuals in inappropriate occupations.

• ENDA violates employers' and employees' Constitutional freedoms of religion, speech and association.

• ENDA would approvingly bring private behavior considered immoral by many into the public square. 

Between you and me I really want to know what does FRC mean about "the employment of homosexuals in inappropriate occupations." My guess is FRC is implying that gays shouldn't be school teachers.

And then to top it off, FRC includes a video about an alleged incident involving a Christian ministry ordered to undergo "sensitivity training."

 

 But there are several problems with this video, including:

• it's about a Canadian ministry,

• the video is from a year ago, and

• none of the principal parties are interviewed. FRC's Peter Sprigg interviews an editor from a conservative news organization on the incident.

If this is FRC's best effort in its attempt to stop ENDA, then the organization needs to go back to the drawing board. FRC offers no proof that ENDA isn't a good idea, but instead displays the prejudices which prove just why ENDA is necessary.

The Daily Show attacks 'gay intolerance'

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Indecision Political Humor,The Daily Show on Facebook

This is EPIC! The Daily Show takes on the semantic argument from the religious right that gays are "intolerant" of their "intolerance" and proceeds to thrash it within an inch of its life.

'Five-year-old takes on, defeats homophobic church' and other Tuesday midday news briefs

First a request:

 

Kudos to my buddy Scott Wooledge for creating this image for my booklet. I ask that you do me the favor of copying and pasting it along to your friends Facebok. I know I have driven you all crazy with the promotion of my booklet, so it's only fair that I give you an explanation of why it is so important to me.

Through 'How They See Us,' I hope to precipitate a sea change or a war of rhetoric, if you will. Yes, I said a war of rhetoric and by that I mean a knock-down, dragged out war of words. In our zeal and eagerness to strive forward, our community often forgets the things which held us back, i.e. the dark places we were shackled due to the ignorance and hatred of others.

We forget that physical violence, negative legislation often began with lies, pseudo-science, and distortions designed to appeal to both people's religious beliefs and their fears. We now laugh at the rhetoric while forgetting how powerful it was in its past naked form and how even more dangerous it is while covertly pushed. For over 30 years, the religious right created a body of lies and junk science based on fear, exploitation, and blatant lies.

And I simply can't let it go. When I was a child, I had the unfortunate chance to be seated on the front row as this rhetoric killed a loved one. He wasn't beaten to death. No one struck him physically. They just sliced at his soul with their words and actions until his spirit was extinguished. Death was the next logical step for him.

And that's why we must never forget the lies told about our community by these organizations. How many more of us had our spirit slowly extinguished because of these lies? They are responsible for so much pain, self-hatred, suicides, near suicides (including my own), and so much more vile hatred.

That's why I get angry when I see and hear folks on our side of the spectrum take this stuff lightly. To so many, particularly our children, hearing and reading this stuff without someone challenging it is the difference between life and death.

But enough about my soap box.

In other news:

Westboro Baptist Church Responds To 'Lemonade For Peace' Sale With Anti-Gay Taunt - A five-year-old takes on and defeats a hateful church and  - surprise - they are such sore losers.

Federal judge rules against nurse disciplined for comments critical of homosexuality - Good for the judge. Religious beliefs is no excuse for not respect your co-workers.

FRC back to scanning Google Images for drag queens; ENDA must be back in news - Hence the point I was trying to make with my first post.

Daily Show calls out recent incidents of anti-gay protests

John Oliver of the Daily Show analyzes the recent progress of lgbt equality and skewers those who oppose it.