New SPLC reports of interest to Talk2Action
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Wed Feb 08, 2006 at 08:00:09 PM EST
The Southern Poverty Law Center--one of a growing number of anti-hate and anti-racism groups that are taking an increased interest in dominionism--have put out several new articles in the latest "Intelligence Report" put out by the organisation.
In the latest Intelligence Report there are a number of articles that will be of particular interest to the community fighting dominionism:

The Fabulist
Anti-gay researcher Paul Cameron's falsehoods are well known. The incredible thing is the people who still cite them.
This article is a particularly good look at how dominionist groups intermesh, including pulling info from Paul Cameron's debunked studies; among people who have used the material are the American Family Association (Cameron-based material is frequently cited by AFA state groups and on the national level), Rod Parsley of World Harvest Church, Texas Governor Rick Perry (who is quite friendly to dominionist causes), Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council, Focus on the Family, Traditional Values Coalition, NARTH, and others.  (In fact, it is probably not an exaggeration to state that most studies supporting "de-gaying" therapy and dominionist claims towards LGBT individuals in general are based on Cameron's poor excuses for research.)

Of note, Cameron's group--the Family Research Institute--is so virulently anti-LGBT it is considered an actual hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, the same as the Klan or neo-Nazi groups.  One of the proposals Cameron seriously bandied about in the 80's was locking up all LGBT individuals in concentration camps as an "AIDS prevention measure".


Casting Stones

An Army of radical Christian Reconstructionists is preparing a campaign to convert conservative fundamentalist churches.

This is one of the first treatments I've seen (outside of apologetics pages or sites like Talk2Action that focus specifically on dominionism) of dominionist infiltration and hijacking of church denominations.  This article in particular focuses on the Chaldecon Foundation's  attempts at targeting already conservative Christian churches to convert them to full blown Christian Reconstructionism--in methods eerily similar to how the Southern Baptists were hijacked, and how splits have been forced in other congregations.  This will be especially useful reading for those who are researching this (I know several people at Talk2Action have discussed this).

And to show an example of "Action" in action:


Garbage In, Garbage Out

Paul Cameron's discredited research remains a mainstay of the anti-gay religious right. But one key expert aims to change that.

This article is an excellent backgrounder for those unfamiliar with Cameron's poor research record, and focuses on the work of Dr. Gregory Herek--a psychology professor who now devotes a sizable chunk of his time to specifically debunking Cameron and his bad research.  

This shows a good example on how even folks more in the "research" end of things can take action--by providing the ammunition to debunk dominionist claims, among other things. :3




Display:
To everyone at the SPLC who had a hand in pulling these reports together.

A scant few years ago I would have imagined great institutional resources behind research such as this - but now I know it's a labor of love ( and  other strong passions ) on the part of a very few.

by Bruce Wilson on Thu Feb 09, 2006 at 12:09:16 AM EST


My latest essay, "One Bite, One Bomb, One Bullet at a Time," links to SPLC's profile of Cameron, whom SPLC dubs one of America's most discredited researchers, due to his crackpot anti-gay propaganda. As I point out, Cameron is a client of Gary McCullough's Christian Communications Network. McCullough recently published the controversial anti-Mohammed cartoons, and condemned violence by Islamic fundamentalists. This is ironic, since McCullough has condoned violence in the name of Christ. CCN's client list includes a number of anti-gay organizations in addition to Cameron's Family Research Institute.

by jhutson on Fri Feb 10, 2006 at 12:11:53 PM EST
Good article--and it's info that does need to get out in the open for certain.

Another major user of Cameron's junk research (that I am personally familiar with) is the American Family Association and in particular the state affiliates of the AFA.  The AFA of Kentucky (headed by infamous gaybaiter Frank Simon--who also operates a sister organisation, Freedom's Heritage Forum--and who has posted mass mailings and tracts that contain explicit bondage shots of gay men (claiming this is typical behaviour and often even distributed in full view of small children) that are so offensive that they literally caused two conservative members of the Louisville Metro council to give votes for Fairness ordinances when he did his last campaign (and which ended up giving the decisive votes for Fairness)) regularly uses Cameron's bogus "research" (as well as even more offensive sources such as "The Pink Swastika") in its campaigns against LGBT individuals; the AFA of Pennsylvania, tied with Michael Marcavaige (of "Repent America" fame as well as pickets of "Gay Day" at the Phillies), also uses Cameron's bogus research.

The American Family Association has also (on a national level) used Cameron's writings as the basis of campaigns.

by dogemperor on Fri Feb 10, 2006 at 02:59:30 PM EST
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