Repudiating Their Rhetoric?

On 19 July of 2005 two Gay teenage Iranian boys (pictured) were publicly hanged for the "crime" of homosexuality, charges that were later trumped up to rape by the religious authorities who control the Iranian judicial system.  Furthermore, according to Iranian law, for crimes of this nature, they were allowed to choose from four individual methods of execution: hanging, stoning, severed in half with swords, or dropped from the highest perch.  They seem to have chosen the far less painful method for their death.  Unfortunately, the mainstream news media did not seem to give this important story the attention that it rightfully deserved (a search of CNN yields no results), even when there was one more hanging of a Gay couple scheduled five months later.  So, when a local Gay Rights group here in Iowa sought to buy ad space from the Des Moines Register in order to report on these events, they were rejected on the grounds that the photograph of the two boys would be too graphic for their readership.  The irony is, of course, that the Des Moines Register later published a very graphic and disturbing advertisement from a Theofascist pro-life group featuring the image of an aborted fetus!

This tragic state-sponsored murder of two Gay youths seems to have served as the inspiration for an atrocious sign that was brandished by one of the National Organization for Marriage's (NOM) supporters in Indianapolis during their "Summer for Marriage Tour" last year, as Maggie Gallagher was speaking at the podium:

Today, however, I awoke to check the national GLBT news, only to find (thanks to my good friend Alvin McEwen of Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters) that the NOM has released a statement on its Blog repudiating any violent or hateful rhetoric on their behalf directed at my Gay brothers and Lesbian sisters:

We stand with [the GLBT community] abhorring any threat to the person and property of gay people, or gay marriage supporters. We hope you do the same for marriage supporters.

But we do it because it's the right thing to do not because anyone demands this of us. 

I know.  I almost stroked-out when I read that, too!  But, is their Blog an accurate reflection of past events, or are they merely trying to cover their asses in an attempt to make it seem as though they are not the vicious and uncaring hate-mongers that they seem?  According to NOM, they appear to be speaking of the incident involving the above sign when they write:

When a man came to a NOM rally with a hateful sign, he was immediately told he wasn't welcome. This is why the photo of the hateful sign is not of a sign being held up at a NOM rally but a sign discarded across the street.

However, no report of these events were made by the Courage Campaign (CC) who was closely monitoring NOM's tour.  Instead, as the following video will show, when reporters from the CC approached this individual holding that disgusting sign NOM's officials were quick to pounce upon the CC reporters to warn them, "We don't want anything inflammatory!":

Also, does this photo look as though he is standing "across the street"?  I didn't think so.  You can clearly observe the stairs leading up to the podium with some sound equipment and a few assembled supporters behind him.  Nice try, NOM!

Almost immediately after this incident was disclosed by the GLBT Blogosphere, Evan Wolfson of the Freedom to Marry campaign begun circulating a petition calling on Maggie Gallagher or other officials of NOM to repudiate this heinous gesture.  To my knowledge, NOM simply ignored our attempts to hold them accountable for the anti-Gay vitriol that they inspire in their supporters.  (I have contacted Evan Wolfson in order to be sure about whether or not Maggie issued a statement - any statement - castigating Larry Adams' sign.  I am awaiting his response.)  Four days after this sign was waved about, Maggie was called to repudiate it on Box Turtle Bulletin, given that she certainly seemed to endorse celebrities which quote Scripture calling for the slaughter of Gay men!  Neither has Maggie gone on record denouncing the barbaric and inhuman Ugandan "Kill the Gays" Bill that is still pending!

This now brings us to the NOM-sponsored anti-Gay Theofascist hate rally in the Bronx (N.Y.) that Brian Browne attended (pictured here, intimating the Million Man March on Washington as they begin their Hetero-Hegemony Pride Parade) in which one Rev. Ariel Torres Ortega, who also spoke at the event sometime after both Browne and Sen. Ruben Diaz, declared over the microphone that Gay men and Lesbians "are worthy to death!"  NOM has yet to repudiate Ortega's disgusting proclamations that might serve to encourage a homophobic and Theofascist society!

I don't know about you, but given NOM's previously disingenuous track record, I'm not buying it.  Indeed, considering the viciously anti-Gay hate-speech on hehalf of NOM's FaceBook supporters, I also have to wonder if they have not alienated their Theofascist base because of this new statement?  Maggie Gallagher has even shown her insensitivity towards my Gay brothers and Lesbian sisters at a public gathering, during the Iowa stop on NOM's "Summer for Marriage Tour":

Given the short-lived life span for many of NOM's tweets and blogs that are in any way supportive of the Gay community once they alienate their Theofascist base, I must wonder how long this anonymous posting is likely to remain.

The Watershed of Lawrence...

A great article was published today on HuffPo:

Lawrence was a watershed moment that continues to generate other watershed moments. One can draw a line connecting Lawrence to the landmark decisions in its aftermath that have recognized marriage equality, found the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutional in various settings, and struck down laws burdening the right of same-sex couples to form intimate relationships. When a federal trial court declared "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" unconstitutional last year, it relied on Lawrence. When Prop 8 was declared unconstitutional last year by Judge Walker, he too relied on Lawrence. Just as the government may not make criminals of lesbian, gay, and bisexual people based on their relationships, neither can it fire them from their jobs, ignore their cries for help when harassed at school, deny them the same rights that heterosexuals enjoy, nor exclude them from institutions like marriage.

One wonders, then, why NOM (in general), and Maggie Gallagher or Brian Browne (in particular) have not come out swinging against Lawrence as a threat to their alleged "religious liberties" (QED)?  I, honestly, can't seem to locate any commentary by Gallagher directly opposing Lawrence v. Texas!