We don’t know what kind of kind bud the folks at the National Organization for Marriage get their hands on, but we’d really like a drag. In a discussion with PBS NewsHour‘s Ray Suarez, NOM’s Thomas Peters made it clear he thinks his group is “winning” (in a totally Charlie Sheen psychotic-break kind of way).
Suarez: “Aren’t you standing on shifting sand? Given the momentum of the polls, given the momentum of the legal challenges, the losses in various federal appellate courts, the changes in various state laws, maybe you’ll win tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, but are you fighting against an inevitability?”
Peters: “No for two important reasons: First of all, I believe in the truth of my pro-marriage views, just as the other side does, and people who have those deep-seated convictions don’t look at the changing tides wherever they may be they fight for what’s true and what’s right. Second of all, I think it’s amazing with all of the cultural forces tying to redefine marriage that we’re still here in 2012 just barely seeing some footholds gained in deep blue states. I think the future of the marriage movement is bright and ultimately I don’t believe history moves in one direction.”
“Look, over there—it’s a bald eagle!” Sorry, what were we talking about?
NOM and it’s ilk will continue to mine silk from a sow’s ear so long as they have a platform to bullshit from. So, really, the bad guy here is PBSNewsHour, for even having NOM on to discuss their election takeaway. Every time the media gives these fringe idiots airtime, they’re giving them legitimacy they haven’t earned.
Dana
To all of you heathens here. Betty Bowers (America’s BEST Christian) explains what a bible based traditional marriage is.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFkeKKszXTw
REPENT!
Mjl-428
he says it should be up to voters to decide. let’s see if still believes that 4 years from now when a few more states allow same sex marriages. I predict, at the very least, 4 more states come around in the next 4 years, and that’s excluding California and New Jersey
Mjl-428
@Dana: Bitch, you on a gay site and signed up just to spew your anti-gay crap like we really give two fucks. for your safety, I suggest you leave, delete your account, and don’t come back here. and I’m the nice one here
Dana
@Mjl-428: Honey, did you watch the video? 🙂 I was being sarcastic. Awesomely sarcastic, I though.
Tahimek
@Mjl-428: She forgot to put “/s” at the end. The video was, after all, a Betty Bowers video (a hilarious one too.)
Anyhou, NOM as usual continues to beggar belief…
Dumdum
It is time my people. We must call upon our heathen Gods to smite the creepy baby makers THEIR Christian God has never been weaker. The Earth belongs to to us now, RISE UP ! RISE UP my children. PLAN 9 PLAN 9 THE TIME IS NOW I REPEAT PLAN 9 PLAN 9…..
Dumdum
Why are THEY called the right when they are wrong? Also I think that their moral indignation is just jealousy with a halo. When one person suffers from a delusion it is called insanity; when many people suffer from a delusion it is called religion.
Dakotahgeo
@Dana: Please don’t listen to Mjl-428, he doesn’t know what a sense of humor is, nor does he understand what sarcasm is, although he uses it profusely by mistake. The video was fantastic and I’m sending it to all of my friends. Just too funny for words. Thank you!
Dakotahgeo, M.Div. Pastor/Chaplain
Dakotahgeo
@Mjl-428: You must be a TPod/Repug… you’re not exactly the brightest streetlight on the Boulevard, are you? You are 0-3 in your recount efforts so take care, take your meds, and call someone who gives a caca, in the morning!
Dana
@Dakotahgeo: Betty Bowers is what awesome sauce is made of! Glad you liked it. hugs
Dumdum
@Dana: ROFLMFAO That was freaking hysterical thanks girlfriend.
Mjl-428
@Dakotahgeo: 1. gay. voted for Obama. hates NOM, Bryan Brown, and most anti-gay republicans with a passion. 2. has heard so much crazy I can barely tell when someone is mocking the crazy and when someone IS crazy. you obviously must be crazy though because all the time I have been here not once did I ever show support for the Rethugs. If you paid attention at all, you’d know that
@Dana: My bad Dana. Jumped the gun. I was already pissed off by someone earlier.
Dakotahgeo
@Mjl-428: What… ever!!! Advice still stands!
Dana
@Mjl-428: No worries. Hope you enjoyed the video.
1EqualityUSA
NOM is anti-gay anything, not just marriage. NOM is a hate group. This is so obvious and people are catching on. It’s uncool to be a NOM-skull.
DCFarmboi
It is a shame that 29 year old Thomas Peters has never found himself a wife. Maybe if he butched it up a bit.
alterego1980
@Dumdum: You say religion, I say cult. Tomayto/Tomahto.
It’s sad that they (NOM, etc) can call themselves pro-marriage when they try to keep it so exclusive and deny the rights of others. But don’t be fooled into believing that this is fringe thinking. Each state this election won marriage equality with no more than 52-54 percent of the vote. And 32 states still ban it. So while the momentum has shifted, and I have real hope for the future, there is a long way to go to open/change people’s minds from coast to coast.
Scott Rose
I totally agree with Queerty’s Dan Avery that television hosts should night invite anti-gay hate groups like the NOMzis on, as though they were purveyors of some reasonable opinion or other, and as though it were not known that they frequently distort the scientific record for use as a weapon against gay people. The NOMzi Maggot Gagginwhore, for example, LIED about Youth Risk Survey statistics from Massachusetts. Since equality became law in Massachusetts, the total youth suicides over time for both hetero and gay youth have gone down. With Maggot Gagginwhore, the NOMzis and the Catholic Church continuing to demonize gays in Massachusetts, the *ratio* of gay to teen youth suicides has remained the same at 4/1. Yet, incontestably, the total number of youth suicides has gone down. Very arrogantly, Maggot Gagginwhore alleged that she cares about youth suicide, wanted to test the question of whether she has blood on her hands, and that she “took the trouble” to look at the Youth Risk Survey statistics for Massachusetts and learned from them that “gay marriage is not the answer.” Gagginwhore specifically said that the suicide rate had not gone down. In reaction to that, I contacted the authorities who conduct the Youth Risk Survey in Massachusetts. I told them that I wanted to fact-check Gallagher’s claims. They told me that Gallagher was not being truthful — that the suicide rate in Massachusetts had gone down over time since the inception of marriage equality in the state. It is these kinds of NOMzi lies that should keep the NOMzis off of television “debates” about equality. I have meticulously reported on Gallagher’s lies, as well as on the lies of the NOMzi Brian Brown and the head NOMzi Princeton Professor Robert George. We have a standing policy — anybody who can show us documentation that anything we have published is not factual will see us publishing corrections. None of the NOMzis have ever contacted me with documentation that my reports about them are not factual. Let’s not forget that the NOMzis held an anti-gay rally in the Bronx where one of its chosen speakers yelled through a megaphone that homosexuals are “worthy to death.” Beyond the NOMzis specifically, there’s a root problem with the Catholic Church. The Vatican had a power-sharing agreement with Mussolini. The Catholic Church has never acknowledged that it demonized WWII-era homosexuals and participated in getting them deported to concentration camps. The LGBT and allied communities around the world should make an unwavering demand for the Church specifically and Catholics generally to acknowledge the Church’s role in getting gay Holocaust victims sent to their deaths. Part of “Never again!” includes not putting up with Catechism-based demonization of gay human beings. The NOMzis referred to 2012 as “The Marriage Election” and the enlightened side won. There is NO CHANCE that the Republican national party will allow the NOMzis to sink it in 2016. Steve Schmidt, a leading and highly-accomplished Republican strategist, has already made the public statement: “Why should we sign a suicide pact with the National Organization for Marriage?” Twerpy Thomas Peters should go argue that one with Schmidt. “But it’s not a suicide pact! We NOMzis surely can help you Republicans to win the next presidential election!” See how stupid his argument is?
Scott Rose
I have a good idea for Thomas Peters (and his website, American Pap Smear, or whatever it’s called). Being as his whole notion that homosexuals should be treated as second-class citizens comes from the Catholic Catechism, train a camera on him 24/7. The Catholic Catechism does call masturbation an “inherently and gravely disordered act.” If Thomas Peters is seen masturbating even once — no equality for him! Treat him as a second class citizen under civil law, because he is violating the Catholic Catechism by masturbating. TV interviewers shouldn’t have him on, in any event, but if they do, they should be sure to ask him if he masturbates. If he’s going to make a living through gay bashing blood money, and the baseless demonization of homosexuals, then he should be held accountable to the same standards found in the Catholic Catechism. His website is called “American Pap Smear.” If he *ever* masturbates, he is living in violation of the same religious code he wants imposed on others through civil law.
DuMaurier
Yeah, NOM’s future looks real bright, ha ha. This is not about one election, those votes were simply the result of many years of evolving thinking that every pollster in the country (the legit ones, anyway) has documented. It’s been slow and frustrating, but public opinion has been going steadily in the direction of more openness and acceptance, not less (the recent North Carolina vote notwithstanding). NOM can keep trumpeting all the anti-equality votes from years and years past all they want, but what matters isn’t where we’ve been but where we’re heading.
unreligious
@Dana: Cute, not at all what I was expecting.
gjg64
Little Tommy Peters (god, there’s a name) is also known by his blog name American Papist…..which says enough, he has a king not a president. Wish he’d just move to the Vatican and live there so he’d be happy in a theocracy.
jmmartin
My first reaction was, Thomas Peters of NOM, really? Peters? Then I began to notice that he wears a perpetual smile, the kind of smile you see on people who have swallowed a mouse. This guy is as phony as a four dollar bill. He has a blog name, American Papist? Well, now at least we know the origin of his aversion to same sex marriage: he’s in the thrall of Paul. See, this is precisely why we should deny any further tax exemptions to the RCC: they actively participate in political discourse and lobbying for dogma. That crosses the church-state separation line and violates IRS policies regarding non-profits. While we are at it, I would serve notice on the Vatican that we will no longer honor the treaty we signed with them making their entire priesthood hierarchy diplomatically immune from such things as prosecution for child molestation. Thomas Peters indeed!
marcus816
@jmmartin A bunch of us agree with you.
http://freethoughtblogs.com/pharyngula/2012/11/14/its-time-to-abort-the-catholic-church/
FaerieLad
Thomas Peters, is that his real name or his porn actor name?? He’s a twink any and everyday of the week!!
EGO
Why don’t we promote a tax increase to the NOMs and other people who are for unequal rights? It would be interesting to see how many minds that might change if they have to pay more money! :>)
Dumdum
@EGO: These butt plugs hide behind freedom of speech, freedom of religion, blah, blah, blah. Lawyers, loopholes. They know all the tricks. The only thing we can do is show these ass wipes that we are no threat to them. Let them do their worst, it only makes THEM look bad. There has been a major shift in the collective consciousness. The religious wrong are in their death throes, as are the conservatives. Why do you think they are being so intense now? History has proven time and time again that the old MUST make way for the new. Birth is messy and painful and THAT is where we are now. I am so old now that when I was a boy, The Dead Sea was only sick. I want everything to happen yesterday. I won’t live to see it, but you young people will. Fight the good fight and keep the faith. Remember. That which does not kill us, makes us STRONG.
Jerry12
It is my understanding that writings are classified as either “Fiction”, or “Non Fiction”. The former means that the story told is created in the mind of the Author(s), meaning “Unreal”; “It never really happened”; “Exists only in the mind of its author(s)”. Whereas, “Non Fiction” is derived from provable, actual occurrences, and/or Documents.
What we call the “Bible”, is a mixture of Fact and Fiction. For example, Bethlehem, the supposed birth place of Jesus, is a city that did not exist at the time Christ was supposed to have born there. It was not settled until many years later. And as far as Jesus rising up to Heaven against the force of gravity is pure nonsense. It is used in the story to avoid anyone looking for a burial place of someone that did not exist in the first place. In a period of time where the relationship of Lightning and Thunder was not known, anything the imagination could come up with could be believed by equally ignorant people. Today, believers are trying to match up any number of possible people from that time period as “Possible Jesus’s”.
Billysees
@alterego1980: Re 17, “You say religion…
…there is a long way to go to open/change people’s minds from coast to coast.
You’ve spoken a great truth here.
Before we rejoice too much, maybe we should count our chickens only until most of them have actually hatched.
There is much work to be done and people to be reached with “who and what kind of people we’re really like”.
Can I put some religious stuff in here?
This has to do with coming out.
It needs to be encouraged as much as possible, keeping in mind the difficulty some will experience.
1. Everybody needs to see us for the easy-to-see good that we are.
2. If we are not visible, then nobody will know what we’re like.
3. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone who will benefit from it …….Matthew 5:15
4. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven ……..Matthew 5:16
Paul wrote, “The Kingdom of God is not in “word” (that means scripture verse), but “power” (that means the ever modernizing work of the Holy Spirit and other spirit led movements in the world i.e. gay acceptance struggles)…….it’s not food and drink but “righteousness” (that means doing good works and deeds) and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit”.
Cheer…
Mjl-428
@Billysees: I wonder how many people overlooked that as they were quoting some passage to kill an innocent person?
Billysees
@Mjl-428: Re 30, “I wonder…
Here are a few thoughts I have about the subject matter this article is about and the things that are said.
It’s a shame that too many preachers, priests, rabbis and other “untouched by Jesus” representatives of the faith community are out there in this world causing “havoc” with their cruel and unjust words and deeds.
I’m personally sickened by these grievous people and the junk that comes from their lips.
How can followers of Him be like this? What’s happening here? Why are their words in the gutter?
The answer without doubt is “religious fundamentalism”, both catholic and protestant.
Christianity and all of the other great faiths suffer from this scourge of fundamentalism and its many manifestations.
The plain and simple “love based” ideals that are represented by these faiths are even sometimes trashed by those that contributed to the writing of their holy texts.
Here’s a couple of examples to illustrate my point —
Scroll down to see the slide presentations.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/23/grant-storms-anti-gay-louisiana-pastor-obscenity_n_1825132.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/16/angela-mccaskill-gallaude_n_1972044.html#slide=123018
The following is an example of a fundamentalist family that could offer no comfort to their son. If only some good old fashion happiness and love could have been recollected by him, he may not have done what he did.
Read the whole thing if possible but, if not, at least make sure you scroll down to read the paragraph that starts out with …
—
I’d also like to address my family…..
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/07/bill-zeller-dead-princeto_n_805689.html
My personal Christian beliefs want nothing to do with any scriptures I know are not worthy.
That’s the way the holy spirit works in me.
That’s the way I’ve worked out my own salvation or understanding.
The most important thing Jesus said that applies to us moderns is, “The holy spirit will lead and guide us into all truth and the things we should really be interested in and the good things we should do with our lives”.
Not all scripture verse is equal.
Some are better than others.
Let’s concentrate on the meaningful stuff.
Here’s are a few excellent illustrations of what I mean, and they are good examples of how LGBT folks should be treated —
These verses are either paraphrases or translations. 3 are written by Paul and 1 is written by Peter —
1. Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way.
2. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
3. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
4. Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.
Let’s focus on the “love” stuff and we’ll diminish our interest in the other stuff.
Cheer…
ppfuchs
First, , your article expressed my thoughts exactly. What is great is that you seem to be getting under Thomas Peters’ dainty skin, because he is now protesting on his blog that “pro gay marriage trolls” are following him on the internet. He has been desperate for attention for a long time. But now that he gets it, he is not appreciative. One can read his recent appearance institutionally as something quite different though. He wrote in his blog that he was called “last minute” to do the PBS show. Why pray tell. Ockham’s Razor suggests that the NEWShour had another more high-profile guest(s), but that they backed out. It is called “rats abandoning the ship”. All the wealthy donors who have spent money on this anti-gay crap are now in similar mood to Mitt Romney’s rich donors. They didn’t get their money’s worth and are now pissed. Thus the high profile representatives can read the writing on the wall and are starting to make themselves scarce. Leave to the cipher or factotum to try to put lipstick on the pig. Ergo, Thomas Peters. Poor thing.
Billysees
@Dumdum: Re 6, “It is time…
Lol…..lol…..lol.
You might consider retiring from Anthropology and becoming a comic of sorts….lol.