Wednesday was a difficult day for The American Independent News Network, which is the larger entity that operates The Iowa Independent. Our chief executive and founder announced two of our sister sites would close and their content would be moved to The American Independent.
A recently introduced bill could have far-reaching impact on the U.S. sugar industry, including American Crystal Sugar, a farmer-owned cooperative that locked out 1,300 Midwest workers on Aug. 1.
The chairman for Herman Cain’s Iowa effort says the campaign “relied more on the word of farmers than Washington regulators” in deciding to run an ad containing claims the Environmental Protection Agency says are false.
BRUCE BRALEY RELEASE — As US involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan ends, it’s more important than ever that our nation works to address the challenges faced by the men and women who fought there.
CHUCK GRASSLEY RELEASE — A difficult job market is challenging the soldiers, sailors and airmen who have protected America’s interests by serving in the Armed Forces.
TOM LATHAM RELEASE — No one has done more to secure the freedom enjoyed by every single American than our veterans and those currently serving in the armed services.
DAVE LOEBSACK RELEASE — Veterans Day is an opportunity to reflect on the service of generations of veterans and to honor the sacrifices they and their families have made so that we may live in peace and freedom here at home.
Social conservative group: ‘Due to the Supreme Court opinion… People will die’
Social conservative Chuck Hurley’s Iowa Family Policy Center has sent out another email to supporters, this time cautioning them that Iowa’s inclusion of same-sex couples in the institution of civil marriage will literally kill people.
After the past grueling months, and the marathon that has been the last three weeks, it’s good for us to be reminded why we are fighting so hard to save traditional marriage. Unfortunately, due to the Supreme Court opinion, the inactivity of the governor, and the complacency of the state legislature, many young people will experiment with the homosexual “life-style.” People will die.
The email goes on to feature a video of an older couple whose son died of an AIDS-related illness, which they say was brought on by his ‘homosexual lifestyle.’ According to the video (posted below the page jump), the couple’s son was too ashamed to tell anyone he had been diagnosed with HIV until he got sick.
Of course, viewing HIV/AIDS as ‘the gay disease’ fell out of fashion sometime around 1985. It afflicts people of all stripes and can be transmitted many different ways. Risky sexual behavior is a common form of transmission, but that affects heterosexuals, too. And marriage, whether between a same-sex couple or an opposite-sex one, typically discourages it.
Chuck Hurley needs to educate himself and live in the real world. All the anti gay marriage people have this idea in their head that gay persons do not exist in the current world and that legalizing same sex marriage will in some way make people gay. He also must not realize that HIV is spread between heterosexuals during sex, blood transfusions, sharing needles, and other tranmissions of blood and body fluids between any two individuals regardless of gender. HIV doesn't discriminate. Chuck Hurley does. Which is worse?
slincoln
Educating oneself when they have deep-seated bigotry is hard. It's easier to play victim and blame other people for your own life problems.
slincoln
So basically the Iowa “Family” Policy Center has really gone off the deep end. There is no excuse for their behavior. That anti-gay attack piece in the Des Moines Register yesterday was disgusting, and now this. I'm not even sure what to say anymore. They are using lies and fear tactics to try and maintain control over everyone. There is not one thing christian about what they are doing.
Oh, and lets just forget all the actual evidence that shows that their behavior is behind the depression and suicides of countless children.
slincoln
I encourage everyone to spread the disgusting lies of the IFPC to everyone they know. We cant allow complacency – they are encourage pain, suffering, and injury to citizens of our state. This goes beyond reason. We can no longer just disagree with their message but respect their motives, that gives them too much undeserved credit and respect. As Martin Luther King, Jr reminded us, the worst thing we can do is be the complacent good people. The IFPC is an enemy to liberty and Iowa. We must treat them as such.
turkeystone
Interesting. When learning of the wonderful, unanimous decision of the Iowa Supreme Court, the FIRST THING I thought about was the many Gay/Lesbain teenagers in Iowa who are now less-likely to commit suicide. I know “slincoln” also mentioned this, but it's a fact of life – and death.
Don't ya just love people who try to spread their toxins by playing on people's fears?
RegularJoe
Is it too much to hope for Chuck to get swine flu and die? Seriously, the guy I shared a tent and bunker with during Desert Storm died of AIDS. He was my best friend. He, like me, was straight. AIDS ain't “the gay” disease. Chuck, spreading lies and hate and fear is pretty fucked up. Way to be pro-family, pro-faith, pro-Iowa. Way to violate the 9th Commandment.
slincoln
Thank you for sharing your story. People need to realize that HIV is contracted by people who are promiscuous or just plan unlucky – any correlation to sexual orientation is by chance only.
RegularJoe
I can't think of any direct tie between homosexuality and death….EXCEPT in cases like Matthew Shepard's, where folks who “think” (and I use that term *very* loosely) like Chuck express their hatred to often horrific ends. Seems to me it's folks like Squirrelly Hurley who cause death and destruction in families, communities, states, nations. These twisted little cults show us these terrorist breeding grounds need to be closely monitored, whether they be perversions of Islam such as Al-Qaeda or perversions of Christianity such as IFPC and other Christian Identity movement groups. Chuck's in “good” company with folks like Eric Rudolph, Osama bin Laden, Richard Butler, Fred Phelps. Religious, all. Haters, all. Danger to our society…..all.
DemGoddess
All I got to say is that 49% of people with HIV/AIDS are heterosexuals that engage is risky sexual behavior or use IV drugs and even though African-Americans only make up about 13% of the pop. in the US they account for 48% of the HIV/AIDS cases. Maybe we should just ban marriage for those hetero's that use IV drugs and African-Americans and those hetero's that cheat and are in poly-amorous relationships or that are plain ol' hyper-sexual. Come on now! WTF!!
MsCris
This family did a great disservice to their son…long before he got sick…long before they started paying his hospital bills…and long before making an example of him. If he had learned that his “life-style” was not unhealthy or shameful, perhaps he would have had the confidence to learn about safe sex. Do you know of any families who get online to discuss their straight sons and daughters getting HIV? It happens! Do they cite how it pains their families? Do those families of heterosexual HIV victims end the video with: “We oppose heterosexual 'marriage' in the hopes we might help another family avoid the pain that we have endured.”
AIDS is not a “gay disease,” it affects everyone who engages in sex. This video has absolutely nothing to do with gay marriage. If their son had been given confidence regarding his sexuality, then marriage may have actually helped him stay HAPPY and HEALTHY. He WOULD NOT be DEAD!
And, why does everyone keep citing HIV+ gay men as the primary candidates for gay marriage? Lesbians carry a lower risk for disease than heterosexuals and gay men. Lesbians have long-term monogamous relationships (as do many gay men). Why do these homophobic jerks keep justifying their cause with a handful of unfortunate examples, people who were victims of their own family's intolerance and their own personal limitations?
Sorry for the incoherent post…but this is truly upsetting to me. When will the “loving church-goers” stop their bullsh*t and lies? When will they realize they are hurting God's Plan by preventing their loved ones from being who they were made to be? It is intolerance, righteousness and making God in your own flawed image that creates violence and death…not the commitment of two people who love each other.
blueneoncat
I wish these ignorant people would get formal educations. It is there view point that promotes the shame there own families feel when there love ones admit to them who they really are. The whole notion of recruitment and “cult” is disgusting. I wish they could talk to the families of the two 11 year olds who just killed themselves because of the hate this type of mind set promotes. SHAME ON YOU!!
blueneoncat
I wish these ignorant people would get formal educations. It is there view point that promotes the shame there own families feel when there love ones admit to them who they really are. The whole notion of recruitment and “cult” is disgusting. I wish they could talk to the families of the two 11 year olds who just killed themselves because of the hate this type of mind set promotes. SHAME ON YOU!!
MsCris
This family did a great disservice to their son…long before he got sick…long before they started paying his hospital bills…and long before making an example of him. If he had learned that his “life-style” was not unhealthy or shameful, perhaps he would have had the confidence to learn about safe sex. Do you know of any families who get online to discuss their straight sons and daughters getting HIV? It happens! Do they cite how it pains their families? Do those families of heterosexual HIV victims end the video with: “We oppose heterosexual 'marriage' in the hopes we might help another family avoid the pain that we have endured.”
AIDS is not a “gay disease,” it affects everyone who engages in sex. This video has absolutely nothing to do with gay marriage. If their son had been given confidence regarding his sexuality, then marriage may have actually helped him stay HAPPY and HEALTHY. He WOULD NOT be DEAD!
And, why does everyone keep citing HIV+ gay men as the primary candidates for gay marriage? Lesbians carry a lower risk for disease than heterosexuals and gay men. Lesbians have long-term monogamous relationships (as do many gay men). Why do these homophobic jerks keep justifying their cause with a handful of unfortunate examples, people who were victims of their own family's intolerance and their own personal limitations?
Sorry for the incoherent post…but this is truly upsetting to me. When will the “loving church-goers” stop their bullsh*t and lies? When will they realize they are hurting God's Plan by preventing their loved ones from being who they were made to be? It is intolerance, righteousness and making God in your own flawed image that creates violence and death…not the commitment of two people who love each other.
blueneoncat
I wish these ignorant people would get formal educations. It is there view point that promotes the shame there own families feel when there love ones admit to them who they really are. The whole notion of recruitment and “cult” is disgusting. I wish they could talk to the families of the two 11 year olds who just killed themselves because of the hate this type of mind set promotes. SHAME ON YOU!!