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08/09/2010
#NOMTour in NC: Come for the free t-shirts, stay for the 'gays die before 40' claims
In 2008, Mary Frances Forrester, wife of North Carolina Senator James Forrester, penned a column so over-the-top in its tone and Paul Cameron-quoting inaccuracies, that even the far-right Christian Action League, where the piece had been posted, felt compelled to write a followup acknowledging some (but not all) of the misstatements:
Because, unfortunately, there were some inaccuracies in the writing, it becomes only proper those errors be addressed.
...
Forrester erroneously stated that the average lifespan of a homosexual is 39
...
Forrester stated: “Read your social history and you will find that most societies that condoned homosexual behavior did not survive past one generation.” Though the Christian right has often bandied about such statements, it really is an impossible position to defend.
Responding to Criticisms of Mary Francis Forrester’s Op-Ed [Christian Action League]
That sort of apology, even if still coupled with condemnations and undue credence, almost NEVER happens. And the remedy didn't end at corrections: The Christian Action League also proceeded to pull the piece from its site. It's unavailable everywhere. It's not in Google cache. Not in the Wayback Machine. The only place one can even find snippets from the column is on sites that covered it at the time (Interstate Q, most throughly), which tells us that the social conservatives were even more unhappy with it (and the negative attention it received) than even they let on. Perhaps it was Mary's outrageous claim that the average gays and lesbians only live to 39 years-old that did the trick.
But she apparently has not fallen out of favor with the "pro-family" community as a whole. In fact, Ms. Forrester will take to the state at tomorrow's National Organization For Marriage rally in Raleigh, NC:
Raleigh, North Carolina
Summer for Marriage Tour Stop:
Tuesday, August 10, 2010 from 12:00pm – 1:00pm
State Capitol, South Side
Morgan Steet
Raleigh, NC 27601
Speakers:
Brian Brown, President, National Organization for Marriage
Bill Brooks, Executive Director, North Carolina Family Policy Council
Mary Frances Forrester, wife of Senator James Forrester- sponsor of the marriage amendment for the last seven years and Concerned Women for America member
Mark Creech, Executive Director, Christian Action League
Pastor, Olden Thornton, Raleigh International Church
NOM Marriage Tour
Great. Let her speak.
But just a warning, NOMmers: We LGBT activists have a finely-tuned ear when it comes to the discredited Paul Cameron's wackity schmackity claims. Applaud them at your own organizational peril.
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*SEE ALSO: The North Carolina Family POlicy Council has spoken in favor of "ex-gay" change: #NOMTour speakers: 'Change' credible science can't believe in [G-A-Y]