May 19th, 2014
Last week, Judge McShane denied the effort by the National Organization for Marriage to intervene in the trial over that state’s ban on same-sex marriage. They appealed that decision to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, along with a request for an emergency stay on Judge McShane’s decision, should it be that the ban is unconstitutional.
Today the Ninth gave their reply: “Appellant’s emergency motion to stay district court proceedings pending appeal is denied.”
This has not been NOM’s happy day.
Latest 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.
jpeckjr
May 19th, 2014
NOM clearly has a problem with state’s where the largest city is “Portland.”
Renny
May 19th, 2014
Speaking of Oregon, I see “Restored Hope Network” will be having its 2014 convention in late June. I’m wondering if BTB has any plans to monitor/cover this event–I for one would be very interested to learn about the current state/plans/hijinx of this foul organization. Thanks.
Bose in St. Peter MN
May 19th, 2014
I’m actually happy for the (unknown) Oregon defendants who didn’t get sucked in by NOM on this. NOM would have been happy to squander their reputations for them and walk away; instead it was humiliated by Judge McShane, when he noted that NOM had not even attempted to submit their identities under seal.
Eric Payne
May 20th, 2014
If NOM had been allowed, here, to intervene on behalf of unnamed persons, it would have been a replay of the Prop 8 SCOTUS ruling on “standing.”
Paul Douglas
May 20th, 2014
For NOM, not allowing same-gender marriage was really about trying to preserve the symbol of marriage inequality. You could cross the border in Washington or California & get married, and as soon as you came back to Oregon, the state recognized it as a legitimate marriage. We did it 14 months ago.
For über christianists its all about right appearance, right belief and right doctrine, no matter the collateral damage.
And yes, the Restored “Hope” Network is coming to Portland. Jason Thompson is our local Andy Comiskey wannabe and of course the ever delightful Anne Paulk is always here for a good scold. Should be fun.
Nathaniel
May 21st, 2014
Paul, you’ve hit it on the head. Whenever we decried these laws as blocking us from the person we loved, the response was “We haven’t made your relationship illegal. You can still love who you want.” And while I am sure some would actually try to make same-sex relationships illegal, this response echos your sentiment – it is all about appearances, not reality. Gays are OK, so long as they aren’t public about their relationships. Gays are OK, as long as they can’t legally get married. Gays are OK, so long as they are hiding in the closet, where I don’t have to acknowledge they exist. It is all about appearances.
Leave A Comment