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Archive for the ‘Homophobia’ Category

AFA Unhappy that McDonald’s Calls it Like it Is.

Sunday, July 13th, 2008

Previously I wrote about the RRRW boycott of McDonald’s over their support of Teh Homosexual Agenda. Now it seems that American Family Association has it’s panties in a bunch because not only will McDonald’s not back down, but they have the audacity to speak the truth.

A spokesman for McDonald’s restaurants says those who oppose same-sex “marriage” are motivated by hate.

Earlier this month, the American Family Association (AFA) called for a boycott of the hamburger giant because of the company’s promotion of the homosexual agenda. The AFA took issue with McDonald’s refusal to remain neutral in the culture war.

But in a recent Washington Post article, McDonald’s spokesman Bill Whitman suggested that those who oppose same-sex “marriage” are motivated by hate. However, AFA Founder Don Wildmon disagrees and says McDonald’s has bought into rhetoric used by homosexual activists.
…..

Well gee, Don. What else would you call it when you oppose equal rights for an entire class of people for no legitimate reason? When you deride, castigate and persecute that group of people as a matter of habit? When you go out of your way to keep that group permanent second-class citizens in their own nation? I myself can’t think of any word other than hate, and it seems many other people find it a fitting term as well.

 

I Won’t be Using Insure.Com for My Insurance Needs.

Saturday, July 12th, 2008

They spread homophobic propaganda on their website, complete with phony statistics from none other than Paul Cameron. They even have the audacity to defend their use of the articles and claim they’re “impartial insurance information”. Riiiiight. (Hat tip to Box Turtle Bulletin.)

 
Addendum: On further research it turns out that the Robert Bland, the Chairman and Founder of Insure.com serves on the board of directors of the Illinois Right to Life Foundation. I’m even more convinced that article is on their Website as part of a political agenda, despite their denials.

 

San Jose Mayor Comes Out in Opposition to Same Sex Marriage.

Saturday, July 12th, 2008

I’m glad my upcoming wedding will not be in San Jose. I’m now considering going elsewhere for the wedding gown I was planning on buying there after reading this story.

San Jose has a sizeable gay population and many in the community had been waiting to hear where Mayor Chuck Reed stood on Proposition 8, the November ballot measure that would ban gay marriage in California by defining marriage as only between a man and a woman.

In an interview with CBS 5 on Friday, the mayor broke his silence.

“I don’t support changing the definition of marriage,” Reed said, “but whether this is the appropriate ballot measure, we’ll have to wait until it goes on.”

Reed emphasized that even though he believes marriage should be between a man and a woman, he supports domestic partnerships for gay couples.

“I support the extension of benefits, and I supported the extension of protections from discrimination for same-sex couples and I’ll continue to do that — but I don’t support changing the definition of of marriage.”

…..

“We’re deeply disappointed by the mayor’s decision,” said Aejaie Sellers of the Billy (De)Frank LGBT Center. “We know that the state Supreme Court came out and said that marriage is an open institution, according to the constitution. It’s unfortunate that the mayor feels that he knows better.”

…..

Despite Reed’s stand, gay and lesbian leaders next week plan to ask the city of San Jose’s Human Rights Commission to go on record opposing Proposition 8.

I imagine half a century ago Reed might have been saying something like “I support the extension of benefits, and I supported the extension of protections from discrimination for interracial couples and I’ll continue to do that — but I don’t support changing the definition of of marriage.”

 

Join Truth Wins Out’s Drive To Keep James Dobson Out Of The Radio Hall of Fame

Wednesday, July 9th, 2008

 

The Radio Hall of Fame Should Not Reward Intolerance and Lies, Says TWO


 
NEW YORK - TruthWinsOut.org (TWO) launched a campaign today to keep Focus on the Family founder James Dobson out of the Radio Hall of Fame. The Museum of Broadcast Communications nominated the anti-gay leader even though Dobson has been accused of distorting research and smearing gay and lesbian people for political gain. For example, Dobson told The Daily Oklahoman on Oct. 23, 2004, “Homosexuals are not monogamous. They want to destroy the institution of marriage. It will destroy marriage. It will destroy the Earth.”

“It is outrageous and insulting that James Dobson would be nominated for the Radio Hall of Fame,” said Truth Wins Out Executive Director Wayne Besen. “We believe that character counts and nominees should have careers based on honesty and integrity - not discrimination, distorting research and outright lying.”

“Incredibly, the Museum of Broadcast Communications has also nominated Dr. Laura Schlessinger to its Radio Hall of Fame and Rush Limbaugh was inducted in 1993. The pattern is clear.”

To fight back against this offensive decision, TWO strongly urges fair-minded people to take three actions. First, sign TWO’s formal request to have James Dobson removed from consideration. Second, contact Museum of Broadcast Communications CEO Bruce DuMont directly, brucedumont@museum.tv, to express your displeasure. Third, as an option, vote for nominees other than James Dobson or Laura Schlessinger (the general public may vote, and the other nominees are Bob Costas and Howard Stern). It is urgent to act now, as voting comes to a close on July 15.

 

CLICK HERE TO SIGN THE LETTER!!!


 
In the past two years, at least seven researchers have accused Dobson of manipulating or cherry picking their results to back his anti-gay teachings. Letters and videos documenting the concerns of these respected professors can be viewed at TruthWinsOut.org.

Dobson also profits from intolerance. He founded a ministry, Love Won Out, that promises to “cure” homosexuals - even though the so-called “ex-gay” leader of Love Won Out, John Paulk, was photographed in a gay bar. Dobson also continues to promote dishonest psychological theories about gay people that are rejected by every respected medical and mental health association in America, including the American Psychological Association and the American Psychiatric Association.

TruthWinsOut.org is a non-profit organization that counters right wing propaganda, exposes the “ex-gay” myth and educates America about gay life. For more information, visit TruthWinsOut.org.

 

The Calfornia Marriage Ban Proposition is #8.

Monday, June 30th, 2008

We found out a few days ago that they finally assigned a number to the Marriage Ban Initiative here and it’s #8 on the ballot. In response, my better half pulled an all nighter and created some new designs. Here they are and as always they’re available on a wide variety of merchandise including clothing, hats, yard-signs, bumper stickers, buttons and more.

There’s also this one, which we wore to Pride this weekend. It got lots of attention and has been selling well the past few weeks.



 

So there they are. The latest designs to help beat down the hateful anti-marriage amendment. Enjoy!

 

Homophobic Bigots get UK Heinz Ad Yanked.

Wednesday, June 25th, 2008

It’s bad enough when the RRRW has to stick their noses in everything that goes on here, but it goes beyond the pale when they push their homophobia into the lives of our neighbors across the pond. Heinz corporation had this wonderful ad depicting family life where the parents just happened to be two men.

Apparently the folks at American Family Association have decided that even in foreign nations they get to define what a family is, and what goes into commercials. After receiving 200 complaints Heinz pulled the commercial from the air. Wayne Besen of Truth Wins Out appeared on CNN to defend the ad.



 
From the Truth Wins Out Blog:

The Headline News segment included Randy Sharp of the AFA, who claimed that the ad promoted a homosexual lifestyle: “What does mayonnaise have to do with homosexuals and their lifestyle?” Sharp claimed that 70,000 AFA supporters in the United States disagreed with the ad.

How is it that 70,000 American AFA supporters in the US even saw the ad to determine that they disagreed with it? I smell BS.

Business marketing analyst Dan Hill said Heinz was right to pull the ad. Hill said:

“In business you can never afford to forget that the bottom line is that ‘family values’ means ‘my family, not your family,’ and I think in the UK most households have traditional family structures.”

Well, perhaps Heinz could rely on “traditional families” to buy their products then since they’re obviously not opposed to throwing us aside to cater to them (which is par for the course really). There are plenty of other brands out there.

 

I Feel so Honored. The Phelps Clan is Coming to Visit.

Sunday, June 15th, 2008

PhelpsOn June 16th and 17th the Phelps family will be visiting Northern California for a series of “protests”. They’re not too keen on the fact that we have that marriage equality thing. Here’s their schedule:

6/16, 1:00-1:45pm…Monterey, CA. Presidio of Monterey Pacific St. & Lighthouse Ave.

6/16, 4:30-6:00pm…San Francisco, CA. San Francisco City Hall 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Pl.

6/17, 7:00-8:00am…Martinez, CA. Contra Costa County Clerk Recorder 555 Escobar.

My fiancee and I will be attending the SF protest and sporting our new T-Shirts. We’ll bring a bunch of the matching buttons. Mention this blog post and if we haven’t run out we’ll give you one!

 

It’s Official: Gay Panic Defense for Lawrence King’s Killer.

Friday, May 9th, 2008

I really couldn’t be more disgusted by the way the lawyer is simultaneously blaming the school, which was doing nothing more than upholding the rights of the victim, and the dead boy, for the actions of his client. But this is nothing new really, so I’m not surprised. I just can’t believe people still try to get away with this nonsense.

The lawyer of Brandon McInerney, the 14-year-old boy who killed gay teenager Lawrence King at a high school in Oxnard, CA, in February, claims school officials’ gay positive attitude is to blame for King’s murder.
…..
By allowing King to come to school wearing feminine makeup and accessories, school officials were so intent on nurturing King as he explored his sexuality that they downplayed the turmoil his behavior was causing on campus, Quest said.

Quest claimed McInerney shot King in the back of the head with a handgun as first-period classes were beginning because he was unable to see another way to solve his problem.

“Brandon is not some crazed lunatic,” Quest said. “This was a confluence of tragic events that could have been stopped. If there is partial blame in other places, let’s not throw away Brandon for the rest of his life.”
…..

School Supt. Jerry Dannenberg strongly disagreed with such allegations. “School officials definitely were aware of what was going on, and they were dealing with it appropriately,” Dannenberg said Wednesday. King was constitutionally entitled to wear makeup, earrings and high-heeled boots under long-established case law, Dannenberg said.

Shooting a person in the back of the head is a perfectly rational response to them flirting with you? What parallel universe is this lawyer from?

I hope the judge sees this outrageous defense as the garbage that it is. Quest needs to be thoroughly chastised for having the audacity to even propose it.

 

They’re Nothing if not Predictable.

Tuesday, May 6th, 2008

Those lovable RRRW purveyors of propaganda, that is. I can always count on them to react in a very specific manner to certain things, and again they’ve performed right on cue.

Yesterday there was to be a symposium at the American Psychiatric Association’s convention in Washington featuring Dr. Warren Throckmorton and Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson. The symposium was canceled when Bishop Robinson pulled out, believing that it would be used as a public relations gimmick for Focus on the Family.

Well, it certainly has turned into a public relations gimmick. WorldNutDaily plays, under a headline reading ‘Gays’ shut down discussion of faith (italics and quotes theirs), the ever predictable religious persecution card. Right, we all know how their “discussions” go. Chock full of half-truths and non-truths. Anybody who dares to question them, bring out actual facts or declare a differing opinion is impugning their “deeply held religious beliefs”.

Peter LaBarbera, of Americans for Truth, said the reaction to a plan to talk “shows the intellectual shallowness of the gay side.”

“They’re afraid of a debate,” he said, noting it wouldn’t be correct to “paint Warren Throckmorton as the religious right.”

“The gay activists don’t want to admit ex-gays exist, when they clearly do,” he said.

The attack was launched by the Gay City News publication, which on April 24 denigrated Throckmorton as “a psychologist without state board certification and an advocate for ’sexual identity therapy’,” and quoted opponents calling him a “spin doctor of the ex-gay myth.”

Throckmorton openly admitted he doesn’t have a license in PA, which is where he practices. He is an advocate for sexual identity therapy and he makes false claims about the efficacy and safety of ex-gay “therapy”. How is anything that Gay City News published an “attack”?

“Bishop Robinson provided the following explanation,” Throckmorton wrote. “‘Conservatives, particularly Focus on the Family, were going to use this event to draw credibility to the so-called reparative therapy movement,’ Robinson told the Blade. ‘It became clear to me in the last couple of weeks that just my showing up and letting this event happen … lends credibility to that so-called therapy.’”

However, Throckmorton said there were problems with that statement.

“This is quite troubling and not at all accurate. Since no one on the panel planned to speak about reparative therapy, it is clear to me that the bishop was misinformed,” Throckmorton said. “The symposium was approved by the APA in October of 2007 and nothing has changed in the descriptions, personnel or intent of the symposium since then. The meeting is not going to endorse reparative approaches, or advocate for any change in APA policy.”

That dodge might be semi-believable if not for this article on April 18th which clearly links the symposium to Focus on the Family’s Love Won Out ex-gay road show. Does Throckmorton think everybody is as gullible as his fans are?

Scasta had described the panel as a “balanced discussion about religion and how it influences therapy.” He’s a former APA president and a “gay” psychiatrist.

“We wanted to talk rationally, calmly and respectfully to each other, but the external forces made it into a divisive debate it never intended to be.”

Anybody who insists on putting gay in quotation marks every time they print it, while not doing the same for words like religious, shows they had no intention whatsoever of having a fair and balanced discussion. Once again the true nature shows through even where the intent is to deceive.

Bishop Robinson did the right thing pulling out of this symposium. There was never a chance of it being anything but a platform for the RRRW to push their ex-gay agenda, then claim persecution when it was refuted with truth.

 

Top Researcher Claims Focus on the Family Distorted Work.

Thursday, May 1st, 2008

Not that this hasn’t happened countless times before, but it’s always nice to have another documented case of it. The more we have, the stronger our case is against these “pro-family” groups that seek only to harm.

 

Dr. Gary Remafedi Says Conservative Group Guilty of “Gross Misrepresentation” And Questions If Focus Actually Read His Article Before Misquoting It

NEW YORK – Truth Wins Out published a letter today from a researcher who claims Focus on the Family twisted his work. In the letter, Gary Remafedi, M.D., M.P.H., a professor of pediatrics at the University of Minnesota, asked Focus on the Family’s leader James Dobson to stop misrepresenting his findings from a key 1992 study.

“I want to draw your attention to a gross misrepresentation of our research at the website of Focus on the Family,” Remafedi wrote in his letter to Dobson. “More important, had the authors of “Myths and Facts” actually read the article, they would have found no support for their contention that ‘many children experience a period of sexual-identity confusion when they can be influenced in either direction.’”

(Full Text of Letter Below)

Remafedi’s report was published in Pediatrics in 1992. The study explored patterns of sexual orientation in a representative sample of more than 34,000 Minnesota students in grades 7 to 12. Focus on the Family distorted his findings to make the case that young people should not learn about homosexuality because they were sexually confused, and could thus be influenced by educational material.

“Focus on the Family has engaged in a disturbing pattern of misrepresenting the work of legitimate researchers to further their anti-gay agenda,” said Wayne Besen, Executive Director of TruthWinsOut.org. “We call on Focus on the Family to immediately expunge all falsehoods and fallacies presented as‘facts’ from their past and present literature.”

Focus on the Family has an ignoble history of manipulating or cherry picking the research of genuine scientists. Last year, several researchers held Dobson accountable for misrepresenting their work. Letters and videos from these scientists can be viewed at www.RespectMyResearch.org.

TruthWinsOut.org is currently working to find examples where right wing organizations have twisted scientific work. If you have a case that is worthy of investigation, please contact TWO’s Director of Research, Peter Cabrera, at petercabrera74@yahoo.com

FULL TEXT OF LETTER

Dr. James Dobson
Focus on the Family
Colorado Springs, CO 80995

April 30, 2008

Dear Dr. Dobson,

I want to draw your attention to a gross misrepresentation of our research at the website of “Focus on the Family” (see here). In the third paragraph of the article, “Myths and Facts,” our research is cited in support of the statement: “During early adolescence, many children experience a period of sexual-identity confusion when they can easily be influenced in either direction.”

First, please note that the citation itself is incorrect. The original article was published in Pediatrics, not Journal of Pediatrics. The correct reference is: Remafedi G, Resnick M, Blum R, Harris L. Demography of sexual orientation in adolescents. Pediatrics. 89(4):714-721, 1992. More important, had the authors of “Myths and Facts” actually read the article, they would have found no support for their contention that “many children experience a period of sexual-identity confusion when they can be influenced in either direction.” The word confusion does not appear in our article; nor did we find that anyone can influence a young person’s sexual identity.

The purpose of our study was to explore patterns of sexual orientation in a representative sample of more than 34,000 Minnesota students in grades 7 to 12. We found that the percentage of student who reported being “unsure” about their orientation steadily declined with age from 25.9% in 12-year-old persons to 5% in 18 year-old students (p. 716). Youth who were “unsure” were more likely than others to entertain homosexual fantasies and attractions and less likely to have had heterosexual experiences (p. 720). These and other data suggested that uncertainty about sexual orientation “gradually gives way to heterosexual or homosexual identification with the passage of time and/or with increasing sexual experience” (p. 720).

Please ask the authors of the misstatements to correct them as soon as possible. In the interest of accurate translation of research into practice, a copy of this letter will be posted at Truth Wins Out. Thank you for your attention.
Respectfully yours,

Gary Remafedi, M.D., M.P.H.
Professor, Department of Pediatrics
University of Minnesota
428 Oak Grove St.
Minneapolis, MN 55403

cc: Truth Wins Out