The Daily Agenda for Friday, May 24
Boy Scouts of America Votes To Allow Gay Members, Retains Ban On Gay Leaders
Nevada House votes to reverse marriage ban
The Daily Agenda for Thursday, May 23
It's Not the Principle, It's the Prejudice
Congratulations Mitch!
Gay Couples Excluded from Immigration Bill Markup
How To Spot A Swivel-Eyed Loon
Featured Reports
What Are Little Boys Made Of?
In this original BTB Investigation, we unveil the tragic story of Kirk Murphy, a four-year-old boy who was treated for “cross-gender disturbance” in 1970 by a young grad student by the name of George Rekers. This story is a stark reminder that there are severe and damaging consequences when therapists try to ensure that boys will be boys.
Slouching Towards Kampala: Uganda’s Deadly Embrace of Hate
When we first reported on three American anti-gay activists traveling to Kampala for a three-day conference, we had no idea that it would be the first report of a long string of events leading to a proposal to institute the death penalty for LGBT people. But that is exactly what happened. In this report, we review our collection of more than 500 posts to tell the story of one nation’s embrace of hatred toward gay people. This report will be updated continuously as events continue to unfold. Check here for the latest updates.
David Benkof: Behind the Mask
At first glance, David Benkof appears to be a young gay man who believes that same-sex marriage will damage the institution of marriage, that there are better options for gay couples than marriage, that the community should join him in prioritizing other more pressing issues, and that the marriage discussion is harming the efforts of gay couples in red states to get recognition for their unions. He also claims that he’s a gay columnist, that he speaks for an influential collection of gay thinkers, and that he is part of the gay and lesbian community and that he shares our goals and dreams. But none of that is true.
“Repeat After Me”: The Reparative Therapy Echo Chamber
The April 2008 edition of the pay-to-publish vanity journal Psychological Reports featured a new report from NARTH. Written by NARTH president A. Dean Byrd, past president Joseph Nicolosi, and Richard W. Potts, the report carries the unwieldy but self-descriptive title, “Clients perceptions of how reorientation therapy and self-help can promote changes in sexual orientation.” While the title describes what the authors meant to show — how clients describe the benefits of reparative therapy — the report itself actually illustrates something very different: the ex-gay movement’s remarkable ability to instill an almost robot-like parroting of ex-gay rhetoric among their clients.
Testing the Premise: Is MRSA The New Gay Plague?
The Toronto Star said that a new study “discover[ed] a new strain” of a super-bug “hitting gay men.” Headlines in Britain screamed, “Flesh-eating bug strikes San Francisco’s gay community,” and anti-gay extremists across America spread the alarm that gays were introducing another plague into “the general population.” But there was a small problem with all of this: None of it is true!
Paul Cameron’s World
In 2005, the Southern Poverty Law Center wrote that “[Paul] Cameron’s ‘science’ echoes Nazi Germany.” What the SPLC didn”t know was Cameron doesn’t just “echo” Nazi Germany. He quoted extensively from one of the Final Solution’s architects. This puts his fascination with quarantines, mandatory tattoos, and extermination being a “plausible idea” in a whole new and deeply disturbing light.
From the Inside: Focus on the Family’s “Love Won Out”
On February 10, I attended an all-day “Love Won Out” ex-gay conference in Phoenix, put on by Focus on the Family and Exodus International. In this series of reports, I talk about what I learned there: the people who go to these conferences, the things that they hear, and what this all means for them, their families and for the rest of us.
Prologue: Why I Went To “Love Won Out”
Part 1: What’s Love Got To Do With It?
Part 2: Parents Struggle With “No Exceptions”
Part 3: A Whole New Dialect
Part 4: It Depends On How The Meaning of the Word "Change" Changes
Part 5: A Candid Explanation For "Change"
The Heterosexual Agenda: Exposing The Myths
At last, the truth can now be told.
Using the same research methods employed by most anti-gay political pressure groups, we examine the statistics and the case studies that dispel many of the myths about heterosexuality. Download your copy today!
And don't miss our companion report, How To Write An Anti-Gay Tract In Fifteen Easy Steps.
Testing The Premise: Are Gays A Threat To Our Children?
Anti-gay activists often charge that gay men and women pose a threat to children. In this report, we explore the supposed connection between homosexuality and child sexual abuse, the conclusions reached by the most knowledgeable professionals in the field, and how anti-gay activists continue to ignore their findings. This has tremendous consequences, not just for gay men and women, but more importantly for the safety of all our children.
Straight From The Source: What the “Dutch Study” Really Says About Gay Couples
Anti-gay activists often cite the “Dutch Study” to claim that gay unions last only about 1½ years and that the these men have an average of eight additional partners per year outside of their steady relationship. In this report, we will take you step by step into the study to see whether the claims are true.
The FRC’s Briefs Are Showing
Tony Perkins’ Family Research Council submitted an Amicus Brief to the Maryland Court of Appeals as that court prepared to consider the issue of gay marriage. We examine just one small section of that brief to reveal the junk science and fraudulent claims of the Family “Research” Council.
Review: The Gay Report
When Karla Jay and Allan Young published The Gay Report in 1979, it quickly a favorite source of statistics for many anti-gay extremists. But before you accepts these statistic at face value, you should examine the inner workings of this survey very carefully. What you learn might surprise you.
Daniel Fetty Doesn’t Count
The FBI’s annual Hate Crime Statistics aren’t as complete as they ought to be, and their report for 2004 was no exception. In fact, their most recent report has quite a few glaring holes. Holes big enough for Daniel Fetty to fall through.
News, analysis and fact-checking of anti-gay rhetoric
Posts 
Posts via daily email:
Matt
June 29th, 2009 | LINK
Jim,
Just speculating, but the companies that make those vest/windbreakers that police wear in raids (to prevent friendly fire) probably have a limited number of terms they print on “generic” items ordered off-the-shelf. Since they probably don’t stock “TABC” nor would most people recognize that (it’s not exactly as commonly known as “ATF”), the department just ordered something that matched the function.
Matt
Richard W. Fitch
June 29th, 2009 | LINK
Matt – I have to express extreme doubt regarding your explanation. If the uniforms are indeed “off-the-shelf” it will be the first time in my recollection that any govt. agency did not go thru bids for design and price to clothe their staff. There is just too much ego involved for them to trot into some uniform shop for their supplies. This increases reasons to speculate just who was executing this “inspection”. Another issue – we all need to keep Chad Gibson (the patron who was injured) and his family in our prayers. According to the most recent report, his condition has worsened and may require brain surgery.
Lane
June 29th, 2009 | LINK
FW and TABC police will “investigate themselves” and determine that they can actually wear uniforms that say anything they wish, as long as it doesn’t indicate a rank above their real one. All part of their practice of working undercover, etc.
Obviously, the reason they wore uniforms of a nonexistant organization was to keep folks from finding out who exactly was behind the raid. The mainstream press will have difficulty confirming facts, and will probably drop the story rather than run with the “police out of control” angle.
jim
June 29th, 2009 | LINK
This whole episode is making me paranoid. Do I NEED a gun to protect myself, family and property?
OK, Maybe I’m overreacting. My question is why were the police at the bar in the first place?
I’d like to hear the law enforcements side of the story too. INQUIRING MINDS REALLY WANT TO KNOW!
I think we need law enforcement. Our police gets lots of bs, but they are needed in society. They put their lives on the line every day.
Our law enforcement people need some respect too.
Here’s mine. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
And, thank you, Jim for putting this kind of information out there for us.
It is appreciated.
Love, Jim.
Timothy Kincaid
June 29th, 2009 | LINK
Perhaps they accidentally printed the two words in reverse order. “Police State” certainly seems more appropriate.
BJohnM
June 29th, 2009 | LINK
Timothy’s explanation makes the most sense.
tavdy79
June 29th, 2009 | LINK
Not if they also focus on the police’s attempt to prevent people from knowing exactly who was responsible for the raid. The fact that they were wearing vests for a non-existent organisation shouldn’t be viewed as a roadblock, but as something to be played up. It’s a pretty obvious case of dishonesty in the police, and that will get others – especially other minority groups – worried that they could be treated the same way.
Tim
June 30th, 2009 | LINK
GOOD QUESTION….
The OFFICIAL TX STATE police…according to WIKIPEDIA….
The Texas State Police were formed during the administration of Texas Governor Edmund J. Davis on July 22, 1870, to combat crime statewide in Texas. It was dissolved April 22, 1873.
So what is this? SCARY thats what.
David
July 2nd, 2009 | LINK
That’s got to be TABC. It’s acknowledged their agents were at the scene and FWPD wears the black uniforms (which can be seen in that picture as well).
CopCadet
October 26th, 2009 | LINK
I’ve often wondered about this. I have had two experiences with the “state police”. Once, I was at a park at night and an officer identified himself as being with the “state police” and was looking for a missing teen. I was certain there was no state police aside from DPS, WHO WOULD ID THEMSELVES AS DPS. Another time, I was standing in line at a gas station when a “state police” officer came in the door. His badge was embroidered on his shirt and his car had regular, (not EXEMPT) license plates. He carried a gun and a radio and his car had several antennae… My guess is that it is a security organization made up of certified Texas peace officers, but who do not work for a particular agency.
WNEWSOM
June 19th, 2011 | LINK
REAL SIMPLE ITS A GENERIC TERM EASLY RECOGNIZED AS A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER EMPLOYED BY THE STATE OF TEXAS. EASIER TO RECOGNIZE THAN TABC, DPS, TEXAS RANGER, TEXAS FIRE MARSHAL. IT SIMPLY STATES AS RECOGNIZABLE TERM IDENTIFYING THE OFFICER AS LAW ENFORCEMENT. EVERYBODY KNOWS POLICE. IM A DEPUTY SHERIFF I ALWAYS GET CALLED OFFICER INSTEAD OF DEPUTY. NORMAL PEOPLE CANT TELL THE DIFFERENCE.
Priya Lynn
June 20th, 2011 | LINK
Wnewsom, you’re missing the point. When a generic term is used no one knows which organization they belong to so the public can’t hold them responsible for their actions. Its like toyota selling cars under the name “Car Manufacturers” and not telling you who they are and then when you need warrenty repairs you don’t know who to go to.
Jared
May 27th, 2012 | LINK
That is the TABC, even on their patch it says STATE POLICE.
Leave A Comment