Who's Trying to Buy Massachusetts?

In a Boston GLOBE article today, it is reported that Vote On Marriage, the anti-gay, anti-marriage group reported its contributions for 2006:

VoteOnMarriage.org more than doubled its contributions from the year before, with big-money donations coming from broader "family"-oriented organizations: Colorado-based Focus on the Family contributed $74,632; Citizens for Community Values in Ohio gave $50,000: and the Wakefield-based Coalition for Marriage and Family gave $40,500.

But individual donors also contributed:

John McNeice , a Canton retiree, gave $26,600; real estate executive John DeMatteo of Wellesley gave $10,000; and Winchester retiree Andrew Mills gave $30,000

AND, if this amendment goes to the ballot expect to see more homophobic dollars flow into the the Commonwealth. I'm sure the Legislators will love that, because after this amendment goes to the voters (if it makes it that far) and the Commonwealth votes discrimination into the Constitution, the outside money will dry up (Focus on the Family will start going after divorce next). BUT, we citizens of Massachusetts will still be here and we will still be giving money to Marriage Equality supporters AND we will be running candidates against those who voted to put discrimination into the Constitution. We are NOT going away and you can take THAT to the bank.

From Gay Sex to Romney

It must be a slow news day. Well, it's either that or the Boston Globe REALLY hates the absentee ex-Governor Willard Romney. If you didn't see the Globe's front page, it's precious! A story on Massachusetts' most infamous homophobe, Brian Camenker.

If you're a regular reader of this blog, you'll get a big kick out of this quote by Camenker (talking about Romney):

"Oh, man, this is really a riot," Camenker said. "It's adolescent for him to react that way -- the guy is running for president of the United States."

To you new readers, the inside joke is that the only two words Brian Camenker says more than "homosexual activists" is "Oh, man". His sad, pathetic show on Saturday mornings is full of "Oh, Man's" and now he's even quoted in the paper as saying it. I made up a Massresistance Drinking Game because of it. (See the last bullet in my September 2, 2006 post.)

As for the rest of the article, there's really not that much new, except to learn that Brian was working on the "Romney files" in the wee hours of the morning. Oh, yeah, and that Brian is obsessed with gay sex, but again, if you're a regular reader you already know that (is Romney his new obsession? Say what you will about his politics but Romney is good looking)

Some conservatives say Camenker's report, spiked with references to gay sex, has seriously damaged Romney's effort to woo conservative voters. Others dismiss the report as a joke. But Romney is not laughing. Earlier this month, he fired back with a press release titled "Meet the Real Brian Camenker," which includes quotes from Camenker saying he was once a social liberal and a link to Camenker's appearance on "The Daily Show," where he was mocked by the comedian Ed Helms.

The Globe only makes it's articles available for a few days so be sure to read it before it will cost you. It's not worth paying to read when you can learn about his crazy antics on this blog for free.

Romney vs Camenker: TKO?

We've been enjoying the pissing match between Brian Camenker and Ex-Govenor Willard Romney. Watching both of them trying to show who is more anti-gay has even garnered some national attention (much to Romney's dismay and Camenker's delight) and has even increased the hits on this blog.

So World-O-Crap blog has entered the fray with a wonderful analysis of the whole Camenker versus Romney smackdown. She even included some details that I had forgotten about Camenker (like his fascination with Marxism and his jaunts to gay bars in Boston).

The post is so good that Romney's advisers should bone up on it.

Is Romney's Congressional Liaison Gay?

Hat tip to the Phoenix's Talking Politics blog for this gem:

The Romney "exploratory" campaign today announced that Louisiana Congressman Jim McCrery will be Romney's congressional liaison, i.e. the guy trying to get other GOP congressmen to endorse Romney.

Way way back in 1992, the Advocate reported that McCrery was a closet homosexual. McCrery, a staunch gay-rights opponent, has always denied it. As far as I know, there's never been anything new to the allegation, but his name periodically pops up in discussions about supposedly hypocritical gay Republicans (such as during the Mark Foley scandal).

So, it would be entirely inappropriate to suggest that Mitt Romney's congressional liaison is gay. That would be wrong. Tempting, but very, very wrong....

I'm guessing Massresistance/Brian Camenker isn't aware of this one yet because I'm sure it will make their website, I mean another hint that Romney is working with homosexuals!!!!

I did a google search of Rep. McCrery & the word "gay" and it gives over 18,000 hits (and they're not only talking about him voting for the anti-gay federal marriage amendment either!)

In full disclosure I should note that Rep. McCrery has a wife and two kids just like other confirmed heterosexual men, for example the Rev. Ted Haggard, so I'm sure the Advocate just got it wrong when they said he was gay in a 1992 article.

Come to think of it, that was about the same time Romney was courting the Log Cabin Republicans for his run for the Massachusetts Senate. Wow...what a coincidence!

It's the Reason I Started This Blog!

An alert reader posted a link to a TownHall.com article which is written by a man who used to be a friend of Brian Camenker, Dean Barnett. The article is called Me and Brian Camenker. It's noteworthy to point out that the TownHall.com's radio personalities are all on the radio station that Brian and Amy do their Saturday radio show. You can read the full article here, but here are a few snippets (emphasis mine):

For this news cycle anyway, Brian Camenker has emerged as a thorn in Mitt Romney’s side. A long time fixture on the fringe of Massachusetts politics, Camenker and his organization, MassResistance, have steadily expressed their disappointment with Mitt Romney as well as virtually every other Massachusetts Republican. One important note – Camenker’s MassResistance verges on being a hate group. Its disappointment with Romney and his Republican predecessors in the Massachusetts’ gubernatorial office is that they haven’t been sufficiently hostile to homosexuals.

and

There was also the issue of Brian’s feelings regarding homosexuality. Brian opposed anything that the schools might do that taught tolerance for homosexuals, not on the practical ground that scarce resources for education should be used solely for, you know, education, but rather on a "moral" ground that teaching tolerance for homosexuality was somehow immoral. I found this repugnant, and was not shy about saying so at Ward and City Committee Meetings. Additionally, it was bad politics. One other note - I also thought that Brian’s concerns regarding homosexuality were deepening into an obsession.

He even talks about the ridiculousness of Article 8/Massresistance's obsession last year with the Macy's mannequins. You really have to read it for yourself.

When the people who are supposed to be on your side are saying these things, I do believe it's time to pack it up.

Remember

Dr. Martin Luther King

January 15, 1929-April 4, 1968

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.--

"Letter from Birmingham Jail," 16 April 1963

Toto, We're Not In Kansas Anymore!

I know I've talked about Massresistance: The Radio Show before and I have warned readers NOT to listen because of the sheer boredom factor but Saturday's show was different. I HIGHLY recommend that you listen to this show. Even though both voices on the show still come across with in the same dull monotone manner it is refreshing to hear the exasperation in their voice.

What a difference a week makes. Just a week ago they were laughing and back slapping with reported assaulter Larry Cirignano so I didn't know what to expect. But this week it's billed as the show about "bad news" with the bulk of the program based on this:

Jan 13/14 - How bad it's looking . . .

Listen to the full show here.

Download the podcast.
Featuring: We're not pulling any punches. The cowardly "pro-family" legislators on Beacon Hill. The sell-outs among "pro-family" activists.

It reminded me of how I felt on January 4th at Governor Deval Patrick's inauguration (after the initial defeat of the Con Con on the January 2nd). As I was standing there outside the statehouse listening to this wonderful man take the oath of office I started to get a good tingling, tomorrow was here and the sun DID come out. It was suddenly all different.

No longer would the Governor of Massachusetts be entertaining the thoughts of discrimination by anti-gay or anti-family groups. Kris Mineau and Brian Camenker no longer had anyone on Beacon Hill to talk to. Yeah, there still are those 62 anti-marriage equality legislators but there is no longer that loudly vocal and anti-gay Phil Travis nor the anti-gay Emile "I'm not a homophobe I just want to take away gay couples rights and while I'm at it fire most of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court" Goguen, ditto for Marie Parente.

This was all realized again on Saturday when Brian and Amy whinned for the good part of the hour about how none of the legislators wanted to take up their pet causes. Even some of the legislators who voted for the anti-marriage equality amendment refused to put their name on Article 8/Massresistance's stuff. One Republican lawmaker "told" Brian he couldn't be on their side to remove the MA SJC because he was a lawyer.

Of course, Brian refused to name any of the legislators on his "side" (for fear they would be targeted like the tactics that Article 8/Massresistance/Mass "Family" Institute has done in the past to the pro-marriage equality lawmakers?) If you do want to see who's been on their side go to Take Mass Action's Election Analysis here. I was going to provide a link on Article 8/Massresistance's website but for some strange reason their removed their analysis from their website (but I still have a copy of it so I will post it here in the future) we still need to keep watching them.

The Hatfields and the McCoys

Yikes, it's too early on a Saturday morning without coffee to be reading this stuff on the web:

Romney's record on gay rights, social issues in cross-hairs - Boston.com

Addresses False Accusations Against Romney.

Well it seems our little leader of Massresistance/Article 8/Parent's Rights Coalition..., Brian Camenker, has been attacking our Absentee Ex-Governor Willard Romney and now accusations are flowing in the opposite direction.



Camenker, who usually just goes on the attack after gay people and children's books set his sights on Romney when Ole Willard started to mention the "P" word (that's Presidency folks). He released some document of sorts that chronicled Romney "gay" activities from his failed run at the Senate to the present day. When they, Massresistance (and I use the term "they" loosely since there really is only about two of them) found they weren't getting the credit they thought they deserved for leaking all this information about Romney they tried to bring in the BIG Guns:

Activist Claims 'Deception' Behind Gov. Romney's 'Conversion' to Conservatism

Apparently these attacks on Romney are started to have some effect because now Romney is going on the defense (and after Camenker) Caution: the following link is to a flipflopping wannabee presidential candidate:

Research Briefing: Meet The Real Brian Camenker Caution: this link is to a flipflopping, Ken doll-like, say what you think the people want to hear, presidential candidate.

Which includes these gems:

Camenker Is Not A Credible Voice And Pushes An Extreme Ideology

Camenker Has A Record Of Attacking Prominent Republicans

Yes, those are on Willard Romney's official website.

Now, inquiring minds want to know...who's right, Brian Camenker or Mitt Romney?

Well, maybe they're BOTH right!

Can You Have a Civil Dialogue When They're Trying to Take Away Your Civil Rights?

I first heard about it over at the Blue Mass Group then I got my own email: the anti-gay, anti-family Mass "Family" Institute is calling for dialogue on Marriage Equality:

Massachusetts Family Institute (MFI) announced an initiative this week that seeks to build mutual respect and dialogue between those who support and those who oppose same sex marriage in Massachusetts.

Advocates for same sex marriage routinely have called supporters of the marriage amendment hateful and bigoted, while amendment supporters say they are simply following the constitutional process to have their voice heard on what they view as an important social issue.

MFI and VoteOnMarriage.org - the ballot question committee seeking to advance the Massachusetts marriage amendment - have endeavored to advance a campaign that refrains from name calling and does not denigrate individuals. However, as many political pundits predict, the same sex marriage debate, much like the abortion debate, will be with us for decades and MFI sees a need and an opportunity to work with leaders on all sides to promote justice in the way we discuss our differences.

"The tone and rhetoric around this public policy issue have escalated to a frenzied level, too often with shouting that does nothing to promote understanding. Denouncing individuals as bigots does not bring people with honest differences together. We would like to work with our opponents to raise the quality of the dialogue," said Kris Mineau, president, Massachusetts Family Institute and spokesman, VoteOnMarrige.org

In the coming months, MFI will convene forums and develop policy recommendations on ways to build bridges and promote positive dialogue on the very real and honest differences both sides espouse relative to same sex marriage and its implications on social policy in the Commonwealth.

Even as this initiative beings to take shape, MFI and VoteOnMarriage.org will continue to urge supporters of the marriage amendment to be respectful of human differences and always maintain a dialogue that affirms the dignity of every person.

"I have come to know my political opponent Marc Solomon, executive director of MassEquality as a gentleman who has strong personal convictions," Mineau added. "I believe that if asked he would come to the table in good faith to advance meaningful dialogue that his supporters also would embrace - today begins the process of asking."

What comes to mind first is how can we have mutal respect for these people who are trying to take away our civil rights? Secondly all I can think of are the times when MFI and its cohorts have "endeavored to advance a campaign that includes name calling and denigrates a whole group". It's obvious that they are now trying to appeal to the voters out there and tell them "We're nice people, we are being called bigots and hateful. We are victims, support us" Well, lest we forget the people who are involved with MFI":

Kris Mineau: "This is affecting me immediately because my children are in conflict. It's putting my children in turmoil," said Kris Mineau,"I've always argued that from May 17 onward, my heterosexual marriage was no longer unique, no longer a standard for the culture, and that's an affront to me and it grieves me."

Evelyn Reilly, MFI's public policy director, said on New England Cable News that she believes gay people are mentally ill.

Roberto Miranda, the leader of Vote on Marriage, likened marriage equality in Massachusetts to the terrorist attacks in New York on Sept. 11th. He also called homosexuality a virus.

Larry Cirignano, the leader of the Catholic Citizenship group and one of the people who headed up the Vote On Marriage signature drive physically attacked a woman who was carrying a sign for Marriage Equality.

Blue Mass Group is also taking the first shot at civil dialogue by asking Kris Mineau to renounce the statements made by Roberto Miranda, (who was standing in the aisle shouting and yelling at us on the Marriage Equality side of the Gardner Auditorium while everyone looked on). I can't wait to see their response.

The Real Romney?

Here's the video which didn't post the first time. (hat tip to Blue Mass Group)

A Love to Hide

My husband and I watched this moving drama this past weekend. I must admit I was hesitant since I'm not fond of foreign language films (reading the subtitles and trying to watch the film too) but this movie was worth it.

It's the story of two men in France, Jean and Philippe who take in Jean's childhood friend Sara, who's family was murdered by the Nazis. The male couple must keep their own relationship a secret while trying to help others.

This film is one of the few films which portray the persecution of the homosexuals by the Nazis which some people would like to pretend didn't exist.

I highly recommend this film.

Intellectually Dishonest, of course!

You probably wouldn't have caught it if you listened to their radio show yesterday but Brian Camenker and ilk don't support Mass "Family" Institute's marriage amendment (the casual listener wouldn't have gotten that from all the back slapping and congratulations that was going on.) If you're daring enough you can see on the Article 8/Massresistance website that there is a letter affirming their stance against the amendment (of course Brian Camenker is also one of the signers of the amendment so that really makes NO sense but then again, has he ever?). Here are a couple of snippets:

We, the undersigned, do hereby declare our opposition to the newly proposed marriage amendment to the Massachusetts Constitution, announced by the
VoteOnMarriage.org ballot-question committee on June 16, 2005.

snip

We are troubled that VoteOnMarriage claims that nullifying the same-sex "marriages" (performed prior to their amendment's enactment) would not be possible, because the U.S. Constitution prohibits ex post facto laws. This is misleading and untrue. An ex post facto law makes illegal an act that was legal when committed (or increases the penalties for an infraction after its commission, or changes the rules of evidence to make conviction easier).

I had thought that Brian and Amy were going to be intellectually honest and voice their opinion however that was not the case. Did you ever hear Amy ask what would happen if the people voted the amendment down like she asked a failed Massachusetts Rep. candidate a couple of weeks ago? No, they were both so happy that the gay community suffered any kind of a setback, no matter how small, that they were ready to smother their guest with kisses.

You see, it's really not about the process or the democracy or the "activist" judges for that matter (they were thrilled Vote on Marriage went to the courts). It's all about the hate.

Mitt Who?

Today's installment of Massresistance: The Radio Show had Larry Cirignano, the man who reportedly assaulted a woman at the Worcester Vote on Marriage Rally a couple of weeks ago. Both Brian and Amy neglected to ask the alleged assaulter about the incident. Could it be that he's given so many different versions of the incident that he didn't want to go on record again with a another different version? Anyway, Larry said he was at the Massachusetts Consitional Convention this past week until it ended at 8:30 and he was glad that they legislators fulfilled their constitutional duty. (Except they didn't since they didn't vote on the Health Care Amendment which is also the "people's amendment) Maybe Larry was outside looking for more women push down?

In another segment of the show they talked about how the climate around the State House has changed and they claim it was because of the Con-Con. I'd beg to differ. I think the climate around the State House has changed because a wonderful new Governor was inaugurated. I can't imagine Gov. Patrick seriously considering any new laws that Kris Mineau, Brian Camenker or any of the other anti-gay activists put forth. And who in the Legislature is going to be their mouthpiece? The two most vocal anti-gay legislators retired (because they surely would not have won another term a la Marie Parente.)

Note to Brian Camenker: We were singing Kumbaya not in victory but because we had all been just shouted at by the Rev. Roberto "gay marriage is like the 9-11 terrorist attacks" Miranda.

While the Con-Con was a let down and yes it was disappointing, it is far from over. They still need to prevail at another Con-Con and then they have to get the voters to ok the amendment. But even that's not the end since their amendment will create three different classes of people which even Ms. Massresistance says won't pass constitutional muster.

On a brighter note, Governor Deval Patrick's inaugural address was so incredibly uplifting. No longer will the groups that want to divide this Commonwealth have the Governor's ear and it feels great! The Inaugural ball was divine too, my husband and I had many people we didn't even know telling us how sorry they were about what happened. It really topped off our night.

Memoirs of a Gay-sir at the Con Con

It's been a couple of days since the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention and I've finally gotten time to jot down a few thoughts from that day:

• One can really feel the hatred from the Vote On Marriage people just by standing next to them.
• The Vote On Marriage people, in keeping with their fraudulent and dishonest signature drive took off their yellow stickers so that they could sit in the Marriage Equality section. When they were asked to move because of a joint arrangement by the Vote on Marriage & MassEquality.org people, they claimed they were neutral.
• I guess I could understand the Vote on Marriage people wanting to sit on our side since their side had Larry Cirignano, the leader of the Catholic Citizenship group who reportedly physically attacked a woman at a Worcester Rally.
• Kris Mineau of the Mass "Family" Institute congratulated the Legislature for voting to put discrimination into the Massachusetts Constitution yet stayed silent when the same Legislature doesn't vote on the citizen petition for the Health Care Amendment. Ditto for Absentee Gov. Romney and Senate President Travaglini.
• A lovely older woman was sitting next to my husband and I at the State House. She was sitting with her daughter who was a Minister (and wearing a rainbow clerical stole) from one of the many religious organizations supporting Marriage Equality. We were so thrilled she was there to support her daughter until we got to talking to them and found out that it was the other way around and that she had been with her partner for over 22 years!
• Most of the Vote on Marriage crowd were bussed in for the day and ended up leaving early because their buses were taking off.
• While the Vote on Marriage crowd was predominately senior citizens, the Mass Equality crowd continues to be more diverse in both age and race.
• The Vote on Marriage people who are united in their hate of gay people aren't even united in prayer. During one of the recesses they had two separate prayer groups. First all the Protestants prayed together, then when they sat down the Catholics got up and said the Rosary separately.
• Rev. Roberto Miranda, the leader of Vote on Marriage group and the guy who equated same sex marriage to the terrorist attack on Sept. 11th, came up to us on the Marriage Equality side, pointed and shook his finger at us yelling "You know you are wrong, you know you are wrong". Jesus would have been so proud.
• Some "Vote on Marriage" guy threw a "Jesus is the Savior and you need to obey him" paper at my husband. We corrected the grammar and it will be posted soon.
• Thank God that Massachusetts is now led by Governor Deval Patrick.

I'm sure I'll have more thoughts as time passes and I get to shake off all the hate that was bestowed upon us on Tuesday (and gear up for the future because of Tuesday).