Box Turtle Bulletin

AFA’s Ford Boycott is Over

Two years ago this week the American Family Association declared that they and their anti-gay allies would boycott Ford Motor Company. They had made demands on Ford – which they thought were being met – until gay groups convinced Ford that homophobia would not stand unchallenged. Ford did not want to be portrayed as caving to a campaign of bigotry.

The boycott was called after Ford reneged on an agreement with American Family Association to stop funding homosexual groups which promote homosexual marriage.

Specifically, AFA had insisted on the following:

1. Ford would not renew current promotions or create future incentives that give cash donations to homosexual organizations based on the purchase of a vehicle.
2. Ford would not make corporate donations to homosexual organizations that, as part of their activities, engage in political or social campaigns to promote civil unions or same-sex marriage.
3. Ford would stop giving cash and vehicle donations or endorsements to homosexual social activities such as Gay Pride parades.
4. Ford would cease all advertising in homosexual websites and media outlets (magazines, television, radio) in the U.S. with the exception of $100,000 to be used by Volvo. The Volvo ads would be the same ads used in the general media and not aimed at the homosexual community specifically.

Now the AFA is lifting their boycott. They believe that their demands have been met.

Concerned over the claims, blogger Joe.My.God contacted Ford. He received the following reassurances (more details at his site):

The AFA has made its decision and is ready to move on. Our principles have not changed. We are committed to treating everyone fairly and with respect, including our dealers, customers and employees. Ford will continue to market its products widely to attract as many customers as possible and make charitable contributions to strengthen communities to the extent business conditions allow. Difficult business conditions in recent years have reduced our overall spending across the board.

Generally, gay bloggers seem to read in the above statement some indication that Ford remains committed to marketing to the gay community. I wish that I was so convinced.

I have found that when questions like, “Do you love me” elicit vague responses such as, “I love everyone”, the real answer is “no”. This is especially true when questions of gay rights and equality enter the picture.

You seldom find a raging homophobe or dedicated anti-gay activist who doesn’t “love the person bound by homosexuality”. Every argument against hate crimes includes “we oppose crimes against all people”. Every opposition to non-discrimination policies is phrased, “we oppose discrimination against everyone but don’t think special groups should be listed”.

So when I read non-specific vague promises of “treating everyone fairly” and “market [our] products widely to attract as many customers as possible”, my first assumption is that Ford will no longer be target marketing the gay community. If you intend on continuing advertising to gay customers, well you just say so. Ford’s statement didn’t even mention the word “gay”, much less any indication that AFA’s claim is without basis.

I believe it is still far too soon to know what has been promised or what will occur. Ford will have ample opportunity to clarify whether any concessions have been made to AFA and that all advertising in gay media will cease. Alternately, Ford could run an add next month in the Advocate.

So far I find this situation troubling. But I’m sure that by June I’ll know whether or not to take “Don’t Buy Ford” signs to gay pride.

Rural Kentucky High School Student Fights for GSA

Ohio County, Kentucky lies in the western part of the state, just south of Owensboro in the Western Coal Fields region. Far from the bright lights of the big city, it’s the last place you’d expect to find a story like this. But this is a new era, and demands for dignity and safety are taking root everywhere:

18 year old avid photographer Clyde Calloway is the president of the school choir and a member of the drama club and Kentucky School of the Arts.

The most recent organization he’s joined is the Gay Straight Alliance.

“A lot of people have joined,” Clyde explains. “At first, I was skeptical of what people might think. Now, you see how many people are in there. I feel more open than before.”

So far, membership stands at about fifty people — not bad for a high school student body of 1200. The group has been at Ohio County High for several weeks, but most students didn’t find out about it until the GSA placed a bulletin board in a hallway for poetry and artwork. But threats were posted instead, including one which said that a gun would be brought to the next meeting.

The principal isn’t so sure the school is ready for the GSA, but Clyde says that closing this organization isn’t an option:

“If it’s one thing I’ve learned in life, it’s don’t let people get you down about stuff. Be strong and if it’s something you really believe in, keep behind it until the end,” says Clyde.

Clyde’s mother, Deborah, sounds like a remarkable woman for having raised such a remarkable son:

“I raised him not to judge other people and he’s just carrying that on,” Deborah concludes. “I’m very proud of him.”

You can see the full video at WBKO Channel 13, Bowling Green.

Broadway’s Anti-Gays Vote

We have followed the story on Broadway Baptist in Fort Worth and their debate over whether to include gay people in their church directory. They decided to do away with the term “family” and allow individuals to have their pictures in “groups” instead. Sadly, this wasn’t enough of a rejection of gay families for some members.

But members were sharply divided last fall over whether gay couples should be pictured in the church’s 125th anniversary photo directory.

That fight led to a bigger one, over Dr. Younger. A group called Friends for the Future of Broadway accused him of ineffective leadership and of leading the church in too liberal a direction.

So they tried to oust the pastor. But the vote has been taken and the anti-gays just didn’t have enough votes.

The vote was 499 for retaining Brett Younger and 237 against, giving the pastor a two-thirds majority.

Let’s hope that their drama is over. We wish Pastor Younger continued support and we wish much healing for Broadway Baptist.

See also:
Broadway’s Pastor Calls It Quits
Broadway’s Anti-Gays Vote
Broadway Baptist Finds a Happy Compromise
Broadway Baptist Punts on Gay Members’ Photos
More Baptist Controversy

Discrimination at the State Department Revisited

In December 2007 we told you that Michael Guest was retiring from the State Department due to anti-gay discrimination. Columnist Deb Price has a follow up.

metroPCS Sponsors Murder Music

On Saturday an event took place in Tampa featuring Beenie Man, an artist known for lyrics that advocate murdering gay men and women. We contacted Anheiser-Busch to ask about their sponsorship of the event. Anheiser-Busch has acknowledged our concern and is in the process of investigating.

Another sponsor, metroPCS, has not given us the courtesy of indicating that they had received our complaint, much less given us any sense that they are treating this seriously. Today I sent the following email to metroPCS:

To: Diane McKenna
Director of Advertising & Brand Management

Dear Ms. McKenna,

On February 4, 2008, I emailed you inquiring about metroPCS’ sponsorship of music and lyrics that endorse the murder of gay men.

Specifically, I was concerned about an event two days ago in Tampa called Wild Splash which featured Beenie Man. This artist has a long history of homophobia in his lyrics, including “I’m dreaming of a new Jamaica, come to execute all the gays” and “Hang lesbians with a long piece of rope” and “Take a bazooka and kill gay men” (in Jamaican Patois).

I have not received any response from you or metroPCS about this concern. Can you please clarify if you have any policies in place that would address linking your name and logo to music that calls for murdering gay men and women?

Thank you,

Timothy Kincaid
www.boxturtlebulletin.com

Budweiser Murder Music Sponsorship Update

I received a message in my voicemail from Anheiser-Busch indicating that they are still looking into my complaint. Currently, they believe the issue is one of local endorsement.

I have responded by inquiring as to whether there is any policy about using the name and logo of Budweiser when making local endorsements. I anticipate a response by email.

Marriage to Remain Legal in Spain

One of the standard threats made against any politician that supports gay equality – especially marriage equality – is that the voters will get their revenge at the ballot box.

And after Spain legalized marriage between same-sex couples, the Catholic Church and the more conservative Popular Party vowed to change the law. And the Popular Party sought to make the decision by the Socialist Party’s Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero a campaign issue.

But Zapatero won, with his party picking up additional seats in parliament. The Washington Post credits his social policies:

But voters turned out in force to endorse the progressive social agenda that Zapatero championed in his first term — including new laws on women’s rights, divorce and gay marriage — and returned him to office for another four years.

As the economy in Spain has been crumbling, the Popular Party changed directions mid-stream and sought to reframe the debate as one about fiscal policy. It would appear that their anti-gay posturing had already poisoned their message.

“The Only 100% Effective Treatment for Curing Homosexuality”

Eunicure.

Interview With Ex-Gay Survivor Jacob Wilson

Jacob Wilson attended Love In Action the summer of 2005 while the whole Zach fiasco was unfolding. Jim Burroway interviewed Jacob about his time at LIA while we stood out front of Memphis’s Central Church where the Love Won Out ex-gay conference was being held.

Jacob speaks about “drinking the kool-aid” having convinced himself his same-sex attractions were lessening. He also speaks about how Love In Action made him feel like “part of myself was dying inside” and lastly the value of affirming friends, family and loved ones now that he’s trying to move beyond his ex-gay experience.

Exodus Board Member Suing to Hold Church Services in Public Library

Phil Burress is the president of Citizens for Community Values, an anti-gay advocacy group that is credited with spearheading the 2004 amendment that bans gay marriages in Ohio. He is also an officer on the Board of Directors of Exodus International.

Burress makes no pretenses that he is not an enemy of the lives, liberties and freedoms of gay people. In fact, his organization ranks as one of the most overtly homophobic groups of which I am aware. On his website’s position paper on homosexuality, he concludes:

At the outset of this paper we stated that the militant agenda of homosexual activists represents the single greatest threat to our Judeo-Christian family values, and to societal stability as a whole, of this generation. We hope that you understand our rationale for that statement and will join us in resisting, on every front, the organized effort to normalize homosexual behavior in our society.

Burress has long been viewed as a pain in the side of Cincinnati. After CCV was successful in getting the citizens of the city in 1993 to overturn anti-discrimination codes, the business community became annoyed. The city gained a reputation of being intolerant and homophobic, which reduced the pool of talented potential employees.

Indeed it was a coalition of business groups in that city that led to the successful vote in 2004 to overturn Burress’ meddling.

Now, according to Ohio.com, Burress continues his attack on the city and its residents**. CCV is suing a local public library because they do not allow religious services in their meeting rooms.

The canceled library meeting was part of a “Politics and the Pulpit” discussion planned by Citizens for Community Values. It was to include a discussion of politics and religion, as well as a “prayer petitioning God for guidance in the church’s proper role in the political process” and “singing praise and giving thanks to God,” according to the lawsuit.

Library officials said praying and singing are elements of a religious service, which is not allowed under library policy.

Naturally, CCV is being represented by Alliance Defense Fund, a ministry dedicated to using legal means to advantage conservative Christian groups over their secular neighbors. ADF is a ardent opponent to the separation of Church and State.

“Christian groups shouldn’t be discriminated against for their beliefs,” said Tim Chandler, an attorney with Alliance Defense Fund, a conservative Christian legal group that joined the lawsuit.

“The government cannot treat people with nonreligious viewpoints more favorably than people with religious viewpoints,” Chandler said. “Christians have the same First Amendment rights as anyone else in America.”

Perhaps I’m old fashioned. But my father and both of my brothers are ministers and at no point have they insisted that the residents provide free meeting places for their religious services. It takes a huge sense of entitlement to demand that government – be local or national – subsidize your religious endeavors.

Burress has no lack of sense of entitlement. Nor does he ever hesitate in his efforts to force his articles of faith on others, especially gay people.

Recently Exodus has declared that they have changed their efforts and will no longer focus on anti-gay public policy but will instead return to their original mission of ministering to those same-sex attracted persons who believe that homosexuality is contrary to a Biblical code of sexual ethics.

In August, 2007 after a lot of prayer, deliberation and listening to friends and critics alike — but mostly the Lord — we decided to back out of policy issues and our Director of Government Affairs took a position with another organization.

I believe strongly in all of the initiatives that we were involved in, but believe we must focus on our two greatest contributions: 1) helping the Church balance grace and truth where homosexuality is concerned and 2) connecting people who seek our help with a community of believers that can love them as they journey towards Christ.

While I disagree with Exodus’ version of “grace and truth where homosexuality is concerned”, I find that statement commendable.

But Exodus needs to back up its claim with action. It needs to sever from its midst those elements who do nothing but advocate discrimination against gay people and who serve no function but as political activists.

I contend that as long as Burress is on the Board of Directors of Exodus, they will continue to be viewed as an anti-gay political advocacy organization – and rightly so.

** UPDATE – Reader Stefano has corrected my faulty Ohio geography. The library is in a neighborhood in Columbus.

LaBarbera Award: Oklahoma State Rep. Sally Kern

Have you ever wonder what anti-gay extremists say to each other behind closed doors? I have. That’s why I went to the Family Impact Summit last September in Tampa, Florida. It’s amazing how people you think you know will say the wildest things when they believe nobody is listening.

Well, it turns out there was another similar meeting recently with about fifty people when Oklahoma state representative Sally Kern went off on the “biggest threat our nation has.” Guess what that threat is? That’s right, it’s the dreaded “homosexual agenda,” which she considers a bigger threat than terrorism or Islam. And that’s not all. Her paranoid tirade has all the necessary elements of anti-gay lunacy: Cameronesque lifespan claims, threats to our children (“as young as two years of age!”), “infiltrating city councils” — and someone was there to capture it all on audio:

Here’s the transcript:

The homosexual agenda is destroying this nation, okay? It’s just a fact. Not everybody’s lifestyle is equal, just like not all religions are. You know, the very fact that I’m talking to you like this here today puts me in jeopardy, okay? And I’m not anti- and I’m not gay bashing, but according to God’s Word, that is not the right kind of lifestyle. It has deadly consequences for those people involved in it. They have more suicides, they’re more discouraged, there’s more illness, their lifespans are shorter, you know, it’s not a lifestyle that is good for this nation.

As a matter of fact, studies show that no society that has totally embraced homosexuality has lasted more than, you know, a few decades. So it’s the death knell for this country. I honestly think it’s the biggest threat our nation has, even more so than terrorism or Islam, which I think is a big threat.

Because what’s happening now, they’re going after, in schools, two year olds! Do you know what they’re trying to get into early childhood education? They want to give our young children into the government schools so they can indoctrinate them. I taught school for close to twenty years. And we’re not teaching facts and knowledge anymore folks. We’re teaching indoctrination, okay? And their going after our young children, as young as two years of age to try to teach them that the homosexual lifestyle is an acceptable lifestyle.

You know, gays are infiltrating city councils. Did you know, Eureka Springs, anybody been there, the passion play? Okay, have you heard that the city council of Eureka Springs is now controlled by gays? Okay? There are some others, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Tacoma, Maryland; Kensington, Maryland; in Vermont, Oregon, West Palm Beach, Florida; in a lot of other places in Florida. What’s happening? They are winning elections.

One of the things I deal with in our legislature, I tried to introduce a bill last year that would notify parents, schools had to let parents know what clubs their students were involved in. And the reason I did that bill primarily was this: We have the gay-straight alliance coming into our schools. Kids are getting involved in these groups, their lives are being ruined, their parents don’t know about it. So I introduced a bill, you have to notify all clubs and things.

And one of my colleagues said you know, we don’t have a gay problem in my county, that’s why I voted against that bill. Well you know what? To me that is so dumb. If you got cancer or something in your little toe, do you say, you know, I’m just going to forget about it because the rest of me’s fine. It spreads, okay? And this stuff, it’s deadly and it’s spreading and it will destroy our young people, it will destroy this nation.

Congratulations, Rep. Kern. You’re today’s LaBarbera Award winner.

See also:
Sally Kern Is a Little Confused
Sally Kern’s Economic Fallout
Sally Kern’s Meeting with PFLAG on Tape
Exodus’ Local Ministry Aligns with Sally Kern
Certified Cameronite: Sally Kern
Kern Speaks to College Republicans
Sally Kern: Out of Context? The Complete Transcript
We Be Jammin’
Muslims and Gays United
OK State Rep. Sally Kern’s Son is “Straight and Not Gay”
Sally Kern Exaggerates Death Threats
A Letter to Sally Kern
LaBarbera Award: Oklahoma State Rep. Sally Kern

Analysis of California Marriage Argument

Manuela Albuquerque, recently retired City Attorney of the City of Berkeley, analyzed the questions of the California Supreme Court Justices and predicts that they will invalidate opposite-sex restrictions on marriage.

The opinion will likely be authored by Justice Werdegar and it will garner a minimum of three other votes from the Chief Justice, and Justices Kennard and Moreno. (It takes four votes for a majority opinion on this seven-member court.) It is quite possible that the opinion will be unanimous because the three remaining justices are having analytical difficulty finding a conceptual rationale to uphold the opposite-sex restriction even though, from their questions, it appears that they are troubled at the prospect of striking it down.

Albuquerque provides concise, easy to read definitions of the factors the judges have to consider. I hope she’s right.

LA Times Article about Larry King

The Times has a good article filling in a few details of the life of young Larry King, a 15 kid shot by a schoolmate because he was gay.

Larry had searched elsewhere for a safe harbor. After he landed at Casa Pacifica, he joined a youth group sponsored by the nonprofit Ventura County Rainbow Alliance, which offers social services to the gay community.

Alliance Executive Director Jay Smith would not reveal what Larry had talked about during the group’s Friday night meetings. But Smith said that no teenager should have to wake up in a shelter knowing the school day ahead would bring a fresh heap of rejection and scorn. “Not having a mom or dad to run to. . . . I can’t imagine what that is like,” he said. “His life was tough.”

While there is no part of this story that isn’t tragic, it is encouraging to know that there was someone to turn to. When anti-gays and homophobes claim that youth groups or Gay-Straight Alliances are “recruiting” and “sex clubs”, think of Larry King.

Why Marriage Matters

Brazzil Magazine has a story about a married couple treated in an abhorrent manner:

Timothy J. Coco and Genésio J. Oliveira Jr. were forcibly separated last August when the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ordered Oliveira to leave the country after a five-year battle to obtain legal status.

Though they are legally married in Massachusetts, the State Department treats gay couples with contempt. The Defense of Marriage Act of 1996 declared that the federal government would discard 200 years of state-defined marriage precedent and recognize only those state-sanctioned marriages that are between a man and a woman.

But anti-gays should walk cautiously.

Separation from one’s loved ones is a fear that lies deep within us all. Indeed, the images of husbands and wives being driven away from each other was a powerful weapon in the hands of those who fought against the evil of American slavery. And as more people find empathy with their gay friends and neighbors, the forced separation of married couples begins to appear as the behavior of villains and a tyrants.

So I warn the bigots and homophobes: In your drive to “protect marriage”, you are behaving abominably and without restraint. But some day decent people will see one of your acts of inhumanity and say, “No more!”

And it may well be the forced separation of legally married persons that tips the scales.

A New Name for Domestic Partnerships in Salt Lake City

I’m often bemused at the lengths heterosexual legislators will go in order to make gay couple aware that they are inferior. Even many of those whose sense of fairness leaves them inclined to offer equality under the law seem compelled to say, “But don’t call it marriage. It isn’t marriage.”

So on the west coast (and Maine) you have Domestic Partnerships. And on the east coast you have Civil Unions. In between you have, well, I’ll just stop there and be polite.

We told you back in January that Ralph Becker, the mayor of Salt Lake City, wanted to set up a Domestic Partnership registry. While offering no state or federal benefits, it would help couples prove relationships when seeking insurance and other benefits offered by private-sector employers.

The city counsel passed his plan unanimously.

Well this was just too much for Utah’s legislature. They just couldn’t have gay couples being recognized in Utah, it was too much like gay marriage. Eeeeek.

But they’ve finally found a solution: the registry can be set up and couples can seek to protect their families in this limited way… they just can’t be called “Domestic Partnerships.”

I kid you not.

So in the spirit of cooperation, I offer the following substitute names for the registry:

The Really Really Not Gay Couple Registry,

The We Care More About Pandering to the Right Wing than We Do About Helping Citizens Registry, or

The It Ain’t Marriage Registry.

I think any one of those should pass the scrutiny of the state.