Focus on the Family’s initial statement on the FRC tragedy was classy and hit the right note. Here is what the group’s President Jim Daly said: 
“Our thoughts and prayers are with our friends at FRC. Senseless shootings like this are always tragic; but there’s an extra measure of sadness and disbelief when it hits so close to home. We are thankful that the heroic security guard who subdued his alleged shooter was not more seriously wounded.
“Early indications are that FRC may have been targeted for its biblical views on social-policy issues. That is a chilling thought. No person or group of any ideological stripe – left, right or center — should have to fear physical violence for passionately articulating and acting on their deeply help convictions in the realm of public policy. That is the very definition of terrorism.”
I totally agree with Daly and he sounded, dare I say…Christian….in his response.
Too bad that will change in a couple of hours or something.
Let’s hope it doesn’t
Color me pleasantly surprised. How sad that so many of Focus’s counterparts on the anti-gay right chose not to follow their example.
*headshake* Wait, that made sense. *reading again* Nope, that really made sense. What’s going on here? All kidding aside, this is the rhetorical calm before the storm. Let’s enjoy it while it lasts.
He certainly did sound christian in his response. Completely hypocritical and ignorant of his own organization’s fear mongering and insinuation of hatred and violent thoughts into its followers.
That’s rich considering all the sanctioned and unsactioned violence these bigots have caused.
I have to agree with Dave. WTF? Absolutely no acknowledgement that IF this was a hate crime, the ‘hate’ that these groups have been dishing out may have come back to bite them in their arse. Sorry – not sure why the generosity to such arrogance.
Please folk, listen to me — the idea that actions have consequences is ROUTINELY too complicated for most people – and understandably so.
YES, the FRC has done terrible things to gay teens and thousands of them have been cast out, or even died, as a result of their lies.
Which has, for most people, NOTHING to do with this.
We don’t know what this was about yet. It could have related to many different things. It could have been us, or it could have been divorce, or it could have been that FRC isn’t extreme enough, or, frankly, it could even be false flag (the arm???).
Regardless, the response on the part of gay organizations is ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
Stop picking at them about it.
Regards,
Reyn
Well said, Reyn. The community needs to be vocal in denouncing this tragedy, not for the sake of the anti-gay lobby that will blame us for it no matter what, but for outsiders so that they see that we’re not ignoring violence on the other side, like the anti-gay lobby does.
I’m waiting for this to be blamed on some GLBT person. It was certainly a nice release but as snake-in-the-grass as they are, I am waiting for the other shoe to drop.
I condemn the shooting but we’ll see how things develop.
FRC has been routinely denying and downplaying hate crimes against GLBT for decades. How could they scream persecution without having their own words thrown back in their collective faces?
Sorry. I don’t find the press release so classy. We don’t really know why the FRC was targeted, but it is not likely it was for its “biblical views.” Perhaps for its vitriol. Its hate. Its cynicism. Its routine demonization of gay people. But not for its “biblical views.”
I feel sorry for the injured guard. But even more, I feel sorry for the shooter, who apparently snapped under the incessant pressure of hatred spewed by FRC.
Did FoF issue a statement when HRC received a bomb threat and its building evacuated a few weeks ago? Or when that family in AZ was terrorized in their own home? Or several months ago when that gay man had his horses burned alive in a barn defaced with anti-gay graffiti? Or when that NC teen fired a shotgun at an anti-marriage amendment lawn sign? I don’t recall FoF pulling out the “T” word for any of those acts.
Seems to me that the avalanche of official statements of concern about this one incident is in stark contrast to the casual acceptance of violence directed at gay people and orgs.
Well said William – hypocracy and arrogance.
I am proud that so many LGBTQ organizations immediately voiced concern for the victim and disgust at the violent act. If for no other reason, they can’t blame ‘all LGBTQs and their hate agenda’ for this act.
Perhaps, just perhaps, this may be a catalyst for the likes of Perkins to re-examine the rhetoric they use.
Perhaps, just perhaps, this is an opportunity for all of us to consider the approach we take when engaging in discussions of equality. Our examples should be MLK, Ghandi, etc.
Some believe the FRC causes violence against abortion providers because of its anti-abortion activism. Some believe abortion providers go to work every day and murder.
Some believe that making a Batman movie might cause someone that is teetering at the edge to fall into the abyss and start firing.
I am not aware that FRC, Focus on the Family, or TWO have ever endorsed or affirmed the use of violence.
That is a distinct issue from whether any of our words or deeds have ever contributed to someone else’s violence.
But it is an important distinction. Any statements by anyone reaffirming our civil commitments to each other to not pick up guns and start shooting ought be welcomed and affirmed.
Neither Obama or Romney will yield any of their ground or argument by affirming, “We will not pull out the guns and start shooting.”
David Kennedy, in a 2011 book, “Don’t Shoot”–demonstrates the absolute necessity and possibility of young men in inner cities stopping the shooting.
It does matter greatly when we clearly delineate that violence is wrong.
So does this mean you go on FRC’s website and criticize them for all the violence they cause without ever condemning it Melinda?
I don’t follow, RainbowP. If/when they
In condemning vandalism (including at the GLBT Center in Raleigh) the FRC stated: “The debates over homosexuality, however emotional they may become, should be carried on peacefully by those on both sides. Physical attacks on people or property are never justified.”
That simple clarity about violence is the same that various voices have stated about this incident; and that is all I am referencing and affirming.
Most conversation I have online around this issue is with Conservative Christians around our duplicity or silence on matters such as violence.
I have never commented on the FRC website to answer your specific question.