Family Research Council Is A Hate Group

The Family Research Council has become a very powerful group among American right-wingers.   So much so that its annual gathering, called the Value Voters Summit, is considered to be a "must-attend" event by major Republican politicians -- especially those running for the party's presidential nomination.

The group, and its bigoted leader Tony Perkins, has been trying to pass themselves off as a christian group just trying to defend strong christian values -- values they would love to force on all other Americans.   But's that's just a lie -- unless you consider hatred and bigotry to be christian (and American) values.

Finally, someone has called them out on their lies.   The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), the most outspoken and effective group battling for equal rights and an end to bigotry, has officially added the Family Research Council (FRC) to its list of "hate groups".   The SPLC, which has broken the back of many hate groups like the KKK by taking them to court and winning sizeable judgements for their victims, keeps a list of hate groups in America -- a list that currently has over 900 hate organizations on it.

The SPLC says a hate group is one that has "beliefs or practices that attack or malign an entire class of people, typically for their immutable characteristics."   Although Perkins and the FRC are incensed over the hate group classification, there is no doubt that the FRC fits the definition of a hate group.  

The FRC has shown an extreme hatred of homosexuals and worked for years to deny that group the same rights enjoyed by other Americans.   That would be bad enough, but this group doesn't mind spreading outright lies to achieve their hateful goal.   One example of this is the lie they are currently spreading to defeat the elimination of the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy.   The FRC is telling people that homosexuals are three times as likely to commit sexual assaults as heterosexuals -- an outrageous lie supported by no evidence at all (except in the black heart of Tony Perkins).

The FRC has in the past defended its hateful actions by claiming their beliefs are religious-based.   They have the right to their own beliefs, however hateful.   But by going out and spreading outright lies in an effort to affect government policy to deny others their equal rights, they have stepped over the line and earned their designation as a hate group.

I applaud this action by the Southern Poverty Law Center.   It's high time for decent Americans to stand up against this kind of unconstitutional and un-American bigotry.

The SPLC listed the FRC among 18 anti-gay hate groups, including National Organization for Marriage, Traditional Values Coalition, Liberty Counsel, Family Research Institute, and the American Family Association.   The full list of these anti-gay hate groups can be found here.

Racism At The "Values Voter Summit"

I want to thank the good folks at the excellent blog Mark of the Beast for the heads-up on this bit of right-wing sleaze. The Family Research Council just held their Values Voter Conference from September 12th thru the 14th in Washington, D.C. I know this will shock many of you (not!), but it looks like racism is alive and well among the "christian" right-wing.

One of the more popular booths at the conference was run by Bob DeMoss and Mark Whitlock. Both have been connected to Focus on the Family and the Family Research Council for years. These two "good 0le boys" from Tennessee were selling Obama Waffles in their booth.

They had their booth open for a day and a half of the three day conference, and sold 400 boxes of the waffles, before the Family Research Council realized they were getting some bad publicity from the racist booth and asked them to close it down.

DeMoss and Whitlock claimed their "free speech" was being curbed and claimed their product wasn't racist. DeMoss said, "I understand that it's not for everyone. But we don't have a racist bone in our bodies. This is humor, not hate." But the waffle box itself shows this to be an outrageous lie. The box contained:

- an image on the flap depicting Obama in a Muslim headdress with the copy "Point box toward Mecca for tastier waffles."

- a caricature of Rev. Jeremiah Wright as a missing person on the side of the box, with copy, "Popular sayings: 'God d*** America' and Made in the US of KKA."

- the recipe for "Barack Belgium Beauties" reads, "Environmentally conscious consumers should pay two ozone-offset carbon credits to Al Gore's GreenWorld fund."

- a caricature of Michelle Obama saying, "For the first time in my adult life I'm proud of an American waffle."

- an attempt at a rap song, "Barry's Bling Bling Waffle Ring recipe rap"
"Yo, B-rock here droppin' waffle knowledge

Spellin' it out, 'cause I graduated college

Some say I waffle so fast, Barry's causin' whiplash

Just doin' my part, made wafflin' a fine art

For a waffle wit style, like Chicago's Magnificent Mile

Spray whipped cream around the edge

Shake it first like Sister Sledge

Then say wit me, I can be as waffly as I wanna be!

(That goes out to my Ludacris posse)"

And in an attempt to offend everyone,

- a caricature of Obama in a sombrero promoting "Open Border Fiesta Waffles," saying, "The greatest danger of all is to allow walls to divide us. It's time we opened our borders and our wallets to all who desire a taste of freedom. So put out the welcome mat and enjoy this multicultural celebration." And, "While waiting for these zesty treats to invade your home, why not learn a foreign language? Recommended serving: 4 or more illegal aliens."

Are these really the values promoted by the "christian" right-wing? How could anyone get these kind of racist values from the teachings of Jesus?