Category Archives: Anti-Gay Politicians Watch

News, gossip, commentary, rantings and ravings on the latest on anti-LGBT politicians and their actions - sometimes repulsive, sometimes hypocritical and sometimes down-right hilarious.

Nov 20 1 comments
Anti-Gay Politicians Watch, Anti-LGBT, Politics, United States

Sanford gay friendly? Yeah, okay.

From Bob Roehr’s 11/20 Bay Area Reporter story on Log Cabin Prez Patrick Sammon’s departure:

[Sammon] sees an encouraging sign in that the governor of South Carolina is talking about how the party’s position on gay issues is driving young voters away.

Umm… Did Sammon completely miss that whole “South Carolina is so gay” debacle over the summer, or is he just ignoring the facts?

Gov. Mark Sanford is pro-gay, even moderately so? Only in our dreams.

Let’s reminisce:

When South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford learned that his state was being advertised as a gay tourism destination, he ordered a Cabinet-level department head “to do the right thing personnel-wise or process-wise to ensure this does not happen again,” Sanford’s spokesman Joel Sawyer told Q-Notes.

[..snip..]

In the Governor’s office, Sawyer said that the state will not promote itself as a tourist destination through campaigns “aimed at a specific group of people.”

Sawyer said the “so gay” ad should have been “run up the flagpole,” but did not know whether any standard procedures were violated at the time it was approved.

“It defies common sense that someone would sign off on an advertising campaign that controversial,” Sawyer said.

Asked whether South Carolina would, for example, position itself as a tourist destination for African-Americans by utilizing black media and promoting vacation spots of relevant cultural interest, Sawyer said that the state does not “get into targeting a specific group that might have a social or political agenda.”

NAACP, the leading U.S. African-American advocacy organization, is working to boycott South Carolina tourism due to the state’s official display of the Confederate flag.

“We don’t believe that the average South Carolina taxpayer would agree” with advertising the state as a gay tourist destination, Sawyer concluded.

Governor Sanford mandated that PRT director Chad Prosser will from now on have to personally sign off on all advertising campaigns, Sawyer said.

Sanford’s just eying a future career in some place other than the Palm(I’m-looking-backward)etto State. He’s figured out he’s got to play nice in a political world quickly changing right before his very eyes. His “gay friendly” nature doesn’t really come all that naturally, but I guess in the interest of career development he’s willing to give it a go.

May 22 1 comments
Anti-Gay Politicians Watch, Politics

Marriage Equality

Marriage equality matters to many readers of InterstateQ I imagine. “Democrats are for LGBT rights, Republicans are against them” seems to be the generally accepted view of American politics, but after listening to the views of the presidential front runners, I can’t help but notice they sound rather similar to one another. That’s not to say they don’t differ in important areas, just that when it comes to legal recognition of gay relationships, they seem equal. Watch for yourself after the jump.

Get the whole story »

Apr 22 2 comments
Anti-Gay Politicians Watch, Politics, United States

NC-06: Bratton wavers on LGBT equality?

I got the chance this morning to take a quick look at the candidate questionnaires for the radical, anti-gay N.C. Family Policy Council.

6th Congressional District candidate Jay Ovittore passed with flying colors. Teresa Sue Bratton — well, not so much:

Should “sexual orientation” be added as a protected class in federal law?

___ Yes ___ No X Undecided

Huh? Did she not understand the question? Or is she just pandering to the right?

Teresa… shame. The correct answer would have been “Yes.” Duh!

Apr 18 2 comments
Anti-Gay Politicians Watch

Myrick, McHenry, Scarbrough and Geist

Joe Scarbrough and buddy boy Willie Geist featured my Congresswoman on national T.V. today. Thank God for YouTube.

And… Patrick McHenry (NC-10) challenger Lance Sigmon has released a new campaign ad.

[tag]Joe Scarbrough, Morning Joe, Willie Geist, Sue Myrick, Patrick McHenry, Lance Sigmon, North Carolina, Congress, YouTube[/tags]

Apr 15 1 comments
Anti-Gay Politicians Watch

Attn: North Carolinians - Buy your way to elected representation


Patrick McHorny likes his young pal’s lollipops!

Despite the fact our Republic is supposed to be “of the people, by the people,” Congressman Patrick McHenry thinks he has a better idea: Let voters buy their way to elected representation and political power.

From Pat Go Bye-Bye we learn that McHenry is offering campaign contributors several “sponsorship” levels with various “benefits.”

Have $9,200? Well, be a member of McHenry’s “Congressional Circle.” You’ll get a semi-annual conference call, the McHenry Campaign Insider newsletter, a private weekend Washington, D.C. retreat, free tickets to all campaign events and free entry to McHenry’s annual Christmas party.

Don’t have quite that much cash to dole out? It’s okay — just fork over $4,600 and get the following benefits: tickets to two campaign events, free entry to McHenry’s annual Christmas party, a semi-annual conference call and the Campaign Insider.

Oh. Wait. You’re an average American forking over large amounts of cash for gas, utility bills, a mortgage and food? Oh, I’m sorry — You’re shit out of luck.

Mar 17 14 comments
Anti-Gay Politicians Watch

Wife of N.C. state Senator pens hate-filled op-ed

maryforresterCHARLOTTE, N.C. – The wife of a conservative North Carolina state senator sponsoring an anti-gay, anti-family marriage amendment has penned a hate-filled, factually inaccurate opinion piece for the radical Right-wing Christian Action League website.

The piece, written by Mary Frances Forrester, the wife of Sen. James Forrester (R-Gaston County), was published Feb. 29, but it took me quite a bit of time to sift through information on some of the topics she addressed. I was going to make a rebuttal to Mrs. Forrester’s op-ed the focus of my next Q-Notes editorial, but repeated attempts to contact Mrs. Forrester failed. Because I could never get in touch with her to get a list of sources she used in constructing her op-ed, I didn’t feel comfortable writing on it for the paper.

Get the whole story »

Mar 11 3 comments
Anti-Gay Politicians Watch, Anti-LGBT, Politics

We Are Listening

Disclaimer: I went to film school. I also work in television. That should help explain why many of my posts revolve around videos: I can’t get enough. The following is a video that I wish was never made, that we lived in a world devoid of such source material. But that time is not yet and in the interim, I’m inspired to see the faces of people standing up with a different message: Not us, not here.

The following video clip contains audio of Oklahoma State Rep Sally Kern in an anti-gay diatribe. Rep Kearn put out a statement in response which, in part, reads:

“To put this simply, as a Christian I believe homosexuality is not moral. Obviously, you have the right as an American to choose that lifestyle, but I also have the right to express my views and my fellow Oklahomans have the right to debate these issues.”

Representative Kern may believe whatever she chooses to believe, but she may not claim to speak on behalf of Christianity (which is frothing with disagreement about whether gay relationships are sinful) nor should she abuse her position of authority to demean, slander, and marginalize an entire group of American citizens.

When she calls homosexuality more dangerous than terrorism or Islam, what are we to expect? Are we to be surprised when “American loving, Christian citizens” take matters into their own hands to remove this so-called dangerous threat? How do we blame Brandon for the murder of Lawrence “Larry” King? Where is the line drawn?

Please listen to the video and send it to your friends. America deserves to know that such words are filling their government buildings. We need to know, we need to change.

Plesae go to: http://www.victoryfund.org/files/listening.html to fill-out a form indicating “I am listening now.”

Feb 11 5 comments
Anti-Gay Politicians Watch

“Democrats Don’t Like Gay People”

Matt said recently that “Republicans don’t like poor people” and after hearing the New Mexico legislative update from HRC, I have a new thought: Democrats don’t like gay people.

Of course I don’t actually believe that all Democrats don’t like gay people.  Heck, many gay people are Democrats!  However, I do wonder if the Democratic party takes the needs of gay and transgender people seriously when making legislative decisions.

In the past months, some Democratic politicians party have:

  • Stripped gender identity from the in the US Congress
  • Touted, and then tabled, the Matthew Shepard Act would which append sexual orientation and gender identity to existing hate crimes legislation
  • Refused to back full equality in their bids for President

And that’s at the national level.  Recently, I talked (with mixed emotion) about the pending domestic partnership legislation in New Mexico.  Today, I read that despite “strong support for this bill” a Democrat controlled Senate tabled the legislation in committee.

As much as President Bush and other prominent Republican leaders may have made deriding gay people and their relationships a national agenda, the Democratic party has done little, if anything, when it comes to policy to change that course.

It was Republicans that helped to vote ENDA out of committee over Democratic objections and it was Republicans such as Teresa Sayward who spoke passionately and bravely for equality in New York state.

I’m not calling myself a Republican, but I’m not unflinchingly backing the Democratic agenda either.  When you take a look at action, they’re not doing much for the queer community.

And yes, I just tagged the actions of a Democrat controlled senate “Anti-Gay Politicians Watch” … If you are a Democrat, contact your local Democratic officials, the Democrats in New Mexico, the major Democratic presidential candidates, and the DNC.  Let them know that you want to be allies together.

(Photo of supporters from HRC Backstory)

Feb 11 1 comments
Anti-Gay Politicians Watch, New York

The Unintended Consequences of Inequality

I read the New York Times over my lunch break today and saw a report in the Metro section stating that Governor Spitzer is reducing the revenue projections by $384 million–citing the recent economic downturn (online).  To balance the budget, the cuts will come mostly from Medicare reimbursements and other health care related costs.  I couldn’t help but remember a recent finding that marriage equality in New York would generate $184 million.

If you’re a New Yorker, contact your state senator and Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno and ask them to pass Spitzer’s marriage equality bill.  Marriage equality: good for gay people, good for everyone.

Jan 07 8 comments
Anti-Gay Politicians Watch, Anti-LGBT, LGBT, Politics, Religion, United States

N.C. Republican in Democratic clothing stumps on anti-gay, anti-immigrant issues

Johnny Walker and wifeJohnny Carter, a Summerfield, N.C., resident running for the Sixth Congressional District (pictured right), looks and sounds more like a right-wing evangelical, arch-conservative Republican. Believe it or not, however, Carter is straight-up Democrat.

The race for the Sixth District will shape out to be an interesting one. Congressman Howard Coble, 76, has been in the office for over two decades. At his old age, people are beginning to wonder if he should continue in his special line of Washington, D.C. work.

The main Democratic challenger is Jay Ovittore, a young painter and working class fellow from Greensboro, N.C., who will be 35-years-old in May. But, the N.C. Democratic Party recognizes two Democrats in the race to unseat conservative Coble. Johnny Carter will have to face Jay Ovittore in a primary.

Johnny Walker WebsiteCarter’s website — aside from looking like a complete HTML nightmare — houses some of the most conservative, religious and anti-gay messages I’ve ever seen come out of the Democratic Party.

From his site’s Faith section (all caps, grammatical errors, are Carter’s; my comments in [brackets and red]):

WITH THE 10 COMMANDMENTS BEING REMOVED FROM THE COURTHOUSE AND PRAYER
LEGISLATED OUT OF THE SCHOOLS ALONG WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, A SPIRITUAL
VACUUM HAS OCCURRED. THE OCCURRENCE WAS PLANNED.

[...]

ITEMS OF NOTE:
U.S. MINISTERS ARE BEING FORBIDDEN TO PREACH CERTAIN SERMONS ON CANADIAN TV AND RADIO, SERMONS AGAINST CERTAIN SINS. [Anti-gay, religious right talking point - Preachers can't preach against "the gays"]

[...]

LAWS ARE BEING PUT IN PLACE IN CANADA, EUROPE AND AMERICA TO CRIMINALIZE WITNESSING OR SHARING BIBLE TRUTHS. [Again, anti-gay, religious right talking point - Preachers can't preach against "the gays"]

THE LAWS ARE BEING DRAFTED UNDER THE GUISE TO ADDRESS “INTOLERANCE, DISCRIMINATIONS AND HARASSMENT”. BUT THERE IS A DEEPER MEANING TO ALL OF THIS.

CANADA, SWEDEN, AND ENGLAND ARE PROSECUTING CHRISTIANS FOR WHAT THEY HAVE DETERMINED IS HATE SPEECH, FOR PREACHING AGAINST SIN.

THE NETHERLANDS CONSIDERED PROSECUTING POPE JOHN PAUL FOR HIS STAND AGAINST HOMOSEXUALITY BUT DECIDED AGAINST IT BECAUSE HE WAS A HEAD OF STATE. (NOW THAT’S FUNNY) [Again, a lot more anti-gay, religious right talking points - Preachers can't preach against "the gays"]

[..]

IN 1778 BAPTIST WERE PERSECUTED BY BEING ACCUSED OF CHILD ABUSE, AMONG OTHER THINGS, DOES THAT NOT SOUND FAMILIAR? [Um... sound familiar to me: All those anti-gay religious zealot folks always claim us LGBT folk are child molesters]

But that isn’t all folks. A lot of LGBT activists have been riled up over former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee’s ties to Christian Reconstructionists. Johnny Carter might not be too far away from being one himself:

THIS BATTLE IS A SPIRITUAL ONE, WE BELIEVE “WIN THE SPIRIT, AND THE FLESH WILL FOLLOW”. THEY BELIEVE “CONQUER THE FLESH AND THE SPIRIT WILL FOLLOW”. AND FOR THE VAST MAJORITY THEY ARE CORRECT. IMAGINE A GENERATION FROM NOW, WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF THE GOSPEL. DO I HEAR THE LAMB’S BOOK OF LIFE SLAMMING SHUT? WE
ASK FOR MIRACLES AND BLESSING BOTH PERSONAL AND NATIONAL, BUT HOW CAN A JUST AND TRUE GOD BLESS THIS COUNTRY, AMERICA HAS FAILED GOD, WILL HIS CHURCH FAIL HIM ALSO. THIS COUNTRY IS NOW CONSIDERED IN THE POST CHRISTIAN ERA.

[...]

SAVE YOUR FAITH SAVE YOUR COUNTRY

Carter even plays to nativist and anti-immigrant sentiments in his talking points on Illegal Immigration. The man truly sounds like a Republican, except perhaps for his stances on education and healthcare (although his education talking points seem a little ill-conceived and not thought out at all).

According to paperwork filed with the N.C. Board of Elections, Johnny Carter has only $5,000 as of his first filing in August. The statement of organization for his election committee confirms he is running on a Democratic ticket.

UPDATE/CORRECTION (2:00 p.m. Jan. 7, 2008): Throughout the piece the Democratic candidate Johnny Carter was identified as “Johnny Walker.” My apologies. This is what happens when are tired and stressed and work a more than full time job, and then forget to double check your work. At least I was consistent, right?

UPDATE 2 (9:15 a.m. Jan. 8, 2008):  In the comment thread below, my friend and InterstateQ.com reader Casey points out what she sees as my equation of “homophobe” with “Republican.” She’s a bit right, in a way, although the N.C. GOP isn’t really all that grand (in fact, I can’t right off hand of any GOP allies in our state). As Ryan, another good friend points out, it seems as though a few former Republicans are running as Dems in the upcoming ‘08 election.