Box Turtle Bulletin
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobby“Now you must raise your children up in a world where that union of man and box turtle is on the same legal footing as man and wife…”
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobbyLatest Posts
Featured Reports
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.
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.
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.
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"
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
“Google” is a trademark of Google Inc.
© Box Turtle Bulletin. All Rights Reserved.
Posts 
Posts via daily email:
andrew
February 22nd, 2012
This boyfriend is nuts.
Lucrece
February 22nd, 2012
How can two people communicate like that. Jesus, and I’m not even a grammar nazi.
P.S. Somebody, please give me a V-A-P-I-D.
P.S.S. You have to wonder what kind of man would put up with this if it wasn’t for some mestizo booty call privilege.
Bryan J Blumberg
February 22nd, 2012
José’s reaction to his sheriff boyfriend being away seems like the kind of insecurity based jealousy that I have encountered from some Latinos whom I have dated.
Having said that, I also don’t know why the closeted sheriff didn’t want to bring José along considering the sheriff was already in the company of an openly gay ex-congressman and an openly gay current congressman and that congressman’s boyfriend. Had José been my boyfriend and if he had time to go to Tucson, I would have wanted him with me to go out with the congressmen.
Finally, all of these text messages simply provide evidence that the sheriff is gay, which he has already admitted. What these texts don’t provide is evidence that the sheriff was threatening José with possible deportation.
JFE
February 22nd, 2012
I’m not sure what his ethnicity has to do with his jealously. I think jealously is a common trait in many races.
To the substance of the text message, I don’t know why Babeu would lie about this, but it sounds like the easy accusation of lying and the questioning means they needed to work on their relationship.
But I’m not sure Box Turtle should be delving into this sort of thing. Keep it political and cultural, not personal. Love your work generally, especially your continued work on Uganda.
Timothy Kincaid
February 22nd, 2012
JFE,
I think this story is both political and cultural. For me, the issues are twofold:
1 – political party and sexuality. Babeu’s outing and orientation come with piles of presumptions and biases and notions (and hopes for what the details will eventually reveal) depending on one’s own sexual and political identity. It is truly fascinating to see how different factions of the population present this story and react to it. Straight liberals and gay conservatives have VERY different heroes and villains in this tale and a sociology major could write a thesis on where and how straight conservatives and gay liberals respond.
2 – the extent to which being gay is acceptable in political candidates. It is only fairly recently that Harvey Milk could have been elected anywhere outside of the Castro in San Francisco. Yet today it is far more relevant to his electability that the mayor of Redondo Beach is Chinese American than that he’s a gay Republican. But what does this mean in rural conservative Arizona? We all sort of have the same assumption, but it does remain to be seen.
For BTB, this is not sensationalism. It is a story at the heart of what we look at.
While these text messages are incidental to the story, they do provide context and clarification to some points and details.
Lucrece
February 22nd, 2012
JFE,
Well, the purpose of this post wasn’t to give you juicy entertainment, but to show that Jose isn’t some saintly victim and that his credibility is suspect.
Posting on the Uganda bill does not keep you from posting other stories. This is the same fallacious thinking that leads to the thought that gay rights cannot be passed with all the concerns about the economy.
For one, you got two contributors. Uganda has always been Jim’s domain. Moreover, they don’t post 24/7. Timothy’s contributions don’t come at the expense of his covering otehr topics, which a simple search on his contributions should show you.
Scott
February 22nd, 2012
I LOVE Latin guys but seriously, the second I get called “Papi” I go soft.
jpeckjr
February 23rd, 2012
Why would Jose want this message string made public? It puts him in the bad light. Does he think it “proves” Paul was “cheating” on him? All it really supports is that Paul has political connections and friendships. Every one of Paul’s messages is an exchange of information. Every one of Jose’s messages is an accusation or a demand. That’s why I continue to wonder who benefits politically from this entire episode. Right now, I’d say Mr. Babeu has the edge.
Jess
February 23rd, 2012
On the other hand, we don’t know their relationship, maybe Jose caught him lying about where he was before. Look, I’m not really judging either side right now, the only way I could get angry over this is if it is found to be true that the sheriff really did threaten him with deportation, since he was legal. His being gay and being on a hook-up site doesn’t bother me in the slightest, unless he was hooking up on taxpayer dollars, which there is no allegations of.
jpeckjr
February 23rd, 2012
Another news report says the two of them broke up in 2009. These messages are two years later. I think they could be used as evidence against Jose for stalking or harassment.
Another news report notes Jose is on a tourist visa, which is extendable for up to 10 years but has to be renewed every six months by returning to one’s home country and asking for an extension. It is certainly possible he had committed a deportable violation of his visa.
If Sheriff Babeu said “I could have you deported,” some would say he was doing his duty as a law enforcement officer. But the personal relationship makes it appear he was trying to intimidate Jose into leaving him alone. And his failure to report Jose to immigration authorities for investigation could be a dereliction of duty. Or it could be an attempt to keep the relationship a secret to protect his political career.
This entire situation is a mess — politically, legally, ethically, socially, personally.
Tom
February 23rd, 2012
This posting, and the comments attached are not appropriate. What part of THIS IS NONE OF YOUR DAMNED BUSINESS do you not get.
Vile gossip – nothing less. Yes, dance if you will (in private) that another closet case has had his hypocrisy thrown back in his face, but this, this is just extremely poor manners. Posting private messages NEVER intended for your review is nothing more than being an electronic Peeping Tom!
There is NOTHING SADDER than someone showing how superior they are by stooping to such vile actions.
SHAME!
Dennis W
February 23rd, 2012
Tom – thanks for you post. I read this site regularly and, for the most part find it useful. This post and the comments have me needing a shower.
Matt
February 23rd, 2012
I agree that these text messages add nothing and that putting them up here is unpleasant and not in the service of any greater truth or argument or whatever.
andrew
February 23rd, 2012
JFE and Tim re: sensationalism – Tim, you know I’m a frequent critic especially vis a vis judgement or sensationalism, but in this case, I have to agree with BTB. We have extremely superficial media coverage elsewhere, and one or both parties is lying. And who’s lying matters, because what’s at stake is not only an elected office, but a gay conservative who is not ducking and running for cover – these you can count on one hand – and as such, could be the beginning of a change we see in the modern GOP wrt gays.
It’s also a VERY timely reminder of the nature of electronic communications in our day and age, where people post things thoughtlessly only to have them come back to haunt them later. And this case has been all about the technology. Given the frank sophistication with which the gay community has engaged with technology – it’s replaced the entire industry of gay bars, for instance, this is important from a cultural aspect as well.
Plus, it’s a reminder to ditch neurotic jealous insecure boyfriends before they screw up your entire life.
Grant
February 23rd, 2012
After reading the texts shown, the first emotion I felt was sadness, for both of them. Forgetting the politics, it shows the difficulties many relationships go through, only laid-bare for all to see.
What I’m seeing in these texts are the death-throws of a dying relationship. The raw emotions of Orosco and the resigned but cold demeanor of Babeu are witnessed all too often in our community. I’m so thankful for my 10-year relationship right now, for all the tribulations we’ve been through and survived.
I hope both these men come out of this with more forgiveness of each other, and compassion for others.
Leave A Comment