Topic: WorldNetDaily
A Nov. 30 WorldNetDaily article by Jack Minor dishonestly claims that laws banning "reparative therapy" to change a person's sexual oreintation protects pedophiles. He writes:
A California congresswoman wants to federalize a state law to prohibit counseling to change a person’s sexual orientation, including that of pedophiles.
In fact, Rep. Jackie Speier is offering only a non-binding resolution -- not a proposed federal law -- declaring that "sexual orientation and gender identify or expression change efforts directed at minors are discredited and ineffective, have no legitimate therapeutic purpose, and are dangerous and harmful." The resolution does not address such therapy directed at adults, as Minor suggests.
Minor goes on to claim that "the term 'sexual orientation' is not defined in either the California bill or Speier’s resolution," then cites anti-gay activists who claim that "This language is so broad and vague, it arguably could include all forms of sexual orientation including pedophilia," and that under the language of a bill banning anti-gay therapy targeted at minors, a "mental health counselor could be sanctioned if there was an attempt to get a pedophile to change his behavior or speak negatively about the behavior." Minor adds:
Pedophilia has already been granted protected status by the federal government in a way. The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act lists “sexual orientation” as a protected class; however, it does not define the term.
Republicans attempted to add an amendment specifying “pedophilia is not covered as an orientation.” However, the amendment was defeated by Democrats. Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Fla., stated that all alternative sexual lifestyles should be protected under the law.
In fact, as we pointed out the last time WND lied about this, the federal government considers pedophilia a crime, not a sexual orientation, so excluding pedophiles would be redundant.
Similarly, a Nov. 30 WND column by professional gay-basher Matt Barber portrays laws banning sexual orientation for minors -- which he calls "Sandusky Laws" -- as stopping "therapeutic help for child victims of monsters like homosexual pedophile Jerry Sandusky." Barber continued on his anti-gay rant, :
Thousands of people, many of whom once identified as “gay,” have received positive, life-changing benefits from such counseling. Yet, among other things, the fact that people can, and do, leave homosexuality bulldozes the politically motivated, scientifically discredited “born that way” meme.
[...]
Under Sandusky Laws, if children begin to experience sexual confusion – such as unwanted same-sex attractions stemming from sexual abuse, trauma or any other factor – these bans force, under penalty of law, parents and therapists to tell the children that they are now “gay” or “transgender” and must live with it – even if they don’t wish to live with it and are otherwise recovering from the abuse-caused sexual confusion.
Wherever one stands on the issue of “gay rights,” any reasonable, caring person should be appalled by these selfish adult activists’ sickening and hateful stunt. What kind of person politicizes the lives of children, treating them as throwaway pawns in a cynical game of political chess?
Barber went on to call Speier's resolution "propagandist," even though Barber himself is merely regurgitating anti-gay propaganda, then calls gay activism a "radical cult."
