FOF's James Dobson is Going Completely Mad Over Hate Crimes

Right Wing Watch posted a new video of James Dobson (he said he was going away in February), who has reemerged to bail water out of the sinking ship of the religious right. Dobson returns with a message for his minions.

It says, in part: "As I'm recording this video greeting, there's a so-called hate crimes bill that's working its way through the congress that contains no adequate safeguards to protect the preaching of God's word. Because the liberals in Congress would not define sexual orientation, we have to assume that protection under the law will be extended to the 30 sexual disorders identified as such by the American Psychiatric Association. Let me identify some of them: bisexuality, exhibitionism, fetishism, incest, necrophilia, pedophilia, prostitution, sexual  masochism, voyeurism, and bestiality. Those are just a few. And I have to ask, have we gone completely mad?"

In related news, the NYT writes about the hate crimes legislation: "In addition to providing more resources, the act would serve an important public education role, underscoring the seriousness and horror of these crimes. In a particularly ugly moment in last week’s House debate, Representative Virginia Foxx, Republican of North Carolina, declared that Mr. Shepard’s death was 'a hoax,' repeating a right-wing canard that he was not a target because he was gay. Luckily, Ms. Foxx is part of a dwindling — if still too vocal — minority."

Watch Dobson, another voice in that minority, vocalize AFTER THE JUMP...

Fundies Orchestrate Anti-Gay Coup of Women's Group in Singapore

A Singapore lawyer, Thio Su Mien, has orchestrated a coup of a major women's advocacy group in Singapore because of her concerns that it had become too "pro-lesbian" and "pro-homosexual".

A reader writes:

"I'm writing to to ask for support as well as to highlight a situation that is unfolding rather dramatically in the island nation of Singapore. It involves a hostile takeover of a women's advocate group by Christian fundamentalists linked with Focus on the Family who have been actively and successfully preventing any progression of basic gay and women's rights in Singapore. Earlier in March, Singapore’s most prominent, oldest and only women’s advocate group, AWARE, held their Annual General Meeting. Members were to vote and elect a new executive board. It turned out to be a hostile takeover. The group essentially organized supporters of their cause (through church links) to oust long serving members of the group from the executive committee. They did this by getting people who had previously no interest in AWARE's activities to sign up as members sympathetic to the fundamentalist rhetoric right before the elections were to be held. The old executive committee had no idea what hit them until the election was well under way."

The Straits Times: "Dr Thio, 71, a born-again Christian who runs her own law firm, is the mother of Nominated Member of Parliament Thio Li-ann and her nephew, Dr Alan Chin, is married to new Aware president Josie Lau.She was the first woman dean of the Law Faculty at the then-University of Singapore, from 1969 to 1971. Disturbed by what she saw as signs that it was promoting lesbianism and homosexuality, she began urging women she knew to challenge Aware's attempts to redefine marriage and families. On Thursday, the new Aware leaders said that they and their families had been threatened and even received death threats, and they have reported them to the police."

A group of news links chronicling these events can be found here. An online petition has been started to oppose the new group.

If you watch the disgusting video of this woman's daughter, Thio Li-Ann, mentioned above, presenting her anti-gay agenda to parliament, you can see where they're coming from. Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP...

James Dobson Says Religious Right Losing Culture War

In a Focus on the Family farewell speech, James Dobson told his followers that the religious right is losing the culture wars.

"The battles that we fought in the 80's now, we were victorious in many of those conflicts with the culture...trying to defend the unborn child, trying to preserve the dignity of the family an the definition of marriage. We fought all those battles, but really it was a holding action."

He urged them not to give up:

"We are awash in evil and the battle is still to be waged. We are right now in the most discouraging period of that long conflict. Humanly speaking, we can say we have lost all those battles...Humanly speaking, we can say that we have lost all those battles, but God is in control and we are not going to give up now, right? The world has turned colder for the family in recent years and there is such hostility to anyone who holds to a faith and we're going to take the heat. But I have been assured by the board and by many of you that we're not going to cow, we're not going to be discouraged. We're going to continue to express the love for the Scripture and the principles that we find there and if we are made fools for Christ, that's okay too because our purpose is to serve him and that he be pleased." 

Dobson announced he was stepping down as chairman of the organization in February.

Listen, AFTER THE JUMP...

James Dobson Resigns Chairmanship of 'Focus on the Family'

James Dobson, who stepped down as president and CEO of the Colorado Springs-based anti-gay group Focus on the Family six years ago, has resigned as chairman, the AP reports:

"Dobson notified the board of his decision Wednesday, and the 950 employees of the Colorado Springs, Colo.-based ministry were informed Friday morning at a monthly worship service, said Jim Daly, the group's president and chief executive officer. Dobson, 72, will continue to host Focus on the Family's flagship radio program, write a monthly newsletter and speak out on moral issues, Daly said. Dobson's resignation as board chairman 'lessens his administrative burden' and is the latest step in a succession plan, the group said."

Said Dobson: "One of the common errors of founder-presidents is to hold to the reins of leadership too long, thereby preventing the next generation from being prepared for executive authority, though letting go is difficult after three decades of intensive labor, it is the wise thing to do."

GLAAD President Neil Giuliano released a statement in response to the news: "For more than 20 years, James Dobson has used his expansive, well-funded media platform to promote defamatory and false information about the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. As Dobson resigns from his role as chairman, it is important to remember his history of false and defamatory claims about our community. GLAAD urges the media to not allow Dobson to turn today's news into yet another media platform for him to advance his intolerant divisive attacks on gay and lesbian Americans and their families."

Anti-gay Marriage Bill Introduced in Wyoming House

An anti-gay bill has been introduced in Wyoming's House. The AP reports:

"The gay marriage bill would let Wyoming voters decide whether to amend the state constitution to deny state recognition of same-sex marriages performed elsewhere...A similar gay-marriage bill has stalled in the Senate Education Committee. Rep. Owen Petersen, R-Lyman, is the main sponsor of the House bill. He declined comment on the bill, saying he will not discuss it until the bill hits the floor."

Colorado's Focus on the Family group has been lobbying Wyoming residents to support the Senate resolution, but one of its co-sponsors says it hasn't been brought to a committee vote yet because there isn't enough support to pass it.

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Focus on the Family in Anti-Gay Attack on Wyoming Constitution [tr]

Focus on the Family in Anti-Gay Attack on Wyoming Constitution

James Dobson's Colorado Springs-based group has begun a telephone lobbying campaign in support of Senate Joint Resolution 2, which would allow Wyoming voters to decide whether the state should recognize same-sex marriages from out of state:

"Wyoming already has a law in place that says only marriages between a man and a woman may be conducted in the state. However, the state is bound to recognize marriages performed in other states, some of which allow same-sex marriages and civil unions. 'Those phone calls are part of an effort to encourage and enable Wyomingites who care deeply about protecting marriage to contact their legislators,' said Sonja Swiatkiewicz, director of issues response for Focus on the Family Action. Swiatkiewicz said the calls began on Friday. She declined to disclose the cost of the effort or how many calls the group were being made. She said her group has worked for the past several years to pass amendments in other states defining marriage as existing only between men and women...The group's calls have been targeting voters in districts represented by some members of the Senate Education Committee. The resolution has been assigned to the committee but has yet to come up for a vote. Sen. Curt Meier, R-LaGrange, is one of the sponsors of the resolution. He said Tuesday that it hasn't been scheduled for a committee vote because there isn't enough support there to pass it."

Said Equality Wyoming spokesman Bob Spencer: "I really don't like to see an out-of-state group getting involved. I just don't think it's necessary. I feel like the Focus on the Family has just moved into the state and wants to see this happen, and I hate to see us go in that direction. I think that equality is important for all people."

Focus on the Family group lobbies for anti-gay-marriage bill [billings gazette]