Thursday, September 30, 2010

Eddie Long scandal - Chronology of what has happened and where we are now

Allow me to break down the Eddie Long scandal as best as I can including photos and videos:

Tuesday, Sept. 21 - Prominent anti-gay black pastor accused of sexual coercion - Two young men in Georgia, Anthony Flagg, 21, and Maurice Murray Robinson, 20, filed a suit in DeKalb County, Georgia alleging that Long used his position as pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church to coerce them into sex. Long's spokesman denies the allegation.


Wednesday, Sept. 22 - Eddie Long hit with third sexual coercion lawsuit but is defended by congregation members - Long is hit with another sexual coercion lawsuit by Jamal Parris, 23. Long is defended by his congregation members.


Thursday, Sept. 23 - Eddie Long scandal now includes pictures - The lawsuits take a strange turn when attorney B.J. Bernstein, who are representing the three men suing Long releases two pictures of Long dressed in spandex and workout clothing supposedly sent to one of the alleged victims.


 Friday, Sept. 24 Eddie Long rumored to step down amid possibly more allegations of sexual coercion - A fourth young man Spencer LeGrande, files suit. Meanwhile, pastors in Atlanta gather to pray for Long.


Sunday, Sept. 26 - Eddie Long determined to fight allegations of sexual coercion - Long tells a packed house at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, that he was innocent of the charges and that he was determined to fight them:





Wednesday, September 29 - Jamal Parris, one of Eddie Long's accusers, gives a sad, riveting account - One of Long's accusers, Jamal Parris, speaks to the press:





Thursday, Sept. 30 - Another Eddie Long accuser speaks out - The fourth young man to file a suit, Spencer LeGrande, also talks to the press:






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Another Eddie Long accuser speaks out and other Thursday midday news briefs

Another accuser of Eddie Long speaks out:



In other news:

Obama Speaks About His Faith, Gets Accued of Being An Ignorant, Lying "Limousine Marxist Hypocrite" - Because you know these folks, who frequently bear false witness against the lgbt community, are the "true Christians."


TWO Deeply Saddened By Three Gay Teen September Suicides Resulting From School Bullying - What the hell is going on here?


MI Attorney General: Fire anti-gay cyber-bully Andrew Shirvell - I don't get this. Everyone knows that Andrew Shrivell is harassing and stalking Chris Armstrong, the college student. I guess Attorney General Mike Cox will be spurred to do something if Armstrong harms himself. I hope it doesn't get to that point.


Immigration Bill to Include LGBTs - It's about time.




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Liberty Counsel's Matt Barber stands up for gay persecution

In a hysterical screed published by the American Family Association's One News Now, Matt Barber of the Liberty Counsel sets his aim at the United Nations:

The United Nations is pressing for acceptance of the homosexual lifestyle worldwide, which was made evident during a recent human rights meeting in Geneva.

A written statement from Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on U.N. members to abolish laws that discriminate against homosexuals. The statement comes two months after a homosexual activist group received U.N. accreditation.

"The United Nations just continues to spiral further and further down into the abyss of irrelevancy," laments Matt Barber, director of cultural affairs at Liberty Counsel. "Their radical, leftist, post-modern secular humanist, globalist agenda is just as clear as it has ever been."

That agenda has become a point of concern for some countries that depend on the United Nations and its agencies, but Barber points out that at the same time, "this is why so many nations around the world that embrace traditional values, that embrace sexual morality, have really written the U.N. off as an extremist conglomerate of really left-wing 'wacktivists.'"

As par for the course with One News Now, Barber's insane comments are the only thing published about the U.N.'s actions.

Here are some facts that the One News Now article omitted:

In a message to a panel discussion in Geneva on ending violence and criminal sanctions based on sexual orientation and gender identity, which was delivered by UN High Commissioner Navi Pillay, Mr. Ban noted that the responsibilities of the UN and the obligations of States are clear.

“No one, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, should be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. No one should be prosecuted for their ideas or beliefs. No one should be punished for exercising their right to freedom of expression.”

In May, during a visit to Malawi, the Secretary-General called for laws criminalizing people on the grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity to be reformed worldwide. Such laws, he noted, fuel violence, help to legitimize homophobia and contribute to a climate of hate.

While in Malawi, he had also lauded the “courageous” decision by the country’s leader to pardon a gay couple who had been sentenced to 14 years in prison, voicing hope that the African nation will update its laws to reflect international standards.

Ms. Pillay noted in her own remarks that, despite significant progress made in a number of States, there is still no region in the world today where people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual transgender or intersex (LGBTI) can live entirely free from discrimination or from the threat of harassment and physical attack.

“But in 78 countries, individuals still face criminal sanctions on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity,” she told the event, which was held on the sidelines of the 15th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council.

So what the United Nations is actually trying to do is to eliminate persecution against lgbts in other countries.

And apparently to Barber, this persecution, which in some cases includes jail time and physical violence, embodies "traditional values."

You know, there are times when I get frustrated because I feel that I'm not communicating just how hypocritical and hateful some members of the religious right actually are.

Then someone like Matt Barber comes along and makes my job so much easier.


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Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Did someone suddenly declare war on lgbt youth?

I am at a loss for words tonight. Two awful stories and I don't understand either one. Did someone suddenly declare war on our lgbt children?:










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Asst. AG won't stop harrassing gay student and other Wednesday midday news briefs

Michigan’s Assistant AG Harrassing Gay Student: ‘I Don’t Have Any Hate In My Body At All’ - Suuure you don't.

Math is hard: Media outlets fumble with CDC data on MSM HIV rates - Not that it matters to the religious right.

LGBT orgs launch site on NOM - What took them so long?

PFLAG marks 20 years of support to family, friends of gays, lesbians - Something to celebrate.



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Jamal Parris, one of Eddie Long's accusers, gives a sad, riveting account

All I can say here is that this is sad:



Partial transcript:

''I loved him. I'm always going to have love for the things that he taught me.... You finally have a father that you've always wanted for and always dreamed of.... He would just walk away from you if you don't give him what he wants. So you end up turning into something you never thought you would be, which is now a slave to a man that you love....

''So, while the media and the rest of the people around the city, around the country look at us like how could grown men let another man touch him, what you have to understand is this man has manipulated us since childhood.... This man turned his back on us when he had no more need for us. That's not a father, that's a predator.... You are not a man, you are a monster.''




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Tuesday, September 28, 2010

You are a bigot, Matt Barber. Be proud of your title

I haven't written about the Liberty Counsel's Matt Barber in a while because I was distracted by more important matters.

However, a piece he wrote on World Net Daily attracted my attention. Kind of a drop, huh Matt. You were on news programs a while back and now you are on birther central.

Barber's piece, unoriginaliy named The 'gay' deathstyle, leaves nothing to the imagination as to what it's about. Just a silly combination of bastardized statistics backed by Biblical verses. It's nothing new from Barber. But the following caught my attention:

Another problem lies in the fact that far too many Christians have contributed to the dilemma by failing to speak truth, in love, on the issue of homosexuality (pastors with "gay" congregants and family members, I'm talking to you). Nobody likes to be unfairly labeled a hater, "homophobe" or bigot, but fear of such attacks offers no justification for failing to speak truth in love.

And that's the galling feature of folks like Barber. They claim to speak in love as long as they don't have to answer about how they choose to speak.

For the benefit of everyone, allow me to recap the ways in which Barber speaks the truth in love to the lgbt community.

For those not familiar with Barber, in 2005, he lost his job at AllState Insurance in part for penning an anti-gay column. Since that time, the story was spun that he was fired due to his beliefs and he has parlayed that narrative into cinchy gigs with Concerned Women for America, the Liberty Counsel, and a book deal. However, like all religious right stories of gay persecution, there are details omitted (such as Barber using AllState Insurance equipment to write his column or him identifying himself as an employee of AllState in the same column).

 The irony is that in that column, Barber cited the discredited work of Paul Cameron - "many people are shocked to learn that the average life expectancy of a homosexual male is only about 45 years old – 30 years younger than that of a heterosexual male." 

Then let's talk about his words.

1. Barber described lgbt relationships as one man violently cramming his penis into another man’s lower intestine and calling it ‘love."

2. And then this is why he felt that lgbt-inclusive anti-discrimination laws are a  bad idea: “Imagine, if you will, a 280 lb linebacker who likes to wear a dress and high heels and lipstick, you know comes to church wanting a job at the front desk as a receptionist and they turn him away because they don’t feel that that represents their values or the image that they’re trying to hold at that church, under ENDA they could be held accountable for discrimination against that individual.”

3. In September of last year, he emphasized that folks speaking against homosexuality focus on the "ick factor" of gay sex, or talk about gay sex extensively.

4. In June of last year, he criticized Home Depot for daring to acknowledge that same-sex households exist.

5. Slurred the name of an Obama appointee in a pitiful attempt to be clever.

Sorry Matt but if these are examples of you speaking the truth in love, I think I will take my chances with your hate. Of course, I think I and the rest of the lgbt community have done just that.




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Same-sex households disrespected again and other Tuesday midday news briefs

Moonie Times Op-Ed: ‘Gay Families’ Are Not Real!- It would be very advantageous for us to meet these assaults on our families head on.

Ugandan Tabloid Grossly Distorts An American Paper’s Interview With Gay Asylum Seeker - This is just filthy how this story was distorted.

An artist who is protesting a church DVD against gay marriage was suspended from her job at the Basilica. - This ought to be interesting.

What Does Reality TV Say About Gay Men? - It's an interesting question.



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15-year-old takes his own life due to anti-gay bullying



How often is this going to happen before we start taking anti-bullying seriously. What's extra sad about this case is that this child had a supportive family but felt that he couldn't tell them what was going on. That's the one thing which must be emphasized to children with supportive families - that they don't have deal with their problems alone:

15 year old Justin Aaberg is described as always smiling, a good student and a talented cello player. On July 9, Justin's family found him in his bedroom after he committed suicide.

"I'm sure things piled up," says Justin's mom, Tammy Aaberg. "I don't know what happened that day his last day. I don't know what happened that made him do it but it had to have been pretty significant."

Justin came out about being gay when he was 13. His family says they were always supportive and only knew of one instance when Justin was harassed at school. Just told his mom "it was no big deal."

In the weeks since their son's death Tammy and Shawn Aaberg have learned from Justin's friends he had been harassed for being gay for years. "Some kids in 8th grade and Sandberg went up to him and grabbed his balls and said you like that don't you?" Tammy was told a friend found Justin crying in the hallway but he refused to tell the school counselor what happened.

According to the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network almost 85 percent of GLBT students surveyed reported being verbally harassed because of their sexual orientation. Within the past year teaches in the Anoka-Hennepin district say five students have taken their own lives, three were struggling with sexual identity. "Growing up I was the first openly gay person in my town and I was bullied relentlessly," says Jay Kovach.

After hearing the statistics and Justin's story Kovach helped organize a fundraiser, spaghetti dinner and silent auction in Coon Rapids to help pay for Justin's funeral expenses. Hundreds of friends family and strangers attended the fundraiser and to show support for those struggling in the GLBT community. Teachers tell Fox 9 five students in the Anoka-Hennepin School District committed suicide within the past year, three of them were struggling with their sexual identity.

Related posts:

Focus on the Family's attack on anti-bullying efforts take centerstage on AC 360

GLSEN responds to Focus on the Family distortions

Focus on the Family cites George Rekers in fighting anti-bullying efforts





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Monday, September 27, 2010

Don't let your anger rule your mind on Nov. 2

I know that there are a lot of folks angry at the Democrats and President Obama right now. And I know some of you are planning to show your anger by sitting out of the Nov. 2 midterm election.

But don't be stupid. No matter how angry Obama and the Democrats got you, there are some people out there just waiting to do worse.

Sure you feel angry and betrayed, but it helps to realize that politics is game. It's an unfortunate game we must play to get what we need and it's the only game in town.

And when there is only one game in town, you have only two options:

1. act all huffy and puffy when things don't go your way

2. or be patient and learn to master it.

Our problem is dual. The opposition has learned the second point while we are stuck on the first.

Better yet the following video by the Victory Fund illustrates the point much better than I can:



Win or lose my friends. There is NO third option.

Hat tip to Rod2.0Beta

Related post:

Gay rights groups continue to miss the real enemy





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Chris Barron of GOProud speaks with a forked tongue and other Monday midday news briefs

There are really two things that any self-respecting lgbt should dislike about Chris Barron of GOProud - his face.

Guest column: GOProud's Chris Barron: Winning Hearts And Minds - Here he is last week pretending to be concillatory to Pam's House Blend

Bryan 'only gays were savage enough for Hitler' Fischer: Ann Coulter was simply FABULOUS! - And today, he shows his true face by saying things like:



What a charming two-faced young man

And in other news:

Civil rights legend Julian Bond on Eddie Long: 'He is a raving homophobe' - The Eddie Long controversy is long from over and Julian Bond has a couple of things to say about it.

New Hampshire Gay Marriage Repeal Effort Underway, Rep. Jim Splaine Warns - They just can't leave well enough alone.

Appeals court: Transgender identity irrelevant - Good. You cannot use someone's trans status as an excuse for assault.


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Something that needs no introduction but a lot of attention




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Sunday, September 26, 2010

Eddie Long determined to fight allegations of sexual coercion



Bishop Eddie Long didn't step down in the face of allegations that he coerced four young men into sexual activity.

Instead, he told a packed house at his church, New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, that he was innocent of the charges and that he was determined to fight them:

Georgia pastor Eddie Long took to the pulpit to tell his side of the story on Sunday, days after four lawsuits were filed claiming he coerced young males into sexual relationships.

Speaking to the massive congregation packed into the Atlanta-area New Birth Missionary Baptist Church for an 8 a.m. service, Long said that "this is probably the most difficult time" of his entire life, but he intends to fight the allegations against him.

He said his first responsibility was his family, and the members of his Atlanta-area church. However, he added that he would be "remiss" not to address "the world."

"I've been accused, I'm under attack. I want you to know, as I said earlier, that I am not a perfect man," he said. "But this thing, I'm going to fight."

Long added that he's "not the man that has been portrayed on the television. That's not me."

"And I want you to know one other thing," he told the cheering crowd Sunday morning. "I feel like David against Goliath, but I've got five rocks and I haven't thrown one yet.

He then turned on his heel and walked away from the pulpit, ending a 20-minute address that was peppered with references to Scripture and often interrupted by loud standing ovations from worshippers.

Related posts:
 
Eddie Long rumored to step down amid possibly more allegations of sexual coercion

Eddie Long scandal now includes pictures

What will the Eddie Long scandal do in addressing black homophobia in the church?

Eddie Long hit with third sexual coercion lawsuit but is defended by congregation members

Prominent anti-gay black pastor accused of sexual coercion 




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Friday, September 24, 2010

Eddie Long rumored to step down amid possibly more allegations of sexual coercion

It is usually here that I come out with my Know Your LGBT History segments, but due to the extreme nature of the following, it has been pre-empted. And by the way, let's have some feedback  on my Know Your LGBT History segments. Not only is it good for my ego to know that people are reading it, but it helps me in deciding whether or not I want to keep featuring them.

The walls seems to be closing on Bishop Eddie Long.

From Black Voices:

It has been reported that the Bishop Eddie Long is going to step down as pastor after his sermon set to be delivered on Sunday. Long is currently the pastor of the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Atlanta. He was recently challenged by three young men who filed suit against the pastor for allegedly coercing them into sex.

There are also reports that as many as 30 young men have contacted the plaintiff's attorney, BJ Bernstein, in an effort to file suits of their own or join the existing lawsuit.

Bishop Eddie Long's sex scandal has been in the headlines of national news for several days. Since the story broke, there have been suspicious pictures released that feature Bishop Long wearing muscle shirts and spandex, posing in the bathroom. Some have wondered why Long would send these images to his "spiritual sons."

On the Bishop Eddie Long sex fiasco, which I discussed this morning on MSNBC, there appear to be three angles of consideration: Legality, morality and hypocrisy. Legally, one has to determine if Long violated his fiduciary responsible to take care of the young men under his guidance. Secondly, there is the question of whether the men he may have slept with were of legal age and whether or not there was coercion.

I wasn't aware of the claims of 30 young man, but there has surfaced a fourth lawsuit:

A fourth young male member of Bishop Eddie Long's megachurch is suing the prominent pastor, claiming Long coerced him into a sexual relationship.

The lawsuit was filed by Spencer LeGrande, a member of New Birth Charlotte. New Birth Charlotte is a satellite church run by Long in Charlotte, N.C. The lawsuit said Long told LeGrande "I will be your dad" and invited the 17-year-old to journey to Kenya with him in July 2005. LeGrande said that Long gave him a sleeping pill on that trip and that the two engaged in sexual acts.

The Associated Press does not typically identify alleged victims of impropriety, but attorney B.J. Bernstein has said all four of the men who filed lawsuits consented to being identified publicly.

Meanwhile, pastors in Atlanta are gathering to pray for Long:



I predicted it a while back. This thing has hit like a nuclear bomb.


Hat tip to Joe.My.God. for the video


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National Organization for Marriage refuted again and other Friday midday news briefs

But first, it would seem that what I wrote this morning had a negative effect on some of you. Most specifically:

Where the f#@! have you been for the last 40 years? You must have had your head up your a#!, because a lot of us HAVE been fighting the good fight against the evagleicals and the GOP. How dare you pretend that we haven't. Many of us raged against them as we watched our brothers and sisters die of AIDS, while they callously blamed them for their illness. We have fought long and hard, that is why it is now so offensive that those who promised to be our allies have turned on us. You accuse us of not standing up to the real enemy, yet you have the nerve to attack US, your own community? Are WE the real enemy? You should be f@%!ing ashamed of yourself. As far as I'm concerned you can go f&$;!( yourself.

My response:

You prove my point. Could you divert that energy and rage - sans the profanity- to groups like frc and afa. They are to blame for the calamities you described.

Now onto news briefs:

National Organization for Marriage refuted again:




Pawlenty Joins FRC's Watchmen to Fight Pawns of Satan - Another pathetic bid for the presidency by Pawlenty. I guess he got tired of fighting "crossdressing third grade teachers."

Anti-gay megachurch pastor denies seducing young men - Eddie Long makes a statement on the sexual coercion charges.

Dumbest homophobic mess EVER: Indianapolis bakery offended by rainbow cupcakes - You read that right.




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Gay rights groups continue to miss the real enemy

I'm going to say something that will probably get some people angry.

All of this anger against the Democrats and the Obama Administration, while appropriate and on some levels very useful, also underlines just how much off the mark the lgbt community is.

The point came to my mind when I read the following piece about GetEqual, the direct action group getting a lot of attention:

GetEqual has a real problem with the Democrats who have introduced (and often passed in the House) these bills for gay rights but they never go after the Republicans who kill these bills in the Senate. In fact, they don’t even go after the few Democrats who helped to kill these bills. They would rather blame Obama… over and over and over again.

The video they released features Obama, Barney Frank, and the HRC and outwardly blames them for the failure of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell to be repealed… But Barney Frank is a member of the House – which did in fact repeal DADT. DADT was blocked from coming to a vote in the Senate. Two Democrats from Arkansas helped Republicans to block it… But Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor are missing from GetEqual’s video.

One must really contemplate who GetEqual is really working for.

The piece was criticizing videos made by GetEqual attacking HRC, Obama, and Barney Frank for supposedly breaking promises they made to the lgbt community. Now I don't agree with everything in that piece. I totally resented the negative comments said about blogging buddy and mentor, Pam Spaulding. However, the piece got me thinking.

Earlier this year when Family Research Council spokesman Peter Sprigg commented on Hardball that he wants "homosexual behavior to be outlawed," where were we?

Or how about when he said he wanted us exported out of the United States?

And don't get me started on the many, many, many anti-gay comments of Bryan Fischer. Other than People for the American Way's statements, there has been no push back against Fischer or the American Family Association, his employer. At least not by the lgbt community.

In fact, when folks like Fischer, Sprigg, etc. say the things they say about us, where is our anger? Where are the vigorous statements from the Human Rights Campaign or those who consume themselves with labeling HRC as "Gay, Inc.?"

But yet some of us can heckle President Obama at a speech. And some of us can write pointlessly nasty comments on places like Facebook.

I think sometimes we are aiming our fire at the wrong targets. Groups like the Family Research Council, the American Family Association, etc hold a lot of power and I think it's because we haven't challenged them like we should.

These are the groups that have for over 30 years:

relied on the discredited work of Paul Cameron to smear the lgbt community,

truncated legitimate science to make us sound like the "diseased other" in American society,

took unfair possession of  the word "family" in an attempt to exclude us, and

exploited religious beliefs and fears to get away with all of this.

So while we raise holy hell with our allies for not doing what they are supposed to do, the question remains are we guilty of the same dereliction of action?

Don't get me wrong. No group has ever gained equality without exerting pressure on its allies, i.e. those who hold the keys to this equality. But at the same time, one has to ask why is the lgbt community leaving organizations like the Family Research Council, Concerned Women for American, Focus on the Family, etc. free and untouched to continue their mischief ?

This isn't a matter of changing minds. It's a matter of drawing attention to what these organizations have been doing under the guise of "family values."

You see, when people turn on their televisions and see these religious right spokespeople being quoted on news programs, they aren't aware of the levels of inaccuracy they have stooped in order to form their anti-gay talking points.

And they will never know unless the lgbt community call out these organizations with as much vigor as we voice our displeasure with Congress and President Obama.

In the long run, no matter how slow and sloppy they move, the Democrats aren't our enemy and neither is President Obama. It's those organizations who exploit religious beliefs through lies, distortions, and junk science. And as far as I know, we have YET to come up with a plan to put them on the defensive or to make them explain their behavior.

Until the lgbt community makes a concerted effort with combating religious right groups who filter lies against us, we will get nowhere, no way, no how.

Not even if Jesus Christ were elected President.




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Thursday, September 23, 2010

Eddie Long scandal now includes pictures

This situation with Eddie Long has just gotten more interesting, including pictures:

New details and scandalous pictures have emerged on the internet showing the once prominently viewed Pastor and Bishop Eddie Long who’s known from growing the church from 150 members when he was appointed as Pastor in 1987 to now close to 30,000 members, in a controversial position.

As previously reported on HipHopRx.com, Bishop Eddie Long, Pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in suburban Atlanta (Lithonia, GA), is accused of sexually abusing some of his young male followers who were teens at the time that the incident(s) allegedly took place.

Earlier this week, the three men who are now in their 20’s filed separate lawsuits against Eddie Long, a married man and father of four. The latest alleged victim filed a lawsuit against Long, the church as well as Longfellows Youth Academy Inc.

On Thursday, pictures hit the Internet like a whirlwind and no one knows how the photos surfaced which show the Bishop wearing spandex and workout clothes which is stated to have been sent to an accuser in November of 2008. According to attorney B.J. Bernstei who is representing the three men suing Eddie Long, they received dozens of emails from Long, but they are not overly sexual.

The same day, Eddie Long was expected to make an appearance on the Tom Joyner Show following the sex abuse accusations (Thursday morning), but he canceled his appearance which seemed to have occurred after the photos were leaked. Long’s attorney Craig Gillen instead took his place and spoke on behalf of his client stating that the young men were taken on trips as part of a mentoring program.

One of the young men is accused of breaking into the Pastor’s office.

The young men accused Bishop of Eddie Long of offering them gifts, money, luxury hotel rooms and more to lure them for sexual favors.

Meanwhile, Bishop Eddie Long states that he would like to respond to the allegations which he states are false, but he is following the advice of his attorney and expects to address the sexual allegations against him on Sunday at his church during service.…

Where he no doubt will receive a standing ovation. Between you and me, I would like to here more details about these pictures. They are definitely causing discussion but they are no smoking gun.


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Martin Luther King, Jr used to speak against marriage equality and other Thursday midday news briefs

*WARNING: No civil rights legacies were ably examined in the making of this ad - So those on the right get angry at what they feel is the unfair appropriation of Martin Luther King Jr or the black civil rights movement by the lgbt community. But they have no probelm exploiting the two themselves.

Minorities Standing Up For Each Other — It Goes Both Ways - Amen. Excellent post.

Cornyn and Sessions No-Shows at LCR Dinner, Receive Awards Anyway - For all of the hype that Sen. John Cornyn was going to appear at the Log Cabin Repulican Dinner, look what happened.

The Black Church, Homophobia, and Pastor Eddie Long - And now Newsweek is on the case. I TOLD you all that this would explode.




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What will the Eddie Long scandal do in addressing black homophobia in the church?

Even though we still don't know the truthful particulars in the Eddie Long scandal, there is a lot of speculating as to what it means on so many ends.

And according to the Christian Science Monitor, one end is how will affect homophobia in the black church:

 . . . because Long through his ministry helped perpetuate homophobia, his critics say, the case could affect his career, challenge the antihomosexual stance of many black church members, and even offer hope to black gay men who struggle for acceptance and a role in black society.

"This might be a time of scandal [for the black church] ... but it will also spark a renewed dialogue," says Shayne Lee, a Tulane University sociologist and author of "Holy Mavericks: Evangelical Innovators and the Spiritual Marketplace." "The fact is, Eddie Long is one of the most respected black Christians in the country, he's very popular and very influential, and that's why this is going to get a lot of people talking about the issue of sexuality [in the black church]."

Homophobia in the broader black community – which some say is fed by the black church, as well as by prevailing views on masculinity and family – has in the past spilled into violence. In 2007 and 2008, Chicago saw a number of shootings and even killings aimed at gay black men, including a choir director who was shot shortly after coming out in a TV interview.

Longtime black gay activist Billy Jones, in an interview last year with the online magazine Blacklight, said many blacks see the gay movement "as a means of destroying the black family" and see gay black men as "unmanly, weak."

But many blacks take a different view when faced with a family member who comes out as gay. Black families, Mr. Jones said, tend to accept gay members and "really make an effort to try to understand them and the love stays there."

I'm cynical about the entire situation. If there is any discussions on the matter, my guess is that those who are lgbts of color won't be invited to the table.  And that is the problem with being an lgbt in the African-American community. It's not so much the ignorance, it's that us who are lgbts of color can't seem to get a word in edgewise in the black community when it comes to discussing our lives.

Related posts:

Eddie Long hit with third sexual coercion lawsuit but is defended by congregation members

Prominent anti-gay black pastor accused of sexual coercion




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Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Eddie Long hit with third sexual coercion lawsuit but is defended by congregation members

Anti-gay pastor Eddie Long has been hit with a third sexual coercion lawsuit by another male ex-member of his church.  Long is continues to deny any wrongdoing and it has come out that one of the men filing the lawsuits has a burglary charge against him:

Bishop Eddie Long made a church summer camp counselor call him “Daddy” and coerced him into sexual acts, according to a lawsuit filed Wednesday against the mega-church leader.

Jamal Parris, 23, a former member of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, became the third young male to file suit against the nationally known preacher and his church.

The suit, similar to two filed on Tuesday (Read a PDF of one of the earlier lawsuits), accuses Long of using his power to force the plaintiff into a sexual relationship. In exchange, Long placed Parris and the two other men on the church’s payroll, bought them cars and other gifts, and took them on lavish trips, according to the suits filed in DeKalb County Superior Court.

Long adamantly denies the allegations and has scheduled a press conference Thursday morning.
“It is unfortunate that these young men have chosen to take this course of action,” Long's attorney, Craig Gillen, told the AJC Tuesday night

And today, several church members came out in support of Long saying that the charges are lies:
Church members . . .  said they simply didn't believe the allegations, speaking of Long's love and passion for his wife.

Atlanta-area radio host Frank Ski, a 12-year-member of Long's church, told the Atlanta Constitution-Journal that he had "extreme support" for the man he's known for more than a decade.

"It's difficult for me because Bishop Long and I are very close," he told the paper. "I'm one of these people who's really old school. When you're a friend and I support you, I support you. Right now it's allegations."

Related post:


Prominent anti-gay black pastor accused of sexual coercion


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Florida gay adoption ban gets another kick in the tush and other Wednesday midday news briefs

Florida's gay adoption ban ruled unconstitutional - AND it was unanimous too. A huge victory which should not be obscured by yesterday's defeat.

Dan Savage Creates YouTube Channel to Help Gay Teens - I've given Dan Savage hell via conversation for some of the things he has done and said. But in this case, he needs to acknowledged for this positive thing.

Archbishop: Anti-Gay Marriage DVD Will be Mailed to All MN Catholics - This is NOT good. Over 800,000 people will receive this mess. Careful Catholic Church. You can't handle the pedophilia problem in your ranks but you break your backs in pushing against the marriage of consenting adults who love one another. Kismet will come back on you.

Saxby Chambliss investigating whether staffer left gay slur
- You know the story. Have at it.

Fischer: "Homosexuals Are Defined By One Characteristic Only: They Want to Use the Anal Cavity for Sex" - A perfect example of why it's difficult for lgbts to get what we need. We can be verbally insulted all day long and no one seems to care. If Fischer had said half of things to any other group that he has said about us, all hell would have broken loose.


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John McCain denies the obvious about DADT

What else can be said about the DADT repeal filibuster which hasn't?

Maybe this.



This is Sen. John McCain saying that the military does not target lgbt soliders for discharge. He said this in spite of the fact that, according to ThinkProgress.org:

While the Defense Department did adopt higher standards for discharging gay and lesbian soldiers in March, the military has dismissed servicemembers after discovering their sexual orientation in email records. For instance, Major Mike Almy — a 13-year veteran of the Air Force — was relieved of his duties after a routine search of computer files uncovered emails to his same-sex partner.

In fact, as Almy explained in testimoney before McCain’s own committee (Senate Armed Services): “In Iraq, during the height of the insurgency, someone in the Air Force ordered a search of my private emails solely to determine if I had violated “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”, and to gather whatever evidence could be used against me.” “I was relieved of my duties, leading nearly 200 Airmen, my security clearance was suspended and part of my pay was terminated. Even as my commander was relieving me of my duties, he assured me this was in no way a reflection of my performance or my abilities as an officer,” Almy testified.

So even though a soldier testified that he was targeted and discharged, McCain still refuses to believe it.

Which goes to show that at the root of the continuance of the DADT policy is willful ignorance.





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Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Prominent anti-gay black pastor accused of sexual coercion

Strange things are happening in Georgia in relation to the lgbt community.

First there is that awful hateful message from the office of Georgia Sen. Saxby Chambliss to blogger Joe Jervis.

Then there is this huge incident which will most likely, in the next few days hit the Georgia African-American community like a nuclear bomb:

Two Georgia men have filed suit claiming that prominent Atlanta pastor Eddie Long coerced them into sex.

The suits, filed Tuesday in DeKalb County, Georgia, allege that Long used his position as a spiritual authority and bishop to coerce young male members and employees of his New Birth Missionary Baptist Church into sex.

"Defendant Long has a pattern and practice of singling out a select group of young male church members and using his authority as Bishop over them to ultimately bring them to a point of engaging in a sexual relationship," the suits allege.

Long is considered one of the nation's top black preachers.

The pastor took one plaintiff, Anthony Flagg, 21, on overnight trips to a half-dozen American cities in recent years, Flagg's suit alleges.

"Long shared a bedroom and engaged in intimate sexual contact with plaintiff Flagg including kissing, massaging, masturbating of plaintiff Flagg by defendant Long and oral sexual contact," the suit says.

Long took the other plaintiff, Maurice Murray Robinson, 20, to Auckland, New Zealand, in October 2008 for his 19th birthday and engaged in oral sex with him, Robinson's suit alleges.

In all fairness, Long's spokesman has denied the charges. But here is why this is significant. Long (above in the picture with former President George Bush) has been extremely verbal about his opposition to gay marriage. According to blogger Rod2.0Beta:

In addition to being one of the nation's most prominent pastors, Long is also among the most vocal critics of gay rights and same-sex marriage in the Black church. In December 2004, one month after voters approved an amendment to the Georgia state Constitution that banned gay marriage, Long led a 25,000 person march against gay rights and marriage equality.

Eddie Long is also the spiritual mentor of the anti-gay Rev. Bernice King, the youngest daughter of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr and new chair of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the organization founded by her father more than five decades ago. Julian Bond, the chair of the NAACP and a strong supporter of gay rights, refused to attend the funeral of Coretta Scott King that was held at New Birth MB Church.

And according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, Long has also been very vocal in expressing his anti-gay opinions:

"Men can look attractive when they are dirty," writes Bishop Eddie Long in his 1997 book I Don't Want Delilah, I Need You! "We see sweating, dirty, hardworking men on television all the time and we say to one another, 'There's a macho guy.'"

Despite this affinity for sweaty, macho men, Long is one of the most virulently homophobic black leaders in the religiously based anti-gay movement. His book, subtitled What a Woman Needs to Know, What a Man Needs to Understand, appeared in the midst of a roaring growth period for Long's New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, Ga., near Atlanta. During the mid-'90s, it swelled to over 18,000 congregation members, men and women who worship in a multimillion-dollar complex that's the size of most major universities, spread out on 240 acres of land.

Much of what appears in I Don't Want Delilah was espoused in the videotaped "Back to the Future” sermon Long gave when his church was still small.

"It is the most unattractive thing I have ever seen, when I see women wearing uniforms that men would wear, and women fighting to get in the military!" Long shouted to his congregation then. "The woman gets perverted to turn towards woman … and everybody knows it's dangerous to enter an exit! And everybody knows, lady, if you go to the store and buy these devices [marital aids], it's Memorex! It ain't real!" 

Again, Long's spokesperson says that the charges are not true. However, one cannot help but be reminded of the George Rekers escort scandal which took place earlier this year.


Discuss amongst yourselves. I am sure you have a lot to say.


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DADT filibuster only minor blip on the road to success

I'm a little confused by the Republican filibuster of Don't Ask, Don't Tell in that I don't know who to be miffed at more.

Harry Reid for being so stubborn,

Senator Republicans for being so bullheaded,

President Obama for being so silent,

those who pushed hard for this vote knowing that if it had succeeded, it wouldn't have been a repeal, or

those who are ready to raise hell on this vote in spite of the fact that, if the Republican filibuster had not have succeeded, they would have been the ones quick to remind everyone about how it's not a repeal

Politics is a strange game which makes my head hurt.

So where does this leave the lgbt community? Angry of course and in the position we have been so many times that we can wear out the welcome mat.

But I hope we aren't so angry that we will just sit behind our computer and throw out platitudes of betrayals or wring our hands in abject misery because yet again some with power in society maneuvered us to the back of the bus, so to speak.

Because I refuse to allow this DADT vote to be a negative epitaph on 2010.

We've had a lot of good things happen this year, including:
a man (George Rekers) who made his living off of distorting the lgbt community being exposed as a hypocrite,

an organization of anti-gay liars spending an entire summer making fools of themselves on a bogus "marriage tour,"

our love for each other being affirmed by the courts who at the same time exposed the arguments against marriage equality as the shams that they are,

and having a path set before us by the same courts for a real appeal of DADT, which is the general course of history, i.e. the courts doing what our legislators don't have the guts to do.

So to me, no matter how nauseating it is to swallow, this ridiculous vote by the Senate is only an annoyance, a roadstop when one takes into account what we community accomplished this year.

And that's the important thing to remember. WE accomplished these things. Behind every victory was the work of tireless, faceless activists who will probably never get the credit they deserve. But their work speaks for itself.

Unlike a certain phony, astroturfed, and  heavily funded movement sweeping some parts of the country, the lgbt community is the real deal. We are the real grassroots. Nobody is forking over millions of dollars to us. No one is giving us free television time to repeat phony talking points. No one is giving us any advantage.

Everything we achieve, we achieve it the hard way.

That's probably why the reason why our victories are taking so long to attain. But when they come, and they will, they will be sweet.

So in situations like the Republican filibuster, it's always good to remember that it's not supposed to be easy. No group working for equality ever had anything given to them. Why should the lgbt community be any different?

But resistance to any push for equality doesn't mean that you are losing. It just means that you are winning.

So vent if you must, but don't get discouraged. We aren't losing, no matter what some people try to tell us.



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DADT repeal, Florida's gay adoption ban, Christine O'Donnell and other Tuesday midday news briefs

Today at 2PM: Schmooze with Steve Pougnet - While we cross our fingers regarding the DADT repeal, let's not forget those will work for the repeal.

Sen. Reid is derailing NDAA legislation - Ugh. Come on Reid. Get off the dime and on the ball.

Florida child welfare agency won't take gay man's kids - Excellent news of a sort. Even if the court rules for Florida's gay adoption ban, Martin Gill - the father in the center of the case, won't lose his children.

Christine O’Donnell: Gays Suffer From “Identity Disorder” - I continue to be speechless by O'Donnell. And by the way, her opponent, Chris Coons did not describe himself as a Marxist. He wrote a paper in college in jest. Really I don't think it's going to make a difference to Delaware voters, but it demonstrates just how low some in the media are by misrepresenting this paper to publicly and without apology demonize him.

Value Voter Recap: We're All Tea Partiers Now (Including God) - Just replace President Obama and his Administration with the phrase "homosexual agenda," and you will get the gist of the constant narrative wafting from these folks.





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Rachel Maddow and the resurgence of the culture wars

Watch some or part of this clip by Rachel Maddow about the so-called culture wars. I disagree with her on one thing though - the culture wars aren't "back," so to speak. They never went away:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy



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Monday, September 20, 2010

Family Research Council sends out pitiful attack email on DADT

Regardless of how the vote goes on DADT (keep your fingers crossed) we are a long way from the mid 90s when a reserved soldier who attended college with me told me that he opposed lgbts serving openly in the military because of how gay men supposedly shove fists up their rectums.

Naturally some on the right are fighting the repeal, including the Family Research Council with this below pitiful effort:

Dear Alvin,

With the economy still in the doldrums, and a massive job-killing tax increase scheduled for January looming over our heads, you would think that legislation to help average Americans find jobs in the private sector would be the top priority for the Democratic leadership in Congress. If you thought that, you would be wrong.

This Tuesday the Senate will vote on a bill that would overturn the 1993 law which codified the military's longstanding prohibition of homosexual conduct in the ranks. The language that would force open homosexuality upon the military is found in the defense authorization bill -- along with another anti-family provision that would turn U.S. military medical facilities here and around the globe into abortion centers.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has arranged it so that pro-family senators do not have an opportunity to offer any of their own amendments to counter his political abuse of our military. This means the only way to stop this monstrosity is to vote against proceeding to the bill.

This bill is not necessary to fund our military -- an appropriations bill does that.

Senators should reject Reid's distorted priorities by voting against advancing this bill at every step. Call your senators today at (202) 224-3121 and tell them to stop using the military to impose this administration's radical homosexual agenda.

I'm disappointed. Nothing about soldiers being "oogled" by gay men or being subjected to "wandering fingers." No citing that ridiculous study about how gay men will rape heterosexual soldiers.

None of that hysterical mess which I have come to expect and "adore" from my religious right emails?

Damn, FRC. You are slipping.

Related posts:

Family Research Council pushes bogus report supporting DADT
 
Family Research Council refuses to acknowledge lgbt servicemen and women

Sorry Family Research Council, but the American people want DADT overturned

Religious right misleads about testimony in DADT hearing

Family Research Council echoes Paul Cameron on DADT

Family Research Council rails about 'sexualization' of the Armed Forces

Was Matt Barber's story about roaming gay hands in the military truthful? I doubt it












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Family Research Council lying about DADT repeal and other Monday midday news briefs

Houston residents like Parker’s job performance - But I thought a lesbian coulden't make a good mayor. At least that's what the religious right implies.

VVS Double Whammy: Smearing Gay Soldiers and US Allies - With the vote on DADT coming up, where would we be without religious right lies on the subject?

Lady Gaga To Rally In Maine To Pressure Senators Snowe, Collins On 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal' - Say what you will, this is pretty cool. The lgbt community does need a figure to unite us behind a cause, whichever it would be.

Another Frivolous Religious Right Lawsuit Thrown Out of Court - And they lose another one. How sweet it is.



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NOM's attack on Iowa judges refuted in powerful video




The National Organization for Marriage is seeking to defeat a crop of judges in Iowa who approved the state's marriage equality law by using the old ignorant talking points regarding "unelected activists from the benches" and "ignoring the will of the voters."

Stop8.org destroys these lies with this youtube video.



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Friday, September 17, 2010

Know Your LGBT History - Armed and Dangerous

Time to lighten up the mood:

If there is one thing I hate worse than insulting lgbt portrayals in the movies and on television, it's insulting lgbt portrayals that are so bad that they come across as just pitiful .

Perfect example is this scene from the 1986 John Candy/Eugene Levy movie Armed and Dangerous. The pertinent part of the scene starts at 3:05 when Candy and Levy are trying to elude bad guys by walking into an x-rated video store. In order to get away from the villains, the two lure a gay guy dressed in leather and another gay guy dressed as a drag queen into the back of the store where they steal their clothing:



Okay maybe I'm just being bitchy but other than the absolutely appalling dehumanization going on here, there are several things wrong with this scene:

1. No self-respecting drag queen I know would dress up in full regalia to go to a porn store.

2. No self-respecting drag queen I know would dress up in full regalia, make-up included, in anticipation of sexual hijinks.

3. A leather aficionado and and a drag queen together in a sexual situation? That's like wearing high heeled pumps with socks. The two just don't go together.

4. Finally, how did John Candy steal the drag queen's "face?" Did the drag queen carry a make-up purse in hand?

Like I said, if you are going to insult the lgbt community, at least let it be an accurate insult.

Of course when are insults ever accurate?

Past Know Your LGBT History Posts:

Know Your LGBT History - The Proud Family

Know Your LGBT History - Suddenly Last Summer

Know Your LGBT History - Gay TV Now

Know Your LGBT History - Stewardess School

Know Your LGBT History - Up the Academy

Know Your LGBT History - Don't be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood

Know Your LGBT History - A Different Story

Know Your LGBT History - Victim

Know Your LGBT History - The Color Purple

Know Your LGBT History - Making Love

Know Your LGBT History - A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy's Revenge

Know Your LGBT History - Noah's Arc

Know Your LGBT History - Ode to Billy Joe

Know Your LGBT History - Adorable Adrian Adonis

Know Your LGBT History - The Night Strangler

Know Your LGBT History - All in the Family

Know Your LGBT History - Tongues Untied

Know Your LGBT History - The Celluloid Closet

Know Your LGBT History - Querelle

Know Your LGBT History - Theatre of Blood

Know Your LGBT History - Strange Fruit

Know Your LGBT History - Designing Women

Know Your LGBT History - The Children's Hour

Know Your LGBT History - Sylvester

Know Your LGBT History - Once Bitten

Know Your LGBT History - The Boys in the Band

Know Your LGBT History - Christopher Morley, the crossdressing assassin

Know Your LGBT History - Midnight Cowboy

Know Your LGBT History - Dracula's Daughter

Know Your LGBT History - Blacula

Know Your LGBT History - 3 Strikes

Know Your LGBT History - Paris Is Burning

Know Your LGBT History - The Women

Know your LGBT History - Soul Plane

Know Your LGBT History - The Player's Club

Special Know Your LGBT History - Fame

Know Your LGBT History - Welcome Home, Bobby

Know Your LGBT History - Barney Miller

Know your lgbt history - The Jerry Springer Show

Know your lgbt history - Martin Lawrence and that 'gay guy' on his show

Know your lgbt history - The Ricki Lake Show

Know your lgbt history - Which Way Is Up

Know your lgbt history - Gays in Primetime Soaps

Know your lgbt history - Boys Beware

Know your lgbt history - The Boondocks

Know your lgbt history - Mannequin

Know your lgbt history - The Warriors

Know Your LGBT History - New York Undercover

Know Your LGBT History - Low Down Dirty Shame

Know Your LGBT History - Fortune and Men's Eyes

Know your lgbt history - California Suite

Know your lgbt history - Taxi (Elaine's Strange Triangle)

Know your lgbt history - Come Back Charleston Blue

Know your lgbt history - James Bond goes gay

Know your lgbt history - Windows

Know your lgbt history - To Wong Foo and Priscilla

Know your lgbt history - Blazing Saddles

Know your lgbt history - Sanford and Son

Know your lgbt history - In Living Color

Know your lgbt history - Cleopatra Jones and her lesbian drug lords

Know your lgbt history - Norman, Is That You?

Know your lgbt history - The 'Exotic' Adrian Street

Know your lgbt history - The Choirboys

Know your lgbt history - Eddie Murphy

Know your lgbt history - The Killing of Sister George

Know your lgbt history - Hanna-Barbera cartoons pushes the 'gay agenda

'Know your lgbt history - Cruising

Know your lgbt history - Foxy Brown and Cleopatra Jones

Know your lgbt history - I Got Da Hook Up

Know your lgbt history - Fright Night

Know your lgbt history - Flowers of Evil

The Jeffersons and the transgender community 



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