January 2012

Year in Review 2011: Don’t Ask, You Just Don’t Want To Know

(WNS)—This year, Dr. Michael Brown published A Queer Thing Happened to America, arguing in more than 600 pages there is a “gay agenda.”  Others say that there may not be an agenda, but there has been undeniable advancement of homosexual rights and activism.

Regardless of which side you’re on, you can’t argue with the fact that 2011 has been a year of active battle on this front in the culture war.  Here are some highlights and lowlights:

Repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Brings Challenges for Military Chaplains.  The first casualties of the congressional repeal of the ban on homosexuals serving openly in the military may be chaplains and religious liberty.  That is the concern of both retired and active duty military chaplains after the successful push to end the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy that has ruled the armed forces for nearly two decades. President Obama signed the repeal of the policy into law on Dec. 22, 2010, but 2011 was the year of implementation.  “To say we are just repealing a 17-year-old law is highly inaccurate,” says retired Navy chaplain Mark Jumper of Illinois. “We are repealing a military practice that goes back to George Washington and the American Revolution.”  

White House Anti-Bullying Summit Provides Platform for Activists.  Groups of just about every political stripe want to put an end to bullying. The Obama administration, however, apparently wants to use the crisis to promote a pro-homosexual curriculum. The White House Conference of Bullying Prevention, which took place March 10, provided a platform for gay activists and their allies to promote their agenda -- which increasingly is being pushed into the classroom. Ellen Kahn, director of the Human Rights Campaign’s Family Project, used the summit to get HRC’s “Welcoming Schools” campaign into more elementary schools. The curriculum addresses “family diversity, gender stereotyping and name-calling in K-5 learning environments.”  Included in the curriculum is a video called “That’s a Family!” which depicts 9- and 10-year-olds lauding the benefits of living with two moms or two dads.  The home page of the government’s official website on the issue addresses just two types of bullying: cyberbullying and LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) bullying.  The site links directly to HRC’s “Welcoming Schools” program.  The taxpayer-funded government website also directs students to the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN).

Apple Pulls Exodus International’s iPhone App.  Apple removed a Christian group’s iPhone app from its iTunes Store March 22 after more than 150,000 people signed a petition criticizing what they labeled a “gay cure” app.  “We removed the Exodus International app from the app store because it violates the developer guidelines by being offensive to large groups of people,” Apple spokesman Tom Neumayr told FoxNews.com.  The app, created by Exodus International, a Christian ministry that uses biblical teaching to help those struggling with same-sex attraction, initially came under fire after Truth Wins Out, a gay rights group, called it “hateful and bigoted” toward the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. That group then initiated a petition drive to remove the app at the website Change.org.  In a statement, Change.org editor Mike Jones said that he was “thrilled” that Apple removed the Exodus app: “The message Apple is sending here is clear: There is no place for ‘ex-gay therapy’ on the Apple platform.”

Head of 2012 Olympic Team Resigns after Criticism from Gay Activists.  In early May, two-time gymnastics gold medalist Peter Vidmar resigned as head of the 2012 U.S. Olympic team after scathing criticism from gay athletes and activists. His crime? He donated $2,000 to support Proposition 8, the 2008 ballot initiative that amended California’s Constitution to protect marriage.  Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir, who is gay-identified, called Vidmar’s position on marriage “disgraceful.” Jessica Mendoza, a gold medalist in softball, said she was “very disappointed.” And Aimee Mullins, the head of the 2012 U.S. Paralympic team, said she was “concerned and deeply saddened.”  For its part, the U.S. Olympic Committee said it supported Vidmar’s “right to religious freedom.” But Vidmar said he didn’t want his religious beliefs to become a distraction.

Catholic Charities Drops Adoption Work.  Catholic Charities of Rockford, Ill., — which works with 11 counties — has decided to stop offering foster care and adoption services rather than violate its religious beliefs.  Illinois’ civil union law, which took effect June 1, would have forced adoption agencies that receive state aid to place some children in homes with same-sex couples.  The Legislature failed to pass an amendment to the law that would have protected faith-based groups from being forced to violate their deeply held beliefs about which homes are best for kids.  “The law of our land has always guaranteed its people freedom of religion,” said Penny Wiegert, the Rockford Diocese’s director of communication. “Denying this exemption to faith-based agencies leads one to believe that our lawmakers prefer laws that guarantee freedom from religion. We simply cannot compromise the spirit that motivates us to deliver quality professional services to families by letting our state define our religious teachings.”  Catholic Charities of Boston also chose to drop its adoption services when Massachusetts legalized same-sex marriage.

Gay Rights Activists Angered by TOMS Partnership with Focus on the Family.  Blake Mycoskie, the founder of TOMS Shoes, recently partnered with Focus on the Family to help people in need. On June 30, TOMS and Focus worked together for the “Feet on the Ground” event.  Although the event was a sold-out success, gay rights activists criticized Mycoskie. Focus on the Family’s belief in traditional marriage caused gay rights activists to pressure TOMS to end the relationship. Mycoskie responded by apologizing to the gay community and distancing TOMS from Focus on the Family.  Daly expressed sadness at Mycoskie’s response to the gay rights activists.  He said Focus on the Family’s intention in the partnership was to inspire Christians to better the world.  TOMS’ decision to end the partnership also demonstrated the influence of homosexual activists. Daly said that the controversy “is an unfortunate statement about the culture we live in, when an organization like ours is deemed unfit to help children in need simply because we hold to biblical beliefs about marriage and family.  What will someone decide we’re unfit to do next?”

Starbucks Founder Pulls Out of Willow Creek Event.  Shortly before he was scheduled to address 165,000 people at the annual Willow Creek Leadership Summit, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz withdrew, thanks to a petition signed by only 700 people on the liberal website Change.org.  The petition objects not to the purpose or content of the annual leadership summit, but to former associations of the host. Willow Creek Community Church once had a relationship with Exodus International, a Florida-based ministry that reaches out to homosexuals wishing to leave the lifestyle.  Change.org called for a Starbucks boycott, calling Willow Creek “an anti-gay church” and saying that not denouncing conversion therapy “is tacit approval.”  Homosexual activists have targeted a growing number of corporations working with churches and ministries on various projects.  The activists call conservative Christian groups “hate groups” and the label seems to be sticking.  Willow Creek Senior Pastor Bill Hybels said at the summit the church let Schultz out of his contract without penalty after discussing the petition with him.