Scott Lively and Peter LaBarbera Announce New Anti-LGBTQ Group

Two anti-gay activists have just announced the formation of a new far-right coalition. During a February 21st press conference at the National Press Club, Scott Lively of Defend the Family International and Peter LaBarbera of Americans for Truth About Homosexuality (AFTAH) announced the formation of the Coalition for Family Values. Greg Quinlan of PFOX and Diane Gramley of the American Family Association of Pennsylvania were also on hand for the event, the Washington Blade reports.

According to a press release, the purpose of the Coalition for Family Values is "to unify and coordinate pro-family groups around the United States and the world to more effectively oppose the now global LGBT agenda." In a statement posted at LifeSite News, the Coalition for Family Values complained that "the LGBT agenda has already gone too far", urging "family-friendly nations" to resist advances in LGBTQ rights. Calls for LGBTQ equality are merely an imposition of "inverted morality" by westerners, the statement insisted.

"The Coalition for Family Values will be encouraging our current and future affiliates throughout the world to lobby their own governments to follow the Russian example. While the LGBT agenda has seemed like an unstoppable political juggernaut in North America and Europe, the vast majority of the people of the world do not accept the notion that sexual deviance should be normalized. It is time that these voices are heard on the world stage before the so-called elites of the Western powers impose their inverted morality on everyone through the manipulation of international law, which they clearly intend to do." 

The new coalition is receiving support from organizations and figures among the Religious Right. The Washington Blade reports that Oklahoma Rep. Sally Kern, Brian Camenker of MassResistance, and Matt Barber of Liberty Council Action are among the more than 70 far-right figures from around the globe who have joined the coalition.

The Coalition for Family Values has taken an approving stance toward Russia's anti-gay propaganda law, although it is not alone among far-right groups in doing so. The first action of the organization will be to release a statement in support of Russia's "pro-family laws". Scott Lively spoke warmly of Russia's anti-gay legislation at the press conference. “We want to praise the Russian Federation for providing much-needed leadership in restoring family values in public policy,” he said at the event, according to the Washington Blade.

“By taking these steps in the face of intense criticism and hostility by some Western governments and NGOs, the Russians have demonstrated the high value that they place on their children and the natural family model of society. We believe that God will bless the Russian people for their faith and courage.”

In a transcript of her speech at the press conference, Diane Gramley stated that the U.S. "could learn from Russia and stop the homosexualization of our nation ...  It is time for the United States to stop using our children as lab rats to see how they react to the homosexual propaganda they are exposed to in the public school classroom, in many children's books, in video games and the entertainment industry."

Video footage of the press conference shows that Scott Lively endured heckling from a member of the audience. Lively responded by insisting that "homofascism" is seeking to "suppress all other perspectives about the homosexual issues except those that favor your position".





Lively was not amused at being interrupted.





The Coalition for Family Values is the latest reminder that the American Religious Right has global ambitions and global networks. As the far-right grow increasingly open about its work abroad, LGBTQ rights supporters have both the opportunity and responsibility to monitor the right's international activism



To read additional commentary, visit the following links.

Right Wing Watch: Scott Lively's New Anti-Gay Coalition: Governments Should Suppress LGBT 'Propaganda'

Mother Jones: Anti-Gay Evangelical Calls Protesters "Homo-Fascists"

O-blog-dee-o-blog-da: Activists ejected from Scott Lively anti-gay press conference

News Tidbits

Pennlive: Gov. Tom Corbett gets a high-five for his comments likening gay marriage to incest

CNN: Scalia says atheism 'favors the devil's desires'

Think Progress: Catholic Bishops To House: Shut Down The Government Unless We Get Our Way On Birth Control

New York Times: Jesuit Campus to End Coverage for Elective Abortions

On Top Magazine: FRC Prays For Gay Protections Bill ENDA 'To Be Stopped In Its Tracks!'

Huffington Post: 'Salt Bible' By Zach Myrow Encourages A Spirit Of Religious Questioning

Minnesota Public Radio: New documents show church leaders debated legality of priest's p*rn

Gay Star News: Christian B&B owners who banned gay couple won’t back down, go to Supreme Court

Gay Star News: Gang kidnaps Serbian man on family's orders to 'cure' him of being gay

After Freeh Report, Homophobes Allege "Homosexual Aspect" of Sandusky Scandal

In 2011, the Special Investigations Task Force of the Penn State University Board of Trustees asked former FBI director Louis Freeh and his law firm to investigate of Penn State's response to former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky's child abuse. On July 12th, Louis Freeh introduced their findings at a press conference, during which Freeh lamented the "total disregard for the safety and welfare of Sandusky's child victims" by leaders at Penn State University, according to Pennlive. The Freeh report alleges that President Spanier, coach Joe Paterno, and other Penn State leaders hid facts related to Jerry Sandusky's child sexual abuse from the public, the authorities, and the Penn State Board of Trustees.

These claims should make all of us angry. Not only did Jerry Sandusky sexually abuse multiple boys, but powerful men in his institution concealed his wrongdoing and failed to hold him accountable. The Freeh report is an opportunity to talk about the role of institutions in child sexual abuse and demand greater accountability from leaders. At times like this, some Religious Right voices prefer to take swipes at gays, unfortunately.

Republic of Gilead has discussed how Religious Right figures have used the Sandusky scandal as an excuse to promote homophobia (see here and here). This pattern of homophobia continues. In a One News Now article on the Freeh report, Dianne Gramley of the American Family Association of Pennsylvania stated "Through all this we cannot ignore the fact that Jerry Sandusky's victims were all young boys. We can't ignore the homosexual aspect of this." She insisted that during Spanier's time as president, "he has brought more and more homosexual-oriented programming and events to the campus than ever before."

The article also quotes Matt Barber, vice president of Liberty Counsel Action. Barber rightly criticized Penn State leaders for ignoring abuse in the name of protecting the football program. Unfortunately, he also promoted homophobia when he told One News Now "Anytime homosexuality is involved -- even though in this case it's a homosexual predator preying on children -- people seem to have this innate fear that they are going to be crushed by the sexual anarchist lobby if they speak out against it."

How many times do we need to say it? Homosexuality and child abuse are two different things. There is a HUGE difference between sex between consenting adults, and the intrinsically destructive abuse of children. This was a child sexual abuse scandal, not a homosexuality scandal. Until the Religious Right grasps this simple concept, they will continue to demonize LGBTQ people, ignore the real roots of sexual abuse, and exploit the suffering of sexual abuse victims.

Would you excuse me? I need to scream now.


To read additional commentary, visit the following links.

Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters: Religious right exploiting Sandusky's crime to hurt gay community

Truth Wins Out: Beyond the Pale: Bigot Leaders Blaming Gays For Jerry Sandusky’s Crimes

Homophobia and the Penn State Sexual Abuse Scandal

On November 4th, former Penn State football coach Jerry Sandusky was indicted on forty counts of sexual abuse of minors. Pennlive reports that two additional cases of reported sexual abuse were recently opened by Pennsylvania Children and Youth Services, one of which involves a family member of Sandusky's. The Second Mile, a charity founded by Sandusky to help underprivileged youth, has come under fire by donors, and may be sued by one of the young men who reported sexual abuse.

Sadly, some voices from the Religious Right are using this situation to launch attacks against LGBT people. Rather than use this scandal as an opportunity to discuss child abuse in a constructive manner, some voices have used it as an excuse to disparage gays.