Religion-Based
Homophobia Claims Another Victim
Once again, another talented, loving young man has taken his
life as a result of homophobia inspired and encouraged by people such as
Bryan
Fischer of the American Family Association,
Tony
Perkins of the Family Research Council,
Peter
LaBarbera of Americans for Truth About
Homosexuality, and
Pope
Benedict XVI.
Add to that list of enablers those who dogmatically,
ridiculously claim to know “God’s
will.” In fact, you could add all those who value Bronze Age edicts and
religious dogma predicated upon “Us vs.
Them” hostility above twenty-first century reason, rationality, and even their
own children… as Eric’s mother did when she performed an exorcism on him, and
his father who concurred in throwing him out of the house and severing all
contact:
“My mother knew I was gay, and
performed an exorcism on me in an attempt to cure me.” …
His parents told him he was disgusting,
perverted, unnatural and damned to Hell. Three months before he died, and two
months before he made the “It Gets Better” video, his family had kicked him out
of their house and essentially severed all contact.
Before going any further, please read the following and view
the videos Eric James left behind: http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/281542/20120113/eric-james-borges-gay-teen-trevor-project.htm?cid=5
Eric James Borges
was a real human being: a young man with great potential and much to offer
civil society, as opposed to the self-serving bigotry and hate promulgated by
people such as Fischer, Perkins, LaBarbera, and other
so-called “Christian” leaders. Pope
Benedict XVI proclaimed
gays and marriage equality both “threaten human dignity and the future of humanity
itself.” No doubt Bryan Fischer, Tony Perkins, and Peter LaBarbera would agree. They’re wrong. Fanatical, hate-based
religion is the real threat to human dignity and the future of humanity, just
as it’s always been.
Just look at history: the Inquisition and wholesale
slaughter of indigenous peoples in the New World, the Salem Witch hunts,
slavery and segregation, September 11, 2001. Look at the world’s “hot spots”
today and you’ll find dogmatic religion behind virtually every conflict. Gays
and marriage equality are not a threat to humanity and civilization. Fanatical,
dogmatic religion is. In this country, purveyors such as Fischer, Perkins and LaBarbera hide behind the First Amendment in order to spew
their venom and inspire other to do their dirty work. In Islamic countries such
as Iran, theofascists are more overt in their murder
of gay teens: “Shocking
New Photo Released in Hanging of Iran Gay Teens.”
It’s no secret that the antigay Christian Right’s most often
quoted “psychologist,” discredited
Paul Cameron, advocated killing gays decades ago:
At
the 1985 Conservative Political Action Conference, [Paul] Cameron announced to
the attendees, “Unless we get medically lucky, in three or four years, one of
the options discussed will be the extermination of homosexuals.” According to
an interview with former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, Cameron was
recommending the extermination option as early as 1983.
- Mark E. Pietzyk,The News-Telegraph, March 10, 1995
More about
Cameron’s “final solution” is available here
and here.
Of course, most antigay “faith-based pro-family” leaders distance
themselves from such outright murderous statement, preferring instead to run
workshop to teach children as young as 14 to target gays:
Cliff
Kincaid Added to LaBarbera's Anti-Gay Hate-Fest
Submitted by Kyle on July 19, 2010
Last month we noted that Peter LaBarbera's Americans for Truth would
be hosting a three-day training conference for anti-gay activists featuring
a who's who of the most hostile voices in the movement, including LaBarbera, Robert Knight, Ryan Sorba,
and Matt Barber.
Today Accuracy in Media's Cliff
Kincaid, who
shares a LaBarbera-level hatred for gays,
has now been added
to the list of instructors, which explains why he is now writing glowing
columns about the conference warning
that it is our only hope of save America from its "moral suicide"
as gays seek to kill themselves and everyone else …
AFTAH is launching a Truth Academy on how to
fight the “gay agenda.” … Adults and young people alike are encouraged to sign
up for this much-needed effort to organize the pro-family forces in America.
The issue is just as important as the massive debt and deficits that are
threatening to financially bankrupt the nation. The cost to attend the AFTAH Truth Academy is only $99 for students, $199 for
adults, and $299 for couples.
Perhaps the kids and other attendees that participated in LaBarbera’s workshop were treated to the “Christian” music
of You Can Run But You Can’t Hide, the frontman for
which is Bradlee Dean:
Target's
Financial Backing of Anti-Gay Politician
Bradlee Dean,
the frontman of a Christian rock band in Minnesota
called You
Can Run But You Cannot Hide, recently said that Muslim countries that
execute LGBTs are “more moral than even the American
Christians,” plus some mouth-foaming about gays engaging in abominations and
child molestation. …
So what’s the Target connection? Well, Bradlee's ministry received money and support from Tom
Emmer, an anti-gay Minnesota Republican running for Governor. And Tom
Emmer's campaign got a boost from Minnesota Forward, a PAC running TV ads on
his behalf. And Minnesota
Forward got $150,000 -- which amounts to about a
third of all of their donations -- from Target.
So, to follow the money: Target
gave $150,000 to Minnesota Forward, which bought TV ads for Tom Emmer, who
says “I believe marriage is the union between one man and one woman,” and who
hangs out with a guy who thinks killing gays is moral. …
Muslim countries that execute gay teens are “more moral than
even the American Christians.” How does one respond to American “Christians”
who call for – or sanction – the coldblooded murder of fellow
citizens? How does one respond to people like Peter LaBarbera
and other so-called “pro-family leaders” whose sole purpose in life seems to be
to inspire hatred and bigotry?
Click here
to see how another “Christian” leader, Larry Adams of Cross Bearer Ministry in
Indianapolis, Indiana, thought loving, committed gays should be dealt with.
This bible-thumping, “good Christian” wants to get out the nooses and hang gay
couples… in the name of “God,” of course.
Fischer, Perkins, LaBarbera,
Benedict XIV, Dean, Adams, and all those who pervert spirituality to damn and
condemn others cannot be held responsible legally for the death of young gay
American teens such as Eric James. But morally, they’re as guilty as sin. And
they know it…
Rest in Peace, Eric James Borges. Your message of equality
and love may have been lost of religious dogmatists and those who use religion
to foster their own nefarious socio-political agendas (and line their
organizational coffers), but more and more Americans are waking up and rejecting
the hate and injustices that took your life. You left on January 11, 2011.
January 16 is Martin Luther King Day. He also had a dream of equality and that
people be judged “by the content of their character,” not their skin color or their sexual
preference. Although Dr. King never spoke publicly about homosexuality, deeds
do indeed speak louder than words. Dr. King’s close friend, colleague,
associate and the organizer of the 1963 March on Washington, Bayard Rustin, was
an openly gay man.
