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04/25/2007
Geez, at least have the decency to denounce white supremacy!
So yesterday we directed you to AmericaBlog, where John Aravosis had discovered that "ex-gay" Stephen Bennett (pic.) was encouraging his readers to watch a video that had been uploaded to Youtube (a) under false pretenses, (b) with a "faggot" tag, and (c) by someone who had also uploaded some horribly racist clips. We, like Aravosis, were disgusted that Bennett would promote the handiwork of such a character, and that anyone would take a pro-gay video out of context and wrap it with antigay title screens in order to make it look queer-unfriendly.
Well, for an example of just how much our opposition DOESN'T GET IT, read this response to the outrage as presented by the "pro-family" site, Lifesite news (highlighting our own):
Amazingly, the video, while newly posted on the internet, is a clip from a 1996 pro-homosexual film called "It's elementary". While the first segment of the YouTube clip of the film covers Cambridge Friends School (CFS) in Massachusetts, a second clip covers New York City Public School 87 where similar propagandising occurs.
In the 1996 video, then CFS Principal Thomas Price notes that it is the school's fourth annual celebration of gay pride day.
Homosexual activists have reacted quickly to the publicity of their agenda and have discussed demanding YouTube to remove the videos. The video's seem to have been posted to the internet by a racist and Bennett in his release stressed that the tag on the video reading "faggots" is something he opposes and should be removed.
Homosexual activists have themselves acknowleged however the veracity of the video clips as segments of the film 'It's elementary'.
But here's the thing: Our outrage is not because we have anything to hide with the "It's Elementary" video and because our hidden "agenda" has been exposed. Our outrage is over the fact that Mr. Bennett linked to a clip of someone who also uploaded clips with titles like "Keep America White," as well as one with the description: "A video celebrating Hitler and the National Socialist Movement." What, do they think his antipathy for gay people is his one redeeming standpoint?!
And then Mr. Bennett is going to make his linkage to this user seem somehow better by suggesting that the "faggot" tag be removed? HELLO -- That doesn't change the fact that the man who is responsible for this video wanted it there in the first place! You can't just wash your hands clean of your personal promotion of someone who embraces the word "faggot" by saying that you personally wouldn't have used it! That would be like us endorsing NAMBLA and then saying, "oh, but it'd be nice if you'd take the 'boy love' part out!" It doesn't work that way!!
The point is that the YouTube user who violated copyright and misrepresented this "must see video" (as Lifesite calls it) is also responsible for tarnishing YouTube with some of the ugliest, angriest, most biased rhetoric that one could possibly disseminate. And Stephen Bennett, someone who is given respect by the organized "pro-family" movement, recommended that all of his good Christian followers support the work of this user. That being the case, we don't think it's the revelation of "our agenda" with which these "pro-family" types should be concerned. What this whole situation would actually seem to indicate is just how closely linked the anti-gay agenda is to so many of society's other biased plights!
MUST SEE VIDEO - Homosexual Propaganda Fed to Elementary School Children [Lifestite]
**UPDATE, 4/28: All of the Youtuber's videos have been pulled and his account has been suspended. At this point, Mr. Bennett has made no public attempt to denounce the racist/anti-Semitic rhetoric of the video's poster.
**UPDATE, 4/28: A prominent "pro-family" leader emailed this writer asking whether I truly believe that Mr. Bennett checked beforehand to see if the poster was a racist:
This is my response:
Well hello to you too.
What I know is this: He def. watched the video via YouTube. When you do this, it's kind of hard to miss the "faggot" tag. And I can't imagine that he didn't know that this was simply the "It's Elementary" video re-wrapped with new title screens, which is INCREDIBLY intellectually dishonest (not to mention a copyright violation, which is less of an issue with me, as people are violating copyright left and right on YouTube).
As for the racist videos -- I never meant to imply that he knew initially that the guy who posted them was also racist and anti-Semitic. However, once it was pointed out to him, he made NO ATTEMPT to distance himself from it (at least that I've seen). On 'LifeSite,' he DID try to justify his linkage by saying that he opposed the "faggot" tag. However, the racist part was kind of glossed over by 'Lifesite' -- if Bennett gave them some quotes, they failed to include them. If he has made statements of which I am not aware, by all means pass them along.
The point is that the type of mentality that deemed it a good idea to make "It's Elementary" look like an expose on the "gay agenda," also felt it appropriate to condemn blacks and Jews, and to use the word "faggot." Every single other video that this guy had posted was reprehensible (I hope you would agree). Why is it that his hatred for gay folks is his one redeeming quality?!?! Mindsets don't tend to work that way. You in the "pro-family" movement work diligently to deny that hate is at play in campaigns of opposition to homosexuality. While you, Mr. Bennett, and many others many not hold actual hatred in your heart, MANY who support denying gay rights are full-blown haters (see the KKK's website, where the regularly link to AFA and FOF press releases). Mr. Bennett sent scores of folks to visit one such person, and despite our reactions (and the suspension of the YouTuber's account), he doesn't seem to have felt the need to distance himself from the sentiment (again, unless I've missed it -- please pass it along if I have).
Feel free to quote me. Have a nice Saturday.
-Jeremy
Jeremy Hooper
Good As You
www.goodasyou.org
*UPDATE, 4/28: We were unaware, but Ex-Gay Watch has informed us that Mission America also sent the video around.
**UPDATE, 4/28. Okay, so since he and Bennett are now talking about me on the Americans For Truth website, I feel it fair game to reveal that the above words were in response to Peter LaBarbera. Of course Peter did not include the full gist of what I said to him. But then again, when was transparency ever the "pro-family" movement's strong point.
I have offered Stephen Bennett (through LaBarbera) a chance to respond publicly. I will post his comments in an unedited fashion, should he choose to respond.
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