Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Seven days . . . .

My post is going to be short today mainly because of my work on my book, hence the title.

In seven days, I will finally go to press. After over two years of research, I will send my book to the publisher. And what I hope to be one of the definitive books on the lies of the anti-gay industry will be in motion to be published.

For years, I have wanted to see something like this; a book that analyzes the deceptions of the religious right as they pertain to the gay and lesbian community.

This book will not be a fast food, cookie cutter deciphering of homophobia. We know that when people like James Dobson and Peter LaBarbera speak against our community, they are masking their homophobia behind slick language and propaganda techniques.

I intend to prove it.

There is nothing (except for two brief comments) in this book about Mr. God Hates Fags Fred Phelps. He is too easy a target. His stridency makes him p0werless.

The ones who give us trouble are people like a concerned mother who hears about a gay/straight alliance forming in her child's school. She has a personal fear and disagreement about homosexuality, so she looks up data about it.

And she goes to the Focus on the Family web page or the Family Research Council web page or the Traditional Values Coalition web page. It doesn't matter where she goes because in all of these locations she will find "scientific proof" for her opposition to the gay/straight club forming in her child's school. The fact that what she will find is junk science is not known to her.

She will take what she finds and use it to rally other parents against the gay/straight alliance. She will stand in front the school board and repeat the lies she has read. She will solicit the advice and help of the anti-gay industry groups whose web pages she got her information from.

Calling this woman homophobic is wrong. Saying and proving that she and so many others like her are misinformed will be what wins this battle for us.

I really hope that my upcoming book will be the first step in this process.