The man who invented gay rights

CNN ^ | December 24, 2010 | David Carter, Special to CNN

[2ndDivisionVet]

Editor's note: David Carter is the author of "Stonewall: The Riots That Sparked the Gay Revolution," the basis for the American Experience film "Stonewall Uprising" that will be shown on PBS in April. He is working on a biography of Frank Kameny.

This week President Barack Obama signed into law the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell," which banned gay men and lesbians from serving openly in the U.S. armed forces.

A seat at the front of the audience was reserved for 85-year-old Frank Kameny, who attended wearing the Combat Infantryman Badge that he was awarded for his service in World War II. Kameny recalls his service fighting in the wake of the Battle of the Bulge by saying, "I dug my way across Europe slit trench by slit trench, practically."

But Kameny was not invited because of any heroism he demonstrated in World War II, but rather for a much greater act of courage than even that conflict had demanded of him. He was invited because it was Kameny who began the assault on the military policy of discharging homosexuals by leading a demonstration at the Pentagon in 1965.

Indeed, it was Kameny who called upon the minuscule pre-Stonewall gay rights movement -- known then as the homophile movement -- to model itself upon the civil rights movement.

This may not sound radical today, but in the mid-1960s homosexuality was seen as the ultimate taboo. As the homophile movement stated, homosexuals were triply condemned: The medical establishment deemed them mentally ill, the law made them criminals, and religions branded them sinners....

[2ndDivisionVet]

Have we lost the Culture War?

[DouglasKC]

Have we lost the Culture War?

Yep. Its over. The United States Government now officially sanctions and accepts as normal homosexuality, a sin before the eyes of God.

It's why our nation is in decline. It's why those who want to destroy our country have been working on this and other "moral" issues for decades.

God removes his blessings when we turn our backs on God...

[Bulldawg Fan]

“But Kameny was not invited because of any heroism he demonstrated in World War II, but rather for a much greater act of courage than even that conflict had demanded of him.”

Only the hardest core leftist media could come up with such a statement. Pure bull#### trash. But their favored causes are always innocent and pure while any opposition is vile and hateful. But here is a message to CNN and Kameny, he will one day rot in hell and neither CNN or any other America hating organization will be able to do a single thing to change it. Mark my words.

[EGPWS]

...which banned gay men and lesbians from serving openly in the U.S. armed forces.

No, it politicized the military to neuter their effectiveness for what they are truly in existence for.

[Psycho_Bunny]

“Invented” is actually the correct word. I’m surprised CNN made the “mistake” of using it.

[central_va]

This may not sound radical today, but in the mid-1960s homosexuality was seen as the ultimate taboo. As the homophile movement stated, homosexuals were triply condemned: The medical establishment deemed them mentally ill, the law made them criminals, and religions branded them sinners

We are doomed to the same fate as the Roman Empire. Luckily are enemies are basket cases for now.

[ViLaLuz]

Open sodomy and abortion. A double whammy.

[wku man]

We can either surrender or fight. Before long, both choices will be literal.

Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!

[SECURE AMERICA]

“Gay Rights”
So we have legalized this perversion which one will our Governent work on next? Pedopholia? Sort of a natural progression.................

[central_va]

I pray for the South, how humiliating it is to be attached to this mess.

[Walts Ice Pick]

This may not sound radical today, but in the mid-1960s homosexuality was seen as the ultimate taboo.

I'm not sure we can ever turn back to the morality of the Fifties and Sixties, or even the Seventies. Since the Eighties, the decline has been very steep.

We're a long way from normalcy, I'm afraid.

[mohresearcher]

So is being openly gay supposed to added to the affirmative action program. Maybe it already is and I didn’t realize how perverted laws have become: when I was a young boy, everything that was “bad” is now “good.”

[seton89]

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/arts-post/2010/12/artist_asks_to_withdraw_work_f.html

[[The piece that Bronson has asked to be removed is a mural-size color photograph titled “Felix, June 5, 1994”, showing the corpse of the artist’s partner Felix Partz, lying in bed only minutes or hours after his death caused by AIDS. The photo is one of the exhibition’s linchpin works, and praised as a “harrowing, almost unbearable image” in my rave review of “Hide/Seek.”]]

http://www.aabronson.com/art/mirrormirror/lookingglass/felix1.htm

---

For the wages of sin is death

[greene66]

I really have no doubt that PBS will follow-up this film in a few years with one touting the ‘great heroism’ of the founders of NAMBLA. This country has become a sick, sick joke.

[Red6]

It is culture that creates wealth and power, not vice versa.

With the decline of Judea Christian values, the decay of the family, marriage, lack of children, the advent of abortions on demand, the easy divorce, prolific drug use, the tolerance of prostitution, drugs, gambling..........

As America changes and begins to embrace these views, expect America to fall from greatness.

It’s no different in our individual lives. If you embrace certain views and behave certain ways, don’t be surprised if you end up like one in five gays with HIV. Don’t be surprised if your marriage falls apart, if you kids end up messed up....... If your military unit can’t function right, if the trains don’t run on time anymore or if you can’t even move goods across the country because of all the officials extorting money from you as in Africa.

[Red6]

It is culture that creates wealth and power, not vice versa.

With the decline of Judea Christian values, the decay of the family, marriage, lack of children, the advent of abortions on demand, the easy divorce, prolific drug use, the tolerance of prostitution, drugs, gambling..........

As America changes and begins to embrace these views, expect America to fall from greatness.

It’s no different in our individual lives. If you embrace certain views and behave certain ways, don’t be surprised if you end up like one in five gays with HIV. Don’t be surprised if your marriage falls apart, if you kids end up messed up....... If your military unit can’t function right, if the trains don’t run on time anymore or if you can’t even move goods across the country because of all the officials extorting money from you as in Africa.

[CORedneck]

We need to go back to that !

> homosexuals were triply condemned: The medical establishment deemed them mentally ill, the law made them criminals, and religions branded them sinners....

[denydenydeny]

but rather for a much greater act of courage than even that conflict had demanded of him.

So....Let's repeat that: Demonstrating at the Pentagon required more courage than fighting at the Battle of the Bulge did.

OH REALLY??????

[central_va]

America, enjoy your Fudgesicle™. /sarc

[Bob]

Kameny recalls his service fighting in the wake of the Battle of the Bulge by saying, "I dug my way across Europe slit trench by slit trench, practically."

Sorry, being an ex-sailor, I'm not all that familiar with army slang.

Isn't the term slit trench used to refer to a latrine?