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Hoping to alert Americans about the dangers of gays serving openly in the military, the 28-year-old hate group Family Research Institute sent out a four-page newsletter to some 1,000 folks, which includes an interview with a female soldier who had to deal with faggots in basic training, as well as “research” about gay servicemembers. But then postal workers in Colorado charged with distributing the mailer decided it was “obscene” and “incited force-able resistance against the government,” and refused to give FRI the non-profit mailing rate. You can imagine who grew furious.
First, let’s be clear about what FRI — founded to uphold traditional values and whatever — believes. In a February blog post titled “Gays in Military = Sex in Barracks,” the organization claims, “If homosexuals are allowed to serve in the military, they will be recruiting in the showers, having sex in the barracks, and straights will undergo sensitivity training. Before long, the U.S. may be defended by the sex-obsessed and those who can tolerate kowtowing to them.”
LOL, right?
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.
But it’s no laughing matter to FRI chairman Dr. Paul Cameron, who says, “This is a most serious matter. We’re Americans. Where does the post office get off enforcing Obama’s rules and thinking, on us, because we disagree with them.” As for the newsletter: “There’s no violence in there. There’s no obscenity in there. There is, what we consider to be, interesting information.”
Cameron’s group was forced to pay the standard rate, which is three cents more. Ron Perry, a Postal Service spokesman, says “we have mailing standards that we have to uphold.” So FRI appealed the decision to the Postal Service’s Price and Classification Board in Washington D.C., which overruled the Colorado post office’s decision. (FRI still wants an apology.)
And that was the right decision. FRI is a registered non-profit, and its newsletter wasn’t advising anyone to go out and murder the gays. Disagree with its viewpoints, but like any gay rights group whose views FRI might disagree with, Cameron should receive the same non-profit mailing rate as any other organization in the group.
In addition to the interview with a female soldier (which we couldn’t find online), FRI says this letter — from retired Navy Cap. Lawrence R. Jefferis — was also part of the mailing.
And even his ridiculous statements are constitutionally protected speech: “During my enlisted service, homosexuals seemed to be a clumsy lot. They had a tendency to repeatedly fall headfirst down an engine room ladder. Some were even known to trip on deck and “fall” overboard. The crew had a way of policing themselves to eliminate homosexual advances.… It has been my experience that if sexual favors are available aboard ship, some enterprising sailor, petty officer, or officer will find a way to take advantage of the offer. … The argument I hear most often expounded by the homophiles is that the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy deprives the military of outstanding young men and women who want nothing more than to defend their country and that they have the ability to operate a radar, or a gas turbine, or a gun as well as a heterosexual. That can’t be true.… But, even if it were true, are homosexuals really worth the administrative problems they would create by their mere existence? The Navy, today, does not willingly accept GED holders… Minor criminal records are a bar to enlistment. Visible tattoos and piercings are not permitted. Are these aberrations more damning than sodomy? Is it your contention that cohabitors, adulterers, prostitutes, young men and women with tattoos, those with only GEDs, or the obese cannot serve as well as homosexuals? If so, what is your empirical evidence to support such an argument? If we get to pick and choose which laws we uphold, which laws are next on the line to ignore? Carnal Knowledge?”
MikenStL
Wow, now I finally know why I keep falling head first down the stairs….. Thank G*d for the FRI, I guess this means when my conversion therapy is over I can take all that padding away from my stairwell and I can start using the escalator at the mall.
Mike L.
Does this FRI guy, Paul Cameron (sp?), seem like family to anyone else out there besides me?
Tricky
So this guy sends out 1,000 letters and is charged three cents more per letter. What is that like $30.00? Manufactured controversy. The letter from the retired Captain is so stupid, I would be embarrassed to have included it.
terrwill
Lawrence R. Jefferis: You are a fcuking asshat!!! What kind of wack crack is this scumbag smoking?? I can recall quite a few articles about those “inept” Gay soldiers being the most highly skilled and values arebic linguistic specialists. It seems that many hetro soldiers could not master those incredibily difficult languages. And being that most of the major ops our military is involved in nowadays involves enemies speaking those languages the Gays are kinda sorta important in keeping those hetro soldiers alive.
What a vile disgusting pig you are Jerreris……
I just looked at the Post Office rate cards……Paul Cameron,
sorry your pathetic vile organizaton only qualifies for the Hate Rate…………
terrwill
Queerty: WTF? why the censoring of my post????
johnie
The guy is’nt talking about accidents, he’s talking about MURDER.
Cicely
Dear Captain Jefferis,
I don’t think we have ever met. My name is Cicely, but when I was born my name was Dione. I am your granddaughter and I was given up for adoption 30 years ago.
Every once in a while I get curious about my birth family and troll the internet looking for tidbits. I recently came across the letter you wrote to Admiral Mullen regarding gays in the military.
Personally, I’ve never been much of an activist, but when Prop 8 passed here in California I felt the need to voice my descent. I marched in protest alongside my boyfriend and parents and it was one of the proudest moments of my life. I see the issue of gay rights as possibly the last great civil rights movement our country must undertake. I keep a picture of my parents with their protest signs on my desk and I look at it as I write this. I think about other generations that proudly tell of how their parents marched for the rights of African Americans or fought for the passage of the ERA. When I have children I will be able to tell them about how their father and their grandparents marched to show their support for equal rights. When their class discusses the gay rights movement they will be able to take this picture to school and talk about the two previous generations of their family that have fought for equality.
So anyway, I read your letter. I know hate like that exists in the world. That was no surprise. I am surprised that it will be part of the family history I pass to my children. When I tell them how their parents and grandparents opposed Prop 22 and Prop 8 I will also have to tell them that their great grandfather thought nothing of pushing gay service men down flights of stairs and calling it an accident. I’ll have to tell them that he thought all homosexuals got AIDS and wanted sex change operations. They will know that although they have much to be proud of in their family history, they are also descended from ignorance and hatred. They will know your name. And they will strive not to be like you.
I hope your views change. I hope someone reaches out to you and helps you overcome your prejudices. The world is changing and I hope that, in the end, you can join me on the right side of history. I hope you can stop hating.
Sincerely,
Your granddaughter
Jeffree
@Cicely: Beautiful, heartfelt letter. I do hope you managed to get it directly to Capt. Lawrence R. Jefferis with cc: to FRC.
Thanks for posting that here.