Pam Spaulding's Blog, page 114
December 31, 2010
NOM needs to stop peddling in fantasy and face reality about same-sex families
crossposted on Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters
Brian Brown, head of the National Organization for Marriage, published a Christmas message on the group's blog featuring a picture of him and his family:
Brown looks like he has a wonderful family and he has every right to be proud of them.
But something is bothering me. What's the difference Brown's family and these families:
None of these families are any different except for the sexual orientation of the parents. Yet it is this one little thing which propels Brown, NOM, and other members of the religious right to oppose not only same-sex marriage, but also same-sex households. I could cite many studies which easily demonstrate that there is nothing with same-sex households, but sometimes I just feel like I don't need to.
At what point do we recognize the fact that same-sex families having to always have to "prove" themselves is a basic insult?
The truth is we all know of same-sex households which include children and we all know that these children are happy and healthy. We all know that these households provide children with the love, support, and structure they need to get through life.
To claim that same-sex households are harmful or even push the cynical talking point that same-sex households is an "untested experiment" is an insult to basic intelligence.
The question that those on the right, Brown included, never seem to want to answer is what makes them the arbiters of what constitutes a "good family." What gives them the right to create a caste system for families who doesn't fit their narrow idea of an "idealized situation?"
An "idealized situation" is not reality. It's a fantasy. Reality is the fact that two-parent heterosexual families are not always the best place to raise children. Reality is that sometimes children thrives in single parents households or even same-sex households.
If Brown and company really cared about families or children, they would do something more about the reality rather than to manipulate the fantasy.
By writing this, I mean no disrespect to Brown and I certainly don't mean any disrespect to his family. But it is patently obscene to me that someone will show pride in his family while attempting to deny others the chance to have the same privilege simply because he does not agree with their sexual orientation.
December 30, 2010
Report - Pope Benedict: Pedophilia Was 'Fully In Conformity With Man And Even With Children'
Pope graphic by Mike Tidmus
David Badash over at The New Civil Rights Movement delivers this shocking moment of disgusting candor from the head of the pedophile priest protection racket. Via The Belfast Telegraph:
"Pope Benedict XVI also claimed that child pornography was increasingly considered "normal" by society.David:"In the 1970s, paedophilia was theorised as something fully in conformity with man and even with children," the Pope said.
"It was maintained - even within the realm of Catholic theology - that there is no such thing as evil in itself or good in itself. There is only a 'better than' and a 'worse than'. Nothing is good or bad in itself."
..."But outraged Dublin victim Andrew Madden last night insisted that child abuse was not considered normal in the company he kept.
"Mr Madden accused the Pope of not knowing that child pornography was the viewing of images of children being sexually abused, and should be named as such.
It's important to remember that this is the Pope who has declared that laws which legalize same-sex marriage "contribute to the weakening of the principles of natural law," and to "confusion about society's values," and claimed that same-sex marriage "attacks" the "endangered species" that is mankind. Even befo
Michael Medved's theory of bunghole pain and pleasure.
You have to read this to believe it:
I'm just thinking, do you wonder if Mr. Medved liked this film -- all those scantily-clad menz (and their bungholes) -- and inspired him to focus on man-bum issues?"The politically correct attitude not only insists that heterosexual and homosexual relationships are equivalent, but also erases differences between relationships between two women and relationships between two men. If men and women are profoundly different-and both science and common sense tell us they are- then an all-female couple is even more different from an all-male couple than either homosexual bond differs from a heterosexual union.
"This distinction helps explain the oft-noted quirk in public attitudes that sees stronger opposition and denunciation, in the Old Testament and elsewhere, to a physical relationship between two males and intimacy between two females. A physical connection between a female couple, like a physical connection between man and woman, is based primarily on acts of affection. The most common sexual practice between two men involves an act of aggression ---inflicting more pain than pleasure for at least one of the parties. Even decisions by Congress, equating homosexual and heterosexual relationships, or erasing distinctions between the interaction between lesbians on the one hand and gay males on the other, cannot repeal politically incorrect realities."
I should get Medved in touch with Mecklenburg, NC County Commissioner Bill "anal probe/gays are sexual predators" James. They have much to commiserate about.
Guest Post: Left Behind 2010
Below is an guest post by Shannon Cuttle -- Shannon Cuttle is an educator, school administrator, safe schools advocate and trainer, writer and policy wonk. She has a background in non profit leadership, community organizing and policy on a state and federal level. She is the founder of the Safe Schools Action Network and contributor to change.org.
This year will go down in history as full equality became one step closer for millions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender adult community members. From the historic Don't Ask Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010, which will eventually allow openly lesbian, gay, and bisexual service members to serve,to full marriage equality in Washington D.C., to victories such as hospital visitation mandates for LGBT families nationally.
One of the biggest under-reported stories of 2010 affects a population who mostly cannot yet legally vote nor make a donation to a campaign or an organization, and most of whom still depend on an adult to look out for their best interests and in some cases save their lives:
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and gender non-conforming youth and allies.
In 2010 we saw bullying and harassment in schools and communities in Washington, D.C, Texas, Georgia, Indiana, Ohio, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Massachusetts, Colorado, Virginia, Florida, New York, Michigan, Utah, Arizona, Mississippi, Montana, Illinois, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Alaska, Louisiana, Idaho, Connecticut and California, and those were just the stories that we heard about.
In more than half of the United States of America in 2010, youth experienced bullying and harassment.
In 2010, we lost over 20 youth due to reported suicide from bullying and harassment. Keep in mind: those are only the reported cases. Across the nation, we were heartbroken and shocked to learn about many suicides due to bullying harassment, including Seth Walsh, Tyler Clementi, Phoebe Prince, Chloe Lacey, and others. The youngest student that attempted to take hir life from severe bullying and harassment at school was just six years old. Not every story made the news.
This year we also saw student heroes like Will Phillips, Constance McMillen, Ceara Sturgis, Paige Rawl, Graeme Taylor, Derrick Martin stand up and fight back after serve bullying and harassment at school. There are countless other youth whose stories have yet to be told about their struggle, strength, courage, and pain facing bullying and harassment in schools, colleges, and universities. Over 150,000 students miss school each day due to bullying and harassment. And 9 out 10 LGBT youth experience bullying and harassment-especially given the advent of Facebook, Twitter, and other social networking sites. According to GLSEN, 40% of all youth who have access to a computer have experienced cyber bullying.
Youth in 2010 have faced not just bullying and harassment, but homelessness as well. Up to 40% of homeless youth identify as LGBT and are struggling for food and shelter across this nation. Most of these homeless youth were thrown out of their homes or disowned by their families, left on the streets because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
And even progressive advances such as the DADT Repeal Act of 2010 still do not address creating safe spaces for lesbian and gay youth in JROTC, young adults in ROTC, or cadets in our nation's schools, colleges, and universities.
How are we truly providing high quality education if we are not providing inclusive safe schools?
In 2011 we must fight together to make safe schools a priority so that all youth-regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity (actual or perceived), socioeconomic status, disability or impairment , religion, immigration status, race, national origin, HIV/AIDS status, or any other identity-are free from bullying, harassment and discrimination.
What can you do?
Join the movement for safe schools in your local communities and stand up to bullying and harassment when you hear it, see it and take action. Help create inclusive safe spaces and anti-bullying and harassment polices on a local, state-wide, and federal level such as the Student Non-Discrimination Act and Safe Schools Improvement Act.
Make 2011 the year we invest in youth and make sure no child is left behind by making inclusive safe schools a reality.
Get Involved today: Safe Schools Action Network, GLSEN, Make it Better Project, Project Life Vest, Operation Shine America, PFLAG, Trevor Project, It Gets Better Project, Ali Forney Center, GSA Network and your local PTA, LGBT community Center, classroom, school board or college campus.
If you need help please call The Trevor Help Line at:
1-800-U- TREVOR (800-488-7386)
Focus on the Family to House Repubs: investigate pro-homosexual DOJ over DOMA
Boy you'd think by the hysteria over at Focus on the Bunghole that DOMA was about to be overturned by the Obama Department of Justice. The knickers are in a twist over the cases filed against the constitutionality of DOMA by Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley and Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD). When the judge ruled it ungonstitutional, the right erupted and put on their stylish tin foil hats. (Right Wing Watch):Tom Minnery, Vice President of Government and Public Policy at CitizenLink (formerly Focus on the Family Action), is insisting that House Republicans investigate the Justice Department over their handling of the Defense of Marriage Act, or DOMA, in order to fulfill the desires of the GOP's Religious Right supporters.Infuriated by the judge's ruling, Religious Right activists were so assured of DOMA's constitutionality that they maintained that the Justice Department must have intentionally mishandled the cases and purposefully lost. Tom McClusky of the Family Research Council said that "in part, this decision results from the deliberately weak legal defense of DOMA that was mounted on behalf of the government by the Obama administration," and Mat Staver of Liberty Counsel and David Barton of WallBuilders recently discussed why they believe the Justice Department "threw the case."
Minnery's top-class Reynolds Wrap headwear has resulted in his declaration that the House Republicans were wusses the last time they were in control and that the social conservatives must have hearings to investigate the allegedly deeply pro-homosexual DOJ.Will there be comprehensive hearings by House oversight committees on the unwillingness of the Justice Department to thoroughly defend, as the Constitution requires, legal challenges to federal laws? I have in mind the Defense of Marriage Act. The Justice Department has failed to provide an adequate defense against lawsuits seeking to tear away this law.
No Penis, No License: Transman denied marriage license in Michigan
Jordan Swan, who is a female to male transgender man, says he went to the Oakland County Clerk this week to marry his fiancee. The two paid for their marriage license, swore their oaths and signed on the dotted line. Then they were off to the chapel to get married... or so they thought.Unfortunately for the county officials, it's the penis that makes the man. Swan does not have the money for the surgery. Fox's legal analyst disagreed that it's all about the wang:Swan tells Fox 2 News that shortly after the happy couple left the clerk's office they received a call telling them they had to return to the offices to get a refund for their marriage license fee. The reason they were offered when they got to the offices? Swan is not a man because he doesn't have a penis.
"If a doctor signs an affidavit that says you've had the sex reassignment, you can take that to the courthouse and you can get a new birth certificate," explained Fox 2 legal analyst Charlie Langton. "You don't need a penis to become a man."Transgender Man Denied A Marriage License in Oakland County: MyFoxDETROIT.com
Anti-gay 'poo-poo pastor' Martin Ssempa charged with conspiracy
crossposted on Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters
Christmas came early for lgbt Ugandans last week.
Martin Ssempa, a pastor in Uganda infamous for being a chief pusher of the country's "Kill the Gays" bill and also for his penchant for showing "scat porn" in church is among eight people who was either detained or sought after an "alleged conspiracy to injure the reputation of Pastor Robert Kayanja of Rubaga Miracle Centre Cathedral, Kampala."
According to the site Box Turtle Bulletin:
The eight are being charged with filing false accusations against Kayanja, in a bizarre conspiracy to accuse Kayanja of sodomy. As we reported last year, the conspiracy unfolded this way:
Other pastors are jumping onto the “outing” bandwagon to settle scores as well, and the rivalries are so complex that it takes some diagramming to keep it all straight. Here goes: Pastor Solomon Male of Arise for Christ Ministry accused Pastor Robert Kayanja of the Rubaga Miracle Center Cathedral of being a homosexual, along with “a group of other pastors.” Kayanja’s Rubaga Miracle Center is a very large and prosperous megachurch in Kampala. But an apparent friend of Kayanjka, Pastor Joseph Serwadda of the Victory Christian Centre, another megachurch in the Ndeeba section of Kampala which operates two FM stations, accused Male of of being an impostor, saying that he doesn’t even have a church. Kayanja’s personal aide, Chris Muwonge, was allegedly kidnapped and tortured by armed men and held for five days. His captors allegedly wanted him to make a video statement accusing Kayanja of molesting young boys. Kayanja accused his rival, Pastor Michael Kyazze of the Omega Healing Center of being behind the plot. Kyazze’s assistant, Pastor Robert Kayiira was arrested earlier for trying to sneak a laptop computer into Kayanja’s Miracle Center. His close friend? Pastor Solomon Male. Kayanja reportedly believes that Martin Ssempa is involved in the allegations against him as well.
Regarding Ssempa, the Daily Monitor said he is:
accused of hiring Robson Matovu to blackmail Pastor Kayanja. Court heard that Pastor Male reportedly gave Mr Matovu a signed and stamped affidavit implicating Pastor Kayanja while Samson Mukisa was reportedly promised necessities on condition that he would speak publicly on how Pastor Kayanja had sodomised him.The controversy definitely throws a monkey wrench into the claim of those who support the anti-gay Ugandan bill. Supporters, such as Ssempa, have said that the bill was created to protect Ugandans, particularly children, from "gay recruitment."
A police report indicates that complaints of sodomy against Pastor Kayanja did not reveal any evidence the offences. “In retracting their statements, the complainants said they had been mobilised to make false accusations against Pastor Kayanja in order to tarnish his name,” reads a report.
However, Box Turtle Bulletin said the following:
Public charges of sodomy are a common way to settle political and other scores in Uganda. Should the proposed Anti-Homosexuality Bill become law with its death penalty and other heightened penalties for advocacy on behalf of LGBT people or failure to report gay people to police, such conspiracies will increase and carry far greater dangers.
Besides Ssempa, the others who have been detained or sought after are city advocate Henry Ddungu, pastor Moses Solomon Male, Bob Robert Kayiira, Michael Kyazze, lawyer David Kaggwa, Deborah Kyomuhendo, and David Mukalazi.
UPDATE - According to the Ugandan newspaper New Vision , the police are now looking for Ssempa, but so far, he has eluded them.
Related posts:
Martin Ssempa claims to be misunderstood
Martin Ssempa celebrates his homophobia via a blog
'Kill the gays' bill supporter reduced to showing gay porn in church
Martin Ssempa talks about 'poop' to demonize lgbts
Martin Ssempa's obsession with gay sex . . . and poo?
December 29, 2010
RIP Geraldine Doyle, the inspiration for Rosie the Riveter
Geraldine Doyle of Lansing, whose face became the inspiration behind the iconic World War II image of "Rosie the Riveter," has died, according to her family. A memorial service is planned for 4 p.m., Jan. 8 at Tiffany Funeral Home, 3232 W. Saginaw St.
" 'Rosie the Riveter' is the image of an independent woman who is control of her own destiny," said Gladys Beckwith, former director of the Michigan Women's Historical Center and Hall of Fame. "She was a gracious, beautiful woman. Her death is the end of an era, and we need to take note of that. We need to respect what she stood for."
Doyle was 86.
LOLZ Tweet of the day: Peter LaBarbera on hate sites and chutzpah
UPDATE: A winning response from Jeremy...
R. Lee Ermey delivers batsh*t Obama-will-impose-socialism message at USO benefit
Full Metal Jacket's sadistic drill sargeant and present-day GEICO pitchman R. Lee Ermey sounds like he needs to hit the couch and go to namby-pamby land after this "socialist Obama" blow up at a USO benefit, appearing on behalf of Toys for Tots. Via Mediate:
"The economy really sucks. Now I hate to point fingers at anybody, but the present administration probably had a lot to do with that. And the way I see it, they're not going to quit doing it until they bring this country to its knees. So I think we should all rise up and we should stop this administration from what they're doing because they're destroying this country. They're driving us into bankruptcy so that they can impose socialism on us and that's exactly what they're doing. And I'm sick and damn tired of it, and I know you are too. But I know that the Marine Corps will be here forever; this administration won't. Semper Fi."
And with that outburst, he takes his leave quietly back to his table, where the cohosts, clearly somewhat stunned, ask him how he "really feels."
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