Someone else noticed that “totally not gay” Texas Governor Rick Perry has scheduled a National Day of Prayer event with the American Family Association, an anti-gay hate group. So they asked Perry, double-you tea eff?
His spokeswoman Katherine Cesinger said, “Governor Perry is looking forward to the event. AFA is an organization that promotes safe and strong families. These controversies aren’t relevant to the event, Governor Perry is focused on what he is trying to accomplish, which is bringing America together in prayer for the nation. This event is about prayer focused on bringing America together for challenges faced, these comments don’t have anything to do with this event. [Perry] is very clear with his faith. His priority with this event is bringing people together. Those statements and other controversial statements made have nothing to do with what the Governor is trying to promote.”
She’s right. A group called the American Family Association would surely spend all of its time promoting safe and strong families, right? Nevermind that the Southern Poverty Law Center designated them as a hate group because of statements like “Homosexuality gave us Adolph Hitler, and homosexuals in the military gave us the Brown Shirts, the Nazi war machine and six million dead Jews.” Or AFA President Bryan Fisher’s views that we should criminalize homosexual behavior and force gay men and lesbians into “reparative” therapy programs. Everyone who supports safe and strong families advocates equates gays with Nazis and wants to throw queers in jail and mental institutions, right?
So we decided to visit the front page of the AFA website and see all their family-strengthening work (click for the larger version):
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
Five mentions of stopping gays or homosexuality. One mention of family in their group name. Is Rick Perry’s spokesperson really clear about what the AFA actually does?
John Blatzheim
Not to be a dick, but do you guys even have an editor? I mean this isn’t that long of an article and I found several errors in my first read through. And I’ve noticed it a lot in your posts recently. Kind of disconcerting when a news source I trust can’t even properly edit a few paragraphs…
Nathan
John;
Isn’t if funny that those who correct other people’s grammar and/or editing are they themselves guilty of poor sentence structure?
1. “Read-through” has a hyphen
2. Don’t begin a sentence with “And”-it’s OK, but kind of sloppy.
3. The sentence that begins “Kind of disconcerting..” is poorly constructed. How about “It is disconcerting to me when a trusted news source cannot properly edit a few paragraphs.”?
You couldn’t even write 3 sentences without error…
It is much more mature and relevant if you comment on the substance of the article.
So what do you think of Governor Perry and this prayer event? I think it’s disgusting and hate-filled.
John Blatzheim
@Nathan: Lol I’m a 23 year old undergrad, so have at my grammar all you’d like. I think it’s completely fair to hold a news organization to a higher standard. One would hope trained, professional journalists can do much better than me. Don’t get me wrong, I love Queerty, but it hurts the sites credibility when they can’t properly edit their stories.
WindReader
@ John – since you are a student I will help you learn. “…professional journalists can do much better than I.” you can pick correctly between “me” and “I” by finishing the thought…as in “professional journalists can do better than I can.” the phrase “better than me can” is obviously wrong and therefore “I” is the correct choice. and when I was a 23 year old undergraduate student I knew better. but I blame the educational system, not you specifically.
and on to Nathan’s point – exactly what does the AFA (or FRC or any of those disreputable and disgusting organizations) do to actually strengthen families? they promote boycotts of companies that treat LGBT people as if they were people, they encourage harassment of LGBT youth in schools, they encourage praying to their invisible sky friend – but none of that actually helps to strengthen real live families. oh yeah – they force people to say “Merry Christmas” instead of “Happy Holidays” – even if those people do not celebrate Christmas – because you can’t be a strong family without Christmas. or something.
John Blatzheim
@WindReader: @ WindReader – Well if we want to play this game… ““…professional journalists can do much better than I.” you can” The you in ‘you can’ there ought to have been capitalized. I am pretty sure “by finishing the thought…as in” isn’t properly formatted, that ellipses should have been a comma. And here, “[…]can.” the phrase” you forget to capitalize again. And you do it again here, “[…]choice. and,” and here, “I knew better. but.” But whatever, I don’t expect every random commenter to be grammatically correct. I do on the other hand expect anyone who wants me to take them seriously as a journalist to write clearly and follow basic grammar rules.
Anyways the point here really wasn’t to be an asshole. But a professional journalistic organization ought be able to properly edit their work at least most of the time. Is that really such a fucking controversial thing to say? Jesus.
Marvin
A number of us in the Fort Worth area are organizing an on-site “People of Faith” protest against this event, in Houston on August 6th at the Reliant Stadium. We are intent on holding a respectful, loving, nonviolent and well-publicized protest that makes it clear that what the AFA preaches is not the gospel. A number of prominent progressive church leaders from the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex have signed on, though the protest will be led by lay people. We hope we will be joined by folks from throughout the state, including Houston, itself. If you are in North Texas and embrace that vision, we’d love to have you join us. Our first organizational meeting will be at 2PM on Saturday, June 18, at Fort Worth First Congregational Church UCC, 4201 Trail Lake Drive, Fort Worth. If you can’t make that meeting but would like to be at the protest, please contact me via email at [email protected], or visit our facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pages/Hate-Speech-Is-Not-the-Gospel-Rally/217339444954635
alan brickman
He’s not apologizing….should pretend to say Tracy Morgan did it!! LOL!
manfred
It’s no conincidence that this event is being held in Houston. Expect many veiled threats against its lesbian mayor.
Gus
My new favorte stolen line:
Read my lips, NO NEW TEXANS!
christopher di spirito
There’s nothing more boorish than a grammar Nazi.
As for Rick “Goodhair” Perry, he will never win the GOP nomination. His uber-conservative Christian views place him outside of mainstream Republican orthodoxy. He’s a state politician and he will always be a state politician.
Tisha
@christopher di spirito: please don’t say that b/c we would really like to get his ass out of TX. I hope he does run for Prez so that he can lose miserably
Jeffree
AFA needs to change their name to “American Christian Family Association.” Then they can get all busy on strengthening families by passing legislation that makes adultery, divorce, and premarital sex illegal.
We won’t see that happen because hating the gays is much easier to sell & won’t involve personal sacrifice.
PLAINTOM
@christopher di spirito: I don’t know if being Uber-conservative Khristian is enough of a liability to stop him but the first time he opens his mouth with that Texas drawl the country will have a terrifying Bush flashback.
TMikel
Queerty – I am a retired English teacher and teacher of writing, also a gay male of many years standing. If I can ever help with your columns – proof reading, etc. let me know!
The crustybastard
Would Gov. Perry meet with the White Citizen’s Councils because of the good work they do in keeping the neighborhoods clean?
MattGMD
Family Research Council: where Rekers and others either made up the research data or quoted previous papers of their own writing. They never quite reach the same definition of “research” as is generally understood.
Focus on the Family: where the alleged heteros focus obsessively on The Gays. They stalk The Gays to protect The Children.
Moral Majority: they rode hypocritical high-horses and one even died with a forearm-sized dildo in his anus.
American Family Association: supporting and endorsing Rekers whose lucrative career has its roots in advocating “spanking The Children straight.” They use more thorough and insidious methods today: brainwashing but under the benign and gentle-sounding title of Restorative Therapy. Instead of just smacking the child’s ass into heterosexuality, they mind-fuck the kids to get results.
Bring back the lions.
MattGMD
@John Blatzheim: That was way too many words to convey that your are out of Midol.
Shannon1981
What a disgusting organization, and it should be noted how incredibly alarming it is that the governor of Texas is associating himself with a registered hate group.
Joetx
“His uber-conservative Christian views place him outside of mainstream Republican orthodoxy.”
Are you kidding? That’s the Republican base!