|| News ||
Page 1 of 1

Right-Winger Calls FBI on Joe.My.God 


JOE JERVIS MATT BARBER X390 (FAIR USE) | ADVOCATE.COM

Joe Jervis is not afraid of antigay activists like Maggie Gallagher, Matt Barber, and Peter LaBarbera, but they may be afraid of him. Barber recently alerted the FBI about comments made on Jervis's gay news blog Joe.My.God, claiming they amounted to terrorist threats.

In a post from last week, Jervis wrote about LaBarbera -- president of Americans for Truth About Homosexuality -- taking umbrage with the group Stand for Marriage and its successful campaign to ban same-sex marriage in Maine. In its commercials, Stand for Marriage advocated against same-sex marriage, but endorsed Maine's domestic-partnership laws.
 
LaBarbera wrote on the website of AFTAH, "We who claim to follow God are lacking in integrity if we promote the normalization of homosexuality as part of some (perhaps well-intentioned) utilitarian plan to ostensibly 'save' traditional marriage. Indeed, the irony of the ad text above is that progressive concessions on 'domestic partnership' and 'civil unions' legislation will, in fact, dismantle traditional marriage... It’s time to reject Political Correctness and get back to basics in the pro-family movement."

When Jervis pointed out LaBarbera's thinking -- that gays should not be allowed any relationship protections whatsoever -- his readers were incensed. A commenter was worried that efforts by people like LaBarbera would incite violence: "What I fear is that once gay and lesbian people give up hope of achieving equality through nonviolent means, there will be radicals who will begin to hunt down haters like LaBarbera and Gallagher."
 
A Joe.My.God reader replied to that comment by writing, "You say this like it's a bad thing? Maybe a bit of well organized terrorism is just what we need, er, I mean 'civil disobedience.'"

Liberty Council president Matt Barber, another enemy of same-sex marriage, alerted the FBI to this comment, citing the recent mass murder at Fort Hood as reason for federal authorities to get involved. Jervis -- even though he has yet to hear from the FBI -- has since taken the post down.

In an e-mail to Advocate.com, Jervis writes, "Even a casual reading of the comments in question will show that no direct threats of 'terrorism' were made towards anyone. In fact, the comment that LaBarbera has fed to every right wing news site in the country actually expresses concern that an unbalanced person might do something violent and hurt the LGBT cause in doing so. But that doesn't matter to the Christian right, who in an internet game of 'Telephone' have ratcheted up the story to the point where it looks like I, myself, have made terrorist threats."

Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Twitter. Follow us on Facebook Follow us on Facebook. Page 1 of 1
Reader Comments
  • Name: Jessica K
    Date posted: 11/12/2009 10:16:28 AM
    Hometown: NJ

    Comment:

    The right wing and the GOP; Always playing the victim card. What a crock. They actively called for the "Elimination" of that abortion doctor and then acted surprised when one of their wing nuts actually went out and murdered him. Victims my fat ass, their more like the trigger man.

  • Name: Bob
    Date posted: 11/12/2009 1:14:49 AM
    Hometown: Indianapolis, IN

    Comment:

    I for one would not shed a tear if something were to happen to Mr. LaBarbera or any of his contemporaries.

  • Name: Michael
    Date posted: 11/11/2009 9:10:22 PM
    Hometown: Clayton, CA

    Comment:

    Large, pro-homophobia advocacy groups and churches along with their false prophet leaders are the terrorists. Law-abiding, taxpaing, gay Americans should not be subjected to militants trying to impose their religiouss beliefs on the rest of us or working tirelessly to take away our civil rights and religious liberty. Those like LaBarbera who advocate for religious tyranny should be investigated. When do our government and courts intend to enforce the Fourteenth Amerndment which supposedly protects us against such religious tyranny?

  • Name: Davya
    Date posted: 11/11/2009 8:07:54 PM
    Hometown: Wynnewood, PA

    Comment:

    Also, I don't think violence is necessary. But I do think that, if NOM continues to bring in such illegitimate and blatantly lying web organizations such as Americans for Truth (ha) about Homosexuality to promote and incite bigotry in the affairs of the states' legal proceedings of civil rights, then we should protest the offices of NOM and AFTAH and, if absolutely necessary, practice civil disobedience.

  • Name: Davya
    Date posted: 11/11/2009 8:01:14 PM
    Hometown: Wynnewood, PA

    Comment:

    The scapegoating of homosexuality through acclaimed (and RELIGIOUSLY AND TAUTOLOGICALLY INCORRECT) views that homosexuals are morally unhealthy and dangerous is a form of media terrorism. Also, the Patriot Act is no longer in place, you can't just arrest someone because they talk about terrorism. There has to be probable cause that that person has the means and intention to commit an act of terrorism to press any inquiries or charges whatsoever. Why don't these right-wing organizations do like their leader (co-head of NOM) Robert P. George and actually learn some damn thing about the legal system in this country instead of openly agreeing with the misinformed populous on votes they would have made regardless of their corny commercials and thick-headed, dick-brained take on theology. If they actually did some research besides chanting with the dumb choir maybe they wouldnt make this country look so stupid.

  • Name: doug
    Date posted: 11/11/2009 7:45:56 PM
    Hometown: vb

    Comment:

    the main group using terrorism is the Christian faith- by dehumanizing us (forbidding us equal rights does just that) they advocate hate crimes against us. Fred Phelps is as big a terrorist as Arafat, Bin Laden or the IRA's O'Connell...

  • Name: Jim Kane
    Date posted: 11/11/2009 7:20:51 PM
    Hometown: San Antonio

    Comment:

    What type of hors d'oeuvres do serve with Molotov Cocktails?

  • Name: Jim Ver Steeg
    Date posted: 11/11/2009 7:03:44 PM
    Hometown: NY

    Comment:

    This is absolutely ridiculous. I recently did an interview with Joe for Instinct Magazine. Anyone can read the online Q&A at http://instinctmagazine.com/blog/the-not-so-average-joe-part-ii If you read it you will see he is a level-headed man who is passionate about his activism AND his accountability. Just incredible...

  • Name: Jay
    Date posted: 11/11/2009 6:57:30 PM
    Hometown: Tucson

    Comment:

    While I'm against Barber's attempt to stiffle free speech, and calling the FBI, I also think that saying, "Maybe a bit of well organized terrorism is just what we need...," is going way over the line. And in our society today, and speech that mentions "terrorism" is going to be flagged, and probably should be at least to the extent that it's looked at. I'm not saying that Joe.My.God should be at all limited in his speech, by the government, but he might want to consider limiting such comments himself. Any mention or condoning of violence hurts our cause, not helps it.

  • Name: Jay
    Date posted: 11/11/2009 6:15:58 PM
    Hometown: Santa Monica

    Comment:

    I think we are going to have to start monitoring the right-wing blogs and report them to the FBI. Their threats against gay people are so routine as to seem perfectly normal. It looks like Barber et al. now want to censor the free speech of Americans. And just two weeks ago they were bemoaning the passage of the Hate Crimes Bill because, they alleged, it would stifle free speech. Oh, I see. They want to continue their vile speech, they just don't want us to attack them verbally or otherwise.



Don't Miss
  • Best of Broadway Smash: Why You Will Love It

    Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, two of the producers of NBC’s new critically acclaimed musical series, explain why the backstage drama of creating a musical about Marilyn Monroe has mass appeal and why big stars like Anjelica Huston, Uma Thurman, Bernadette Peters, and Nick Jonas were eager to appear in it.

  • Best of Broadway How Broadway Does a Flea Market

    Find out why actress Kathleen Chalfant calls the annual Flea Market and Grand Auction in Times Square "the most glamorous flea market you've ever seen." It raised half a million dollars to fight HIV/AIDS.

  • Travel Slideshow Flag Gayest Cities in America, 2012

    It's no secret that megalopolises New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles have robust LGBT life — and we've even heard tell of little queer hoods like the Castro and P-Town. This isn't that list.

 
 
Advocate Subscribe Promo Banner 300x50
 
Follow Us Follow Us on FacebookFollow Us on TwitterSubscribe to our RSS feedsDownload our app
Facebook Activity
 
1056 COVER X135 | ADVOCATE.COM
Today's Headlines