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Gay Conservative Shuts Down Blog, Abandons Prop. 8

Gay conservative David Benkof has closed down his blog Gays Defend Marriage, in which he supported marriage as a union between one man and one woman. In a statement to LGBT advocacy group Truth Wins Out the writer, formerly known as David Bianco, said, “I no longer feel comfortable being allied with the people running the Prop. 8 campaign.”


Gay conservative David Benkof has closed down his blog Gays Defend Marriage, in which he supported marriage as a union between one man and one woman. In a statement to LGBT advocacy group Truth Wins Out the writer, formerly known as David Bianco, said, “I no longer feel comfortable being allied with the people running the Prop. 8 campaign.”

In his last blog entry, posted Sunday, Benkof wrote, “I recently learned quite a bit of disturbing information that makes it impossible for me to continue supporting a movement I no longer respect.” Benkof did not identify what it was he’d learned about Proposition 8 or its backers.

According to Wayne Besen, the founding executive director of Truth Wins Out, Benkof must have encountered “unsavory elements within the California [Proposition 8] campaign that so repelled him that he decided to halt his antigay campaigns.”

Benkof’s campaigns, which Besen refers to as “horrible antigay diatribes,” included negative faith-based claims about gay sex and LGBT lifestyles. (Hannah Clay Wareham, The Advocate)

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Reader Comments
  • Name: Renee C.
    Date posted: 11/5/2008 7:32:00 PM
    Hometown: Rancho Cucamonga

    Comment:

    You are right, God loves EVERYONE the same, but He asks us to follow Him and follow His word, and His word states marriage is between a man and a woman. Isn't stating that I am wrong in my Christ following beliefs and by stating I am ignorant, in sense judging me? The fact is that we are mere humans, and we all judge each other in some way, shape, or form. It is not right, and we all make mistakes. Thankfully, all the mistakes we ALL have made had been paid for by Jesus Christ, and that is the greatest gift I have ever received...and He keeps on giving because I am NOT perfect. God Bless you ALL!

  • Name: Malina
    Date posted: 11/3/2008 6:04:00 PM
    Hometown: Dublin, CA

    Comment:

    If you have baby boy and you notice him loving to play with dolls will you stop him? If you were a good mother you wouldn't because you will not deprive your child of the things he loves. Why would you? I wouldn't! I will let my child be happy and if playing with dolls make him happy then I will let him be happy. Also, I would like my child to be taught about the gay lifestyle and safe sex. The worse nightmare of a parent is the worse thing that can happen which can be prevented if they are taught about it. The only way we can teach our kids is by teaching and teaching them the right way. We do not know if we will have a child that will like the same sex and if we do then we need to prepare them for that lifestyle and help them and also teach them about safe sex educating them about the lifestyle. We need to open up our eyes to what is reality and reality is using our smarts to educate our kids now rather than later when it's already to late.

  • Name: Malina
    Date posted: 11/3/2008 3:55:00 PM
    Hometown: Dublin, CA

    Comment:

    If God was to be in front of you would he tell you to dislike others? People use the bible and religion as an excuse to outkast the things they can't change. I am a proud lesbian and whether prop 8 passes or not I am still in love with a women!

  • Name: Malina
    Date posted: 11/3/2008 3:45:00 PM
    Hometown: Dublin, CA

    Comment:

    It is upsetting to see that as Americans we say we want to move forward. I believe that moving forward means moving forward and we should not half step the tansition into a world that we as closed minded individuals do not know what it is all about. Equality means equality and the word should not be abuse just like we Americans tend to abuse the word love. Voting Yes on prop 8 is taking the equal meaning of being treated equal. If we as Americans want change then we should accept the things we can't change and letting the meaning of equality make it's course. It is wrong to discriminate and to be bias! Saying Yes on 8 means that you are not ready for a Black president nor are you ready for change!

  • Name: DAVID GUBERA
    Date posted: 11/3/2008 3:21:00 AM
    Hometown: FREMONT

    Comment:

    What seems to be getting lost to me is that many politicians and secular persons in power could try and deny the voting public. This is an attack on Democracy. How can 4 judges deny the rights of the people. It's also sad how the people who want to "normalize" their particular sexual deviances have hurt our teens who are trying to find themselves and are confused enough. Yes on 8

  • Name: Deborah Sellars
    Date posted: 11/2/2008 3:28:00 PM
    Hometown: Ludowici

    Comment:

    This is a big diverse world we live in as a former first responder on hate crime calls seeing and working on victims of hate crimes I think the more we appose legitimate teachings of tolerance the more danger we put our young people in. So wonderful have secular christian beliefs and teach your animosity accordingly meanwhile those of us with intelligence and a conscience will do better so may be should some of these other blogger. I am a heterosexual married mother of 3 and a devout Catholic if my mind can be open so can any ones utilize your compassion.

  • Name: Catherine
    Date posted: 10/31/2008 4:44:00 PM
    Hometown: Rancho Cucamonga

    Comment:

    I do not hate anyone from the gay community and I am voting “yes” on prop 8. It’s obvious to me from various articles and statements I have read that there are those who don’t think it is possible to put these two assertions in the same sentence. But I am writing this to let people know that there are many, many people who are voting “yes” on 8 and are not doing so out of hate. I am not motivated by hate. The reason I go out and encourage people to vote “yes” and have a “yes” sign in my yard is motivated by my love for God and His laws and commandments. As a Christian, I believe with all my soul that God Himself started this institution called marriage at the beginning of time and established it as a union between a man and a woman; that’s it! No addendums, no “but maybe later”s, a union between a man and a woman. I am working to keep God’s institution the way He established it; nothing more and nothing less.

  • Name: Todd
    Date posted: 10/31/2008 1:19:00 PM
    Hometown: Irvine

    Comment:

    Why call a committed relationship between two persons of the same sex the same as a committed relationship between the two persons of the opposite sex. Let gay couple have all the same rights (which they do, therefore it is not discriminatory) but don't call it "marriage." Don't call it marriage because it is not the same thing. On one hand it is same sex and on the other it is opposite sex. If I am a man and I want to use the women's restroom, is it discrimination because other women are allowed to use the women's restroom? No, because there are fundamental differences between men and women. The fundamental difference between gay couples and heterosexual couples is the gender make up of the couple.

  • Name: Catherine
    Date posted: 10/30/2008 5:26:00 PM
    Hometown: Rancho Cucamonga

    Comment:

    "unsavory elements of the campaign", "anti-gay diatribes" Where are you seeing any of this? The only bitter and abusive speech or writing I've seen has been against religious groups who are being called hateful bigots. All the while the "No" side tears down "yes" signs, punches people in the face, and makes blanket statements about specific religions that are very hateful and ironically make themselves bigots.

  • Name: Scott
    Date posted: 10/22/2008 6:04:00 PM
    Hometown: Costa Mesa

    Comment:

    Religion and marriage are two totally different things. Is that to say that a man and a woman who are Athiest do not have the right to marry? Should we take away their rights too? Remember when interracial marriage was not allowed - should we take away their rights also?



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