Focus on the Family Focuses on Wisconsin
This must have been what Julaine Appling meant in July when she said: "We believe that when we need big bucks in 'Vote Yes,' we're convinced we'll have what we need."
Focus on the Family is coming to Wisconsin this week to help push the proposed marriage and civil unions ban, and the group brings with it annual revenues of nearly $138 million.
Focus on the Family was founded in 1977 by James Dobson and stands as one of the largest Religious Right organizations in the country.
The first Focus on the Family event -- co-sponsored by Appling's Family Research Institute of Wisconsin -- is a free training session for "Christian leaders" that will be held tomorrow in Milwaukee. The topics at the session will range from how homosexuality is a choice to how badly same-sex couples want to destroy marriage in Wisconsin.
If it wasn't clear before Focus on the Family joined the fight that this effort is about more than just "protecting marriage," the entry of Dobson's group into the foray just about seals the deal.
Dobson has been known to liken gay rights advocates to Nazis and his group frequently compares gay and lesbian people to pedophiles. Focus on the Family is also a major proponent of the so-called "ex-gay therapies" that I write more about here.
So if you're wondering why that now infamous second sentence of the amendment goes as far as it does, a look at Focus on the Family will give you a feel for the ideology that spawned it.
In short, amendment proponents are playing offense, not defense.
Focus on the Family is coming to Wisconsin this week to help push the proposed marriage and civil unions ban, and the group brings with it annual revenues of nearly $138 million.
Focus on the Family was founded in 1977 by James Dobson and stands as one of the largest Religious Right organizations in the country.
The first Focus on the Family event -- co-sponsored by Appling's Family Research Institute of Wisconsin -- is a free training session for "Christian leaders" that will be held tomorrow in Milwaukee. The topics at the session will range from how homosexuality is a choice to how badly same-sex couples want to destroy marriage in Wisconsin.
If it wasn't clear before Focus on the Family joined the fight that this effort is about more than just "protecting marriage," the entry of Dobson's group into the foray just about seals the deal.
Dobson has been known to liken gay rights advocates to Nazis and his group frequently compares gay and lesbian people to pedophiles. Focus on the Family is also a major proponent of the so-called "ex-gay therapies" that I write more about here.
So if you're wondering why that now infamous second sentence of the amendment goes as far as it does, a look at Focus on the Family will give you a feel for the ideology that spawned it.
In short, amendment proponents are playing offense, not defense.
posted by Seth Zlotocha at Monday, August 28, 2006
4 Comments:
If only I didn't have to work, I'd totally crash that training. I can ask naive-but-leading questions as well as the next person.
I second that. It's almost worth a vacation day.
This guy and his stooges are the real purveyors of hate. I'd love to go just to see if any local righty bloggers who profess indifference to the vote would be attending.
Dobson is the root of all evil.
But take heart -- we will not yield our fair city. Just up the street tomorrow night is a fundraiser for Barbara Lawton. Legions of liberals will be in the area to battle the bad Dobson vibes!
Post a Comment
<< Home