Gay Rights Push Shifts Focus to the South

One of the most anti-gay parts of the country is the South where racism, Bible thumping and dislike of anyone "different" tends to be the norm, especially in regions like Southwest Virginia where it's as if a frightening time warp exists and it's still the early 1950's.  Things are even worse in Alabama, Mississippi and parts of other southern states.  Hence, it is no surprise that belatedly Gay Inc. is finally shifting its attention to area where anti-gay animus tends to be the norm, all too often fanned by fundamentalists and Southern Baptists.  The New York Times looks at this shift in focus which for many LGBT individuals cannot come soon enough.  Here are excerpts:

The country’s leading gay rights groups and donors, after a decade focused on legalizing same-sex marriage, are embarking on a major drive to win more basic civil rights and workplace protections in Southern and Western states where the rapid progress of the movement has largely eluded millions of gay men and lesbians.

The effort will shift tens of millions of dollars in the next few years to what advocates described as the final frontier for gay rights: states like Mississippi, Georgia, Arkansas and Texas, where Republicans dominate elected office and traditional cultural views on homosexuality still prevail.

The new strategy reflects the growing worry within the movement that recent legal and political successes have formed two quickly diverging worlds for lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender Americans: one centered on the coasts and major cities, and another stretching across the South and up through the Rocky Mountains, in states where gays enjoy virtually no legal protections against discrimination.

“We can’t allow two distinct gay Americas to exist,” said Tim Gill, a Colorado philanthropist whose foundation is putting about $25 million into a handful of mostly conservative-leaning states over the next five years. “Everybody should have the same rights and protections regardless of where they were born and where they live.”

The push is likely to encounter resistance. Gay rights groups will be engaging in communities where churches and other religious institutions are tightly woven into daily life, and where efforts to expand civil rights protections to gays are sometimes viewed as an attack on people of faith.

One early test of the new effort will come in Houston next month, when the mayor, Annise D. Parker, will seek to pass an ordinance forbidding businesses and city agencies to discriminate against residents based on sexual identity, race or gender.

In some states, organizations like the Human Rights Campaign, the American Civil Liberties Union and groups Mr. Gill helps fund plan to lobby for nondiscrimination ordinances in housing and employment and for legislation allowing gay parents to adopt. In other states, they are building new grass-roots organizations and pushing for the election of openly gay and lesbian officials where there.

In a nod to the dominant political culture in the South and West, the effort will rely heavily on outreach to Republicans and clergy, as well as to African-American civil rights organizations. Gay rights leaders are also quietly forging partnerships with major corporations based in Southern and Western cities, hoping to leverage their ties to Republican officials. 

“The prevalence of the closet presents a challenge far greater than what we’ve seen in the other regions of the country,” said Chad H. Griffin, president of the Human Rights Campaign, which is opening up field offices in Mississippi, Alabama and Arkansas in an effort to build stronger ties to schools, religious institutions and political cultural leaders. “You risk being kicked out of your home. You risk discrimination on the job or being fired. You risk rejection at your place of religious celebration.”

Gay rights leaders are also worried that future court victories could leave gay men and lesbians in some states mired in a legal paradox: They might be free to marry but could still lose their jobs in the 29 states where it remains legal to fire employees for their sexual orientation.

Yes, as always seems to be the case, religion and professional Christians milking the ignorant for money via gay bashing will be the primary obstacles.  Ironically, some of the Christofascists have recently described gays as "leeches," yet if there is any parasite it's the folks like Tony Perkins, Maggie Gallagher, Brian Brown and Victoria Cobb who suck money from those who are often least able to pay.

 

Anti-Gay Bigotry is Alive and Well in Small Town Virginia

UPDATED: A reader from Gloucester County who actually saw the Pride Month display before it was taken down passed along some information that underscores Pastor Woodard's bigotry and the reality that he cannot countenance recognition of the fact that LGBT citizens exist much less that some of us have made significant contributions to our society and culture. Here's the added details:
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The only sign on the display read, "June is Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Month" with a graphic of a person in rainbow colors, a copy of the Rainbow flag and a graphic that said "Gay Pride" and "Be Yourself".
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The materials included in the display included works by Truman Capote, Tennessee Williams, Rita Mae Brown, Langston Hughes, Walt Whitman and Alice Walker; music CD's by Sir Elton John, Melissa Etheridge and the Indigo Girls; a movie DVD, "Milk", starring Sean Penn, about Harvey Milk.
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There were also biographies Andy Warhol, T.E. Lawrence, Alexander the Great, and Michelangelo, together with non-fiction books about LGBT issues and some fiction books for adults and young adults.
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Not exactly subversive stuff or a "promotion of homosexuality." Obviously, the LGBT individuals have contributed more to culture and society than Woodard's piss ant far right little church. Let's be blunt: Woodard is a homophobic bigot plan and simple.
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ORIGINAL POST: While some of Virginia's larger cities are crawling their way into the 21st century and becoming LGBT accepting - despite the obstacle thrown in their paths by Bob "Taliban Bob" McDonnell and the loony Ken Cuccinelli - things remain in the 17th century in rural areas where anti-gay bigotry is alive and well and the sensibilities of bigots trump the rights of taxpaying citizens. A case in point is nearby Gloucester County, Virginia (estimated population 36,858) which now finds itself the subject of media attention because of the removal of an innocuous Pride Month display in the local library. I've mentioned this situation previously and the challenge to the bigotry spearheaded by County Supervisor Gregory Woodard - a fundamentalist pastor - who seems just a tad too hysterical in his opposition to all things gay if you get my drift. Fortunately, the Daily Press is not letting the story die and has documented that a handful of complaints to the bigoted Mr. Woodard caused the demise of the library display. Other members of the Board of Supervisors are trying to duck the issue by saying there are more important things to ficus upon. In that regard they are somewhat correct. Gloucester is a backwater and by embracing bigotry it will remain that way even as the rest of the world moves on. Here are highlights from the latest Daily Press story on the controversy:
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Copies of hundreds of pages of emails, obtained by the Daily Press from Gloucester County under a Freedom of Information Act request, show that a small number of complaints about a gay pride exhibit at the Gloucester Public Library caused a flurry of communication between county supervisors and officials. Whether the issue will get a public hearing remains to be seen.
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Bill Walker, chairman of the Board of Trustees, said in a phone interview Tuesday that the agenda for the September meeting has not been set. Whether or not the gay pride exhibit is discussed at the meeting, Walker said Library Director Diane Rebertus has the authority to install and take down exhibits. "It's unfortunate that this whole thing has taken the path it has," Walker said. Rebertus referred to the display in an email as "low-key." It was installed June 1 and coincided with June being gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender month.
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The display first caught the attention of a member of the Board of Supervisors more than two weeks after it had been put up. Supervisor Gregory Woodard received an email June 18 from a Gloucester resident who was "offended by the promotion of homosexuality by our library."
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On June 20, Woodard forwarded the email to County Administrator Brenda Garton. She sent out an email saying Rebertus received a complaint from a woman on June 17. . . . On June 22, Woodard wrote to Garton in an email that he was surprised the Library would make a decision to promote gay rights month. Garton responded in an email that she doesn't think anyone intended for the display to promote anything, "just like celebrating military month with a display of materials isn't promoting war." Minutes later, Woodard responded by email to Garton to ask Rebertus to make the Library Board consider the issue of promoting gay rights.
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Woodard asked Board of Supervisors Chairman Christian "Buddy" Rilee to place the issue on the July meeting agenda, but Rilee declined. "There are so many important issues facing Gloucester and we do not need to go there when it comes to this topic," Rilee wrote.
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On a positive note, Supervisor Woodard has recently announced that he would not seek re-election to the Gloucester Board of Supervisors. Hopefully, with Woodard's exit from the Board of Supervisors his style of Christian hate filled bigotry will go with him.

Fundie Frensy Increasing

Earlier today I posted about the new Time magazine poll which put those accepting gay marriage as tied with those who oppose it. I also conjectured that the wingnuts would be getting increasingly hysterical. Via Pam's House Blend an e-mail put out by the so-called National Organization for Marriage proves my point. Not only is the rhetoric getting increasingly loony, but through out the e-mail are numerous disingenuous calls for money donations. I guess Brian S. Brown, Executive Director (pictured at left) of the group realizes his days of living off the donations of the sheeple may be drawing to a close and that getting every possible dollar now is crucial to the continuation of his life style. If the fundies lose the fight for marriage in California, the "goose that lays the golden eggs - i.e., shaking down the simple minded for money to protect them from the "threat to marriage" - may be gone and a significant amount of cash flow may disappear from the fundie coffers. That will hurt many of them far more than any change to the marriage laws. Here are a few highlights from the e-mail:

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The next 90 days will determine the future of marriage in our nation. With now less than 90 days remaining before the November 4 elections, the future of marriage hangs in the balance, not only in California, but in the rest of the nation as well . . . . "if we lose in California, "it will open the floodgates for same-sex marriage in all the other states." Already, we see new threats emerging in other states, and the pressures will only increase if we fail to save marriage in California.

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With gay marriage advocates and their willing accomplices in the courts, "live and let live" is a one-way street. For years, opponents of a federal marriage amendment have assured us that there is no need for an amendment -- because "marriage is an issue best left to the states," and besides, the Defense of Marriage Act already protects states from being forced to recognize same-sex marriages. But now, as soon as same-sex couples from across the country start flocking to California and Massachusetts for marriage licenses, we start hearing how "absurd" and "discriminatory" it is to have same-sex marriages recognized in some states but not in others.

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If Congress were to repeal DOMA next year, we would quickly see litigation over whether, for example, Indiana is required to recognize a same-sex marriage from Massachusetts. By the time the case reached the Supreme Court two years later, we would be facing the possibility of nationalized same-sex marriage, much as the Supreme Court set national abortion policy in 1973.

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We are in the midst of the biggest fight for marriage our nation has ever seen. But we are confident that with God's help we will prevail. Thank you for standing with us in your prayers, financial contributions, and volunteer efforts. These next 90 days are critical. Thank you for whatever you can do to help.

A Catholic's View on Episcopal Fundamentalists Taking Their Toys and Running

Michael J. Bayly, the executive coordinator of the Catholic Pastoral Committee on Sexual Minorities and the editor of The Progressive Catholic Voice, and author of the "Wild Reed" blog (http://thewildreed.blogspot.com/2007/12/episcopal-fundamentalists-take-their.html) has kindly referenced my post on the Episcopal Diocese of San Joaquin's vote to leave the Episcopal church as well as the VNS column relating to that issue. As a thinking Catholic, he has some very interesting reflections on the Roman Catholic Church's treatment of gays and it;'s reluctance to accept new knowledge. I highly recommend you read the entire post. Here are some highlights from his post, "In Catholicism’s case, the fundamentalists are not, to use different imagery, “jumping ship.” Rather, they’re very much in control. Indeed, they’ve barricaded themselves on the ship’s bridge - all the while declaring that such an arrangement is God’s will." (emphasis is mine):

Interestingly, Roman Catholic Coadjutor Archbishop John Nienstedt, in a recent letter-to-the-editor of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, cited biblical rather than doctrinal reasons for the Catholic Church’s “teaching” on homosexuality. I say “interestingly” because although some, including Archbishop Nienstedt, often argue that the church’s doctrinal stance is based on the “witness of scripture,” the Catholic Church tends to emphasize and rely more on “tradition” rather than “scripture” in justifying its prohibition on “homosexual acts.”

Why? Well, I think part of the reason is that most Catholics, including those within the hierarchy, know that the vast majority of scripture scholars question the appropriateness and validity of using ancient biblical texts to condemn our modern-day understanding and acceptance of homosexuality. On a range of issues, people realize that the Bible can’t be taken literally. Accordingly, even the Catholic Church has come to condemn biblical fundamentalism. Put another way, it no longer teaches that the Bible is the inerrant word of God.

Yet what the Catholic Church claims, instead, as inerrant (and thus unchangeable) is its “tradition,” by which is generally meant its teaching on faith and morals. As a result of this claim, dialogue on any number of important issues is effectively shut down. Of course, what’s happened is that one form of fundamentalism has been replaced by another: biblical by doctrinal. The end result is the same: the Spirit, present and active in the lives of all – yes, even gay people – is denied, and the church’s living tradition becomes mired in hubris, intellectual dishonesty, and the fear of change.

Fundamentalists, I’ve discovered, are incredibly insecure. The mere thought of development, growth, and change can send them into a frenzy. They have forgotten that religion should point to God, not be God. Yet sadly, aspects of their religious lives have become their god. Any threat to these idols is met with hostility fueled by both arrogance and fear.

In Catholicism’s case, the fundamentalists are not, to use different imagery, “jumping ship.” Rather, they’re very much in control. Indeed, they’ve barricaded themselves on the ship’s bridge - all the while declaring that such an arrangement is God’s will.

Preacher’s Wife Found Guilty of Manslaughter

Yet further proof that the fundamentalist Christians are the ones obsessed with sex. In the trial of a Tennessee woman accused of of killing her husband, a church pastor, her defense was sexual abuse by her husband. MSNBC and CNN are reporting as follows:

SELMER, Tenn. - During the 10 years she was married to a handsome young preacher, Mary Winkler said she never told anyone about the bruises and the sexual humiliation she endured. But the preacher’s wife accused of killing her husband took the witness stand this week and dredged up every embarrassing detail, talking about the abuse in front of TV cameras and family members.

Winkler told jurors, in powerful testimony Wednesday, that her husband Matthew abused her physically and sexually. But she said she did not pull the trigger and the shotgun went off accidentally as she pointed it at him.

But Mary Winkler described nearly a decade of marital abuse when she took the witness stand on Wednesday. She said he struck and kicked her, "screamed and hollered" at her, criticized her, blamed her when things went wrong and made her watch pornography and wear "slutty" costumes for sex. She also said he forced her to submit to sex acts that made her uncomfortable.

A wig and a tall, white platform shoe were placed on the witness stand during her testimony. Blushing crimson and staring at the floor, she said her husband bought them for her to wear to get him in the mood for sex.

This guy makes us gays look pretty plain vanilla in comparison. I wonder what those sex acts were that made her uncomfortable. I truly feel sorry for this woman. Her husband apparently put on a false holy and righteous facade for the public and was a freak in private.