"If you dare to cry faggot..."

[Rick336]

The following essay was written by Michael Swift in 1987 as a piece of satire. It was a ridiculous piece of writing that was never intended to be taken seriously. He submitted it to a far-left gay newspaper in Boston, Gay Community News, who printed it on their editorial page as a distasteful joke.

At the begining of the essay are the words, "This essay is an outre, a madness, a tragic, cruel fantasy, an eruption of inner rage on how the oppressed desperatly dream of being the oppressors."

It was clearly obvious to any gay person reading this essay in 1987 that it was a piece of satire. No one took it seriously. It was one man's bizzar attempt at satirical writing.

In 2007 few in the LGBT community have ever read or heard of the essay. Those who have, quickly dismiss it as a tasteless joke not to be taken seriously by any rational thinking person.

Yet, the religious right in America in 2007 uses this essay to convince their followers that gay Americans have an agenda to seduce their children.

In his book Bringing up Boys, James Dobson includes this essay in the chapter, "The Origins of Homosexuality," and says that it is "the most shocking evidence" that homosexuals are targeting America's children.

Does James Dobson actually believe that this is the true intentions of LGBT fight for equality in America? In his book he says, "I don't know." But then he says this of the gay rights movement: "Moms and dads, are you listening? This movement is the greatest threat to your children. It is of particular danger to your wide-eyed boys, who have no idea what demoralization is planned for them. I would ask, 'Is there anything more important than taking the time to protect your kids and to be there when they need you most?' I think not."

On the cover of Bringing Up Boys it says "OVER 1 MILLION SOLD.

Here is the satire essay written by Michael Swift in 1987. It is included in Dobson's book starting on page 125 and presented as "shocking evidence" of gays targeting children. Dobson deliberatly omitts the essay's original introduction stating that it is a satire and "cruel fantasy".


We shall sodomize your sons, emblems of your feeble masculinity, of your shallow dreams and vulgar lies. We shall seduce them in your schools, in your dormitories, in your gymnasiums, in your locker rooms, in your sports arenas, in your seminaries, in your youth groups, in your movie theater bathrooms, in your army bunkhouses, in your truck stops, in your all male clubs, in your houses of Congress, wherever men are with men together. Your sons shall become our minions and do our bidding. They will be recast in our image. They will come to crave and adore us.

Women, you cry for freedom. You say you are no longer satisfied with men; they make you unhappy. We, connoisseurs of the masculine face, the masculine physique, shall take your men from you then. We will amuse them; we will instruct them; we will embrace them when they weep. Women, you say you wish to live with each other instead of with men. Then go and be with each other. We shall give your men pleasures they have never known because we are foremost men too, and only one man knows how to truly please another man; only one man can understand the depth and feeling, the mind and body of another man.

All laws banning homosexual activity will be revoked. Instead, legislation shall be passed which engenders love between men.

All homosexuals must stand together as brothers; we must be united artistically, philosophically, socially, politically and financially. We will triumph only when we present a common face to the vicious heterosexual enemy.

If you dare to cry faggot, fairy, queer, at us, we will stab you in your cowardly hearts and defile your dead, puny bodies.

We shall write poems of the love between men; we shall stage plays in which man openly caresses man; we shall make films about the love between heroic men which will replace the cheap, superficial, sentimental, insipid, juvenile, heterosexual infatuations presently dominating your cinema screens. We shall sculpt statues of beautiful young men, of bold athletes which will be placed in your parks, your squares, your plazas. The museums of the world will be filled only with paintings of graceful, naked lads.

Our writers and artists will make love between men fashionable and de rigueur, and we will succeed because we are adept at setting styles. We will eliminate heterosexual liaisons through usage of the devices of wit and ridicule, devices which we are skilled in employing.

We will unmask the powerful homosexuals who masquerade as heterosexuals. You will be shocked and frightened when you find that your presidents and their sons, your industrialists, your senators,your mayors, your generals, your athletes, your film stars, your television personalities, your civic leaders, your priests are not the safe, familiar, bourgeois, heterosexual figures you assumed them to be. We are everywhere; we have infiltrated your ranks. Be careful when you speak of homosexuals because we are always among you; we may be sitting across the desk from you; we may be sleeping in the same bed with you.

There will be no compromises. We are not middle-class weaklings. Highly intelligent, we are the natural aristocrats of the human race, and steely-minded aristocrats never settle for less. Those who oppose us will be exiled.

We shall raise vast private armies, as Mishima did, to defeat you. We shall conquer the world because warriors inspired by and banded together by homosexual love and honor are invincible as were the ancient Greek soldiers.

The family unit-spawning ground of lies, betrayals, mediocrity, hypocrisy and violence--will be abolished. The family unit, which only dampens imagination and curbs free will, must be eliminated. Perfect boys will be conceived and grown in the genetic laboratory. They will be bonded together in communal setting, under the control and instruction of homosexual savants.

All churches who condemn us will be closed. Our only gods are handsome young men. We adhere to a cult of beauty, moral and esthetic. All that is ugly and vulgar and banal will be annihilated. Since we are alienated from middle-class heterosexual conventions, we are free to live our lives according to the dictates of the pure imagination. For us too much is not enough.

The exquisite society to emerge will be governed by an elite comprised of gay poets. One of the major requirements for a position of power in the new society of homoeroticism will be indulgence in the Greek passion. Any man contaminated with heterosexual lust will be automatically barred from a position of influence. All males who insist on remaining stupidly heterosexual will be tried in homosexual courts of justice and will become invisible men.

"We shall rewrite history, history filled and debased with your heterosexual lies and distortions. We shall portray the homosexuality of the great leaders and thinkers who have shaped the world. We will demonstrate that homosexuality and intelligence and imagination are inextricably linked, and that homosexuality is a requirement for true nobility, true beauty in a man.

"We shall be victorious because we are fueled with the ferocious bitterness of the oppressed who have been forced to play seemingly bit parts in your dumb, heterosexual shows throughout the ages. We too are capable of firing guns and manning the barricades of the ultimate revolution.

Tremble, hetero swine, when we appear before you without our masks.


The author of the essay, Michael Swift, surely must have had some revengeful thoughts to write such a disturbing and perverse satire. And Gay Community News acted irresponsible for printing it in 1987.

For James Dobson to include this in his book and to present it to millions of his readers as proof that we are a threat to their children is an outrage. It is clearly a deliberate attempt to mislead millions of Americans to the true intentions of LGBT equality.

To mislead someone is an act of dishonesty. It undermines the values of truthfulness, trustworthiness, integrity, and respect. It is a reflection on one's character.

In 2007 on the Focus on the Family website, James Dobson says, "I have never written anything hateful or vengeful about homosexuals."

Rick

[NathanATX]

Thanks for posting this... it's the first time I read the whole thing.

And it is very creepy. Dobson's pretty smart for including it as fuel in his war against us. It pushes all the homophobe/ignorant's right buttons.

[ladyinred]

All I can say is "Yikes." Dobson is calculating not smart. I guess I equate intelligence with integrity though.

[Rick336]

Focus on the Family offers churches throughout the country a program called "The Truth Project" with classes teaching how to determine truth from lies in today's world. James Dobson is behind this project.

So basically Dobson is teaching "truth" and at the same time deliberately decieving and misleading millions of good people.

James Dobson knows exactly what he's doing by inserting that satire essay into his book. He knows it will stir up anti-gay feelings among his readers and he will get the support he's looking for in his crusade against LGBT equality.

His dishonesty and deception shows a total disrespect for his fellow man. Instead of spreading Christian love he spreads hate and fear.

James Dobson should be ashamed of himself.


Rick

[ladyinred]

The tragedy is they take the writings of one person and make the generalization that this is actually a part of the "gay agenda" but let's take a look at the other side of the coin ,how much of the religious right's hateful rhetoric is being taken as seriously. Yes unfortunately we have idiots among our own that actually are an embarrassment and serve to defeat the promoting of a positive cause. Or work against GLBT people as a whole, but you have your nuts in every stripe , from political to religious, to human rights.

Whether meant as a satire or not, people can easily dismiss it as such and will use it as ammunition against GLBT people in general and how is that helping us? Let's look at what was recently published on the writings of Swift:http://www.federalobserver.com/archive.php?aid=5371,

and just how seriously have they taken him: this is somewhat dated but it should bring the point home:http://www.voy.com/28938/45.html advocating for a death sentence of homosexuals,using biblical scripture.

Personally you are not going to reason with a bunch of fanatics, in the last article they overlook the old testament laws of stoning people to death on the sabbath for working, and adulterers, and children who were rebellious against parents...(and who cursed their parents) and he mentions fornicators in the new testament in the article being worthy of death according to the bible. That would mean a death sentence for the majority of Americans then.. having premarital sex. Fornication:for·ni·ca·tion /ˌfɔrnɪˈkeɪʃən/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[fawr-ni-key-shuhn] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun 1. voluntary sexual intercourse between two unmarried persons or two persons not married to each other.How would that apply do homosexuals?

[Diane Vera]

Whether meant as a satire or not, people can easily dismiss it as such and will use it as ammunition against GLBT people in general and how is that helping us? Let's look at what was recently published on the writings of Swift:http://www.federalobserver.com/archive.php?aid=5371,

If nothing like this existed, somebody would probably make it up. Basically this article has become the anti-gay equivalent of the anti-Semitic Protocols of the Elders of Zion, which was a complete forgery.

[ladyinred]

Again, Diane, you might have a valid point.

[andrewlittle]

I must say, from my perspective, it may be unfortunate that this essay ever saw the light of day. The only reason I have for saying it is "unfortunate" is that it has been so easily co-opted as evidence - possibly the primary evidence - for the "homosexual agenda".

That being said, it is also absolutely brilliant in the way it captures the irrational fears that lie beneath all homophobia and, when understood as satire, reveals the innate stupidity of the fears.

I am mulling through my head how this piece can be reclaimed as what it is - "an outre, a madness, a tragic, cruel fantasy, an eruption of inner rage on how the oppressed desperately dream of being the oppressors."

Robert Fox wrote, "Satire, because it deploys humor and sometimes fantasy, defies notions of "relevance" emanating from a politically correct mind set. But as Darryl Dickson-Carr notes, humor "has played a central role in African American culture." Laughter is a weapon as well as a form of therapy."

Taken out of context as satire, some African American works can be perceived as advocating the destruction of white culture. Mary Daly, as one example of feminist writers using satirical style in otherwise serious works, call for a separate island state for men in her book Quintessence. While being hailed as "proof" of intentions of "reverse" oppression by detractors, most people accept them for what they were intended to be.

This piece by Michael Swift somehow needs to be brought out into the public forum again, but studied and labelled for what it is - a satire of irrational homephobic fear. I am not sure, at this point, how that can be effectively accomplished, but positive it needs to be done.

[Diane Vera]

This piece by Michael Swift somehow needs to be brought out into the public forum again, but studied and labelled for what it is - a satire of irrational homephobic fear. I am not sure, at this point, how that can be effectively accomplished, but positive it needs to be done.

Perhaps by writing commentaries which deconstruct every sentence for the humor-impaired? For example:

Your sons shall become our minions and do our bidding.

Com on now! Do gay men have magic powers, or what? Oh, that's right -- they're all demon-possessed!

(However, even most Christian homophobes don't believe that last idea. Just the nuttier "deliverance ministry" folks do.)

They will be recast in our image. They will come to crave and adore us.

It's funny how homophobes, who claim that only heterosexuality is "natural," believe that heterosexual boys can be so easily seduced into homosexuality, given how difficult (if not impossible) it is for gay men to become straight. Who but a repressed gay could possibly believe such a thing?

[Rick336]

Here's a mass mailing that went out to millions of members of the American Family Association in 2004 using Michael Swift's essay as a "prediction" of homosexuals "taking over the nation". However, it has been updated to include the movie "Brokeback Mountain" as futher proof of the "takeover":

click here:
http://www.afa.net/homosexual_agenda/takeover.asp

[sjbouza]

I have seen this essay and how Dobson has used it to "prove" the "gay agenda". It is unfortunate that he left out from his book the most important part of the essay...

At the begining of the essay are the words, "This essay is an outre, a madness, a tragic, cruel fantasy, an eruption of inner rage on how the oppressed desperatly dream of being the oppressors."

He is very calculating in his doing of this. If he had printed the ENTIRE thing then it couldnt be used to his advantage. This is the work of a devious mind, not the work of a true man of God.

In his message tonight Pastor Chris touched on something, negativity. He said that negativity is not one of the Gifts of God. When someone speaks negatively (or lies) about something or someone they are not speaking from God or with God, they are speaking from their own person. I think this fits Dobson so well. All you hear from him is negativity towards LGBT. Nothing positive. Lies and mistruths are his ammunition. Are these from God? I dont care how many Bible verses this man quotes, I know it isnt from God. He may have fooled himself into believing it is. But by intensionally leaving that first part of the essay out, he totally invalidated everything he has said.

I hope that makes sense to someone out there.

[Rick336]

I think this fits Dobson so well. All you hear from him is negativity towards LGBT. Nothing positive. Lies and mistruths are his ammunition. Are these from God? I dont care how many Bible verses this man quotes, I know it isnt from God. He may have fooled himself into believing it is. But by intensionally leaving that first part of the essay out, he totally invalidated everything he has said.

AMEN!! I agree with you 100% sjbouza.

Anyone who deliberately misleads people cannot be a man of God. For Dobson to put this essay into his book is a deliberate attempt to make people believe that gay people are dangerous.

The big problem is that millions of good people admire and respect Dobson's opinion. That means that millions of people have been deceived to believe that the secret intent of the "homosexual agenda" is to "sodomize" their sons.

The following is what Dobson said after he included the essay in his book Bringing Up Boys:

"Moms and dads, are you listening? This movement is the greatest threat to your children. It is of particular danger to your wide-eyed boys, who have no idea what demoralization is planned for them. I would ask, 'Is there anything more important than taking the time to protect your kids and to be there when they need you most?' I think not."

These words create hate and anger. These words can result in violence against gay people.

LGBT everywhere should be outraged by this. We need to hold Dobson accountable.

Rick

[sjbouza]

Rick,

I agree Dobson and his like should be held accountable. His followers shouldnt just blindly follow him. I mean the scriptures tell us to verify everything others say by searching the scriptures and going to God. That is the biggest problem with Christians today. They hear something that a professed "man of God" says so it must be true. He is a man of God, so he wouldnt lie. What would happen if he was to be made accountable for every single word he has spoken against the GLBT community? What would his followers think of him then? I am sure that he would just call it "persecution", and say that the gays were trying to silence him because he speaks for God and the truth.

He and his like are a very scary breed. They have a great hold on their followers because of their mass media. They can reach millions of people everyday and as you said, they all believe what he says because they perceive him as a Godly man. But I remember the Bible saying something about the fruit that you bear and what comes out of the mouth not what goes in defiles the man. I do believe that one day that something is going to happen and the real agenda of the Christian Fundamentalist will be exposed. I just pray that it is not to late for this country. I pray that they dont do any further damage to America and the people in it.

How can we bring this to light? I mean really bring this into the media. Make Dobson and the like start to prove what they are saying. Is it to late? Do they have to strong of a hold on their followers? There has to be some way!!! My family is very well into what Dobson has to say. They base pretty much all of their political beliefs on what he says. I know from a personal stand point, when I do come out to them, I am going to show them his lies and mistruths. I just hope it isnt to late for them. I just wish that there was some way of bringing this out to the public. Forcing him to prove all of what he has said. There has to be some way...there just has to be!!!

Scott

[Rick336]

He and his like are a very scary breed. They have a great hold on their followers because of their mass media. They can reach millions of people everyday...

Yes. And everyday through books and articles and radio broadcasts, Dobson and Focus on the Family are convincing thousands of Americans that homosexuality is a tragic American problem that needs to be fixed.

This is not news to anybody in the LGBT community. But what is news is that it's working.

In his book The Jesus Machine, Dan Gilgoff goes into great detail of how James Dobson has gained tremendous influence in America in the past ten years and how that influence may be having a significant effect on the future of America.

It's of vital importance to the happiness of gay Americans that our future is not determined by the lies and deceit of a powerful man.



Rick

[ladyinred]

Let's look at Jesus, would Jesus had tried to mislead people. The description is Jesus was without guile. He was not into deceit or being cunning. What would he have said about fraudulent claims, actually the bible talks about defrauding others and being "crafty" and deceitful. It isn't honest and it isn't the truth and also says to cease from slander of others.

[Rick336]

Let's look at Jesus, would Jesus had tried to mislead people?

No. And as long as Dobson lets this essay remain in his book, all the advice he gives about upholding Christian values will be baloney.

Rick

[Steven E. Webster]

Friends,

The deliberate propagation of this satirical essay by Michael Swift as some kind of official blueprint to the "homosexual agenda" is very similar to the anti-semitic propagation (beginning in the 19th century, I believe) of a phony document called the "Protocols of the Elders of Zion" which purported to expose the Jewish "plot" to take over the world.

There was a similar document circulated in right-wing circles that purported to be a communist blue print to undermine western civilization. (In this case, as I recall, "sex, drugs and rock & roll" are a deliberate part of the communist conspiracy to undermine America.) I'd appreciate it if someone could turn up a reference to this anti-communist propaganda, so we could compare it, the Protocols and the essay under discussion here.

So the use of a phony document like this essay to supposedly expose a vast subversive plot is not a new tactic. What are the similarities between this instance and the earlier ones?

See wikipedia on the "Protocols" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Protocols_of_the_Elders_of_Zion One of the shocking bits of information in this article is the fact that although this document was exposed as a forgery in the 19th century, it has continued to be used against Jews right up to the present. I would not be very hopeful that we will ever stamp out a slander like this, but we should not be silent when it is used.

Steven Webster

[Zerbie]

This is not news to anybody in the LGBT community. But what is news is that it's working.

In his book The Jesus Machine, Dan Gilgoff goes into great detail of how James Dobson has gained tremendous influence in America in the past ten years and how that influence may be having a significant effect on the future of America.

It's of vital importance to the happiness of gay Americans that our future is not determined by the lies and deceit of a powerful man.


Rick

Not just gay people. Straight parents, siblings, etc. all need to understand that they too will be affected by what happens to their loved ones. No vacuum, here. Just see sapphyra's introduction on "hello my name is" for the effects homophobia had on her father and herself, as well as her gay uncle. We have more numbers to our advantage than we are using. Let's always remember that the fate of our non-LGBT loved ones is intertwined with ours. And help them see that fact.

[Rick336]

On the Federal Observer website that ladyinred provided us is Michael Swift's essay. Nowhere on this website does it mention that the essay is a satire. Nowhere is there an explanation of when the essay was written or where it came from. The website just supplies their readers with the essay with the following foreward:

FOREWARD: We're certainly not promoting this lifestyle - just sharing information with you folks so that you know what we're up against.

Under the heading of the website is says, "A voice of truth - for America."

Here's the link: http://www.federalobserver.com/archive.php?aid=5371


Rick

[antonyh]

Friends,

The deliberate propagation of this satirical essay by Michael Swift as some kind of official blueprint to the "homosexual agenda" is very similar to the anti-semitic propagation (beginning in the 19th century, I believe) of a phony document called the "Protocols of the Elders of Zion" which purported to expose the Jewish "plot" to take over the world.

See wikipedia on the "Protocols" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Protocols_of_the_Elders_of_Zion

One of the shocking bits of information in this article is the fact that although this document was exposed as a forgery in the 19th century, it has continued to be used against Jews right up to the present. I would not be very hopeful that we will ever stamp out a slander like this, but we should not be silent when it is used.


Thank you for this information. Very interesting parallel.

[Rick336]

Here's another website that has supplied it's viewers with Michael Swift's essay. In the introduction to the essay they say:

Even though the opening statement is put forth as evidence that the contents are not an "agenda", strictly speaking, a look at the history of the "gay rights" movement in the past decade makes it clear that Mr. Swift is not the only homosexual to have this "dream".


http://www.vcyamerica.org/issues/page_view.cfm?reportid=1&pageid=21

[revtj]

I must say, from my perspective, it may be unfortunate that this essay ever saw the light of day. The only reason I have for saying it is "unfortunate" is that it has been so easily co-opted as evidence - possibly the primary evidence - for the "homosexual agenda".


I agree, it is unfortunate that it was ever published.

It was like an engraved invitation to be distorted and used against gay people. The similarity to writings indicting Jews is eery and very telling.

Let's face something: these people hate us and they will use anything they can against us, be it men in leather chaps with exposed butts at the Pride parade, or a false document that just happens to confirm their worst fears. They have already proved they will make up facts and distort research for their own ends, so that should not shock us.

It is NOT about justice or mercy to them. It is about finding a mutual common enemy to project fear and loathing onto, just as it was (is?) with anti-Judaism. Dobson and the anti-gay empire begin with the conclusion in mind, then merely sift through truth and falsehood to construct an excuse for violence against us. And the millions they make in the process keep it flowing.

How we respond is crucial. Has the writer ever publicly retracted the article, or at least made a public statement that this is satire?

One of the sad consequences of the anti-gay lies and distortions is that we are tempted to respond to them in kind. Sinking to their level never helps our quest for equality under the law, it only hurts us and holds us back.

[Rick336]

How we respond is crucial. Has the writer ever publicly retracted the article, or at least made a public statement that this is satire?

I don't know. I've never seen anything else from him. But I'm going to do some research to see if I can find Michael Swift. I'd like to interview him to know what was going through his head when he wrote this piece twenty years ago.

I'd also like to know what was going through Dobson's head when he included Swift's essay in his book.

Sounds like a great idea for a documentary.

Rick

[u-dog]

On the Federal Observer website that ladyinred provided us is Michael Swift's essay. Nowhere on this website does it mention that the essay is a satire. Nowhere is there an explanation of when the essay was written or where it came from. The website just supplies their readers with the essay with the following foreward:

FOREWARD: We're certainly not promoting this lifestyle - just sharing information with you folks so that you know what we're up against.

Under the heading of the website is says, "A voice of truth - for America."

Here's the link: http://www.federalobserver.com/archive.php?aid=5371
Rick


I emailed federalobserver.com and suggested that he should tell the truth about the swift piece. here is my email and Jeff's answer. "Will Compton" is a pseudonym of mine.



On Apr 23, 2007, at 10:36 AM, Will Compton wrote:


The Swift document that you have published on your website was originally published AS A SATIRE in a gay friendly publication. It was intended NOT as a battlecry for homosexuals but as a LAMPOON of conservative accusations and opinions of the gay community.

If you are TRULY intending to provide "TRUTH FOR AMERICA" wouldn't it be "truthful" to identify the purpose of the document to your readers? If you are intentionally trying to mislead your readers then what you are about has nothing to do with "Truth" or "America" does it? You are simply lying to accomplish your goals.

As far as I am aware, being an activist for GLBT rights myself, the only "agenda" homosexual activists have is Equality under the law.

Will Compton



Will,
Unfortunately, the reader who sent the column to me did not identify it's source.


From a personal standpoint, I have no use for the continual destruction of America by Special Interest groups attempting to establish their own identities. You may choose to live your own lifestyle but I do not agree with it. As to your idea of Equality, in my opinion it has gone far beyond that. The law is something that you want changed to fit your preferences in life.


You may not agree with me but it is my opinion.


Jeffrey Bennett

[u-dog]

Jeff Bennet of Federal observer says if I send him the publication info on the "homosexual agenda" he will include it with the post. Rick and TJ can you give me whatever you have?

Specifically the publication date of the issue of Gay Community News (is that right?)

Dave

[Rick336]

Jeff Bennet of Federal observer says if I send him the publication info on the "homosexual agenda" he will include it with the post. Rick and TJ can you give me whatever you have?

Specifically the publication date of the issue of Gay Community News (is that right?)

Dave

Dave,

Great letter to Federal Observer!!

The essay was first printed in Gay Community News, February 15-21, 1987. I have no information about Michael Swift but I will do some research on him through Gay Community News.

The following is the heading originally printed above the essay in 1987:

This essay is outre, madness, a tragic, cruel fantasy, an eruption of inner rage, on how the oppressed dream of being the oppressor.



Rick

[tdogg]

Those intent on spreading lies and deceit, must continually use lies and deceit to get their message across. Dobson and others spread lies and deceit regarding GLBT people, in order to support that, they must continually lie and deceive people otherwise they would be caught in their own lie. Eventually they will anyway.

Our lives, experiences and stories stand on their own. We don't need to twist the message of fundamentalists in order to prove our point. We just need to be, that is proof enough. That's what makes it so difficult for the likes of Dobson, he must always be coming up with something that can be easily bought by those who are followers and have no interest in making up their own minds. Eventually he will run out of lies and deceit, at least sufficient amount to purchase the minds of his followers.

The best defense to this spread of lies and deceit - a constant barrrage of the truth - our lives, experiences and stories. We must take this threat seriously, and constantly fight back with our truths.

[revtj]

Jeff Bennet of Federal observer says if I send him the publication info on the "homosexual agenda" he will include it with the post. Rick and TJ can you give me whatever you have?

Specifically the publication date of the issue of Gay Community News (is that right?)

Dave

Wow, this is some worthwhile research...all I can think is google it which I will do. It could be VERY helpful to have this Swift (a pseudonym?... since Jonathan Swift is the patron saint of all satirists?) guy come out and debunk their use of this piece...hmmm...I'll check with Wayne Besen as well, he loves debunking the right-wing baloney...will report back soon.

[Rick336]

While they claim to want only equal protection under law, the real agenda of homosexual activists is simple: the complete alteration of American society to fit the homosexual view of human sexuality, marriage and family.

Here's what the Agape Press had to say in February 2006 about Michael Swift's essay "The Gay Revolutiuonary." The Agape Press reaches millions of internet viewers:

http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/2/212006a.asp



Rick

[revtj]

CHUTZPAH(PRONOUNCED HOOTS-PAH) In Hebrew, chutzpah is used indignantly, to describe someone who has over-stepped the boundaries of accepted behaviour for selfish reasons. But in Yiddish and English, chutzpah has developed interesting ambivalent and even positive connotations. Chutzpah can be used to express admiration for non-conformist but gutsy audacity. Leo Rosten in The Joys of Yiddish defines chutzpah as "gall, brazen nerve, effrontery, incredible 'guts,' presumption plus arrogance such as no other word and no other language can do justice to." In this sense, chutzpah expresses both strong disapproval and grudging admiration.

One humorous example of chutzpah is often given as follows: "A boy is on trial for murdering his parents, and he begs of the judge leniency because he is an orphan." FROM WIKIPEDIA

Another example is homophobic religious groups hawking lies and fake science to argue against civil equality, equating 'them' with death-deserving felons, thus encouraging violence against 'them', and then claiming that THEY have been victimized! From TJV

[Rick336]

RIGHT WING CHRISTIANS ARE TAKING OVER THE WORLD!!

Here's a website called Christian Crusaders that was written as a satirical piece. At the bottom it states that it is "satire".

However, if we used the same definition of "truth" that James Dobson and other right-wing religious leaders use, then it would be perfectly acceptable to delete the bottom paragraph and use this to prove that the hidden agenda of the religious right is to:

1. Teach firearm training in Sunday School
2. Turn ice cream parlors into Christian bookstores
3. Force Bible reading for all citizens
4. Construct quarantine centers for homosexuals
5. Enforce stoning of adulterers
6. Deport all foreigners
7. Shut down all synagogues, mosques, and temples
8. Ban all music except Christian hymns
9. Annex Iraq as the 51st state

But to use this satirical piece to mislead people would be dishonest. It goes against the Christian value of truth.

But that's exactly what James Dobson is doing by including Michael Swift's satirical essay in his book Bringing up Boys and saying that it is an example that homosexuals are a threat to children.

"Moms and dads, are you listening? This movement is the greatest threat to your children." - James Dobson in Bringing up Boys

James Dobson and Focus on the Family are working with churches all across the nation to teach "Truth in American Society". But is Focus on the Family really qualified to teach truth? Is James Dobson a good example of honesty?

Maybe these churches should be aware of James Dobson's definition of "truth" so that they can determine if these "truth" classes are really worth their money.

Here's the satire piece: http://www.thenewcrusaders.com/

Rick

[ladyinred]

Rick, I read it are you sure that was a satire?

[Rick336]

Rick, I read it are you sure that was a satire?

Yes. Here's what it says at the bottom of the website:

In All Seriousness

Unlike Islam and communism, Christians do not want to take over the world by force. We are demonstrating the foolishness of the Burlington NJ school district, and anyone else who believes that Christians have an agenda like the one presented above. (By the way, the fact that public schools have terrorist drills in the first place should give anyone pause who has school-aged children!) Imagine the outcry if the fake terrorists had been Muslim jihadists or the Earth Liberation Front.


However, consider the Lord's Prayer found in Matthew Chapter 6: "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven". How is the kingdom advanced on earth? The Apostle Paul makes it clear that our warfare is spiritual, not carnal. While Christians should appreciate the solid reasoning behind the 2nd amendment, our battle weapons to advance God's kingdom are words and ideas -- not guns and bombs. And of course the primary weapon is the Word of God itself, the nature of which is explained in Hebrews 4:12 -- For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

If you are interested in understanding what Christianity is really all about, please visit the following link: Understanding the Plan of Salvation.

DISCLAIMER: Attention FBI, Homeland Security, ACLU, Southern Poverty Law Center, Americans United, CAIR, Jihadists, Amnesty International, NOW, and the Stonewall Union -- the above Agenda is satire to demonstrate absurd paranoia.



Rick

[ladyinred]

Here is a website that I found reprinting the article, but it exposes the lies.
http://rainbowallianceopenfaith.homestead.com/GayAgendaSwiftText.html. Personally I wish someone could get hold of this guy and have him publicly denounce the religious right and Dobson for misleading people.

[ladyinred]

Also from what I just read on a aol site Michael Swift is a pseudonym, the author is actually unknown.In other words the name is fictitious there is no gay revolutionary by the name of Michael Swift.http://hometown.aol.com/pdeanbailey/link1.html

Apparently some unknown who has slipped away into oblivion.. where is this revolutionary and his following by the way?

[Rick336]

And the funniest thing of all.... the CC pamphlet just happens to be a direct quote (stolen without attribution) from reactionary CA congressman William Dannemeyer's 1989 book, "Shadow in the Land". Dannemeyer's "Gay Manifesto" is a complete fiction by his own admission in the book. It is a paraphrase of what he thinks a "Gay Agenda might be.

Are they saying what I think they're saying? Wasn't William Dannemeyer a right-wing anti-gay conservative?

If so, then this means that a right-wing conservative actually wrote this essay. And now James Dobson and the religious right are using it to mislead people into thinking that our movement is "....the greatest threat to your children."

Rick

[ladyinred]

http://www.liberalslikechrist.org/about/gayagenda.html
Pretty neat website check it out for it's other stuff too

[andrewlittle]

Are they saying what I think they're saying? Wasn't William Dannemeyer a right-wing anti-gay conservative?

If so, then this means that a right-wing conservative actually wrote this essay. And now James Dobson and the religious right are using it to mislead people into thinking that our movement is "....the greatest threat to your children."

Rick

If I remember right, this addresses a different pamphlet and manifesto/agenda. I would research this before making a strong assumption either way.

[Rick336]

Before I jump to any conclusion here...I have ordered William Dannemeyer's book Shadow in the Land: Homosexuality in America from Amazon.com to see if Michael Swift's satirical essay is actually a work of the anti-gay author William Dannemeyer.

I'm finding it hard to believe that even Dobson would be so irresponsible to include an essay attributed to a gay activist in his book that was actually written by an anti-gay congressman.

Surely this is incorrect.

Rick

[ladyinred]

http://www.icwseminary.org/homosexuality.htm

In his book, Shadow In The Land, Republican Congressman William Dannemeyer of California exposes the true agenda of the homosexual movement. According to him, the homosexuals make the following claims:

But now the tide has turned. We have at last 'come out,' and in so doing we have exposed the mean-spirited nature of Judeo/Christian morality. You have been narrow-minded and self-righteous. But with the help of a growing number of your own membership, we are going to force you to recant everything you have ever believed or said about sexuality. Here are some of the things you will be expected to affirm, in the process of renouncing love, marriage, and family:

(1) Henceforth homosexuality will be spoken of in your churches and synagogues as an 'honorable estate.'

(2) You can either let us marry people of the same sex or better yet abolish marriage altogether, since it will give the lie to everything you have said and done in the past about sexuality.

(3) You will also be expected to offer ceremonies that bless our sexual arrangements, whether or not you retain marriage as something to be celebrated in your churches.

(4) You will also instruct your young people in homosexual as well as heterosexual behavior, and you will go out of your way to make certain that homosexual youths are allowed to date, attend religious functions together, openly display affection, and enjoy each other's sexuality without embarrassment or guilt.

(5) If any of the older people in your midst object, you will deal with them sternly, making certain they renounce their ugly and ignorant homophobia or suffer public humiliation.

(6) You will also make certain that all of the prestige and resources of your institution are brought to bear on the community, so that laws are passed forbidding discrimination against homosexuals and heavy punishments are assessed. We expect and demand the same commitment to us that you made to blacks and to women, though their suffering has not been as great as ours.

(7) Finally, we will in all likelihood want to expunge a number of passages from your Scriptures and rewrite others, eliminating preferential treatment of marriage and using words that will allow for homosexual interpretations of passages describing biblical lovers such as Ruth and Boaz or Solomon and the Queen of Sheba.

WARNING: If all of these things do not come to pass quickly, we will subject orthodox Jews and Christians to the most sustained hatred and vilification in recent memory. We have captured the liberal establishment and the press. We have already beaten you on a number of battlefields. And we have the spirit of the age on our side. You have neither the faith nor the strength to fight us, so you might as well surrender now.1

I have shared the last part of this quote with several people, many of whom are Jewish, not telling them where it was from. Each one of them has said that the quote must be from an extremely dangerous group. Not only is it promoting the hatred of others, especially Christians, but is very anti-Semitic. Many of them asked if this was a neo-nazi or white supremacy organization. When I read them the entire quote above, all of them were shocked and mortified.

In the quote above, William Dannemeyer said that the homosexuals claim to "have the spirit of the age" on their side. Let's examine who the "spirit of the age" is. In the Bible, the "spirit of the age" has many names. Some of these names are, "the spirit of the world," "the god of this age," and "the god of th

[Rick336]

If I remember right, this addresses a different pamphlet and manifesto/agenda. I would research this before making a strong assumption either way.

Yes. I agree. And since ladyinred found the above piece from William Dannemeyer, I'm pretty sure this is a seperate "Gay Manifesto".

Still, I'd like to find out who wrote Michael Swift's "Gay Manifesto" essay since I now know that "Michael Swift" is a fake name.

Rick

[ladyinred]

Somewhat dated , but this will give you an idea how long they have been at this gay agenda thing.http://www.publiceye.org/magazine/v07n1/conshomo.html

[revtj]

WARNING: If all of these things do not come to pass quickly, we will subject orthodox Jews and Christians to the most sustained hatred and vilification in recent memory. We have captured the liberal establishment and the press. We have already beaten you on a number of battlefields. And we have the spirit of the age on our side. You have neither the faith nor the strength to fight us, so you might as well surrender now.

This is abominable. It's classic projection onto the "other."

It reminds me of those internet urban legends, like the guy who was found packed in ice in his tub with his kidney removed. It's scary but it's surreal.

We have to have faith that common sense will emerge. I just cannot believe that the majority of Americans would buy into this.

[ladyinred]

Michael Bronski of the boston gay community news helped publish, "If you dare cry faggot", there is no Michael Swift, he'd modeled it after a satire written by Jonathan Swift 1729.

[revtj]

I remember Bronski...he's got a great website (http://www.zmag.org/bios/homepage.cfm?authorID=56)

Here is his comment on the "Gay Agenda" piece:

"We printed it thinking that it was sort of funny," said Michael Bronski, who was also the main feature writer for the paper, and who continues to live and write in Cambridge, Mass. "It's been picked up by all these lunatic right-wing fringe people. In retrospect, it's caused so much ... it keeps getting quoted as being serious by people on the right and it simply was making a political point, using humour. I personally would, knowing how much it's been misrepresented, I would think twice about printing it then."

Here are some more resources (http://www.damianpenny.com/archived/001981.html).

[/URL]I believe [URL="http://www.joebrummer.com/SixRoadsofDeceptionPart3.pdf"]this (http://www.joebrummer.com/SixRoadsofDeceptionPart3.pdf) has already been posted elsewhere on Soulforce forums by our very own forum pal, Joe?

Bronski is my favorite kind of liberationist. He wrote a great piece on Harry Hay
(http://zmagsite.zmag.org/Dec2002/bronski1202.htm)
I could be mistaken but I think support of NAMBLA made Bronski & Hay unpopular in the mainstream gay movement...it certainly doesn't look good when paired with the satirical essay's threat of "sodomizing your youth." Nonetheless he seems like a Stephen Colbert prototype to me.

It seems like everything has to be oversimplified and dumbed down to get Americans to understand it. We are an erotically-illiterate culture.

[Rick336]

I could be mistaken but I think support of NAMBLA made Bronski & Hay unpopular in the mainstream gay movement

I can see how support for an organization that wants to legalize sex with children would make anybody unpopular. No wonder he doesn't use his real name.

Rick

[revtj]

I can see how support for an organization that wants to legalize sex with children would make anybody unpopular. No wonder he doesn't use his real name.

Rick

It is strange that man-boy love was normal in biblical times, yet it is one of the most extreme offenses in western society today. Isn't that evidence that moral values CHANGE over time and VARY from culture to culture?

[Rick336]

It is strange that man-boy love was normal in biblical times, yet it is one of the most extreme offenses in western society today. Isn't that evidence that moral values CHANGE over time and VARY from culture to culture?

Yes. There was a lot of strange and brutal things that happened during biblical times. And even as recent as the 19th century in America it was perfectly moral to own slaves. Child slaves were forced to work from sunrise to sunset.

In the settlement of the American West hundreds of thousands of Native American men, women and children were slaughtered by Bible believing people under the approval of the government. In California alone 120,000 indians died between 1849 and 1870. Few saw the immorality of it.

At the same time in the industrial north, many young children worked long hours in factories under brutal and dangerous conditions.

In Germany in the 1940s almost two-million Jewish children were murdered while many looked the other way.

Thank God times and civilization have changed.

Rick

[ladyinred]

i was wondering if anyone here would consider writing an expose' on the "If you dare cry faggot" piece that was written under the pseudonym of Micheal Swift and having it published in a newspaper or magazine perhaps. To expose the lie that Dobson has said about there being a gay revolutionary who is actually leading the gay community and conspiring to overthrow heterosexuals. Since such a person does not exist it obviously proves there is no gay revolution or conspiracy. Anyone up for the task,LOL
If Dobson was openly discredited for the remarks he published in his book, people may see through the right wing agenda and exposing their lies would help people see that there is no such threat.It would also help people see that the religious leaders they trust so much are not always truthful or credible and may lead them to question these people and their authority. Yes Revtj, Joe posted an article written by someone else on the subject on the net.

[Rick336]

i was wondering if anyone here would consider writing an expose' on the "If you dare cry faggot" piece that was written under the pseudonym of Micheal Swift and having it published in a newspaper or magazine perhaps. To expose the lie that Dobson has said about there being a gay revolutionary who is actually leading the gay community and conspiring to overthrow heterosexuals. Since such a person does not exist it obviously proves there is no gay revolution or conspiracy. Anyone up for the task,LOL

Ladyinred,

This is a great idea. An article in a major newspaper or magazine would get a lot of national attention. I've actually thought about the idea of a video documentary on this and have contacted a friend of mine who knows about documentary filmmaking who has offered his help. I've already got the fiancial backing, I just need the "know how". I'm still rolling this around in my head.

Rick

[ladyinred]

I don't know Rick , what about writing an article to a magazine or an editorial in a newspaper? A documentary sounds like a good idea. How about putting your head and a few other heads together as to how this might be accomplished. Just a few suggestions, but I thought if we could expose the lies of Dobson and the others who perpetuate this gay agenda myth, people could then see through their lies . I tell you one thing they are doing enough to spread the myth that there is some gay revolutionary out there organizing his plot against heterosexuals, and to expose that such a person doesn't even exist would do alot of damage to their credibility.

I just feel if we keep silent on this issue people will be misled to believe the worst and it will help the religious right in justifying legislation to discriminate against us. It gives them the ammunition to do so if they can gain credibility by spreading such lies. People are apt to believe what they read and hear unless countered or refuted by a more credible source. What about getting the guy who originally published the piece ,"If you dare cry faggot.' to come out publicly ,or even in a documentary, telling the truth about why it was published and refuting the claim,that there is gay revolutionary by the name of Michael Swift?

[Steven E. Webster]

This is an interesting thread!

I notice what ladyinred just quoted from William Dannenmyer (in post #40 in this thread) is attributed in this link (cited earlier in post # 40 in this thread) to a "gay activist" named Steve Warren and cited as published in the Advocate in 1987. Here's that link again:

http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/2/212006a.asp

Is there really such an article in the Advocate? Is there really a Steve Warren, and what's his claim to fame?

It seems to me that Agape Press, Dannenmyer and the like are not really interested in "truth," and they almost say as much. They suggest that it does not matter that Michael Swift's essay was a satire--what matters is it's usefulness to promote the idea of a vast homosexual conspiracy to destroy Christianity.

One interpretation of "postmodernism" is that "truth" does not matter, that "everything is relative." The Christian Right seems to simultaneously oppose postmodernism, and at the same time completely embrace postmodernism. They attack others for "relativism," but they embrace it themselves. They say they defend "Truth," but they play fast and loose with the truth when truth gets in the way of their propaganda story.

I envision Soulforce as holding a very high and respectful view of "Truth" which respects multiple perpectives on truth without surrendering the view that there is Truth which we must collectively strive towards.

Steven Webster

[u-dog]

Steve Warren
Steve Warren Advocate
Steve Warren Act-up

and came up with.... ZIP. Except for religious right sites that were quoting this business. Hmmmm....

I went to Advocate. com to see if their back issues were indexed there but the sit was down for maintenance.

[Rick336]

Just a few suggestions, but I thought if we could expose the lies of Dobson and the others who perpetuate this gay agenda myth, people could then see through their lies .

I agree. Now that we know that James Dobson included the Michael Swift essay in the chapter, "The Origins of Homosexuality" in his book Bringing Up Boys, how can we not persue this?

If Dobson actually believes that Swift's essay is representative of the majority of LGBT people, then we need to set him straight. We need to educate him to the real intentions behind the LGBT rights movement.

If he doesn't believe that Swift's essay is representative of gay folks, then we need an explanation of why he felt the need to include the essay in his book on parenting with no mention that it was a 20 year old satire. In other words, Dobson has some explaining to do.

The reason I believe that it is important to confront Dobson and demand that the essay be removed from his book is because this book has already sold millions of copies. This means that millions of people have read the essay with no idea that it is a satire. Chances are that they believe that it is representative of most gay people and are frightened.

Imagine if a very influential person in America wrote a book on raising children and in the book included an article about African Americans. The article had nothing postive to say about African Americans but did include a satire by an unknown African American author that said among other things, "We want to rape all your young, white, virgins daughters. We will seduce them in your schools, in your dormitories, in your youth groups, wherever we see them. If you call us nigger we will kill you and defile your dead body. Tremble white swine. We will be victorious."

And what if the influential person who publiushed the book never stated that the essay was satire but instead included this statement about African Americans: "Moms and dads. Are you listening? These people are the biggest threat to your children. They are a particular danger to your innocent daughters who have no idea what is planned for them. Is there anything more important than taking the time to protect your kids? I think not."

Doesn't this sound like something that the Ku Klux Klan would publish? How do you think the African American community would react to this?

Rick

[ladyinred]

Exactly. But I also feel the satire was written more out of anger and frustration and has more of a sarcastic tone than anything. But it is twenty years old as you've mentioned and no such person named Michael Swift has materialized along with his revolutionary following.If they were an actuality then they would be saying something about it. Of course Dobson may already know that such a person doesn't exist, I don't know. But if he did some research on his resources, he would make sure he had reliable information and backround on them.