That’s the final line in one of the ads perpetrated upon gays and lesbians recently in a round of ads funded by conservative Christian groups and “ex-gay” ministries. It really says a lot about their attitude toward truth and love, and proves to me they don’t know much about either.

These ads are not prompted by any attempt at truth or love. The true motivation for them is political. We, my friends, have become the latest football in the game of big money politics. Social conservatives have taken over the Republican party and are pushing the party to embrace a social agenda which includes homosexuality.

These ads play a central role in the religious right’s new strategy. Using gays and lesbians as fodder, religious conservatives raise money by playing on the fears of those ignorant about homosexuality. We can be blamed for most anything from the decline of the family to the fires that ravaged Florida. Most people believe what they read, and if all they read are those ads promising gays can become “ex-gay” then our attempts to right that wrong are sorely harmed.

Passing political propaganda off as “truth” and “love” makes my skin crawl, but coming from such groups as The Christian Coalition and the American Family Association, it does not surprise me. Don’t be suckered into this hate campaign. It’s not about truth or love. This campaign is all about filling their coffers so they can elect their conservative candidates.

Let us speak the truth in love, brothers and sisters.

“For God so loved the world that God gave his only Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”

John 3:16

That’s truth. That’s love.

By: Candace Chellew

The American Family Association. Focus on the Family. The Liberty Counsel. Family Research Council.

These are just a few of the names of anti-gay, evangelical Christian-based organizations that have cozied their way into the breast pocket of the Republican Party.

Over the past year their efforts against the LGBT community have intensified as has their control and influence over the White House, U.S. House and Senate. Here’s a look at some of their efforts:

• The American Family Association (AFA)
In January the crackpots at AFA threw a hook into SpongeBob SquarePants and the producer of a pro-tolerance music video for kids, which features scores of children’s TV heroes ranging from the Muppets to SquarePants. The video itself involves a rendition of the 1979 hit song “We Are Family,” that Nile Rodgers co-wrote, and contains no reference to gay rights or sexual orientation. In a detailed article by the editor of its monthly journal, AFA insisted the endeavor has a pro-gay subtext. “On the surface, the project may appear to be a worthwhile attempt to foster greater understanding of cultural differences,” wrote Ed Vitagliano. “However, a short step beneath the surface reveals that one of the differences being celebrated is homosexuality.”

• Focus on the Family (FOF)
In November Macy’s stood by helplessly as FOF tried to distribute 5,000 “stress balls” during Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade to promote a website it operates that claims homosexuality is a disorder that can be changed through faith. The undertaking, overshadowed by a balloon accident, is part of a major effort by FOF to reach a wider audience during the holidays. Each ball carries the name of its advice site, www.troubledwith.com.

Throughout the year FOF has continued its make no bones about it attack on LGBT familes with programs like its Love Won Out “ex-gay” ministry and its continuing support of constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage throughout the country.
During the controversy surrounding the Supreme Court nomination of Harriet Miers, FOF’s James Dobson suggested on his radio show that the White House had made guarantees to him that Miers would oppose gay rights and abortion.

In January Dobson turned his sights on Canada, attacking the country verbally for allowing same-sex marriage. In May, FOF ceased doing business with Wells Fargo because they felt the company was too gay supportive. Their latest effort was a call for a boycott of Ford Motor Company because of that company’s support of various LGBT events and advertising in gay publications. Although FOF initially cried victory when Ford agreed to their terms, reaction from LGBT activists prompted Ford to reverse its decision and agree to continue advertising and supporting LGBT community events. AFA’s Donald Wildmon’s final words on the matter: “Continuing the boycott is still a consideration.”

• The Liberty Counsel (LC)
Under the direction of Matt Staver, a graduate of the University of Kentucky Law School who holds a Master’s Degree in religion, the Liberty Counsel may perhaps be best described as the antithesis of the American Civil Liberties Union. In October LC had their hands in Florida’s efforts to ban same-sex marriage. They’ve battled same-sex marriage in practically every state of the union and gone gung-ho after companies offering benefits for domestic partners as well as states attempting to enact hate crimes laws.

• Family Research Council (FRC)
On the sugar-coated website, the statement of purpose for the The Family Research Council says they “champion marriage and family as the foundation of civilization, the seedbed of virtue, and the wellspring of society. FRC promotes the Judeo-Christian worldview as the basis for a just, free, and stable society.” Blah, blah, blah. Dig a little deeper and you’ll find a hate-filled organization under the direction of Tony Perkins, a man committed to stepping in the way of any civil rights advancements for LGBT Americans.

Their most successful anti-gay family activities have come from their “Justice Sunday” television productions, which are shown via satellite across the country and frequently feature the worst of the most conservative politicians. In April Justice Sunday trotted out Bill Frist to get their double-speak gay hate speech over the airwaves. Comic Bill Maher summed up the group’s agenda succinctly in an interview with Jay Leno: “‘Activist judges’ is a code word for gay. The judges verbally tarred and feathered are those who have decriminalized gay sex as they once did abortion and [those] who countenance marriage rights for same-sex couples.”

Personally, I think they’re cute and I like the sounds they make. I caught the bat that so freaked out my mother, and let it go outside, and people asked me why I didn’t just kill it. On an animal cops show, there was a bunch of bats that had taken up residence in a tree in the middle of a neighbourhood. Whenever the bats left the tree, grown men and women freaked out, screaming and ducking.

Okay, I know people don’t want a bat in their hair. That happened to me when I was 12 and had hair to my waist. Not fun. But the poor bat was scared shitless too.

So, are you afraid of bats? If so, why? I honestly would like to know.

An important distinction to make when dealing with animal issues is the difference between animal welfare and animal rights. After learning the difference between the two philosophies, it is easier to distinguish between organizations that directly help animals and those who wish to end the use of animals.

Animal Welfare - based on principles of humane care and use. Organizations who support animal welfare principles seek to improve the treatment and well-being of animals. Supporting animal welfare premises means believing humans have the right to use animals, but along with that right comes the responsibility to provide proper and humane care and treatment.

Animal Rights - organizations that support animal rights philosophies seek to end the use and ownership of animals. Animal rights organizations seek to abolish by law: the raising of farm animals for food and clothing, rodeos, circuses, zoos, hunting, trapping, fishing, the use of animals in lifesaving biomedical research, the use of animals in education and the breeding of pets.

We went to, in order:

The butcher shop
Food Basics
CostCo
Chapters
Dairy Queen
Giant Tiger
Penningtons
Price Chopper

Man, I was tired and sick of shopping after all that. I got some great things, though. I got something for Peter to give to his dad for Christmas, and stuff for the two Angel Tree kids I got yesterday. With all that done, all I have left to get is some things for Peter’s stocking and I’m through. Yay!

While at Chapters, I picked up Brokeback Mountain. It’s just a short story, so the book was tiny. I read it in less then an hour, and then sat and bawled. Oh God it was good. I can’t wait to see the movie. What a wonderfully written, gripping story. It really hits hard, and stays with you for a long time after reading it.

I need to get some stamps, and send out my Christmas Cards. Before it’s too late to get them there by Christmas.

My other mom wanted to know what I wanted for Christmas, and I had no idea. (She threatened to beat me.) But, now I know what I want. There’s a new Dean Koontz book out, called Odd Thomas. I’m dying to read it! Not sure how much it is, but I’m going to mention that I want it, if it isn’t too much. Assuming, of course, that I remember to tell her.

Time for bed, now. *yawn!* I’m beat.

On a brighter note, I got even more shopping done today. I got books for all of Janet’s kids, two things for my other mom, a bunch of stuff for Cady’s stocking, a couple books for Peter, a calendar for my mom, and a Nascar magazine for dad (though I gave him that already so it doesn’t really count as a gift).

Peter really likes the jingle hat I got at the Dollar Store.

For myself, I got two more Scent Stories disks. =) I got: Strolling Through the Garden, and Exploring a Mountain Trail. Mmmm. The Mountain Trail one is playing now, and it smells so good.

Now I just need stuff for Peter’s stocking, and something from him to his dad, and I’m done!

Oh! Or not. I got two more tags off the angel tree, because there were so many tags still there. I got a one-year-old boy and a one-year-old girl.

On the Christmas shopping front, I have more to buy then I realized. I need to buy gifts for my friend Janet’s kids. So what I still need to get, is:

• Something for Dave from Peter
• Something for Donald
• Something for Theresa
• Something for Isaac
• Something for Daniel
• Something for Samantha
• Stocking Stuffers

I’m going to try to get all that done tomorrow. Also, I need to drop gifts off at the Angel Tree in Argyle Mall.

I’ve been working on some Christmas scrapbooking layouts, getting some set up so all I have to do is add pictures in. I have four done so far, and two more planned. Once I actually have Christmas photos, however, I’m sure I’ll be doing tons more. I really enjoy scrapbooking. It’s a lot of fun. Sometime I’ll get up the nerve to try it with paper, rather then doing it all digitally. I love the undo button, though.

Ahh, mom says she’ll take me out to Argyle Mall after the Price is Right is over. Good, I want to go to Coles while I’m out there. They have some good deals.

TTFN! (Ta Ta For Now)

In Indigo Prophecy, New York City is stunned by a series of mysterious murders, all following the same pattern: ordinary people are killing absolute strangers in public areas. Lucas Kane becomes another one of these murderers when he suddenly kills a stranger in a men’s bathroom. Hunted by police, Lucas must uncover the dark forces behind his crime before being incarcerated for life.

On the Christmas shopping front, I’m even closer to being finished. I still need:

• Something for Dave from Peter
• Something for Dad Smith from me
• Stocking Stuffers

I wanted to see Snape’s, dangit.

*sulks*