Christian Nationalists' 2019 Anti-Gay, Special Rights Legislative Playbook

As I have often noted, in my more than 25 years tracking "Christian" "family values" organizations, with the exception of perhaps Donald Trump, no one lies more often and disingenuously.  Currently, the favored ruse for gaining special rights for themselves and exemptions from the laws that govern everyone else is the false flag of "religious freedom." The evangelical/Christofascist definition of religious freedom is in reality, the direct opposite of true religious freedom and aims at forcing all of society to accept their poisonous religious beliefs or, failing that, to allow the Pharisee like Christofascists to ignore non-discrimination laws, public accommodation laws, and in the realm of health care, to refuse to treat those they dislike.  Gays, of course, are a favored target, but by extension every other minority group can be targeted through cherry picking bible passages to justify what in truth is nothing more than unvarnished hate and bigotry. As we near 2019 and a new legislative year, the enemies of true religious freedom are preparing to try to turn some of the hate-filled policies into law.  Sadly, one of the architects of this ugly agenda is a Chesapeake, Virginia organization headed by former Congressman Randy Forbes.  A piece in Rewire looks at this anti-religious freedom for all endeavor.  Here are highlights:

State legislatures across the country became showcases for Christian nationalist legislation in 2018. Leading the charge was the ominously named Project Blitz—a coalition of Christian Right groups that are unambiguous about their intentions for the short and long term, to restore America to a Christian nation that never was. The Christian Right groups behind Project Blitz—The Chesapeake, Virginia-based Congressional Prayer Caucus Foundation; the National Legal Foundation; and the Wallbuilders Pro-Family Legislators Conference—have published a new state legislative playbook for 2019. [A]bout 74 Project Blitz model bills were considered in 2018. “More than 60 percent involved promoting Christianity in public schools; more than a third were ‘In God We Trust’ display bills,” according to reporting from Church & State.   [O]thers sought to provide religious exemptions (or refusals) from the law in ways that would affect access to reproductive and LGBTQ health care. These included versions of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) and First Amendment Defense Act (FADA) which had been rebranded as the “Preserving Religious Freedom Act” and the “Marriage Tolerance Act.” . . . . bills are intended to pave the way for far more serious legislation involving religious exemptions from civil rights laws such as FADA, which may be seen as decisive moves towards a theocratic state. Indeed, the 2019 manual, “Report and Analysis on Religious Freedom Measures Impacting Prayer and Faith in America,” is as clear as the previous version in its promotion of a Christian nationalist view of history and a long-term Dominionist political vision that’s profoundly at odds with what most would consider a reasonable approach to religious freedom. While there’s usually some room for religious tolerance on the part of Christian nationalists, there is no tolerance—at least not in the long run—from Dominionists who sustain a long-term vision of organizing all of society and government according to their understanding of the Bible. [A] . . . . Prime Focus, “Resolution Establishing Public Policy Favoring Intimate Sexual Relations Only Between Married, Heterosexual Couples” was published in the current and previous playbooks. The apparent purpose of the nonbinding model resolutions is to help to persuade legislators and executive branch program administrators that not only religious, but also public health, exemptions from the law need to be created, and perhaps litigated, to chip away at marriage equality so that not all marriages need be treated equally under the law. In addition they aim to more generally erode the rights of LGBTQ people. Resolutions on heterosexual marriage, birth gender, and adoption are, they assert, intended to advance “biblical values.” The claim is that there’s sufficient social science data and research in support of their view . . . . refers to pages of material of questionable scientific value about LGBTQ people, leading to the conclusion that LGBTQ people are diseased and dysfunctional. These are used in their argument, for example, in the anti-adoption and foster care bill, to suggest that LGBTQ people are a threat to children. This led them to title the model bill the “Child Protection Act.”   Finally, there is a new section titled “Talking Points to Counter Anti-Religious Freedom Legislation.” This section insists that there cannot be inherent civil rights regarding “sexual orientation” because the term is too vague and there is too much disagreement over its meaning. Similarly, the manual declares: The term “gender identity” has no fixed meaning and, by definition, is the product of an individual, subjective determination that may conflict with how the individual objectively appears to others. Because of its subjectivity, the term can be used by an individual in a temporally inconsistent manner, and legislation based on its use is vague and violates due process.

The manual goes on to detail arguments against bans on “conversion therapy” that have been enacted in several states and against repeal of state RFRAs. 

Project Blitz . . . . also reflects the central anti-abortion politics of our time. . . . one bill, (“Licensed Professional Civil Rights Act”) on conscience clause exemptions in professional licensing standards has implications for health workers and pharmacists (who might seek religious exemptions for their role in providing contraception or abortion care), as well mental health practitioners who refuse to help LBGTQ patients. It should also be noted that versions of state-level  RFRAs and FADAs include generous religious exemptions for both institutions and individuals on matters related to reproductive health care. The 2019 legislative session has not yet begun, but Project Blitz is already getting attention. . . . . Platt stressed the importance of preventing the Christian Right from distorting the meaning of religious freedom and bending it to their purposes. She stressed that “it’s really important to … remind ourselves what religious liberty really is, which is the freedom of individuals and communities to practice their religious beliefs, or to practice no religion, in a pluralistic society, free from government persecution, discrimination, or coercion. So this is a foundational constitutional value, and it’s a progressive value.” “They’ve managed to conflate that term [religious freedom] with particular, narrow protections for conservative religious beliefs about sex, marriage, and reproduction, while totally ignoring the enormous variety of views that we know people of faith—including Christians—have had on these matters. And, of course, ignoring completely the very existence of LGBTQ people of faith.”  “My takeaway from all of this would just be don’t play on their turf,” Platt said. “Don’t buy into their idea that all religious exemptions enhance religious liberty, and don’t buy into an inherent conflict between religious liberty and civil rights. These exemptions are … actually violating religious liberty.” 

Farewell To Christofascist Tool Randy Forbes

As noted in prior posts, I urged voters to vote against Randy Forbes - a former law school classmate - and then celebrated his primary loss to Scott Taylor.  Forbes' principal "contributions" in Congress were Christofascist backed batshitery.  Americans for the Separation of Church and State has a rundown of the lunacy and in some cases arguably unconstitutional measures that always received Forbes' support.  Here are some highlights:

A staunch Religious Right ally will soon be leaving Congress after he suffered a primary defeat on Tuesday.

After 15 years in office, U.S. Rep. Randy Forbes (R-Va.) was defeated 53 percent to 41 percent by a Republican challenger despite outspending his opponent almost 10-1. Forbes is partly the victim of redistricting; he switched to a new district this year after the makeup of his old one changed in favor of Democrats.

We won’t exactly be sorry to see Forbes go. While in office, he regularly did the Religious Right’s bidding.

In 2009, Forbes backed a resolution that outlined “73 milestones of spirituality and faith in the United States.” The measure also recognized what he claimed were “the religious foundations of faith” that “form the inseparable foundation for America’s representative processes, legal systems and societal structures.”

At Ralph Reed’s Faith and Freedom Conference in Washington, D.C., in 2010 Forbes peddled bad history. He claimed America was intended to be an officially “Christian nation” as evidenced by instances when our government eroded the church-state wall, including the U.S. Supreme Court’s 1892 decision in Holy Trinity v. United States. Of course he failed to mention that the Holy Trinity decision is a legal anomaly. It has rarely been cited by other courts, and the “Christian nation” declaration made in the opinion for that case appeared in dicta, which is a legal term meaning writing that reflects a judge’s personal opinion, not a mandate of the law.

In 2011, Forbes sponsored a resolution that reaffirmed “In God We Trust” as the official motto of the United States and encouraged its display in public spaces. 

Forbes is also heavily involved with the Congressional Prayer Caucus.

It’s no wonder, then, that Forbes was endorsed by the anti-gay Family Research Council (FRC) right before his defeat.

Meanwhile, state Del. Scott Taylor (R-Virginia Beach) will face Democrat Shaun Brown, a businesswoman who has not previously held elected office, in the November election. We don’t know what the outcome of that race will be, but the winner would have to work really hard to top Forbes’ record on mixing church and state.  

Scott Taylor Defeats Homophobia Randy Forbes

Taylor at the 2016 Pride Fest launch

In yesterday's Republican primary for the Virginia 2nd congressional district and gay-friendly Republican, Scott Taylor, defeated the virulently anti-gay, pro-Christofascists Randy Forbes, a carpetbagger from the re-districted 4th congressional district.  (Taylor has personally donated as a sponsor of this weekend's HR Pride Fest).  Forbes represents everything that is wrong with today's GOP and I say go riddance.  Taylor has his short-comings, but at least he's living in the 21st century, unlike Forbes who wants to bring back all of the worst aspects of the 1950's.  Since the primary likely decided who wins in November, many in the LGBT community held their noses and voted for Taylor to rid Congress of Forbes' putrid, anti-LGBT presence.  Hopefully, other area Republicans will note that being anti-LGBT just might get them defeated as this  region becomes more progressive.  Here are highlights from the Virginian Pilot:

An ebullient state Del. Scott Taylor won the 2nd Congressional District Republican primary Tuesday with a feisty grassroots campaign after being outspent almost 10-to-1 by U.S. Rep. Randy Forbes, a eight-term legislator who was trying to move from his home district to a supposedly friendlier one nearby.

Taylor’s next challenge is the Nov. 8 general election, where he will face Democrat Shaun Brown, a relatively unknown Newport News businesswoman and former unsuccessful candidate for the Virginia House of Delegates and the Newport News City Council.

He emerged from a Town Center restaurant a few minutes after 8 p.m. to a fanfare of applause and handshakes.

“This is not done alone,” he said. “This is a team effort. People come together to sacrifice for a cause greater than themselves.”

Taylor’s victory came after a bruising primary campaign in which he and Forbes traded personal barbs that challenged each other’s character and ability to support national security and the region’s defense-centric economy.

Forbes’ defeat spells the end of his 15-year career in the House of Representatives as a lawmaker from the 4th Congressional District. When his House term ends later this year, he will have served 27 consecutive years in elected office after first being elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in 1989.

Forbes said he regretted not enough people in the 2nd District agreed with his political vision.

There was a certain amount of vindication in Tuesday’s victory for Taylor, 36, who was twice elected to the state House of Delegates. He had been subjected to strong multimedia attacks in television ads, mailings and interviews where Forbes noted Taylor’s business failures and also implied his multiple speeding violations were criminal acts.

Taylor, a former Navy SEAL, ran against much of Virginia Beach’s GOP establishment, with several local elected officials as well as departing U.S. Rep. Scott Rigell endorsing Forbes’ candidacy. Rigell rented Forbes his former headquarters on First Colonial Road and sold him his email lists of supporters.

Rigell said Tuesday night he had “significant” differences with Taylor but would support the party’s nominee to replace him in Congress. 

Religion: The Underlying Source of Evil

Like most in the nation's LGBT community, I remain in shock over the massacre on early Sunday morning at Pulse, an LGBT club in Orlando, Florida.  So many mostly young lives snuffed out by a terrorist claiming allegiance to the Islamic extremists of ISIS.   Perhaps equally shocking is the reaction of far too many Americans to the slaughter, including pastors and some Republican politicians: they are either celebrating the deaths of so many LGBT individuals or saying that they deserved death for their failure to adhere to Bronze Age myths and babbling of ignorant herders from 2500 years ago.  

ABC News has a compilation of past violence against LGBT venues and ALL were perpetrated by those at least nominally Christian.  While foul individuals like Ted Cruz try to point the finger at Islam, he conveniently forgets that he himself shared the stage last year with a Christian pastor who advocates for the execution of gays.  Cruz is not much better than the gunman in Orlando when it comes to clinging to ignorance and religious based hatred.

Pastor Steven Anderson

Here's a sample of a sample of what some "godly" pastors have been saying via Patheos:

Pastor Steven Anderson, whose hate knows no bounds, celebrated the deaths of 50 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando in a 4-minute mini-sermon that cited the Bible as justification for why they needed to die. (And if it didn’t happen via a shooter, it should have happened by way of government execution.):

The good news is that there’s 50 less pedophiles in this world, because, you know, these homosexuals are a bunch of disgusting perverts and pedophiles. That’s who was a victim here, are a bunch of, just, disgusting homosexuals at a gay bar, okay?

But the bad news is that this is now gonna be used, I’m sure, to push for gun control, where, you know, law-abiding normal Americans are not gonna be allowed to have guns for self-defense. And then I’m sure it’s also gonna be used to push an agenda against so-called “hate speech.”

The Bible says that homosexuals should be put to death, in Leviticus 20:13. . . . these people all should have been killed, anyway, but they should have been killed through the proper channels, as in they should have been executed by a righteous government that would have tried them, convicted them, and saw them executed.

Sadly, this type of misogyny has probably been uttered from countless fundamentalist pulpits.

But the hate isn't coming just from church pulpits.  Politicians are stepping up as well, such as Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick tweeted Bible verses seemingly approving of the slaughter.  This from the New Civil Rights Movement:

At 8 AM EDT Sunday morning news was spreading that 20 people had been shot to death in an Orlando, Florida gay nightclub, Pulse. The death toll has now been raised to 50 dead.

Also at 8 AM, then 30 minutes later, Texas Republican Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, who has been working hard to position himself as a national leader against the LGBT community, posted two tweets.

The first bible verse, "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows," from Galatians 6:7. The next, from Psalm 37:39: "The Salvation of the righteous come from the Lord; He is their stronghold in time of trouble." The second included the message, "Have a blessed Sunday!"

Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick

And if one truly wants to be sick, read some of the comments on places like here.

Closer to home, we have politicians like Randy Forbes who have repeatedly supported anti-gay legislation and organizations.  Indeed, one of the few things Forbes has done in all his years in Congress is to push resolutions that would grant special rights or recognition to Christian extremists. Right Wing Watch has a compilation of some of Forbes' anti-gay, pro Christian extremists activities. 

Anti-gay zealot Rep. Randy Forbes

Personally, I am done with religion other than opposing the hate and bigotry and violence it condones. 

Randy Forbes Defends Right to Discriminate Against Gays

As I have noted in previous posts, Randy Forbes - my one time law school classmate - has turned into a raging homophobe over the years and increasingly supports special rights for those I describe as Christofascists - folks who comprise a Christian Taliban that seeks to impose its views on all just as its Islamic namesake in Afghanistan and other parts of the middle East.  But you don't have to take my words for Forbes' support of exceptions to non-discrimination laws that place the self-anointed "godly folk" above the law.  As Huffington Post reported, Forbes co-authored an op-ed in the Washington Examiner that argued through code words that business owners should be free to refuse to serve LGBT individuals - and by implication, others as  well - based on their "religious faith." Indeed, in Forbes' mind, not allowing godly Christians to discriminate against and abuse others constitutes discrimination against these bigots themselves.  Here are excerpts from Huffington Post's take down of this batshitery:

Chipotle’s right to purchase humanely raised pork is based on the same freedom that would allow a business to discriminate against LGBT individuals, according to a new op-ed from two GOP lawmakers. But much like a messy burrito from the restaurant chain itself, their argument quickly falls apart.

Chipotle recently announced it was taking pork off the menu at many of its restaurants because a major supplier was violating animal welfare standards.

In a new op-ed in the Washington Examiner Wednesday, Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) and Rep. Randy Forbes (R-Va.) say business owners similarly should be allowed to make decisions based on their religious beliefs.

The lawmakers don’t name specific issues like LGBT rights in their op-ed, but opponents of same-sex marriage increasingly have been using religious freedom arguments to discriminate in hiring and service — and as a member of the House of Representatives, Lankford himself opposed employment anti-discrimination legislation for LGBT individuals, claiming that being gay is a choice.

Chipotle scoffed at the suggestion its business decisions were similar to religious beliefs that could lead to discrimination.

“It’s a pretty ridiculous comparison,” Chipotle spokesman Chris Arnold told The Huffington Post. “Our decision not to serve pork that doesn’t meet our standards isn’t discriminating against any customers or group of customers.”

“Using Chipotle’s business decision to not stock carnitas as a defense to give corporations having religious beliefs special legal protections is ludicrous,” said David Stacy, government affairs director for the Human Rights Campaign. “It adds nothing and indeed trivializes a very serious debate about whether corporations should be able to refuse to hire some employees and turn away some customers based on who they are or who they love.”

Both Forbes and Lankford have made national news before over controversial comments on LGBT issues. . . . In 2013, Forbes privately lobbied the National Republican Congressional Committee not to back gay candidates.

Forbes did not return a request for comment.

In a rapidly changing world, Hampton Roads needs to modernize and prepare for a future where equality and equal rights will attract talent and innovative entrepreneurs.  Yet Forbes wants to take the region - and the country - backward in time.  Moreover, he has opened the region up to national ridicule.  It is long past time that Forbes be sent into political retirement.

Retraction - Neither Scott Taylor nor Randy Forbes Is Fit for Congress

Scott Taylor - Randy Forbes

Today Del. Scott Taylor proved that he is no real friend to the LGBT community by endorsing Donald Trump and suggesting to me that he was merely playing some of us in the LGBT community for fools, yours truly included.   Here's part of a press statement released by Taylor today:

I look forward to running with Donald Trump in November's general election. I encourage Second District Republicans to rally around Trump to help win Virginia for the GOP. The thought of a Hillary Clinton presidency should shock and scare every thoughtful American who knows our country is headed in the wrong direction. I will work with Donald Trump to put America first and get our economy growing again..

As for Scott Taylor's seemingly feigned pro-LGBT outlook, here's what the New York Times says in part about what Donald Trump has to say about his first 100 days:

Shortly after the Nov. 8 election, President-elect Trump and his vice president — most likely a governor or member of Congress — would begin interviewing candidates for the open Supreme Court seat and quickly settle on a nominee in the mold of Justice Antonin Scalia.

Has it dawned on Taylor that by endorsing Trump, he has joined with KKK leaders and white supremacy groups?   If the 2nd District is to be represented by a Republican, yes, Taylor might be better than Forbes, but not by much it now appears. I incorrectly had believed that Scott Taylor was someone who grasps that it is now the 21st century, not 1950.  Taylor has made it clear that he support the racism, bigotry and fascism that Trump supports and he may well believe in granting special rights and privileges to right wing Christians at the expense of other citizens.

Federal Judges Change Gerymandered Virginia Congressional Districts

Change in Districts - watch the boundaries shift

As noted in prior posts, I once lived in the 2nd Virginia Congressional District until Republicans gerrymandered Virginia's congressional districts to lump blacks - and in my case white liberal neighborhoods - into a few districts in order to protect incumbent Republicans.  Thus, I suddenly found myself in the 3rd District rather than the 2nd District.  Now, after federal lawsuits were filed challenging the GOP's grotesque district boundaries, a panel of federal court judges has redrawn the boundaries for the 3rd congressional district and those surrounding it, all of which are held by Republicans.  Will it change results in congressional races this November?  There's no guarantee, but if the Republicans win, their margins may be diminished. The district map above changes to show the new, compact and much more contiguous districts. Here are highlights from the Virginian Pilot: 

A federal court ordered a congressional redistricting Thursday that reassigned millions of voters and changed the racial and political makeup of districts served by Reps. Bobby Scott and Randy Forbes.

Federal judges in Richmond ordered state officials to use the new boundaries for this fall’s congressional elections.

While the changes were ordered in time for eligible candidates to file to run, the judges' order could be stopped by the U.S. Supreme Court, which has agreed to hear opposition arguments from lawyers for the state's eight Republican members of Congress.

Unless the high court halts the order, the 3rd District, represented by Scott, will lose its black majority, shrinking from 56 percent black to 45 percent. At the same time, the white majority in Forbes' 4th District shrinks from 63 percent to 51 percent, giving black voters more clout.

The 3rd, which currently stretches from Newport News to Richmond, will become more centralized in Hampton Roads. It will take in all or part the cities of Portsmouth, Norfolk, Suffolk, Hampton and Newport News and Isle of Wight County. Scott lives in Newport News.

The 4th District continues to represent Chesapeake, Forbes' hometown, but loses part of Suffolk and Isle of Wight County. The cities of Richmond and Petersburg - both with significant black populations - had been part of Scott's district but will move to Forbes' district.

The 2nd's population remains concentrated in Virginia Beach but the district's territory has been expanded to include the Williamsburg, York County, part of James City County and nearby communities. It also loses a chunk of its Newport News precincts.

I suspect that Randy Forbes is not trilled that he might actually have to strive to represent all voters in his district and not just the Christofascists and white supremacists.

Congressional GOP Urges SCOTUS to Uphold Marriage Bans

Proving yet again that they are the enemies of LGBT equality - and total political whores to the Christofascists - Congressional Republicans of both the Senate and House of Representatives filed a brief with the U. S. Supreme Court ("SCOTUS") on Friday urging the Court to uphold state bans on same sex marriage. Among the arguments put forth are that (i) defining marriage should be left to mob majority rule, (ii) the issue is outside the scope of the Equal Protection Clause, (iii) same sex marriage is "too new" and that the Court should use restraint, and (iv) states should be free to refuse to recognize out of state marriages just as they do where one or both of the spouses are under the minimum age.  Among the local members of Congress signing the brief was J. Randy Forbes who ought to resign his seat and become a televangelist or work for a hate group like FRC or AFA.  Here are excerpts from the Washington Blade:

A total of 57 congressional Republicans — including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz — joined forces in a bicameral brief filed on Friday urging the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold state bans on same-sex marriage.

The 32-page brief — signed by six U.S. senators and 51 U.S. House members — makes the case that state prohibitions on same-sex marriage are constitutional on the basis of principles of federalism, judicial restraint and states’ traditional sovereignty over domestic relations.

At one point, congressional Republicans invoke the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Roe v. Wade, saying the nationwide ruling on abortion was “widely criticized” for departing from incremental change.

The six senators who signed the brief, in addition to McConnell and Cruz, are Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), James Inhofe (R-Okla.) and Tim Scott (R-S.C.). In February, McConnell was tight-lipped when asked by the Washington Blade about his hopes for the marriages cases and non-committal about signing a friend-of-the-court brief.

Among the 51 House members who signed the brief are lawmakers who have a reputation for holding anti-LGBT views, including Reps. J. Randy Forbes (R-Va.), Virginia Foxx (R-NC), Trent Franks (R-Ariz.), Louie Gohmert (R-Texas), Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.), Tim Huelskamp (R-Kansas), Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Steve King (R-Iowa), Raul Labrador (R-Idaho), Randy Weber (R-Texas) and Pete Sessions (R-Texas).

Not listed is House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio).

Standing in contrast to this brief is a filing from 211 congressional Democrats — 167 House members and 44 senators — calling on the Supreme Court to find a constitutional right for same-sex couples to marry. Even though the Democrats are at their smallest minority ever in Congress since the early 20th century, the number of lawmakers on the Democrats’ brief is nearly four times the number on the Republican brief.

Rep. J. Randy Forbes Continues to Drink Kool-Aid

Randy Forbes - a pandering political whore

As I have noted before, I went to law school wit now Congressman J. Randy Forbes.  In school, Forbes was not a liberal, but he wasn't a right wing nutcase either.  Now, Forbes has either been subjected to a "Stepford Wife" like transformation or is drinking far right Kool-Aid by the truckload.  How else to explain his co-authoring of an op-ed in the Washington Examiner advocating for a license to engage in religious based discrimination.  The principal target, naturally is LGBT citizens, but Forbes batshitery could equally apply to Jews, blacks and others disliked by the "godly folk."  Here are samples of Forbes' vile pandering to hate merchants.  Natuarlly, if and when Christians become a minority, I suspect that Forbes will be singing a different song.  Here are highlights of his batshitery:

Avid Chipotle customers seeking carnitas burritos for dinner may be disappointed over the coming weeks. The restaurant giant is reportedly no longer serving pork at about a third of its locations after it dropped a pork supplier that failed to live up to the corporation's standards of humane animal care.


It is crucial that the same freedom of conscience enjoyed by the leadership of Chipotle remain equally available to business owners of faith. Indeed, much more so, as freedom of religion is explicitly protected by the First Amendment. We cannot simultaneously laud the leaders of a business motivated by a commitment to environmental sustainability and discriminate against the leaders of a business motivated by religious belief.

If a decision based on moral convictions is celebrated, shouldn't a decision based on the free exercise of religion – a right guaranteed in the Constitution – be even more so?

To be sure, religious freedom is not just a choice of convenience – it is a fundamental right given to all Americans by the Constitution. As we recognize Chipotle's decision, let's remember that a clear constitutionally-supported civil right of religious freedom should be cherished and respected in every corner of this nation.

Americans do not check their religious freedom at the door when they leave their home or place of worship and enter the public sphere.  We must not fall prey to the hypocrisy of defending the freedom of operating a business on convictions of sustainability, but reject that same freedom when the convictions are based in faith.

No doubt Mr. Forbes sees himself as virtuous even as he promotes hate and division and the embrace of ignorance and bigotry.  The truth, however, is that (i) religious belief is 100% a matter of choice and (ii) the most tawdry whore has more integrity and virtue and Forbes and his fellow Republicans who shamelessly prostitute them to the ugliest elements of the party base - the Christofascists and the white supremacists.

Virginian Pilot: Randy Forbes = An Ass

Previous posts have noted Congressman Randy Forbes' efforts to block the National Republican Congressional Committee from providing funding to the campaigns of gay Republicans.  The Virginian Pilot carried the cartoon above to underscore what an ass Forbes is and how he is harming the GOP.

National Republican Congressional Committee Likely to Fund Gay Candidates Over Forbes Objections

Perhaps change is coming to the Republican Party after all - at least to those in the Party who do not continue to over dose on Kool-Aid.  And, of course, there are the few pragmatists who understand that the GOP's anti-gay jihad is killing the party's brand with younger voters who will become  crucial as the elderly angry white Christofascists die off.  Why do I say this?  Because despite the efforts of the ever homophobic Rep. J. Randy Forbes, it appears that the National Republican Congressional Committee will fund and support openly gay Republican candidates.  Even the horrid John Boehner has found enough spine to speak out in support of such funding.  The spittle will be flying at The Family Foundation, Family Research Council and other hate groups.  The Oregonian reports that Oregon Rep. Greg Walden, head of the National Republican Congressional Committee, is ignoring Randy Forbes' homophobic whining.  Here are highlights:

Oregon Rep. Greg Walden, who heads the National Republican Congressional Committee, is making it clear that he won't be following the lead of a Virginia GOP congressman who wants Walden's committee to deny funding for openly gay congressional candidates.

Walden told Politico in a statement that the congressional committee -- which plays a key role in providing campaign money to candidates in highly contested races -- won't discriminate against gay candidates.

“Our decisions on the Republican nominees we support will not be based on race, gender or sexual orientation," Walden said, "but will be based on the strength of their candidacy and their ability to defeat Democrats.”

The latest kerfuffle in the culture wars erupted after Politico reported Thursday that Rep. Randy Forbes, a senior GOP congressman from Virginia, was working behind the scenes to deny funding by House Republicans to gay candidates.

Forbes, who has reportedly been angling to become the next chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, has been a staunch opponent of expanding gay rights.  He supports a proposed constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage throughout the country and has opposed legislation that would prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

With Forbes' district more frequently voting for Democrats in other races, Forbes really needs to get his nose out of the foul asses of folks like Victoria Cobb, Tony Perkins and Don Wildmon.  As noted above, even spinelss John Boehner has found a voice on this issue as reported by KLPR TV-11:

House Speaker John Boehner said Thursday he believes the GOP should support the party’s openly gay candidates.  “I do,” he said when asked by CNN Chief Congressional Correspondent Dana Bash if he backs such House hopefuls.

His answer comes as a GOP congressman from Virginia is pressuring a national Republican campaign group to withhold financial support for the party’s gay candidates.

In next year’s midterm elections, there are two openly gay GOP candidates who are well positioned to challenge Democratic incumbents. Richard Tisei, a former state lawmaker who unsuccessfully ran for Congress in 2012, is running again for a Massachusetts seat.

Both candidates would have to face primaries before being guaranteed a spot on the November general election ballot. But if they do win their respective primaries, they’ve been widely praised as potential pick-ups for the GOP in the House. Rep. Patrick McHenry, who serves as the NRCC’s top recruiter, has touted both as top-tier candidates.

In a statement, Forbes said “the definition of marriage is an issue with widely divergent opinions passionately held by both sides.”

“This is true of the Republican Party, as it is of society as a whole,” he continued. “Our goal is to make certain every individual has the right to express his or her belief, while no one is compelled to support financially or otherwise, those who disagree with them. It is my belief that we are trying to strike this balance and we will continue to work to accomplish this goal.”

Asked about Forbes opposition to NRCC money for gay candidates, McHenry–the GOP group’s top recruiter–disagreed with his colleague.

“If you are a top notch candidate you deserve the support of our party infrastructure and what we need to do is get the best candidates to return Republican seats back to Republican hands,” he said Thursday. “My agenda is to field Republican candidates who can beat Democrats, who can be good members of Congress and help solve the nation’s problems.”

My message to Forbes: Randy, come out of the Middle Ages and join the 21st century.  With thousands and thousands of gays serving in the military in Hampton Roads, your bigotry and Homophobia are inappropriate.  I'd also comment that Forbes "doth protest too much."  What happened to the nice guy I once knew?  Any time you'd like to talk, you know where to find me.

Anti-Gay Rep. Randy Forbes Slammed from Right and Left

This morning I wrote about my increasingly homophobic former classmate, Congressman Randy Forbes, who appears to be attempting to block campaign funding for gay Republican candidates from the National Republican Congressional Committee.  Forbes motivation?  Obviously, kissing the large bigoted asses of the Christofascist.  And perhaps, in my view, reprising the behavior of former Congressman Ed Schrock.  Since Politico's story hit, Forbes has been getting slammed by both pundits of the right and the left.  On the right, a piece in Bearing Drift, perhaps the leading conservative political blog in Virginia, this statement appeared:

Forbes did himself no favors with his statements: . . . .Notice anything missing? Like say a statement making it abundantly clear that using sexual orientation to disqualify a candidate is a no-no? Me neither, and that’s the problem.

Has the Republican Party of Virginia fallen so far that opposing Bob McDonnell’s tax hike is considered “extreme,” but backroom homophobia is just fine?

Memo to my Congressman: the clock is ticking; I think 24 hours to be sufficient for a much needed clarification. Likewise for the newfound “moderates” who make up the Bolling faction (as it were) of the the RPV: you have 24 hours to practice what you preach, condemn this behavior (if you don’t think Forbes actually did it, you can feel free to blast the concept without touching him), and show me this is about more than giving yourselves cover for tax increases.

The left has been equally brutal.  Here are highlights from a statement by the Southern Poverty Law Center:

Virginia Congressman Randy Forbes is back in the news. We last wrote about Forbes in October when he was set to fundraise for an anti-gay hate group, the American Family Association (AFA). Now he’s pushing to deny money to gay Republican candidates for Congress – because they’re gay. Unfortunately for Forbes, his anti-gay bigotry is undercutting his effort to become chair of the powerful House Armed Services Committee.

We were hopeful that his decision to skip the hate group event signaled a shift away from anti-gay bigotry. We were wrong.
Forbes, sadly, has a long track record of bigotry, and his latest efforts fit nicely into a career of denying civil rights to LGBT Americans. As Zack Ford points out at ThinkProgress, he argued in 2007 that the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would prevent LGBT Americans from being fired for their sexual orientation, would “destroy the institution of marriage.” He also supports a constitutional amendment to overturn state laws allowing same-sex marriage and introduced legislation that would allow businesses with a religious affiliation to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation.

As we’ve noted in the past, Forbes has worked closely with the AFA and appeared numerous times on its radio shows, including with Tony Perkins and homophobe-in-chief Bryan Fischer. One of the first videos on his official YouTube channel, posted in 2008, is an AFA special called the “War on God.”

Forbes’ close relationship with the AFA renders him unfit to chair the committee that oversees America’s modern military. After all, this is a group whose chief spokesperson and head of public policy – Bryan Fischer – argues that we must “bring to an end the practice of putting women in the military” and “stop the practice of allowing Muslims to serve in the U.S. military.”
Forbes can’t be held responsible for every bigoted thing that comes out of Fischer’s mouth, but he has gone out of his way to work with the AFA – more than perhaps any other member of Congress. He has made it clear that he will use every bit of leverage he has to undermine equal rights. He has no place dictating policy for our military.

   Actions have consequences and I hope Forbes' bigotry ends up biting him in the ass big time.

Randy Forbes Pushing National Republican Congressional Committee to Deny Support to Gay Candidates

As I have noted before, I was in law school with now Congressman Randy Forbes.  You might say that I even counted him as a friend.  I honestly cannot determine what the Hell has happened to the man to make him such a homophobe and such a tool of the Christofascists.  It's as if a "Stepford Wife" transformation was done to him.  Now, Forbes has ratcheted up his batshitery and attacks on gays by pushing the National Republican Congressional Committee to deny any assistance to promising gay Republican candidates.  Given that Forbes is in a safe, gerrymandered district, it's not as if he needs to be pandering so blatantly to the Christofascists at The Family Foundation.  One can only wonder if Forbes is another Ed Schrock - stridently anti-gay to hide the real story.  Politico looks at Forbes quest against gay Republicans.  Here are excerpts: 

Virginia Rep. Randy Forbes, a senior House Republican eyeing a powerful committee chairmanship, is causing friction with some of his colleagues by pushing the House GOP campaign arm to deny support for some of the party’s gay congressional candidates.

Forbes has waged a lengthy crusade to convince his colleagues and the National Republican Congressional Committee brass they shouldn’t back some gay candidates. His efforts on Capitol Hill were described to POLITICO by more than a half-dozen sources with direct knowledge of the talks.

The issue is particularly acute because House Republicans have two promising openly gay candidates in 2014 vying for seats held by Democrats. Richard Tisei, who narrowly lost to Democratic Rep. John Tierney in 2012, is running again in northeastern Massachusetts. And in San Diego, Carl DeMaio, a former city councilman, is trying to knock off Democratic Rep. Scott Peters.

Many senior House Republicans haven’t shied away from giving money to Tisei or DeMaio. The NRCC supported Tisei in 2012, and many top Republicans contributed to his campaign. The political arm of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) gave DeMaio $10,000 in June. And Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) chipped in $5,000 the same month.

On Wednesday, Forbes told POLITICO he thinks “GOP leaders can do whatever they want to do,” in terms of giving money to gay candidates.  He said he is more concerned about members being asked to contribute to the campaigns. The NRCC is partially funded by collecting tens of millions of dollars from House Republicans, who pay dues to the organization.

In an emailed statement to POLITICO in response to this story, NRCC Chairman Greg Walden of Oregon said, “Our decisions on the Republican nominees we support will not be based on race, gender or sexual orientation but will be based on the strength of their candidacy and their ability to defeat Democrats.”

Many Republicans seem willing to back DeMaio. Rep. Darrell Issa, a senior California Republican who has endorsed him, said that “he will be supported by the NRCC when he wins the primary.”
“I will see to that,” said Issa, who chairs the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

Although Forbes has been lobbying on this issue for some time, it is becoming public now, as his name is being mentioned for the committee chairmanship. Although he hasn’t announced his retirement, many GOP insiders expect current Armed Services Committee Chairman Buck McKeon (R-Calif.) to forgo another bid for election.

We do not need Forbes in a position such as chairman of the Armed Services Committee.  His anti-gay jihad may warm the icy cold heart of Victoria Cobb at The Family Foundation, but it certainly does jibe with a political party's goal of winning elections.

Ad Targets Congressman Randy Forbes' Ties to Hate Group

Ken Cuccinelli is not the only Virginia Republican who seems only too willing to prostitute himself to far right anti-gay hate groups that also involve a strong undercurrent of racism and ties to white supremacy.  Another one of such Republicans is Congressman Randy Forbes whose district includes parts of Hampton Roads.  I've known Forbes for going on 39 years since law school days and he wasn't always in bed with the Christofascists and de facto racists.   But that was then and increasingly he has aligned himself with some of the nastiest groups in the anti-gay pantheon, including the American Family Association ("AFA").  But it isn't just gays that AFA seeks to denigrate and relegate to an inferior level of citizenship.  AFA spokesman Bryan Fischer has made heinous comments about Native Americans, non-whites, and of course immigrants.  Now, the non-profit group Faithful America, is conducting an online petition drive asking Forbes to cancel his speech at an AFA gathering later this week.  Here's are highlights from a statement from Faithful America:

Faithful America, a national Christian organization, is airing a new TV ad that calls on Virginia Congressman Randy Forbes to cancel his upcoming appearance at a Washington, D.C. luncheon sponsored by the American Family Association, a fringe hate group whose spokesman has blamed America for 9/11, claimed gays caused the Holocaust, said black people “rut like rabbits” and argued that women have no place in politics. Watch the new ad, “There’s nothing Christian about hate,” which is running this week in Virginia’s 4th Congressional District. 

 

“As founder and chair of the so-called Congressional Prayer Caucus, Rep. Randy Forbes holds up himself up as a Christian leader in Washington, D.C. But there's nothing Christian about the hateful rhetoric of the American Family Association. Thousands of Christians across America are calling on Rep. Forbes to cancel this appearance.” said Faithful America executive director Michael Sherrard.

The American Family Association and its spokesman, Bryan Fischer, have a long track record of extremism. During the last election, Mitt Romney confronted the group, calling out its “poisonous language” and lack of “decency.” The AFA has officially been designated a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center for its outrageous and bigoted statements about gays, which include: “Homosexuality gave us Adolf Hitler, and homosexuals in the military gave us the Brown Shirts, the Nazi war machine and 6 million dead Jews.” 

Faithful America’s new TV ad comes on the heels of a national petition to Congressman Forbes, which was launched last week and so far has over 12,000 signatures.

Both the Virginian Pilot and the Richmond Times Dispatch have coverage of the effort.  Here are highlights from thre Pilot:

Progressive Christian activists are running TV ads urging U.S. Rep. Randy Forbes to cancel a Friday speech sponsored by a conservative Christian association that has been labeled a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

The Chesapeake Republican, a founder of the Congressional Prayer Caucus, is scheduled to speak at a $40-a-plate American Family Association luncheon. It is part of the 2013 Values Voter Summit, an annual three-day event in Washington sponsored by several conservative groups.

Its 30-second spot opens with a close-up of Forbes' face as a narrator says, "Congressman Randy Forbes talks a lot about his Christian faith, so why is he working with a hate group?"
 
It then switches to images of Bryan Fischer, host of an American Family Association radio show, citing comments Fischer has made that are disparaging of homosexuals, women and blacks.

"We're focusing on Rep. Forbes mostly because of his clear leadership on Christian issues in the House," Viles said. "The idea that you have a congressman who is constantly touting his Christian values giving credibility to an organization like this.... It doesn't smell like Christianity."

 Here is a sampling from the Richmond Times Dispatch:

Several human rights groups have called on Rep. J. Randy Forbes, R-4th, and other Republican legislators to cancel their speaking engagements at the Values Voter Summit in Washington this Friday, an event co-sponsored by the American Family Association and the Family Research Council, in Washington this Friday. Both organizations were categorized as hate groups by the Southern Poverty Law Center because of “vilifying the LGBT community and spreading other forms of bigotry.”

“Public officials need to know the real ‘values’ they’re endorsing when they attend the Values Voter Summit,” said Heidi Beirich, director of the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Intelligence Project. “Offensive and bigoted lies are not magically transformed into the truth just because a group with the word ‘family’ in its name keeps repeating them.”

The coalition letter was signed by the NAACP, the National Council of La Raza, Faithful America, GLAAD, the Human Rights Campaign, People For the American Way, and the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Dean Petrone, a spokesman for Forbes, said that the congressman has no intentions of changing his plans to attend the event.

My comment to my former classmate?  Randy, if you are really the sincere Christian that you claim to be - as opposed to a pandering whore groveling for votes from haters - you would cancel your appearance immediately.  If you fail to do so, it speaks volumes and none of it is good.  AFA, Family Research Council and their co-hosts are literally killing Christianity.