Newsweek being "bombarded" by the religious right in response to Gay Marriage article

[DVCajun]

Part of the reason the religious right is successful in their campaign to keep us from having equal rights is that they're extremely vocal in their protests of any positive movement from our side. One example is the current issue of Newsweek, which does a beautiful job of debunking popular Biblical rhetoric. Newsweek received 20,000 angry letters from Christians on the FIRST DAY of publication.

If you're interested in participating in the noise, here's a helpful link: http://www.hrcactioncenter.org/campaign/newsweek/3si66ni4ljndxm6d?

[ConcKahuna]

This is from this comming Monday's issue (the 15th), so once it's in print I'm sure it will be even more of a hot topic.

[DVCajun]

True -- the emails were apparently in response to the article already posted on their website.

It's scary how organized the religious right is about stuff like this -- with the assistance of the saintly James Dobson, who uses his tax-exempt organization as a platform to spew his hate and fear rhetoric. I'm still trying to get my jaw off of the floor at the IRS's finding that he does all of his political activities as an individual and not as FOTF. It's rare that a FOTF broadcast *actually* focuses on the family and not hate-filled politics. His politics are ONLY about keeping gays as second-class citizens, and he accomplishes this by convincing the mindless masses that we are powerful, organized, and bent on taking over the world. The irony is breath-taking.

[rpmdfw]

True -- the emails were apparently in response to the article already posted on their website.

It's scary how organized the religious right is about stuff like this -- with the assistance of the saintly James Dobson, who uses his tax-exempt organization as a platform to spew his hate and fear rhetoric. I'm still trying to get my jaw off of the floor at the IRS's finding that he does all of his political activities as an individual and not as FOTF. It's rare that a FOTF broadcast *actually* focuses on the family and not hate-filled politics. His politics are ONLY about keeping gays as second-class citizens, and he accomplishes this by convincing the mindless masses that we are powerful, organized, and bent on taking over the world. The irony is breath-taking.

Then maybe we need to get organized, get powerful, and take over the world.


Okay, maybe not so much the wold conquering part, but a real solid ACTIVE gay rights organization would be a great thing. Something with the activism of join the impact with the political reach of HRC.

[zulemara]

looks like it's time for a facebook note!

[DVC~OKW~96]

And the dedication akin to Act-Up.

Seriously. It's time. No one is going to do it for us. We don't have a "james dobson" (thank heaven for small mercies) so we need to be our own committed force.

We don't have to agree within, one hundred percent beyond the core value of equal rights for all Americans. Once we've accomplished that we can work on the finer points, just like this country is constantly doing.

[wallyb]

True -- the emails were apparently in response to the article already posted on their website.

It's scary how organized the religious right is about stuff like this -- with the assistance of the saintly James Dobson, who uses his tax-exempt organization as a platform to spew his hate and fear rhetoric. I'm still trying to get my jaw off of the floor at the IRS's finding that he does all of his political activities as an individual and not as FOTF. It's rare that a FOTF broadcast *actually* focuses on the family and not hate-filled politics. His politics are ONLY about keeping gays as second-class citizens, and he accomplishes this by convincing the mindless masses that we are powerful, organized, and bent on taking over the world. The irony is breath-taking.

Think about it - It because they get their marching orders from the pulpit - and then execute like a holy army!
They act en mass. Brainless bible zombies.
I think that's my issue with organized religion - I'm not willing to let
someone else do my thinking for me.

[jlewisinsyr]

Think about it - It because they get their marching orders from the pulpit - and then execute like a holy army!
They act en mass. Brainless bible zombies.
I think that's my issue with organized religion - I'm not willing to let
someone else do my thinking for me.

Sheep I say, sheep.

Morality doesn't have to come from religion. I know right and wrong by knowing how I like to be treated and seen. I am not religous, I control my own future, I help my fellow "man" and actively support the success of society.

[wallyb]

Sheep I say, sheep.

Morality doesn't have to come from religion. I know right and wrong by knowing how I like to be treated and seen. I am not religous, I control my own future, I help my fellow "man" and actively support the success of society.

I help "men" as much as I can too! ;)

[Uncle Remus]

New video:
Don't Tell Me Who To Love (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBQyJTXiOYs)

[DVCajun]

Think about it - It because they get their marching orders from the pulpit - and then execute like a holy army!
They act en mass. Brainless bible zombies.
I think that's my issue with organized religion - I'm not willing to let
someone else do my thinking for me.

Ironically, it's their very sheeplike mindlessness that makes them so effective in this war. They do what they're told, when they're told, and their conviction is deeper because it's steeped in fear and their very belief in God.

As far as becoming organized, that's what we're trying to do, via outlets such as HRC. That's where I'm starting.

I've never been interested or involved in politics. Now I feel forced to at least allow my voice to be heard.

[OrlandoMike]

I have recently found myself going from "Well you know we need to put these issues through the courts" to "Enough is enough! By any means necessary!" I read the following post on the CB and thought..."Dear God, no more! How much more crap do we have to deal with!"

I have an aunt who has been with her partner for 30 years. Longer than a lot of marrried hetero couples I know. We all know they are gay and I am positive they had some sort of commitment ceremony as they wear similar rings on their ring fingers. They still live in the "closet" because of what the family and others will say. I have told them in conversations over the years that I have no problems with any of it but they insist they aren't gay.

I plan on seeing Milk in the next day or two, I wonder how that will alter my thinking process....:confused3

[rpmdfw]

I plan on seeing Milk in the next day or two, I wonder how that will alter my thinking process....:confused3

It definitely changed my thought process. In my mind it makes the current gay rights movement look lethargic and complacent. Sadly, it takes a specific kind of person to polarize a group and create ACTION. Where is our current Harvey Milk? Or Caesar Chavez, or Dr. King? We don't have one. Yes, we have more high-profile out gay people than they did in the early seventies, but who among them can be seen as the "leader of the movement" the way Harvey Milk was?

I also found myself thinking "wow, so much has changed, but so much is exactly the same!"

As far as becoming organized, that's what we're trying to do, via outlets such as HRC. That's where I'm starting.

I've never been interested or involved in politics. Now I feel forced to at least allow my voice to be heard.

My problem with the HRC is that I only hear from them when they want me to send in another donation. Yes, I understand that politcal lobbying efforts are important, but they don't put the issue "out there" in front of the average American. As for having your voice heard, I don't know that the HRC is going to do that. I woke up on November 5th OUTRAGED at the results of anti-galy legislation passing in four states was announced and opened my email to find a message from the HRC saying "Hooray we won!" because Obama got elected. Yes, that's a huge victory for us, but it was insulting to get that email with NO MENTION of the setbacks we'd been handed. It was much later in the day before the HRC sent out an email about Proposition 8 (and of course, those of us who lost in Florida, Arizona, and Arkansas were just a footnote on that, because Prop 8 was so much more important to the HRC than defending our rights in the other states.) The HRC strikes me as being a part of the "establishment" in many ways.

I think "Join The Impact" has the right idea, but I'm not sure if they're organized enough to fight the sustained fight.

We need ACT UP to come back. Loud, proud, visible, and people noticed them. They were fighting to save lives. Now we're fighting to be able to have a life. Not that dissimilar in my mind.

Okay, I'll step off my soapbox now.

[DVC~OKW~96]

I read that thread too, O'Mike and that passage totally broke my heart. :( Totally. Thirty years and they are too afraid to acknowledge that their love and relationship is just as valid and worthy as any heterosexual union.

This is the sort of stuff that drives me to frothing at the mouth, and that really serves no purpose, eh? :(

I would have thought by now, I'd be able to control that Dworkin like anger, but it only gets harder with time...seeing that nothing substative is changing. :(

Ugh. I think I need some more coffee. :teeth:

We'll be going to see Milk as soon as we can get three hours alone, together!

[OrlandoMike]

Looks like someone torched Sarah Palins church....

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (Dec. 13) - Gov. Sarah Palin's home church was badly damaged by arson, leading the governor to apologize if the fire was connected to "undeserved negative attention" from her failed campaign as the Republican vice presidential nominee.

http://news.aol.com/article/palins-home-church-destroyed-by-arson/276825

[tazdev3225]

I read that thread too, O'Mike and that passage totally broke my heart. :( Totally. Thirty years and they are too afraid to acknowledge that their love and relationship is just as valid and worthy as any heterosexual union.

I am the author of that thread and have lurked on this forum since I joined the DIS. It totally breaks my heart that my aunt can't acknowledge a relationship that has lasted for so long. I love her partner and was honored to go to WDW with them to celebrate my aunt's 50th birthday a few years ago. My brother is also gay and was more willing to kill himself than risk losing his family by admitting who he is. I am so happy that he is with me today and has found someone to love.
I am also proud to be an Episcopalian and a member of a church that elected the first openly gay bishop. I pray that there will be a day when so-called Christians actually live their faith and love instead of hate. I hope that the day will come in my lifetime that you all can marry or have an open civil union to celebrate your love.

[DVC~OKW~96]

Thank you so much for sharing their story; and your brother's. It is folks like you who will help the quest for equal rights. We need all the support and like minded thinking we can get "out there" so never think that what you do isn't completely appreciated. :hug:

[soulmates]

That was eye opening!! Thanks for posting!

[DVC~OKW~96]

OMG, that CB thread is going to cause me to have a heart attack. (And wouldn't some of the posters there have a party!! LOL).

I am serious when I say it scares me to see the level of complete ignorance in some people. I don't mean ignorance based on their beliefs not being in agreement with my knowledge, but on their "facts" being utter rubbish.

No where else in the world is Gay Marriage allowed? That really threw me for a loop. Jaysus. If you are going to argue a point at least stick to something you know a little bit about! :scared:

Ugh. I'm getting way to intense.

It's a Disney board...it's a Disney board...it's a Disney board...

[rpmdfw]

OMG, that CB thread is going to cause me to have a heart attack. (And wouldn't some of the posters there have a party!! LOL).

I am serious when I say it scares me to see the level of complete ignorance in some people. I don't mean ignorance based on their beliefs not being in agreement with my knowledge, but on their "facts" being utter rubbish.

No where else in the world is Gay Marriage allowed? That really threw me for a loop. Jaysus. If you are going to argue a point at least stick to something you know a little bit about! :scared:

Ugh. I'm getting way to intense.

It's a Disney board...it's a Disney board...it's a Disney board...


When it comes to the community board, I tend to think of this:

"You can't teach a pig to sing. It just wastes your time and frustrates the pig."

Trying to reason with those people is just a waste of my time and energy. They can't reason any better than the pig can sing. They're not taught to think for themselves. They're told what to think by their churches, parents, etc and taught to parrot the ideas that have been spoon fed into their underdeveloped minds. You're not going to change their minds, because they're not capable of changing their own minds.

We don't need those people to agree with us. Social change is inevitable, and they'll be lost in a world they can't comprehend. Sad for them, true; but good for us, because history has proven that these people cannot stall progress forever.

[tazdev3225]

Thank you so much for sharing their story; and your brother's. It is folks like you who will help the quest for equal rights. We need all the support and like minded thinking we can get "out there" so never think that what you do isn't completely appreciated. :hug:

Your welcome. I am very proud of my aunt and my brother and consider it an honor to have them in my family. Not all of us are narrowminded. After reading some of the hate filled trash on the CB I may stay here for awhile.

[OrlandoMike]

After reading some of the hate filled trash on the CB I may stay here for awhile.


We are a lot more fun, and have better hors d'overs! :lmao:

[wallyb]

We are a lot more fun, and have better hors d'overs! :lmao:

Don't forget the makeovers! :flower3:

[rpmdfw]

Don't forget the makeovers! :flower3:

Or the parties!:yay:

Who else has Virtual Showers with hats, goats, monkeys, scary clowns, pinatas, & twister?:banana:

[OrlandoMike]

I've got to get off the CB today, after all the gay bible clearly states..

Thou shall have the best kept yard on the street!

I have work to do! :thumbsup2

[Holly]

I've got to get off the CB today, after all the gay bible clearly states..

Thou shall have the best kept yard on the street!

I have work to do! :thumbsup2

Yeah, me too. I'm going to go plant some rainbows in my yard.

Happy gardening. :thumbsup2

[zeitzeuge]

I come from a very strict pentecostal religious upbringing. Yeah, you know the types, holyrollers. Luckily, I somehow got through 25 years of it without a scratch or years of therapy. I am lucky to have a family that despite how the some of the church believes, they love and accept me. Hell, they even defend and stand up for me when the chances have come up. Even my 80 year old Mother, bless her heart. :)

It sickens me that that there's a sect of "Christian" people out there that give all of them a bad name. I'm glad that the church I grew up in teaches love and acceptance and letting God do the rest. They might not necessarily 100% agree with who I am, but if they do, they keep it to themselves. I'm treated no different. I know they're not like most charismatic, pentecostal churches out there. It's taken years for them to get this way, but at least they're making progress. I hope they continue.

Social change takes time unfortunately. The difference between the early 90's and today to me is drastic. I just hope we can continue to change for the good and do it as a faster pace.

Don't get me started on Gay Activism. Our community has been complacent since the early 90's in my opinion.

We all need a fire lit under our butts. :)

*goes away to find a lighter*

[DVC~OKW~96]

I've got the lighter. :)

I totally agree with you Rob. However, it's time for us to no longer remain silent when faced with such ignorance. At least stating to the spewer of hatred and intolerance, that we recognize it as such and will not accept it has to be worth something.

I know it matters much to me when I see others supporting equality for all peoples.

I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that there is a whole segment of society that are completely incapable of thinking for themselves. If they were, they'd not be in the situations that they are. I know that nothing I say (or anyone says) that is a refutation of their "beliefs" is going to cause them to see the hatred and intolerance that they put forth. But it's time to stop ignoring what they say. We've been quiet and withdrawn for too long.

Time to step up and say, "NO. You are WRONG." Won't change them, but it just may make a dent in the overall social construct.

Hey. They don't call me Pollyanna for nuthin!

And Taz, you are so very welcome to stay here!!! We always love to include folks who "get it!" :hug:

We aren't such a bad group of folks to get to know. :teeth: We don't even bite!!! (Well, maybe WallyB but he's only kidding if he does). :teeth:

[ConcKahuna]

I nearly got lots of points when the one person posted "I voted for Amendment 2 because our preacher told us to" :sad2:

[rpmdfw]

I nearly got lots of points when the one person posted "I voted for Amendment 2 because our preacher told us to" :sad2:

Ah. Sheep.

They eventually get led to the slaughter . . .

[tazdev3225]

We are a lot more fun, and have better hors d'overs! :lmao:

Don't forget the makeovers! :flower3:

Or the parties!:yay:

Who else has Virtual Showers with hats, goats, monkeys, scary clowns, pinatas, & twister?:banana:

Definitely sounds like my kind of place. My DD is always telling me I need a makeover. Maybe I'll get some good tips for going beyond my Mickey shirts. I have been known to wear them to church.

[zulemara]

in my experience, I have always found that no matter what these people say, they root of their beliefs is actually that they don't believe two people of the same gender can love eachother. When you weed through all the bullcrap, that's what it comes down to.

[DVC~OKW~96]

Ohmygosh, ConcK! I nearly croaked at that too! :scared:

Perhaps you are right, Z. They can't conceive of a love that transcends sexual contact I guess. I mean, after all. That's what most of them bang the drum about, so I'm left to believe that is the most important aspect of their relationships too. :confused3

[RickinNYC]

in my experience, I have always found that no matter what these people say, they root of their beliefs is actually that they don't believe two people of the same gender can love eachother. When you weed through all the bullcrap, that's what it comes down to.

Actually, I think it goes deeper than that. Most true Christians honestly believe that everyone should love one another and treat everyone with respect and dignity. They may not understand homosexuality, but they don't judge or condemn. The smaller, petty, FAKE Christians, those that will point fingers of accusation at all things homosexual, are living lies. They use the Bible as a weapon and I strongly believe that given their mindset, they say the Lord's name in vain daily when they use God's word in such disgusting judgment.

They hide behind God for their own private, personal fear that they themselves are actually deeply in the closet. They secretly want what others have, but it doesn't fit their own belief system. They also don't want ANYONE else to think they might be gay themselves. As a result, they try to deflect any attention and cover over any "immoral" thoughts by twisting into hateful, petty, pious, very sad human beings.

Does this apply to everyone? Heck no. Some people are just ignorant and nothing more. No hidden agenda or secrets. I do think however, that a very large majority of homophobes both on the DIS and in real life fit that theory. Little do they know that we are very aware that they are more like us than they want anyone to believe. The louder they scream and whine and point fingers, the more likely it is that they are just trying to cover up.

[kingLouiethe1]

When it comes to the community board, I tend to think of this:

"You can't teach a pig to sing. It just wastes your time and frustrates the pig."




Are you calling Sarah Palin a pig again? Careful it could backfire.

[rpmdfw]

Are you calling Sarah Palin a pig again? Careful it could backfire.

I never called her a pig!

"Pig" is far too polite a word for her.

And did you really just mention "fire" in the same thought as Sarah Palin? :eek:

Too soon! Too soon!

[ConcKahuna]

I never called her a pig!

"Pig" is far too polite a word for her.

And did you really just mention "fire" in the same thought as Sarah Palin? :eek:

Too soon! Too soon!

For real! Don't be such a turkey (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-kjM1asH-8)!