Last summer, the anti-gay Family Research Council was targeted by a shooter, who fortunately only managed to non-critically injure one brave security guard, who apprehended him before he could harm anyone else. Since then, FRC has used the shooting to campaign against the label of “hate group,” specifically blaming the Southern Poverty Law Center for somehow inciting the shooter by applying that label to various anti-gay groups. The SPLC dismissed these accusations as “outrageous.” In February, Tony Perkins specifically claimed that the SPLC provided a “license” for the shooting, calling the civil rights group “a source for those bent on committing acts of violence.” This week, FRC offered what it considers to be proof of these claims.
The shooter, Floyd Corkins II of Virginia, pleaded guilty in February to three charges, including committing an act of terrorism while armed. This week prosecutors recommended a 45-year prison sentence. FRC has now released a short clip of federal investigators questioning Corkins, in which he admits he saw the group listed on the SPLC website:
CORKINS: It was — Southern Poverty Law… lists anti-gay groups. I found them online. I did a little bit of research, went to the website, stuff like that.
Watch it:
The video of Corkins’ interrogation proves only one thing: the Family Research Council is anti-gay. This is a true fact regardless of whether the SPLC posts a list of anti-gay groups or not, and certainly there are plenty of other websites (including this one) that describe FRC as anti-gay.
Violent crime is wrong, and nobody on any side of the LGBT equality debate condones Corkins’ actions. By trying to blame an organization for inciting violence, FRC is simply trying to divert attention from its daily anti-gay rants and hateful reputation.