(cross posted at DailyKos, probably one of the last or so.. booman mainly from now on.. and my my blog. I want this meme to spread into every nook and cranny :).
The New York Times had a piece yesterday about organizations like the so-called “Family Research Council” yesterday. It is an excellent piece and should be a must read for anyone (hello media? hello politicians?) who would listen to these groups.
What do these groups have against gay marriage? As the article states, its the ‘gay’ part. We are a disease that society must rid itself of. A quote from the article:
But for the anti-gay-marriage activists, homosexuality is something to be fought, not tolerated or respected. I found no one among the people on the ground who are leading the anti-gay-marriage cause who said in essence: ”I have nothing against homosexuality. I just don’t believe gays should be allowed to marry.” Rather, their passion comes from their conviction that homosexuality is a sin, is immoral, harms children and spreads disease. Not only that, but they see homosexuality itself as a kind of disease, one that afflicts not only individuals but also society at large and that shares one of the prominent features of a disease: it seeks to spread itself.
I have harped on this over and over and over again on my blog. These groups (American Family Association, Concerned Women for America, Family Research Council, Focus on the Family and the ilk) are hate groups. The take a group of citizens (GLBT) and demonize them as pedophiles, diseased and worse.
Many in the religious right object when their speech is called ‘bigotry’ and even close to ‘nazi propoganda’ in its ferocity. The main argument they use is basically that we are ‘reducing the level of disourse’. I find it a strange argument. These groups and people affiliated with these groups will demonize me and other GBLT in some of the most hateful language, but then call ‘shill’ those who would call them on it.
The fact is, these groups demonize gays in nearly identical terms and ways anti-semitic groups and early Nazi propoganda did. These groups and their spokespeople use use hate speech not far removed from the KKK might say about blacks
These are hate groups. There is no argument.
I know there are good individuals who are socially conservative (for example, Marty) and who might oppose gay marriage. I’ve met them and thank them. There might even be political groups that oppose gay marriage who don’t devolve into bigotry, but sadly I have yet to hear of a national and many state ones one that don’t.
It is sad that otherwise good people who have ‘nothing against GLBT people’ will associate with these groups. I know of at least one person in our family that does (and no so coincidently feels the family should disown us). Unfortunately, so do many politicians and others.
There are even people, who otherwise are not bigoted who work for these groups (Ms. Wood) on other projects.
But I would like to propose that if you are a social conservative, but believe yourself not to be bigoted or hateful, then please stop associating with, linking to, use or work for any of these groups. They are hate groups. Would you quote the KKK when supporting the end to affirmative action? Would you work for a neo-Nazis group as an employee in their music recording business? No? Then please stop doing the same with these groups. Otherwise you lose credibility and respect.
Or you should.
so, if you are a member of the Media, STOP now asking these hate groups to speak on your shows or write editorials in your papers. When was the last time you saw a KKK representative on a NBC news show about affirmative action? Or a member of Christian Identity on a panel in CNN speaking about Isreal? Perhaps NEVER? or at least so rare that it feels like never? Then please stop using these groups and giving them a free voice. I don’t advocate censorship, they have the right to spout off their hatred (and I’ll even donate to the ACLU to help them fight for that right), but you don’t have to INVITE them do you?!
And if you are a member of the moderate to liberal side of this equation, please please start calling these groups exactly what they are, and make no apologies about it, ever:
HATE GROUPS
Its about time we do, all the time.
The Southern Poverty Law Center does
