(From “Protest of Rick Perry’s Prayer Event” on Facebook.)
Your weekday morning blend from Instant Tea:
1. The Human Rights Campaign is calling on members to write letters to their governors asking them to decline Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s invitation to a Day of Prayer at Reliant Stadium in Houston on Aug. 6. The Day of Prayer, dubbed “The Response,” is being bankrolled by the American Family Association, designated an anti-gay hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. In addition, HRC notes that David Lane, who’s listed as fundraising director for the Response, played a major role in last year’s recall of three Iowa state Supreme Court justices who ruled in favor of major equality. HRC also says the Day of Prayer involves leaders associated with the International House of Prayer and Lou Engle’s TheCall, which “played an active role in supporting anti-gay sentiment in Uganda, where legislation under potential consideration would make homosexuality a crime punishable by death in some circumstances.” HRC’s full press release from Wednesday afternoon is after the jump. To take action, go here.
2. Also issuing a statement Wednesday about Gov. Perry’s Day of Prayer was Michael Mitchell, executive director of National Stonewall Democrats: “If there is a worse partner than the American Family Association for Texas Governor Rick Perry’s day of prayer event, I certainly can’t think of one,” Mitchell said. “As a certified hate group hell-bent on rolling back every bit of progress lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people have made, this is certainly not going to be an uplifting event for LGBT Texans, especially those of faith. Rick Perry’s presidential aspirations seem to be getting the best of him. Rather than organize an event worthy of all Texans, he has chosen to ally himself with the deep pockets of the AFA. Let’s hope the 49 other governors he has invited turn down their invitations. We would urge all Texans who care about the rights of LGBT people to steer clear of this event.”
3. Tim Wildmon, president of the American Family Association, acknowledged in an interview with the Houston Chronicle that one of the purposes of the Response is to pray for an end to the increasing acceptance of homosexuality in American society:
Tim Wildmon, president of the American Family Association, rejected the label of “hate group” and characterized his organization’s position on homosexuality as representative “of a lot of people who have traditional values.”
“They want somebody to speak for them,” he said. “We try to do that. We are reaching the Christian community with the truth about what is going on in our country.”
He acknowledged that a stated purpose of the August prayer event initiated by Perry – to pray for an end to the “debasement of our culture” – refers to the increasing acceptance of homosexuality by American society.
HRC Calls Out Texas Gov. Rick Perry for Collaborating with Anti-Gay Groups on Day of Prayer
American Family Association, individuals from TheCall and International House of Prayer among those working on Perry’s “response” for a “nation in crisis”
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) – the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization – today condemned Texas Governor Rick Perry’s collaboration with anti-LGBT groups like the American Family Association (AFA) and individuals from TheCall and the International House of Prayer as part of “The Response: A Call to Prayer for a Nation in Crisis.”According to the Response’s website, America is mired in economic, social and “most of all” – moral crises. The day of prayer is scheduled to take place August 6 at Reliant Stadium in Houston.
“Governor Perry’s decision to work with such blatantly anti-LGBT groups on an event billed as a day of prayer is disturbing,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese. “Despite his horrendous track record on matters of equality, Perry is an elected official with a responsibility to work for the rights and protections of all Texas citizens. Aligning with groups who, on a daily basis, seek to demonize LGBT Americans sets a dangerous precedent.”
HRC is alerting its members and supporters through Call It Out – a new online platform that calls attention to homophobia and transphobia. The campaign can be viewed at www.hrc.org/callitout .
Governor Perry is working directly with some of the most rabidly anti-LGBT groups in the nation on the Response . The Southern Poverty Law Center calls the AFA “one of the most strident voices spreading malicious anti-LGBT propaganda.” The AFA’s Bryan Fischer has said LGBT individuals “have as many as 300 to 1,000 sexual partners over the course of a lifetime,” associated homosexuality with Nazism, and suggested LGBT advocates would push for the reinstatement of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” as a means of escaping military service should the draft ever return.
TheCall is a movement spearheaded by the International House of Prayer’s (IHOP) Lou Engle. Engle is known for spreading his anti-gay message far and wide . In 2010, TheCall played an active role in supporting anti-gay sentiment in Uganda, where legislation under potential consideration would make homosexuality a crime punishable by death in some circumstances. Earlier this year, HRC hand-delivered 70,000 petitions to Engle, calling on him to retract his dangerous rhetoric that was driving anti-gay hate in Uganda.
Other anti-gay leaders involved in the Response include David Lane, who played a major role in last year’s recall of three Iowa state Supreme Court justices who ruled in favor of major equality, and Jim Garlow, who earlier this month claimed efforts to advance marriage equality would destroy families in the same way as families who lost a parent on September 11.
Governor Perry has called on governors from all other states to join him in recognizing the day of prayer. HRC is calling on governors across the nation to not support the August 6th event, and take a stand against the hijacking of religious values by those who actively work to suppress LGBT Americans.
The head-monster-in-charge Ricky Perry is truly evil. i honestly believe he would support a law that puts us to death right here in the U.S. as well!
Why can’t people like him just deal with their own homosexuality in a healthy way instead of being so threatened by it?
We fully support your Day of Prayer and Fasting at Reliant field in August.
The Gallaghers
The title of this article is what is malicious, not Gov. Perry or the AFA. The thousands upon thousands of deaths attributed to the the AIDS epidemic in Uganda should be reason alone to make homosexuality a crime – they don’t need any help from an American governor’s call for prayer for THIS nation. You call yourselves the “Human Rights Council” but you don’t REALLY care about human rights, not the right of LIFE, anyway. As long as you can twist and distort the truth that the homosexual lifestyle is UNproductive, UNcreative, and stagnant – at best, and death at worst (see Uganda), you all are happy. Rick Perry is a Christian and his faith, based on the Holy Bible, calls the practice of homosexuality AN ABOMINATION. Why is it you feel he should change his beliefs to accomodate YOUR sin? And, just for the record – not that you care about honesty or anything, being anti- homosexual lifestyle is not anti-individual. It is the practice and love of perversion that is hateful, never the person caught in the lie.
And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. -Matthew 6:5-8
You cannot pray the gays away! If that were the case, we would have been gone a long time ago! It’s not about praying….I pray everyday….it’s about what you’re praying for and the consequences it has when weak-minded people follow your lead!
To Governor Rick Perry “I get down on my knees and pray everyday — on my own turf — on my own time. One of the things that I pray for, Governor Perry, is that people with power will get good sense, and that people with good sense will get power…..and that the rest of us will be blessed with the patience and the strength to survive the people like you in the meantime!!” Julia Sugarbaker
See, there are small minded people who read the Voice online and support hate groups! Although, they may just be closeted homosexuals like Perry who try to hide their feelings and express hate outwardly for who they are internally.
no carl…they’re trolls hoping that their ignorant prose will turn us straight 🙂 NOT WORKING!!!
OUR OWN “RESPONSE” (IN RESPONSE TO THEIRS): I’ve been remembering Larry Flint’s contract on Newt Gingrich in the late ’90s–you remember, where Flint offered a reward of $1 Million for information leading to the take-down of Gingrich. That campaign was MOST EFFECTIVE. Interesting is that NONE OF THESE HYPOCRITES is clean of skeletons in their closets, and yet they reach out and strike at legitimate citizens trying to live their lives peaceably and celebrate each other. As a man who grew up in the evangelical ministry, I ASSURE YOU the ranks of religion are RIFE WITH SKELETONS that directly contravene the so-called “values” these cretons purport to defend. And I needn’t tell you that so-called “family values” politicians have the same nasty skeletons in their own closets! I’d like to see us have a cause-specific fund to which we could donate for the EXPRESS PURPOSE of taking down these hypocrites. Both the pleasure and the life benefit of seeing them flee in retreat at the prospect of being discovered would be well worth the comparatively inexpensive cost of our donations. Let’s make it happen!
I’m with Randy McT! Well said!
I’m fully convinced – have been for some time – when enough time goes by, someone credible will emerge who will “out” the hateful, bigoted Bush-Lite Governor Perry we’ve been stuck with for over 10 years. I detest the man and everything he stands for. People like Perry and all of his anti-gay buddies can pray for whatever they want, but as a previous person stated, they are not going to “pray the gay away.” If that were the case, we would have been gone a long time ago. And he has about as much chance of being elected President as my dog does. He may live in the microcosm of the Lone Star State, but as soon as his ridiculous antics go to the big times, (such as firing off a pistol in Sundance Square, and calling for Texas to secede from the United States,) he will be political toast. Can’t happen fast enough.
Dear Lord, please save me from your followers.
So truthinTexas, let me get this “straight” – you’re for the execution of gay people? Wow – if Heaven exists, I wish I could see your face when they tell you’re going straight to Hell. With that much hatred and judgement in one little online rant, you’ve doomed yourself. One can only imagine what you’re like on a daily basis. Yeah, I’m being judgemental, too, but then I don’t believe in your fairy tales.
@truthintexas: Let’s talk about twisting and distorting the truth here for a minute – do you realize that nearly every single “AIDs diagnosis” and “AIDs death” in Uganda *is totally* fake? They don’t perform tests over there (not that the tests actually do anything at all – they’re 100% proven to be 100% unreliable, and even the question of a reliable test being possible is in question.) If someone is sick with pretty much anything, they’re diagnosed with AIDs. The “AIDs epidemic in Africa” has NOTHING to do with homosexuality or HIV or anything other than making you rally for something that spreads fear so money gets spent where it might not be otherwise. Whether you like it or not, YOU are the one spreading lies and fear and it’s you good Sir that are assisting in making the world a far worse place.
https://www.altheal.org/texts/liamscheff.htm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZ0wnk4v3zA
Good Day and best wishes. I hope for better for You, your State, Our Nation, and Our World.
John Wright, a few weeks ago when you were soliciting (on Facebook) ideas for discussion topics on the Pink Noise podcast, I suggested orgainizing a protest of Lou Engle’s big to-do here in Dallas. You mentioned my suggestion and the two of you just laughed it off with “Who’s Lou Engle?”. Oh well, guess you know now… back to the more important discussion of what the new coffee shops and eateries will be named. Pffft.
So , just let’s be clear . 1. uganda,is this not another nation who if a brother dies his brother takes his wife and keeps her , say sexual and all? so much for your christian beliefs. also for your medical record keeping.Tribal and nomadic. look up the words in your FUNK and WAGNALL’s not enough room to define here.As for all you hate mongers ,have fun,you need your fifthteen minutes of Fame.keep praying for whatever you think is what your god believes, you will define it so it fits your needs and what ever other rant you are on.As for me i will outlive you all ,as i am fabulous,and don’t need the wrinkles that worrying about you sorry asshole bring!,i need a cocktail and a spot by the pool. Ta Ta , you boring pieces of shit! pay your back taxes and get us out of countries we are fighting wars in, then maybe i’ll give a shit about YOU!
truthintexas is completely false.
Yes, there is an AIDS epidemic in Africa.
But it is mostly HETEROSEXUALS who are affected.
Get your facts straight.
If you’re on Facebook, look up the page Texans Against Perry. I don’t know what it actually accomplishes, but “liking” it made me feel a little better for a few minutes! LOL! Might be fun to see how many people we can get to join it!
Hey truthintexas- Your rationale is that since so many people die of AIDS, it should be illegal. Ok, I’m with you! Now let’s see….about 10% of people are gay, but in amerka about 25-30% of people are obese. In Texas, it’s 28%. In fact, southern christians being what they are, I’ll bet you’re fairly chunky your own self. Now we KNOW that kills people – diabetes, heart disease, etc. And in the meantime, they’re going to the hospital & using up all our nice govt money. So with your logic, McDonalds should be outlawed, & being fat should be outlawed. Or you could hate the sin, lover the sinner, only how does that work? “Bob, you know I like you but every day I must tell you you are a fat cow, disgusting & a drain on the system, & if I had my way you’d be in jail.” And gluttony is a sin, so you’re covered, see? Totally defensible position. As for the people dying of AIDS in Africa, if you’ll do even a smidge of research, you’ll see that a lot of people with AIDS are parents, kids. But….I thought this was a GAY thing. How the heck did the families get it?? Gosh, that’s so puzzling. And YES Perry does have to modify his beliefs to accommodate. Why? Because he’s elected to represent ALL the people. Not just the ones insane enough to think that if they just wish reaaally hard, maybe click their heels together, their imaginary friend will make it all better, even tho he never has before. You can be batty in private. When you get elected, you offer yourself up as a representative to ALL the people, even the sensible ones.
So, Paul – no, you do not have it ‘straight’. I never even intimated in my post that homosexuals should be executed. God loves all people – ALL people; it is the practice, the lifestyle of homosexuality that God hates. You read what you wanted to read, NOT what I wrote. That is always the way with people who need a way to justify their actions – distort, twist, and flat-out lie.
@ EvilMomLady – funny (not) that you assume since I am a Christian living in the South, I must be fat. This article is about a “link” between Gov. Perry’s prayer request and a Ugandan call to murder homosexuals, not about Mickey Ds. However, a liberal fan-favorite is to obfuscate the topic at hand in order to get the other guy on the defensive. Sorry, I can’t take the bait. I am a Christian, as is my governor. God hates the sin of homosexuality because it does not mirror His character, which is creative and reproductive, NOT because of AIDS or anything else. And, you are entirely wrong – Gov. Perry does not have to, and should not, modify his beliefs to agree with a sin that God hates just to please less than 2% of the population. That’s ridiculous! He is not forcing his beliefs onto anyone, he simply invited the other governors to attend a non-political, non-taxpayer funded event to pray for this nation.
“truthinTexas” probably thinks he/she is having some fun going onto a predominantly GLBT website and throwing a few verbal firebombs. I find it intersting that the writer eventually gets around to – predicatably – telling us all about their Christianity (and by inference suggesting that we are all going Hell in a handbasket if we don’t adhere to what is prescribed by an anonymous blogger) and speaking on behalf of Governor Goodhair and vouching for his Christianity as well. I don’t know anything, literally, about whether the Governor is a “good” Christian, a “regular” Christian, or even has any beliefs at all. What we DO know is that he constantly is running his mouth about religion, continuing to see how far he can push the envelope in blurring the lines between separation of church and state, and using this predilection trolling for votes, in a similar fashion to his political GWB’s “brain,” Karl Rove, who would literally do anything or say anything to scare the pants off the masses, and have them standing in line to vote for an extremely mediocre presidential candidate. I suppose we can’t say with certainty what would happen in an Obama-Perry one on one, but I think the average voter has moved on since then. Getting back on topic, just because “truthinTexas” and Rick Perry espouse their beliefs in a religious philosophy such that a diety “loves the sinner and hates the sin,” I espouse my belief that this is a hook, and is used to subconsciously entice right wing voters to, in fact, hate the sin AND the sinner, because let’s face it, that is the net effect. And I want nothing to do with it. Can you hear me now, “truth in Texas?”
I just don’t see how you can live with such cognitive dissonance. If god is all powerful then people are gay because he made them that way. and if god is perfect, nothing he does can be imperfect. An all powerful being would never make something he “hates.” There are so many ways pretending god is there makes no sense.
@ Kevin – when I first read the article, I did not know it was on a homosexual website. I do not make it a habit of perusing such sites. I did not “eventually” get around to my Christianity, it is WHO I am, but that does not matter to you. You make fun of, disparage, and refute MY beliefs and personhood to your heart’s desire, and that is okay with you, but how dare I see things differently than you do! Yeah – that’s tolerance. YOU are the one infering, fella, because, not once, NOT ONCE, did I speak ill of any individual, it is the practice of homosexuality that is at issue. And, another thing – you are right, you DON’T know anything about Gov. Perry’s faith, so stop assuming he’s insincere. Homo’s scream “accept me for who I am!”, but are completely unwilling to accept others who do not agree with their perversion. C’mon, fair is fair. Perry doesn’t ‘run’ his mouth about religion, like it’s a put on, it’s an ‘outcome’ of who he is on the inside. You would agree that Harvey Milk was allowed to bring his homosexuality into his elected office, while denying that same right to a Christian. Boggles the mind.
@ EML – people CHOOSE to live a homosexual lifestyle, they are not born that way, there is no science to back up a queer gene. God is perfect; man is imperfect. God does not call other ‘born’ infirmaties “abominations,” he doesn’t even call the myriad of other sin abominations, only the practice of homosexuality gets this designation. Funny how people who have no education in/idea of scripture and no comprehension of God’s character have SO much to say about why He got it wrong.
Thank you, EvilMomLady and Kevin, for some really good comments. I know it can be frustrating be an enlightened person in an ignorant world. Thank you, Truth??inTX, for your contributions, but, frankly, we’ve heard it all before….next time offer something we haven’t heard.
Hence today I believe that I am acting in accordance with the will of the Almighty Creator: by defending myself against the Jew, I am fighting for the work of the Lord.
-Adolf Hitler (Mein Kampf)
Exchange Gay for Jew and there you have it … If you’re ever looking for the Devil, look behind the cross, it’s his favorite hiding place …
@truthintexas You stated “people CHOOSE to live a homosexual lifestyle, they are not born that way, there is no science to back up a queer gene.”
Your statement makes it clear that you take no time to understand what the experiences of other people might be like. Can you really argue that as sexuality starts to cross the mind of a pubescent child that there really is a choice about what they are attracted to? That’s a pretty bold statement and one that can easily be refuted. Kids are pulled into sexuality naturally – there’s no choosing and you would be able to consider this if you closed that book once in a while and actually took an interest in someone outside your parish.
@truthintexas
Furthermore, there’s plenty of evidence that shows that many genes can produce varying outcomes based on environment and social influences. I would propose to you that redirecting sexuality in a person that really doesn’t need to produce offspring in a society allows that person to still participate, since an a-sexual person is the true oddity. I mean, surely God has a way of dealing with, say, overpopulation through genes and indeed this would contribute to a record of infallibility. Your disdain for different sexuality is entirely preferential and not at all based on anything more than skewed interpretations of writings in a book that was intended to be seen as parables – and dated ones at that. Sadly, the average social opinion and observable patterns in life make homosexuality a very viable thing and stating that it’s a choice to be fixed, makes you the problem.
Hey have ya’ll seen this vid? I love the simplicity of the question & how it leads people to think, & without a major argument or fight. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJtjqLUHYoY