Having already lost the War On Scare Quotes, and rapidly losing the War On Gay People, wingnuts gathered at Liberty University this past week to declare war on the word “gay” itself. This will obviously go well for them:
The conference took a turn for the surreal when panelists speaking at the conference suggested they stop using the word “gay” all together.
Leading a panel discussion at the national conference, Ryan Sorba, chairman of the Young Conservatives of California, made the following remarks:
Oh goody, Ryan Sorba always makes me laugh!
“‘Gay’ is a left-wing socio-political construct designed to create grounds for fundamental rights [based on] whimsical capricious desires. Gay identity does not exist.”
”Stop using the word ‘gay.’ Because, if we give them this term that is grounded in an identity we’re giving – we’re conceding that to the premise that it is an identity and the rest of the debate we’re on their ground — we’re on their terms. He who defines the terms controls the debate, and by extension, public opinion. What we need to do is state that this is same-sex attraction, or maybe the engage in same-sex intercourse, or sodomy — whatever word you’re comfortable using.”
Are Ryan Sorba’s sexual feelings “whimsical” and “capricious”? Inquiring minds would like to know, since he’s almost as fey as Tony Perkins. But I’m really liking this “stick our heads in the sand” approach he’s suggesting. If you don’t like reality, just pretend it’s not there! Aside from the fact that this is about as “new” for fundamentalist Christians as pathetic music and bad hair, I’m very entertained by the suggestion that somehow a few wingnuts eating donuts together are going to get even one person [who isn't already a wingnut] to stop using the term “gay” to describe gay people.
Later in the discussion, it was suggested that gays should also be referred to as “anti-Christian.”
Yeah, that’s going to work, since so many gay people actually ARE Christians, and moreover, the fantasyland Ryan Sorba has created where he believes he’s speaking for the majority of Christians also does not exist.
Keep failing, Ryan, and we’ll just keep winning.
Oh, do y’all remember the time Miss Sorba did this at CPAC? This little temper tantrum never fails to make me laugh:
I generally don’t pay too much attention to the interviews Peter LaBarbera posts on his hate site, Americans for Truth.* It’s just one of those things where I see the clip, think to myself, “But there is already good music in my headphones, why ruin the day?”, and find something else of interest to write about.
But Jeremy posted this clip from Peter’s latest interview, with the juvenile, tantrum-throwing Ryan Sorba, and I found it interesting because it really shows two things in clear focus:
1. Social conservatism is fundamentally opposed to real conservatism. Real conservatives are focused on keeping the government out of their business, at whatever cost. This can be good for society, and it can also be very bad for society. In the clip, Ryan Sorba and Peter LaBarbera agree that it is INDEED the government’s business to stop Americans from doing things that they personally don’t like, even if it has no effect on them. Of course, like the disingenuous bigots they are, they equate homosexuality with having sex with animals, but I find it more interesting that they also equate it with choosing to “drop acid” in the privacy of one’s own home. A true conservative with principles would actually support people’s rights to do whatever the hell they want in the privacy of their own homes, as long as it’s not hurting anyone else.
Therefore, social conservatism is fundamentally anti-constitutional. It has been established, completely, that the Constitution guarantees Americans a right to privacy. When Ryan Sorba says that it’s “not in there,” he’s betraying the fact that he is completely unable to read the U.S. Constitution like a grown-up, does not understand what the judicial branch of government does, and furthermore, does not understand the Ninth Amendment. I am very sorry that Ryan Sorba does not understand these things very well, but I am not surprised.
2. The music Peter uses for his interviews is really freaking gay.
Earlier today, Peter LaBarbera opened his Truth Academy confernece, a three day gay bashing extravaganza in a Chicago exurb. Despite weeks of flogging the event and several stories in right wing media, our spies tell us that the event was a major dud.
According to our sources, there were between 20-30 people in attendance. This was shocking, considering there was a large roster of notoriously anti-gay speakers:
Arthur Abba Goldberg, JONAH (Jews Offering New Alternatives to Homosexuality)
Ironically, the Gay Liberation Network’s protest had more demonstrators (see below) outside the event than there were people soaking up the hate on the inside.
The event was not only homophobic and sparsely attended, it was painfully boring, according to one eyewitness.
“It was an exhausting 12-hour day,” said a spy. “The speakers were less charismatic than tree stumps. I would rather turn Bill Gates’ vast fortune into a giant mountain of pennies and count them, than endure one more tedious anti-gay seminar.”
Clearly, this disaster was a serious blow to Porno Pete’s already disintegrating career and showed that he is incapable of drawing support — even with a who’s who of anti-gay activists on-hand.
Maybe, it is time for him to give up his shtick and get a day job?
Excuse me, they’re calling it the “Americans For Truth Academy.” Kids and young adults ages 14-25 can go for only $99 and learn how to be stark-raving mad homophobes from these experts:
Prospective attendees will need to be approved with references; this is not open to pro-homosexual activists but only to those who share AFTAH’ belief that homosexuality is immoral and that the GLBT movement is destructive to America and a direct threat to our religious freedom.
“Please write a double-spaced essay about how a-feared you are of gays, and get it signed by somebody we already know is a total bigot, because we’ve been burned recently by having people report our words verbatim when we think nobody else is listening.”
Also, this event is being billed as “rigorous,” which I can only assume means that Matt Barber, Ryan Sorba, Feats of Strength, and sweat will be featured prominently.
As Joe Jervis points out, GOProud are “complete douchenozzles,” which is true, but I agree that the hysteria over their presence at CPAC from the usual suspects is a good thing, as it separates the wingnuts from the, er, other less harmful wingnuts. Here’s Cliff Kincaid, typing with angry fingers:
GOProud’s commitment to constitutionally protected homosexual sodomy (i.e., anal intercourse) is not a position that appears on the agenda of any conservative groups. Hence, using the term “gay conservative” to describe these people is either a deliberate deception or an oxymoron that doesn’t stand up under scrutiny.
(…)
GOProud, the organization at the center of the storm, claims to be “conservative” but supports the Obama policy of putting active and open homosexuals in the military, supports homosexual marriage, and even advocates a foreign policy of promoting acceptance of sodomy abroad. The latter is referred to as “Standing strong against radical regimes who seek to criminalize gays and lesbians.”
These “radical regimes,” such as the Christian-dominated government in Uganda, are trying to prevent the spread of AIDS and protect traditional moral values by toughening laws against homosexuality.
Under these “gay conservatives,” one can imagine gay soldiers being deployed to overthrow “homophobic” regimes.
GOProud also says it wants to “defend the Constitution” in the U.S. by “Opposing any anti-gay federal marriage amendment.” It doesn’t explain how protecting the country against out-of-control judges legalizing gay marriage without a vote of the people is unconstitutional.
Giggle. So angry.
Note that he’s defending the Ugandan anti-gay genocide bill again. Take note, SPLC.
Later in the piece, Cliff shares that Ryan Sorba wants to debate Rachel Maddow and Andrew Sullivan, in reply to which we can only spit our collective coffee at the computer screen, laughing, and say “PLEASE?”
Because it’s funny to watch stupid closeted white men intellectually overpowered by gays and lesbians with PhD’s.
My recollections are not perfect, of course, but Nate Gunderson should be able to help me fill in the details. The exchange is roughly as follows.
“So, you’re the infamous Ryan Sorba,” I said.
“Yep!”
“You’ve made quite a name for yourself.”
“Haha, yeah. Where are you from?”
“I go to college around here, American University.”
“What are you studying?”
“I was double-majoring in Political Science with a political theory focus and International Relations with an Islamic Studies focus, but I think I’m going to drop the latter. I can’t take the relativistic preaching, the whitewashing of the burqa, Sayyid Qutb, the entire religion.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean. So what did you think of my little tirade, then?”
“Oh, I thought it was quite evil, actually. I’m gay.”
“You mean you think you’re gay.”
“No, I’m gay. Do you think it’ a choice?”
“I think it’ the result of a complex process of social and environmental factors, but that it’ reversible.”
“So, like, why is it that over one hundred animals have been observed engaging in homosexual sex in nature?”
“Well, only 0.2% of animals are known to do that ‚Äî ”
” ‚Äî I mean, mammals, obviously, not ants, birds ‚Äî ”
” ‚Äî you know, animals masturbate, your dog humps your leg. Does your dog talk with a lisp?”
“Do I talk with a lisp?!” I yelled.
“A little bit.” (I later asked a couple of gay friends if I have a small lisp; both of them said I have no lisp whatsoever. Aron, who is straight, has said my voice is sometimes theatrical, but that I don’t have a lisp.)
“Rudy Giuliani has a lisp ‚Äî is he gay?”
And then he went off on what he affectionately called “his tirade” ‚Äî giving the same mangled pseudo-Aristotelian spiel about how natural rights have to be grounded in natural law, meaning substance, and the final result of the reproductive organ must be a reproductive act, and all of that.
“Yeah, yeah, I get your argument, I understand it, ” I tried to interrupt, But he said that I didn’t, and he finished.
“But the vast majority of married couples partake in sodomy ‚Äî oral sex, anal sex, fetishes. Hasn’t your girlfriend ever given you a blowjob? I think the government should just get out of the whole marriage business!”
Everyone around us agreed with that statement. Sensing some momentum, I went on: “I’m the one who says that my values shouldn’t have anything to do with government. It’ you who wants to impose his own biases upon the rest of the world!”
Nate Gunderson pondered why it was such a burning issue for Ryan.
“Because conservatives should not be upholding groups who support homosexual marriage and sodomy.”
I said something I don’t quite recall, and he mentioned something about how he could “take me on” physically if he needed to, to which I mentioned that his quick resort to force and threats said a lot about his political philosophy.
He said at around this point that he needed to go, and put out his hand to say goodbye. I stared at him, refusing to shake his hand, and he said “Well, I don’t really want to shake your hand, you’re intrinsically evil.”
We all started walking away, with him talking to his girlfriend, and me talking to Nate, blasting Sorba more.
Someone who was with him asked Sorba: “Really, though, he had a point: why do you care about this so much when the economy is in shambles and the debt is growing and spending is out of control?”
“Because it corrupts the youth and the culture,” he replied.
When we reached the area near the escalator downstairs, he turned on his camera. I put out my arms, striking a mocking pose, but realized he kept holding the camera at me.
“Wait, are you recording or taking a picture?” He was recording.
“Ah! OK…Well, I’d like to say, then, that the person behind the camera is a Hitler Youth waiting for a fuhrer to sweep him off his feet into a grand national project so he can sacrifice individuals like stock-fodder to his own biases.”
He turned off the camera and approached me. I told him he should get his girlfriend to give him a blowjob so that he could experience the joys of sodomy. He put two of his fingers an inch from my face and said that he’d want to fight me if a girl wasn’t around. “Ah, the use of force!” I said again.
It essentially ended, there.
Hot damn!
Alex adds some thoughts of his own at the end of his post:
It’ pretty clear that this kid is deep in the closet. When he says he’ never had a blowjob, I’m not sure what would be more pathetic: if he’ lying to me, or if he’ telling the truth. But any young guy so obsessed with homosexuality, so obsessed with maintaing that it’ reversible, is clearly a closet gay guy. Imagine when this closet case marries and his wife wants to make love to him: “Sorry, honey! Sex is only for reproduction, after all!” I’d feel somewhat sorry for the poor boy, but alas, he’ making everyone else’ lives more difficult in the meantime. So, screw him.
*Snaps!*
It should come as no surprise to any of you that overgrown man-child Peter LaBarbera watched Sorba’s speech with pride. One day maybe you’ll be that well-spoken, Peter! One day!
Here’s Ryan Sorba’s little poopypants tirade again, if you missed it the first time:
I am not a gay conservative…to say the least. And I’ve questioned in the past the wisdom of GOProud, the gay conservative group, participating at CPAC along with groups that want to legislate away their dignity. I still question that wisdom. They’ve been sending out reports from CPAC along the lines of “Nobody has beat us up yet, so that means conservatives aren’t bigots after all!” They’re also stupidly suggesting that because Dick Cheney got a standing ovation, that the wingnuts are somehow supportive of gays because Dick Cheney supports gays.
It’s pathetic. Newsflash: Wingnuts like Dick Cheney because Dick Cheney is a torture-mongering ghoul, and wingnuts are weak people, so they feel strengthened by the idea of torturing people, as long as they don’t have to personally exhibit any strength or courage of their own.
Anyway. I don’t care how nice people are to the gay CPAC-ers; what matters is what policies they support. Lots of people are nice to people they hate, especially Southerners, who I would imagine are overrepresented at Winguttapalooza. It’s so ingrained in our culture that we have code phrases that express disdain while always being able to claim the mantle of gentility. (“Bless her heart.”) So personally, the fact that the gay conservatives haven’t been shot at yet at CPAC isn’t impressive.
Also, they’re dealing with the fact that the GOP line on their dignity and existence is that they shouldn’t have any. Consider this quote from Chris Plante, who’s running the National Organization for Marriage (nom nom nom) booth just a few feet away:
“Gays and lesbians have the right to live as they choose, but they don’t have the right to redefine marriage for the rest of us,” Plante said.
Uh huh, right. And believe me, NOM is more welcome there than GOProud is. Again, I don’t care now nice and polite CPAC-ers are to the gays in their midst. The fact that gay conservatives are impressed and excited to be included without having to wear pink triangles is pathetic and reveals the self-loathing and the deeply ingrained beliefs in their own inferiority that we’ve always seen in them.
Meanwhile, an insane press conference happened, featuring Elaine Donnelly, Queen of the 101st Chairborne Brigade, and Tom Minnery of Focus on the Family (who apparently can’t pronounce the word “debacle”), who projected their pathetic Fear of the Gay onto our brave troops as they came out in opposing DADT repeal. Also speaking were know-nothing Tony Perkins and David Keene, who organized the entire conference. Oh, also, there was an old retired admiral who probably had to be helped onto the stage, testifying about his 1930′s version of reality. Watch it if you want, but you’ll lose a few brain cells.
All of that being said, though, this video of Jimmy LaSalvia, the King of the Gay Wingnuts, is pretty funny:
ZING! The boys at the NOM booth are total pansies! On that, we agree.
Anyway, so there you go. Jimmy LaSalvia made a funny and nobody’s been gay-bashed yet at CPAC. Glad to see, again, that they’re persevering in their quest to win the gay rights battles of the 1970′s.
UPDATE: Okay, so all of that being said, this video is also funny. Ryan Sorba, a hysterical and likely closeted anti-gay activist, decided to take to the stage and condemn CPAC for inviting GOProud to the event, and he was received poorly by some in the room. What I notice is that at the beginning, some were booing him, and some were cheering him, but as his childish tantrum grew more hysterical, the boos got louder. Mike Madden at Salon’s War Room opened his report on this by saying, “Turns out CPAC isn’t quite the place for insane jeremiads against homosexuality.” I would suggest, rather, a more balanced reaction, because if you click on the link above to watch the aforementioned press conference, you’ll see that there is indeed a place for insane jeremiads against homosexuality at CPAC. It seems to me that what’s become socially unacceptable, even in CPAC, is the kind of frothing, unhinged anti-gay ranting that’s the hallmark of Ryan Sorba’s “career.” I guarantee you that, for a lot of people in that room, their issue is not the content of Sorba’s tirade, but rather the unfiltered nature of it, because they know that their bigotry is not acceptable in intelligent society. So NOM and Elaine Donnelly and Tom Minnery are fine with them. The rhetorical equivalent of playing with your dingleberries on stage, as exhibited by Ryan Sorba, is not.
Earlier today, Peter LaBarbera opened his 
