When It Comes To Hate, NOM Is There

Box Turtle Bulletin writer Rob Tisinai ticks off just a few of the many, many times NOM has spread a message of hate against LGBT Americans.

• When Reverend Ariel Torres Ortega stood on your stage as your guest at your rally and proclaimed that gays are “worthy to death,” NOM was there. But you didn’t condemn it at the event, on your website, or on your blog.

• When Bishop Robert Evans announced gay marriage represents “the evil modern works of Satan,” NOM was there to spread the message.

• When Kirk Cameron called same-sex marriage a threat to civilization, NOM was there to create a video helping him spread his views and dubbing him a “champion of marriage.”

• When Chik-Fil-A president Dan Cathy said marriage equality activists “are inviting God’s judgment on our nation,” NOM was there to suggest a weekly appreciation day for him.

• When Fox News asked NOM founder Maggie Gallagher about a pageant contestant who said gays “shall surely be put to death and their blood shall be upon them,” Maggie was there, not to condemn the call for violence, but to praise “her courage in coming forward.”

• When commenters on your own blog responded to your complaints about incendiary rhetoric by claiming homosexuality is “a perverted act, just like pedophilia,” and saying they understand why a country like Uganda would want to punish gays with the death penalty? Maggie Gallagher was there — but to defend her own self, not to condemn violence and vilification.

Regarding the first item, I was there in the Bronx that day last year when NOM's invited speaker declared that gay people should be put to death, first in Spanish, then in English via the onstage translator. When I heard the translation, I whipped my head around to see Brian Brown smiling and rocking his heels as he nodded in approval.

UGANDA: Government Raids And Shuts Down Secret LGBT Rights Conference

Acting on the orders of Minister for Ethics & Integrity Simon Lokodo (left), the Ugandan government has raided and shut down a secretly organized conference on LGBT rights.

The two week conference organised by Freedom and Roam Uganda, an association that lobbies for the recognition of same sex relationships in Uganda ended prematurely when the minister ordered them to disperse. "I have closed this conference because it's illegal. We do not accept homosexuality in Uganda. So go back home," Minister Lokodo told the participants. Hotel staff had been asked by the organisers not to direct anyone to Elgon hall where the conference was taking place unless the person had been cleared. This would have required a phone call from the organisers. The Minister said the hotel’s management apologized for hosting the event.

Minister Lokodo ordered the arrest of the conference organizer, but according to the above-linked news story, she escaped. That conflicts with another account reported by Box Turtle Bulletin, which states that the organizer was apprehended, but later released. Lokodo is a former Catholic priest who was defrocked last August when he disobeyed Vatican orders to drop his pursuit of a political office.

IMPORTANT: Box Turtle Bulletin's Jim Burroway notes that contrary to Lokodo's statements to the press, Uganda's "kill the gays" bill is still very much on the table. The genesis of that bill came during visits to Uganda by American evangelicals such as Scott Lively.

UPDATE: Local Uganda television has the story.

HomoQuotable - Timothy Kincaid

"GOProud is a rightwing political organization masquerading as a gay group. Yes, there are gay members – at least three – but their goals, intentions, and actions reveal them to be interested in gay issues only in the context of how they can be spun for partisan advantage. [snip] Sure gay groups have straight members. Some are in leadership. And that is part of inclusiveness. But when you choose a not-openly-gay person to head the board because you don’t actually have any other gay people, you don’t get to call yourself a gay group anymore. At this point I think perhaps we should treat GOProud like PFOX: an irrelevant group claiming to represent people who don’t know or care that they exist. Jimmy and Chris, your little stunt was fun while it lasted, but it’s time you just went home and did something productive with your lives." - Timothy Kincaid, writing for Box Turtle Bulletin.

Read the entire article.

Equality Chart 2011

Chart by Jim Burroway at Box Turtle Bulletin.

The Sissy Boy Experiment, Part 4

A follow-up with Box Turtle Bulletin blogger Jim Burroway.

UGANDA: Kill Gays Bill Back On Table

Box Turtle Bulletin alerts us that despite recent media reports that Uganda's "kill gays" bill had been shelved, in fact it will be debated in the national parliament next week. The bill came into being after American evangelicals visited Uganda with claims that foreign homosexuals wanted to pay Uganda's children to become gay.

The controversial Anti Homosexuality bill is one of several bills that Members of Parliament on the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs committee are set to debate when the House resumes business next week. Speaking to the media at Parliament today, the committee chairman, Stephen Tashobya said though the bill has created both local and international concern, it is up to Parliament to pass the bill. Tashobya says the committee will hold public hearings where stakeholders’ views will be heard and a report made to the House for debate and possible passing before Parliament closes the 8th Parliament.

RELATED: Earlier this week the U.S. House Financial Services Committee approved a bill that would discourage the granting of American foreign aid to nations that "physically persecute" their LGBT citizens. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Barney Frank, faces an uncertain future with the full House.

HomoQuotable - Jim Burroway

"This [Westboro] ruling is important for many reasons. First and foremost, it preserves the primacy of free speech in America, which benefits us all. But from a parochial pro-LGBT narrative, it’s equally important to note that it proves the lie to the multiple instances when anti-gay activists falsely claimed that advances in LGBT equality and protections — whether they come in the form of marriage equality or hate crimes protections — will result in the infringement of religious and speech rights. They never have and, if this ruling is any indication, it reaffirms the fact that they never will. So the next time someone claims that marriage equality will result in pastors being prosecuted for hate speech, make a note of it: Snyder v Phelps." - Jim Burroway, writing for Box Turtle Bulletin.

"Hang Them": Uganda Paper Publishes Names And Photos Of "Top 100 Homos"

CBS News today picked up on the story of a Uganda newspaper publishing the names and photos of the country's so-called "top 100 homos." The yellow banner under the headline reads "Hang Them!"

In the days since it was published, at least four gay Ugandans on the list have been attacked and many others are in hiding, according to rights activist Julian Onziema. One person named in the story had stones thrown at his house by neighbors. A lawmaker in this conservative African country introduced a bill a year ago that would have imposed the death penalty for some homosexual acts and life in prison for others. An international uproar ensued, and the bill was quietly shelved. But gays in Uganda say they have faced a year of harassment and attacks since the bill's introduction. The legislation was drawn up following a visit by leaders of U.S. conservative Christian ministries that promote therapy they say allows gays to become heterosexual. "Before the introduction of the bill in parliament most people did not mind about our activities. But since then, we are harassed by many people who hate homosexuality," said Patrick Ndede, 27. "The publicity the bill got made many people come to know about us and they started mistreating us."

Box Turtle Bulletin, the leading U.S.-based blog for LGBT issues in Uganda, has been all over this story since it first broke on October 4th. BTB's Jim Burroway reports that many of the published photos were harvested from Gaydar and Facebook profiles. Last week BTB noted that Rolling Stone (unrelated to the U.S. music title) had been shut down by the government for reasons that may or may not be related to the "top 100 homos" issue.

How To Help Kill Gay Kids

Using quotes from Maggie Gallagher, Theodore "Vox Day" Beale, and Sen. Jim DeMint, Box Turtle Bulletin contributor Rob Tisinai created the above Christianist hate flow-chart. Hit the link for Rob's post.

Uganda Beheading Story A Hoax

Jim Burroway at Box Turtle Bulletin reports today that yesterday's story about the beheading of a Ugandan LGBT activist was an apparent hoax planted by an anti-gay activist. Hit the BTB link for exhaustive examination of the scam.

Exodus Co-Founder: It Never Worked

Box Turtle Bulletin interviewed Exodus International co-founder Michael Bussee, who says he never once saw his former organization's "ex-gay" program actually turn somebody straight.

Anti-Gay Liberty Counsel Peddles Fake Anti-Gay Pediatricians Group

The Liberty Counsel has issued an alert that the so-called American College of Pediatricians has sent a warning to the nation's educators to be on the lookout for students "experiencing same-sex attraction or gender confusion."

The letter reminds school superintendents that it is not uncommon for adolescents to experience transient confusion about their sexual orientation and that most students will ultimately adopt a heterosexual orientation if not otherwise encouraged. For this reason, schools should avoid developing policies that encourage nonheterosexual attractions among students who may merely be experimenting or experiencing temporary sexual confusion. Such premature labeling can lead some adolescents to engage in homosexual behaviors that carry serious physical and mental health risks. There is no scientific evidence that anyone is born homosexual. Therefore, the College further advises that schools should not teach or imply to students that homosexual attraction is innate, always life-long, and unchangeable. To the contrary, research has shown that therapy to restore heterosexual attraction can be effective for many people. It is not the school’s role to diagnose or attempt to treat any student’s medical condition, and certainly not the school’s role to “affirm” a student’s perceived personal sexual orientation. The “Facts About Youth” website counters the propaganda published by the pro-homosexual pamphlet called “Just the Facts,” which is riddled with inaccuracies.

The above is obviously really about GLSEN's coming Day Of Silence, although they slyly don't say so. But there's one more little problem. The American College of Pediatricians (ACPEDS) isn't real, as was exposed earlier this week by Box Turtle Bulletin's Timothy Kincaid.

Despite the name, ACP is not a institute of higher learning. Nor is it a professional organization for pediatricians. This is an advocacy group dedicated to political goals which is using an authoritative sounding name to fool the unaware. Yes, their officers and their board are all pediatricians (usually older gentlemen in the South), but their “Pediatric Psychosocial Development Committee” reads like a members roster of the virulently anti-gay National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH).

Kincaid goes on to show that the 15 doctors listed as ACPEDS members are either part of the famously discredited NARTH or otherwise part of the anti-gay lie machine. ACPEDS, Focus On The Family and the Liberty Counsel are boldly lying to the nation's teachers and school administrators, knowing that few of them would be able to discern a legitimate doctors organization from the fake one they've cooked up in their relentless campaign to endorse the beating, bullying, torture and harassment of gay youth.

Kincaid notes that the real pediatricians group, the 60,000 member American Academy of Pediatrics, is actually quite gay-friendly and has endorsed gay parenting. Read Box Turtle Bulletin's excellent dissecting of this entire fraud being perpetrated by shameless Christianist liars.

AMFAR To Domain Host Go Daddy: Take Down Neil Horsely's Anti-Gay Site

Two days ago infamous Georgia nutcase Neil Horsely was arrested for making death threats to Elton John over his comment that Jesus Christ was gay. Today Jim Burroway at Box Turtle Bulletin reports that Horsely is also responsible for a campaign in Kenya that calls for the death of homosexuals.

Horsley is not only calling for Elton John’s death, but we have learned that he is also the operator of a Kenyan site known as ProjectSEE. That web site is responsible for placing posters written in Swahili in parts of Kenya containing photos and identifying information for LGBT people, and encouraging Kenyans to follow the Levitical law calling for their death. The anonymous blogger GayUganda received an email from an American in Kenya saying that ProjectSEE is placing posters in the Rift Valley area of Kenya:

First, it explicitly encourages the broad public posting of images of individuals, with a Swahili translation that basically advocates their harm through a Swahili Leviticus ‘quote’ that says death is in order. Encouraging these postings in a place like Kenya presents a very real and potentially harmful threat to their targets. Secondly, they have put individual faces and in some cases contact information on the posters, placing some people at potentially immediate risk. Third, this campaign and website appears to be organized and financed by U.S. citizens based on U.S. soil.

This morning I got a call from amFAR's NYC offices and after putting them in touch with Jim Burroway, amFAR has issued the following letter to the CEO of Horsely's internet host Go Daddy, demanding that they take down his vile website.

Dear Mr. Parsons,

I am writing to make a specific complaint regarding the website www.projectsee.com which is in clear violation of GoDaddy.com terms of service. In section 5 under the heading "NO UNLAWFUL CONDUCT OR IMPROPER USE," it states: "Except as set forth below, Go Daddy may also cancel Your use of the Services, after thirty (30) days, if You are using the Services, as determined by Go Daddy in its sole discretion, in association with spam or morally objectionable activities. Morally objectionable activities will include, but not be limited to:

* activities designed to defame, embarrass, harm, abuse, threaten, slander or harass third parties;
* activities prohibited by the laws of the United States and/or foreign territories in which You conduct business;
* activities designed to encourage unlawful behavior by others, such as hate crimes, terrorism and child pornography;
* activities that are tortuous, vulgar, obscene, invasive of the privacy of a third party, racially, ethnically, or otherwise objectionable;
* activities designed to impersonate the identity of a third party;
* illegal access to other computers or networks (i.e., hacking);
* distribution of Internet viruses or similar destructive activities;
* activities designed to harm or use unethically minors in any way; and
* activities associated with the sale or distribution of prescription medication without a valid prescription.

The website in question clearly shows the names, phone numbers, and emails of individuals whom the authors believe should be targeted in their home country of Kenya. This very personal attack constitutes a direct threat to the safety and well-being of these individuals and is morally reprehensible. Were the individuals Americans, and targeted in the US, this would constitute a clear violation of US law. It is my sincere hope that Go Daddy will take immediate action to remove this website.

The proprietor of this website is one Neal Horsley. Mr. Horsley was arrested on March 10, 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia for making a threat on the life of the entertainer Elton John. The story can be found at this link. It may sound hyperbolic to state, but people's lives in Kenya are in immediate danger. Time is of the essence. Go Daddy must act with expedience if this injustice is to be rectified before it is too late. It is my sincere hope you will see fit to act immediately.

Kevin Robert Frost, CEO, amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research

Contact Go Daddy yourself and request that this murderous site be taken down at once.

Uganda President Wants To Drop Death Penalty (But Life In Prison? OK!)

Box Turtle Bulletin and Ex-Gay Watch earned headlines on Rachel Maddow's show last night for their work exposing the American evangelical "quacktivists" behind Uganda's "kill gays" bill. Well done, guys!

Evangelical Hate-Monger Scott Lively's "Nuclear Bomb" In Uganda

The guys at Box Turtle Bulletin are doing fantastic work exposing the American evangelicals behind Uganda's "kill gays" bill. Here's their first of three clips in a series about Scott Lively, who helped organize the conference that resulted in the bill. Lively's book, The Pink Swastika, claims that gay men orchestrated the Holocaust. Because we are all serial killers at heart. Watch the clip and head over to BTB for analysis and the rest of the series.

NYT Finally Weighs In On Uganda

The New York Times has finally noticed the now months-long debacle over Uganda's "kill gays" bill, in an article about the three American evangelicals largely blamed for spawning the proposed legislation.

Last March, three American evangelical Christians, whose teachings about “curing” homosexuals have been widely discredited in the United States, arrived here in Uganda’s capital to give a series of talks. The theme of the event, according to Stephen Langa, its Ugandan organizer, was “the gay agenda — that whole hidden and dark agenda” — and the threat homosexuals posed to Bible-based values and the traditional African family. For three days, according to participants and audio recordings, thousands of Ugandans, including police officers, teachers and national politicians, listened raptly to the Americans, who were presented as experts on homosexuality. The visitors discussed how to make gay people straight, how gay men often sodomized teenage boys and how “the gay movement is an evil institution” whose goal is “to defeat the marriage-based society and replace it with a culture of sexual promiscuity.”

The three evangelicals now claim they were that they never expected their hatred to result in a death penalty bill.

The three Americans who spoke at the conference — Scott Lively, a missionary who has written several books against homosexuality, including “7 Steps to Recruit-Proof Your Child”; Caleb Lee Brundidge, a self-described former gay man who leads “healing seminars”; and Don Schmierer, a board member of Exodus International, whose mission is “mobilizing the body of Christ to minister grace and truth to a world impacted by homosexuality” — are now trying to distance themselves from the bill. “I feel duped,” Mr. Schmierer said, arguing that he had been invited to speak on “parenting skills” for families with gay children. He acknowledged telling audiences how homosexuals could be converted into heterosexuals, but he said he had no idea some Ugandans were contemplating the death penalty for homosexuality. “That’s horrible, absolutely horrible,” he said. “Some of the nicest people I have ever met are gay people.”

"I feel duped!" lies the lying Exodus International liar. Take it away, Jim Burroway at Box Turtle Bulletin:

What Schmierer has yet to acknowledge is that he had every opportunity not to be “duped,” as he put it. BTB’s Timothy Kincaid sent a warning via Exodus International president Alan Chambers before the conference took place, explaining exactly what he was getting into. Chambers either didn’t pass the warning on to Schmierer, or Schmierer chose to ignore it. The aggravating thing is that this could have been avoided — or, at the very least Exodus International’s implicit participation in the conference. And of course, let’s not forget Exodus’s first attempt at “fixing” the problem they created — their hamfisted attempt to put a positive spin on Schmierer’s talk by “applauding” his being there.

Click over for four NYT audio interviews with Ugandans, including a gay activist, a transman, a cab driver, and an anti-gay politician.

Pepsi Sponsors Uganda Concert By Murder Music Artist Beenie Man

Box Turtle Bulletin reports that Pepsi sponsored Uganda concerts by murder music reggae singer Beenie Man. BTB notes the following story in a Uganda newspaper.

The King of Dancehall stuck a sword of words into gay people through singing and talking. “In my family, we don’t have any gay person but if you’re gay, my brother that’s not my fault,” he said as he performed his song Mi Nah Wallah, in which he says he would like to cut the throats of all gay men. George Bush and Bin Laden were also at the receiving end of the Jamaican’s wrath calling on the audience to say “murderer” as he sang about the pair’s warfare. The show was sponsored by Pepsi and it doubled as the Crown Beverages’ Chamuka Keys Finale with three RAV4 winners presented on stage to join 17 previous winners in receiving their car log books.

This promotion was likely organized by a local Pepsi bottler without the knowledge of Pepsi's home office. Over on Change.org, a form has been created to complain to Pepsi headquarters and demand that their affiliates do not sponsor musical acts that call for the murder of gay men. As you may know, Uganda is considering a bill that may impose the death penalty for some homosexual acts. At best, the bill will call for life imprisonment.

UPDATE: Pepsi disavows knowledge of the performer's anti-gay stance and promises it won't happen again.

Thanks for contacting us today and giving us a chance to respond. We just wanted you to know that, much like you, we are appalled by the performer’s lyrics and find them repugnant. We are not associated with him in any way. Our bottling partner in Uganda was not aware of the performer's views and never would have sponsored the concert with this knowledge. Moving forward, we will work closely with our bottling partners to be more vigilant about the events associated with our brands. Thanks again for reaching out.

Sincerely,
Dave DeCecco
PepsiCo Media Bureau

(Update via Father Tony)

PhoboQuotable - Michael Schwartz

"And one of the things that he said to me, that I think is an astonishingly insightful remark. He said, 'all pornography is homosexual pornography because all pornography turns your sexual drive inwards. Now think about that. And if you, if you tell an 11-year-old boy about that, do you think he’s going to want to go out and get a copy of Playboy? I’m pretty sure he’ll lose interest. That’s the last thing he wants.' You know, that’s a, that’s a good comment. It’s a good point and it’s a good thing to teach young people. [snip]

"But all pornography is homosexual pornography because all pornography turns your sexual drive inwards. And that in fact is what it does. I know couples now who are struggling with the husband’s addiction to pornography. It’s a terrible thing, and that is what happened to him. You know, if it doesn’t turn you homosexual, it at least renders you less capable of loving your wife." - Michael Schwartz, chief of staff for Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK), speaking at Focus On The Family's Values Voters Summit.

(Via - Box Turtle Bulletin)

Stars And Stripes Supports Story That HRC Soft-Pedaled Repeal Of DADT

Three weeks ago reporter Jason Bellini created a firestorm in the gay blogosphere with his Daily Beast story charging that the HRC had asked Congress to put aside working on the repeal of DADT in favor of other items like the passage of hate crimes and ENDA. The HRC issued a vehement denial of the story and after a few days the furor seemed to die down. But Timothy Kincaid at Box Turtle Bulletin points us to this story in yesterday's Stars And Stripes which backs Bellini's account.

An official with the House Democratic leadership said the House is committed to repealing “don’t ask” but has agreed with civil rights groups to put new hate crime legislation and a workplace nondiscrimination bill on the legislative calendar before taking up the military issue. White House officials declined comment on their plans, and on whether the president will send his own “don’t ask” legislation to Capitol Hill. Gibbs this week said simply that “we’re pleased that this is a priority not just of the president’s but of those in Congress, and we’re hopeful that something can get done.” But he also noted that the repeal is just one of numerous goals for the White House this year. The hot-potato game between the White House and Capitol Hill is fueling frustration among gay-rights advocates, who strongly supported both Obama and the Democratic slate of congressional candidates during last year’s election. Both the president and lawmakers promised during the campaign to overturn the “don’t ask” law.

The Stars And Stripes article goes on to quote Nathaniel Frank of the Palm Center, the group who had told Michelangelo Signorile the same story on his SiriusXM show.

Box Turtle Bulletin Forces Illinois Family Institute To Recant Hate Crimes Claim

One of the most repulsive campaigns currently being spread by the right-wing is that the hate crimes act currently before the U.S. Senate protects a massive list of criminal sexual activities including bestiality and pedophilia. A list of 547 sexual paraphilias has been spouted by every wingnut group out there and was heavily quoted by GOP Congressmen during the U.S. House debate.

Yesterday Box Turtle Bulletin forced the Illinois Family Institute to issue this retraction:

In the article entitled “Hate Crimes Bill Moves to Senate” (5/5/09), we mistakenly stated that the American Psychiatric Association’s actual definition of “sexual orientation” includes paraphilias. The APA’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) classifies “sexual orientation” as heterosexual, homosexual, and bi-sexual. The 547 mental disorders called “paraphilias” specifically involve non-human objects, physical pain, or unwilling partners as in pedophilia. IFI apologizes for the error.

More excellent digital activism from gay bloggers. Congrats to BTB's Jim Burroway and Timothy Kincaid. Now let's see if any of the other anti-gay groups take note. World Net Daily continues to run headlines about the "Pedophile Protection Act."