I just got the following email from a group that purports to represent "ex"-gays - i.e., people who claim to have "prayed away" their homosexuality. Putting aside for a moment the fact that the lady running this group has an openly gay son - oops - just check out the venom and hate that is interlaced in their message.
They only want to promote tolerance, they say, and that's why they oppose adding sexual orientation to the already-existing hate crimes bill. The "ex"-gay groups actually oppose pretty much every law that would ever protect gays and lesbians - they are actively fighting gay marriage, etc. - yet they say that all they want is tolerance. Uh huh. Funny how there isn't a single person who's been "cured" of homosexuality who hasn't ended up a fire-breathing gay-hater. If some gays really could change and become straight, wouldn't you think at least one would end up pro-gay or at least agnostic on the whole gay "agenda," simply saying "it's not my thing, but they're ok people anyway"? Yet somehow every person who's been "cured" sounds like they've been brainwashed to channel Pat Buchanan.
Think this discussion is academic? I have an aunt and uncle who won't even speak to my gay cousin (their son) because, they say, "there are people who have changed" - then they sent my cousin info on Exodus, the lead ex-gay group. Of course, what they didn't send him was the info on all the "ex"-gay leaders - most every single one of them to date - who have been caught in gay bars, or worse, and have left the "ex"-gays. So we have these guys to thank for fucking up at least one family in which some very old, and very ill, parents will probably never see their son again.
One seriously fucked up group of people.
Republican Senator Votes for Gay Federal Hate Crimes Law, but Refuses to Protect Ex-Gays
Senator George Allen (R-VA) voted for the Kennedy hate crimes amendment last Tuesday, which includes sexual orientation, but he failed to support a resolution calling for tolerance for ex-gays. Hate crimes
legislation is a top priority for gay activists in their desire to gain federal designation as a minority group. But, that law might also be interpreted as a means to override states that do not have, or oppose, hate crimes laws based on sexual preference.
Members of the ex-gay community and their supporters from across the country came to Capitol Hill last month for Ex-Gay Lobby Days sponsored by Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays & Gays (PFOX). PFOX, headquartered in Virginia, supports families affected by homosexuality and advocates for the ex-gay community.
Ex-gays related personal stories of the hate and discrimination they experienced because they left homosexuality. They urged Congress to support a resolution calling for tolerance for ex-gays. ?The resolution says that Congress condemns hate against ex-gays and affirms its commitment to a society that respects all people, including former homosexuals,? said Regina Griggs, PFOX executive director. ?Now who could be opposed to that?? Apparently, Sen. Allen is. In a meeting with Rev. Darryl Foster, an African-American ex-gay, Allen?s office did not want to sign on to the resolution. ?Allen?s office said that acknowledging ex-gays through the resolution would amount to 'favoritism' and the Senator would not do that, said Foster."
?It now seems that Sen. Allen is playing favorites and discriminating against ex-gays,? said Regina Griggs, PFOX executive director. ?Sen. Allen voted for the Kennedy gay hate crimes law which will cost taxpayers $5 million a year to implement, yet refuses to co-sponsor our
resolution, which is merely a statement condemning hate against former homosexuals and costs nothing to implement. It doesn?t make sense.?
For the past two years, Sen. Kennedy?s office has refused to make an appointment to meet with his ex-gay constituents on Ex-Gay Lobby Days.
Because of his closed door policy to ex-gays, Kennedy?s gay hate crimes law will not protect former homosexuals,? said Griggs. ?Sen. Kennedy?s intolerance and ignorance of ex-gay issues, and Sen. Allen?s refusal to consider supporting a resolution for ex-gays, is unfortunate in this age of civil rights,? continued Griggs. ?These senators should promote tolerance for ex-gays.?
PFOX calls upon Senators Kennedy and Allen to stop playing favorites by protecting homosexuals while ignoring ex-gays. ?This divides families, is discriminatory and hurts our communities,? said Griggs. ?Sen. Allen should now sponsor the PFOX ex-gay resolution. He has sponsored or supported other resolutions in the past. Why not this one??
