Words Like Locusts Flew From Her Fingers

The Homosexual Agenda

Last night I got another very interesting comment on my Stephen M. Hunt: Moron post. To facilitate discussion, I’ll just reproduce the comment below:

“Georgiana said…
To everyone who actually believes that homosexuality is inborn and normal, try reading the book Seeds of Deception: Planting Destruction of America’s Children to understand how homosexuals have been lied to and our society has been brainwashed into believing such nonsense.Natural law and natural rights follow from the nature of man and the world. Just because homosexuality has existed for thousands of years, does not mean it is natural. The percentage is small, 1-3% of population, hardly a number to base normality on.This lifestyle is not natural! Programs such as SEED are indoctrinating our teachers,who then go back into the classroom and coerce students into believing this nonsense. It is against the students First Amendment Rights to be confined in a classroom and have this information taught to them by devious means of love and tolerance. The Golden Rule would do for this tolerance idea. We can care about other people, but we do NOT have to accept the lifestyle as normal. This is intolerant of us and against our rights. The word Homophobic is discriminatory and attempts to silence those who know that homosexuals can change their lives, get married, have children and totally separate from the lifestyle of homosexuality. This is why activists are scarred to death of ex-gays coming in to talk to students for they do tell the truth of the change and its reality. Mr. Hunt is right on with his statistics on longevity and disease statistics. The facts are true. The Center for Disease Control has it all on their website. Thank you to Mr. Hunt for what he has done to bring the truth to those who discriminate against it. Visit www.stopseed.com for more information about SEED.”

I’m very glad Georgiana took the time to comment because she represents a segment of the population from whom, as far as I’m concerned, we don’t hear nearly enough!

(I’ll leave it up to readers to decide for themselves exactly what segment that might be.)

I have visited the Stop SEED web site and see that it’s pretty much entirely dedicated to promoting the book, “Seeds of Deception”, by Georgiana Preskar. I’m presuming that the Georgiana who wrote this blog comment is one and the same.

Okay…gosh. Where do I begin?

First, specifically regarding some of your comments:

“Natural law and natural rights follow from the nature of man and the world.”

Mmm..sort of. This definition from Dr. John E. Becker is particularly well-written:

The idea that not only is nature governed by laws, but that nature has written in the hearts of human beings the laws by which they should govern their lives. In other words, we can know without the help of the Bible the difference between right and wrong. Natural law is conceived to be the foundation on which positive law, the specific laws of individual groups, tribes, nations, is built. It is considered a universal law and is still an operative concept, though the term itself may not be used. The notion of natural law is almost universally rejected by modern social science. Nevertheless, the Nurenburg war-crimes trials after World War II, for instance, had no foundation in written laws, and were based on the assumption of natural laws binding all human beings; the present insistence on human rights also implies the affirmation of a kind of natural law.

“Just because homosexuality has existed for thousands of years, does not mean it is natural.”

What makes a thing natural? Why is heterosexuality natural and homosexuality NOT natural? A definition of terms is needed here. If by “natural” we mean something that exists in or is produced by nature–as opposed to being manufactured or artificial–then certainly homosexuality is natural. That homosexuality is relatively rare, doesn’t make it unnatural. Even if you think of homosexuality as some kind of mutation–it would still be a naturally occurring mutation. Despite what you seem to believe, the entire concept of “natural” is morally neutral.

Regarding the SEED program (I’ll talk about that more in a second), you wrote:

“It is against the students First Amendment Rights to be confined in a classroom and have this information taught to them by devious means of love and tolerance.”

I think you’re the first person I’ve ever seen describe love and tolerance as “devious”. And, I think you might be confused about what First Amendment Rights are! The First Amendment protects freedom of expression and religious freedom. Teaching children about controversial ideas doesn’t threaten either of these freedoms in any way. If anything, teaching children about homosexuality is a demonstration of the First Amendment.

“The Golden Rule would do for this tolerance idea.”

Indeed. Everyone would do well to keep the Golden Rule in mind. That includes self-published authors.

“We can care about other people, but we do NOT have to accept the lifestyle as normal. This is intolerant of us and against our rights.”

Heh..you’re right. It is intolerant of you! Heh, heh…. It’s true that no one can make you believe homosexuality is normal. You have to either figure it out on your own or not. Likewise, no one can force you to believe that the earth is not flat. You have the right to believe whatever you want regardless of how hare-brained your beliefs might be. (Kinda shoots some holes in your whole “mind control” argument, doesn’t it?)

“The word Homophobic is discriminatory and attempts to silence those who know that homosexuals can change their lives, get married, have children and totally separate from the lifestyle of homosexuality.”

The world’s best authorities on human sexuality and psychology have reached the consensus that, while an individual may choose to not act on their sexual preference, sexual identity is not a choice. So, while a homosexual person may engage exclusively in heterosexual activity, the person’s essential sexual identity will not change. There is no compelling evidence that so-called “conversion therapies” work. As in previous posts on this subject, I refer you to the APA’s web site.

I’m just curious, though. Do you know what the word “homophobic” actually means? From the context of your comment, it appears that you do not. “Homophobic” just means (in this context) “fearful of homosexuals”. How does this word “[attempt] to silence” anyone?

“Mr. Hunt is right on with his statistics on longevity and disease statistics. The facts are true. The Center for Disease Control has it all on their website.”

If you find your way back here, Georgiana, I hope you’ll provide a specific URL for this information. Understand, I’m not doubting that homosexuals (probably homosexual men, in particular) have a greater incidence of certain kinds of diseases and an accompanying shorter life expectancy. It’s important to keep in mind, though, that there are a whole bunch of factors that enter into demographic studies of this sort — not the least of which are social stigmas and access to health care. It’s not even close to being as simple as “what they’re doing is unnatural and that’s why they get diseases and die earlier.”

Okay…and now for a few general comments.

First, about SEED. SEED stands for “Seeking Education Equity & Diversity”. It’s a program initiated in 1987 at Wellesley College for
the purpose of helping teachers develop inclusive curricula. SEED isn’t specifically about sexual identity–racial and cultural diversity are also examined. Based on what I’ve been able to find about about it, the whole thing looks a little “touchy-feely” for my taste. For people who’ve never given much thought to their own upbringing and how their ideas about diversity have been formed, though, I’m sure it’s helpful.

Visit Wellesley’s web site for more information.

If I’m understanding it correctly, Georgiana’s basic premise (as described in detail on her web site,) is that SEED employs mind control techniques to make teachers amenable to the “homosexual agenda”.

Yes folks, that’s right. MIND CONTROL.

Cue the scary Twilight Zone music!

I’m hoping that if Georgiana ever returns to our little corner of paradise we might get her to expound upon other important issues of the day. Perhaps something on…oh…the mongrelization of the races?

I can hardly wait!

Other People’s Lives

Okay, I’ve got another idea about why the media are so fascinated by the Pope’s medical condition and this one feels like it’s the closest I’ve yet come to the truth.

I think it has a lot to do with the public’s ravenous appetitie for hearing about other people’s lives. It’s the same thing that generates “news” stories about celebrity divorces. It’s the same thing that’s made Jerry Springer a millionaire. It’s the same strange and unhealthy hunger that’s given birth to “Reality Television”.

Also, I think a lot of people have a sort of “Precious Moments” attitude towards the Pope. It’s easy to understand I guess–if you assume that lots and LOTS of people are kinda dumb. (And I do!) I mean… scroll down and have a look at the Pope’s photograph. He looks kindly and cherubic. He looks like a sweetie-pie. Make no mistake, though. The Pope is one tough old bird. He’d have to be. And he’s complicated. VERY VERY complicated. There’s a lot I like about this Pope but…he’s noone’s kindly old grandfather.

So…I guess a lot of people like being spoon-fed simple stories about other people’s lives.

Hmm.

Sick Shoes

I just saw a commercial that amazed me.

In the commercial, a woman was complaining about how her feet hurt because of arthritis. “I can’t even wear heels anymore”, she whines. Her friend recommends Aleve. At the end of the commercial, the two of them are crooning over some new pair of shoes.

How sick is that?!? You’re going to put drugs into your body–drugs with known harmful side effects when taken over a long period of time–so you can wear a pair of high-heeled shoes?!?!? God damn, but that’s stupid!! Those shoes are bad for your feet even if you don’t have arthritis. Everyone knows that.

Modern drugs are fantastic inventions. They’ve helped billions of people. Aleve, itself, has been very helpful to me at times. (I have bursitis in my left hip.) But you shouldn’t take drugs unless you HAVE to–and that includes even non-prescription drugs. If you can do something to help your condition that doesn’t involve drugs, you should do it. Surely, wearing comfortable low-heeled shoes is a sensible approach to handling foot pain from arthritis.

These kinds of commercials just reinforce silly and short-sighted behavior among people. Grr… like people need any encouragement to be silly and short-sighted.

No One Wants to Miss The Boat

It just occurred to me why the news media are so gung-ho on reporting about the Pope.

They thought he was going to die.

No one wanted to miss out on the big story.

The Pope

I’m fascinated by the amount of media attention that’s being given to the Pope’s latest health crisis.

Catholicism, and by extension, the Pope himself have generally been treated by the media as a sort of quaint anachronism. You know the kind of thing I’m talking about. That “he seems like a nice enough old guy but he’s really out of touch with the modern world” attitude. And that’s the more favorable popular attitude. A growing number of people, it seems to me, have outright hostility towards the Pope and Catholicism.

I don’t know where all of this favorable media attention is coming from. Even assuming there’s some conservative Christian influence at work in the media (Bush-y evangelical type stuff), I’d not have expected this much. In my experience, evangelical Christians aren’t huge fans of Catholicism either. They may agree with the Catholics on the abortion thing but they just can’t get behind the whole praying to the Virgin Mary and the Saints thing.

So, it’s just weird. Unexpected. I simply can’t believe that many Americans are terribly worried about the Pope. I could see it as a “10-minutes into the hour” sort of news story, but not as the number one story!

It’s strange.

Pope John Paul II

Photo by Plinio Lepri – AP

Following Up On The Steve Hunt Post

Stephen M. Hunt: Moron

I’ve received a couple of interesting comments on my original “Stephen M. Hunt: Moron” post, so I figured I’d just post my response as a new entry. Do have a look at the comments on the original post (link above) to get the context.

——-

Thanks for your comments, Patricia and Bennie. I’ll respond to Bennie’s post.

First, I think the phrase “homosexual lifestyle” is somewhat demeaning. It implies that homosexuality is a choice–like going to the theater or dining out at fine restaurants. Those are “lifestyles”. Homosexuality is simply…a life.

You claim that “a multitude of experts” dispute the idea that homosexuality is a normal, unchosen variation of human sexuality, but you mention only one study by Grove City College. I had never heard of this institution so I did a Google search on them.

From their web site: “Grove City College remains true to the vision of its founders. Rejecting relativism and secularism, it fosters intellectual, moral, spiritual, and social development consistent with a commitment to Christian truth, morals, and freedom.”

Considering their religious approach to education, I’m afraid I have serious doubts as to their objectivity in studying homosexuality. I’d prefer to stick with the conclusions of an internationally recognized authority on human sexuality and psychology: the American Psychological Association.

According to the APA’s web site, “Sexual orientation exists along a continuum that ranges from exclusive homosexuality to exclusive heterosexuality and includes various forms of bisexuality” and “… human beings can not choose to be either gay or straight. Sexual orientation emerges for most people in early adolescence without any prior sexual experience”

So, when I say that homosexuality is a normal variation of human sexuality and it’s not a choice, I’m only repeating the learned opinion of the best experts available.

I have to say, though, I’ve never heard the thing about “dissolution of semen in the rectum”! Where does that come from!?! That’s just weird… (I’m trying to imagine what kind of research was done to form that conclusion! Whoa! Heh, heh…ok…never mind…)

Anyway, you (Bennie) ask which God is ticked off with Stephen M. Hunt. It should be obvious. My God. My God is the only REAL God! (I mean, really! What kind of God could possibly give a shit one way or another what consenting adults are doing in the bedroom? No God worthy of worship, that’s for sure.)

You mentioned the possibility that homosexuality might be caused by a person’s upbringing. While there are likely some environment factors (including environmental factors in the womb before a child is even born), it’s also quite likely that their are biological and genetic factors involved. It’s all pretty complicated and nobody’s yet figured it out completely.

You do say one thing I can agree with. Homosexuality is not a “peachy” life for many people–primarily because of the widespread discrimination homosexuals face. Even in these modern times, when you’d think people would be past antiquated notions about sexuality, prejudice is as blatant as ever. It’s sad…and, frankly, depressing. It’s hard to be optimistic about humanity when you run into so many people who are bigoted.

Sigh.

At any rate, I believe Stephen M. Hunt’s views are not based on the current scientific understanding of human sexuality. I believe he was completely out of line sending his letter out to the Fairfax County school principals and that’s why I say he’s a moron.

Our Dirty Little Secret

Last night an acquaintance was talking to a bunch of us about a business trip she recently took to Mississippi. She’d gone on the trip with a group of colleagues and she was one of only a few white people in the group. Most of them were black.

(Is it bad to call African Americans “black” now? I have a hard time keeping up with the current favored terminology and I don’t want to offend. Twenty or thirty years ago, “black” was preferred. It makes sense to me. I’m white. Dark-skinned people are black. Though, of course, most African Americans are more of a warm brown color and I’m more of a pinkish beige color. Anyway…I digress…)

Apparently, this woman and her colleagues drew quite a few stares down in Mississippi. People just did not like seeing these white people walking along the street chatting away with African American people.

Most of us, hearing our acquaintance’s story, did the usual ‘tut-tut’-ing and murmuring about how bad that was and how unbelievable it was to us that prejudice of that kind still exists. Basically, the sentiment was: What’s wrong with those people in the deep south??

I heard one of our group though, an African American man, quietly say something to the effect of: You have no idea. It’s all around here, too–all the time.

Well… he should know, right?

I guess up here in the northern big city we’re just not quite so crass about how we display our prejudices in public. It’s declasse to be openly biased against African Americans. I’ve been surprised, though, by how comfortable many people are with prejudice against Asian Americans.

As an example, a few years ago I reported a neighbor to the ASPCA because she was mistreating a puppy she’d got for her kids. To make a long story short, the ASPCA went to the neighbor’s house and rescued the dog. The dog ended up with a new, wonderful home. Happy ending to the story, right? After the dog’s rescue, though, the ASPCA lady called to let me know how it had gone and said, “You should have told me they were Asians. They’re just the worst!”

I was stunned. In retrospect, I wish I had said something, but I was just so amazed. It had never occurred to me that anyone could possibly consider the neighbor’s being Asian as a factor. I mean…people who mistreat dogs come in all colors, right? Really, though, you hear these kinds of throw-away snipes against Asian people all the time. Snotty comments about Indian folks, nasty remarks about Korean folks. If people are saying this kind of crap about Asians right out loud, I suppose it’s not all that unlikely they’re thinking similar things about African Americans and just aren’t saying it.

So that’s our dirty little secret. Racial prejudice isn’t gone up here, it’s just expressed a little more “tastefully”.

That’s probably no secret at all to the people who are on the receiving end of it.

Alliance Defense Fund “Report Card”

Some of you may remember an entry I posted last August about the Alliance Defense Fund’s “National Campaign to Stop the American Civil Liberties Union.” I thought I’d check back in with these folks to see how their campaign was going, so–assuming that such an important mission must surely be getting a lot of attention–I did a Google search on “campaign to stop the american civil liberties union” and discovered that my own post from back in August headed up Google’s very slim search results page!

Of the other two results, one was a scornful blog entry from someone else who couldn’t figure out why they’d received stuff in the mail from ADF and the second was a 2002 press release from our good friend Alan E. Sears, President & General Counsel of the Alliance Defense Fund, announcing the National Campaign on The Common Voice web site.

Gee…that was three years ago! And still no one’s talking about The National Campaign? Hm….

Ever vigilant, I went directly to the source–Alliance Defense Fund’s own web site–in order to learn what became of the NCTSTACLU. No Joy! I could find no mention of it!

I guess it’s a good thing I didn’t send them any of my money, eh? I’d be SO disappointed! And look! The ACLU is still out there–causing trouble!

For failure to follow through,
I give the Alliance Defense Fund a big fat F.

Wegman’s, Fairfax Virginia

A Wegman’s grocery store opened in our neighborhood this past Sunday and today I shopped in it for the first time. (Actually, I entered the store a few days ago but it was so incredibly frigging crowded that I turned right around and left without buying anything.)

It was still VERY crowded. There was no sane way of shopping their deli, cafe, or patisserie aisles. People were lined up 4 and 5 deep. The aisles I was able to shop were still crowded-which reminds me: I have a free hint for people who shop at grocery stores. Are you ready?

Don’t leave your cart in the middle of the aisle while you figure out what you want to buy! DUH!!

Jeez, you’d think people could figure that out by themselves.

Anyway, the selection was quite good. They had lots of vegetarian and organic options. Their prices were okay– not as low as Food Lion’s, but not as high as Safeway’s. I wasn’t able to check their prices on deli and bakery stuff because of the crowds. It’s probably just as well. The “American Housewife” has been spending far too much money on bakery and deli items lately! It’s ever so much cheaper to make most of this stuff at home and much of it isn’t all that difficult or time-consuming.

So, will I go back to Wegman’s? Probably– but only when I’m sure I won’t have to deal with a crowd. Maybe in a week or two…at 10 or 10:30 pm. (They’re open until midnight.)