LGBT Advocate: Christian Groups Blame Family Research Council Shooting on Hate Group Label

Aug. 17, 2012 - PRLog -- In the aftermath of a gay advocacy volunteer's opening fire on a conservative Washington, DC lobby's headquarters Wednesday,  British LGBT advocate Omar Kuddus has given his remarks to a New York City press agent on Friday morning.

Says Kuddus:

"Why does one see that again NOM and FRC are trying to divert the reasoning for the recent shooting at their headquarters towards others?

Blaming the Southern Poverty Law Centre for a rogue shooter’s actions can be seen as incendiary to their cause of gay hate. Perkins and Fishers stance does not stand as despite their own reasoning that NOM and FRC are not liked and condoned by all Americans.

America is finally waking up and not condoning the antics, politics and hatred constantly being spurred by these anti –gay hate groups and anti-gay campaigners.

Several prominent conservative Christian groups in the US are now demanding to be removed from the Southern Poverty Law Centre’s list of “hate groups,” arguing that it is the designation, and not their advocacy, that is to blame for Wednesday’s shooting of a security guard at the Family Research Council headquarters in Washington, D.C.
It is ridiculous to presume that they should be labelled as anything else but “hate groups” for that is exactly what they are and in my opinion these organisations are taking this opportunity to try and have this title removed and distance themselves from the bad publicity associated by such labels.

Perkins and Fischer followed Brian Brown [National Organization for Marriage] who as early as Wednesday blamed the “hate group” label for the shooting, saying, “Today's attack is the clearest sign we've seen that labelling pro-marriage groups as 'hateful' must end.”

FRC Tony Perkins at a news conference on Thursday said that though he held accused shooter Floyd Lee Corkins II solely responsible for the crime, he believed that organizations [like the Southern Poverty Law Centre (SPLC)] had given the suspect “a license to shoot an unarmed man.”

Perkins said “I believe the Southern Poverty Law Centre should be held accountable for their reckless use of terminology,”

SPLC responded to Perkins on its Hate Watch blog on Thursday.
Mark Potok of SPLC and editor of its Intelligence Report and Hatewatch blog “Perkins’ accusation is outrageous,” said “The SPLC has listed the FRC as a hate group since 2010 because it has knowingly spread false and denigrating propaganda about LGBT people — not, as some claim, because it opposes same-sex marriage. The FRC and its allies on the religious right are saying, in effect, that offering legitimate and fact-based criticism in a democratic society is tantamount to suggesting that the objects of criticism should be the targets of criminal violence.”

Not one to be left out Bryan Fischer of the American Family Association echoed Perkins’ accusations, stating the shooting Wednesday showed “the left’s war on religion and Christianity has now gone from symbolic to literal.” “We don’t hate anyone,” “In fact, we love homosexuals enough to tell them the truth about the risks involved in their lifestyle choices. But for those who hate the truth, the truth will seem to be hate.” said Fischer in a statement.

Corkins, 28, of Herndon, Va., was charged in federal court Thursday for the shooting that wounded security guard Leo Johnson in the arm. The defendant faces charges of assault with intent to kill and transporting a firearm across state lines.

In an FBI affidavit Corkins said “I don’t like your politics” and opened fire in the building. A box of ammunition and 15 Chick-fil-A sandwiches were found in his backpack when he was arrested.

The FRC has defended the fast food restaurant from recent high-profile criticism over its owner’s opposition to marriage equality.

The FBI agent in the investigation wrote “Based on my investigation, I know that a senior executive of Chick-fil-A, Inc. recently announced publicly his opposition to same-sex marriage,” “This announcement received substantial publicity. I further know that the Family Research Council is a Christian conservative policy organization which supports traditional marriage.”

The affidavit further stated that Corkins’ parents, [whom he lives with] told the FBI that he has "strong opinions with respect to those he believes do not treat homosexuals in a fair manner.”

Corkins had been volunteering with the DC Centre for the LGBT Community.
Fischer said the SPLC “is to blame” for the shooting because they have “repeatedly and without cause demonized FRC, and have spent years stirring up anger in the homosexual community.” In fact, he said the SPLC qualifies for its own “hate group” list by virtue of “propagating known falsehoods about homosexuality.”

Fischer claimed that “SPLC claims it only lists organizations as ‘hate groups’ if they engage in the ‘propagation of known falsehoods’ about homosexuality. But the SPLC website itself lists numerous falsehoods about homosexuality,” “For instance, the SPLC says, without a single shred of proof, that homosexuals are born that way, that it is impossible to leave the gay lifestyle, and that homosexuals are not at elevated risks of depression, anxiety and substance abuse disorders.”

The SPLC's responded “As the SPLC made clear at the time and in hundreds of subsequent statements and press interviews, we criticize the FRC for claiming, in Perkins’ words, that paedophilia is ‘a homosexual problem’ — an utter falsehood, as every relevant scientific authority has stated,” “An FRC official has said he wanted to ‘export homosexuals from the United States.’ The same official advocated the criminalizing of homosexuality.”

Perkins and Fischer followed Brian Brown of the National Organization for Marriage, who as early as Wednesday blamed the “hate group” label for the shooting, saying, “Today's attack is the clearest sign we've seen that labelling pro-marriage groups as 'hateful' must end.”

“The FRC routinely pushes out demonizing claims that gay people are child molesters and worse — claims that are provably false. It should stop the demonization and affirm the dignity of all people.”

"Remarkable and a lucky break"

"It is also remarkable and a lucky break that the suspect Floyd Lee Corkins II who is a 6 foot 3 250 pound gunman was so easily brought down and only superficially grazed Security guard Leo Johnson despite being armed with a Sig Sauer 9mm pistol two clips and an additional 50 rounds of ammunition, and the people upstairs must be relived too. Had this near-miraculous chain of events not occurred,  a massacre would have unfolded."

Kuddus continued:

"I however am confused as to the significance or relevance of the 15 Chick-fil-A sandwiches in his bag, other than it has bought the chains name and campaign against gay marriage back into the media having become “old news”."

It’s pretty unusual to find a hate crime from the left end of the [political] spectrum,” says Kathleen Blee, a sociology professor at the University of Pittsburgh and a nationally recognized expert on extremist groups. “Most hate crimes are against vulnerable populations like religious people or minorities.”

“It’s really quite rare,” “Generally, gay rights advocates are engaged in violent acts against property, but it’s very rare for a gay rights activist engaged in violence against people.”"