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Republican John McCain has rejected the endorsement of an influential Texas televangelist criticized for his anti-Catholic views.
John Hagee, the Texas preacher, withdrew his endorsement at the same time.
McCain issued a statement after audio surfaced in which Hagee said God sent Adolf Hitler to help Jews reach the promised land.
McCain said in a statement: "Obviously, I find these remarks and others deeply offensive and indefensible, and I repudiate them. I did not know of them before Reverend Hagee's endorsement, and I feel I must reject his endorsement as well."
Hagee also issued a statement saying he was tired of baseless attacks and he was removing himself from any active role in the 2008 campaign.
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Ellen is amazing. Her interview with John McCain was brilliant and right to the point. Poor McCain looked so uncomfortable - as if he knows he is wrong and must parrot "marriage is between one man and one woman" to appease the GOP base.
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Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding is being blasted at home and in London for remarks he made about gays and lesbians during an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation.
Golding condemned Britain and other Commonwealth countries for criticizing the treatment of gays in the Caribbean nation.
''Jamaica is not going to allow values to be imposed on it from outside,'' he said during the interview. Golding is in London on an official visit to the UK.
In the wake of the state Supreme Court's legalization of gay marriage, the Republican governor said Tuesday in San Francisco he hopes gay couples come to California for wedded bliss.
"You know, I'm wishing everyone good luck with their marriages and I hope that California's economy is booming because everyone is going to come here and get married," said Schwarzenegger, prompting laughs and applause, according to a recording.
Alan Colmes is going to interview Exodus International's Mike Ensley on his national radio show on Thursday (11PM) EST. We will debate Exodus' scientifically bankrupt, "What to Do When Your Child is Gay."
Mr. Ensley has had a long history of lying about GLBT life and distorting the truth. Tomorrow is a day of reckoning and we will see how he performs without adoring, brainwashed fundamentalist audiences crying "amen" with each lie. It should be quite fun.
Workers in the San Diego County clerk's office who object to same-sex marriages may be excused from officiating at gay weddings. County Clerk Gregory Smith says he is considering allowing his employees to opt out of the ceremonies for religious or moral reasons. Smith says no employees have asked so far to be excused from officiating at the ceremonies, but he wants to respect those with strong beliefs. Smith says he doesn't think it's correct "to force employees to do it, and I don't think you would want someone who is hostile to your beliefs performing your ceremony."
What a load of nonsense. If an individual works for the government - all people are paying his or her salary though taxes. Such employees should have no say in who they serve and they don't get the option to choose customers. If they have a problem performing the work in which they are paid or do so with attitude, the appropriate action is to fire them. If these busy bodies want to work for an institution in which they only serve people of a specific belief system, there are plenty of churches that are hiring. They should take applications now.
Let's think about this for a minute.
Do we really want public clerks choosing not to perform interracial marriages because they interpret the Bible to say that the races were not meant to mix? Or, how about fundamentalists who beleive that those who are divorced and remarry are committing an abomination? Can they opt out of performing such marriages? How about Jewish employees snubbing fellow Jews who elect to marry gentiles?
Clearly, there are many grounds in which people may object to unions on the basis of so-called "morality." To let city, state or federal employees opt out creates chaos and is a violation of the basic duty of serving the general public.
The argument that marrying gay couples (or others) is a violation of beliefs is sophistry and subterfuge. Religion in a free, democratic nation can only inform personal acts of morality. If one does not like same-sex marriage, for example, he or she do not have to have one.
However, personal beliefs do not give one the right to be judgmental and discriminatory while on the public clock. These bigots should have no say in the matter and simply do their jobs, as what spouse one chooses is none of their damn business. It is amazing how badly some people want to impose their morality and control other people.
A few years back, Warren Throckmorton, an erstwhile psychologist and full-time blogger from a tiny Christian school, filmed a noxious "ex-gay" video, "I Do Exist." The documentary begins at New York's porn palaces on 8th Avenue - with the seedy atmosphere shot deliberately to signify gay life.
Not long into the video, we were introduced to a nutty exorcist who is known to extract demons from the anuses of gay men. In his typical slippery way, the public relations conscious Throckmorton fails to identify the woman as an exorcist (as she was identified in two other movies, "One Nation Under God" and "Chasing the Devil," with apparently less truth challenged producers)
Later in the movie, we meet Noe Gutierrez, who had supposedly gone from gay activist to "ex-gay " spokesperson. For several minutes, he prattles about his tale of transformation - essentially becoming "living proof" that ex-gays exist. Well, last week he renounced his testimony, meaning that as an ex-gay he doesn't exist. History, once again, has repeated itself, with the latest so-called "ex-gay" leader coming out of the closet. This has happened so many times that this story line, quite frankly, has become somewhat stale. I mean how many times can we see this rerun before people get it?
Unfortunately, professional humiliation hasn't stopped Throckmorton from hawking his fictional movie - or just giving it away on his website. Lacking basic integrity and personal responsibility, this slick charlatan persists in retailing ruin to desperate and vulnerable people.
One would think that a person who talks incessantly about values would have the humility to admit he was wrong and repent for his sins. How about a new movie, "I Don’t Exist"? That, however, would take solid character - something that is sorely lacking in Mr. Throckmorton's duplicitous career. He still has not come forward with success stories from his alleged 250 clients. He is also not upfront about his cozy relationships, over the years, with right wing extremists like Bob Knight, Peter LaBarbera and Richard Cohen. (One wonders how many of these fringe elements are on his "Fav Five" speed dial? )
In promoting this fraudulent video, Throckmorton is mirroring the behavior of the American Family Association, which sells "It’s Not Gay," a title that features failed, orgy-loving Michael Johnston. Until "I Do Exist" is expunged from his website or a new version is made with the real Noe Gutierrez story, Throckmorton is no better than a shameless con artist or backcountry huckster. What kind of man claims to be moral and Christian, while consciously misleading people?
Of course, the oleaginous Throckmorton is using semantic tricks to cover his retreating behind. Dr. Duplicity spins his failure by saying it was "a snapshot in time involving 5 people who had reported shifts in sexual orientation." Well, Mr. Throckmorton, the sun has set on your movie, just like your fading and fringe career. If you have a shard of sincerity or a modicum of morality, you'll extinguish every trace of this false film and apologize to the possible victims you may have damaged.
It is time for Throckmorton to redeem himself by acknowledging - without qualification - that "ex-gays" only exist in his wild and overactive imagination. Until this time, he lacks the credentials and credibility to be taken seriously in rational discussions of sexual orientation.
Last month, Throckmorton was scheduled to speak on a panel at the American Psychiatric Association's annual meeting. No doubt, his goal was to pose in front of the APA's logo and make his junk science appear sound. At the last minute, the symposium was aborted after fellow panelist, Gene Robinson, the openly gay Episcopal Bishop of New Hampshire, withdrew.
The experience embittered Throckmorton, who promptly went on a "Sour Grapes Media Tour," portraying the APA, in right wing publications, as fearful of an honest debate. However, if Throckmorton and his right wing cronies really want a truthful discussion, why don't they propose hosting one of their own forums at Focus on the Family? Perhaps, it's because they are petrified of allowing their flock to hear what APA experts really have to say about sexual conversion programs.
Throckmorton also fails to mention that he lacks the substance to be taken seriously. He has yet to write a book, conduct a genuine study or show empirical evidence that would legitimize his efforts.
Instead of laboring in the lab, Throckmorton eschewed hard work and rented a video camera to film the fragile. The catastrophic climax to his B-movie monstrosity was a predictable end to his directing debut. That he continues to direct the right wing's ex-gay efforts shows their desperation and how far they are willing to go to spin science to justify their dubious political efforts.
Tom Loeffler, the national finance co-chairman for Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign, resigned yesterday because of his lobbying ties, a campaign adviser said. He is the fifth person to sever ties with the campaign amid a growing concern over whether lobbyists have too great an influence over the Republican nominee. Last week, campaign manager Rick Davis issued a new policy that requires all campaign personnel to either resign or sever ties with lobbying firms or outside political groups.
When asked in Milwaukie, Ore., about the latest McCain campaign resignations, Obama said: "It appears that John McCain is very much a creature of Washington. "And, it does appear that over the last several weeks John McCain keeps on having problems with his top advisers being lobbyists in some cases for foreign governments or other big interests that are doing business in Washington," Obama said. "That, I don't think, represents the kind of change the American people are looking for."
Despite Obama's pledge not to take lobbyist money, he has several former lobbyists advising him, including deputy campaign manager Steve Hildebrand, who was a lobbyist for an environmental group. Spokesman Hari Sevugan said Obama lets lobbyists advise him but not take paid staff positions
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