Mitt Romney: Once A Bully…

Mitt’s true colors

I need to thank my friend and social justice advocate Eva Hoffman for inspiring me to write this article. Now that Romneybot 2012 has all but sewn up the Republican presidential nomination, he seems determined to burnish his credentials as a right-wing horror. Not content with being a misogynist, classist, lying, racist homophobe, he’s adding bully to his resume. Recent revelations of his behavior toward other students while in high school have raised further questions about Romney’s character.

As detailed in this report, Romney was the leader of a pack of popular students at the Cranbook School. When John Lauber, a quiet new student rumored to be gay, showed up with a bleached streak in his hair hanging over one eye, Romney was incensed. While his minions pinned Lauber to the ground, Romney cut off the offending lock with a pair of scissors. When this story surfaced, Romney engaged in his trademark waffling, saying he couldn’t remember and then offering a non-pology. What a shocker.

Let me be clear: someone’s behavior as a youth is not necessarily a reflection of who they are, nor is one incident a good way to define a person. I wouldn’t want every detail of my high school years to be used as a gauge of who I am today. When it helps clarify a lifetime of behavior, however, it’s worth looking at.

Let’s start with “I can’t remember” as a dodge. If Romney really can’t recall this incident it means that torturing another human being just doesn’t stand out in his mind. Yeah, that’s just who we want negotiating with Iran.You can bet John Lauber remembers that day.

Dodgy memory aside, any decent human being would say, “That’s awful! No-one should be treated that way.” Not Romney. And when his classmates were asked about the incident, they were either silent or used phrases like “real Lord of the Flies stuff” to describe they youthful Mitt. The Romney camp, trying to put a spin on the incident uses the word “hijinks” as a deflector. It’s pretty hard to reconcile those concepts.

And that’s the crux of it. Romney is disconnected from common decency. It’s easy to poke fun at his stilted speech and awkward manner. (Even if his wife says he’s a real cut-up…) Some of his behavior is so bizarre that it seems comical in a macabre way (just ask the family dog). But on any scale, from mocking the cookies supplied by campaign volunteers to signing a pledge to aggressively crush the rights of the gay community, Romney is fundamentally a bully.

Why be shocked? He made his Bain millions as a vulture capitalist: grabbing companies, running up debt, and bailing with his profits. He can’t offer a simple declarative sentence about Rush Limbaugh calling a grad student a whore on the air, deflecting lady stuff to his wife. As Governor, he tried to crush a commission tasked with LGBT rights. Every story that emerges paints a darker picture of a greedy sociopath only interested in his own advancement.

Romney’s lies and non-statements since he became a professional presidential candidate six years ago have made it hard to build a picture of the man based on his words. His deeds, on the other hand, speak volumes. And we can’t afford to have a president who is nothing more than a petty, selfish bully.

Where Is It Safest to Be Gay? Ranking the States

Come for the scenery, stay for the civil rights

Despite President Obama’s wonderful declaration of support for marriage equality, the devastating passage of Amendment One in North Carolina shows how far we have to go as a nation. It is also imporant to understand how your rights are protected based on where you live. Now there’s a handy tool to look at gay rights by state.

In a very thorough analysis this week, British news daily The Guardian, published a ranking of all 50 states (plus the District of Columbia) on seven key areas of civil rights. The factors rated by The Guardian include:

1. Marriage, indicating whether it is fully allowed or banned and including partial credit for domestic partnerships.
2. Hospital visitation rights, including how same-sex partners are respected as family members.
3. Adoption rights, indicating whether LGBT couples can jointly adopt (or are explicitly banned from doing so).
4. Employment, indicating what workplace protections exist based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
5. Housing, indicating laws requiring fair treatment based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
6. Hate crimes, indicating laws providing for harsher punishment of crimes motivated by the victim’s real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.
7. Schools, indicating laws that protect students based on sexual orientation and gender identity and any explicit anti-LGBT bullying provision.

The analysis also compares states by region. Generally speaking, the Northeast has the strongest, most consistent protections (including three states with perfect scores – CT, MA, and VT) and the Southeast has the weakest (followed closely by the Midwest). Using a distinctly British approach to the regions, The Guardian identifies six Northwest states (OR, WA, ID, AK, MT, and WY). Washington received a perfect score; Oregon fell short on marriage equality but was otherwise perfect, ranking in the top 10. Only Oregon and Washington meet any of the categories other than some school protections. It’s also nice to know that many elected officials in Oregon responded positively to the President’s announcement on Wednesday.

Of course day-to-day safety and success for LGBT Americans varies based on more than the state or region in which one lives. Metropolitan areas are generally safer and more accepting than more rural areas, regardless of the state. But knowing how a region demonstrates its support (or hostility) to gay rights is an important factor in daily life.

Hero of the Week Award: April 20, Josh Hutcherson

Hero of the Week

This week it is a real pleasure to honor a rising Hollywood star who has a great sense of activism and priorities. Josh Hutcherson, only 19, has been in films for half his life. He’s currently starring in the blockbuster book adaptation The Hunger Games. He also co-starred in the wonderful (but very dark) 2010 film The Kids Are Alright as one of two kids growing up with two lesbian parents. In a recent interview with E! Online, Hutcherson focuses on his work with the group Straight But Not Narrow.

Hutcherson is very focused on gay rights, in part because he lost two uncles to HIV while he was too young to really get to know them. He also credits his mother with helping establish his sense of activism and advocacy.

My mom has always been a big advocate, especially in the gay, lesbian, transsexual and bisexual community so for me it’s always been a part of my soul.

Even more impressive in one so young, Hutcherson is much prouder of his advocacy work than his celebrity status.

Acting is one thing, but actually trying to change the world and the way people think to make people’s lives better? That’s the stuff I’m most proud of.

This weekend he will become the youngest recipient of the GLAAD Vanguard Award, joining the likes of the great Elizabeth Taylor. I look forward to watching this young man continue to make his mark on the world.

Honorable mention this week goes to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. How shocking to see this group acting in a truly Christian way! In a strongly worded letter to Congress, the Bishops tear into the budget proposal put forward by Rep. Paul Ryan, pointing out how it violates Catholic precepts by putting the poor, vulnerable, and needy at risk.

The moral measure of this budget debate is not which party wins or which powerful interests prevail, but rather how those who are jobless, hungry, homeless or poor are treated. Their voices are too often missing in these debates, but they have the most compelling moral claim on our consciences and our common resources.

Given recent political meddling by Bishops regarding women’s health and this week’s BWA runner-up, Bishop Daniel Jenky, comparing the President to Hitler, it is a pleasant surprise to see a strong, truly moral message from this group.

Methinks the Homophobes Protest Too Much…

...maybe it's even you.

Well fetch my smelling salts! A new study adds strong evidence that people who demonstrate the greatest antipathy toward LGBT people have strong same-sex attractions themselves. The research, which will be published the April issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, was conducted in the U.S. and U.K. and used four different experiments. The authors of the study note:

Individuals who identify as straight but in psychological tests show a strong attraction to the same sex may be threatened by gays and lesbians because homosexuals remind them of similar tendencies within themselves… In many cases these are people who are at war with themselves and they are turning this internal conflict outward.

Consider this the latest gospel in the Ted Haggard memorial bible of There But For the Grace…

While it’s easy to be smug about this further evidence that the bigots have some serious rainbow garments hiding in their closets, this study also goes to show that

• as long as our government continues to create second-class status and separate-but-equal laws for LGBT citizens
• as long as our schools refuse to take a strict stand against bullying and allow students to treat their peers as lesser people
• as long as we allow “religious exemptions” to civil rights, giving bigotry the force of law

we continue to set up a world where far too many people believe that their own same-sex attractions are something to fear and hate. When that toxicity bubbles over, everyone suffers, especially those who are able to be happy with who they are. That irony must end. Let’s hope this new evidence finally moves our society to embrace all people equally and helps those with doubt to find the strength to love themselves so they can stop hating others.

Kidnapped for Christ…

Who Would Christ Kidnap?

Thanks to my colleague Patrick Harhai for inspiring me to write this article. As though Newt Gingrich’s claim that he left his cancer ridden wife and divorced two others in the name of God and service to his country was not bizarre enough; this story of parents paying to have their Gay/Lesbian children kidnapped and sent to a punitive school in the Dominican Republic for Christ is far more disturbing and far more cruel.

Yes, I can just see our homeboy JC waiting in the dark of night with his mini-van, ready to kidnap all the young homo youth; I believe that story is in the book of Mark.  Kidnapped for Christ is a documentary of Gay and Lesbian American teenagers who were sent — against their will — to Escuela Caribe, an American-run Evangelical Christian reform school in The Dominican Republic.

I guess there is no such thing as unconditional love by parents–and we wonder why the suicide rate amongst LGBT teens is so disproportionately high.  Click here to see the trailer. I hope you will take action to help stop this abuse of LGBT youth.  Of course, these parents feel justified in abusing their children when they hear and witness top politicians signing a pledge to discriminate against all LGBT people in the United States (Ron Paul, Rick Santorum, Mitt Romney, and Newt Gingrich).

Bigot of the Week Award: March 2, Motion Picture Association of America

Bigot of the Week

This week an antiquated, discriminatory organization proves that it exists for itself and not for its customers. The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) is responsible for the rating system that has become such a fixture of movie-going life. Ironically, the modern ratings system was created by the nefarious Jack Valenti to acknowledge that the Hays code still in place in the late 60s was outmoded and did not reflect the evolving culture. Since the creation of the ratings, they have changed slightly, last in 1990 when the PG-13 and NC-17 ratings were added and X was dropped.

MPAA ratings have come under increasing protest over the past two decades. Movies with mildly sexual content, especially LGBT content, are routinely given more restrictive ratings (Homophobic much?). Violent movies often sneak by with a PG or PG-13. The game is also quite political; appeals are possible and elimination of specific scenes — integral to the film but offensive to a rater — are the frequent result. Because of the tight connection between the MPAA and the National Association of Theater Owners (NATO), the commercial fate of a film may depend on the rating. This bigoted hostage-taking and application of antiquated “values” is a major problem with the modern movie industry.

Last week it took a very nasty turn. The Weinstein Company has produced a powerful film, Bully, designed to empower youth and share the horrific impact of bullying. Because of “some language” the MPAA rated the film R, virtually ensuring that the people who most need to see it would not be able to do so. Harvey Weinstein filed an appeal, bolstered by impassioned testimony from Alex Libby, one of the bullied kids from the film. The MPAA rejected the appeal.

So here’s their message to America: Blow things up? GREAT! Degrade women? No problem. Crack juvenile, homophobic jokes? Kids need to see that! Craft a meaningful message of empowerment and education for kids and schools? Oooh, that’s too scary. Kudos to Weinstein for stating his intent to take a leave of absence from the MPAA. They’ve held too much power for far too long. Finding ways to inform moviegoers about film content? Great! Arbitrarily enforcing antiquated mores? Just say no.

Dishonorable mention goes to NATO (the theater one) for standing with the MPAA on this issue. When Weinstein declared his intent to release the film without a rating, they said that they would then tell their members to mark it NC-17. Way to take care of the next generation of moviegoers, NATO.

And of course, a Huge Dishonorable Mention to Rush Limbaugh, for once again exposing his misogyny and insisting that no one else be given access to prescription drugs! Yet another misogynistic fool that thinks he owns women’s vaginas.

Ironic Much

Number 3 Hero of the Year Award 2011: Lady Gaga

Number 3 Hero of 2011

In light of the shenanigans that so many people get up to when they get the least bit famous, it is a delight to be able to honor a celebrity who uses her voice, money, and spotlight to make the world a better place. Stephani Germanotta, better known to the world as Lady Gaga, has been a tireless force for good in 2011, bringing her in at #3 on this year’s Hero list.

Already known as a staunch ally of the LGBT community for her opposition to Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, Lady Gaga hit the ground running in 2011 with her amazing album and single Born This Way. She stuck to her principles commercially (a rare trait indeed) and broke an exclusive distribution contract with Target when the retail giant refused to stop its funding of anti-gay politicians. A vocal supporter of anti-bullying programs, she’s been a one-woman It Gets Better campaign. Following the tragic suicide of Jamey Rodemeyer, she not only dedicated a concert to him and to all the victims of bullying, but she lobbied the White House for national anti-bullying programs. She’s also raised funds and awareness to fight AIDS.

It looks like she’ll be continuing the momentum in 2012, as her new Born This Way Foundation — dedicated to youth empowerment, bravery, and kindness — launches. Using her power for good pays off, too, as Forbes named her the most powerful celebrity of the year (beating out Oprah) and DoSomething.org put her at the top of their annual list of “Celebs Gone Good.”  Let’s hope more youth hear her message of personal value and more celebrities take her model of using fame for good to heart.

Flashback to 2010: Fittingly, last year’s #3 hero was Dan Savage and the It Gets Better campaign.

Hero of the Week Award: December 16, Elizabeth Warren

Hero of the Week

For regular TSM readers you will know this is not the first time our Elizabeth Warren has earned HWA.  Warren consistently proves her mettle and the courage of her convictions as a civil servant.  Warren’s speech yesterday on civil rights, equality, and preventing bullying not only made me weep a tear of joy and hope, but earns her another HWA.

Here are bits of Warren’s speech from yesterday:

I’ve had the chance to say it in living rooms and school auditoriums, but I’m glad to have the chance to say it here: No one – no one – should be discriminated against because of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or religion…As other states grapple with whether to support marriage equality, I’m ready to move to the next step: End the two-tiered system created by the Defense of Marriage Act. Our federal government should not be in the business of selecting which married couples it supports and which it treats with contempt. States define marriage among couples, and, once married, all those couples and their families should have the same protections, the same benefits, and the same tax treatments. Fairness and equality are foundational values in our country, and nowhere is that more important than in our families.

While I do hope she wins the Senate seat in Massachusetts, I really hope she will eventually become our first woman President. Click here to read her entire speech.

*TSM is taking nominations for Hero of Year Awards

Hero of the Week Award: November 18, Zachary Huston

Hero of the Week

This week TSM celebrates another brave youth who is standing up to adversity. Last month, Zachary Huston was beaten by bullies at school, the culmination of a long series of bullying events he has suffered because he is gay. The beating was recorded by another student who posted it to Facebook. All this occurred despite the school district’s clear anti-bullying policy, a policy which sadly does not explicitly cover sexual orientation or gender identity.

This week, Zachary and his mother, Rebecca Collins, together with the ACLU of Ohio, have told Ohio’s Union-Scioto Local Schools that they will file charges against the district unless school officials convene a meeting. Zachary wants the policy updated and a discussion of how anti-bullying work will be carried out in practice, not just on paper.

Bravo, Zachary! Even now it is difficult enough to be honest about one’s sexual orientation in high school He deserves recognition for that fact alone. The HWA comes from his willingness to speak out to the authorities and demand change. This is the kind of courage and leadership we need in the next generation of LGBT leaders. Kudos to his mother as well for standing by her son and demanding that the school district be held accountable for his safety.

Honorable mention goes to Dionne Malinowski and her friend Kirk, two transgender students who are speaking out against the unfair practices of this week’s Bigot, Colorado’s Poudre School District.

Michigan Endorses Bullying: LGBT Youth Targeted by Religious Groups

Shame on Michigan

Thanks to my dear friend and fierce LGBT ally, Jen Lockett, for inspiring this post.  Michigan has managed to completely turn my stomach in disgust.  The Republican-controlled Senate in Michigan managed to pass a bill that now legalizes bullying of LGBT youth if you claim to be bullying for Jesus.  Yes, it is now okay to torment and torture LGBT kids in the name of religion.  I should take this time to point the audience to a Message From God.

What is worse is that the new law protects both teachers and students to bully LGBT youth.  The mortifying irony is that they have co-opted language and called this the Matt’s Safe School Law. In 2002, Matt Epling committed suicide due to being bullied. Thank goodness for Senator Gretchen Whitmer for calling out this atrocious and bigoted behavior:

You may be able to pat yourselves on the back today and say that you did something…But in actuality you are explicitly outlining how to get away with bullying.

While I’m grateful for the efforts of Senator Whitmer, the sad truth is that now those who truly believe homosexuality is wrong are free to torment classmates consequence-free. Shame on Republican Sen. Rick Jones for sponsoring this bill!