HRC: Comments Comparing Prop 8 Protestors with Mumbai Terrorists Shows True Colors of Anti-Gay Movement

FROM THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN:

Pat Boone’s Bizarre Rant Claims “Awful Similarity” Between “Jihadists” in Mumbai and Prop 8 Protestors; Attacks CA Gov Schwarzenegger for Encouraging Protests

12/9/2008

WASHINGTON – The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender civil rights organization, responded today to the exclusive commentary posted on the extremist, right-wing website World Net Daily by anti-gay activist and former singer Pat Boone. Boone published a bizarre and disturbing commentary comparing the horrific tragedy in Mumbai, which took the lives of over 170 people, to the protests against Proposition 8 here in the U.S. In essence, equating the Mumbai tragedy with those protesting the passage of the discriminatory amendment in California that took marriage rights away from gay and lesbian couples to terrorists.

In the commentary titled “Hate is hate, in India or America,” which can be viewed at http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=82830, Boone writes, “let me ask you: Have you not seen the awful similarity between what happened in Mumbai and what’s happening right now in our cities?” Boone went on to state, “What troubles me so deeply, and should trouble all thinking Americans, is that there is a real, unbroken line between the jihadist savagery in Mumbai and the hedonistic, irresponsible, blindly selfish goals and tactics of our homegrown sexual jihadists.”

“Pat Boone wouldn’t normally warrant a second thought, even if his only claim to fame these days is his unabashed homophobia, but his disturbing commentary on this right-wing site can’t go unanswered,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. “His commentary marks a new low in anti-gay rhetoric. And yet it also demonstrates the depths of hatred from these demagogues toward the LGBT community. Most Americans would be shocked to see this level of vitriol coming from someone who presented himself as America’s sweetheart.”

Boone even lodged an attack on Governor Schwarzenegger for encouraging gay Americans to “never give up” in the quest for equality. Boone wrote, “You haven’t seen, on the evening news, prominent entertainers and even California Gov. Schwarzenegger, urging the demonstrators on, telling them they should “never give up” until they get their way?” Boone added, “Hate is hate, no matter where it erupts. And hate, unbridled, will eventually and inevitably boil into violence.”

“Bigots like Boone will never see how absurd their arguments are, but just like that other anti-gay icon from the 70s, Anita Bryant, Pat Boone’s screed actually helps our efforts for equality,” continued Solmonese. “In most places in America today it isn’t acceptable to be an outright bigot. Obviously, Pat Boone hasn’t got that memo.”

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The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.

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GLAAD UPDATE: Episcopal Leaders Say ‘No’ to Defectors and ‘Yes’ to Gay People

December 08, 2008

The head of the Episcopal Church announced that defectors from the denomination, who broke away because of the ordination of openly gay Bishop Gene Robinson, are no longer members of the Episcopal Church. Presiding Bishop Katherine Jefferts-Schori took a stand after leaders in the breakaway dioceses announced that they would form a rival denomination and seek official standing with the worldwide Anglican Communion. Many members in the offending dioceses of Pittsburgh; Fort Worth; Quincy, Ill; and San Joaquin chose not to defect and their congregations are being reorganized.

On the following day Bishop Jefferts-Schori was present as the Los Angeles Diocese voted to lift the moratorium on the ordination of gay bishops imposed last summer by the international Anglican Church at their once-per-decade Lambeth Conference in England. Later, the Bishop of the Los Angeles Diocese also announced that blessing of gay couples is an official rite of the diocese — it had already been practiced by many priests.

Related Media Coverage:

Los Angeles Times – December 5, 2008
“Episcopal Church leaders says those who defected ‘are no longer Episcopalians’”
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-episcopal5-2008dec05,0,7356324.story

San Bernardino County – December 6, 2008
“At Riverside convention Episcopalians say no to ban on gay bishops”
http://www.pe.com/localnews/sbcounty/stories/PE_News_Local_S_episcopal07.41dc34d.html

Los Angeles Times – December 8, 2008
“Episcopal Diocese of L.A. officially condones the blessing of gay unions”
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-episcopal8-2008dec08,0,7919724.story

Media Contact:

Adam Bass, Media Field Strategist – West
Phone: (323) 634-2018
Email: bass@glaad.org

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Mom Logic: ‘Gay or Nay’ on Same Sex Adoption?

FROM MOM LOGIC:

Monday, December 8, 2008

Arkansas’ same sex adoption ban will take effect in a matter of days. This comes just weeks after Florida lifts their ban. How do you feel about same sex adoption?

Arkansas’ law means all gay couples will not be allowed to adopt or foster as of January 1. While heterosexual unmarried couples are also forbidden, some say the law is only to ensure that homosexuals aren’t given the right. Susan Hoffpauir, President of the Arkansas chapter of the National Association of Social Workers agrees that adding such restrictions will only cut down on the amount of quality homes available.

While it began to seem like some were warming up to the idea of same sex parenting — a judge in Florida last month struck down an old law prohibiting same sex couples to adopt — Utah and North Dakota also disqualify gay couples from being foster parents or adopting.

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NOTICE: This posting is meant as a courtesy to the LGBT community at large to direct individuals to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender items of interest. We do not post full articles, so if you wish to read an entire story you should follow the link to its original author/publisher. We in no way, stated or unstated, claim to be the authors of any content posted here unless we say so explicitly. All content should be considered intellectual property of the original publisher, and should not be redistributed without full back-links and proper citations.

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Dallas Voice: Tragedy of the closet; cop’s secret gay love affair and tragic death

FROM THE DALLAS VOICE:

As murder retrial gets under way, story of a clandestine gay love affair and a young man’s tragic death should serve as a cautionary tale

By Hardy Haberman

For some people, being “in the closet” is a personal hell. But it often affects others, too.

Take the case of Steven Rios, a married police officer from Columbia, Mo.

According to prosecutors, Officer Rios, when faced with the possibility of having his gay relationship revealed to his wife and family, decided to reach into his closet and pull out a knife — a knife he used to slash the throat of Jesse Valencia, a 23-year-old student attending college at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Officer Rios began the relationship with Valencia in 2004 when he arrested the student for interfering with a police call about a loud party. Rios told the court that their sexual relationship began that very night.

Rios was convicted of the murder three years ago, but an appeals court ordered a retrial, saying the trial court allowed inadmissible hearsay testimony the first time around.

The new trial began Monday, Dec. 1, and Rios faces a mandatory sentence of life without parole if he is convicted. Court officials said they expect the trial to end by Friday, Dec. 5.

The story is a graphic example of how the closet can kill. It should be a wake-up call for every LGBT person that is trying to hide their sexual orientation.

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NOTICE: This posting is meant as a courtesy to the LGBT community at large to direct individuals to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender items of interest. We do not post full articles, so if you wish to read an entire story you should follow the link to its original author/publisher. We in no way, stated or unstated, claim to be the authors of any content posted here unless we say so explicitly. All content should be considered intellectual property of the original publisher, and should not be redistributed without full back-links and proper citations.

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