Thursday, November 10, 2011

Scapegoating gay men for the Penn State tragedy

It was bound to happen. I was hoping that it wouldn't but in hindsight, I shouldn't have been surprised.

Someone from the religious right is now blaming gay men for the Penn State tragedy.

Peter LaBarbera of the hate group Americans for Truth had this to say:

. . . how many boy victims of homosexual predator Sandusky will end up believing that being homosexual ("gay") is "who they are"? How many will struggle with sexual identity issues? And how many will be told by LGBT advocates and liberal-minded people just to "accept being gay" as "who they are" because they were "born that way"?

. . . There IS a long history connecting homosexuality to pederasty, and a disproportionate link between homosexuality and pedophilia: why else would so many child molestation victims be boys when only 1-3 percent of the population is homosexual?

LaBarbera has a long history of demonizing gay men for even the most trivial of things, but today is probably the lowest he has ever stooped.

Now some may ask why am I publicizing LaBarbera's comments. He obviously wants some type of attention and now I am giving it to him.

This is true. But what LaBarbera said warrants attention. Some of us may scoff at his words but we would be wise to remember one thing. In a subtler form, the slanderous notion that gay men want to harm children has been used by organizations - i.e. the National Organization for Marriage - in efforts stop marriage equality.

In a less subtle form, this lie formed the building blocks of fear and hatred which led to that awful bill in Uganda and subsequently the brutal murder of activist David Kato. His murderer was recently sentenced to 30 years in prison.

So yes, LaBarbera's word warrant attention, but not in the way he desires. LaBarbera's words deserves attention as a shining example of hatred and ignorance encased in a mindset so blind that it refuses to acknowledge truth.  A mindset masked in religious demagoguery and extremism in its most nauseating form.

To whit, there is no link between homosexuality and pedophilia. None whatsoever.

And this is backed by the American Psychological Association, the National Association of Social Workers, the American Academy of Child Psychiatrists and the Child Welfare League of America.

LaBarbera, on the other hand, has no expertise in this area. He has no degrees and has done no research.

He doesn't even cite any studies.

In layman's terms, LaBarbera is talking out of his pudgy ass.

What LaBarbera seems to be doing is speaking from an internal pathological need to smear gay men.

The scandal at Penn State is volatile and out-of-control and that is highly understandable. Children have been harmed, quite possibly psychologically scarred for life.

What we all need to do here is pray for them as well as guard our own children against those who would prey on their innocence.

What we don't need to do allow ourselves to be exploited by someone who doesn't give a damn about anyone or anything but his own personal prejudices.



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'Republicans make bigoted fools of themselves' and other Thursday midday news briefs

Senate Judiciary Committee Advances Respect For Marriage Act - The repeal of DOMA got out of the Senatorial Committee but not before the Republican Senators made homophobic asses of themselves.

Speaking of which, here are the idiotic highlights:

Al Franken Fact Checks Chuck Grassley: Marriage Has Evolved Over Time

Republicans: Only Straight Couples Form ‘Stable Families’, Marriage Equality Is Too Expensive

in other news:

Crafting a ‘Marriage Anti-Defamation’ video: How, why, and who?
- More proof of  NOM's deceptions.

Man Sentenced To 30 Years For Murder Of Ugandan Gay Rights Activist David Kato - Those who helped to foster the attitude in Uganda which led to this murder walk away. But not completely.

Box Turtle Bulletin gives a more detailed look at the murder and the conviction.

As Maryland Prepares For Marriage Equality Push, Catholics Complain Of ‘Religious Liberties’ Infringement - It's sad seeing the lies coming from the Catholic Church in regards to marriage equality.


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Hate group whining that Obama is hostile to Christianity

Tony Perkins

 The Family Research Council's Tony Perkins is whining that President Obama is hostile to Christianity:

I have no doubt, as you look back over the last two and a half of years of this administration, that the President has used his bully pulpit, he has done public policy but beyond the public policy that he’s pushed for, its created an atmosphere that is hostile toward Christianity. And we’re seeing this played out all across this culture and the courts have been emboldened by this and now you see the military doing it as well. There’s no end to this as long as you have someone who is the Commander-in-Chief who is the president of this country that has a disdain for Christianity.

I would sincerely hope that President Obama is hostile to any type of Christianity  defined by Tony Perkins and FRC.

Remember Perkins is the same person who referred to gays as terrorists while FRC spokesman Peter Sprigg advocates deporting gays or criminalizing what he calls their sexual behavior.

The Family Research Council in general has devoted a huge amount of energy demonizing the gay community in the name of God and Christianity. The organization clearly deserves its hate group designation given by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Seems to me that not only President Obama, but any red-blooded American should have a serious disdain for the type of Christianity which FRC and Perkins advocates.

Of course I'm not telling you anything that you don't already know. I know that I am preaching to the choir. But sometimes, the choir needs a pick-me-up from the preacher.



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