Thursday, June 12, 2014

Watch CNN's Anderson Cooper take on Texas Republican lawmaker over the GOP's embrace of reparative therapy.

Courtesy of The New Civil Rights Movement:  

Cooper spoke with state Rep. Bryan Hughes, who has voted for the platform that for years has contained vicious anti-gay rhetoric. Hughes explained that the Texas GOP added support for “ex-gay” therapy after one delegate’s neighbor expressed concern lawmakers might make it illegal. 

“The language is in the platform because we want to make sure that people have rights,” Hughes offers as a reason to support ineffective and harmful “reparative” therapy. “We heard from people who wanted access to that kind of counseling, that kind of therapy, and so we believe in free speech, in free choice.” (Unless of course that free choice means they will choose to be gay, in which case Texas will counsel the crap out of them until they claim to like the opposite sex again.)

“This is about giving people choices,” Hughes claims. “If they want this, it should be available to them.” No discussion of access to abortion services came up. 

Hughes tried to claim there is “medical literature on both sides of the issue,” which Cooper blasted. 

“It’s really just not accurate to say that doctors are evenly divided,” Cooper said. “I could give you a list: the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Counseling Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, the American School Counselors’ Association, the National Association of School Psychologists, National Association of Social Workers. They represent half a million mental health professionals, they all say this is not a mental disorder. It’s not something that needs to be cured.” 

Cooper even slammed Hughes’ claim that people on both sides testified before the platform committee as “not true.” Hughes could not state who testified against the plank. 

“Does it concern you, again, that your party is now backing a form of therapy which basically every major medical organization says doesn’t work, can be harmful, and which many of the people who have been through it say it doesn’t work and is bad for kids?” Cooper asked Hughes. 

“No one is saying that God doesn’t love people as they are,” Hughes told Cooper, in response to a clip of former Exodus International president Alan Chambers’ disavowal of “ex-gay” therapy. “There’s nothing in the platform about that. No one is trying to take that position. Every one of us makes mistakes, makes decisions we’re not proud of. God loves each one of us, and he offers us a way for us to deal with sin and bad choices. But I do strongly disagree with what he said about God not loving people.” 

“The fact that you view being gay — or you characterize it — as a ‘mistake,’ or something that should be changed really kind of maybe says more about your position than what your words actually say,” Cooper pointed out.

You know with the possible exception of Rachel Maddow or Ellen Degeneres, I don't think I would rather see ANYBODY take apart homophobic Republicans more than Anderson Cooper.

He is so very professional as he picks apart their argument and all but calls them hate mongering bullies.

And personally I think the fact that he is openly gay just makes that much more effective. 

34 comments:

  1. Anonymous4:44 PM

    I don't like "reparative therapy."
    I would never recommend "reparative therapy" to anyone, although if someone wanted to explore it, I would talk with them, or more likely listen to them, and their pain, and their struggles, and not judge them as an idiot.
    I dont' think reparative therapy works.
    I thnk reparative therapy is more often harmful because usually the therapist has an agenda to make them "not-homo" rather than supporting whatever the client wants to pursue.
    AND
    I think anyone has a right to seek reparative therapy.
    I think outlawing reparative therapy violates the 1st amendment.

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    Replies
    1. Sally in MI5:15 PM

      And which amendment does their outlawing of abortion violate? Not to mention the closing of clinics for mammography and pap smears, contraceptive advice and supplies? Women have rights. Gays have rights. All people have rights under our Constitution. It doesn't say that only white Christian men have rights, much as the Texas jerks think it does,

      Delete
    2. Anonymous7:13 PM

      Anyone doing therapy of any kind is licensed by the state in which he/she practices, or here in the NE it is true. Your license is numbered and reviewed periodically by the state and the American Psychological Association.

      I don't have all the facts, but 'reparative therapy' is a scam and is not practiced by licensed psychologists/therapists.

      Are they against Shari'a Law? They're begging for Christi'an Law. I truly hope that our country is better than this, please!

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    3. Anonymous8:11 PM

      I'm not sure your ponit. the 1st A is all about protection offensive speech. I don't have a problem with insurance companies not paying for reparative therapy. I don't have a problem with yelling form the rooftops that you dont' like reparative therapy. I have a problem with the government telling someone what they can and can't say to someone willing to listen to their stupidity.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous10:43 PM

      You clearly don't even understand the first amendment,

      Delete
    5. Anonymous5:10 AM

      I don't like child abuse. However, I believe if a child chooses to be abused then it their choice?

      Delete
  2. Anonymous4:49 PM

    All gays should have mandatory reparative therapy

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous5:11 PM

      All homophobes should have mandatory anti-homophobe therapy.

      Delete
    2. Sally in MI5:13 PM

      Yes, when NBC gets rid of Gregory, if they don't put Rachel in his slot, Tucker would be great.

      Delete
    3. Spoken like a true CONsevative. You are all for keeping the government out of YOUR business but it's ok for them to invade bedrooms and a woman's uterus.

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    4. Anita Winecooler6:40 PM

      Whatever happened to "turn the other cheek"?

      Delete
    5. Anonymous8:42 PM

      4:49 PM Like your Dad? Even that did not work.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous3:58 AM

      I agree with Anon 449. All gays should have reparative therapy, especially gays like Larry Craig, Marcus Bachman, Ted Haggard, etc. They should have a reparative therapy that allows them to stop lying about who they are and accept themselves regardless of what others think. Come to think of it, maybe people like this Texas Rep needs reparative therapy to get rid of the hate in himself.

      Delete
  3. Anonymous4:55 PM

    All christians should have mandatory reparative therapy

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  4. Anonymous5:16 PM

    Asking all alaskans, whats up with so many people there not being able to swim? I know the temps are lower, but Ive swam outside in the summer and there are public pools. Just wondering.

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  5. Anonymous5:47 PM

    “No one is saying that God doesn’t love people as they are,”

    Just Christofascists like Hughes who profess to love God.the hypocrisy and irony is beyond comprehension with these people.

    I wish the press would get tougher on these fucking zealots.

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  6. AND, it's gonna get WORSE !!

    When the Rethugli-douches eventually take back enough congressional seats and control of the Government, they will set about to CRUSH everything we have worked and bleed for over the last 50 years.

    It really is time to send these assKlowns home to pick some cotton themselves... We're done messing around with you trolls.

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  7. Anita Winecooler6:37 PM

    The thing that gets me is all physicians take an oath that begins "First do no harm". What's more harmful to a human being than denying something that makes them who they are? I guarantee you, someone in this guy's family is gay and hurting deeply that they already know he hates who they are.

    The whole religion thing implies God makes mistakes, so I wonder what consequences God has for these who deem his work defective? They're beating around the bush, but Anderson's wielding a scalpel to their lies with the truth.

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  8. Wendy7:01 PM

    Great post, Gryphen. Go, Anderson Cooper!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous8:28 PM

    Astute article from Paul Krugman:

    The Fix Isn’t In
    Eric Cantor and the Death of a Movement

    How big a deal is the surprise primary defeat of Representative Eric Cantor, the House majority leader? Very. Movement conservatism, which dominated American politics from the election of Ronald Reagan to the election of Barack Obama — and which many pundits thought could make a comeback this year — is unraveling before our eyes.

    http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/13/opinion/paul-krugman-eric-cantor-and-the-death-of-a-movement.html?_r=0

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  10. Anonymous8:30 PM

    I watched this dialog on HPost. The TX guy's constant smile whenever he spoke was pathological.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous9:04 PM

      My thought exactly!

      Delete
  11. Anonymous8:37 PM

    That fake, smug, creepy smile was so unsettling. Based on my experience with similar types, I'd guess Hughes was patting himself on the back for being Christ's faithful servant and boldly proclaiming the word of god to the gay sinner, Anderson Cooper, and the CNN national audience.

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous4:00 AM

      Maybe it's just me, but when you see people like this guy, and Pat Robertson and Mike Huckabee, etc, spewing hate, aren't they always smiling?

      Delete
    2. Leland5:07 AM

      There are 3 "flags" in my mind about people to instantly distrust. In not necessarily any order of importance, they are:

      1.) People who speak very slowly as if considering each and every word (excluding people who use that technique due to a speech impediment);

      2.) people who sweat all the time for no reason, even in a heavily air conditioned room (Again, except those with medical conditions); and

      3.) PEOPLE WHO SMILE ALL THE TIME!

      I absolutely HATED The Donna Reed show! Even at the tender young age I was when it was on, I just KNEW no one was that happy!

      Richard Nixon had all 3 attributes.

      And THIS guy? Yeah, right. Number 3 all the way!

      Delete
  12. Anonymous8:51 PM

    I wonder what that Texan thinks of Todd Palin's Bi-sexual habits.

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  13. Anonymous9:52 PM

    Thank goodness for Anderson Cooper.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous2:15 AM

    I wonder how Marcus Bachmann's clinic is doing these days? Does he still get subsidized by the taxpayers? If he thinks that therapy works, why doesn't he go for some himself, I wonder? This would be like telling someone they can change the color of their eyes with therapy. How offensive are these creeps, telling others that they are defective the way they are, and need "fixing"?

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous4:02 AM

      Hey Marcus, how's it going? "Well, I'm super, thanks for asking. All thing's considered, I couldn't be better, I must say"

      Delete
  15. abbafan4:02 AM

    Hi Gryphen! It is very sad to see that homophobic paranoia is still quite rampant in the U.S. Here in Canada, the rights of same-sex couples are entrenched in the Canadian Charter Of Rights. As a matter of fact, here in Ontario, a provincial election was held yesterday.The voters elected the provincial Liberal Party, headed by Kathleen Wynne. She is the first openly gay woman to govern Canada's largest province. She was elected with a solid majority, based on a platform of economics. There were NO attack ads based upon her orientation paid for by special interest lobby groups - these are strictly prohibited under Canadian law! Progress has been made in many U.S. states; however, as long as these neo-evangelical groups keep pandering their fear-mongering upon the electorate, it will be a very long time before equality based on orientation will be recognized nationally.

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    Replies
    1. Leland5:14 AM

      abbafan, one thing, please.

      "...it will be a very long time before equality based on orientation will be recognized nationally."

      I have to say that I understand what you mean, but recognized nationally will be fact quite shortly here, simply based on the law, the courts and the Constitution.

      Having said that, I believe your intent was to say that the PEOPLE will have large groups who DON'T recognize it. I couldn't agree more.

      The attitude of the Canadian people is highly commendable and I admire that attitude greatly. Good for you!

      Delete
    2. abbafan6:21 AM

      Thank you for the reply Leland. Yes, that was what I intended to say. When a topic such as this gets misconstrued and twisted out of context by fear-mongers, it makes me boil. Correct me if I am wrong, but as I see it, in the U.S., each state must invoke legislation to extend equality based on orientation, and then there are appeals and other roadblocks put up - hence my statement.

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    3. Crystal Sage12:56 PM

      As an American living in Ontario, I was heartened to see that the campaign (mercifully just 40 days) for Ontario Premier did not contain any personal attacks against Kathleen Wynne for her sexual orientation. I did not hear it from anyone I discussed the election with either and many did not like Wynne's politics. She is also the first female elected as premier in Ontario's history.

      Delete
  16. Anonymous5:48 AM

    Ok, but what if a person is born gay and because of their religious beliefs or whatever beliefs,, they don't like themselves and want to TRY to change themselves?
    If we take the stand (and I DO) that our sexual preferences are genetically determined, well, so are other traits . We can go to therapy to be less depressed, or angry or shy or, dyslexic, dyspraxic, whatever right?
    The problem is that there is no good reparative therapy.Time and $ would be better spent getting those gays who are truly disturbed with themselves therapy to embrace themselves, live with themselves.LIVE and THRIVE.
    I have a neighbor growing up, an Italian man, lived with his mom til she died at 90. He is pushing 70 now, gay man, had only one lobg term secret partner that we know of. He is a staunch catholic, believes Jesus is disappointed in him, but goes to church anyway, everyday. This man is unhappy and he is such a sweet giving person. His whole life has been a sad secret and for that, I wish he had therapy and open support. Hell, money would also be better spent on family therapy .as that Italian mother made his life miserable, but he did his only son duty I tell ya.
    There are probably millions like him, too... .

    ReplyDelete

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