MassResistance Off Their Rockers

See, the anti-gay nuts at MassResistance really are insane.

Police said the incident happened at West Middle as children were being let out of school. As parents watched, Olivio parked his car, got out, and began taking many pictures of the school and the students.

Police received a flood of 911 calls from parents and soon the school called. A gym teacher tried to talk to Olivio, who fled toward the high school, police said.

When police arrived on the scene and caught him he claimed he was taking photos for a "documentary." A spokesman for Andover Police told the Tribune that Olivio’s answers were "somewhat vague and suspicious."

So, what'd the guy do when the police finally caught up to him?

Police told Olivio to leave the area, and Olivio responded by running away through backyards in the neighborhood. As he did so, he apparently decided to start stripping.

Don't worry, though, MassResistance's Brian Carmenker came to his rescue.

Camenker told the Tribune that Olivio was evasive when questioned by the police because he was new to MassResistance and "he sort of got excited and flustered and didn’t really know what to say."

Well, people who get excited sometimes do take off their clothes, but generally not when they're running from the police - except, of course, when they're bat shit crazy.

These people are nuts. Luckily, today's story was funny, but that shouldn't obscure the fact that MassResistance - and the people who are attracted to it - are dangerous, quite literally in this case.

Credit goes out to the Eagle Tribute for breaking the story.

They'll Never Give Up

Brian Carmenker's at it again.

"The Legislature and the governor changed our marriage laws to please the well-connected minority and force a social experiment into other states that's very offensive to a majority of the people, at least the way the votes have been going," Camenker said, referring to recent votes in favor of gay marriage bans in other states.

Note to Brian: we aren't those other states. If they don't like it, too bad. State democracies are exactly that - the people creating laws and legislation for their state. We don't make our laws thinking of Texas; Texas doesn't have to create laws thinking of us. If Brian Carmenker doesn't like that, he can go feel free to move to one of those states. Or Nigeria.

This "ballot initiative" that will never be a ballot initiative is desperate on their parts. They can't even manage to update their blog; this most recent shenanigan is nothing but a plea for attention. Their quest is dead and they don't even realize it. It's almost sad, if not for the fact that they seek to spread hate.

Inviting Amy Contrada to Dinner

In my recent post about the unfortunate turn of events surrounding Amy Contrada's daughter, Claudia, I got a fairly humorous reply in the thread. Apparently, we aren't doing enough to make friends with MassResistance. Well, I'm going to do something to change that!

For readers unaware, Contrada's daughter came out as lesbian right before she helped her school open the play "the Laramie Project," which deals with the aftermath of Matthew Shepard's murder in the local community. Unfortunately, it caused a brouhaha that made Amy Contrada's Crazy Person button go off, so she pulled her daughter from the school, posted private pictures and conversations of her daughter's, invaded her daughter's Facebook and unfortunately tried to play her off as a special needs child who was incapable, at the age of 17, to make rational decisions regarding her sexuality. (I knew I was gay since I was around 10-12, so it isn't exactly a stretch to take Claudia's word for it at the age of 17.)

While I'm not buying Amy Contrada's rational - and think it's rather humorous that Mr. Anonymous thinks we should all just try to get along (and would trust Amy Contrada with anything she said) - I decided to bite. I'll go for it.

So, Amy Contrada, come on down! You're more than welcome to take a visit to the beautiful Swampscott; I'll make you a home-cooked meal. I make a great stuffed chicken, filled with prosciutto, basil and cheese, or we could bake a spiral, glazed ham. In gentle conversation, we can figure out just why you believe I belong in hell and why I can't understand how you could be so cruel to your own daughter. Maybe that'll appease the Anonymous posters out there? So, Ms. Contrada, send me an email. Bring a bottle of wine or a dessert and we'll have a fun night out on me!

MassResistance Hits New Low

Who knew the story of Ms. Massresistance's daughter, who came out as lesbian, could get any more interesting. Sadly, it did. Soon after her school's production of "the Laramie Project," Claudia Contrada finds herself the target of her homophobic mother. I hate to provide the link, but here's the newest example of MassResistance homophobia - essentially calling one of their very own family members a student who has such special needs that she couldn't be responsible for her own decision to come out. She very well could have some learning disabilities, but none that have precluded her from memorizing line after line and performing in a very difficult and important play, such as the Laramie Project. I somehow doubt Claudia Contrada isn't perfectly capable of doing a simple thing like an interview. Laughably, Massresistance was saying they couldn't even make Claudia sit out of the play, because she needed it somehow in a capacity related to special education. Huh?

Yet, it gets worse. While the Contradas couldn't see fit to demand her daughter sit out from a play they didn't want her in - because they say it somehow helped with her special needs - they've now seen fit to remove her from the school, the very place she was in to help her with her whatever her needs happen to be. The Contradas have pulled their daughter from her school, her friends, her drama club and clearly a lot of the things Claudia finds important. They've pulled her from the few hours of escape she had. According to Queer Today, they've even "hacked" into Claudia's Facebook account. They've made their very own daughter a target in their unending homophobic spree. I can't imagine the damage they're doing to someone who's obviously a bright, courageous, young girl. Though I doubt it'll stop Claudia. Thankfully, the next generation is going to be better than the one it replaces. If anything, the Contradas are a clear example of that.

H/T to Mark from Queer Today.

Update: For whatever crazy reason, I read more from that Massresistance link. It only gets crazier and crazier, as so many of their posts do. I don't know how the GLBT community can help Claudia other than by giving her all the moral support in the world, but it's clear that Claudia should almost be viewed as a heroine for all the courage it took to come out despite having Amy Contrada as a mother. Seriously, it's one of the bravest things I've ever seen anyone do. However we can help Claudia, we should.

Profile in Cowardice: Senate President Therese Murray

Senator Murray became the first Senate President to much fanfare: she was the first female Senate President ever and she is a so-called equality supporter, replacing someone who voted against marriage equality just a few months ago.

When someone accepts a position of leadership, they accept all the rights, privileges - and responsibilities - that come with it. Senator Murray claims to support marriage equality. She has the support of almost 75% the entire legislature on that one issue. However, she isn't willing to do what the House and Senate did last Constitutional Convention and kill an amendment at all cost. Of course, last time around, they weren't willing to do that for minorities - they were only willing to do that for the health care amendment; the one that would have guaranteed health care for the tens of thousands who are being left behind from this "universal" law in Massachusetts. But that's another issue.

Murray has a duty to kill this mean-spirited, hateful, homophobic amendment that would quite possibly destroy marriage equality. Almost 75% of the legislature would back her on it. History would applaud her courage. Instead, she's being a coward. She's too afraid to follow her peers and stand up for the right thing. She's too afraid of doing what people have done during Constitutional Conventions since as long as I'm aware of: killing amendments procedurally to just make them go away. It's a little too late to cry foul on procedural deaths and if people were to do that, they should have been crying foul about the health care amendment long ago.

They weren't. MassResistance types don't care about that stuff. They just care about their own goals. They cry about procedure because, guess what, it helps their cause. If things were reversed, they'd have no problem with the legislature using procedure to kill this thing. They will do whatever it takes to win, something our side - sadly - doesn't get. Isn't it cheaters who are never supposed to prosper?

So, I say this to Senator Murray: You own this amendment. It became yours when you became Senate President. Word on the street is we don't have the votes to kill this with a yes-or-no vote(coming from a number of sources, including high-ranking Representatives on Beacon Hill) . They also say the only thing blocking us from winning is Senator Murray, the so-called equality supporter. She's such an equality supporter, she's willing to let it be absolutely destroyed because she'd have to stick her neck out and make a courageous call.

Senator Murray: you have a duty to both your constituents and the people of Massachusetts. That duty is to do whatever you can to protect the equality of everyone in this state. That duty is to protect marriage equality. If you want to be remembered fondly by the homophobic people at MassResistance, keep your current course. Mind you, there aren't even enough of those people to keep a radio program going one hour a week - so you may just want to think carefully here.

If you want to do the right thing - and be remembered as a hero for all time - don't let this amendment pass. The ball is in your hands, though you don't have much time: June 14th is the day you can make a difference. You have all the power here. If you were wise, you wouldn't turn yourself into a Profile in Cowardice. If you were wise, you would protect the equality of marriage for all in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Interview With Commission on GLBT Youth's Chair

Recently, I was contacted by Jason A. Smith, Chair of the Massachusetts Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth. He read my story on Massresistance's use of GLBT photographs, complete with full identification of the individuals and homophobic insults written as 'descriptions.' Smith offerred to take questions on any topic related to the Commission. Since it's an important organization that empowers gay and lesbian youth - a disenfranchised group if there is any - I was glad to oblige. Here's what he had to say:

1. For starters, just because I don't think a lot of people know exactly what the Commission does - including people who know about it - can you write a bit about what you guys actually do? What happens at a typical meeting or event? etc.

The Commission as it exists now was created in June 2006 by the Legislature. There had been a Governor's Commission in existence since 1992, but the move to create the Commission as an independent agency of the Commonwealth in 2006 gives us a stability that wasn't there before.

At a minimum, the Commission is tasked with ensuring that there are school and community-based programs for suicide prevention, violence prevention, and promoting zero-tolerance policies regarding harassment and discrimination against GLBT youth. Beyond this minimum, the Commission is expected to investigate resources used to provide resources for GLBT youth and to make recommendations on policies to the government.

Our typical meetings are actually rather formal. There is a set agenda that we move through discussing each item. Because the Commission is starting anew, our meetings have had to be very focused to get through the enormous amount of material that we have to work with. I expect that we will have more interactive meetings and hearings starting in July once the Commission begins to meet around the state and move outside of Boston. The meetings in July and following should be a lot more interactive as we hope to hear from youth, service providers, and other members of the community.

2. How does the commission help deal with problems facing GLBT youth today? What are some of those problems? Are they the same today as they were 10 years ago, 20? Etc. What kinds of things does the commission do in schools across Massachusetts?

The Commission provides a voice for GLBT youth within state government at a level that can have significant impact on services for GLBT youth. The Commission doesn’t provide services for youth directly but works hard to ensure that those services are there and that GLBT youth have an advocate for them in the government.

GLBT youth can be at greater risk for suicide, violence, and substance abuse. Many of the problems GLBT youth face today are similar to ones faced in the past. Some are different. The key thing to understand about the health of queer youth is that often the problems they face are a result of an environment of GLBT oppression rather than some individual or family risk. If you fix that environment, you are on the way to solving some of the problems.

3. Your organization "has a mandate" to offer suggestions on issues surrounding glbt youth - presumably to the legislature. What kind of suggestions is your organization giving? How often and to what extent do they take your organization's input and advice?

We are required to report to the Legislature and to the Governor formally every year by June 2nd. We also provide information informally on a regular basis to the Legislature and various agencies that request it. We are working on our Annual Report for this year, and it is still in its draft stages so I can’t discuss its details. I do want to emphasize though that the Commission is in a unique position to talk about GLBT youth and their needs at all levels of society. I think you will see that in the upcoming Annual Report.

GLBT youth are often at risk because of the environment: from their families and schools to local organizations and communities and government. Queer youth need a voice and an advocate at all levels of society to ensure that each level of our society is supportive of queer youth and of GLBT experience. We have said that the health of GLBT youth is rooted in GLBT culture. This is what me mean. You can’t lift GLBT youth out of the whole GLBT experience and community. You really have to think ecologically about it and build an environment that supports our youth and gives them the skills they need to be healthy and to succeed.

4. I was reading an interesting article from the advocate the other day about how GLBT youth - and their allies (be it friends or the sons and daughters of gay parents) have made tremendously effective lobbyists to state legislatures across the country - helping get bans on bullying, violence and targeting of glbt students across the country. What kind of impact have the young made here?

Youth have made a tremendous impact in the Commonwealth. Youth were instrumental in getting the first Governor’s Commission established in 1992 and have been instrumental in moving Massachusetts forward in protecting GLBT youth. The Commission would not be able to do its work without the participation of queer youth.

It should also be noted that some youth who were involved in the Commission as teenagers are now working in the GLBT community in Massachusetts and are becoming leaders in our community.

5. Now, as I understand it, the Commission used to be a part of the Governor's office - and obviously, Mitt Romney wasn't the biggest fan. Can you elaborate on what went on there?

The Commission was a Governor’s Commission until 2006. The story is pretty simple: We have seen state and national leaders play politics and use the GLBT community for political advantage. This happens on all sides of the political spectrum, and happened here. To protect GLBT youth, committed legislators acted to make the Commission an agency in 2006. This reorganization of the Commission is good for GLBT youth in the long-term, but in the short-term we have spent a lot of time and energy rebuilding our administrative structure. In the end, there will be a stronger and more vibrant Commission for GLBT youth.

6. You read my blog on MassResistance's insistence on taking photos of teenagers in the commission - and releasing their names, with all sorts of blatantly homophobic descriptions on their website. Subsequently, I've heard that the Attorney General's office is looking into it. Has that gone anywhere? Do you know much about the laws concerning taking pictures of minors at places like the Commission hearing? What kind of dangers/problems does MassResistance's tactics cause? What is the reaction of the members - esp. the glbt youth - of the commission?

This is obviously a problem. The Commission is a public agency and as such functions in public. I understand and am committed to the need to have open and transparent public meetings. That being said, the Commission will do everything it can to protect GLBT youth and help to build an environment where they are supported and valued. Personally, I find taking pictures of GLBT youth without their permission, or by misrepresenting your intent, and then posting those
pictures with homophobic commentary to be abusive and predatory. Frankly, I simply don’t understand it, don’t believe that it rises to the level of protected speech, and believe that it can be a real threat to the health of GLBT youth.

I do not know if the Attorney General’s office is looking into this or not. The Commission has expressed its concern to the Attorney General and has sought technical clarification of minor points. Beyond that, I do not know what action, if any, she has or has not taken.

Ultimately, it is important to be clear about what has happened. The Commission has expressed its concern to the Attorney General and has sought clarification of minor aspects of the law. There’s not much beyond that. Any impression that there is more to it is merely a drive for publicity.

7. Finally, is there anything you wanted to talk about, discuss or reiterate? Are there any important projects going on? Consider this an opportunity to throw in a final word on anything that's important that I may not have addressed.

There are couple of important things that I would mention. First, it is important that the GLBT community be there and be part of supporting GLBT youth. The GLBT community is more than the fight for equal marriage, and youth really need the support of the community. I would urge the community to express your concern and support for the needs of GLBT youth to your legislators, to your school boards, to community organizations, and to your friends and families.
Second, the Commission really works best when youth are involved. In the coming months, the Commission will be looking to add more youth voices, and I want to invite anyone with an interest in the Commission to contact us. Our website is at: http://www.mass.gov/cgly/ and our next meeting is May 21st.

Did MassResistance Break the Law?

MassResistance, a homophobic radio show and a rabid group of hate-mongerers, apparently have a peculiar hobby - one that's potentially illegal. Here's the alleged story,

Once again [MassResistance is] attending meetings of the Massachusetts Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth. Now supposedly they are not gay or lesbian nor are they youth so why are they attending? I'd guess it's because of their gay and lesbian photo fetish, after all, they did bring their cameras.... For the life of me I still don't get how they think posting pictures of attractive, happy GLBT people is going to SHOCK their viewers.

Now, I'm not a lawyer, but I do know it's illegal for people to take pictures of minors and post them publicly - at least, a newspaper couldn't take a picture of a 13 year old boy and post it in the newspaper without parental consent. So, is what MassResistance is reportedly doing illegal? Enquiring minds want to know.

Update: Apparently, the authorities have already been alerted. Even MassResistance has admitted* that the Attorney General is looking into it, but if the AG attempts to shut them down, they recklessly said "go ahead, make our day." Please, Martha Coakley, feel free to make it. After all, they posted pictures of a transgenered teenage male - calling him a "female with sideburns" - and posted a picture with that person's name and description. This, when violence against transgendered people is a serious concern.

*Please don't follow the link to MassResistance, I don't want to give them the traffic. The only reason why I even linked it to begin with is because it's a serious matter and it's important to show where these allegations can be answered for those who want to know more. Accountability is something I understand, even if MassResistance doesn't. Hopefully the authorities will quickly make sure MassRestistance ceases and desists from posting pictures of minors - especially those who are particularly at risk to cruel violence, merely for being a little different.