No moral authority? That makes two of you, Miss Phelps!
Westboro Baptist Church protests are rarely covered these days, except for in exceptional comedic effect found in the myriad of ways in which they are counter-protested. This ‘church’, perhaps best known for picketing the funerals of fallen soldiers with the message “God Hates Fags”, essentially seeks publicity for their actions, and so it’s a good thing that publicity for their insensitive, hateful, and abhorrent antics appears to have largely dried up, starving them of the oxygen that spurs them on. Their outlandish behavior, which is offensive to many, is now largely accepted as simply being what they do, and has ceased to be newsworthy, except in specific circumstances such as at one of their recent ‘protests’.
At Arlington National Cemetery yesterday (Monday), hours before President Obama laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns in leading the nation’s Memorial Day observances, a Westboro Baptist Church demonstration was counter-protested – by a group including 10 members of the Ku Klux Klan, who were separate from the main counter protest. A spokesman for this branch of the clan, describing his self as an ‘Imperial Wizard’, explained that they were there to object to the Westboro Baptist Church’s anti-troop message.
“It’s the soldier that fought and died and gave them that right to free speech,” said Dennis LaBonte, of the Virginian group ‘Knights of the Southern Cross’.
Westboro Baptist Church’s response? Miss Phelps, daughter of the founder of the ‘church’ Fred Phelps, retorted with “That’s fine, they have no moral authority on anything.”
It’s true – given the history of the KKK, and given the fact that the organization has actually killed people, they have precious little moral authority to stand on. Even so, the message from Miss Phelps carried more than just this fact. It also holds the implication that by a matter of contrast, the Westboro Baptist Church does have moral authority. It doesn’t. The Westboro Baptist Church has tried to use this event to discredit those that oppose them. The subtle message of Miss Phelps’s comment can be easily described as “How can you claim your cause is righteous when you have people like that on your side?”
Well, Miss Phelps, not to discount the possibility of a less than palatable group using an event or a cause to try to gain legitimacy and further its own agenda, which Westboro Baptists will surely be all too familiar with, there is the alternate and far more sensible way of looking at it…
When even the Ku Klux Klan feel the need to meet you with a counter protest, you’ve surely got to know that what you’re doing is really screwed up!
Thank you for that little crumb Mr President….
So apparently the President has commented on the Minnesota ”lets screw LGBTQIA couples twice” amendment blocking marriage equality.
I’m mildly surprised that the supposedly fiscally focused Republican wave of 2010 seems to care nothing about fixing the budget, and only concentrates on social issues. In truth I always knew the Tea Party was just an especially rabid variant of conservatism on all stripes dressed up in the clothing of fiscal conservatism.
However thats beside the point, the president could call for an end to DOMA, use that bully pulpit to argue for marriage equality. We want DOMA struck down, but lets have a federal marriage equality law that repeals every single one of those disgusting state amendments from Proposition 8 in California to Texas’s Proposition 2.
I know the President thinks he can get away with empty platitudes and still carry the LGBTQIA vote just by the fact that he’s not an openly homophobic republican wingnut, but I’m actually sick of his cast offs and empty promises. So I know you aren’t listening but please President Obama, unless you are actually doing something real and significant on LGBTQIA rights, then please stop pretending you give a crap about us.
Time to stand our ground
So far this week:
- Half the world has gone into collective denial with regards to attempted rape allegations against former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn.
- Nadine Dorries MP has claimed that teaching girls to say no will prevent child sexual abuse.
- The Justice Secretary had to apologise after he displayed a spectacular level of ignorance and insensitivity on the subject of rape, as well as the legislation surrounding it.
- The Lord Chief Justice stated that spreading rumours about celebrities on the Internet was comparable to distributing child pornography.
- And to top it all off, Roger Helmer MEP thinks that some rape victims are to blame.
And the week isn’t even over yet. Is there something in the water in London, Paris and Brussels?
I’d had enough after Dorries, nevermind the other three. I have very little energy left to actually argue with these people. I will keep doing so, keep calling them out on it, but I want to do more.
Every time I write about violence against women – whether it’s to tell my own story or to challenge the monumental ignorance and cruelty displayed by people like Nadine Dorries and others – I get one response consistently: every single time, a few more women get in touch – privately or publicly – to share their own stories of sexual violence, rape, domestic abuse.
If you’ve been reading my blog over the last year or so, you’ll know the stats:
- 45% of women suffer sexual assault, domestic violence or stalking.
- One in four women is raped – that’s 200 every single day.
- 21% of girls are sexually abused.
- 2 women a week in England and Wales are killed by a partner or ex-partner.
The stats are clearly not enough. Somehow, our politicians and judges still seem to find it acceptable to trivialise this kind of violence and to blame the victims. We need to do more to help these people understand the extent of the issue and its impact on women and society in general.
So I have spent my weekend with two friends, working on a way to give women who have suffered this kind of violence a voice; a place to speak out safely about what happened to them, to tell their story, to make others aware and help them understand. As I am writing this, Gemma is sitting next to me, coding the alpha version of the site.
We will go public very soon, and we want your contribution. If you have a story to tell – safely, anonymously – then please get in touch with me. I know it’s an incredibly brave and difficult thing I am asking of you; but if we do not speak up, the victim-blaming and trivialisation, and ultimately the violence, will never stop. It’s time to stand our ground. Stand with me.
George Takei takes on the Gay Suicide Promotion bill in TN
Stacey Campfield’s suicide promotion bill is continuing forward, and George Takei strikes back with humor and wit.
So while I wont be stopping saying gay, no matter where I am, I’m still proud to be Takei
Waterloo Road Addresses Trans Issues
I am not normally a fan of Waterloo Road, but suddenly they have done something extraordinary with their latest episode dealing with the situation faced by Martin, a young trans-girl at the school. Their handling was exemplary, dealing with the pain and the frustration of the situations we have faced, and continue to face.
A difficult role for a talented actor (copyright BBC)
Martin in a spiral of agony and being harangued by her fellow students for a misunderstanding outed herself as trans, before running off. The different members of the school dealt with the fallout in different ways, one girl suffering her own difficulties goes and offers comfort and counsel, while teachers try to understand the situation. Some students are sadly cruel, but as also happens, other students stand up for Martin.
a moment of happiness and acceptance makes Martin smile (copyright BBC)
The handling of the mother was also perhaps accelerated, but also well done, where she realizes that she could have a dead son, or a living daughter and admits its going to be difficult but will try her best.
Hopefully over the following weeks we’ll find out as Martin begins to come out and find herself. Stories help young trans youth come to terms with themselves and helps parents, family and friends understand the complexities and reality of the situation. Hopefully the next generation of transgirls and boys wont have to face the initial ignorance of their parents that Martin’s mother initially shows.
I’m hoping that shows in the US will pick up and start showing these story lines as well.
Those in the UK can watch the episode on BBC iPlayer. Non UK readers should see here for information.
NB: I realize some people may be confused about the syntax of calling her Martin, until she chooses her name within the show, thats the name she is known by. It is rather regressive to consider that a girl can’t be called Martin.
Still no repeal, why didn’t the court case continue?
Repeal Signed, but worthless?
Before the new congress was signed in, the only significant piece of legislation that fulfilled the president’s pledge to be a champion of equal rights, was repealing DADT. Part of the implications of its signing was that the court case that would have demanded immediate repeal was put on hold, but now almost 6 months after we were told it would be repealed, still LGB personnel (trans and intersex, need not apply) are forbidden from being open within the armed forces.
Still not allowed to Re-Enlist
Katie Miller, the highly skilled West Point student who resigned rather than continue the lie of being straight, has since tried to reapply, but has continued to be rebuffed despite the implementation of the repeal being a matter of a couple of months away.
I’m sorry but this is not good enough, the US military neither needed, nor got time to “train” for the acceptance of integrated units, and this farce has gone on long enough. The fact that President Obama has not kept up pressure to get this repeal done, is a betrayal of all the fighting men and women who have to live a lie every day.
Apparently LGBTQIA people are only worth doing the bare minimum for, not getting the “full” support that Obama promised.
I still support his relection, but only because he is not as much a threat to me and mine, as the Republicans would be, thats his only strong point as far as I can see.
I’ve also got to ask, when the law still discriminates, why the court case has petered out… it could have enforced repeal rather than waited for this insult of a process to continue.
Immigration, Obama and LGBTQIA families this week…
Finally after 2 years of letting LGBTQIA familes be broken up because of DOMA’s unconstitutional provisions preventing federal recognition of same sex families, the US DOJ has put a stay on several deportations of the spouses of american citizens. Its not an across the board stay, but for those families recognised, its a breather.
However in all honesty its a scrap of bread from the table for the good little queers who sit under the table eagerly awaiting for Obama to come save them. Its another “deal with it queers” from the Obama administration. At least if it were a blanket stay of execution, then at least it would benefit all such families, rather than just ones who have managed to publicise their cases.
Across the US even if you get married in one of the few states that recognises marriage and you are binational, the chances of a stay of deportation until the DOMA case is decided are pretty slim.
President Obama, you take us for granted and expect us to vote for you because you are less evil to LGBTQIA people than the republicans, if you want to take a real stand, release an executive order stopping all deportations of LGBTQIA spouses in which the only grounds for denying a green card is DOMA, until the DOMA case is decided.
Australia strides forward on the treatment of young trans kids
This story has been bouncing around the interwebs for a few weeks, but i think its still a significant step forward. “Jamie” as she’s referred to in the news articles, has already been living as a girl for 2 years, and her family, including her twin brother has accepted the change.
The judge recognising the critically damaging changes that will start happening in the next months and years to Jamie’s body gave permission to her doctors to start her on puberty blocking drugs. This will mean that when she is older she will be able to take contra-hormone therapy and get all the benefits.
Of course the right wing across the western world is spitting fireballs, and pointing to their flawed research. Matt Barber, the VP of the Liberty Counsel Action hate group said that because of his beliefs in God making us and we should accept that no matter the pain, its sinful to allow people to be allowed to transition.
Every reputable psychiatric institution recognises that for some Gender Identity Disorder emerges at an early age, and that careful monitored treatment can maximise the benefits of the overall process. All of these same institutes, recognise that people who suffer from Gender Identity Disorder, cannot be counselled, coerced, or brutalised into being the physical gender they where born as.
What real christianity has to say about LGBTQIA folk
I remember years ago seeing an inspiring advert for the United Church of Christ which largely was saying that we accept you as you are, rather than as we expect you to be.
Here’s a piece, about acceptance and the role in fighting hatred and intolerance of the clergy.
Apparently, according to the supposedly progressive Sojourners Social Justice Ministry, the advert was “taking sides” and so their group refused to air it. The idea that a priest would be clearly protective and supportive of all the members of his flock is “controversial”.
Please sign the petition asking the Sojourners to stop silencing LGBT people of faith.
Check out the work of Believe Out Loud who are trying to get a million christians to stand up for equality.
Found via those wonderful people at the Bilerico Project
FCKH8 goes after Stacey Campfield’s gay suicide promotion bill
Those wonderful people at FCKH8 are fighting hard against Senator Campfields efforts to make school even harder for LGBTQIA folk.
FCKH8.com: The “Teachers Can’t Talk About Homos” Law from FCKH8.com on Vimeo.
If you want some more insight into the mindset of the Senator who came up with this bill…. here’s his response to an e-mail I sent him.
While I appreciate your passion, I still feel it is a parents responsibility to
decide when a child is ready to grasp such a complex issue as sexuality and what
they want to tell the child about that complex subject. All children developed
mentally at different rates. I do not feel a teacher with an agenda (Be it pro
or con) is the appropriate person to decide for the entire class just because
they may think one way or another on an issue and want to espouse it. I doubt
you would want a teacher who said homosexuality is evil, dirty and wrong because
they felt it was appropriate and that is what they thought the children needed
to hear. We are falling behind the rest of the world in math and science amongst
other things. This will be just one less issue they have to worry about.
Yours in service,
Sen. Stacey Campfield
He’s obviously homophobic, and thinks that stopping talking about LGBTQIA issues will prevent them coming out, but as I said before, this bill will increase the likelyhood that LGBTQIA teens will attempt suicide due to one of their routes of support being ripped away.
Lets Waterboard Scott Roeder
Waterboard Scott?
UPDATE: Due to some comments I’m highlighting that this is a thought experiment on my part, I do not support, and under no circumstances will ever support torture.
Yup, I’m a convert to the idea that you can extract useful information from terrorists about other terrorists to protect valiant American citizens. First up, lets start on Scott Roeder, the terrorist who murdered Dr George Tiller.
Now the FBI is investigating his links with Operation Rescue and other extremist groups, including the milita.Its careful slow and reliable intelligence gathering, but if we were to shortcut that process and waterboard him. After all he is a terrorist who may possess valuable intelligence about other terrorists, and torture might save American Lives.
Shelly Shannon
So after “enhanced interrogation”, he gives up his first accomplice, convicted terrorist Shelly Shannon, currently serving a jail sentence for trying to murder Dr Tiller.
Next after waterboarding her, and based on a confession given up by Roeder, there is enough evidence to question, and interrogate the Senior Policy Advisor of Operation Rescue, Cheryl Sullenger.
Cheryl Sullenger
She’s brought in, and questioned, then interrogated, and while initially resistant she eventually cracks, revealing that Operation Rescue is involved in terrorist campaigns, including intimidation, arson, and murder.
Other members are brought in and interrogated, and to everyone’s surprise several of them admit that Republican Members of Congress are involved….
….Hang on just a minute….
No I haven’t gone to the dark side, and I consider torture of any kind to be a war crime and a crime against humanity that should be punished by every civilised country.
In this thought experiment, I took what I thought might be true, that Scott Roeder acted as a member of Operation Rescue as a fact, and then went and tortured people until they confessed that it was the truth. But at the end I’m about to arrest half of the Republican delegation to Congress based on information I extracted.
I have no proof, all I have is information I beat out of people who in an effort to stop me torturing them told me what I wanted to hear. I’m looking forward to the day when Operation Rescue is raided by the feds, and when that happens it should be lawful, based on reliable intelligence and justified. However I could be wrong… they may not have been a part of a terrorist conspiracy, so I’d rather real proof was found, rather than manufactured confessions.
School Choice? its about bullying, evolution, and open mindedness
Across the US, there is a problem with education, its underfunded, lacking in innovation, and failing the next generation of young americans. They can only keep hold of the most dedicated teachers, because rather than treating them as prized assets worth more than any Politican or Manager, they have to survive on a salary that is fundamentally a joke. The Republican party has declared yet another war on teachers and other public servants going after their pay and pensions, while giving tax breaks to corporations and millionaires.
Part of the strategy is cutting funding, transitioning schools from public ownership, to the hands of corporations. This is an effort of moving us towards the McDonalds and Mattel sponsored schools of Jennifer Government. But also theres an equally insidious and evil agenda, which is that of the innocently named “School Choice”.
The stated aim of “School Choice”, is to give children of disadvantaged families, the right to go to private schools, funded by giving subsidies towards private school fees. Thats not the real aim, the aim is to allow fundamentalist christian parents to remove their children from the mind opening and tolerance inducing public school system, and put them in conservative christian schools.
Public schools throughout the USA are helping spread the message of tolerance. California’s SB48 will bring the contributions of LGBTQIA people in history into social studies the same way in the past, they brought in Hispanic and African Americans in, as part of an effort to fight prejudice. More and more public schools have Gay Straight Alliances, even in conservative christians states.
Parents are afraid, and they should be, you want your child to be a good little fundamentalist, when you can control all the information they have access to, it is easier to brainwash them. If you raise them on a diet of bible and other books filled with conservative lies, then its likely they’ll think the world was created in 6 days, that LGBTQIA people are evil, and anyone who disagrees has a little demon on their shoulder.
- From a popular Fundamentalist bible tract
This all breaks down, when children find out that evolution makes a lot of sense, that the world is much bigger than the narrow world their parents forced down their throats. Once they get into the public school system, their brains start to get enriched and their hearts and minds open.
School choice vouchers are being used by these fundamentalist parents to send their children to schools that teach the same lies they get at home. Hatemongering leaders in the christian right are terrified because they know that once someone has opened their mind to reality its very difficult to close the mind up with hatred and intolerance.
Bullying in schools is a real hot-button issue, no longer is being bulled for being true to who you are, acceptable. School districts who try to be bigoted, face legal action from students no longer wanting to sit at the back of the bus. Christian students who try to bully, cajole and in other ways spread the hate of their parents, are becoming as unwelcome as the children of white supremacists a generation ago.
The point here, is that school choice is not about helping children, its about helping parents being able to brainwash their children with religious dogma, using federal, state and local tax dollars to fund it. It is child abuse, and religious indoctrination in clear violation of both ethical government and the separation of church and state.
Public schools in the USA, are not perfect but they are better than the schools that will indoctrinate them with Catechism, Creationism, and Lies.
Meet the newest voice for civil rights, Canton Everett Delaware the Third
Canton Everett Delaware III
Technically he’s a fictional character from a TV show in 2011, written by such progressive writers, they brought us Captain Jack Harkness, a 51st century Time Agent who is so post gender boundaries, bisexual and pansexual fail to exactly encompass him.
However Canton is a different character, he’s a hard as nails 1960s FBI agent (former) working under the direct control of President Nixon. Now all throughout the story, we are told that Canton was kicked out of the FBI for wanting to get married to someone he shouldn’t. At the end, the Doctor suggests that maybe President Nixon might allow him to get married, and rejoin the FBI.
Nixon, feeling at the time magnanimous asks whether Canton wishes to marry an african american, and seems willing to grant an exception, until Canton says “Yes He Is”.
Now in deference to history, Nixon never gave us marriage equality on that day, even when he should have, but it highlighted that the Civil Rights movement wasn’t just about african americans, it was about LGBTQIA folk as well.
There were certainly real world Cantons (and Wendys) who were forced out of their positions because of being LGBTQIA.
We all remember Alan Turing, the man who cracked Enigma, after the war was arrested for being gay, and rather than face the trial for being who he was, he committed suicide.
The real bittersweet fact of the story was that even in 2011, Canton still could not marry his husband in Utah, where Canton, first meets the gang.
Lets make 2011 the year we take back Marriage from the haters, and allow all our families the rights they deserve.