Today's Cultural Warfare Update (1 of 2)

This isn't really a CWU item per se', but a straw-poll (not scientific, not reproduced, etc) lets visitors to the American Family Association website vote for the party and candidate of their choice. Right now, 93.3% of those voting identify themselves as Republicans, and the clear leader on the Republican side is Fred Thompson at 27,068 votes; Mitt Romney isn't fooling anyone at 8,703; Rudy Giuliani is at 6,670. I would personally suggest that the difference between those two are the percent who buy into Mitt Romney's "hey, I'm a theoconservative now!" dance, or who don't, but think he'll go along with it if given power. Newt Gingrich, who isn't even officially running yet, is actually in second at 10,799.

But now, today's news.

Washington State passes bill saying that "abstinence-only education" is bullshit, and shouldn't be taught - abstinence can be, but not alone. Theocons assert that comprehensive sex ecuation is, and I quote, "like giving your child a loaded weapon and saying, 'Go play.'";

Focus on the Family ACTION ITEM to support abortion-funding ban in Oklahoma;

Coalition of fundamentalist groups - The Family Research Council, Concerned Women for America, American Association of Physicians and Surgeons, and Safe Drugs for Women - sue to stop sales of Plan B, the emergency contraception pill that the fundamentalist movement likes to describe as an abortion drug. This allegation is, of course, a lie. However, the AAPS is kind of new to me, so I've done a little digging and can point to an article, albeit not a primary source. But they are involved in anti-gay activities, AIDS-denial quackery, and anti-vaccination quackery;

This article on the American Association of Physicians and Surgeons isn't a primary source, which I dislike, but it includes a variety of extensive quotes and links to more sources; "highlights" include condemnation of contraception, support for "ex-gay" movements, endorsement of creationism and condemnation of evolutionary theory as a conspiracy, and blames parental treatment for autism;

Focus on the Family ACTION ITEM against including sexual orientation in the hate-crimes bill; Family Research Council also condemns it, and urges Chief Executive Bush to veto the legislation; Concerned Women for America's Matt Barber gives CWA's opposition; this one is lighter than usual on the "special rights" language;

Focus on the Family upset that a billboard company refused ads for their "ex-gay" quackery conference;

FotF continues their "being gay and being Christian is impossible"; the latest iteration is "Author Dispels Myth that Homosexuality is Compatible with Scripture"; the author is part of the "ex-gay" movement; he's a regular at their "gay conversion" conferences;

FotF tut-tuts New Orleans efforts to attract lesbian and gay tourists - they oppose marketing that includes GBLT people, as part of their effort to impoverish queers;

Focus on the Family ACTION ITEM against Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick reversing former-governor Mitt Romney's decision to use a 1913 miscegenation law to prevent marriage ceremonies between out-of-state gay and lesbian couples;

Focus on the Family describes stem-cell research as "life-destroying," as they are apt to do;

New Hampshire state House kills - overwhelmingly - an anti-gay constitutional amendment; Focus on the Family condemns them, quoting a supporter as saying the House is "telling the people they don't have a right to vote on this constitutional amendment";

Focus on the Family condemns drug maker Eli Lilly for opposing an anti-gay anti-marriage amendment in Indiana, calling it an "assault on hoosier values"; it's also an ACTION ITEM to thank NFL coach Tony Dungy for attacking the rights and character of GBLT people;

Focus on the Family and Concerned Women for America condemn any effort to revive an Equal Rights Amendment banning government discrimination on the basis of gender in law, calling it pro-abortion and pro-gay-rights";

Theoconservatives continue to go after Dr. George Tiller, who they call "Tiller the Killer," as an abortion-providing doctor in Kansas; a legislative committee is now intervening, trying to get the 30 tossed-out misdemeanor charges against him reinstated by ordering the atty. general to file a new round of changes;

FotF news article condemning Minnesota Senate vote to let same-sex partners of state employees participate in the state health-insurance program, calling it "a move toward redefining marriage";

New Hampshire House approves civil unions; Focus on the Family, expectably, is not pleased, calling it a "gay-marriage bill in disguise";

Non-binding resolution supporting an anti-gay anti-marriage amendment passes with 57% of the vote in Alaska;

( Articles, press releases, action items, and such below )

Today's Cultural Warfare Update (2 of 2)

Focus on the Family says GBLT activists are manipulating children, call teenage GBLT people "confused"; Exodus International states it's "important for Christian youth to have a godly view of sexuality";

Focus on the Family condemns "Democrat-dominated committee" for killing anti-marriage state constitutional amendment in Illinois;

FotF reports that an Alliance Defense Fund letter to a Danbury, CT high school succeeded in getting approval for anti-gay "Day of Truth" activities on campus;

FotF ACTION ITEM against Colorado bill barring "abstinence-only sex education";

Faith and Freedom Network does the Focus on the Family all-stem-cells-are-stem-cells dance, condemning embryonic stem-cell research, calling embryonic stem cell research "destroy[ing] young humans"; includes ACTION ITEM to urge Chief Executive Bush to veto the stem-cell research bill as promised;

Faith and Freedom Network condemns Washington State domestic-partnership bill, launches "Change the State in '08" campaign to elect theoconservatives to the state legislature and throw out secularists;

Faith and Freedom Network "Change the State in '08" planning page;

FFN blogs against domestic partner benefits, promotes its "Change the State in '08" campaign;

Concerned Women for America happy that the Senate didn't get a veto-proof majority in the stem-cell legislation bill;

Concerned Women for America's Matt Barber calls reports of hate-motivated violent crimes against GBLT people lies, demands Federal investigation; like I said last time, as someone who has been violently gaybashed more than her fair share, FUCK YOU, YOU FUCKING FUCKTARD, AND ALL YOUR FASCIST FRIENDS;

Concerned Women for America press release on their lawsuit to get Plan B yanked from sales;

CWA press release attacking study showing failure of abstinence-only education, claims that it didn't work because it wasn't taught often enough, and simultaneously that whether it works or not doesn't matter, because the message is what's important and is what parents want;

CWA press release condemns the Day of Silence protest against anti-gay bullying, quotes their own Matt Barber, "The radical homosexual lobby has done a masterful job of infiltrating our government schools to gain control of the minds of America’s youth. Their propaganda tactics are time-tested. With liberal school officials in tow, they brazenly circumvent and abuse parental authority to use good-hearted but misguided children as pawns to further their deceptive agenda"; condemns "anti-Christian homosexual activism"; PR also quotes and supports the Alliance Defense Fund's anti-gay "Day of Truth" demonstration day. And it points to a new website called "Not Our Kids.com," which is an attempt to boycott schools on April 18th, the Day of Silence;

NotOurKids.com press release condemning Day of Silence;

Washington Times article covering the attempt to organise a single-day boycott of schools where Day of Silence is being observed by students;

NotOurKids.com sample letter for parents participating in the boycott demands that schools ban the Day of Silence, presumably by making students against anti-queer bullying ... talk more, since it is a silent protest;

Christian Today article says "US stem cell bill would pour money into 'bad science'."

( Transcriptions, articles, press releases, action items, and such below )