Bob Vander Plaats,  President of the Iowa conservative Christian organization The FAMiLY LEADER, is taking umbrage at random anonymous comments from online threads in a plea to raise money for the group. A recent article in The Hill (and the Iowa Independent post highlighting it) suggested that Vander Plaats is one of the “top 10 coveted endorsements for Republicans running for president,” but Matt Reisetter (Director of Development) was very irritated by some of the comments he saw:

Flattering as that might be for Bob or for our organization, what caught my eye were some of the outrageous comments posted in response to the article, as it was displayed on various blogs.  Here is a small sample of what some of the “haters” are saying:

“So when people think of Iowans, this…rabid, hate-spewing turtle is what they picture as the median?  Great.  Just great.”
Posted on The Iowa Independent by LIBERaliTY on 6/28/2011

“hahaha I hope the republicans give him all of the influence in the world.  He’s nuts. put him as far out on stage as possible.”
Posted on The Iowa Independent by UIgrad2010 on 6/27/2011

“So many right-wing nut-jobs read this website…”
Posted on The Hill by Marc Jacobs on 06/26/2011

The FAMiLY LEADER thinks it’s hateful to be called hateful and feels that random anonymous comments (aside from perhaps “Marc Jacobs”) are an “outrageous” destructive force. This, from the group who called being gay a “public health risk” akin to second-hand smoking. Often, bullies who seek allies to vindicate their bullying are implying their tacit awareness of the negative impact they’re making.

If Reisetter and Vander Plaats are concerned with “haters” in online feedback, perhaps they should pledge to help monitor and clean up the comment threads on “It Gets Better” anti-bullying videos. Here’s a look at some comments found on them today:

“Nobody is completely “normal”. That said, there ARE standards of “normalcy” in a thriving culture. One of them is a recognition of what sex is and why it exists. Homosexuality circumvents it as much as an appetite for rotting flesh instead of fresh food circumvents the reason the appetite for food exists. And in both cases, the results are disastrous – not only for the individual involved.”
Posted on  “It Gets Better” — Love, Pixar by RobRoyRed42 on 07/03/2011

“And gays aren’t brave! They ask for negative responses. If someone is gay and doesn’t talk like it fine be gay cuz no one will have to know. But if your flaming and doing the talk and acts for show u deserve to be hated on”
Posted on “Google Chrome: It Gets Better“ by MrGetmoney303 on 07/04/2011

“Stupid nigar gays go against the bible that’s all there is to it”
Posted on “President Obama: It Gets Better” by paytonhester on 07/02/2011

Which group is really being bullied? Jonathan Rauch calls out this kind of self-victimizing at The Atlantic today (see number 11):

In a country where evangelicals outnumber self-identified gays by at least 10 to 1, and where anti-gay bullying is endemic in schools, and where same-sex couples cannot marry in 45 states, and where countless gay Americans cannot even get their foreign partners into the country, much less into a hospital room — here, we’re supposed to believe that gays are the bullies? Get used to it. This is the script of culture wars to come.

The New York Times’ Erik Eckholm and Katharine Seelye report on the National Organization for Marriage’s (NOM) pledge to “spend $2 million in 2012 to defeat New York’s four ‘turncoat senators’ who ‘betrayed marriage’” and wonder if conservatives who voted for marriage equality will face an uphill reelection reelection fight:

The organization [NOM], which says it expects to raise $20 million this year from Roman Catholic and evangelical Christian groups as well as individual donors, is gearing up for intense battles over same-sex marriage in several other states; so far, voters in 29 states have adopted constitutional amendments banning it.

Since the vote, the Family Research Council, one of the largest conservative Christian advocacy groups, started hearing from more followers who wanted to defend traditional marriage, and officials said they expected a jump in donations.

“More than ever before, people are seeing this as a national issue,” said Tom McClusky, senior vice president of the council.

Well financed conservative groups certainly represent some degree of danger to marriage equality proponents, but this threat shouldn’t be overstated. Consider New York. NOM pledged thousands of dollars to defeat same-sex marriage in the state, but the law still passed as Republicans realized that voters — even conservative voters — didn’t view the issue as a priority. In fact, since 2007, all four Republican assembly members who have broken ranks and voted in favor of allowing same-sex couples to marry have won reelection “typically without even having to face a primary challenger.” Most recently, Democrat and marriage equality advocate Kathy Hochul secured victory in the NY-26 special election, despite NOM’s marriage-focused campaign against her.

NOM and other anti-marriage organizations may secure a few isolated victories, but they will be fighting the prevailing trends of increasing popular acceptance of marriage equality and the growing number of conservative and Republican donors who are willing to spend millions to help make that policy a reality. As Sen. Mark Grisanti (R) — one of the four Republicans who voted in favor of New York’s marriage law — recently told YNN News when asked if he feared a conservative backlash, “I’m comfortable with my decision and my vote because I think it was a balance, and whatever NOM wants to do, as I said, that’s what makes this country great. Go ahead and do what you’ve got to do.”

Two gay Fort Carson soldiers were beaten in a suspected hate crime in Colorado Springs, Colorado over the weekend because of their sexual orientation. One was kicked repeatedly in the head and ribs; the other had to have his jaw wired shut for a facial fracture. But besides recovering from the beating, the soldiers are also struggling with the fact that coming out about the attack could endanger their careers because Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) is still in effect.

“John” and “Ted” now face concerns about how their very visible injuries will impact their ability to abide by the policy. John explained that homosexuality “is definitely frowned upon” in his combat unit. Even though most of Ted’s peers know he’s gay, he explained, “I don’t need people higher up knowing. I still have to protect myself as far as on the military side.”

At last week’s White House LGBT Pride Reception, President Obama explained that DADT repeal will be certified “in a matter of weeks, not months.” Just-retired Secretary of Defense Robert Gates had similarly suggested certification will take place by late July or early August. Even though Obama signed the repeal legislation last year, the measure contained a certification process for transitioning the troops and an additional 60-day waiting period after repeal is finally lifted. The White House should see incidents like this attack as motivation to not only hasten the repeal process, but to also continue advocating for a nondiscrimination policy that will protect servicemembers should they come out. In the last few weeks, four servicemembers have been discharged under the policy, but those aren’t the only consequences of DADT. Soldiers like John and Ted are recovering from serious injuries because their gay identities made them targets, and those very injuries could lead to them losing their military careers or facing further harassment in their units.