Another litany of prejudice and bigotry.

[sparkindarkness]

It has been a while, but we, sadly, have another round up of hatred and bigotry from all sides as usual. The bombardment is everywhere, it comes in all sectors of society.

For a while I considered not doing these for the sake of the sporking, but I don’t want to run and hide far -it’s a bad habit that is steeling over me.

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In the world of business and education

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In the utterly horrifying – a school in Texas outed a lesbian student to her parents I have no words for how utterly out of line this is. It’s beyond the line. It can’t even see the line on a clear day.

Sam Hall, a gay coal miner in West Virginia who was subject to prolonged homophobic harassment including death threats – ignored and participated in by his bosses.

A gay couple in New Zealand has been force to close their bakery. Unrelenting anti-gay abuse, detah threats and vandalism have driven them out of business and the police can do nothing

The chain Chick-Fil-A continues to support virulent anti-gay groups – with bonus non-pology

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The elected leaders of the world continue to wallow in hatred – it’s terrifying when you think these people are supposed to be leaders but have no problem showing their homophobic backsides

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In Britain, the Tories remain true to form. George Osbourne has referred to openly gay MP Chris Bryant as a “pantomime dame” Of course the Tories insist that it isn’t remotely homophobic. Of course not.

William Hague also continues to treat gay rights with the dismissive contempt we have come to expect

Tory MEP Roger Helmer has spoken out in favour of ex-gay therapy No, really. Even LGBTory couldn’t let that one go

In Virginia, Delegate Bob Marshall goes into the homophobic deep end over DADT – and is fighting to ban gays from the Virginia national guard as well apparently troops can’t concentrate with gays around, their allies will shun them and AIDS blood will be used in transfusions. Yeah… beyond contempt

In Utah, State Senator Chris Buttars is outraged by anti-gay bullying measures yes, he’s against the measures – he’s quite for the bullying. But then he’s an all round bigot of incredible vileness

In Germany, politician Volker Kauder, leader of the Christian Democrats has announced that children can’t possibly be happy in gay families I’m sure if children can be happy in the families stained with such hatred, they can most certainly be happy with gay parents

In Palm Springs, Police Chief David Dominguez uses anti-gay slurs and is only just cottoning on to the fact that calling gay men cock-suckers is not bloody ok.  Guess how fair anti-gay stings run by this bigot are?

And, extremely depressingly, the American Department of Justice has filed another defence of DOMA

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We can never underestimate the power of the media and the damage the homophobia, prejudice and general fucked-up-ness of various celebrities. The damage these cause to hearts and minds unmatched

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Cis-gendered, straight actress Megan Mullally is apparently a better gay man than I could ever hope to be. Such a statement doesn’t even need a response, at least, not a coherent one.

Chris Brown and Raz-B have a Twitter war that is full of so much badness about spousal abuse and molestation victims but also sprinkles in a heavy dose of repellent homophobia.  Fans have naturally expressed their outrage rushed to Chris Brown’s defence. Fake apology came but isn’t linked here because it’s worth less than the type strokes his PR people spent on it.

Reggae act Blakk Rasta has declared that being gay is a mental disorder. And no matter how ‘metaphorical’ his cleansing fire is for gays, I am leery I am.

The Dilemma, despite complaints, still has a gay joke in it that is sooo funny and necessary to the plot that it couldn’t possibly be removed

Disney straight-splains why they don’t need gay characters because they can IMPLY gayness.  Well they’re certainly implying homophobia – no, wait, implication is too subtle a word.

A beautiful advertising campaign emphasising that GBLT people are a part of life and family particularly trying to prevent the invisibility of black LGBT people draws the usual expected ire, especially from a local pastor. The same old tropes – apparently the billboard will make kids gay (because yeah signage is totally the cause of homosexuality). Because our existence is, again, just too revolting for people to contemplate.

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Which brings us neatly to that paragon of hatred – organised religion.

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The Catholic church continues its drum beat of hatred. Cardinal Francis George regards gay marriage as out of touch with mother nature – And the human race Wow, we’re not human or part of nature any more in the Catholic church’s view.

A Catholic school district is against Gay-Straight Alliances, but hey that’s ok because they don’t have Nazi groups either! And, of course, nazis and gays are totally the same thing right?

The pope is of course in the hate parade. He gets upset if he doesn’t get his hate fix regularly Apparently our wanting to get married somehow penalises straight folks as well as reminding us how precious and wonderful straight love is – unlike our love of course

Of course, the Catholics don’t have a monopoly on homophobic hatred. Former, highly respected Anglican Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali is concerned about Elton John and David Furnish’s son. See he’s at risk. Amazingly enough he hasn’t felt the need top comment on heterosexual surrogacy or age. But then heterosexual couples provide automatic “stability” and “health” over us icky gays.

The House of Mercy (HA!) homeless shelter extends a loving warm hand to homeless people in need. Unless they’re gay. GBLT people belong on the street, it seems, and are turned out as soon as the staff think they’ve found a gay person

A church in Miami is furious with Univision for their obscene programming. And by obscene programming we mean an interview with Ricky Martin, because he’s gay. And gay men = automatic obscenity

We have a prayer alert warning sent out by Cindy Jacobs, exorcisers of “gay demons”. See, if proposition 8 is overturned then California will be destroyed by an earthquake but then she also thinks that the odd incidents of mass bird deaths that are so perplexing are caused by the repeal of DADT. Honestly how do straight people live knowing that gay doom could be inflicted on them at any second? Of course I’m kind of confused why an all powerful deity would be so… obscure in his messages.

Deity: Damn it, GABRIEL! GABRIEL!

Gabe: Yes boss?

Deity: Look, look at the American military!

Gabe: Oh no, more torture scandals? Dead civilians? The general evil of war?

Deity: Screw that, you know I don’t care about that stuff! They’re letting homos me soldiers! The gays Gabriel! The terrible gays!!!!

Gabe: I see… have you been drinking again?

Deity: I warned them! I WARNED THEM! I will send a message they cannot doubt!

Gabe: Gotcha, I’ll get Metatron, talking pillars of flame it is

Deity: Don’t be silly. I’m killing some birds

Gabe: Birds? But…

Deity: BIRDS! Damn their flapping evil! They’re in league with the gaaaays!

Gabe: ooookay. We need to water your drinks a bit more.

Of course, Islam doesn’t have any better a record. In Malaysia a gay man who made an It Gets Better style video is now afraid to go out due to the death threat he receives. Islamic leaders in Malaysia have been less than encouraging

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Lastly and most tragically – we have to look at the violence. The people hurt, the lives lost, the tears shed. I always insist these be linked with the above because they cannot cannot cannot be separated.

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Another gay teenager has committed suicide, 18 year old Lance Ludsten took his own life after being a victim of anti-gay bullying

A police sergeant in Houston is being investigated after his comments about beating up and arresting gay people

A man in Oregan was beaten unconscious in an anti-gay assault

In Florida, a neo-nazi has been found guilty of stabbing to death gay teen Kristofer King

In London 2 teenagers have finally been found guilty of the killing of gay man, Ian Baynham

In Zimbabwe, 2 gay men were caught having sex, were beaten and arrested. They face up to 3 years in prison on charges of “sodomy”

In Iran, 2 gay men aged 20 and 21 have had videos of themselves having sex discovered on their mobile phones. They are going to be stoned to death. For loving each other…

In Jerusalem, a man who planned to explode a bomb during the pride parade to disrupt it has been sentenced. To 6 months community service Yeah who said Israel was tough in terrorism? Or is it only certain kinds of terrorism?

In Austin 2 gay men are attacked and beaten by men shouting homophobic slurs. 30 witnesses watched and did nothing

In Brazil, the Gay group Grupo Gay da Bahia recorded 250 homophobic murders in the country in 2010 – a number that is growing every year. And these are just what were reported in the press – the real number will be far higher. Anti-hate crime laws face considerable opposition with incredible incitement for violence

In Fort Lauderdale, 2 gay men have been found murdered outside their home

In Minneapolis, Chrissie Bates, a trans woman has been murdered

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Now I think i need to find a corner to gently weep in