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MassResistance

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MassResistance
FoundedMay 8, 1995 (1995-05-08)
FounderBrian Camenker
TypeNonprofit 501(c)(4)
04-3271722 (EIN)
FocusOppose LGBT rights in law and policy
Location
Key people
Brian Camenker, President
Revenue
$137,953 (2010)[1]
Websitemassresistance.org
Formerly called
Parents' Rights Coalition[2]
Article 8 Alliance[3]

MassResistance is a Waltham, Massachusetts anti-gay group[4][5] that promotes socially conservative positions primarily on issues surrounding homosexuality, the transgender community and same-sex marriage. It was formed in 1995 as the Parents' Rights Coalition, changed its name to Article 8 Alliance in 2003, and adopted the current name in 2006.[3][6]

The group has criticized former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney for not opposing same-sex marriage,[7] and says it fights against students in public schools being taught about homosexuality.[8] The Southern Poverty Law Center has designated MassResistance as an anti-gay hate group.

History

Brian Camenker, a conservative activist in Massachusetts, founded Parents' Rights Coalition in 1995. The name was changed to Article 8 Alliance in in 2003 and then to its current name, MassResistance, in 2006. The organization is based is based in Waltham, Massachusetts.[3] Camenker, a resident of Newton, Massachusetts, has also participated in local politics and was the president of the Newton Taxpayers Association.[9]

Origins

Camenker's vocal opposition to "the homosexual agenda" began in 1992, when his neighbor showed him a teaching guide that contained what he characterized as "disgusting descriptions of gay sex".[10] Camenker was one a several parents who expressed concern to the Newton, Massachusetts school committee about a pamphlet provided to teachers for use as background material at Newton's Day Junior High School. The pamphlet listed graphic tips on subjects including safe sex for lesbians.[11]A short while later, Camenker founded a conservative organization, Newton Citizens for Public Education (NCPE), which opposed a controversial ninth-grade sex education program in Newton, Massachusetts. Camenker was accused by state Board of Education chairman, Martin Kaplan, of having ties with Christian right organizations.[12] Following a vote by the Board of Education which recommended support groups for LGBT students, Camenker expressed concern about harassment of gay students, but stated that direction being taken would "cause more acrimony rather than less". He added, "People should view gays as friends, as Americans, rather than as someone who's different than them".[13][14]

Parents Rights Coalition

Camenker formed the Parents' Right Coalition on May 8, 1995.[15][3] That same year, Camenker, heading the Massachusetts Interfaith Coalition,[16] sponsored a bill in Massachusetts requiring school officials to notify parents about sex-education courses. The bill, if passed, would give parents the option to remove their children from those classes.[17][18]

MassResistance has promoted its platform through media appearances and lobbying for laws related to parental rights in public schools. The bills that have been submitted on behalf of MassResistance in the past several years have been consistently rejected by the the Joint Judiciary Committee.[19][20]

Parents' Rights Coalition opposed a Massachusetts public school teacher reading of King & King, a fairy tale in which two men are married, to kindergartners. In 2006, they alleged that the school violated a law requiring the school to inform parents of all sex-ed related material.[21] The lawsuit has since been thrown out of Federal Court[19]

Positions

MassResistance has maintained conservative social positions on "hot-button" issues such as abortion, homosexual rights, gun control, marriage and other issues.[22] The group monitors changes to LGBT rights legislation as far as Australia, but mostly focuses its efforts in the U.S., and especially in Massachusetts.[23][24][25] The organization promotes its message via its web site, blog, email, robo-calls, lobbying and voters guides.[23][8][26][27][28][25]

Abortion

MassResistance has expressed strong opposing views about Mitt Romney for his moderate policies on abortion.[26] During Romney's term as governor of Massachusetts, MassResistance criticized him for his stance on abortion, referring to him as "probably the most pro-abortion and pro-gay rights Republican official in the nation for the last decade".[22][10]

In 2012 MassResistance opposed the nomination of Kenneth Salinger to the Massachusetts superior court by Governor Deval Patrick, citing Salinger's activist agenda and financial contributions to MoveOn.org and "pro-abortion" group EMILY's List.[28] MassResistance gave a presentation a conference hosted by Phyllis Schlafly's Eagle Forum. Camenker spoke to U.S. Representative Todd Akin during the conference, and later reflected later on how he "gets it", and how he is a principled supporter of pro-life and pro-family positions. After Todd Akin's televised interview in August 2012 in which he claimed that women victims of what he described as "legitimate rape" rarely experience pregnancy from rape and the ensuing backlash, MassResistance commented that "Todd Akin misspoke during a lengthy interview and then apologized and clarified his statement. Given his record, that should be the end of it".[29]

Same-sex marriage

MassResistance has always maintained staunch opposition to same-sex marriage.[26] In its booklet, What same-sex 'marriage' has done to Massachusetts, Camenker characterizes acceptance of same-sex marriage as " It's become a hammer to force the acceptance and normalization of homosexuality on everyone." The organization objects to schools teaching children that same-sex marriages are a normal part of society. They cite "radical" activist judges and "cowardly" politicians as factors in the increasing acceptance of same-sex marriage, and warn the public to fight back.[30][31]

Anti-bullying

MassResistance has voiced objections to anti-bullying efforts, especially in Massachusetts where they criticized Mitt Romney's support of the Massachusetts Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth.[32] Efforts to pass anti-bullying legislation in Massachusetts have been opposed by MassResistance, in part because of concern that it could "silence criticism of the gay movement".[33] MassResistance has characterized efforts to prevent bullying as "a very aggressive, fascist-type movement".[34][35][36]

According to MassResistance, the "homosexual anti-bullying agenda" is exploiting the legitimate problem of school bullying, with the aim of pushing "homosexual-normalization propaganda" at children.[36]

Testifying at a Joint Committee on Education hearing in 2009 which was considering nearly a dozen bills that would address bullying, Brian Camenker of MassResistance "claimed supporters had been brought in by "special-interest groups" with a gay-rights agenda."[37] In its written testimony, MassResistance stated that it had filed bill H1059 in the Massachusetts Legislature to repeal the anti-bullying law that the commission was addressing. The testimony suggested adopting a student-run approach to anti-bullying in schools, and concluded that the anti-bullying law was onerous and costly, and should be repealed in favor of a school-directed solution. It went on to say that homosexual activist groups were behind the law and that the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) had diverged from its role of fighting anti-Semitism.[38]

Activities

Taping at youth conference

In 2000, members of the Parents' Rights Coalition attended a statewide conference, called "Teach-Out", that was sponsored by the Massachusetts Department of Education, the Governor’s Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth, and the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, held at Tufts University.

One student asked about fisting and was provided with an explanation.[39] MassResistance dubbed the incident "Fistgate" after one of its members "secretly recorded the workshop".[40][41] A state employee who participated in the discussion filed suit against Camenker and Scott Whiteman as a result of the distribution of the tape recordings.[42]

In October 2008, MassResistance employee Michael Olivio was arrested for disorderly conduct at a school after parents became concerned about his taking many pictures of their children.[43] When questioned by police, he explained that he was filming footage for a documentary, but mistook an elementary school for a high school. When asked by police to leave, Olivio began to "act erratically"; he "ran through yards [...] shedding clothing as he ran". Camenker backed up Olivio's story that he was working for the MassResistance, but went to the wrong school.[43]

Political criticism of Mitt Romney

Camenker first voiced concerns about Mitt Romney in 1994, when Romney ran for U.S. Senate on a platform supporting gay rights and abortion rights. According to Camenker, "Romney is a RINO, a Republican in name only".[10]

In April 2006, MassResistance pressured Romney to end a state advisory commission on gay youth. Romney instead ordered the commission to focus on suicide prevention among gay and lesbian teens.[44]

Mitt Romney Deception report

In November 2006, Camenker released a 28-page report critical of Romney's sympathetic positions on gay rights and portraying him as a social liberal. The report focused on Romney's term as governor of Massachusetts and his peripheral involvement with social issues such as gay rights and abortion. Camenker wrote that "the biggest problem is that Romney is so clearly and blatantly faking this. He's a fraud," suggesting that Romney was merely pandering to special interests.[44][22]

In January 2007, Romney's campaign issued a press release attacking Camenker for MassResistance's "Mitt Romney Deception" report.[10] Romney's campaign removed the press release from its site, but MassResistance continued to display it on their own site, and they issued their own press release as well.[45] Romney responded in defense of his conservative record as governor that he was "as staunch a defender as anyone in the country" of traditional marriage, and a pro-life position on stem cell research.[44]

Anti-gay robocalls in support of Rick Santorum

In March 2012, MassResistance president Brian Camenker[46][47][48] and the anti-gay organization, Jews and Christians Together[49] made a series of robocalls endorsing U.S. Presidential candidate Rick Santorum and opposing U.S. Presidential candidate Mitt Romney for the Ohio Super Tuesday Republican primary.[50][51][52][53][54]

Robocall script:

Hi, my name is Brian Camenker; I'm a Jew from Massachusetts.

And, this is Darcy Brandon; I'm a Christian from California. If you believe as we do that marriage and sexuality should only be between a man and a woman, please help us stop Mitt Romney.

As Governor, Romney signed 'Gay Youth Pride Day' proclamations, promoted homosexuality in our elementary schools, and unconstitutionally ordered state officals [sic] to make Massachusetts America's first same-sex marriage state. Romney supports open homosexuality in the military, the appointment of homosexual judges, and the ENDA law, making it illegal to fire a man who wears a dress and high heels to work, even if he's your kid's teacher. When you vote tomorrow, please vote for social sanity and Rick Santorum, NOT for homosexuality and Mitt Romney.

Rick Santorum is the ONLY candidate who can be trusted to uphold traditional marriage, a straight military, and the rights of American children to have both a mother and a father. This message paid for by Jews and Christians Together.org and not authorized by any candidate. To get the facts before you vote, visit Jews and Christians Together.org.[27]

MassResistance's Camenker, one of the robo-call voices, remarked in a press release that "Mitt Romney would be the most liberal Republican ever nominated for the Presidency. Romney is so far left, he spoke against the right of the Boy Scouts to screen-out homosexuals. Mitt Romney proved during the January 8 Meet the Press debate that he's still as far left on the gay agenda as always. He proudly announced, 'a member of my cabinet was gay. I appointed people to the bench regardless of their sexual orientation.' Asked when he last stood up and spoke out for increasing gay rights, Romney said 'Right now.'"[27]

A few days after the robocalls were broadcast, MassResistance's website stated: "As the 2012 presidential primary races are heating up, MassResistance is being called on to expose an important issue that the mainstream media (even Fox News) won't talk about. Millions of emails and robo-calls with MassResistance's information went to voters in key states leading up to Super Tuesday, which likely made a difference, say activists."[51]

Hate group designation

Since March 2008, the nonprofit civil rights organization[55][56][57] Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) has listed MassResistance as an active anti-gay hate group.[3][5][58] In November 2010, the SPLC stated, "Generally, the SPLC's listings of these groups is based on their propagation of known falsehoods—claims about LGBT people that have been thoroughly discredited by scientific authorities—and repeated, groundless name-calling."[3]

In 1996 MassResistance's leader, Brian Camenker claimed that suicide prevention programs aimed at gay youth actually were “put together by homosexual activists to normalize homosexuality.” MassResistance also asserted that groups such as the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), which support school anti-bullying programs, actually want to "lure children into homosexuality and, very possibly, sadomasochism".[3]

MassResistance has also insisted that gays were "trying to get legislation passed to allow sex with animals", later adding, "They [gays and lesbians] are pushing perversion on our kids."[3]

MassResistance has made claims that no homosexuals died in the The Holocaust of World War II, that the "pink triangle the Nazis forced imprisoned gays to wear actually signified Catholic priests," and that "gays are dangerous to kids". They have also made comments regarding "skyrocketing homosexual domestic violence"[3][59] and called a gay pride event a "depraved" display that featured "a great deal of obviously disturbed, dysfunctional, and extremely self-centered people whose aim was to push their agenda".[3]

References

  1. ^ "2010 IRS Form 990 federal tax return". Foundation Center. 2010. Retrieved October 02, 2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  2. ^ LeBlanc, Steve (July 2, 2006). "Group wages battle against Massachusetts gay culture". Rutland Herald. Rutland, VT. Associated Press. Retrieved October 02, 2012. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Schlatter, Evelyn (2010). "18 Anti-Gay Groups and Their Propaganda". Intelligence Report. Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved October 5, 2012. Generally, the SPLC's listings of these groups is based on their propagation of known falsehoods—claims about LGBT people that have been thoroughly discredited by scientific authorities—and repeated, groundless name-calling. Viewing homosexuality as unbiblical does not qualify organizations for listing as hate groups. {{cite web}}: External link in |quote= (help)
  4. ^ "Active U.S. Hate Groups". Retrieved 2008-10-30.
  5. ^ a b Jacobs, Ethan (March 26, 2008). "Shocker: MassResistance Declared a Hate Group". Retrieved September 17, 2012.}
  6. ^ MassResistance Accomplishments "Successes". {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  7. ^ Helman, Scott (2007-01-10). "Mass. Activists Defend Romney Conservative Record; Group Lauds Social Stances". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2008-10-30.
  8. ^ a b "MassResistance Blog". Retrieved October 7, 2012. End ... homosexual activist recruitment of our children in the public schools!
  9. ^ Most, Doug (June 2003). "There Goes the Neighborhood". Boston Magazine. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
  10. ^ a b c d Levenson, Michael (January 22, 2007). "Activist rains on Romney's parade". The Boston Globe. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
  11. ^ Kennedy, Helen; Managan, Patricia (January 13, 1993). "Parents sparring over sex ed in Newton". Boston, MA. The Boston Herald. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
  12. ^ Kennedy, Helen (May 11, 1993). "Newton board passes sex education plan". Boston, MA. The Boston Herald. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
  13. ^ Johnson, Jason B. (May 19, 1993). "Controversy in the schools Policy on gays in school draws mixed reviews from students". Boston, MA. The Boston Herald. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
  14. ^ Dorning, Mike (December 3, 1993). "Gay teen support groups ease transition from closet - SOCIAL ISSUES: As sexual awareness comes at earlier ages, such organizations multiply at high schools". The Orange County Register. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
  15. ^ "Articles of Organization" (PDF). Commonwealth of Massachusetts. May 8, 1995. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
  16. ^ Wetzstein, Cheryl (May 20, 1995). "Massachusetts panel backs pro-gay programs in schools - Pushes homosexual `youth pride' march in Boston". Washington, D.C. The Washington Times. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
  17. ^ Paige, Connie (October 10, 1995). "Bill for sex-ed notification headed to House for debate". Boston, MA. The Boston Herald. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
  18. ^ Paige, Connie (April 4, 1995). "Senate OKs compromise parental-notification bill". Boston, MA. The Boston Herald. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
  19. ^ a b "US Court of Appeals Opinion". January 21, 2008. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
  20. ^ "Two for one: Help stop "Safe Schools Czar" Kevin Jennings -- and get historic documentary". MassResistance. Retrieved October 2, 2012. Brian Camenker, President of Parents' Rights Coalition (now MassResistance).
  21. ^ "Parents May Sue School Over Gay Book". he Pink News. April 25, 2006. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
  22. ^ a b c Camenker, Brian (November 20, 2006). "The Mitt Romney Deception". MassResistance. Retrieved October 7, 2012. Cite error: The named reference "MR-deception" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  23. ^ a b "Main page". MassResistance. Retrieved October 7, 2012.
  24. ^ Fargen, Jessica (February 21, 2010). "SEN YOLKS IT UP IN SOUTHIE Brown salutes his supporters". Boston, MA. The Boston Herald. Retrieved October 07, 2012. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  25. ^ a b "MassResistance Voter Guide". Commonwealth of Massachusetts Freelance Media Registry. Retrieved October 7, 2012.
  26. ^ a b c Hamby, Peter (January 8, 2012). "Stop-Romney movement sets skirmish lines in South Carolina". CNN. Retrieved October 7, 2012.
  27. ^ a b c "Ohio Robos Hit Romney On Gay Issues". MMD Newswire. March 5, 2012. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
  28. ^ a b "Fighting back against nomination of activist lawyer for judgeship in Mass". MassResistance. July 21, 2012. Retrieved October 7, 2012.
  29. ^ Camenker, Brian (September 3, 2012). "My dinner with Todd Akin. His current struggle -- and what it means to you". MassResistance. Retrieved October 7, 2012.
  30. ^ "MassResistance releases new, updated version of shocking booklet: "What same-sex 'marriage' has done to Massachusetts"". MassResistance. August 2, 2012. Retrieved October 7, 2012.
  31. ^ "What same-sex "marriage' has done to Massachusetts". MassResistance. July 31, 2012. Retrieved October 7, 2012.
  32. ^ Reinhard, Beth (May 11, 2012). "Romney's Evolving Record on Anti-Gay Bullying". National Journal.
  33. ^ Curlin, Casey (March 15, 2010). "Suicides spur review of bullying measure; Bill would make schools accountable". Washington, D.C. The Washington Times. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  34. ^ Moser, Bob (February 4, 2011). "Bully for God". The Texas Observer. {{cite journal}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  35. ^ "Homosexual Indoctrination in Our Public Schools". Wall Builders Live. January 24, 2011. Retrieved October 7, 2012.
  36. ^ a b "MassResistance counters testimony from gay groups, special interests at overflowing public hearing on "anti-bullying" bills in State House". MassResistance. November 23, 2009. Retrieved October 7, 2012.
  37. ^ Szaniszlo, Marie (November 18, 2009). "Victim's mom lends voice to anti-bully bill". Boston, MA. The Boston Herald. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  38. ^ Camenker, Brian (February 25, 2011). "Written testimony to the Commission on Bullying Prevention" (PDF). Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved October 7, 2012.
  39. ^ "Firestorm over GLSEN sex education workshop worsens".
  40. ^ "The Fistgate Report".
  41. ^ "Critics contend safe-sex forum far too graphic". The Union-News. May 17, 2000.
  42. ^ Greenberger, Scott (November 28, 2000). "Educator fired for sex discussion sues to reclaim job". The Boston Globe.
  43. ^ a b Patten, Jim (October 23, 2008). "Man snapping pictures outside school caught after foot chase". Eagle-Tribune. Andover, Massachusetts. Retrieved October 5, 2012. But Michael Olivio's employer has come forward to back up his story. Olivio, 48, works for the anti-gay rights group MassResistance.org. Brian Camenker, head of the group, said Olivio mistakenly went to West Middle School Tuesday to snap pictures instead of the high school.
  44. ^ a b c Leblanc, Steve (January 13, 2007). "Activist slams Romney over issue record". The Republican. Springfield, MA. {{cite news}}: Text "October 5, 2007" ignored (help)
  45. ^ "Mitt Romney Campaign's press release attacking Brian Camenker". MassResistance. January 12, 2007. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
  46. ^ Tashman, Brian (April 6, 2012). "MassResistance Says America's 'Worldwide Homosexual Terror Group' will bring about 'Brutal Oppression'". Right Wing Watch. People for the American Way. Retrieved October 06, 2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  47. ^ "Rick Santorum Backers Accuse Mitt Romney Of Advancing Gay Marriage". Bay Ledger. March 5, 2012. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
  48. ^ Andrew, Mike (April 6, 2012). "Romney is the Gay candidate, Santorum says". Seattle Gay News. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
  49. ^ "Dump Romney". Jews and Christians Together. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
  50. ^ "Santorum Backers Hit Romney with Anti-gay Robo-calls in Ohio". Think Progress. March 5, 2012. Retrieved October 5, 2012. {{cite web}}: |first= missing |last= (help); Unknown parameter |late= ignored (help)
  51. ^ a b "Massive robo-call and email blast of MassResistance material in primary election states: Millions of voters reached!". MassResistance. March 12, 2012. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
  52. ^ Rachel Maddow (April 12, 2012). Pro-Santorum Robo-Call Urges Voters To Vote For Santorum and NOT Romney & Homosexuality. MSNBC.
  53. ^ LoBasso, Randy (March 7, 2012). "Here Is the Anti-Gay Robocall That Almost Won Rick Santorum Ohio". Philadelphia Weekly. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
  54. ^ Posner, Sarah (March 6, 2012). "Jews and Christians for Santorum?". Religion Dispatches Magazine. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
  55. ^ Ma, Ken (November 24, 2005). "College students' blackface stunt creates backlash". The Orlando Sentinel. Orlando, FL. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  56. ^ Wiggins, Ovetta (April 26, 2006). "Racial Slurs Make For Ugly Commute; Vandals Deface Bowie Church, Sound Barrier". The Washington Post. Washington, D.C. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  57. ^ Dininny, Shannon (January 16, 2012). "Civil-rights history gets boost; Whitman College students to teach subject this week". The Seattle Times. Seattle, WA. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  58. ^ Aiello, Dan (December 31, 2009). "Sister of prop 8 mastermind will run for sacramento superior court judge". Sacramento Examiner. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  59. ^ Camenker, Brian. "What same-sex "marriage" has done to Massachusetts". MassResistance. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
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