Comments on: Why You Should Always Go To The Source

By: John

John — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 22:48:43 +0000

Just an update. 20 parents (with the help of the right wing Pacfic Justice Institute) filed a lawsuit ( Balde, et al v Alameda Unified School District) in order to opt out of the curriculum. Balde et al lost. A judge ruled against the opt out, because the crriculum was anti- bullying and not health related as the plaintiffs argued.

Balde is Irene Penalosa “Aisha” Balde. She and her husband Musa Balde (Imam and founder of the Alsmrda Islamic Center) are being sued by the City Attorney of Oakland, California on 82 counts of fraud. The Baldes run American Legal Services, a business in Oakland that is accused of defrauding immigrant of thousands of dollars each with false promises of gaining them legal status even though the Baldes knew these people didn’t qualify. Suit for $8.2 million. Couldn’t happen to nicer folks. I love karma.

By: Ephilei

Ephilei — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 19:52:00 +0000

Jim – your words about fear here are very insightful. Thanks

NOM does allow comments on their blog which impresses me. It’s fun to read because 95% are pro-gay. Makes you wonder who’s really paying attention to NOM.

By: HappyCat

HappyCat — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 07:34:29 +0000

My rule is never trust what you read on anti-gay web sites that don’t allow comments. Take Peter LeBarbera’s site, AFTAH. No comments allowed and his distortions of the truth can be blown out of the water in a heartbeat. NOM has its BS as well and no room for differing opinions. Or if they do allow comments, they erase differing opinions quickly.

By: Timothy Kincaid

Timothy Kincaid — Sat, 30 May 2009 20:52:48 +0000

Thanks, CLS

Those curious about WND’s credibility may also want to consider that they ran an article titled “soy is making kids gay.”

And it wasn’t satire.

By: CLS

CLS — Sat, 30 May 2009 19:41:33 +0000

In my experience WND runs anything that pushing their values no matter how crazy, dishonest or absurd.

The first time I came across them it was because they mentioned a book I wrote on South Africa under the ANC — it was not a complimentary book but it was factual. Yet this article also mentioned an alleged plot by South African blacks to slit the throats of all white people—something i knew to be totally bat crazy. Contrary to Western media claims the relationships between black and white was relatively good. (The relationship between blacks and the government was a different matter.) The very idea that tens of millions of black were keeping this plot a secret was as ridiculous as one could get, yet there it was reported as fact. And they were quoting my book in this article, though it said no such thing. An email to them was ignored.

By: ----

---- — Sat, 30 May 2009 18:45:30 +0000

So now that prop 8 supporters know that the gay-marriage ban did nothing to prevent this sort of curriculum, what will they do?

By: Timothy Kincaid

Timothy Kincaid — Sat, 30 May 2009 18:11:10 +0000

John,

Thanks for the report from the site. I hope the school board doesn’t get overrun, but Alameda may resist a homophobia-based campaign.

Alameda county voted against Prop 8 by 61.9% to 38.1% and the City of Alameda was even better: 68.4% to 31.6%.

By: AdrianT

AdrianT — Sat, 30 May 2009 13:19:51 +0000

Nicely put Jim – we get this too over here in the UK fromsimilar outfits (the ‘Christian Institute’ being one). These organizations seem to be nothing more than good PR machines – if you pump out the same lie enough times, people start believing it. They capitalize on the fact that neither the media nor the public at large care to check the facts, and simply ask ‘how do I know this is true?’ (this applies across the board, from WMD in Iraq, to the saintliness of the Dalai Lama…)

It’s really important to be vigilant about refuting these claims because this is the premise they use for campaigns to maintain discrimination such as adverts against gay marriage.

By: Hobsen

Hobsen — Sat, 30 May 2009 06:54:36 +0000

Such teaching is required by the California Education Code, which is probably why the Alameda County Board of Education is insisting on it. And since the county has about a million and a half residents, it is hardly surprising opponents could come up with 500 signatures on a petition in opposition. The story does not say that the signatures are those of parents of children in the county schools, or even of county residents.

By: John

John — Sat, 30 May 2009 05:36:16 +0000

I live in Alameda and have a kid in the Alameda public schools. It is actually a fairly liberal place (not a suprise, since it is an island in the SF Bay). I don’t have the exact figures, but I think more than 60% of the voters voted No on Prop 8 and there were few if any Yes on 8 yard signs.

This curriculum issue is very interesting and the lies that the right wingers (Mormons and a few Evangelical churches) have been putting out scared some folks into thinking that this was actually about sex education rather than an anti-bullying campaign. One of the two Board Members who voted against the curriculum has ties to a virulent homophobe who writes letters to the editor frequently.

Our next school board election will probably see right wingers trying to capitalize on this to take over the school board. If they win, I am sure they will over-reach and liberal Alameda will not tolerate intelligent design, watering down evolution and trying to impose school prayer in some way. We’re in for some headaches for the next few years.