Gay/Lesbian Press Mischaracterizes Glenn Sacks' Criticism of OPUS Cartoon

GlennSacks.com ^ | 6/14/07 | Glenn Sacks

[PercivalWalks]

Not surprisingly, the gay press has fired back at me over my comments earlier this week in my blog post "Nationally-Syndicated Cartoonist: It's Better to Have Two Moms than a Mom and a Dad," [glennsacks.com/blog/?p=214] in which I criticized the OPUS Father's Day week cartoon "Davie Dinkle has two moms."

In the cartoon, which appeared in many of America's largest newspapers last Sunday, two elementary school boys discuss a classmate who is being raised by two lesbian moms. One boy says, "Makes you wonder how he'll do without a male role model in the house." Right afterwards, the drunken, idiot father angrily throws the TV out the window, yelling, "Now THAT was a pitch you @$%* moron!"

I wrote:

"[Cartoonist Berkeley] Breathed's message is clear--dads are useless as role models (when they're not outright destructive), and kids have little need or use for them."

I also noted, "My commentary above should NOT be construed as a criticism of lesbians, lesbian moms or gays. As I've made clear on many occasions, I fully support the rights of gays and lesbians to live their lives as they choose. What I oppose is the idea...that kids don't need fathers, that moms are better than dads, and that having two moms is better than having a mom and a dad.)

Now the gay press--including the prominent blogs Queerty [www.queerty.com/news/cartoon-causes-controversy-20070614/] and Pam's House Blend [www.pamshouseblend.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=2007] as well as the lesbian mothers' blog Mombian [mombian.com/2007/06/14/opus-cartoon-about-lesbian-moms-stirs-conservative-wrath/]--are firing back. They criticize me and conservative religious writer Jennifer Roback Morse, who had later criticized the same cartoon in a Townhall.com column. I respect Morse and her work, but her views are obviously substantially different from mine. (To pick one example, she and I clashed a few months ago over my defense of lesbian social mothers' custody rights in gay/lesbian divorces or civil union dissolutions--to learn more, go here: glennsacks.com/blog/?p=214)

My belief is that while gays and lesbians as individuals are just as competent as parents as heterosexuals are, children need fathers and do benefit substantially from both the male and female parenting styles. When two gay men parent a child, I believe children lose something substantial from not having a mother, and when two women parent a child the child loses something substantial from not having a father.

I might have hoped that critics would deal with my argument directly. Instead, as almost always happens, they glide past my argument to find a more radical one--in this case, Morse's--and then paint me with the same broad brush. When my work is discussed on feminist sites, my critics almost always cite some stupid or misogynistic thing which some other men's issues columnist wrote--and such comments are not hard to find--and link me with it.

In "Cartoon Causes Controversy: Conservatives Decry 'Anti-Daddy' Droll" [www.queerty.com/news/cartoon-causes-controversy-20070614/], Queerty writes:

"Conservatives have their neatly pressed panties in a twist over this Opus The Penguin cartoon. The Berkeley Breathed-penned comic appeared Sunday (aka God’s Day) and provides more fuel to the ever-raging debate over gay parenting. Rather than focusing on the alleged pros and cons of queer parents, the Right’s taking a different angle--they’re accusing Breathed of denigrating daddies...Glenn Sacks squeals, 'Breathed’s message is clear–dads are useless as role models (when they’re not outright destructive).'"

In other words, I'm an anti-gay conservative looking for a way to beat up on gays, and I used the OPUS cartoon as a way to do it. They have it almost exactly wrong. I'm not anti-gay, I'm not a conservative, and I don't like to criticize gays or gay marriage. However, I do have a major problem with the idea that fathers are useless or destructive and that kids only need mothers--an idea the OPUS cartoon clearly represents.

To read more on similar issues, visit Glenn Sacks' blog at GlennSacks.com.

[pillut48]

“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”...that was done in ignorance. These people are blatantly proud of themselves and their ‘progressive’ thinking. Bleh.

[SJSAMPLE]

I travel a lot, so I’m confused when fathers spend Father’s Day away from their children, as my father did.

I spent the day fishing and swimming with my daughters :D

Dads matter !!!

[Redbob]

"My belief is that while gays and lesbians as individuals are just as competent as parents as heterosexuals are,..."

Either this guy is phenomenally stupid, or he has an agenda - the gay agenda.

[xhrist]

"These people are blatantly proud of themselves and their ‘progressive’ thinking"
Still, even more so...'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do'...

[PAR35]

Isn’t it fun to watch liberals go after each other.

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

It is really an impossible line, to embrace homosexuality as equal to heterosexuality and then to try and distinguish a difference out in the outcomes arena. Homosexuality is immoral and evil. It always serves up more and more immorality and confusion. Freedom is no more dependent on the legality of homosexuality than it is dependent on the legality of exhibitionism or bestiality. Some boundaries serve as a guard to true liberty. There is no liberty for anyone without a basic structure of order. That structure must be based on nature and nature’s God if it is to succeed. Otherwise it is based on nothing more than human cravings and impulses which will war with each other and eventually destroy each other — the worst ending up master of all because he has the “right” and the gall to do it.

[Jibaholic]

“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”...that was done in ignorance. These people are blatantly proud of themselves and their ‘progressive’ thinking. Bleh.

Indeed. I thought of: "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; who substitute bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and clever in their own sight! (NAS, Isaiah 5:20-21) "

[Vaquero]

fostering their alternate lifestyle is just another example of socialist radicals trying to destroy American moral fiber and tradition from within to achieve their bolshevic goals.

[Jibaholic]

There is no liberty for anyone without a basic structure of order.

As the historian Will Durant put it, "In my youth I stressed freedom, and in my old age I stress order. I have made the great discovery that liberty is a product of order."

[50sDad]

My daughters, eight and thirteen, contributed to a lovely Powerpoint presentation for Father’s Day at my church, and my eldest helped sing the music for it. They are jewels in my crown, blessings to my house, fruit of His vine, and dear to me. And they both know, the best parents are a man and a woman, and that is what God would want for everyone. (How it works out in the real world is sometimes a compromise of “getting things done”, but the know what God would prefer.) And I am SOOOOOOOOOOOO tired of TV showing us what an idiot Dad is. Of a day, John Wayne or an assortment of other strong and firm dads would kindly shepheard his kids, teaching and preaching, struggling to do what is right, working to provide the one-half of the programming a child needs to grow and learn. But somewhere along the Media line, Dad became either arrogant and cruel or foolish and whimpy. Name me five TV dads who are still in production that you would WANT to be your dad!

[VeniVidiVici]

Who is Glenn Sacks and what do I care what he blogs?

[freekitty]

LOL the Gay/Les stuff is getting old. I don’t think people are paying attention anymore.

[wbill]

I'm not sure how a single parent could raise a kid. Mrs. WBill and I have all that we can handle together.

Children need a mother and a father. Period. Barring extraordinary circumstances (death, abusive relationships, etc) I have no idea how anyone could argue differently, unless it was to affirm their own selfish version of the world.

[lilylangtree]

You hit the nail on the head. Salute!

[Elsie]

 

These people are blatantly proud of themselves and their ‘progressive’ thinking.

 

Ya think??

  

Genesis 13:13       Now the men of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the LORD.

Genesis 18:20-21
20. Then the LORD said, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous
21. that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know."

Genesis 19:4-7
4. Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom--both young and old--surrounded the house.
5. They called to Lot, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them."
6. Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him
7. and said, "No, my friends. Don't do this wicked thing.

 

Psalms 12:8      The wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honored among men.

      More?

 

Isaiah 3:9   The look on their faces testifies against them; they parade their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to them! They have brought disaster upon themselves.

 

 

Ezekiel 16:49-50
49. "`Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.
50. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen.

 

But there IS hope!!!

1 Corinthians 6:9-11

 9. Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived:
     Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders
10. nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
11. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

 

---

If you could NOT change, you would be in most pitiful shape.....

  

Genesis 13:13       Now the men of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the LORD.

Genesis 18:20-21
20. Then the LORD said, "The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous
21. that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know."

Genesis 19:4-7
4. Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom--both young and old--surrounded the house.
5. They called to Lot, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them."
6. Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him
7. and said, "No, my friends. Don't do this wicked thing.

 

Psalms 12:8      The wicked freely strut about when what is vile is honored among men.

      More?

 

Isaiah 3:9   The look on their faces testifies against them; they parade their sin like Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to them! They have brought disaster upon themselves.

 

 

Ezekiel 16:49-50
49. "`Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.
50. They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen.

 

But there IS hope!!!

1 Corinthians 6:9-11

 9. Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived:
     Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders
10. nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.
11. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

 

---

If you could NOT change, you would be in most pitiful shape.....

[Secret Agent Man]

To quote Bill the Cat:

“AAAAACCCCCCCKKKKKK THTTTHTTPPPPPPT!!!!”

[Secret Agent Man]

Actually, keeping in line with Bill the Cat, I have always wondered if lesbians get hairballs.

[herMANroberts]

Dude! Pink is definitely not your color!

[Elsie]

That's FUSHIA, my good man!

---

2 Peter 2

 1.  But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them--bringing swift destruction on themselves.
 2.  Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.
 3.  In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.
 4.  For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but sent them to hell,  putting them into gloomy dungeons  to be held for judgment;
 5.  if he did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness, and seven others;
 6.  if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly;
 7.  and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men
 8.  (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)--
 9.  if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment.
 10.  This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the sinful nature  and despise authority.   Bold and arrogant, these men are not afraid to slander celestial beings;
 11.  yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not bring slanderous accusations against such beings in the presence of the Lord.
 12.  But these men blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like brute beasts, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed, and like beasts they too will perish.
 13.  They will be paid back with harm for the harm they have done. Their idea of pleasure is to carouse in broad daylight. They are blots and blemishes, reveling in their pleasures while they feast with you.