British Documentary: World Congress Of Families And NOM Are Fomenting Anti-Gay Violence Across Africa

Last night Britain's Channel 4 aired Hunted: Gay And Afraid, which points to US-based Christian groups such as the World Congress Of Families and NOM as fomenting anti-LGBT violence across Africa. The Independent reviews:

MacKean's film focused not on the victims but on the "villains", specifically the World Congress of Families, an organisation which, though based in the US, has tentacles stretching into Europe, Africa and beyond. View footage of any high-level meeting to draft draconian, homophobic legislation, anywhere in the world, and it seems you'll find a WCF member or affiliate lurking in the corner of the frame. Figures such as the WCF managing director, Pastor Larry Jacobs, and Brian Brown, president of the National Organisation for Marriage, were tracked down by MacKean and confronted with the accusation that the effect of their lobbying can be to legitimise violence. This isn't news to viewers of the above-mentioned documentaries. It was striking to note how the same lobbying tactics have been replicated from country to country: First, select a biddable local politician as a frontman, then falsely conflate homosexuality with child abuse, spuriously blame gay people for public health issues and repeat as necessary.

Earlier this week the World Congress of Families issued a press release denouncing the show:

The documentary-produced by the British TV current affairs documentary series, "Dispatches" -claims to "expose the backlash against gay rights and to shed light on WCF." From its early promotional material, it appears that the documentary is filled with misinformation, intentional or otherwise, thus failing to acknowledge that WCF is not a lobbying group and has never advocated for laws that would harm, harass, or disparage those choosing an LGBT lifestyle. WCF does, however, support policies and legislation that strengthen the welfare of the natural family and protects human rights for all consistent with The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  "Reputable journalists and documentarians strive to present the truth. We ask that the producers of this documentary get correct information and not tarnish their reputation by airing falsehoods about our organization for the sole purpose of promoting a particular agenda," said Janice Shaw Crouse, a member of the Board of Directors of WCF and Executive Director of the World Congress on Families IX. "At the very least, they should seek comment or reaction from official representatives of WCF about the information they have collected."

The press release goes on to blame the SPLC and the HRC for promulgating "negative and unwarranted attacks" against them. The WCF has also issued a lengthy "Call For Civil Dialogue" which purports to contradict the charges against them. See that message, but read it carefully and you'll see that the WCF basically admits most of the claims made by the SPLC and HRC.

VIDEO: The full Channel 4 documentary has been posted online, but I'm unable to make to video player work at this writing.

RELATED: Last September Brian Brown and representatives from the World Congress of Families attended a Kremlin summit which concluded with a formal written call for more nations to enact brutal anti-LGBT laws.

Hypocrisy Explosion: World Congress Of Families Launches Petition Against "Haters" At Human Rights Campaign

The World Congress of Families concluded their Kremlin summit earlier this month by issuing a call for more nations to criminalize homosexuality. But today they're accusing the Human Rights Campaign of being "haters."

The grossly misnamed Human Rights Campaign (HRC) issued a so-called ‘report’ titled “The Export of Hate” that is nothing but an intentionally misleading, hate-filled attack on individuals and organizations and Christians who oppose their agenda of forcing a redefinition of marriage in America, and throughout the world. The ‘report’ has enjoyed some attention among uncritical, leftist online media outlets. As is their custom, the HRC cites long-discredited and ideologically partisan sources such as the Southern Poverty Law Center to give apparent credibility to their hate-filled invective. They also intentionally misrepresent facts, twisting them beyond recognition to justify the charge that somehow supporting marriage as the union of one man and one woman around the world is wrong.

Several individuals associated with the World Congress of Families including Larry Jacobs, Janice Crouse and Brian Brown were singled out by HRC in their report. The HRC says World Congress of Families is part of a “network of American extremists who are working tirelessly to undercut LGBT people around the world,” people who spread “venomous rhetoric, outrageous theories and discredited science.” The suggestion is made that people like me are OK with “systematic stigmatization, persecution and violence” and may even be fine with gays and lesbians being put to death. WCF readily and proudly pleads guilty to the “crime” of not supporting the HRC’s desire to redefine marriage. WCF has had the nerve to express that view not only here in America, but when invited to speak in other countries. Hence, in the distorted world of the HRC, I am an extremist and “export hate.”

But as HRC well knows, WCF has consistently denounced hate and violence. It is a slur and lie to claim otherwise. It should be clear to any honest observer that the truth is not what HRC is after. Instead they simply seek to silence and intimidate those with whom they disagree. Hence, the self-professed purpose of their “report” is to name and shame those who stand for the truth of the nature of marriage. WCF is proud to have played some small role in this emerging global movement. One of the few things HRC correctly notes is that WCF leaders have spoken at conferences around the world. However, these speeches focused not on “hate” or “division” but on the importance of individuals of different faiths, nationalities, cultures, and political creeds uniting together in a shared defense of the truth of marriage and family. Working together with men and women dedicated to protecting the family is not the definition of hate, but love.

While written in the first person, the petition does not include its author's name. I suspect it was written by Breitbart columnist and C-FAM leader Austin Ruse. The petition is being hosted on CitizenGO, which is affiliated with Brian Brown's Act Right group.

Quote Of The Day - Janet Crouse

"Having swept all before them in the aimless societies of the west, the LGBTIQ crowd is in a howling fury with Russia’s pro-family movement for its refusal to capitulate to their gay marriage agenda. They are calling for federal investigations of Americans participating in what should have been a non-controversial international pro-family celebration, honoring an institution that has been the backbone of virtually all societies throughout thousands of years of history. The International Family Forum, convening in Moscow on September 10 at the State Kremlin Palace and continuing September 11 at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, drew more than 1,000 participants from around the world (including about a dozen individuals from the United States).

"Many Western nations have kowtowed to the pressures of the LGBTIQ movement that seeks to destroy freedom of speech, religious liberty, marriage and the family. Emboldened by their political victories in the United States (more often than not at the hands of unelected judges), the protesters made global headlines by trying to shut down the World Congress of Families’ pro-family celebration in Australia. They succeeded in preventing American organizations -- especially the World Congress of Families -- from participating in the just-completed International Family Forum in Moscow; they threw up barriers and threatened retribution, but they could not shut down either the Australian or the Russian events. The most they could do was demand there be investigations of the American individuals who helped plan the Russian conference, but they could not stop free citizens from participating on their own." - Concerned Women of America senior fellow Janet Crouse, who attended that Kremlin hate summit which concluded with a call for more nations to criminalize homosexuality.

NOTE: Right Wing Watch has repeatedly noted that while the World Congress of Families did take their name off the Kremlin event, their leaders did attend as did NOM head Brian Brown.