Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Summer of Hate


So, most of you have probably heard of the National Organization for Marriage and their crusade to keep marriage between and man and woman sacred... if you haven't check out this link. I assure you, it is quite disgusting.

You may have also heard of their Summer bus tour, which in their own words, is meant to "encourage supporters to stand up for marriage". I am a straight, married mother of one and I will NEVER "stand up for marriage" under NOM's policies and ideology. The "faith based" seminars and Republican backing aside, what they have been doing recently is less promotion of "traditional" marriage values and more promotion of how "disruptive" and "violent" counter protestors can be.

Recently, NOM released this video of marriage equality supporters "intimidating young children" and being unruly...




Jim Morrison once said "Whoever controls the media, controls the mind." Well, I certainly think that is true of the above video. It's clear things were edited and taken out of context to better serve their agenda... but what else is new? Speaking as a new mom, if I felt that people were "intimidating" my family or getting too close to my kids, you know what I would do? I would move and get my kids out of "harm's way".

Here's my response to the above video:



They look pretty peaceful to me....

NOM has also claimed to have had their bus tires slashed by marriage equality supporters... without any proof at all. I wouldn't be surprised if they vandalized their own bus just to propagate more hate towards the gay community.

The HRC calls the bus tour "a sham". And HRC Vice President for Communications & Marketing Fred Sainz said today:

“Let’s add it all up: NOM and its allies are making a last-ditch legal stand in Washington and Maine that they should be specially entitled to hide their political activities, and they’re saying that harassment and intimidation should provide them this cover. At the same time, Brian Brown schedules a series of virtually unattended weekday afternoon events hoping for counter-protests that they can then use as evidence of harassment and intimidation. Why else would NOM execute such half-hearted non-events and then completely subjugate its so-called ‘pro-marriage’ message in favor of devoting its energies almost exclusively to condemning lawful protesters?”

Well said Mr. Sainz, well said indeed. In fact, NOM's public statements on the bus tour have scarcely mentioned the content of the programs or the substance of its anti-LGBT message. Instead, they really do seem to be focusing attention on the decidedly larger counter-protests and calling their right to stand in opposition, "harassment".

And one other point... if NOM views itself as this benevolent organization that would never promote violence or intimidation to get their point across.... what is this?

I would think that proposing lynching as a way of "dealing with" this issue could be considered... oh , I don't know... a hate crime in the making?!

Shameful.

-Vignette-Noelle Lammott, Fish out of Water Blog Commentator -

"To find out more information about LGBTQ rights, gay marriage, religion and homosexuality, The Bible's stance on gay relationships or the politics around gay mariage please feel free to contact us or book a screening of FISH OUT OF WATER. Please note that a study guide can be downloaded from the "Book A Screening" page at www.fishoutofwaterfilm.com"

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Two Men, One God, and Zero Compassion to be Found

"This is sick, and it is therefore deviant. We do not want it."

These are the words spoken by a Ugandan pastor at an anti-gay rally held recently in Kampala. Martin Ssempa, the pastor of the evangelical Makerere Community Church in Uganda, has become the leading anti-homosexuality organizer in Uganda. Not only does he preach that gay people are pedophiles but he vows to ensure that "sodomy and homosexuality never sees the light of legality in this land of the people of Africa"! Strong and spiteful words coming from a man of God, wouldn't you say? But the horror doesn't end there...

Ssempa travels to churches across Africa preaching this filth and even uses homosexual pornography to further inspire disgust in people. And guess where he gets funding from? Canyon Ridge Christian Church in Las Vegas!!!

Kevin Odor, the senior pastor there, says Ssempa has been "misrepresented." He says "His heart is not to kill people. He is a pastor of the Gospel that believes in redemption and his heart is to redeem people." Oh really?

Uganda's Anti-Homosexuality Bill — which criminalizes homosexual practice — is working its way through the legislature. This bill, if passed, imposes the death penalty for gay sex with a minor, or having sex with your gay partner if you are HIV-positive. Two consenting adults can get life in prison. A straight person who knows someone is gay, and doesn't report it, could get prison time as well. Sound familiar? **cough cough** WWII** cough**

Watch the video below for a taste of what this guy is all about... FYI... it gets graphic...Ssempa discusses "gay sex" with terms like "poo-poo" and "licking the anus like ice cream". Clearly, this man is insane.



Odor goes on to say that they just want to help the AIDS problem in Africa and " we found somebody who is making a difference, so we support him" Puh-lease! Gay people are not the sole cause of the AIDS epidemic in Africa... just as they are not the sole cause of it here in the States!
To add insult to injury, Odor says his church has "a heart" for homosexuals. Canyon Ridge participates every year in the AIDS march.

"We love everybody, including people with AIDS. There are two things: how you got AIDS and that you have AIDS. That you have AIDS is a matter of compassion. The church should be compassionate for people with AIDS."

Hmmm... interesting distinction there Odor.

Well, I for one am disgusted by Ssempa and everything he stands for. And shame on Kevin Odor for supporting such an obviously one -sided view of the AIDS problem in Africa. I would like to quote here my favorite definition of what religion actually is:

something one believes in and follows devotedly; a point or matter of ethics or conscience

To me, this is what religion is. Not some witch hunt, not some close minded perspective, and certainly not the persecution and unethical preaching against a group of people that Martin Ssempa has displayed of late.

-Vignette-Noelle Lammott, Fish out of Water Blog Commentator -

"To find out more information about LGBTQ rights, gay marriage, religion and homosexuality, The Bible's stance on gay relationships or the politics around gay mariage please feel free to contact us or book a screening of FISH OUT OF WATER. Please note that a study guide can be downloaded from the "Book A Screening" page at www.fishoutofwaterfilm.com"