Christian hate group resents being called a hate group, sues, loses, sues again

Christian hate group resents being called a hate group, sues, loses, sues again

Last month, a U.S. district court judge in Alabama ruled that the Southern Poverty Law Center was within its legal right to declare D. James Kennedy Ministries (formerly called Truth in Action) a “hate group.”

The hate group filed a defamation lawsuit after it was included in SPLC’s list of “Active Anti-LGBT Hate Groups.” But a judge ruled SLPC was protected by the First Amendment and dismissed the case.

Now, the hate group plans to appeal that ruling.

According to SPLC:

The SPLC defines a hate group as an organization that, based on its official statements or principles, the statements of its leaders, or its activities, has beliefs or practices that attack or malign an entire class of people, typically for their immutable characteristics. The organizations on the SPLC’s  hate group list vilify others because of their race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity — prejudices that strike at the heart of our democratic values and fracture society along its most fragile fault lines. The FBI uses similar criteria in its definition of a hate crime.

In its lawsuit, D. James Kennedy Ministries insists it is not a hate group and claimed being placed on SPLC’s list led Amazon to stop allowing them to raise money through the AmazonSmile program and said that it hurt other fundraising efforts.

Oddly, the ministry has also produced documentary against the SPLC called Profit$ of Hate: The Southern Poverty Law Center, which is currently for sale for $25.00 on its website. Evidently, nobody should be allowed to call them a hate group, but they think it’s OK to accuse others of hatred and greed.

In a statement, the hate group says they have “filed a notice of appeal with the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit in Atlanta.”

“The SPLC plays a disingenuous game, counting on a public connotation of ‘hate groups’ that brings to mind the KKK and neo-Nazis, while behind the scenes arguing that the term has no real meaning,” the statement reads.

“I hope that the media and the public will note well that the SPLC’s defense rests upon the notion that their ‘hate map’ is entirely arbitrary and artificial, and that it cannot be proved whether any group belongs on it or not.”

Related: The religious right may have softened its language, but it’s really the same old hatred

www.queerty.com/christian-hate-group-resents-called-hate-group-sues-loses-sues-20191031?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+queerty2+%28Queerty%29

News Anchors Lose It When Meteorologist Shows Up in Mystical Unicorn Costume: WATCH

News Anchors Lose It When Meteorologist Shows Up in Mystical Unicorn Costume: WATCH

Global News’ Calgary meteorologist Jordan Witzel showed up for his Halloween forecast in a mystical unicorn costume, and judging from the reactions of his newsroom colleagues, the tight white and pink bodysuit was a huge hit.

The post News Anchors Lose It When Meteorologist Shows Up in Mystical Unicorn Costume: WATCH appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.


News Anchors Lose It When Meteorologist Shows Up in Mystical Unicorn Costume: WATCH

Is Your Sports Fandom Impacting Your Dating Life?

Is Your Sports Fandom Impacting Your Dating Life?

A world without sports or a world without smartphones? What would you choose? 34% of singles (and evidently sports fans), said they’d give up their smartphone because they couldn’t possibly…

The post Is Your Sports Fandom Impacting Your Dating Life? appeared first on The Latest Catch.

Is Your Sports Fandom Impacting Your Dating Life?

Trump 9th Circuit Nominee Cries When Called Out on His Extremist Anti-LGBTQ Record: WATCH

Trump 9th Circuit Nominee Cries When Called Out on His Extremist Anti-LGBTQ Record: WATCH

Lawrence VanDyke, an anti-LGBTQ religious extremist and Trump nominee for the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, broke down in tears on Thursday under questioning by the Senate Judiciary Committee about a letter sent to them by the American Bar Association which called him “not qualified” because of his attitudes toward LGBTQ people.

Said the letter: “Some interviewees raised concerns about whether Mr. VanDyke would be fair to persons who are gay, lesbian, or otherwise part of the LGBTQ community. Mr. VanDyke would not say affirmatively that he would be fair to any litigant before him, notably members of the LGBTQ community.”

Added the letter: “Mr. VanDyke’s accomplishments are offset by the assessments of interviewees that Mr. VanDyke is arrogant, lazy, an ideologue, and lacking in knowledge of the day-to-day practice including procedural rules. There was a theme that the nominee lacks humility, has an ‘entitlement’ temperament, does not have an open mind, and does not always have a commitment to being candid and truthful.”

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights writes: “Mr. VanDyke has represented, given speeches to, and worked as a legal intern for the homophobic Alliance Defending Freedom, an organization so extreme that it has been designated as a “hate group” by the Southern Poverty Law Center.[12]  The Alliance Defending Freedom has defended proposed laws to require sterilization of transgender individuals seeking to change their name and gender on their birth certificate, and they have defended criminalizing same-sex sexual activity.[13]  Mr. VanDyke’s deep and lasting ties to this fringe organization demonstrate his acceptance of its radical agenda.”

Asked Sen. Josh Hawley: “Did you say that you wouldn’t be fair to members of the LGBT community?”

Amid tears, VanDyke responded: “I did not say that. I do not believe that. It is a fundamental belief of mine that all people are created in the image of God, and they should all be treated with dignity and respect.”

“It is a fundamental belief of mine that all people are created in the image of God, and they should all be treated with dignity and respect.”

WATCH: Judicial nominee Lawrence VanDyke breaks down amid question about attitude towards LGBT people t.co/Ku7xoMuWtC pic.twitter.com/DnfXjfu1k1

— The Hill (@thehill) October 30, 2019

The post Trump 9th Circuit Nominee Cries When Called Out on His Extremist Anti-LGBTQ Record: WATCH appeared first on Towleroad Gay News.


Trump 9th Circuit Nominee Cries When Called Out on His Extremist Anti-LGBTQ Record: WATCH

#AM_Equality Tipsheet: October 31, 2019

#AM_Equality Tipsheet: October 31, 2019

CONGRATS, NATS!!! AND WHO DOESN’T LOVE A PARADE? SATURDAY, 2 P.M.

For the first time in 95 years, the #WorldSeries champions are from Washington, DC.#STAYINTHEFIGHT pic.twitter.com/wxYc9XbQYo

— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) October 31, 2019

HRC FOUNDATION TO LAUNCH ELEVATE LEADERSHIP PROGRAM FOR BLACK AND LATINX WOMEN AT WEEKEND SUMMIT: Elevate: A Fellowship Advancing Public Health Leadership for Transgender Women of Color will bring 10 Black and Latinx transgender women to HRC headquarters for a groundbreaking pilot program that focuses on developing transgender women leaders in the South to increase their career opportunities and ability to work on improving public health systems. More from HRC.  

ONEPULSE FOUNDATION (@onePULSEorg) ANNOUNCES WINNING DESIGN FOR MEMORIAL AND MUSEUM HONORING VICTIMS OF THE 2016 MASSACRE IN ORLANDO: The design includes a reflecting pool, 49 trees representing the victims encircling the ruins of the nightclub and a museum that “rises like a budding flower.” Said architect Thomas Coldefy, part of the winning design team: “Together, we have an opportunity to reclaim a place from terror and darkness and create a new reality, one that brings people together in celebration of joy and love.” More from Kate Santich (@katesantich) at the Orlando Sentinel and onePULSE Foundation

The winning design for what will become the National Pulse Museum & Memorial.

The legacy of my best friends and 47 others will be a beacon of light and hope. And a chance to show the world that love can – and will – win. pic.twitter.com/7cj8nhfkoo

— Brandon (Were)Wolf ���� (@bjoewolf) October 30, 2019

HRC’S INNOVATIVE ADVOCACY — ENGAGING PEOPLE OF FAITH AS ALLIES FOR EQUALITY: This month, HRC Global released the second in its series of “Engaging Allies” resources and capacity-building workshops. This effort is focused on LGBTQ advocates around the world who understand the importance of religion in shaping and driving societal attitudes towards LGBTQ people. More from HRC

THANKFUL THURSDAY — ON HALLOWEEN, A 10-YEAR OLD TRANS BOY IS FREE TO BE ANYTHING HE WANTS TO BE: Read more from Rebecca Tan (@rebtanhs) at The Washington Post

One of the loveliest stories I’ve gotten to report.

Meet Bethesda boy, a 10-year-old who loves RuPaul and Mario Kart. For Halloween, he wanted most of all to be Garnet from “Steven Universe,” an alien created as a fusion of two characters, two “gems.”t.co/982MaTvZD4

— Rebecca Tan (@rebtanhs) October 30, 2019

ESSENCE MAGAZINE’S 2019 WOKE 100 LIST HONORS WOMEN WHO ARE CHANGE AGENTS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES AND AROUND THE WORLD: The list honors LBT women and allies, including Out Executive Editor Raquel Willis (@RaquelWillis_); Pose’s Dominique Jackson (@tyraaross), Angelica Ross (@angelicaross), Indya Moore (@indyamoore) and Mj Rodriguez (@MjRodriguez7); HRC Foundation Board Co-Chair Jodie Patterson (@jodie_GeorgiaNY); NWLC’s Fatima Goss Graves (@FGossGraves); Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot (@chicagosmayor); and Reps. Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) and Ayanna Pressley (@AyannaPressley). More from Essence

MINNESOTA CARPENTER COULD BE THE STATE’S FIRST OPENLY TRANSGENDER LEGISLATOR: “I think the experience of being trans has honestly made me a better candidate,” said Davin Sokup (@davinsokup), who kicked off his bid for Minnesota’s 20th Senate District in Northfield Tuesday night. More from the Star Tribune

NEW APPLE EMOJIS EMBRACE INCLUSIVENESS: One key feature is a gender neutral option for multiple emojis. More from The Guardian and WTHR

GET CULTURED – Entertainment, arts and sports news!

UNFUNNY” — COMEDIAN MICHAEL CHE’S TRANSPHOBIC COMMENT ABOUT CAITLYN JENNER IS SNL’S LATEST MISSTEP ON JOKING ABOUT GENDER IDENTITY: “If social media is any indication, many at-home viewers were as disappointed as the studio audience over the reference to Jenner, calling it “hacky, lame” and, in several cases, transphobic,” writes WaPo’s Sonia Rao (@misssoniarao). More from The Washington Post

QUEER ICON JANELLE MONÁE DISCUSS HER LATEST ROLE IN BIOPIC HARRIET AND PUSHING HOLLYWOOD BOUNDARIES: “I love rebellious art. I love radical art and I think I’m just going to get even more radical,” Monáe (@JanelleMonae) tells Out. More from Tre’vell Anderson (@TrevellAnderson) at Out.

GLOBAL EQUALITY NEWS

TRANS WOMAN MURDERED IN EL SALVADOR, HER DEATH SHINES A SPOTLIGHT ON VIOLENCE AND LACK OF PROTECTIONS FOR TRANSGENDER PEOPLE: “Trans women are the ones who are most exposed to all of the abuses that exist in the country, and this crime is a hate crime because of the viciousness and level of barbarity with which they committed it,” stated an activist in El Salvador. Read more at Washington Blade.

HUNDREDS PROTEST ANTI-TRANS WRITER MEGHAN MURPHY AT TORONTO LIBRARY: More from the National Post

READING RAINBOW – Bookmark now to read on your lunch break!
Yahoo spotlights Google VP Pedro Pina, named world’s top LGBTQ executive role model; Out reports that Andy Warhol’s portraits of trans women, including Marsha P. Johnson, will be displayed at London’s Tate Modern

Have news? Send us your news and tips at [email protected]. Click here to subscribe to #AM_Equality and follow @HRC for all the latest news. Thanks for reading!

www.hrc.org/blog/am-equality-tipsheet-october-31-2019?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss-feed