News, analysis and fact-checking of anti-gay rhetoric
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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.Molotov Mitchell Hopes for a Big Santorum Splash
Jim Burroway
January 18th, 2012
Meanwhile Columbia, S.C. native Molotov Mitchell, an evangelical Christian video artist whose YouTube political commentaries against Newt Gingrich’s infidelities hit hundreds of thousands of Iowa cell phones via text message and went viral with over 33,000 views prior to the Iowa Caucuses, re-released a pro-Santorum punk-rock video that deals with one of Santorum’s harshest critics, Chicago sex columnist Dan Savage. Savage, a gay rights activist, is the originator of Santorum’s “Google problem,” an effort to redefine the conservative’s name as an obscenity. Mitchell said, “Mitt Romney is kind of like the RINO country club hetero version of Dan Savage, and in his own vacuous way, far more dangerous to hetero-traditionalism. I hope Santorum makes a big splash on Romney’s empty suit this Saturday.”
Mitchell was one of a handful of American Evangelicals who defended Uganda’s “Kill-the-Gays” bill in 2010. I don’t think this will help Santorum’s Google problem at all.
NH Marriage Repeal Vote Delayed
Jim Burroway
January 18th, 2012
There are reports out that Republican leaders in the New Hampshire House has delayed the vote to repeal the state’s marriage equality law. The vote has been postponed until February, according to House Majority leader D.J. Bettencourt. Many in the House expected the vote to occur today even though the issue was not on the House calendar. Democratic Gov. John Lynch vowed to veto the repeal if it reached his desk. The delay is seen as a sign that the House does not have a veto-proof majority to pass the legislation.
Hey, Ron Paul, now I’m starting to think you want to kill me
Timothy Kincaid
January 17th, 2012
You would think that after touting the endorsement of one Christian reconstructionist who favors executing gays – and being called on it – you’d be careful before you starting talking about another. Unless, I guess, you agree with them.
But today there’s another preacher, Voddie Baucham, Pastor at Grace Family Baptist Church, who is one the front page of Ron Paul’s website singing Ron’s praises:
While I am not looking for a “Pastor-in-Chief,” it is important to me that the man for whom I cast my vote be a Christian, if at all possible… I also want to know that the foundational ideology motivating a man’s decisions is biblical. I know it will not always mirror my own, but I trust God’s word, and appreciate those who look to it for aid in making decisions. To that end, I support Dr. Paul because he is not just a conservative, but a Christian Conservative.
Unlike, I guess, the Mormon and the Catholic options.
Now some of what Baucham says makes sense. He, like me, has no desire to elect a Pastor in Chief. And he notes that when you send a guy to change the moral standards to be to your liking, then the next guy is free to change them to his liking and “How’s that workin’ for ya’?”
But what isn’t mentioned is Baucham’s other writings, like – for example – this response to President Obama’s 2009 statement of support for LGBT Pride Month that Dr. Warren Throckmorton found:
As I have noted elsewhere, President Obama is committed to a radical pro-homosexual agenda. Since day one of his administration, he has made no secret of his intent to move the ball forward on the full acceptance of homosexuality and the criminalization of all disapproval thereof. Just this week he appointed the founder of GLSEN to a post in the Department of Education. Then, in another brazen act, the Obama administration took another bold step forward as he declared June LGBT Pride Month. In a statement on the White House website he wrote:
LGBT Americans have made, and continue to make, great and lasting contributions that continue to strengthen the fabric of American society. There are many well-respected LGBT leaders in all professional fields, including the arts and business communities. LGBT Americans also mobilized the Nation to respond to the domestic HIV/AIDS epidemic and have played a vital role in broadening this country’s response to the HIV pandemic.
Hence, sodomites, who who are in large part responsible for the introduction and spread of the HIV/AIDS epidemic are praised for responding to this plague in an attempt to avoid annihilation (by the way, I know you don’t have to engage in sodomy to get HIV, but that doesn’t change the facts… see the book, And the Band Played On for an honest look at this issue). This is revisionism at its worst.
The President goes on to celebrate the fact that this abomination (Lev 18:22) worthy of the death penalty (Lev 20:13) is now being celebrated in the open. He writes, “Due in no small part to the determination and dedication of the LGBT rights movement, more LGBT Americans are living their lives openly today than ever before.” This is a clear sign of the devolution of culture. As Paul writes in Romans, “Though they know God’s decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.” (Rom 1:32 ESV)
So what’s going on here, Ron Paul? Why is it that you keep talking up the endorsements you get from people who want to execute me?
Once is an error. Twice… well, twice means that you need to start explaining in terms that leave no doubt.
Santorum affirms all relationship, Box of Rocks is disgusted
Timothy Kincaid
January 16th, 2012
Rick Santorum doesn’t hate gay people. Why, some of Rick’s friends’ neighbor’s cousin’s relatives are gay. So of course he doesn’t hate gay people and his wife can tell you so.
When a mother asked what to tell her son, Mrs. Santorum told her to blame her son. (Examiner)
Karen Santorum, Rick’s wife, answered first. “I think it’s very sad what the gay activists have done out there; they vilify him, and it’s so wrong,” she said. “Rick does not hate anyone.” Mrs. Santorum noted that opponents “can’t even find one example” of her husband hating gay people.
Rick Santorum cast his opposition gay marriage as a “public policy difference,” lamenting that “some see that public policy difference as a personal assault.”
Santorum then chimed in with some fascinating statements:
“There’s all sorts of other relationships that people have, and they are valuable relationships — whether they are amorous relationships or friendship relationships or familial relationships — they’re all important, they all have value they all should be affirmed,” Santorum added. “But that does not mean that we should change the laws to order — to create an atmosphere where children and families are not being promoted.”
The Box of Rocks vehemently disagrees with Rick Santorum on this issue. The Rocks do NOT think all relationships have value or should be affirmed.
For example, the Box of Rocks will never affirm ‘man on child’ relationships, which Santorum is on record as equating to same-sex relationships. The spokesman for the Box of Rocks noted, “That Rick Santorum is a pretty sick puppy. And I don’t mean in the ‘man on dog’ way.”
Maggie Gallagher endorses Rick Santorum
Timothy Kincaid
January 16th, 2012
National Organization for [Catholic] Marriage’s Maggie Gallagher has endorse Pope Rick, as was anticipated. In doing so, she had far less to say about his policies or qualifications than she did about the meanies who are mocking the candidate:
They will go after him not just to defeat Rick Santorum, but to smear his good name, to associate it with their own muck, to take a decent and honorable man and try literally to make his name mean mud.
Oh, Maggie, no one is trying to literally make his name mean mud! Even a box of rocks knows that.
The box of rocks is very familiar with mud and considers mud to be a good friend. But it tries to keep a garden hose handy if there is any chance of coming in contact with santorum.
COMMENT (1) | LINK
Christie non-committal on equality bill
Timothy Kincaid
January 16th, 2012
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has been presumed to be opposed to the marriage bill being proposed by Democrats. In fact, I suspect that it is the presumption of his veto that is a selling point to some hesitating votes who might see a Christie veto as a win-win; they get to vote for it but it doesn’t really happen.
But the Star-Ledger is reporting that Christie is being non-committal about a veto.
When forced to make a decision, if forced to make a decision on it, I’ll make a decision.
This is an interesting response. It may well be a positioning in which the Governor can ask for specific religious exemptions or other provisions and thereby make the Democrats be the “difficult” ones. Or it may reflect his recognition of the popularity of equality in his state. And no little part of the equation is whether Christie will be considered as a Vice President nominee choice.
But whatever the motivation, when a Republican governor indicates the possibility of signing a marriage bill (or letting it become law without signature), you know that it’s a very different world than it was just a decade ago.
CNN asks “What did MLK think about gay people?”
Timothy Kincaid
January 16th, 2012
CNN’s John Blake asks
We know what King thought about race, poverty and war. But what was his attitude toward gay people, and if he was alive today would he see the gay rights movement as another stage of the civil rights movement?
It’s a careful consideration that seeks input from those who worked closest with Dr. King – while also acknowledging the position of those who claim his mantle but barely knew the man.
Box of Rocks on Pope Rick
Timothy Kincaid
January 15th, 2012
In response to the ecclesiastical selection of Rick Santorum as the exalted one, the boxs of rocks didn’t have much to say. However a spokesman noted that the Box of Rocks has little support from the theocratic minded as it generally tries to avoid those who are likely to cast the first stone.
Email of the Day: Send Money So I Can Send More Money-Raising Emails
Jim Burroway
January 15th, 2012
It's all in the emails.
The shockwaves from Public Advocate’s email campaign are still breaking down major doors. The Washington Post has now joined in the attack on Public Advocate. They have condemned me for daring to speak the truth to the American people! You see, last week I sent an email warning to the subscribers of a major political news source about the terrors the Homosexual Classrooms Act holds for our nation. And the radical Homosexual Lobby can’t stand it! They immediately launched a campaign to get Public Advocate banned from mainstream media. But it didn’t work. You and I are still here! A reporter actually called me and bitterly asked me to just quit and give up. I told them: “I’m not backing down. I’m going to stick to my guns.”
And he’s doing all of this on emails alone, apparently. A one-time $20 donation will allow him to email 1,000 more people so he can ask them for $20 donations to email 1,000 more people, so he can ask him for $20 donations so … you get the idea. That’s the only stated purpose of this email and all the others in his “email campaign.” They say that anti-gay activists make a lot of money off of demonizing gay people. Delgaudio proves the point and goes further: you can make even more money if you don’t do anything else.
Habemus Santorum!
Jim Burroway
January 14th, 2012
A group of 150 cardinal (meaning primary or major) leaders of the Evangelical movement met in conclave in Texas to choose their standard bearer for the Republican presidential nomination. The white smoke has cleared and Rick Santorum emerged as their Vicar:
CBN confirms the report. Slate has this quote from Tony Perkins:
“What I did not think was possible appears to be possible,” said Perkins. After three rounds of balloting, “there emerged a strong consensus around Rick Santorum as the preferred candidate of this room.” It was a “clear, clear majority,” 115 out of 150, by the time other candidates were dropped off the ballot.
Sounds like it was straight out of the Sistine Chapel, doesn’t it? Team Santorum is ecstatic:
France to upgrade couple recognition
Timothy Kincaid
January 13th, 2012
Of those European nations which offer recognition to their same-sex couples, France’s form, Pacte civil de solidarité (PACS), is probably the weakest. And while they do offer protections and rights and there are some amusing advantages to a nation providing such a structure (many young heterosexual couples enter PACS as a sort of pre-marriage tryout), they simply do not provide equality. Gay couples are stuck in the “tryout” phase.
But that seems likely to change.
A poll to be released tomorrow will show that about two-thirds of the French (63%) support opening marriage to same-sex couples. And French politicians are scrambling to show that they are in alignment with the will of the French people. (Bloomberg)
Francois Hollande, the Socialist Party candidate and front- runner before the two-round election in April and May, supports homosexual marriage and will add it to his platform, Manuel Valls, head of communication for the Socialist campaign, said on RMC radio today.
And President Nicolas Sarkozy, while continuing to oppose same-sex marriage, has discovered a new-found interest in establishing a civil union provision that contains all of the rights, privileges, and duties of marriage.
Regardless of who wins which position in French Government, it is inevitable that the shame of offering less liberté, égalité, or fraternité than their ancient frenemies the Spanish, Dutch and British (especially the British) will eventually lead to change.
Equality in WA picks up 23rd supporting Senator
Timothy Kincaid
January 13th, 2012
Yesterday we reported that Democratic Sen. Rosemary McAuliffe of Bothell was undeclared on whether to support the proposed marriage bill. She has now read the bill, discussed the matter with her constituents, and KEPRTV is reporting that she has pledged her support to its passage: “Now is the time to support marriage for all families.”
Two more to go.
All Canadian Marriages Declared Legal and Valid
Jim Burroway
January 13th, 2012
The Globe and Mail today reports that Canada’s Justice Minister Rob Nicholson has reiterated that all marriages in Canada are “legal and valid,” and will be regarded as such even for non-resident couples who live in areas where same-sex marriage isn’t recognized. Nicholson, a Conservative, laid the blame on the the predecessor Liberal government for the “legislative gap” which he said left thousands of same-sex couples in the lurch. A government lawyer in a divorce case noted that Canada’s law does not provide for divorce for couples who do not meet residency requirements. But that filing appeared to go further by declaring that the couple’s marriage itself was not valid because they lived in Florida and England, two places which do not recognize same-sex marriage.
Nicholson said that the Civil Marriage Act will be changed to eliminate the “legislative gap” in how Canada handles divorce cases. It’s unclear how long it will take for the law to be changed and what impact that has for same-sex couples in the meantime.
Brazilian state authorizes equality
Timothy Kincaid
January 13th, 2012
Over the past few years, Brazil has been working its way closer to full equality for same-sex couples. First a state authorized civil unions, then the government determined that pension law should apply, and then last May the Supreme Court declared that same-sex couples are entitled to civil unions.
Since that time, smaller individual cases have mostly raised little attention. In June, a judge found that a male couple could convert their civil union into a marriage, soon followed by a similar ruling for a pair of women. In a third case, conversion to marriage was denied and that case cis in the appeals process.
But now it appears that a state has decided that marriages would be honored without the need of a specific judicial ruling for each unique couple. (DosManzanas.com via google translate)
Another step towards full recognition of marriage between same sex in Brazil. The administration of justice in the small state of Alagoas has issued an order allowing them to process their requests notarized marriage without the need for it with a favorable court decision.
Rocking the sweater vest
Timothy Kincaid
January 13th, 2012
Noting that sweater vests are the source of Rick Santorum’s power, the box of rocks thought it would try out the fashion article.
General consensus: the box didn’t seem any more intelligent, and the sweater vest made the rocks look fat.
Canadian Marriages Invalid? Ctd.
Jim Burroway
January 12th, 2012
News cycles sometimes get mighty short. We opened this morning with the startling news that a lawyer for the Canadian government filed documents in a divorce case of a non-Canadian lesbian couple contending that their marriage is invalid because it isn’t legally recognize where they live. The couple was married in Canada, but live in Florida and England, neither of which recognize same-sex marriages.
Now the Conservative government of Stephen Harper is making noises that it will “clarify” the laws on same-sex marriage. The Globe and Mail now reports that Justice Minister Rob Nicholson has backed the claims in the court filing, saying that Canada has no jurisdiction over the divorce despite the fact that the couple wed in Toronto in 2005. But he added, “I will be looking at options to clarify the law so that marriages in Canada can be undone in Canada.”
Other Canadian leaders have denounced the government lawyers’ position, calling it a global embarrassment for a country that prides itself for being on the forefront of human rights. Liberal leader Bob Ray called the position “illogical” and “ludicrous.” Harper said, “We have no intention of further re-opening or opening this issue,” although it must be said that if the Justice Department lawyers’ position is backed by his government, than Harper has reopened the issue whether it was his intention to or not.
The federal government’s position does not yet have the force of law. At this point it is only an argument before a judge, who has yet to issue a ruling. But it has already sparked a political controversy in a country where about two-thirds of its citizens support equal access to marriage.
Wade Henderson: “Civil rights must be measured by a single yardstick”
Timothy Kincaid
January 12th, 2012
Wade Henderson, President and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, presented an Op-Ed in the Baltimore Sun. It gives wise counsel to all of us and is worth reading in its entirety.
Terms like “gay is the new black” are inherently disrespectful to the black experience in America. These types of misleading slogans obscure the uniqueness of both groups’ struggles in an attempt to make a neat and tidy analogy. After all, gays and lesbians were never enslaved or subject to the harsh Jim Crow tactics of oppression, lynching, and intimidation in the way that blacks were.
And yet while their story of oppression and injustice is not the same as ours, it is equally valid. African-Americans recognize injustice when we see it. Gays and lesbians have been incarcerated, brutalized, lobotomized, raped, castrated, and robbed of their jobs, families and children.
…
In Maryland, gays and lesbians are engaging in a fight for their civil rights — for marriage equality. And we must not let rhetoric that seeks to appropriate our experience blind us to a simple fact: that while the journeys of our two communities may be different, our ultimate goals are the same.
Another good day for the box of rocks, not so great for Santorum
Timothy Kincaid
January 12th, 2012
This year Ohio Republicans changed the method by which delegates to the national nominating convention are selected. Rather than “winner takes all”, each of 16 congressional district will send three delegates based on the winner of that district. An additional 18 delegates are selected proportionately from the statewide vote (provided that the candidate gets at least 20 percent of the vote) for a total of 66 delegates.
That’s more than can be counted on your fingers and toes, and it seems that Rick Santorum got a bit confused. (Politico)
All six major GOP candidates have been certified and will appear on the Ohio ballot, according to a list released by the Ohio secretary of state’s office today. But Rick Santorum, the release said, did not file delegates in the 6th, 9th or 13th congressional districts — and loses his chance at getting any delegates in those districts.
When asked about the issue, the bocks of rocks opted not to comment.
Karger beats Bachmann in New Hampshire
Timothy Kincaid
January 12th, 2012
Granted Michele Bachmann had withdrawn from the race for the presidency. Nevertheless, it is with great amusement that we pass on this information from the campaign of openly gay GOP presidential candidate Fred Karger:
BACHMANN – Total Votes 347
Belknap 26
Carroll 20
Cheshire 25
Coos 6
Grafton 31
Hillsborough 80
Merrimack 34
Rockingham 82
Strafford 33
Sullivan 10
KARGER – Total Votes 485
Belknap 6
Carroll 11
Cheshire 22
Coos 5
Grafton 27
Hillsborough 252
Merrimack 52
Rockingham 72
Strafford 28
Sullivan 10
Cancun equality on hold
Timothy Kincaid
January 12th, 2012
According to media reports, the Quintana Roo Secretary of State, Lois Gonzalez Flores, has ordered a legal review of the state’s marriage law. Until the state’s position is determined, same-sex marriages in Quintana Roo (home of Cancun) are put on hold.
