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"

Just When You Thought Obama Didn't Care...

Yesterday President Obama ordered his health care secretary to sanction new rules which grant same-sex partners hospital visitation rights, hence acknowledging them as legitimate family members!

The changes to the laws will also make it possible for same-sex couples to make medical decisions on their partner's behalf. In a statement, the president mentioned how "uniquely affected" gays and lesbians are by this change in the law as they are often denied access to their hospitalized partner, on the grounds they are not "family".

“Every day, all across America, patients are denied the kindness and caring of a loved one at their sides”

Although President Obama seemed to let the gay community down with regard to Prop8, and although it will take some time for these changes to take affect, I think this is a HUGE step in the right direction towards equality for all Americans!

Today, I am proud to be an American. Good going Obama!

-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 atwww.fishoutofwaterfilm.com"

Why We Don't Heart Huckabee

Mike Huckabee is in the news this week after a recent interview he did with the College of New Jersey’s magazine, The Perspective. I sort of expected most of what came spewing out of his mouth to be bigoted nonsense about how same sex marriage is immoral and gays don't look good in camo... what I was not expecting was this little gem:

“I think this is not about trying to create statements for people who want to change the basic fundamental definitions of family. Always, we should act in the best interest of the children, not in the seeming interest of the adults. Children are not puppies. This is not a time to see if we can experiment and find out, how does this work?”

Take your time... it took me hours to get over the shock.

Several states, thankfully, allow gay adoption. There is no evidence to suggest that gay people make better or worse parents than heterosexuals. In 2004, 70 percent of the 73.2 million children under age 18 lived with two parents, 26 percent lived with one parent, and the remaining 4 percent lived with no parent. For that 4%, that EQUALS 2.9 MILLION homeless children.

Thousands of children are fostered everyday and it seems like every month, I hear a story about a foster child being neglected, abused or killed by their foster parents. There are so many children in need; it is inevitable that many fall through the cracks in the system and are placed with people who may look good on paper when in actuality, they are the worst choice imaginable.

I will cite here what I'm sure is on everybody's mind- The recent case of the little Russian boy who was adopted by a family in Tennessee and was SENT BACK to Russia! You want to talk about "experimentation" and how "children are not puppies"... let's talk about this family in Tennessee! You can't just send a kid back- like you would a dog to a pound!

I'd also like to bring to light a story which has stayed with me for some time and never fails to make me cry when I think of it. Sarah Angelina Chavez was just 2 years old when she was killed by her foster parents after being removed from the care of her previous foster parents, lesbian couple Corri Planck and Dianne Hardy-Garcia. The little girl was specifically removed from the Planck/Garcia home because her birth mother was "uncomfortable" with the fact that they were gay. If you ask me, that birth mother lost her right to have any opinion on the matter the first time she abused her daughter. The system failed this little girl and put her in the "care" of abusive family members, ignoring stern warnings from Planck and Hardy-Garcia that Sarah had been hurt there in the past- possibly even sexually abused. Little Sarah suffered internal bleeding from being kicked in the stomach and died within hours of the attack.

Personally- I do not think it is a straight thing versus a gay thing. But I think what we can learn from the story above is that there are evil people out there and there are kind people- and it doesn't matter who they sleep with. Love is love and that is what these children need more than anything.

So- Mike Huckabee- I want to ask you... when do you plan on adopting one of these orphans?
And more to the point- if you care so much about these children being placed into good homes- why not spend less time gay bashing and more time fighting for better standards and background checks at existing foster care facilities all over the country.

(And by the way, while we are on this topic- I'd like to point out that President Obama has declared April 2010 as National Child Abuse Prevention Month. In his presidential proclamation, he calls upon Americans to observe this month with programs and activities that help prevent child abuse and provide for children’s physical, emotional and developmental needs. Find out more about preventing child abuse and neglect)

-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 atwww.fishoutofwaterfilm.com"

Go Costa Rica, Go!!

Costa Rican president, Oscar Arias, expressed on Wednesday that he feels it is archaic for the Roman Catholic Church to continue demanding celibacy form its priests. He also went on to voice his support of same sex marriage stating:

"We are made as we are. A young boy (or girl) does not ask if he or she will grow up gay or straight. Sexual orientation is given by God or by nature"

Gay marriage will, of course, still need to go through the proper legislative channels to be approved...but... I think THIS is great! Way to think progressively and most importantly... humanely.

-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 atwww.fishoutofwaterfilm.com"