Archive for the ‘LGBT Rights’ Category

Yet Another Rabid Bigot on NOM’s Pretty Little Hate Tour.

Friday, July 30th, 2010

Once again a rabid bigot disproves the National Organization for (Heterosexual Only) Marriage’s repeated claims that they don’t hate gay people.

Throughout its 23-city “Summer for Marriage Tour 2010,” the National Organization For Marriage (NOM) has gone to great lengths to portray itself as a tolerant organization of Christians driven to oppose same-sex marriage by their religion. NOM has argued that its members are in a great “civil rights” struggle against intolerant LGBT counter protesters who have sabotaged its tour and threatened its members. Former NOM President Maggie Gallagher has described her supporters as “very peaceful and prayerful and respectful of the law, because that’s who our people are” while painting LGBT activists as “a real face of hatred.” “It isn’t just ‘we disagree with you, we’re supporting our point of view,” Gallagher quoted the counter protesters as saying, “it’s ‘you’re wrong, you’re haters, you’re bigots.’”

The blog NOM Tour Tracker has worked to expose the thin veil of NOM’s tolerance throughout their tour and has noted that NOM has coached its supporters to focus on the movements message of “love” when speaking with reporters. Yesterday, the blog cross-posted an item by Good As You’s Jeremy Hooper, which uncovered the homophobic record of pastor Brad Brandon, one of the speaker’s NOM’s rally in Minneapolis. Brandon had previously warned supporters that gays would teach children how to masturbate and compared gays to alcoholics, pedophiles and Hitler:
…..

I suppose we should consider ourselves lucky he’s not openly calling for us to be lynched, unlike some of NOM’s other followers….

 

While You’re Boycotting Target, Keep in Mind They Weren’t The Only Ones Who Donated $$$$ to Anti-Gay Tom Emmer.

Thursday, July 29th, 2010

Many are angry over Target’s $150,000 donation to rabidly anti-gay Minnesota Gubernatorial Republican candidate Tom Emmer, who pals around with (and gives money to) those who advocate for the death of gay people, and rightfully so. But what about the many other organizations and corporations who donated to, or did business with, Emmer? Here are the most grievous offenders.

 
Best Buy, Inc $100,000.00 - Cash

 
Cold Spring Granite Company $35,000.00 - Cash

 
Davisco Foods $100,000.00 - Cash

“Davisco Foods is a family-owned company, mainly concerned with dairy products [cheese and food ingredients], which is headquartered in Le Sueur, Minnesota. The company markets such brands as BiPRO and BioZate. They also own Cambria, the sole producer of quartz work surfaces in the U.S. …

 
Federated Mutual Insurance Company $100,000.00 - Cash

 
Hubbard Broadcasting, Inc. $100,000.00 - Cash

Aside from terrestrial broadcast stations, other current ventures include the film network ReelzChannel [q.v.] (launched in 2006), arts network Ovation TV, and the Hubbard Radio Network, which is used to distribute KSTP-AM’s local talk shows to subscribing radio stations in Minnesota and Wisconsin. The cable channels are run through subsidiary company Hubbard Media Group.

In 1981, Hubbard Broadcasting started U.S. Satellite Broadcasting (USSB), and later was instrumental in the development and launching of the first digital satellite system for television in 1994. … USSB’s development partner, Hughes Electronics (a General Motors subsidiary), launched their own subscription satellite service called DirecTV [q.v.]. The two services did not compete against each other (they carried different channels), and were often marketed together to subscribers by retailers and in advertisements until DirecTV’s 1998 acquisition of USSB.

Television stations

All of the assets are owned by the Stanley S. Hubbard Revocable Trust, and administered by Hubbard Broadcasting, Inc. …

KAAL; KOB; KOBF-TV; KOBG-TV; KOBR; KRWF-TV; KSAX; KSTP-TV; KSTC-TV; WDIO-DT; WHEC-TV; WIRT-DT; WNYT.

Cable channels (through Hubbard Media Group division)

Ovation TV (purchased August 2006; co-owned with Bob and Harvey Weinstein and The Weinstein Company)

ReelzChannel [q.v.] (launched September 2006)

Radio stations

KSTP 1500 kHz AM - St. Paul, Minnesota - Sports radio

KSTP 94.5 MHz FM - St. Paul, Minnesota - “KS95″ - Adult contemporary

KTMY 107.1 MHz FM - Coon Rapids, Minnesota/Twin Cities - Talk radio for women

 
McClung Communications & Public Relations, LLC $10,000.00 - Management Consultant [Expenditure]

You haven’t heard of this company because it’s only been in business since June, 2010.

This says all: “Brian McClung - Owner at McClung Communications & Public Relations, LLC - Past: Deputy Chief of Staff at Office of Governor Tim Pawlenty; Director of Communications at Office of Governor Tim Pawlenty; Press Secretary at Office of Governor Tim Pawlenty” - LinkedIn

Tim Who? The anti-gay Bigot-in-Chief of the State of Minnesota, that’s who.

Need more? Video: “Pawlenty and Bachmann Sign Gay Marriage Ban Pledge”: “Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, State Senator Michele Bachmann, Secretary of State Mary Kiffmeyer and Republican state legislators sign a pledge to support a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage in Minnesota.”

 
Pentair Inc. $125,000.00 - Cash

 
Polaris Industries $100,000.00 - Cash

 
Red Wing Shoes $50,000.00 - Cash

 
Regis Corporation $100,000.00 - Cash
12,800 beauty salons worldwide.

 
Securian Life Insurance Company $100,000.00 - Cash

 
Stevens & Schriefer Group (SSG Media, Inc.) $195,000.00 - Media [Expenditure]

 
Tarrance Group $14,666.67 - Polling [Expenditure]

That says it: “A national Republican polling firm, providing polls, election information, and related services. … Our total commitment to quality has helped elect more than 80 Republican Governors, U.S. Senators and Members of Congress, as well as numerous state legislative candidates.”

Partners: Ed Goeas; Brian Tringali; Dave Sackett.

 
So when you’re boycotting Target, be sure to keep in mind these other organizations who gave significant amounts of money to a man who wants to strip you of your rights, and befriends those who want to strip you of your life.

 

According to One NOM Fan the Solution to Gay Marriage is Death.

Tuesday, July 27th, 2010

No doubt you’ve heard about NOM’s pretty little hate tour. They’re going around the country in an eyesore of an RV to push their anti-equality message. At each stop they draw tens of like-minded people. Of course they’re not acting out of hatred or malice toward LGBT folk. Not at all…

 


 


 
Typical. NOM caterwauls when gay men stand quietly with umbrellas, yet do nothing to repudiate obvious death threats from their own. But remember, they’re not bigots, they certainly aren’t acting out of hatred, and anybody who says otherwise is persecuting them.

 
Update: Rob Tisinai has created a new logo for NOM, which I find very fitting:

Another Day, Another “Ex-Gay” “Therapist” Accused of Sexual Misconduct.

Tuesday, July 20th, 2010

It’s getting so accusations against “ex-gay” “therapists” are almost as predictable as those against clergy. Truth Wins Out has the full must-read story, but here are some excerpts: ***POSSIBLE TRIGGER WARNING. Descriptions of sexual abuse below, and in linked article.***

NEW YORK – Truth Wins Out (TWO) released an exclusive video statement today from two former clients of “ex-gay” life coach Alan Downing. The clients, Ben Unger and Chaim Levin, alleged that during individual therapy sessions, Downing (pictured) made them undress in front of a mirror and touch their bodies while the significantly older therapist watched. Unger and Levin call the sessions a “psychological striptease” and believe they were harmed by what they consider unprofessional behavior and sexual misconduct.

Downing, who admits he is still attracted to men, is a major player in the “ex-gay” industry and a practitioner of so-called “reparative therapy”. He is the lead therapist for Jews Offering New Alternatives to Homosexuality (JONAH) and is listed on the People Can Change website as a “Senior Trainer” for Journey into Manhood, which is a controversial “ex-gay” backwoods retreat designed to supposedly make gay men more masculine.
…..

“While I was standing there without my clothes on, he asked me to touch my genitals,” says former Downing client Chaim Levin. “Once again, I communicated that I was not comfortable with it. And he was like, you know, ‘just feel yourself. Just feel it for a second. So, you can grasp your masculinity physically.’”

…..

How many innocent people have to suffer at the hands of these charlatans before somebody steps in and shuts them down? This is perversion for profit, predation masquerading as “love”, potentially lifelong damaged billed as therapy. The fact that the purveyors of these “ex-gay” programs hide behind their religion while exacting such abuse makes their behavior that much worse.

 
Related posts:

Actor Glenn Shadix On His ‘Ex-Gay’ Shock Therapy

Bigoted Sham that is “Ex-Gay” Movement.

The Truth About Ex-Gay “Therapy” Again

When The APA Denounces “Ex-Gay” Therapy What Are the RRRW Anti-Gays To Do? Lie, Of Course.

 

How to P*ss Off a Gay Person.

Monday, July 19th, 2010

This is an excellent piece by DSC, posted on a message board I used to frequent but rarely visit any longer for various reasons. I thought it should be viewed by a wider audience so here it is..

Unfortunately gay priorities haven’t gone well in this Congress. That has lead to great disappointment among gay posters for frankly good reason. Adding to it is when posters do the following.

Way one

Call gay priorities, especially the big three (ENDA, DADT, and hate crimes) a pony or some other belittling term meant to make out that these are unimportant frivolities. No, we don’t think we are the center of the earth. But for many gay people these are issues that at the very least can cause immense problems in our lives. In 3/5 of states, including such large states as TX, FL, PA, OH, MI, GA, and NC, gays are totally unprotected by non discrimination laws. We are totally at the mercy of employers, landlords, restaurateurs, hoteliers, and others. It is the very rare gay person who hasn’t had being gay or perceived as such, cost them a job or apartment. Thousands of gays are tossed out of the service each year while many others live lives of quiet desperation and fear of being found out. Hate crimes fortunately has passed for the record, we were the second most likely group to be victims of hate crimes (after Arab Americans).

Way two

Tell us we wanted Obama to wave a magic wand. We know all too well how much work it takes to pass gay friendly legislation. We didn’t think Obama or Hillary for that matter, would clap their hands and pass gay friendly legislation. We did think that either Obama or Hillary would use the Presidential bully pulpit to argue forcibly for gay friendly legislation. Obama frankly hasn’t. He has been, to be charitable, an intermittent advocate of gay issues. We didn’t expect a magic wand but we did expect Obama to advocate forcibly for legislation that had over 70% popularity (by comparison health care never broke 45%) but he just plain didn’t.

Way three

Tell us things are better for us than they really are. Posters have told us that we are covered by anti discrimination laws when we aren’t. That we have marriage rights when we don’t. That we can be covered on our partner’s health care when we can’t. We do tend to know when we are, and when we aren’t legally protected. It is our lives after all.

Way four

Tell us Obama has done more for gays than any other President. That ignores the immense progress, coming from our work, that happened for gays between 1993 and 2009. In 14 states sodomy laws existed and could be used to prevent gays from obtaining and keeping professional licences, take their children away, and even put them in jail. Gay civil rights laws only existed in a couple of states and no state even entertained marriage rights. TV was nearly berefit of gay characters, schools had virtually no openly gay teachers and few openly gay students. Gays could be fired from any federal job simply for being gay. Oh, and AIDS was still a 100% fatal disease that had hardly any government funding. Gay men were still dropping like flies in our major cities and our small towns. Clinton eliminated federal discrimination everywhere but the uniformed military. He appointed the first Senate confirmed gay and the first ambassador. He increased AIDS funding (both research and medication) leading to AIDS becoming a manageable disease for many of its sufferers. He also came within one vote of passing ENDA. Yes, Obama, did oversee the passing of hate crimes and he did give some benefits to gay employees. He also has more openly gay employees than Clinton did (remember that many people with professional licenses were closeted thanks to morals clauses on their licenses) but starting points matter and Obama had a pretty big, unearned head start over Clinton. Ignoring that ignores the work we did.

Hopefully this helps you to know what annoys us.

 

Sunday Smorgasbord and Snarkfest.

Sunday, July 18th, 2010

A little of this and that with a hefty dose of snark.

 
They say hideously racist things. They carry racist signs at their rallies. But don’t you dare call the Teabaggers racists because they aren’t, they aren’t!

 
DC’s same-sex marriage law survived a legal challenge. Harry Jackson is sad.

 
A woman in Omaha, NE, claims she was fired because her boss was afraid of her fetus.

In the suit, Harms says she was fired by Smith, who said her fetus had a “negative agenda” and was “‘hostile’ towards him.” She also states that the CEO consulted with psychics about the “negative energy” he felt from her fetus, which reminded him of his own unpleasant experience in the womb.

No word on whether the boss has obtained the treatment he obviously needs….

 
A bus driver claims he was fired because of his religious views. Of course his termination had nothing to do with his religion, but with the fact that he refused to do his job. Can’t let an inconvenient fact like that get in the way of martyrdom, can we?

 
A man has designed a product to remind parents to remove their kids from the back seat of the car. (Sadly this is apparently a real problem.) Who will now create something to remind the parents to put this thing in the front seat to remind them to take the kids out?

 
Finally, John Marcotte has been cleared to gather signatures for his initiative to ban divorce in California. The “marriage defenders” should be fighting right along side him on this one. Why do I have a sneaking suspicion they won’t be?

 

Perversion for Profit.

Friday, July 16th, 2010

My brilliant wife has updated the 1965 classic Perversion for Profit. Lock away the kiddies and those with heart conditions, then enjoy!



 

Argentina Approves Same-Sex Marriage, Despite Mormon Meddling.

Thursday, July 15th, 2010

The Mormons, who travel around the world to recruit others into their religious lifestyle, recently attempted to use their chosen personal bigotries to sway Argentina’s vote on same-sex marriage. Catholics also exerted their best efforts to pretend the world was going to come to an end if gay people got rights. Thankfully both groups failed and Argentina now has marriage equality!

…..
After 15 hours of debate, the Senate voted 33 to 27 in favor of the measure, which was sponsored by the government of President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner. For weeks, she waged a bitter war of words with the Roman Catholic Church over the measure, saying that it would be a “terrible distortion of democracy” to deny gay rights and that religious leaders needed to recognize how socially liberal the nation had become.

In its race to derail the change, the church had organized large protests throughout the country involving tens of thousands of opponents of the law, with Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, the archbishop of Buenos Aires, declaring it a “destructive attack on God’s plan.”

I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do, because I notice it always coincides with their own desires.
Susan B. Anthony

Portugal and Iceland also legalized gay marriage this year, adding to the small but steadily expanding list of nations, most of them in Europe, to do so.
…..
Argentina’s new law will give gay people the same marital rights as heterosexuals, including adoption and inheritance rights, and reflects the broadening legal recognition of same-sex relationships across Latin American.

Mexico City became the first jurisdiction in the region to legalize gay marriages last year. At least two other countries Latin America, Uruguay and Colombia, allow civil unions for same-sex couples.
…..

Meanwhile, Argentina’s gay community celebrates…



 

Peter Barber Gallagher-Sprigg (or, The Prop 8 Trial in 2 Minutes)

Wednesday, July 14th, 2010

Robtish nails it again.



 

Who Has the Right to Marry?

Tuesday, July 13th, 2010

We’re constantly being told that so-called “traditional marriage” needs to be “protected” from things that might taint and threaten it. One of the biggest alleged threats to “traditional marriage” is committed same-sex couples, including those who have been together half a century or more.

How about these people, who have the right to marry yet have never had it questioned or challenged by any of the “marriage defenders”? How is it they don’t in any way threaten the “sanctity” of marriage or make it less “special”?

 
(If you like this video please to to YouTube and vote it up.)

 
It just goes to show where we rank in the grand scheme of things. Convicted serial killers, rapists, child molesters, and other brutal criminals have the “fundamental right” to marry. Loving, law-abiding same-sex couples are considered so heinous that it’s necessary to amend state constitutions to deny them that right.

There is something seriously wrong with our society.