The Daily Agenda for Saturday, May 25
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
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
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Jen
July 31st, 2010 | LINK
I believe this is the same rally that was originally planned for Tampa but moved to Orlando.
I can only surmise that NOM made this change because they came to realize that Tampa had a large, well established, strongly organized, activist gay community with determination. I guess they didn’t look at the map to see that Orlando is less than 2 hours from Tampa. A very short road to travel to gain so much more.
I am sure their press release (if there was one) has a different reason though.
Rebecca
July 31st, 2010 | LINK
Gotta close your link, there.
Mark F.
August 1st, 2010 | LINK
Why not just ignore the NOM? Might that not be the best option?
Jonathan
August 1st, 2010 | LINK
we SHOULD ignore NOM. If we are going to protst – then prayers and “Amazing Grace” are excellent ideas.
Don’t provide ammunition for NOM to argue they have reason to shield the names of their donors.
Disclosing the names of their donors will put NOM out of business.
Aaron
August 1st, 2010 | LINK
Oh, that is excellent.
Bernie
August 1st, 2010 | LINK
Tim, Educate me please. “HCR even speculated…” Who’s the HCR?
Thanks, Bernie
Richard W. Fitch
August 1st, 2010 | LINK
@Bernie – “HCR” is the Human Rights Campaign, an organization based in D.C. that advocates mainly LGBT equality rights in all levels of law making and serves as a watch group for fairness by private businesses in their stated policies and actual treatment of LGBT citizens.
cd
August 1st, 2010 | LINK
I can only surmise that NOM made this change because they came to realize that Tampa had a large, well established, strongly organized, activist gay community with determination.
More likely because a lot of the American Christian missionary industry has relocated to Orlando in the past 15-20 years. It’s closer to Africa and has a much lower cost of living than Southern California- which has been overrun by liberals.
TampaZeke
August 1st, 2010 | LINK
This is the difference between a thoughtful and effective protest developed by people who understand that what feels good is not what’s always most effective vs. a “feel good” but thoughtless and ineffective campaign waged by people with no experience but lots of enthusiasm. I LOVE those people with little experience but lots of enthusiasm; they just need to be taught how to direct that enthusiasm in the most effective ways.
Bernie, I think Tim meant “HRC”, the Human Rights Campaign.
Bernie
August 1st, 2010 | LINK
@Richard, and Zeke, Thanks Guys.
Mark F.
August 1st, 2010 | LINK
HRC
Human Rights Campaign
Left-wing Democratic party front that refuses to use the word gay or lesbian despite the fact that it’s supposed to be a gay rights group. Gets sidetracked by non-gay related issues like abortion, so it often turns off gay conservatives/moderates/libertarians. Has spent hundreds of millions of dollars with practically nothing to show for it. Famous for high staff salaries, lavish beltway parties, and brownnosing Democrats.
Donnchadh
August 1st, 2010 | LINK
This protest is theocentric. I can see the value of telling NOM they do not have a monopoly on faith; but this is part of a broader pattern that is ignoring the section of the LGBT movement that is not Judeo-Christian (the same thing is true of its opponents, may I add).
It would help if the prayer were recognized as a portion of the protest, and the umbrella protest focused on secular values of love and sexual freedom.
I also feel that “Amazing Grace” is something of a cop-out; it is a catch-all song that was composed by a slave trader (he repented, but later).
B John
August 1st, 2010 | LINK
Funny the last minute move of an entire rally. Just more evidence of the true intent of the tour…trying to get footage of them being “threatened and intimidated,” and nothing to do with having an actual successful rally.
I think that is a good plan for the Orlando event. However, what you can expect to see and hear from NOM is an increasing level of hate speech and actions to attempt to bait and antagonize the counter-protesters. My suggestion would be to have the counter protest in a completely different area. Their bus driver (apparently assigned the task of trying to get a rise from the counter-protestors) will be walking the line, and can easily find some young, enthusiastic person from whom he can get a rise.
Seriously, this tour thing came up right after the loss of their first suit to keep the donor list secret, when the only course of action left was to try for an exception based on fear. So they have to gin up evidence of potential violence and intimidation. So the timing makes it obvious, but so too do the results. They have no one at these things, yet don’t seem to care. All it would take is one or two advance people hitting up the right churches, and they could eaily get out at least 100 or so. They don’t care what the attendance is for their rallies, it’s who they can attract in counter-protest.
Then, at each and every rally are the reports that the bus driver guy has had the camera out, always pointed on the counter-protestors (never at NOM’s rally), and that he has actually baited a few of the counter-protesters.
PLEASE DON’T FALL FOR THE TRAP. That is what this is all about.
Timothy Kincaid
August 1st, 2010 | LINK
Donnchadh,
I think perhaps that you are not recognizing the emotional connection of the song Amazing Grace to the movements in the United States for people seeking civil equality.
And while it is true that John Newton was a slaver, he did not “repent, but later.” But the time of the writing of Amazing Grace in 1779 he had changed. In fact in the 1780′s he became an ardent abolitionist who worked with William Wilberforce. (This is particularly relevant, because Brian Brown compares himself to Wilberforce at every NOM stop).
Like We Shall Overcome, this song is evocative of both spirituality and of legitimate social grievance, two ideas that NOM is trying to claim monopoly upon. And I am certain that Brian Brown will freak – he’s undoubtedly convinced that the song belongs to his side.
Timothy Kincaid
August 1st, 2010 | LINK
B John,
You make a good point about NOM seeking to instigate conflict. But that is what the Angels are for. They wear large wings which physically separate NOM from the counter protest until such time as the protest wants to be seen. (If you saw the movie The Laramie Project, you saw their work)
B John
August 2nd, 2010 | LINK
Thanks Timothy. I’m familiar with the Angels.
I’m just trying to remind everyone involved that any tiny thing NOM can latch onto as an intrusion or interruption will be inflated and reported as threat equal to armed insurrection.
I was reading one of their posts this weekend going on and on about protestors shouting to drown out the Lord’s Prayer. I wasn’t there, don’t know if it’s true, but you can bet a lot of “good Christian folks” reading that took great offense to it, and it does not help our cause.
Timothy (TRiG)
August 3rd, 2010 | LINK
“Amazing Grace”, besides being a thoroughly boring song, (a) has unpleasant associations with slavery (and no, Newman did not “repent” before writing the song), and (c) is decidedly theocentric.
TRiG.
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