The Southern Poverty Law Center today updated its list of designated hate groups, and this year is significant in that some of the larger anti-gay outfits have made the cut. After a litany of ever more extreme statements from people such as Peter Sprigg and Tony Perkins of the FRC, Bryan Fischer of the AFA and Laurie Higgins of the IFI, the SPLC has determined, correctly in our view, that these groups all deserve to be designated as having gone beyond mere advocacy, and into full-blown hatred against the LGBT community. Especially after the recent spate of gay teen suicides elicited no remorse from any of these institutions, they have indeed earned their place in the halls of hate.
It is notable that Focus on the Family is not on the list. Though we at Truth Wins Out still stand in solid opposition to Focus’s mission, they have indeed made baby steps in the past year to moderate their message, which is in stark contrast with the growing extremism at FRC and AFA. Higgins and the IFI have always been awful, of course. These groups especially deserve recognition for their abject ignorance of facts and reality, choosing as they do to spread anti-gay propaganda at all costs, which indeed suggests that their “work” is inspired by little more than juvenile animus.
The list of anti-gay hate groups now includes the following:
1. Abiding Truth Ministries [Scott Lively]
2. American Family Association
3. Americans for Truth About Homosexuality [Peter LaBarbera]
4. American Vision
5. Chalcedon Foundation
6. Dove World Outreach Center [Terry Jones]
7. Faithful Word Baptist Church [Steven Anderson]
8. Family Research Council
9. Family Research Institute [Paul Cameron]
10. Heterosexuals Organized for a Moral Environment
11. Illinois Family Institute
12. MassResistance
13. Traditional Values Coalition
Read more from the SPLC here.
JT, it depends on how you attempt to destroy a religion. If you attempt to do it by oppressing its members then you’re a hate group. If you attempt to do it by persuading its members their beliefs are false then you’re not a hate group.
And JT, if you don’t support the right to equal marriage for same sex couples then you are very anti-gay.
JT, just because you say you’re not anti-gay doens’t mean it’s so. When did TWO ever call for a religion to be destroyed. If you mean Priya then she’s hardly a group.
Good job Priya–you have more patience than I.
This story really brought out the kooks–I’m sure directly from the AFA or FRC websites. It’s very typical–just throw out lots of false claims and ridiculous statements so we spend a lot of time refuting their bizarre claims. Unfortunately those claims, no matter how idiotic, do need to be refuted or they take on a life of their own.
Thanks Daniel. And I didn’t call for a religion to be destroyed either.
I didn’t think so but I can’t claim to have read every single thing you’ve ever written. It was a very strange post JT posted.
I would love to see an end to religion–but it should be brought about by reason, not suppression.
I’m not anti-gay, I DO think gays should be able to get married, and even if I were a total homophobe, if you’re not violating someone else’s rights then it’s really not up to me. I was referring to Bash Back, not to Priya, I directed it to her because she said they were nothing like the hate groups that G.S. supported. They called for the LDS to be destroyed. While wanting people to stop having religious beliefs doesn’t make a group a hate group by itself, nor does prankster-type vandalism, when you combine the two I think you have an argument.
JT, whatever Bash Back has said (and why we would get that from your post when you didn’t even use their name is a mystery), I’ll have to take your word for it because I don’t pay a lot of attention to them. I read the Wikipedia entry on them and that statement seems to have an elipses in the middle and I couldn’t find the original. It does seem that the comment was made in response to the church’s strong support of Prop 8 which took away the rights of gay and lesbian Californians–so I can’t get too upset at the statement. I should point out that I was raised Mormon so I know about the dishonest way it goes about things–I remember their campaign against the Equal Rights Amendment. They get their members support by spreading lies and fear–so, again, not an overwhelming amount of sympathy. Even though I think the vandalism was stupid it doesn’t compare to a church working to take away civil rights.
And finally, Bash Back is a small group that hasn’t made much inroad into the GLBT world. If you’re using them as some kind of example of why AFA and FRC shouldn’t be called hate groups you’re really off base.
JT–you’re comparing Bash Back–a group with probably under a hundred members with AFA and FRC? Total false comparison. Whatever the rhertoric (and, like Daniel, I haven’t really paid any attention to them) they have NO influence, whereas AFA and FRC spokespeople get time on regular news channels and actually have elected representatives ears. Talk about a false equivalency.
JT said “I DO think gays should be able to get married…”
Well, that’s an excellent first step. Do you tell people gayness is wrong?
JT said “I was referring to Bash Back, not to Priya, I directed it to her because she said they were nothing like the hate groups that G.S. supported. They called for the LDS to be destroyed. While wanting people to stop having religious beliefs doesn’t make a group a hate group by itself, nor does prankster-type vandalism, when you combine the two I think you have an argument.”.
They are nothing like the hate groups G.S. supports. G.S.’s hate groups seek to deny gays the right to marry, the right to adopt or raise children, the right not to be fired from their jobs or evicted from their homes for something other than their ability to be good employees and tenants. Bash Back try to advance any of that sort of oppression towards any religious group. Trying to persuade people their religious anti-gay attitudes they are wrong and performing pranks is in no way comparable to trying to destroy loving relationships, marriages, and families.
Also, Bash Back believes marriage is an oppressive institution which leads to undesirable assimilation rather than liberation. Extremely few LGBTs would agree with Bash Back’s philosophy so to say they are representative of LGBTs in general, or LGBTs fighting for marriage is an outrageous lie.
In my comment #59 I said “Bash Back try to advance any of that sort of oppression towards any religious group.”. That should have said “Bash Back doesn’ttry to advance any of that sort of oppression towards any religious group.
I am so glad Truth Wins Out exists! The writers are brilliant, and adorable, to boot! What I wouldn’t give to have an ounce of Evan and Wayne’s intelligence, looks and general joie de vivre! Now if you’ll excuse me, it’s time for my lunch!
Ah Zero (appropriate name) no one is touching your racial rights so unknot your panties.
Oh Zero–you’re so stupid.
Becky & Priya: Look at #61 now. That’s what happens to troll comments now, as per the policy I just started. ;)
Priya Lynn, marry me.
I’d love to Emma, but I’m already married.
@ BWA “The evidence is overwhelming and compelling. I am sorry that facts are getting in the way of your ideology.”
Which “facts” are you referring to?