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crossposted on Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters
There seems to be an attempt to create a rising storm regarding President Obama's pick of GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network) founder Kevin Jennings as Assistant Deputy Secretary in the Office of Safe Schools.
The religious right have been steadily attempting to portray Jennings as a danger to children and another cog in the so-called gay conspiracy to indoctrinate children.
The usual characters, Peter LaBarbera, Linda Harvey, and One News Now, have already cast Jennings as some sort of psychological lamia out to strip children of their innocence.
Now the Family Research Council via its blog has gotten into the act. Let's look at the group's claims:
View of Christians
Addressing a church audience on March 20, 2000 in New York City — just days before “Fistgate” — GLSEN Executive Director Kevin Jennings offered a stinging (and quite intolerant) assessment of how to deal with religious conservatives:
Twenty percent of people are hard-core fair-minded [pro-homosexual] people. Twenty percent are hard-core [anti-homosexual] bigots. We need to ignore the hard-core bigots, get more of the hard-core fair-minded people to speak up, and we’ll pull that 60 percent [of people in the middle] … over to our side. That’s really what I think our strategy has to be. We have to quit being afraid of the religious right. We also have to quit — … I’m trying to find a way to say this. I’m trying not to say, ‘[F---] ‘em!’ which is what I want to say, because I don’t care what they think! [audience laughter] Drop dead! It should be noted that GLSEN and Jennings make heavy use of the words “respect” and “tolerance” in their public rhetoric and in descriptions of their programs.
The claim that Jennings is bigoted towards Christians is debatably inaccurate. The quote says nothing about Christians, but rather some folks who oppose lgbt equality.
And based on how these individuals and organizations have opposed lgbt equality in the past, Jennings has a point with his comments.
However that is not the point. FRC tries to imply that Jennings is bigoted towards Christians much like a racist would be bigoted towards African-Americans. And the quote the organization uses just doesn't justify that implication, despite the profanity used by Jennings.
You will notice that the example mentioned “fistgate.” FRC's blog goes into detail about this alleged incident further down:
GLSEN and “Fistgate”
GLSEN, which promotes homosexual clubs and the homosexual lifestyle in high schools, middle schools and grade schools and is the driving force behind the annual “Day of Silence” celebration of homosexuality
“The most notorious education scandal involving homosexual activists is a GLSEN sponsored conference that occurred on March 25, 2000, dubbed ‘Fistgate’ by conservatives. Three homosexual activists employed by the Massachusetts Departments of Health and Education led a youth workshop titled ‘What They Didn’t Tell You about Queer Sex & Sexuality in Health Class’ — part of the annual Boston-GLSEN ‘Teach Out’ conference held at Tufts University. The ‘Queer Sex’ session, advertised to ‘youth only ages 14 to 21,’ was attended by Massachusetts family advocate Scott Whitemen, who taped it while standing in the back of the room.
In the workshop, instructor Michael Gaucher, prompted by a teen’s question, verbally guided the students on the mechanics of ‘fisting’ — a homosexual slang term for a sadistic sex act in which a man inserts his hand and arm into another person’s anal cavity.
Another instructor, Margot Abels, said fisting ‘often gets a really bad rap,’ and described it innocuously as ‘an experience of letting somebody into your body that you want to be that close and intimate with.’ Abels and Gaucher also guided the students on techniques of oral sodomy and lesbian sex.”
“Fistgate,” which I have talked about repeatedly, is one of those phony moral panics created by Massachusetts religious right group Mass Resistance. The group illegally entered and taped a discussion from a Massachusetts state conference on teens and sexual behavior.
My take on the so-called controversy is here. But the most important thing about this situation regarding Jennings and GLSEN is other than helping to sponsor the conference, neither Jennings nor GLSEN had anything to do with the questions asked or the controversy that took place because of it.
One last point I want to make:
On Statutory Rape
‘In his own writings and books listed on the GLSEN [Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network] Website, I’ve reported, Kevin Jennings has given tacit nods of approval to sex between young teens and adults,’ (Linda) Harvey told WND. ‘In addition to that, the writings and books, many of which I’ve read and are incredibly graphic, seem to
normalize early teen same-sex sexual behaviors.’
As I have said so many times before, Linda Harvey is a phony expert. She is the founder of Mission America and a former ad executive who became “born again.” She has no credentials or expertise. She also has a very, very negative view of anyone who is lgbt supportive. This is what she said three years ago:
When people have views supporting homosexuality, they should not be involved with youth in any way, period. Because they:
will provide inaccurate, misleading information to kids;
may limit a student's opportunity to hear warnings about the behavior;
may advocate or model inappropriate behavior;
may be directly involved in the molestation of kids themselves; or
may be in a position to allow others to do so.
I think it's safe to say that Harvey is not a credible source of information regarding lgbts.
The attacks on Jennings is important because they are taking place while the lgbt community is distracted with marriage equality, Don't Ask, Don't Tell, and our anger at President Obama for allegedly not moving fast enough on our issues.
How long will it be before a letter signed by several religious right groups asking for Jennings's removal goes out to the
media?
We had better get on the ball with this before we are caught with our pants down.
Past writings on the religious right attacks on Jennings and GLSEN:
'Fistgate' and President Obama – religious right pushes a pitiful attempt of guilt by association
More right wing lunacy on Kevin Jennings courtesy of Kevin McCullough
7 Comments
Oddly enough, the FRC website is being blocked by our firewallIt seems to be a hate site.
Tony Perkins Has No Right To BitchAnyone debating Tony Perkins on television over this, PLEASE don’t be a dumbass and leave out the part where he, along with Falwell, Dobson, the Moral Majority, etc. were pushing to have ALL gays in the USA EXECUTED – put to death – in the 1980′s.
Tony Perkins is more than a “concerned christian”. He’s a bloodthirsty queen.
So, someone let us know where to write….In support of Jennings…just to the Whitehouse site or where?
do you have any references for where that is listed?If we have proof that they advocated this then that is a great counter measure for when they try to use past opinions of say judges, against the nominees.
I just tried to reply in their comments section.I wrote the following:
I really have a terrible time maintaining my faith when I see people wrap themselves in the cloak of Christianity as an excuse to advance hate and bigotry and bear false witness against other people.
Every day in this country, children and teens are harassed and bullied in school either because of their sexual orientation or their perceived sexual orientation. GLSEN has worked tirelessly as an organization to make schools safe for every child, and that is at it should be.
Let’s look at the information used to formulate this attack. First off, Jennings refers to “hardcore bigots.” (He doesn’t even say “anti-homosexual…you all added that in). But he’s making an accurate point that people who hold hardcore beliefs (even if bigoted) are most likely not going to change, so there’s no need to waste time trying to change them.
In response to the “Fistgate” claim, Mr. Jennings had nothing to do with the content of the presentation, and remember, the response was to a question asked by a teenager specifically about the topic. Mr. Jennings wasn’t there, nor was anyone from GLSEN…they were merely one of several sponsors. If it’s OK to tie the words and acts of others to someone merely due to some very loose association, then everyone in the Pro-Life movement shares responsibility for the murder of Dr. Tiller. Please don’t hold out two standards here.
In regards to the “Statutory Rape” section…That is beyond disingenuous and goes to the deliberately inflammatory. You quote nothing in the section said by Mr. Jennings or GLSEN that says anything even remotely related to “sex with children.” What a joke if that’s the best you can do. Also, Linda Harvey is not an expert. She is a former Ad Executive with no credentials or professional training to qualify her as an expert in Adolescent Psychology or even Adolescent education or literature. She is known to be extremely bigoted in her views towards homosexuals.
And let’s see the “Kindergartner’s thing.” Holy cow, this obviously means that Focus on the Family thinks children should be encouraged to bully and hate and engage in name calling (did you people read what the card asked for, or just cut and paste?)…because they obviously oppose a very innocuous exercise in coaching children to refrain from those bad behaviors. I am a Christian, and my parent’s were and are very strong Christians, and I would be in for a spanking if I engaged in those kinds of behaviors. I was taught respect for everyone else. I wish they’d gotten involved in FoTF…I might have gotten fewer spankings…since name calling and bullying is OK by them.
Let’s be honest here, Mr. Jennings is, as a former educator and person who has dedicated himself to making schools safe for all children (something Christians should be all about instead of protesting a teacher who asks her students to treat each other with respect) is imminently qualified for the position. Certain people on the Christian right can’t stand the idea that people might be asked to be respectful to one another, since they seem to want to retain the right to be disrespectful. This is not the Christianity of Christ. I don’t recognize this at all.
(Now I’m sure this comment won’t make it onto the site, but know that Christ knows your actions and your heart, and you are bearing false witness, and aiding in hate and bullying. You will answer for this someday…Jesus said the greatest commandment was to love God, but then said next was to love one another. This is not a loving reaction.)
When I clicked the submit button, I got the following message:
So what’s so “spammy” about my comment? Hmmm, me thinks they define as anything that disagrees with them.
SureFor one, Alvin has some references to this at his “Anti-gay Lies & Liars” website.
And here’s a YouTube video montage, which includes those “execution” threats by the Moral Majority group, which included Tony Perkins:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=sfN…
I say throw it out there regardless of the conversation. Tony Perkins should explain himself.
YeahThat comment wouldn’t make it past the first keyword filter let alone ever posted to their site. They monitor comments & delete any and everything that challenges the lock-step sheeple.