Friday, October 31, 2014

Anti-gay activist Peter LaBarbera becomes victim to his double standard

LaBarbera
By now, no doubt, you all are aware that anti-gay activist Peter LaBarbera has been detained again in Canada. Earlier this year, he was detained, released, and then arrested for distributing anti-gay and anti- abortion material at the University of Regina in Saskatchewan and not leaving when asked to by campus security.

LaBarebera was returning to Canada for the trial based upon the above incident. This time when he was detained, his computer, laptop, and other materials were searched thoroughly. According to LaBarbera, Calgary Border Service agents confiscated a DVD of a Russian anti-gay documentary entitled Sodom on the grounds that it could be hate propaganda, which is in violation of Canadian law.

Naturally, LaBarbera is milking the incident. In a press release, he raged about the supposed lack of free speech in Canada:

In Canada and across the Western world, laws based on homosexuality-based ‘rights’ have ushered in tyranny against people of faith who affirm historic, Judeo-Christian morality and man-woman marriage. It is outrageous for a major public university to ban opposition speech on this issue in the name of ‘protecting’ students—who should be allowed to hear ALL sides of this, or any, debate. “Today we will see if Canada upholds its professed Charter commitment to free speech and religious freedom. But this much is clear: the Western world’s war against faith and biblical morals in the name of homosexuality and gender confusion (transgenderism) is not a model that many nations across the world want to follow.”

Poor Peter.  I would feel sorry for him, except for a couple of things. One - he pushes some of the most vicious anti-gay lies. Two - he is a hypocrite.

LaBarbera feels that Canada shouldn't have the autonomy to decide its own laws when it comes to free speech. However, he also feels that countries such as Uganda and Jamaica should have the autonomy to persecute lgbts.  In June of this year, he defended these countries and actually spoke against the United States' attempt to stand against anti-lgbt persecution.

According to Right Wing Watch:

VCY America’s flagship radio show “Crosstalk,” Peter LaBarbera expressed outrage over Joe Biden’s recent remarks in support of LGBT rights, accusing the vice president of “neo-imperialism.” LaBarbera, the head of Americans For Truth About Homosexuality, defended draconian anti-gay laws in Uganda and Jamaica: “The American government has embraced a neo-imperialism where we arrogantly override the beliefs of countries like Jamaica and Uganda and other countries with the idea that we, America, know what’s best for the world.” 

I'm sure that if he is ever questioned on his lack of consistency with regards to foreign laws, LaBarbera will think up a good excuse to explain away his double standard. In his mind, at least.

But the bottom line is all about that old adage of "what's good for the goose is good for the gander."

If LaBarbera is all about defending the autonomy of foreign countries to persecute their own gay citizens, then he should show that same support of foreign countries deciding their own laws regarding free speech. Even if the latter demands that he is to be punished for violation of those laws.

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