The Christian Civic League of Maine's Mike Hein calls Pam's House Blend: "a leading source of radical homosexual propaganda, anti-Christian bigotry, and radical transgender advocacy."
He is "praying that Pam Spaulding will "turn away from her wicked and sinful promotion of homosexual behavior."
(CCLM's web site, 10/15/07)
Ex-gay "Christian" activist James Hartline on Pam:
"I have been mocked over and over again by ungodly and unprincipled anti-christian lesbians."
(from "Six Years In Sodom: From The Journal Of James Hartline," 9/4/2006, written from the "homosexual stronghold" of Hillcrest in San Diego).
"Pam is a 'twisted lesbian sister' and an 'embittered lesbian' of the 'self-imposed gutteral experiences of the gay ghetto.'" -- 9/5/2008
Peter LaBarbera of Americans for Truth Against Homosexuality heartily endorses the Blend, calling Pam:
A "vicious anti-Christian lesbian activist." (Concerned Women for America's radio show [9:15], 1/25/07)
"A nutty lesbian blogger." (MassResistance radio show [16:25], 2/3/07)
Pam's House Blend always seems to find these sick f*cks. The area of the country she is in? The home state of her wife? I know, they are everywhere. Pam just does such a great job of bringing them out into the light.
--Impeach Bush
who monitors yours Bevis ?? Just thought I would drop you a line,so the rest of your life is not wasted.
I was waiting for evidence that the networks, particularly CBS with its blurring of Adam Lambert's on-screen kiss of his male bandmate during the post-Children's Hour performance on the American Music Awards.
Brian Patrick Thornton, who refers to his own on-screen man-on-man smooch on The Today Show didn't result in blurring or censoring on the West Coast -- and that was in 1999. He calls BS on the lame statement put out by CBS. (Spangle Magazine):
[W]hat really chaps my gay ass is the even bigger double standard of CBS’s actions during Lambert’s later interview on The Early Show. When questioning him about the AMA appearance, producers blurred out his kiss — and moments later, showed an unaltered version of the Madonna-Britney Spears lezzie-lite kiss from the MTV Video Music Awards.
...In 1999, my then-boyfriend and I surprised the Today show (and lil’ Al Roker) with the first boy-on-boy network make-out (that was just as sloppy as Lambert’s). Three hours later, producers chose NOT to edit the moment out — or blur it — for West Coast viewers.
And CBS’s response? The network told the Los Angeles Times: "The Madonna image is very familiar and has appeared countless times, including many times on morning television. The Adam Lambert image is a subject of great current controversy, has not been nearly as widely disseminated and, for all we know, may still lead to legal consequences."
Bull.
Shit.
And, as executives told a reporter, NOT ONE complaint was registered about the moment. And there were no “legal consequences.” Heck, we didn’t even sue when Will and Grace stole our story.
Thornton goes on to tie this ridiculous behavior of network executives -- and makes the case that this is yet another example of political homophobia (or unwillingness to take political risks for LGBTs, even though we're a core constituency.
Remember, CBS cited "legal consequences" as a result of rebroadcasting the naughty bits, but wait -- there's same-sex bussing going on in primetime programming right now and there aren't any lawsuits flying...Thornton cited, for instance, that man-on-man kissing in both Brothers & Sisters and Grey's Anatomy that didn't draw censor fire. And I just saw a Law & Order rerun with protagonists (in this case women), going at it outside a hotel room. So what is going on?
Nice try, guys. I know the 2012 slate looks a bit weak but this is an epic FAIL, with a hypocrisy meter-explosion cherry on top.
[O]n Sunday, March 29, Gingrich will have converted to Catholicism, the faith of his third wife, Calista Bisek. Though the ceremony was announced without fanfare, leading Catholic conservatives like Deal Hudson are brimming with excitement. Hudson was the most important Catholic political advisor to President Bush and Karl Rove, founder of the seminal Catholic journal, Crisis magazine, and self-described "theocon," contends that Gingrich's conversion represents more than a concession to his wife; it signals a dramatic break from the past, both personally and politically.
"From a Catholic point of view," Hudson told me, "Newt's sins no longer exist-they've been absolved. He's made a fresh start in life. So Newt will continue to sin and confess but there aren't going to be a lot of Catholics who will hold that against him. They understand why being a Catholic makes a difference."
Hudson said that while many of his friends are "extremely close" to Gingrich, he and the former Speaker of the House are just friendly acquaintances. But Hudson explains that he relates to Gingrich's experience on a deeply personal level. Like Gingrich, he is a convert and a thrice-married sinner engaged continually in confession and absolution.
Raised as a Southern Baptist, Hudson converted to Catholicism at age 34 after becoming enraptured by the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas. Upon receiving communion, Hudson received an annulment from his first wife, then divorced his second wife four years later. "It's not unusual to do that in this day and age," Hudson reflected, "so that sort of angle that Chris Buckley is taking to make fun of Newt is unfair."
You mean to tell me these GOP adulterers would give a thrice-married booty call Democrat the same slack? Please. Hudson's one to be pious. In Max Blumenthal's piece in the Daily Beast, it's no wonder he's cutting the Contract With America serial adulterer some slack.
In 1994, after a night of drinking games at a West Village pub, during which he allegedly made out with two female students and took "body shots" with them, Hudson brought an extremely intoxicated 18-year-old student named Cara Poppas back to his office and compelled her to perform oral sex on him. When the student told school authorities about the incident, Hudson promptly resigned and moved to Washington to edit Crisis. Two years later, Hudson settled a sexual harassment lawsuit out of court with Poppas for $30,000.
Afterwards, Hudson had no problem scorching Bill Clinton for his oral indulgences.
"Over and over again, we hear on the talk shows that we shouldn't hold the president to a 'higher standard,'" Hudson wrote in 1996. "I would argue quite the opposite... Those who are not willing to bear the burden of these higher standards should not seek office... After we have stripped away all idealism from offices that bind our culture together - president, father, husband - what will be left for us to aspire to? Who will want to sacrifice personal desires for public responsibilities?"
I love it. Since they cannot survive the hypocrisy challenge, conservatives in 2009 just use religion to clean the slate for themselves. It's just too much.
You'd think that this wouldn't go over well Bible Spice, who in her gubernatorial campaign supported abstinence education. How long before young mom Bristol Palin is told to go into her room and close the door by the womb control wing of the GOP? She was was interviewed by Greta van Susteren and said this... (via Think Progress):
VAN SUSTEREN: I don't want to pry to personally, but I mean, actually, contraception is an issue here. Is that something that you were just lazy about or not interested, or do you have a philosophical or religious opposition to it or...
BRISTOL: No. I don't want to get into detail about that. But I think abstinence is, like - like, the - I don't know how to put it - like, the main - everyone should be abstinent or whatever, but it's not realistic at all.
When Van Susteren asked Gov. Palin, who joined the interview, about abstinence, she seemed similarly dismissive of her former views on abstinence, admitting, "It sounds naive." Bristol added, "I just - I hope that people learn from my story and just, like, I don't know, prevent teen pregnancy, I guess."
Interestingly, over in the Freeper swamps, there are quite a few of them who have engaged in some reality-based thinking.
You know, just imagine if Barack Obama's family were dealing with this out-of-wedlock matter if one of their daughters was Bristol's age and she went on TV and spoke about abstinence ed unrealistic. Do you think you'd see any approval by the right wing?
Matt Barber dedicates his days to demonizing gays. He abhors marriage equality for gays and lesbians, fighting any progress he sees in that regards. Among the stats we've heard him quote to back up his objections is the supposedly heightened instability of same-sex relationships.
[...]
Yes, that's right -- Matt Barber is on his second marriage. Guess in all of his years of sticking his nose in our lives and attacking our unions, that little point just kinda slipped his mind. Oopsie.
Now, of course we don't fault folks for divorce. Even Matt. However, if it was one of our leaders or celebrities, can you even IMAGINE how he would use that person's separation as an example of our lack of relationship sanctity?
I'm really starting to worry about fundnut Matt "Bam Bam" Barber. Ever since the election his columns have gotten increasingly hysterical, more homo-focused than ever before. I know the BFF of The Peter has an unnatural fixation on the evils of man-on-man sex, but you have to take a look at "Homosexuality and the Laws of Moral Physics." The man is off the chain.
Case in point: Within minutes after swearing in, President Obama had the White House web site updated to declare his unconditional support for every demand of the politically powerful and very well-funded homosexual lobby (a.k.a., "Big Homo"). By announcing to the world his pro-"gay" agenda, Obama has thrown gasoline on smoldering culture war embers, generating a firestorm of controversy.
...And so, in an effort to marginalize the so-called "religious right" and diminish its influence in society, evangelicals are pejoratively stamped "fundamentalist" by those who fancy themselves among the enlightened and view the world, instead, through delightfully murky and accountability-free shades of gray.
But despite the best efforts of "gay" activists, secular humanists, and religious leftists to muddy the moral waters, absolute truth - like a nautical buoy pulled below with rotting rope - has a way of heaving to the surface with a profound splash once the tenuous line snaps. It's a matter of moral physics.
Barber's brain simply cannot comprehend the divide between church and state. How is civil marriage a matter of biblical concern? It isn't, but no matter to Bam Bam, it's his security blanket.
Homosexual behavior, like adultery, fornication, incest and bestiality is, under no uncertain terms, classified as sexual immorality in both the Old and New Testaments. The historical and biblical records are unequivocal.
In order to reach a contrary conclusion, people like President Obama, who rationalize that the Bible somehow affirms homosexual behavior - or at least remains neutral on the subject - are forced to cast aside any pretense of intellectual honesty and engage in gold medal mental gymnastics.
So, for the sake of national unity, let's clear up any confusion about marriage and sexual immorality once and for all, shall we? And afterward, I expect all you leftists who've been badmouthing us "fundamentalists" to apologize, 'kay?
First of all it was God, not Jerry Falwell, who both created and defined the institution of marriage. Conversely, pro-homosexual extremists are the ones who wish to radically redefine it.
...Despite fairly successful attempts by self-described "gay" activists to equate behaviorally driven "gayness" to immutable and neutrally defined qualities such as race and gender, the reality is that being "gay" has absolutely nothing to do with what someone is, and has everything to do with what someone does.
This is painfully deranged. I wasn't the only one who noted this. David Hart:
I am surprised that he did not go off on his "there is no gay gene" rant. Of course, there is no race gene either. What is coming down the pike from the religious right is the acceptance that sexual orientation is, indeed, biological in origin but "it's all about behavior." Should gays be "hornier than though?" Then we'll be asked to endure comparisons to incest and pedophilia without considering that those are not lawful activities by consenting adults.
However, what is most offensive about all of this is that it is in the context of civil law. This is not exactly what our deist founding fathers had in mind. Ultimately, people need to understand that the religious right wants to control far more than just who we can marry. They would like to control what we can read; what TV shows we can watch; what music we can listen to and what movies we can watch. There is, indeed, a very fine line between the Iranian theocracy and the imposition of the Barber crowd's idea of morality. The oppression of a minority due to the fact that they were born with different sexuality is immoral. Moreover, it represents a simplistic expression of prejudice and bigotry born of ignorance.
Over at Michelangelo Signorile's pad in a post he titled "Haggard's Pump 'n Go: Serving You 24/7," he shares a clip of the unbelievable Grant Haas interview and video from yesterday.
In this clip we discuss the "Twenty-four/Seven Program" at New Life Church, a sort of Bible boot camp where young men, 18-23, are worked out intensely and get all cut up and muscled while also praying to Jesus, immersed in this 24 hours a day, often being woken up at all hours of the night. Haggard and another man who is described as "struggling with homosexuality" often oversaw the program, including going to the gym with the young men in the morning to work out and shower with them. They often went on training missions -- including simulated counter-terrorism missions, as Christians under attack, and you'll hear about all of that. (Please don't mind the grimaces on my face throughout: I really wasn't that shocked and disgusted about what I was hearing! We had some technical/sound issues in the studio, and I was trying to cope with those problems, on the computer and to my producers, and was pretty frustrated by them, hence some of the looks on my face).
Last night on Larry King Live as Ted and Gayle Haggard appeared to promote the HBO documentary (it premiered last night) and to answer some candid questions about Ted's judgment and to explain why she is with him after all his travails. The whole thing was quite bizarre and creepy. The entire transcript is up now. Also, Anderson Cooper did a bang-up job of breaking this case down in a serious manner with a psychiatrist on AC360; I discuss that below the fold.
But on to the lunacy -- what a gift of ESP Mrs. Haggard has! The wife of the fallen New Life pastor explains to Larry how heterosexual her husband really is. BTW, one of their son appeared on the show in a later segment. Bleh, that's way TMI for a kid to hear.
KING: You had to be doubly shocked, Gail?
G. HAGGARD: Doubly shocked. However, I do think that our sexuality is complex. But I don't like is when we put labels on each other, because I am here to say that 99 percent of Ted's sexual experiences were with me. So I'm not willing to deny that. But I am willing to explore, why is he having these other feelings?
My questions -- is this delusional thinking? Is she making an educated guess? Or did he do a full run-down of acts for her and she ran the numbers through Excel?
Anyway, Ted did not refute the allegations of church volunteer Grant Haas. More below the fold.
Ah, just when former pastor, meth purchaser and male escort massage enthusiast Ted Haggard was readying for his debut in the documentary about his rise and steep fall on HBO, a new gay sex scandal explodes in his face.
Fresh revelations have emerged that disgraced evangelical leader Ted Haggard had a previously undisclosed sex-for-cash relationship with a young male New Life Church volunteer.
An Associated Press report claims that Haggard was involved in an "inappropriate, consensual sexual relationship" that "went on for a long period of time ... it wasn't a one-time act," according to Brady Boyd, the pastor who succeeded the embattled former leader of the 10,000 member New Life Church in Colorado Springs.
It gets better. Boyd told the AP that New Life reached a legal settlement to pay Ted's former boy toy for counseling and college tuition -- on the condition being that none of the parties involved discuss the matter publicly. As in hush money.
Wayne Besen of Truth Wins Out knows this stinks to high heaven and calls for officials to investigate the church.
"Until conservative churches stop shaming gay people and learn to accept them, we will see more tawdry scandals," said Truth Wins Out's Executive Director Wayne Besen. "These calamities are a direct result of the closet."
Rev. Boyd denied that New Life paid hush money and said, "Our desire was to help him. Here was a young man who wanted to get on with his life. We considered it more compassionate assistance - certainly not hush money."
..."Authorities should investigate to ensure that this volunteer was not manipulated or coerced into silence," said Besen. "The leadership of New Life has little credibility and should not simply be taken at their word. At a minimum, Boyd should resign for using his position of power to pressure a vulnerable member of his congregation into silence."
UPDATE: Here's the message Pastor Boyd sent to the New Life flock:
An Important Message From Pastor Brady
Dear New Life Family,
In the days ahead, there will be new press reports of allegations made by a man who knew Ted Haggard through his involvement with New Life Church. This man has decided to speak to the media about his alleged relationship with Mr. Haggard. Since these allegations were first brought to our attention, New Life Church leadership has reached out to him with compassion by providing him with pastoral care, professional counseling, and financial assistance. We did this with the hope that he would experience healing and move forward with purpose in his life.
At that time, he and church leaders agreed that publishing his allegations or our church's assistance to him would not be in his best interest. This decision was made not as an attempt to conceal wrongdoings, but to protect him from those who would seek to exploit him. His actions now suggest that he has changed his mind.
A few weeks ago, when the news of the upcoming documentary about Mr. Haggard surfaced, this man informed me that he was considering telling the media the details of his relationship with Mr. Haggard. He was obviously upset about the reported content of the documentary and wished to tell his story.
After Mr. Haggard's fall, we received reports of a number of incidents of inappropriate behavior. In each case, we have tried our very best to do the right thing, including disciplinary action when appropriate. Our concern has been and continues to be for every person affected. We renew our invitation today for anyone who believes he or she has been hurt to please come forward.
Our current elder team and all of our overseers have been aware of these allegations and have given us wise, prayerful counsel every step of the way. I regret that we have to revisit the unpleasant issues of the past, but I am convinced we are on the path of healing and great days are ahead for all of us. Thanks so much for your continued prayers and support.
Love,
Pastor Brady
By the way, that documentary will air on January 29, so tune in.
In the grand tradition of adding new words to the American political lexicon (and Google search results), such as Santorum, Dan Savage has launched a poll requesting readers to create a new definition for the word Saddleback (referring to Rick Warren's megachurch). Here are the finalists...
(1) "Logically, if 'barebacking' means having butt sex with no condom, then 'saddlebacking' should mean having butt sex with a condom."
(2) "Saddleback (verb): to submit someone to any kind of humiliating, unreciprocal sex act, either literally or metaphorically, consented to by passive partner due to submissive/masochistic tendencies, desire for approval, or other darker motive. E.g., 'I don't know why Obama is letting Rick Warren saddleback him into presiding over his inauguration.'"
(3) "The saddleback position involves placing your lubed dick between the butt cheeks of your partner. This position can be performed on your sides or on top of a facedown partner (maybe with a pillow under his or her hips). My favorite way of finishing up the saddlebacking is to lift up and come on my wife's sweaty back. The saddleback is a nice compromise position when your partner won't allow anal entry."
(4) "To saddleback is to rail against gay sex in public while secretly indulging in the same in private. Ted Haggard? Total saddlebacker. Larry Craig? Saddlebacker. Rick Warren? Probably a saddlebacker."
(5) "'Saddlebacking' should be the term for the phenomenon of Christian teens engaging in unprotected anal sex in order to preserve their virginities. 'After attending the Purity Ball, Heather and Bill saddlebacked all night because she's saving herself for marriage.' Please, please adopt this definition!"
(6) "Saddleback (verb): to ejaculate on the back of a partner at the culmination of doggy-style anal sex."
(7) "Before being invited to give the invocation, Mr. Warren was most noted for his book The Purpose Driven Life. Therefore, 'to saddleback' is to fuck with a purpose, i.e., to procreate. A heterosexual couple asked if they're trying to have children could reply, 'No, we're not ready for kids yet, but we'll probably start saddlebacking next year.'"
My vote definitely goes to #5 -- what an appropriate definition. Although it looks like Bristol Palin didn't bother Saddlebacking since she just shot out a baby.
I sh*t you not. My jaw dropped when blogger Joe Sonka sent me this one. The AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland alerted him to the work of one Derek Dye, who is employed by the Elizabeth New Life Center. The organization landed an $800K grant to promote abstinence-only education.
Dye goes around to schools dressed like a clown to juggle and tell middle schoolers with statements like "Having sex before you are married is just like juggling machetes!" OK, never mind that the kids probably think this guy is asinine and ridiculous, take a look at the deep knowledge about sex ed that Dye brings to the table. Again, I sh*t you not:
His qualifications? A "Bachelor of Fun Arts" from Barnum Bailey Clown College, and an abstinence educator certification that can be purchased for $50.
...What's more, abstinence-only programs don't work - independent study after study has shown that students who receive them don't have lower pregnancy, HIV, or STI rates. And worse, students who receive abstinence-only programs are less likely to use contraception and condoms when they do have sex.
Then again, as one colleague told me today, nothing wants to make her have sex less than a clown... so maybe they're on to something.
Watch the scintillating Dye at work and think of your tax dollars going up in smoke (I'm warning you -- protect your keyboard):
On his weekend Faux News talk show, failed GOP presidential candidate Mike Huckabee suggested quite strongly to the vile Ann Coulter -- "scouts honor" -- that he doesn't believe in having his pole smoked (among other things) that fall under the definition of sodomy.
Huck to Coulter: I am not, as you characterize me in one article, pro-gay and pro-sodomy -- that is SO not me.
Coulter: Yes, there was a Supreme Court decision you agreed or disagreed with...yes, I got you on that one Mike Huckabee...
Huck: Nope, you didn't. I am definitely not pro-sodomy -- I promise, scout's honor. There are many things I might be but that is not one of them.
That must be one sad, sad Huckabee covenant marital bed. Actually, I don't want to visualize anything of the sort, but he's the one who raised this issue. Does he want to see Lawrence v. Texas overturned so he can have the law peep in on all those sodomites and throw them in the clink (watch out LCRs!)? There's a real winning 2012 issue, Huck..
"Too big too fail." It's one of the most overworked phrases in this bailout bonanza. But I've always thought that it sounded more like the title of a porn movie. ("See Dirk Rambo in To Big To Fail," an advertisement might read.)
Speaking of bailouts and porn, I'm afraid I'm going to have to disagree with Campbell Brown on this one.
A Jesus ring to help you say "I don't," before you say "I do". From Hall Jewelers.
Duh. Praying and promising to daddy that they won't knock boots results in sex occurring just as often in the "pledged virgins" population as the average teen demo, but increases the chance that the sex is unprotected. Cleary the fundies are burying their heads in the sand if they continue to believe the lie. (WaPo):
The new analysis of data from a large federal survey found that more than half of youths became sexually active before marriage regardless of whether they had taken a "virginity pledge," but that the percentage who took precautions against pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases was 10 points lower for pledgers than for non-pledgers.
"Taking a pledge doesn't seem to make any difference at all in any sexual behavior," said Janet E. Rosenbaum of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, whose report appears in the January issue of the journal Pediatrics. "But it does seem to make a difference in condom use and other forms of birth control that is quite striking."
Why on earth are states (and the federal government) still funding abstinence-only education?! Uncle Sam gives $176 million of your tax dollars each year to fund ignorance as study after study comes out dispelling the efficacy of abstinence-only ed.
Hey, I didn't say it, he did. Pitiful. (Raw Story):
In a new documentary to be aired on HBO, Haggard describes his continuing struggle with his sexuality after a scandal that revealed he had regularly paid a male prostitute for sex and used methamphetamines.
..."At this stage in my life, I am a loser," he says in the film.
Haggard said he is committed to his marriage for the sake of his five children in the documentary, titled "The Trials of Ted Haggard."
..."The church [ New Life ] has said go to hell," Haggard says in the documentary. "The church chose not to forgive me."
..."I did some same-sex play when I was in the second grade, then all that blew up when I was 50. I had to analyze myself - a heterosexual, a homosexual, gay, straight, bisexual? What are you Ted Haggard? I wrestled with it, fought with it, argued with it."
I’m going to skip over the pleasantries and get right down to business here. Amongst all the post-Prop 8 discussion, we’ve talked about community outreach, minority outreach, showing our faces, our families, getting interfaith dialogue going. One thing I haven’t heard anyone talk about is gay sex.
Wait, what? “Gay sex”? Did someone really just say that? *gasp, pearl clutching*
Yes, I did. In all of this discussion about families and rights and outreach, this entire year I have not heard ANYONE talk about the elephant in the room. Namely, that one of the reasons straight people hate us is because they are grossed out by the idea of gay sex.
But, but, we can’t TALK about gay sex! It’s just not polite! We have to focus on the positive things like our families, our children, our jobs, our civil rights!
Bullshit. I say that we HAVE to talk about gay sex, for the simple reason that a lot of opposition to us comes from that knee-jerk "icky gay sex" factor and gendernormative expectations. It’s not always some Christian Dominionist spouting off verses from Leviticus. Sometimes the opposition isn’t even outwardly religious. Sometimes it’s just plain old misogyny and cultural conditioning about what sex acts and gender roles are acceptable and what aren't. This is yet another societal issue we need to tackle at a personal level. We are struggling against a cultural expectation of how plumbing should define us as people. Like it or not, Christianity’s views of men, women, and gender norms have colored American expectations of gender and sexual behavior. Something so ingrained into a cultural consciousness needs to be confronted before it can be exorcised. So yes, I think we need to talk about “gay sex.” We need a "Get Over the Ick Factor" effort.
He's addicted to more than sex; the former megachurch pastor, meth-procurerer and same-sex sensual massage advocate Ted Haggard needs the spotlight. He showed up at the Open Bible Fellowship in Morrison, Ill. and defiantly addressed churchgoers from the pulpit. (PageOneQ):
The former superstar pastor, disgraced two years ago in a sex-and-drugs scandal, had returned - this time as a Christian businessman preaching a message that was equal parts contrition and defiance. Haggard linked his fall to being molested in second grade and apologized again.
...On the Sunday after Haggard's return went public, Russ Gordon sat studying his Bible in the coffee shop of New Life Church in Colorado Springs. A church member for 12 years, Gordon said he's concerned Haggard stopped the restoration process, but he listened to Haggard's sermons and found them sincere.
"I can't really judge what's in his heart," Gordon said. "I think we have to watch and observe and see his actions. We as Christians believe in giving second chances. I just say, we all have fallen short."
Sitting a few tables away, Sandy Oltrogge had harsher words for her former pastor.
"I wish he'd just leave it alone and let God promote him and not promote himself," she said. "It's good he can apologize, but I don't think anyone can believe anything he says after that."
A New Life spokeswoman would not comment on whether the church believes Haggard has violated his severance agreement, which paid him a year's salary. The church is trying to move on.
I know, I keep saying how you just can't make this stuff up, but here we go again...
Homobigot GOP Congressman Virgil Goode of Virginia, a man who scored a "perfect" HRC scorecard zero every year since 2001, is the subject of an investigation by Mike Stark of Accountability Moments and Mike Rogers of BlogActive. It won't be popular with the fundie crowd.
So, how does an anti-gay Republican US Congressman come to support a movie that is filled with lots of gay sex and lots of drug use? Well, the best place to start is with Linwood Duncan, Goode's Press Secretary. Linwood is gay (an open secret in DC) and has aspirations to be a movie star. In 2003, Ed Henry, then with Roll Call, reported about Linwood and his dreams of the silver screen:
Who knew that Linwood Duncan, the unassuming press secretary for Rep. Virgil Goode (R-Va.), has been dabbling in acting on the side and turns up with a bit part in the new movie "Eden's Curve"?
***
Duncan has played everyone from Sherlock Holmes to Sir Thomas More in dozens of shows in the D.C. and Charlottesville, Va., areas. He was approached by a longtime friend, Jerry Meadors, screenwriter and producer for "Eden's Curve."
You're thinking "what's the big deal?" Who cares if Roll Call wrote about a movie starring a right-wing Congressional staffer that was "especially popular at gay and lesbian film festivals across the country because the lead character gets mixed up in relationships with his male roommate..."?
I'll tell you who cares. The anti-earmark conservatives care and the anti-gay troglodytes care... A LOT!
Yes, and surf over to Mike's pad for documentation of Goode's involvement with the producer of that film. After his press secretary made his big screen debut in Eden's Curve, the anti-gay Goode felt motivated to earmark $150,000 of tax dollars for the theatre run by Meadors, where staffer and aspiring movie star Duncan also sits on the board!
Oh. My. God. Have the hypocrisy and cronyism meters blown up?
The questions raised by Stark and Rogers in the video:
* Why would a press secretary for an anti-gay GOP Congressman act in a gay art-house film? A film that thanks Goode and his wife, and Linwood Duncan in the credits!?
* How did it come to pass that Virgil Goode inserted a $150K earmark for Jerry Meador and the North Theatre after Linwood Duncan got his first big Hollywood break in Meador's film?
* What are the personal relationships between Goode, Duncan and Meadors?
* How does Virgil Goode square his condemnation of LGBT Americans while helping to make Eden's Curve?
* How many other films or projects exploring gay issues has Congressman Goode been involved with?
* Can we gain access to the documents showing how that $150K earmark of tax dollars was spent?
At BlogActive, where Mike has an action item to email legislators in Goode's district to ask the above questions about this, and 2) help send copies of Eden's Curve to the mailboxes of right-wing pastors in Goode's district to let them know what the Congressman has been supporting. It doesn't look like it squares with their world view.
UPDATE 2: Mike Rogers liked that photo of Larry Craig and Goode.
I thought that he might be feted with toe tapping, but Senate colleague Mike Crapo paid tribute to Larry Craig (who is retiring in January) with a speech. You have to read it to believe it. No shame, no blame in the annals of Republican Sexual Hypocrisy:
"As the 110th Congress comes to a close this fall, a chapter in Idaho politics also comes to a close. After serving in public office, first in the Idaho state Legislature from 1975 to 1981, then in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1981 to 1990, and finally here in the Senate from 1991 to 2009, my colleague, Senator Larry Craig, is retiring from elective office.
"Over the years, he has doggedly pursued initiatives important to Idahoans and staunchly defended Western values.
..."Senator Craig's public service demonstrates a rich history of strong, conservative leadership characterized by an unapologetic defense of the democratic ideals of private property and personal liberty and woven together with an abiding and proactive concern for those without a voice here in Washington. Idahoans across the state have come to know that they can depend on Senator Craig to defend their economic well-being and their values.
"It has been a privilege for me to serve with Senator Craig during my time in Congress. My wife, Susan, and I wish him and his wife, Suzanne, well as they begin a new chapter in their lives."
Personal liberty -- only if you remain a tortured closeted bi/gay man.
Check out this ad on Craig's List - someone is offering to help the poor S-O-L schlubs at Lehman by taking their minds off of their troubles for a few:
Lehman Analyst wants to get drunk and hook up - 24 (Midtown West)
Reply to: pers-841722828@craigslist.org [?]
Date: 2008-09-15, 2:08PM EDT
I've had a crappy day and the mood at work sucks. So, I am heading out, gonna get drunk tonight and wanna find a hot guy to do it with. I live near 49th/8th, and can host.
I'm 5'9, weigh 140, smooth, lt brn/grn, bottom, oral, into body contact.
hit me back with email, pic. we'll meet at starbucks and take it from there.
A "preview" of the Wall Street action is below the fold.
Is this part of that whole "free trade" thingee? Your tax dollars at work serving as an easy ride for Big Oil.
Government officials handling billions of dollars in oil royalties improperly engaged in sex with employees of energy companies they were dealing with and received numerous gifts from them, federal investigators said Wednesday.
The alleged transgressions involve 13 former and current Interior Department employees in Denver and Washington. Their alleged improprieties include rigging contracts, working part-time as private oil consultants, and having sexual relationships with - and accepting golf and ski trips and dinners from - oil company employees, according to three reports released Wednesday by the Interior Department's inspector general.
The investigations reveal a "culture of substance abuse and promiscuity" by a small group of individuals "wholly lacking in acceptance of or adherence to government ethical standards," wrote Inspector General Earl E. Devaney. Devaney's office spent more than two years and $5.3 million on the investigations.
...The reports also said former head of the Denver Royalty-in-Kind office, Gregory W. Smith, used cocaine and had sex with subordinates. The report said Smith also steered government contracts to a consulting business that was employing him part-time.
Brian Patrick Thornton, who refers to his own on-screen man-on-man smooch on The Today Show didn't result in blurring or censoring on the West Coast -- and that was in 1999. He calls BS on the lame statement put out by CBS. (
From "Good As You"
Ah, just when former pastor, meth purchaser and male escort massage enthusiast Ted Haggard was readying for his debut in the documentary about his rise and steep fall on HBO, 
An Associated Press report claims that 
I thought that he might be feted with toe tapping, but Senate colleague Mike Crapo paid tribute to 
