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The Mormon Side of Prop 8

James — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 11:00:28 +0000

Producer Reed Cowan’s amazing new documentary is ready for its close-up. This could well be the movie of the year. Take a look at the web site, read all about the movie and see who is behind it. You will be even more impressed.

I received a call from Reed earlier this year. He was coming out to San Francisco to film all the activities around the oral arguments being made before the California Supreme Court in San Francisco in the case to overturn Proposition 8.

Having played a very active role in uncovering the massive involvement of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon Church) in last year’s Prop 8 campaign, Reed asked me to be in his documentary.

Read more of this article by Fred Karger, founder of Californians Against Hate, at the HuffPo!

Watch the trailer below -

Mormon Prop 8 Backlash = Black Oppression

James — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 11:00:15 +0000

The anti-Mormon backlash after California voters overturned gay marriage last fall is similar to the intimidation of Southern blacks during the civil rights movement, a high-ranking Mormon says in a speech to be delivered Tuesday.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks refers to gay marriage as an “alleged civil right” in remarks prepared for delivery at Brigham Young University-Idaho, a speech church officials describe as a significant commentary on current threats to religious freedom.

In an advance copy provided to The Associated Press, Oaks suggests that atheists and others are seeking to intimidate people of faith and silence their voices in the public square.

“The extent and nature of religious devotion in this nation is changing,” said Oaks, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, a church governing body. “The tide of public opinion in favor of religion is receding, and this probably portends public pressures for laws that will impinge on religious freedom.”

Oaks’ address comes as gay-rights activists mount a legal challenge to Proposition 8, the ballot measure that overturned gay marriage in California. His comments about civil rights are likely to anger gay rights activists who consider the struggle to enact same-sex marriage laws as a major civil rights cause.

In an interview Monday before the speech, Oaks said he did not consider it provocative to compare the treatment of Mormons in the election’s aftermath to that of blacks in the civil rights era, and said he stands by the analogy.

“It may be offensive to some — maybe because it hadn’t occurred to them that they were putting themselves in the same category as people we deplore from that bygone era,” he said.

Now this is amazing. White people, (the LDS church has very few black members, I’ll get to that in a minute) claiming their struggle for religious freedom (and by religious freedom they must mean spending tens of millions of tax-exempt dollars on supporting a political agenda and dictating who is entitled marry), are being oppressed by LGBT Americans, who don’t have the same rights or equality?

This is so wrong at so many levels I’m not sure where to start. Just in case you aren’t familiar, the Mormon Church used to preach segregation. It was their firm belief that being a person of color was a punishment from God and people of color were lesser than white people…and that was up until 1978! It was in that year former President Jimmy Carter threatened the LDS church with taxation if they did not stop preaching segregation, and amazingly enough, God spoke to the elders, and within weeks of the taxation threat, told them being a person of color was no longer a punishment from God, therefore they should be accepted into the church.

Secondly, how is anyone, who enjoys full benefits of marriage, employment, housing, etc….you know, all the rights, liberties and freedoms offered to everyone in America except for those of us in the LBGT community, going to claim they are being oppressed…and compare their oppression to that of what people of color experienced during and prior to the Civil Rights Movement?

This statement is not only stupid and delusional, but it’s extremely disrespectful towards anyone of color, and it demonstrates the lengths people will go to in their attempt to prevent American citizens who are a member of the LGBT community from ever enjoying full equality and maintain our second class citizenship.

It is with my most sincere hope, the community of color in this country stands up against this distasteful ignorance. I sincerely hope this becomes the straw that broke the camels back with the Mormon church. Hopefully Americans are smart enough to see through blatantly false and degrading statements like this and recognize that this mentality is twisted and wrong.

I never quite stop being amazed at the hate, intolerance and bigotry that comes from those who oppose equality for LGBT citizens, but this is over the top, and I again hope, that over the top, the Mormon church finds an edge, with a very steep decline that drops a long way down.

Pucker Up Protest

James — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 11:30:35 +0000

About three-dozen people took part in the Great Nationwide Kiss-In Atlanta last Saturday. One of more than 40 similar events that unfolded across the country to protest the recent arrests of a gay couple who kissed in a public plaza near the Mormon Temple in Salt Lake City.

Read more and get all the latest gay news and events from Atlanta at: Project Q Atlanta

Kiss-in Coming to a Temple Near You

James — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 11:00:36 +0000

The Empowering Spirits Foundation has planned to stage a mass “Kiss-in” this Wednesday evening outside the San Diego Mormon temple as a show of support for the gay couple that was cited for trespassing in Utah after they kissed on church property.

The group has stated the demonstration is intended as a peaceful rally to encourage dialogue between The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the LGBT community.

This event will mark the third demonstration since gay couple, Matt Aune and Derek Jones were detained cited for trespassing on the church-owned Main Street Plaza in Salt Lake City, Utah on July 9th.

For more information, click here to visit the organizations website.

God Forbid! Kissing in Public?

James — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 11:00:23 +0000

We get so wrapped up in living our everyday lives, that we sometimes forget that we are gay. We are reminded quickly when a stranger from across the room points, giggles, or stares. When I see a cute couple in a Restaurant I think to myself “how cute”. When others see my partner and I just talking, they think “Sodom and Gomorrah”. Not only do they think this, but sometimes will say it out loud, just loud enough for you to hear it.
It is becoming more acceptable now, but I still remember a simple kiss between two woman on Rosanne had to be aired after 9pm (due to adult content). The same afternoon, General Hospital was showing two half naked str8 people in bed.

Marie Osmond’s Lesbian Daughter

James — Wed, 13 May 2009 11:00:06 +0000

Pop legend Marie Osmond has spoken out in support of her daughter after Globe magazine reported that she is a lesbian.

In an interview with Los Angeles radio station KOST 103.5, Osmond confirmed that her oldest daughter Jessica is a lesbian — calling her a “magnificent woman” and stating that she supports her daughter and believes in equal rights for gays and lesbians under the law.

Osmond’s public support of her daughter is significant to the cause of gay marriage, because Osmond is the highest profile Mormon to come out in support of marriage equality — giving gay and lesbian couples the same rights afforded to heterosexual couples.

Read the rest at Helen Grant!

Back to Being a Non-Christian Cult

James — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 11:03:49 +0000

I warned the Mormons not to be the Radical Right Wing’s bitches, because as soon as they stopped being useful to the evangelicals, they’d go right back to faux-Christian/cult status.

Read the rest at Lavender Newswire!

Both Sides Debate Gay Marriage

James — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 11:00:33 +0000

Last time out, I addressed the fallout from the passage of Proposition 8, a ballot initiative that bans same-sex marriage in California. Both sides, I argued, need to rethink their strategy of harsh attacks before the clash escalates out of control.

On the anti-Prop 8 side, I singled out as “going too far” an ad depicting Mormon missionaries invading the home of a lesbian couple, taking their wedding rings and tearing up their marriage certificate.

Read the rest at StatesmanJournal.com!

Mormons Advertise on Lesbian Site

James — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 10:50:53 +0000

This is interesting. Please oh please support the Mormons – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, by clicking on their ad.

Yes! The Mormons have placed an ad on Two Lesbos Goin At It. This is fantabulous. Wish mommy were alive. She’d be so proud of us.

Check it out by clicking here.

Gay Marriage Advocates & Religious Intolerance

James — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 11:38:56 +0000

The Mormon church and others on the religious right funded the political campaign to take away marriage rights in California, following on a long history of religious-sponsored vicious hatred toward LGBT people. Understandably, many LGBT people have no patience with religious arguments intended to undermine our rights. Yet, for many people, including black people and LGBT folk, the church is the central social institution. As Joe pointed out recently, most churches are still among the most racially segregated institutions we participate in. Given the fact that marriage is both a religious rite (as well as a human right) that is being defended by religious people in racially-segregated congregations means that those interested in marriage equality need a ground game that engages, rather than alienates, church folk and does so with a real awareness of racial issues.

Read the rest at Inamment Frame!