Pimp My Wry

Prop 8: Using Religion To Legalize Discrimination

Yesterday, U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker lifted the stay on Proposition 8, but postponed official same-sex marriages until next Wednesday, Aug. 18. By delaying gay marriages, Walker is simply allowing the legal process to play out. And I think it's a good call.

Given that the religious proponents of Prop 8 (and their supporters) want to crucify Walker for his rulings so far, it's best that he err on the side of caution.

But that is not to suggest that I believe Prop 8 proponents have a legitimate defense. In my view, anyone who supports Prop 8 has only one goal in mind — to legalize discrimination.

I've written many times before about the ways in which religion is used to justify homophobia, how gays and lesbians are demonized in religious arguments that are based on faith and not facts, and how American history is steeped with the "family values" of bigots and hypocrites, and I'll continue to do so until gays and lesbians achieve full equality.

Below is my latest essay on the efforts to block equal rights and legalize discrimination via religion. It was published in my local paper, the Sonoma Index-Tribune, this week in two parts — part one is here; part two is here. But because it's easier to read in one chunk, I've pasted it in its entirety below:

Do You Like Porn, Take Cold Showers? The Catholic Church Wants To Know

The New York Times reported today on the "sexuality hurdles" prospective priests face:

“When was the last time you had sex?” all candidates for the seminary are asked. (The preferred answer: not for three years or more.)

“What kind of sexual experiences have you had?” is another common question. “Do you like pornography?”

Depending on the replies, and the results of standardized psychological tests, the interview may proceed into deeper waters: “Do you like children?” and “Do you like children more than you like people your own age?” ...

Most candidates are likely to be asked not only about past sexual activities but also about masturbation fantasies, consumption of alcohol, relationships with parents and the causes of romantic breakups. ...

In seminaries that seek to hew closely to the Vatican rules, a candidate may be measured by the extent to which he defines himself as gay..."

Measured. Heh, heh.

Read the full story here.

Meet The Journalists Who Exposed George Rekers

South Florida Gay News introduces the world to Brandon K. Thorp and Penn Bullock, the men who exposed George Rekers.  Bravo, boys!

Wilton Manors residents Brandon K. Thorp, 27, and Penn Bullock, 21, met on My Space three years ago but only in the last week has their relationship reached the cosmos.

Last week, Thorp, who usually writes the theater column for Miami New Times, joined with his partner, Bullock, to break the story that a young male hooker from Miami had gone on a ten day European vacation with Dr. George Rekers, a founder of the rabidly anti-gay Family Research Council, and a board member of NARTH, the notorious National Association for the Research and Treatment of Homosexuality.

Dr. Rekers is not just anyone. He is a nationally reputed leader of the ex-gay movement who has authored books and campaigned vigorously that homosexuality can be cured. Republican Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Bill McCollum actually paid him almost $120,000.00 of taxpayer money to be a star witness for the State of Florida in the legal case seeking to defend state statutes banning gay adoption.

Large Fireball In Midwestern Sky Gives Pat Robertson First Orgasm In 50 Years

Okay, okay, Pat Robertson probably didn't orgasm when he got word of the large fireball that was seen by many in the Midwest last night; but he might have called his local screen printer and put a rush on his order for T-shirts that read: I TOLD YOU SO!

 From CNN:

Authorities in several Midwestern states were flooded Wednesday night with reports of a gigantic fireball lighting up the sky, the National Weather Service said.

Hey, Pope, You Have The Right To Remain Silent — Something You're Already Good At

Should the pope be arrested for his part in the cover-up of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church?

The Vatican, of course, says that he is immune to prosecution because he is a head of state — a far, far cry from declaring the pope innocent of any involvement in the scandal. But two of the world's most famous atheists and smarty-pants, Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens, believe he should be arrested. (Dawkins denies the assertion made by The Sunday Times that he would arrest the pope himself, however.) 

But does the question really require a lot of thought and debate?

Nah.

Common sense dictates that if the pope was the head of any other large organization caught up in the same scandal, his ass would have been led to a chair in an interrogation room a long time ago. Allowing him preferential treatment simply because of his "state" position and/or his believed proximity to God is ludicrous. The man has made some very bad decisions in his life, some that have deeply hurt others and have now caught up to him. He can pray all he wants for forgiveness, promise never to ignore/conceal abuse again, pinky-swear to use his power for good and not evil, but he shouldn't be allowed to duck punishment and hide from responsibility behind the walls of the Vatican.

At The Vatican, "Generously Serve" Is Latin For "Hide The Salami"

Yesterday, Cardinal Angelo Sodano defended Pope Benedict during the  pontiff's Easter Sunday Mass. Addressing the Pope directly, Sodano said that the Church would not be intimidated by "petty gossip" about sexual abuse of children by priests:

The people of God are with you and will not let themselves be influenced by the petty gossip of the moment, by the trials that sometimes assail the community of believers.

He also defended  "the 400,000 priests who generously serve" in schools, hospitals and missions around the world.

A wordsmith, he's not.

Happy Palm Sunday, Sarah Palin!

Why I Wore Lipstick To Sleep With Danger And Woke Up Pregnant

Oh, Lifetime Network, I just love you! I love your movies, I love your over-the-top movie titles, and I love your "Women Rule Even When They're Crazy Or When Men Are Beating The Shit Out Of Them!" attitude.

There aren't enough hours in the day for me to post clips or trailers from every single Lifetime drama I've ever seen and loved (or loved to hate), so I've chosen only three, and they're all true stories: "A Woman Scorned: The Betty Broderick Story" (1992), "A Cry For Help: The Tracy Thurman Story" (1989), and "Prayers For Bobby" (2009).

"A Woman Scorned: The Betty Broderick Story" is my favorite Lifetime movie of all time. Meredith Baxter stars as Betty Broderick, the wife of a rich, high-powered attorney. Her life is fabulous until her husband decides to leave her for a younger women. Betty snaps and, as IMDB puts it, "begins a campaign of vandalism and verbal assault. Her rage consumes her and ultimately leads to a terrible and violent act." Yeah, that's putting it mildly.

Everybody's favorite "Facts Of Life" alum and tomboy Nancy McKeon stars in "A Cry For Help: The Tracy Thurman Story," a terrifying tale of a Connecticut woman who was married to a man who abused her and even slashed her throat in front of the cops. The cops are misogynistic morons who do as little as they can for her. Thurman then sues the city and the police department for failing to protect her.