Freedom Under Fire

The ‘Gay’ Presidential Debate Is a Sham

Thursday, July 26th, 2007

mtv_logo.jpgMTV’s “gay” LOGO network is sponsoring the homosexual presidential debate August 9th.

By Peter LaBarbera 

In trying to put into perspective the stunning yet sad news of the first-ever “gay” activist-sponsored presidential “debate” — to be held in Los Angeles on August 9, and aired over the MTV-owned homosexual network LOGO — we ask: when is the follow-up debate for those advocating sex outside marriage? (After all, people once said to be “living in sin” are now a sizeable minority in America.) How about one tailored specifically to the pro-drug legalization crowd? Is a Planned Parenthood-sponsored debate, complete with Gloria Steinem as lead questioner, around the corner?

Pardon our dismissive tone, but homosexual behavior is wrong — at least half the country still regards it as such.  It is one of several sexual sins opposed by God (can I still say that without being charged with a “hate crime”?).  Because same-sex acts are so unnatural, they can be highly destructive — witness the high percentage of AIDS cases — 71 percent — linked to MSM (“men who have sex with men”).  Homosexuality is also changeable, as testified by the many men and women who once proudly identified as “gay” or “lesbian” but who have walked away from homosexuality and are living happy lives today.

We know that it’s not Politically Correct to say these things.  Fine, but last I heard, God is not rewriting His moral code according to the dictates of the Democratic Party. Or the GOP, or even the smug scribblers on the Washington Post’s editorial pages, for that matter. For the record, He hasn’t declared unborn babies mere blobs of tissue, either — though many politicians and reporters would love to be rid of that moral irritant.

So why does the homosexual lobby get its own special presidential lovefest … er, debate? Because the Democratic Party has sold its soul on homosexuality. And we fear some in the Republican Party are rushing to catch up.

The “gay presidential debate” is so wrong on so many levels. The country is still divided on homosexuality — despite the media’s best efforts — yet all the questions presumably will come from ardently pro-“gay” advocates — that is, proud, practicing homosexuals.

One of the reported questioners is lesbian rock star Melissa Etheridge.  Another is Joe Solmonese, executive director of the Human Rights Campaign, the world’s biggest “gay” lobby organization and a group that regularly disparages people of faith opposed to homosexuality as haters and bigots. Yep, lots of journalistic objectivity here.

Will there be a corresponding, “gay”-positive GOP presidential debate — hosted by the Log Cabin Republicans?  Where does the pandering end?  Who represents the tens of millions of Americans who morally object to homosexuality, and who stand to lose their religious and First Amendment freedoms if HRC’s radical agenda is enacted? (I hereby volunteer my services as a conservative questioner if the organizers care to make a pretense of journalistic objectivity.)

Even if one could conceive of a reason to have a “homosexual presidential debate,” why would the questioners all be of the liberal-left persuasion? (I confess I don’t know much about Etheridge’s political leanings, but how about at least including a “gay” libertarian like Rick Sincere to mix things up?) Is there any doubt that HRC is sponsoring this debate to push the candidates further toward embracing its radical statist agenda, including “gay marriage,” “hate crimes” and “transgender rights”?

“We’re honored to give the presidential candidates an historic opportunity to share their views directly with the LGBT audience,” says Brian Graden, President, Entertainment, MTV Networks Music Group, and President of LOGO. “This forum continues MTV Networks’ tradition of engaging vital niche audiences with voting and the electoral process.”

Three clues as to which oversized “niche audience” is getting the shaft this presidential campaign season. (Here’s one clue: LOGO’s and HRC’s websites will be taking questions from the public for the debate, but somehow I don’t think a social conservative’s question will make it on air.)

The MTV-LOGO debate is a sham, but the sad thing is: if “mainstream” journalists were substituted for the homosexual activist questioners, the tenor of the evening likely would remain the same. Because these days it’s getting harder and harder to distinguish between the “gay”-cheerleading media and “gay” activists themselves.

Homosexual Man Wins ‘Discrimination’ Case against Church of England

Thursday, July 26th, 2007

john_reaney_uk.jpg Will the Church of England be forced to hire John Reaney, a homosexual man, as a youth worker despite its beliefs about sex and marriage?

We’ll have much more on this case and other cases evincing the growing threat of homosexual legal activism to basic religious freedoms:

Bishop Loses Gay Employment Case

BBC, July 18, 2007 

A gay man has won his case for unlawful discrimination after he was refused a youth official’s job by a Church of England bishop.

The employment tribunal said John Reaney, 42, was discriminated against “on grounds of sexual orientation” by the Hereford diocesan board of finance.

Mr Reaney, from Colwyn Bay, Conwy, said he was “delighted” at the decision.

The Bishop of Hereford, the Rt Rev Anthony Priddis, said he was “naturally disappointed” and may appeal.

During the tribunal in Cardiff in April, Mr Reaney said he was questioned by Bishop Priddis on his previous gay relationship during a two-hour meeting on 19 July 2006

It came after he was told he had emerged as the outstanding candidate for the job during an eight-man interview, the hearing heard.

Mr Reaney, whose case was supported by Stonewall, also told the tribunal he was left “very embarrassed and extremely upset” following the meeting and said he felt like “a total waste of space”.

During his evidence, Bishop Priddis said he had made clear to Mr Reaney that a person in a committed sexual relationship outside of marriage, whether they were heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual or transgender, would be turned down for the post.

But the tribunal found that the bishop should only have considered the present lifestyle of Mr Reaney, who is single, and he should have not questioned his future relationships.

Delivering the judgement, the tribunal said the case would now be listed for a remedy hearing.

“The respondents discriminated against the claimant on the grounds of sexual orientation,” said the judgement.

To read the full BBC story and watch related BBC videos on the case, click HERE

Why Not the ‘Mary Stachowicz Hate Crime Act’? Killer Nicholas Gutierrez Escapes Death Penalty

Wednesday, July 18th, 2007

TAKE ACTION:  Call your Senators at 202-224-3121 or e-mail them at www.congress.urg and ask them to reject the “Hate Crimes” amendment that Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) cynically added to the National Defense Authorization Act.   

mary_stachowicz.jpg

 Mary Stachowicz: not the right kind of victim to the media

We favored the death penalty for alleged homosexual Nick Gutierrez for murdering Mary Stachowicz — and then effectively blaming her for “attacking” him (see story below) — just as we called for the death penalty for Matthew Shepard’s killers. But isn’t it interesting how the media have devoted so much coverage over the years to the heinous crime against Matthew, and so little to that against Mary? (Associated Press failed to even cover Gutierrez’s trial.)

How can reporters, producers and editors justifty their double-standard? These days it can be presumed that the Fourth Estate will lavish coverage on “gay” victims, while pious victims like Mary often get ignored. And it seems the media have even less interest in the latter when the murderer is a homosexual — imagine AP ignoring a story about a ‘christian’ who killed a lesbian and stuffing her in his crawl space? I cannot.

In a way, the media’s blatant pro-homosexual bias in covering terrible crimes shows the perils of the “hate crimes” concept in general — both affirm a politically correct hierarchy of victims that is unjust and un-American, no matter how well-intended. Surely, press bias also helps to perpetuate the lopsided prosecution of “hate crimes” against approved classes of victims (like Shepard) by mobilizing government resources through the pressure-generating power of the media spotlight. 

The homosexual lobby named its “thought crimes” bill the “Matthew Shepard Act” — even though he wasn’t killed “just because he was gay,” as the liberal myth goes. But there will never be a “Mary Stachowicz Act” because in the eyes of the same liberals, she was not the right kind of victim.

Call your Senators at 202-224-3121 or e-mail them at http://www.congress.urg/ and ask them to reject the “Hate Crimes” amendment that Sen. Ted Kennedy tacked on to the Naional Defense Authorization Act.  — Peter LaBarbera

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Nicholas Gutierrez, murderer of Mary Stachowicz, deserves death penalty but gets life in prison 

By Allyson Smith, Americans For Truth

CHICAGO — Nicholas Gutierrez, who in November 2002 gruesomely murdered Mary Stachowicz, a devout Chicago Catholic mother of four, was sentenced July 3 to life in prison, even though his crime made him eligible for the death penalty. The sentence was handed down by Cook County Circuit Judge William Lacy following sentencing arguments made by defense and prosecution attorneys the previous week.

“I think the judge was fair, but as the daughter of the victim, knowing what he [Gutierrez] did to my mother, he absolutely, 100 percent deserved the death penalty,” Angie Ruffolo, Mrs. Stachowicz’s daughter, told the Chicago Tribune.

Last November, Gutierrez, who had worked with Mary Stachowicz at the F. J. Sikorski Funeral Home on Chicago’s Northwest side, was convicted of sexually assaulting and murdering her. Days after her murder, authorities found Stachowicz’s raped, battered, stabbed and strangled body in a crawl space beneath the floorboards of Gutierrez’s apartment above the mortuary.

Read the rest of this article »

URGENT: Stop the Anti-Christian Left from Taking Down Dr. James Holsinger for U.S. Surgeon General

Wednesday, July 11th, 2007

task_force_action_alert_header.jpg

The leftist National Gay and Lesbian Task Force is attacking Surgeon General nominee Dr. James Holsinger’s because the church he founded believes in helping “gays” leave the homosexual lifestyle.

dr_james_holsinger.jpg

By Peter LaBarbera
 
Dear AFTAH Reader,
 
The pro-homosexuality Left is working hard to take down another good Christian man — this time it’s Dr. James Holsinger, President Bush’s nominee for U.S. Surgeon General.  Holsinger’s first confirmation hurdle is tomorrow, July 12th, when he appears before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension (HELP) Committee.  Enclosed is the text of an “Action Alert” from the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) — a far-left organization that promotes a reckless “sexual freedom” agenda harmful to youth. Some helpful background links:

TAKE ACTION:  Please do the opposite of the the homosexual “Task Force” says below and voice your support for Dr. Holsinger.  Call the Congressional Switchboard tomorrow morning at 202-224-3121 or go to www.congress.org and e-mail both of your U.S. Senators — especially if they are on the Senate HELP Committee (see list at bottom).  Ask them to use their influence to:

  • Defend Dr. Holsinger’s right to receive a fair hearing and a vote by the full Senate on his confirmation (a  veteran Capitol Hill source told us that nominees are rarely rejected by committee); and
  • Speak out against the un-American idea of PUNISHING a nominee for government service because he or she is a committed Christian.

Lastly, send an e-mail to or call (202-224-5754) Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) — a medical doctor and respected pro-family advocate who sits on the Senate HELP Committee. Ask Sen. Coburn to represent the vast majority of Americans who do not want to see Dr. Holsinger get “Borked” simply for being a faithful Christian, or because of the church he belongs to. 

Read the rest of this article »

Coach Daubenmire Is Right: Christian Man, You Need to Observe a ‘Gay Pride’ Parade!

Saturday, June 30th, 2007

6-25-2007-16.jpg Whoever heard of a sex club float at a parade? Proud homosexuals, that’s who. Above, a bus float for “Steamworks,” a 24/7 bathhouse in Chicago’s (“gay”) Boystown neighborhood — where men go to commit anonymous sodomies with other men — rides in the Chicago homosexual “pride” parade June 24. Many young children watched or participated in the Chicago parade. 

The lawless hate God. The name of Jesus is an affront to sinners. The [Columbus “gay pride” parade] crowd cheered the apostate churches as they displayed their man-made signs declaring their man-man opinion of Jesus’ acceptance of sin. They cursed and spat upon those who held a sign that displayed the Word of God, “If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination.”

 

Christian men are afraid to stand up for Jesus. They act just like women, striving to be “nice” to everyone. They won’t fight for their communities, won’t protect their children from indoctrination, and won’t storm the gates of hell.
Coach Dave Daubenmire, “Have You Visited a Gay Pride Parade?” 

TAKE ACTION: Send Americans For Truth a $10 donation (postpaid) or make a $10 gift online and we will send you a “Truth Packet” that reveals some cold, hard realities about the homosexual agenda — including our booklet, “The Homosexual Agenda Targeting Children.” The Truth Packet will guide you on simple steps you can take to start standing up for truth against the pro-homosexual issue in your community. You’ll be shocked to see how the “GLBT” lobby is converting the next generation to their ungodly cause. Send $10 (postpaid) to AFTAH, P.O. Box 5522, Naperville, IL 60567-5522, or go online to give HERE

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By Peter LaBarbera

I’d like to call your attention to a wonderful call-to-arms from Coach Dave Daubenmire, who is a great American and a spiritual treasure for this deeply troubled nation. As one who has observed a bunch of “Gay Pride” parades over the years — they now call them just “pride” parades to mask their real purpose: celebrating homosexuality (perversion) — I echo Coach Dave’s call for Christian men to get off their comfortable keisters and observe firsthand the moral disintegration of this country.

Coach Dave is a man’s man, and his frank observations are, well, too gut-real for some even in the “pro-family” movement. American Christianity has been feminized, or perhaps emasculated — or even “psychologized” — to such a degree that we shy away from bold truth-telling. We rationalize our withdrawals from the culture wars, sometimes using theology to justify our cowardice. In his article, “Have You Visited a Gay Pride Parade?”, the Coach shows us the end-game of “tolerance” and “diversity”: the glorification of sin, churches parading in support of behavior that God condemns, and the promotion of ungodly lifestyles to innocent kids. 

Do we hate sin?

It’s funny. Guilt-ridden Christians talk a lot about how they don’t hate “gays.” That should be a given: we are commanded to love sinners supernaturally — even to suffer for the sake of the Gospel, as my friend Dan Musick and Joe Christopherson did at Chicago “Pride” last Sunday.  But I’m wondering: do we hate homosexual behavior like God does? (Can I say that? — alert the Thought Police immediately.)

No, we don’t. The result is that men who should be out contending with the evils of the day — and surely this is one — are instead fretting over not appearing “intolerant,” overly “judgmental,” or too radical. Or they withdraw into the business world and reading their stock reports, to prepare for a retirement in which they can retreat even further from the culture wars that we are already losing, badly.

Why is it that the wicked (in this case, homosexual activists) can give 150 percent to their their cause, but we who claim the “Truth” adopt a defensive posture and are saddled with doubt and apathy in the fight for godly values?

Guys, Jesus was radical. He was a man’s man. If you can’t bring yourself to join Americans For Truth in confronting the homosexual lobby in the culture and public policy, then get out on the streets and witness the Gospel to people headed for hell in the name of “pride” (oops, I said the H-word: another speech code violation…).

Read the rest of this article »

Gay Liberation Network’s Bob Schwartz Commends ‘Pride’ Parade Mob, Compares Christians to KKK, Fascists, ‘Racist Scum’

Thursday, June 28th, 2007

So much for the First Amendment. Bob Schwartz of the leftist Chicago homosexual group Gay Liberation Network, who opposed government censorship in a previous AFTAH story, defends a vigilante type of oppression — of ideas and religious speech — in typically nasty fashion below. Schwartz compares the two peaceful Christian men assaulted by a mob of “gay pride” celebrants in Chicago Sunday to “racist scum,” the KKK, and fascists, while commending the mob that set upon them (for details of the “pride” day assault, click HERE).

Sorry, Bob, Christians are not “hate merchants,” but it seems pretty clear that what you’re selling here isn’t even close to the tolerance that you demand of others. — Peter LaBarbera 

Here’s Schwartz’s Stalinesque rant: 

Bigots were “bullied,” and subjected to “sinister laughter and jeering” but they get out alive.  What would happen to the KKK if the racist scum tried to protest at the Bud Billiken parade at 43rd and King Drive?  Wouldn’t this threat be met by Malcolm’s dictum, “Liberation by any means necessary.”

 

Why do Chicago Pride parade organizers defend the “free speech” rights of bigots, rather than advocate for those who object to their presence? Three years ago when anarchists protected the parade from fascist street thugs, Richard Pfeifer condemned the anarchists and praised the cops who arrested them!  This year Pfeifer was quoted as saying that our “diversity” allows for bigots expressing antigay messages.

 

Those LGBTs and others who stood up to the fascists this year, whether at Cambridge and Diversey, or before the two hate merchants quoted below [reprints AFTAH story about mob attack] are to be commended.

 

Those who dare to come onto our streets to preach hate should face the consequences meted out to them by lesbians and gays who will not stand by and be degraded by bigots masquerading as kindly people of god.

 

Bob

Why Do Gays Hate Religious Freedom?

Monday, June 18th, 2007

Gay advocates are not looking for fairness; they are looking for an upper hand.” 

harry_jackson.jpg By Harry Jackson Jr., appearing in Townhall.com, June 18, 2007 

I was excited last Friday when I got the word that I was featured in an extensive article in USA Today. The voice on the other end of the phone also informed me that a sizable picture of me would also appear. Needless to say it only took but a few minutes for me to get a copy of the paper in my hand. As I read the article, I was further flattered by the fact that the writer included the story of my father being threatened by a Florida State Trooper in a 1950s hate crime.

The joy that my message is getting huge traction in the mainstream media faded as I read the second paragraph. “Jackson’s argument is a lie, and it should not be told in the name of the Gospel.” This riveting line stopped me in my tracks. Spoken by a major gay advocacy group’s leader, these words were meant to vilify me and the thousands of Christian ministers around the country that believe exactly like I do. I was saddened but not surprised. I could not help asking myself the question, “Have we reverted to senseless name calling, instead of debating the facts?”

Growing up in the ghetto, I am familiar with the politics of intimidation. I learned early in my youth that it was when I was most afraid that I could sometimes bluff toughness and “sell a few wolf tickets.” My loud voice and an intimidating looks got me out of more than one close call. On one occasion, a friend of mine yelled at a guy who had pinned him to the ground and was beating him unmercifully, “I dare you to let me up!” Much to his surprise he was turned loose from a choke hold by his larger, ferocious foe. My friend wisely ran for cover upon his release.

Like my childhood friend, gay activists around the country are getting nervous that they are about to experience an embarrassing political setback. Instead of amending the hate crimes legislation that protects churches in a substantive way, they are simply crying out in a louder, more threatening manner. Gay advocates are not looking for fairness; they are looking for an upper hand.

To read the rest of Jackson’s column in Townhall.com, click HERE 

Exodus International Supports White House Surgeon General Nominee’s Position on Change in Homosexuality

Friday, June 8th, 2007

News Release, Exodus International

Exodus International Press Office
Melissa Condrey, Phone: (407) 599-6872
press@exodus.to

Orlando, FL- President Bush’s nominee for Surgeon General, Dr. James W. Holsinger, has recently come under attack for supporting the fact that homosexuals can change. Dr. Holsinger founded Hope Springs Community Church, a church  that offers help to individuals seeking an alternative to homosexuality. Alan Chambers, president of the world’s largest outreach to those affected by unwanted same-sex attraction, issued a response: 

“As former homosexuals, we cannot ignore this hypocritical attack upon Dr. Holsinger. As a society, we should not disqualify an individual simply because of his belief that those  conflicted by their same-sex attraction can and should be helped. Thousands of us have experienced inner distress and external devastation when we were living as homosexuals and have found a faith-honoring and psychologically sound way out. We know that change is possible because we have experienced it. Opposing this alternative is incompatible with free thinking and personal choice.

 

“While we do not support or oppose the nominee, we are grateful that President Bush has put forth a candidate who supports individual autonomy and authentic diversity. We call upon members of the Senate Health Committee to offer the same tolerance afforded gay activist groups to former homosexuals as well.”

Founded in 1976, Exodus International is the largest Christian organization dealing with homosexual issues in the world today. With over 150 affiliates in its network, Exodus is a dynamic outreach ministry dedicated to sharing the hope of freedom through the power of Jesus Christ.


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