Pam Spaulding's Blog, page 121
December 16, 2010
Press Release: Facebook Co-founder "Likes" GLAD
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For immediate release: December 15, 2010Facebook co-Founder Chris Hughes "Likes" GLAD
Video by Hughes and Partner Sean Eldridge Explains $50,000 Gift
Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, whose lawsuits brought marriage equality to Massachusetts & Connecticut, are receiving some high-profile year-end support from former GLAD volunteer Chris Hughes and his partner, Sean Eldridge, in the form of a $50,000 matching gift.
As a Harvard undergraduate, Hughes, who co-founded Facebook, worked on GLAD's Legal InfoLine, helping LGBT callers with legal problems. Sean Eldridge, who is political director for the national organization Freedom to Marry, says, "GLAD has proven to do incredibly smart, effective litigation that has really moved the ball forward. We feel indebted to the work GLAD has done and continues to do."
Chris and Sean made a short video to urge others to give, and also gave an extensive interview for GLAD's newsletter, Briefs, in which they also discuss "The Social Network", the 2008 presidential campaign, and Eldridge's new online venture, Jumo.
Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders is New England's leading legal organization devoted to ending discrimination based on sexual orientation, HIV status, and gender identity and expression.
# # #
Here is the video mentioned in the GLAD presser:
Nicely done, Chris and Sean!
Pentagon report: sexual assault reports up 64% at military academies
The criminal activity graduates right along with the cadets. From the Service Women's Action Network, which calls for the Pentagon to change the "Institutionalized Culture of Sexual Assault and Harassment":
On Wednesday, the Department of Defense's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office (SAPRO) issued their "Annual Report on Sexual Harassment and Violence at the U.S. Military Service Academies" which revealed a 64% increase in sexual assault reports from the previous year, and found that over 90% of assaults go unreported. The report also indicated nearly 80% of sexual harassment incidents go unreported by both men and women because cadets feel it is "not important."Responding to the release of the report, the Service Women's Action Network (SWAN) - a national human rights organization founded and led by women veterans - called on the Pentagon to immediately undergo a process of reviewing and updating policy measures to combat a pervasive culture of rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment (defined by the Dept. of Defense as Military Sexual Trauma, or MST) currently found within the military service academies.
"The military is a top-down organization and positive cultural change must begin with accountability from the highest levels of military leadership," said Anuradha Bhagwati, a former Marine Corps Captain and Executive Director of SWAN. "The vast majority of generals and admirals began their careers as cadets and midshipmen at the military academies. They have been steeped in leadership models and ethical traditions that clearly fail when it comes to issues of Military Sexual Trauma."
The report released today has been published annually since 2006 and provides data on reported sexual assaults involving cadets and midshipmen, as well as policies, procedures and processes implemented in response to sexual harassment and violence during the previous academic year.
"The reality today is that military academies are insular environments where sexual predators face little risk of prosecution, and survivors have little hope for institutional protections," continued Bhagwati. "The academies integrated in 1976 and it took 30 years before a West Point cadet was convicted on a rape charge. Although cadets are finally being prosecuted for sexual offenses, the punishment rarely fits the crime. To change the current culture of impunity, we must hold military leaders accountable by demanding that they support survivors and relentlessly prosecute sexual predators."
The report lists in detail sexual offenses at each academy and the final dispositions of the cases brought for discipline. Of the 41 reports, only 17 were referred to commanders for action: 4 cases were recommended for courts-martial, 3 individuals received Non-Judicial Punishment (administrative discipline), and the remaining 7 received in-school discipline which consisted of additional duties, suspension of privileges, or class demerits.
"The longest sentence that the military handed out in these academy rape cases was only 3-1/2 years in prison," said Bhagwati. "The fact that an individual can plead guilty to raping a fellow cadet and receive punishments like demerits or additional duty instead of jail time is unconscionable."
In New York State, forcible rape is a class B felony, punishable by 12-1/2 to 25 years in prison.
"This issue has far reaching consequences, and not just for those in the military. Rapists are routinely discharged from the military as a form of punishment, often times with nothing in their records that reflects their criminal activity while serving." Bhagwati said. "In these cases the military is unleashing sexual predators into unsuspecting civilian communities where statistics show they are likely to rape again."
On Monday, SWAN and the ACLU filed a lawsuit in U.S. Federal District Court in New Haven, CT against the Department of Defense and the Veterans Administration (VA) to obtain the release of records under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) on the prevalence of MST within the armed services, the policies of the DOD and VA regarding MST and other related disabilities, and the nature of each agency's response to MST.
Stop Anti-Gay Bullying: Seth's Story
By Elizabeth Gill, Staff Attorney, ACLU LGBT Project and the ACLU of Northern California
Seth Walsh was a sweet, intelligent boy who loved his family and did well in school. He was also gay. And for this, he endured years of relentless bullying and verbal abuse at his Tehachapi, California, school. On September 19, 2010, Seth Walsh hanged himself from a plum tree in the family's backyard. He was on life support for nine days before he died on September 28. He was only 13 years old.
Wendy Walsh, Seth's mother, teamed up with the ACLU to help make a difference in the lives of LGBT youth facing harassment. "Schools need to take harassment and bullying seriously when parents or students tell them about it, and when they see it in the halls," she told the ACLU.
Seth's mother is speaking out publicly to tell her son's story.
Seth was in fifth grade when students started calling him "gay." As he got older, the verbal abuse and taunts were more frequent and severe. Seth's family and close friends report that by seventh grade other students constantly called him "queer" and "fag." He was afraid to use the restroom or be in the boy's locker room before gym class. One student reported that a teacher called Seth "fruity" in front of an entire class. Seth's mother told the ACLU that her pleas for help to the school were often brushed aside. Seth's grades eventually dropped from A's and B's to failing as the harassment continued. Friends say that he became depressed and withdrawn.
Seth's story is heartbreakingly common. Verbal and physical abuse at school isolates and degrades lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender students. Recent studies from the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) and in the Journal of Adolescent Health confirm what we know about the serious harassment and safety fears that LGBT youth face. A tragic result of these factors is that LGBT youth are three times as likely to commit suicide as heterosexual youth.
Wendy Walsh is on a mission to change these statistics. Schools, too, can make a big difference. In fact, public schools have a duty to protect students from harassment based on sexual orientation. According to the 2009 School Climate Survey from our colleagues at GLSEN, California and 14 other states require that schools take specific steps to protect LGBT students. Federal legislation – the Student Non-Discrimination Act – is expected to come up early next year and would extend additional protections for LGBT students nationwide. Even when good laws are in place, schools often need tools to adequately protect LGBT students.
At the very least, schools should be taking these five steps to make a safer climate for LGBT students:
Create strong and clear anti-harassment policies and programs.
Take all complaints of harassment seriously.
Provide ongoing professional development for teachers, school counselors and administrators about identifying and stopping anti-LGBT harassment.
Hold regular programs that explain the harmful impact of harassment to students and staff, and include LGBT topics and history in basic curricula.
Support Gay-Straight Alliances on campus.
Wendy Walsh's message is clear: Students have the right to be safe and supported at school for exactly who they are. And parents deserve to know that their kids are going to school in a respectful environment where they are nurtured to reach their full potential. I think we can all agree on that.
Guest column by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand: Tell The US Senate Not To Go Home Until DADT Is Repealed
We are at the doorstep of history and we can't let this moment pass.The House has now passed the standalone "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal bill -- legislation I was proud to introduce in the Senate -- and momentum continues to build toward repeal. Now the Senate must get it done and we must stay in session until we do. As Senator Reid suggested earlier this week, if we don't get to it before Christmas, we must return the week after and and take it up before the new Congress begins on January 5th. Please stand with me and let my colleagues know that you want us to stay in session until "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is repealed.
I know that many of my colleagues are as committed to passing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal as I am. Already, the Senate standalone repeal bill has 47 co-sponsors and I believe we have the 60 votes we'll need to overcome a Republican filibuster. With a new poll showing almost 80% of Americans believe that gays and lesbians should be able to serve openly in our armed forces, the least Republicans and Democrats in the Senate should be able to do is come together and repeal this corrosive and un-American policy.
But an obstructionist group of Republicans are determined to scuttle any and all business the American people have sent us to Washington to do. We need to let them know that nothing will keep us from fighting for equal rights for all Americans willing to risk their lives for our country or passing health care for the 9/11 heroes, a fight I am also leading in the Senate.
Join me in letting the US Senate know that you want us to stay until our work is done.
Thanks for all your advocacy on this important issue. I've been moved by all the support I've received since I wrote about my meeting with Lt. Dan Choi in June 2009. That meeting was eye opening for me and really set me on this path toward fighting for repeal of this unjust policy. I wish Dan a swift and full recovery. He has served our country bravely and has been an inspiration to me and so many others. When the Senate finally votes on this standalone bill, my vote will be in honor of Lt. Choi and all of our brave LGBT men and women who simply wish to serve openly and honestly in our military.
Tell The US Senate Not To Go Home Until DADT Is Repealed
The House has now passed the standalone "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal bill -- legislation I was proud to introduce in the Senate -- and momentum continues to build toward repeal. Now the Senate must get it done and we must stay in session until we do. As Senator Reid suggested earlier this week, if we don't get to it before Christmas, we must return the week after and and take it up before the new Congress begins on January 5th. Please stand with me and let my colleagues know that you want us to stay in session until "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is repealed.
I know that many of my colleagues are as committed to passing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" repeal as I am. Already, the Senate standalone repeal bill has 47 co-sponsors and I believe we have the 60 votes we'll need to overcome a Republican filibuster. With a new poll showing almost 80% of Americans believe that gays and lesbians should be able to serve openly in our armed forces, the least Republicans and Democrats in the Senate should be able to do is come together and repeal this corrosive and un-American policy.
But an obstructionist group of Republicans are determined to scuttle any and all business the American people have sent us to Washington to do. We need to let them know that nothing will keep us from fighting for equal rights for all Americans willing to risk their lives for our country or passing health care for the 9/11 heroes, a fight I am also leading in the Senate.
Join me in letting the US Senate know that you want us to stay until our work is done.
Thanks for all your advocacy on this important issue. I've been moved by all the support I've received since I wrote about my meeting with Lt. Dan Choi in June 2009. That meeting was eye opening for me and really set me on this path toward fighting for repeal of this unjust policy. I wish Dan a swift and full recovery. He has served our country bravely and has been an inspiration to me and so many others. When the Senate finally votes on this standalone bill, my vote will be in honor of Lt. Choi and all of our brave LGBT men and women who simply wish to serve openly and honestly in our military.
Family Research Council's anti-SPLC campaign places bullseye on the backs of Republican leaders
crossposted on Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters
Those organizations either named as anti-gay hate groups or profiled for their tendency to defame the lgbt community via lies are running scared. On Tuesday morning, they brought out the "big guns"
From People for the American Way's Right Wing Watch:
. . . FRC announced that it was running this open letter [PDF] in both Politico and The Washington Examiner and that the effort had the support of dozens of Republican members of Congress and conservative leaders:
Family Research Council (FRC) announced the placement of a full-page open letter in today's print editions of Politico and the Washington Examiner responding to the Southern Poverty Law Center's (SPLC) recent attacks on FRC and other groups.
SPLC has targeted FRC and other organizations that uphold Judeo-Christian moral views, including marriage as the union of a man and a woman. The open letter, signed by more than 150 organizational leaders, Members of Congress and other elected officials, calls for a "vigorous but responsible exercise of the First Amendment rights of free speech and religious liberty that are the birthright of all Americans."
The open letter was signed by many current and former elected and government officials including Speaker-designate John Boehner, Majority Leader-elect Eric Cantor, U.S. Reps Mike Pence (R-IN), Michele Bachmann (R-MN), John Carter (R-TX), John Fleming (R-LA,) Trent Franks (R-AZ), Louie Gohmert (R-TX,) Gregg Harper (R-MS), Jeb Hensarling (R-TX), Jim Jordan (R-OH), Steve King (R-IA,) Don Manzullo (R-IL), Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Joe Pitts (R-PA), Peter Roskam (R-LA), Lamar Smith (R-TX,) Steve Scalise (R-LA,) Fred Upton (R-MI), U.S. Senators Jim DeMint (R-SC), Jim Inhofe (R-OK,) David Vitter (R-LA), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Sam Brownback (Gov.-elect, Kansas), Governor Bobby Jindal, former Governor Mike Huckabee, Governor Tim Pawlenty, former Senator Rick Santorum, Edwin Meese III, former Attorney General of the United States, and Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli.
Those look like some pretty heavy hitters, don't they? Personally I am not impressed. The vast majority if not all of these individuals have been very vocal with their tendency to stigmatize the lgbt community whether it be Mike Huckabee with his insults to lgbt households, Tim Pawlenty via his unnecessary and coldhearted vetoing of a bill that would allow same sex partners to make end-of-life decisions for their partners, or Jim DeMint who doesn't believe in the hiring of any gay teachers.
But it would seem to me that FRC, through its need to deny the obvious (that its hate group status does not come from upholding "Judeo-Christian" moral beliefs but its desire to smear the lgbt community via lies and junk science), have now expanded the bullseye placed on its back by the Southern Poverty Law Center to include Congressional leaders who have signed this madness.
If the lgbt community and our allies take advantage of this situation, we would communicate with any and all of these Congressional leaders via email, phone, or whatever and ask:
Congressman or Congresswoman so-and-so,
Do you really stand with groups who proclaim that:
•Gays should be exported from the country;
•The federal government must be overthrown if it allows gay marriage;
•"Moral perverts" need to be kept out of the military;
•There is nothing "conservative" about "one man violently cramming his penis into another man’s lower intestine and calling it 'love'";
•Homosexual behavior ought to be outlawed;
•Gay sex ought to carry criminal penalties;
•Gays ought to be prohibited from serving in public office;
•Gay sex is domestic terrorism;
•"Hitler recruited around him homosexuals to make up his Stormtroopers ... [because] homosexual soldiers basically had no limits [to] the savagery and brutality they were willing to inflict."
Or how about organizations who will intentionally cite discredited research in order to smear lgbts the same way the Klan cites FBI statistics to smear African-Americans?
We need those questions continuously until we either receive an answer or, at the very least, send a message to these leaders that maybe they should know all of the facts behind a situation before interjecting themselves into it.
UPDATE - the Southern Poverty Law Center issued a what can only be described as devastating response to FRC's campaign. This is my favorite part:
Despite the claims made in today’s statement, the SPLC’s listings are not in any way intended to suppress these groups’ free speech. We’re not asking that these groups be silenced or punished in any way. What we are doing is calling them out for their lies. There is nothing wrong with labeling an organization a hate group based on what they say. A simple example illustrates the point: If a neo-Nazi group said all Jews are “vermin,” no one would argue with our characterizing it as a hate group.
Neither are we mounting an attack on individuals or “groups that uphold Judeo-Christian moral views,” as today’s statement suggests. In fact, as we say in our article dissecting the views of these groups, “Viewing homosexuality as unbiblical does not qualify organizations for listing as hate groups.” Instead, as we explained there, “the SPLC’s listings of these groups is based on their propagation of known falsehoods — claims about LGBT people that have been thoroughly discredited by scientific authorities — and repeated, groundless name-calling.”
For another good list to ask Congressional leaders about, go to:
FRC's 'Start Debating, Stop Hating' effort: Let's look at some of those aligned debaters, shall we?
Thursday This & That: Open Thread
It's an open thread! Pleeeeease feel free to chat, blogwhore, and link-share in the comment thread...
So, this is what my cartoon sockpuppet Bookworm Bob have been looking at since our last This & That post.
Do you remember Ceara Sturgis? She is a young, Mississippi lesbian who sued her former school district (Copiah County School District) over their leaving her photo out of the senior section of her High School's yearbook. The school left her photo out of the yearbook because she was we wearing a tuxedo instead of the drape mandated for female students; She is suing the Wesson Attendance Center (her former high school) and the Copiah County School District over this. The ACLU is arguing that the school and school district violated Ceara Sturgis rights by removing her photo from the yearbook.
Bay Windows has an update to the story, in their aritcle Miss. school: Bikini photo negates lesbian's suit:
A Mississippi school district hopes photographs of a teenage lesbian in a bikini will help lead to the dismissal of a lawsuit claiming her rights were violated when a picture of her in a tuxedo was left out of the yearbook's senior section....The district, which is asking the court to dismiss Sturgis' lawsuit, contends that the teenager had maintained the drape was offensive and a form of sex discrimination. Yet, Sturgis chose to wear a bikini to the senior party, which is a school function, according to the documents. Pictures from the pool party also appear in the yearbook.
Sturgis has said she likes to wear masculine clothes and that's why she donned a tuxedo instead of a drape to appear in the 2010 Wesson Attendance Center yearbook.
The district, which is asking the court to dismiss Sturgis' lawsuit, contends that the teenager had maintained the drape was offensive and a form of sex discrimination. Yet, Sturgis chose to wear a bikini to the senior party, which is a school function, according to the documents. Pictures from the pool party also appear in the yearbook.
"Indeed, it is hard to conceive of an item of clothing more sexualizing and feminine than a bikini," the district said in the documents.
The ACLU responded by pointing out that Ceara Sturgis was also wearing long shorts in the photo the school district is citing. I'm trying to understand this -- the school district is arguing that if she were really uncomfortable in women's clothing she would have exposed her breasts? Or are they arguing that she had to be dressed in male clothing 24/7 for some unspecified length of time to make an argument that she was uncomfortable in women's clothing?
I hate it when enforcement of the sex and gender binary in enforced on people who don't fit into it.
Alastair MacAulay, a New York Times dance critic, on November 30th reviewed a New York City Ballet production of The Nutcracker. In the review, entitled Timeless Alchemy, Even When No One Is Dancing, claimed that the dancer who played the Sugar Plum Fairy -- Jenifer Ringer -- well, let me just quote him:
Jenifer Ringer, as the Sugar Plum Fairy, looked as if she'd eaten one sugar plum too many...
In other words, he called the dancer fat. Tara Parker-Pope in Well -- the New York Times' health and fitness blog -- had this to say about the dance critic's commentary in her blog entry The Ideal Ballerina:
In a now infamous review, the New York Times dance critic Alastair Macaulay criticized the body of dancer Jenifer Ringer, who is cast as the Sugar Plum Fairy in "George Balanchine's The Nutcracker" at the New York City Ballet. The dancer, Mr. Macaulay wrote, "looked as if she'd eaten one sugarplum too many."The comment triggered a storm of protest among readers and on the Internet. Mr. Macaulay defended his remarks with a thoughtful essay entitled "Judging the Bodies in Ballet."
While I understand the general point made by Mr. Macaulay about the role of criticism, I am still searching for the extra pounds he spotted on Ms. Ringer, who clearly isn't overweight by any standard. More important, I'm troubled by the suggestion that an emaciated dancer is somehow more pleasing to watch. To my eye, Ms. Ringer, who has talked openly about struggling with disordered eating, looks like the ideal ballerina - an athletic, graceful woman who dances with strength.
The ballerina in question, Jenifer Ringer, responded to the reviewer's comments:
It's a physical profession. We're dancing all day long.... But if you're too thin, you can't do the job. That's where people run into trouble. When I went through my eating disorders, I went through anorexia; when you're weak, you can't do the job, and you can't perform it well.
As a dancer, I do put myself out there to be criticized, and my body is part of my art form. At the same time, I'm not overweight. I do have, I guess, a more womanly body type than the stereotypical ballerina, but that's one of the wonderful things about the New York City Ballet. We have every body type you can imagine. We have tall, we have petite, we have athletic, we have womanly, we have waif-like. We have every body type out there. They can all dance like crazy. They are all gorgeous, and I think dance should be more of a celebration of that - seeing these beautiful women with these different bodies all dancing to this gorgeous music, and that's what should be celebrated.
I agree with Tara Parker-Pope and Jenifer Ringer on this. Just as I don't like rigid sex and gender binaries, I also don't like rigid body weight/body type binaries.
Pink News's UN secretary-general says culture must not override gay rights:
The secretary-general of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, has called for homosexuality to be decriminalised globally.Speaking last Friday on Human Rights Day, Mr Ban said that people were "not put on this planet to live in fear of their fellow human beings" and that human rights must trump cultural attitudes.
He was speaking on a panel with US ambassador to the UN Susan Rice.
The panel condemned violence against LGBT and the continued criminalisation of gay people in more than 70 countries worldwide.
Ms Rice said that the US would seek to reinstate reference to gay people in a UN resolution condemning executions. Arabic and African countries successfully amended the measure in a vote last month.
Pink News has a copy of the whole speech up at their website. It's worth the read.
AOL's Harvard: Urine on Gay Books Was Accident, Not Hate Crime:
Those gay-themed books that were soaked with urine at a Harvard College library were not a hate crime after all, the school says, but a simple accident caused by a staffer who spilled a bottle of liquid waste on 36 tomes.Why a bottle of urine was sitting on a library shelf in the first place has yet to be explained.
"This incident was initially reported as vandalism and characterized as a hate crime," Evelynn Hammonds, dean of Harvard College, wrote Monday on the university's website. "We have learned this morning that the books, while indeed damaged, were damaged by our own library personnel accidentally spilling a bottle of what was reported to be urine that had been left on the shelf.
"I believe this is an important new fact in the investigation and warrants my sharing it with you immediately."
The prestigious college's announcement last week that vandals had destroyed three dozen gay and lesbian books by dousing them with urine created a stir on the Internet, with blog site Gawker weighing in with the headline "Homophobic Pee Vandal Haunts Harvard." ...
Metro Weekly has a piece up on the story of the urine soaked books too, with the headline of Urine-doused library books at Harvard leave gay students pissed off. 
Our Wiener Story Of The Day: MTV's Kim Kardashian Weighs In On Kanye West Baby Rumors, Music Project; '[In] New York [I] put on like 10 pounds and then I'm pregnant with Kanye's baby!' reality star laughs.:
Kim Kardashian had everyone talking when she was spotted hanging out with Kanye West in New York last month. Kardashian's face time with the rap superstar was documented for the upcoming E! reality show "Kourtney and Kim Take New York," and it also has generated a lot of rumors. Many gossip blogs began speculating that not only were Kim and Kanye dating, but that they also were expecting a little bundle of joy. The reality starlet laughed off the allegations when MTV News caught up with her at Z-100's Jingleball in New York on Friday night.
"My reaction is, 'God, I've got to stay away from those hot dogs and nuts on the street corner and the ice cream!' " she explained. "Like those trucks, I've never seen that before - trucks of ice cream. You have to stop and eat! I couldn't control myself, so [in] New York [I] put on like 10 pounds and then I'm pregnant with Kanye's baby, so whatever! What can you do?! Hit the gym!"
As always, "The weenie tempts you! ... and apparently Kim Kardashian too!"
So anywho...It's an open thread! What are you thinking about today, or what books or articles have you been reading the past few days? Wanna share?
And again, please feel free to chat, blogwhore, and link-share in the comment thread because...it's an open thread! Woo-hoo! 
December 15, 2010
David Pakman interviews AFA's deranged homo-hater Bryan Fischer
Friend of the Blend and ace interviewer
David Pakman
of The David Pakman Show has a can't-miss interview with homo-hater Bryan Fischer of the American Family Association -- and you won't believe that garbage is spewing out of Fischer's mouth. OK, you can probably imagine some of the filth, but look at the choice quotes below the videos.Bryan Fischer, American Family Association Director of Issues Analysis and the Host of "Focal Point" on AFR Talk joins David Pakman to discuss ex-gays, quitting homosexuality, risks of gay sex, supporting gay porn stars, being on the Southern Poverty Law Center's anti-gay hate group list, and much more.But wait, there's more...
Fischer: "The Southern Poverty Law Center belongs on its own list [of hate groups]...for peddling falsehoods about homosexuality"
"We're the ones telling the truth about the link between homosexuality and pedophilia."
"Active participation in the homosexual lifestyle will deprive a male of anywhere between 8 and 20 years of his life expectancy"
"There is 'no such thing as a monogamous homosexual relationship'"
Fischer: "The rectal wall is one cell thick"
"We need to take our cue from gay porn actors"
"Those homosexual activists that are so intent on normalizing homosexual behavior...they must be harboring some deep seated longing to be straight"
"...homosexual activists must be latently heterosexual"
"When the American people have been able to go to the polls and vote on the definition of marriage, we are 31 and 0"
David Pakman of Midweek Politics interviews AFA's deranged homo-hater Bryan Fischer
Friend of the Blend and Midweek Politics ace interviewer
David Pakman
has a can't-miss interview with homo-hater Bryan Fischer of the American Family Association -- and you won't believe that garbage is spewing out of Fischer's mouth. OK, you can probably imagine some of the filth, but look at the choice quotes below the videos.Bryan Fischer, American Family Association Director of Issues Analysis and the Host of "Focal Point" on AFR Talk joins David Pakman to discuss ex-gays, quitting homosexuality, risks of gay sex, supporting gay porn stars, being on the Southern Poverty Law Center's anti-gay hate group list, and much more.But wait, there's more...
Fischer: "The Southern Poverty Law Center belongs on its own list [of hate groups]...for peddling falsehoods about homosexuality"
"We're the ones telling the truth about the link between homosexuality and pedophilia."
"Active participation in the homosexual lifestyle will deprive a male of anywhere between 8 and 20 years of his life expectancy"
"There is 'no such thing as a monogamous homosexual relationship'"
Fischer: "The rectal wall is one cell thick"
"We need to take our cue from gay porn actors"
"Those homosexual activists that are so intent on normalizing homosexual behavior...they must be harboring some deep seated longing to be straight"
"...homosexual activists must be latently heterosexual"
"When the American people have been able to go to the polls and vote on the definition of marriage, we are 31 and 0"
Reactions to House passage of DADT repeal bill
"Today the House voted once again to empower the Defense Department to repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' - a policy of officially-sanctioned discrimination," said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer. "It forces brave men and women to lie about who they are, and it compromises the military's core value of integrity every day. The majority of our troops want it repealed. And the leaders of our Armed Forces - Secretary Gates and Admiral Mullen, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff - want it repealed, as well. The Senate must join the House and vote for a responsible end to 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' so we can send it to the President's desk for his signature."The President:"With today's vote, we are a step closer to dismantling a policy that is not only discriminatory but is harmful to our national security," said Congressman Patrick Murphy. "We've lost thousands of patriotic, highly-trained troops - infantry officers, fighter pilots, and even Arabic translators - who were kicked out of the military just because they happened to be gay. Enough is enough. We've studied the issue, we've heard from our troops, we've debated repeal. Now it's time to act. Democrats and Republicans came together in the House to pass repeal, and I urge Senators of both parties to follow suit and put an end to this policy once and for all," Murphy concluded.
"America has always been the land of the free and the home of the brave," Speaker Nancy Pelosi said. "Repealing the discriminatory 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy will honor the service and sacrifice of all who dedicated their lives to protecting the American people."
House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn stated: "Today is a proud day. I have been associated with this issue for 36 years, 18 as an administrator in state government, supervising the investigations of cases of discrimination. It impacts me in an emotional way, because I can remember how difficult it was to investigate cases of mistreatment when we had to separate out race, sex and gender. When I had an opportunity to help make this change in law a reality as Majority Whip, I saw it as a labor of love. I am proud that we got to this point once again, to repeal this discriminatory policy that has weakened our military by either discharging gay and lesbian soldiers who have defended our country heroically or forcing thousands of soldiers to lie about who they are. I believe the military can implement a change in the policy without disrupting readiness, effectiveness or unit cohesion. I hope the Senate will act quickly and end this injustice."
"Integrity is a hallmark of military service," said Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (WI-02), Co-Chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus. "Yet for 17 years we have had a statutory policy that requires some in our military to conceal, deceive, and lie. In my opinion, that policy is un-American. I'm proud of our vote today to end that discriminatory policy. It now falls on the Senate to do the right thing," Baldwin said.
Congressman Barney Frank (MA-04) said, "Thanks to the leadership of Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Hoyer, the House has now given the Senate a full range of options that should eliminate any procedural obstacle to the repeal of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.' Since more than 60 Senators have publicly committed to supporting this bill, there is no reason that we cannot accomplish this important goal before we adjourn for the year."
"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is the only law in the country that requires people to be dishonest or be fired if they choose to be honest," said Congressman Jared Polis (CO-02). "It's a law that not only is hurtful to the men and women who put themselves at risk serving in our armed forces, but it's a law that's hurtful to our national security and must be repealed. Regardless of their political party, people recognize that on the battlefield it doesn't matter if a soldier is gay or straight; what matters is they get the job done to protect our country."
THE WHITE HOUSEThe Pentagon:Office of the Press Secretary
________________________________________________FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 15, 2010Statement by the President on the House Passage of the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010
I applaud the House for passing, with bipartisan support, the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010. Legislative repeal is supported by the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The process contained in this legislation allows for a smooth and responsible repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" in a way that maintains good order and discipline in our military ranks. Indeed, all of the Service Chiefs have said that when this law is changed , they will implement an orderly transition effectively and efficiently. As the comprehensive study by the Department of Defense clearly shows, we can move to a new policy in a responsible manner that ensures our military strength and our national security.I particularly want to thank Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, and Congressman Patrick Murphy for their leadership on this issue. I have consistently called for the repeal of this law. Moving forward with the repeal is not only the right thing to do, it will also give our military the clarity and certainty it deserves. We must ensure that Americans who are willing to risk their lives for their country are treated fairly and equally by their country.
Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell:More reactions are below the fold; we'll add them as they come in."Secretary Gates is pleased that the House of Representatives has voted to repeal the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law. He encourages the Senate to pass the legislation this session, enabling the Department of Defense to carefully and responsibly manage a change in this policy instead of risking an abrupt change resulting from a decision in the courts."
Courage Campaign Chairman and Founder Rick Jacobs:
"For the second time this year, the U.S. House of Representatives has stood with three quarters of the American people, our top military commanders, the overwhelming majority of our troops, and the values that generations of brave patriots have fought and died to defend, by voting to repeal the military's failed "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy. Today's vote is an important step towards strengthening an all-volunteer force that's been strained by nine years of war and the unnecessary discharge of more than 13,500 qualified servicemen and women.People for the American Way:Now, it is time for the U.S. Senate to finish the job. Since our troops do not get to come home for the holidays, the Senate must remain in session until "Don't Ask Don't Tell" is repealed once and for all."
Michael Keegan, President of People For the American Way, issued the following statement:Log Cabin Republicans:"The House has once again stood with the American people, the leaders of our military, and our men and women in uniform in voting to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell. The minority of Republican senators who are fighting to save this discriminatory and failed policy have resorted to far-fetched arguments and procedural excuses in their efforts to stall the process of repeal. Secretary of Defense Gates and Joint Chiefs Chair Admiral Mullen have spoken clearly and eloquently about the need for immediate repeal, and more than 60 senators have said they will listen to their advice. It's now time for the Senate to put aside excuses, and do what's right for the military and the country."
Leslie Watson Malachi, Director of African American Ministers in Action, added:
"Don't Ask, Don't Tell forces men and women serving this country to make compromises with the values of honor, integrity, faithfulness and service. Until the policy is repealed, gay and lesbian service members will continue to be forced to lie about their identities in order to serve their country. Gay and lesbian individuals are ready and willing to step up, and have stood up to the challenge of military service. They share in the sacrifices made by their family, friends, and neighbors. During this season of giving, give what they deserve - to serve honestly and openly with dignity."
The Debate Is Over - It's Time for Republicans in the Senate to Act to End 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force:
"Today the House of Representatives voted to enact the clear will of the American people, which demands that 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' be stricken from the books," said R. Clarke Cooper, Log Cabin Republicans Executive Director. "The bipartisan majority acted in accordance with the advice of the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, both of whom believe not only that smooth implementation of open service is possible, but that it is the right thing to do at this time. Log Cabin Republicans call upon Republicans in the United States Senate to join Senator Susan Collins and pass repeal of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' as soon as possible. Self-identified conservatives and Republicans across the United States support allowing gays and lesbians to serve honestly.
"This policy has been studied, it was subject of multiple Congressional hearings, and tried in a federal court of law. The consistent analysis concludes 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' is not necessary to military readiness but is, in fact, corrosive to the core values of our armed forces. Senators have the chance now to stand on the right side of history by voting for the integrity of our men and women in uniform. Senators who choose to ignore the will of the American people and the recommendations of the Department of Defense limit the full potential of our armed services."
Log Cabin Republicans allies who voted for H.R. 6520 are:
Judy Biggert (R-IL)
Mary Bono Mack (R-CA)
John Campbell (R-CA)
Anh 'Joseph' Cao (R-LA)
Mike Castle (R-DE)
Charlie Dent (R-PA)
Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL)
Charles Djou (R-HI)
David Dreier (R-CA)
Vernon Ehlers (R-MI)
Jeff Flake (R-AZ)
Ron Paul (R-TX)
Todd Platts (R-PA)
Dave Reichart (R-FL)
Ilean Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL)
Statement by Rea Carey, Executive Director, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force"We thank the House for once again stepping up and showing leadership on this critical issue of fairness. House members who supported 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' repeal today understand that the lives and careers of qualified and patriotic service members hang in the balance. They know, as do three-quarters of Americans, that this discriminatory policy is unnecessary, costly and unfair. This vote moves us closer to ending a shameful chapter in our nation's history, and toward creating a path that could end in men and women being able to serve openly, honestly, and to great benefit of our country. We urge the Senate to do its part and pass repeal legislation. It's long past time to stop playing politics with the thousands of patriotic men and women willing to risk their lives by serving in the military."
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