Why Does Ammons Scientific's Psychological Reports Publish Literature From A Known Hate Group?

Update, June 20, 2005

After writing the original post I discovered that the Southern Voice, Houston Voice, and Washington Blade reported that the CDC has commented on Paul Cameron's research.

"But Cameron’s methodology is simply bad science, said Ronald Valdiserri, deputy director of the CDC’s National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention. [The CDC] does not collect statistics on the lifespan of gay men,” Valdiserri said. “While gay men continue to be severely impacted by HIV and AIDS, AIDS-related death data cannot be used to indicate that homosexual men live shorter lives than heterosexual men overall.”

http://www.washblade.com/2005/6-17/view/actionalert/weird.cfm

It has come to my attention that an article by Paul Cameron appears in Psychological Reports (2005;96:693-697).

Paul Cameron's organization, the Family Research Institute, has been designated as a hate goup by the Southern Poverty law center. Cameron has been producing virulent anti-gay hate literature for decades.

Cameron was dropped from membership in the American Psychological Association in 1984 for ethical violations concerning his biased research. That same year, the Psychological Association in his home state of Nebraska adopted a formal resolution disassociating itself from Cameron's work. Read the October 3, 1994 New Republic Article About Paul Cameron.

In 1985, a federal judge concluded that Cameron had engaged in "fraud" and "misrepresentation" when he testified in a gay-related case in Texas. (Baker v. Wade, 106 Federal Rules Decisions 526 [N.D. Texas, 1985]) Judge Buchmeyer of the U.S. District Court of Dallas referred to "Cameron's sworn statement that 'homosexuals abuse children at a proportionately greater incident than do heterosexuals,'" and concluded that "Dr. Paul Cameron...has himself made misrepresentations to this Court" and that "There has been no fraud or misrepresentations except by Dr. Cameron"

On page 536 of his opinion, Judge Buchmeyer noted the following examples of misrepresentations by Cameron to the Court:

"(i) his sworn statement that "homosexuals are approximately 43
times more apt to commit crimes than is the general population" is a total
distortion of the Kinsey data upon which he relies which, as is obvious to
anyone who reads the report, concerns data from a non-representative sample of
delinquent homosexuals (and Dr. Cameron compares this group to college and
non-college heterosexuals);
(ii) his sworn statement that "homosexuals abuse
children at a proportionately greater incident than do heterosexuals" is based
upon the same distorted data and, the Court notes, is directly contrary to
other evidence presented at trial besides the testimony of Dr. Simon and Dr.
Marmour. (553 F. Supp. 1121 at 1130 n.18.)"

Speaking at the 1985 Conservative Political Action Conference Cameron said, "'Unless we get medically lucky, in three or four years, one of the options discussed will be the extermination of homosexuals."

According to an interview with former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, Cameron was recommending the extermination option as early as 1983." - Mark E. Pietrzyk, News-Telegraph, March 10, 1995.

Cameron told Rolling Stone magazine in a March 1999 interview that he feared gay sex would supplant heterosexual sex unless a vigilant society repressed it. "Marital sex tends toward the boring," he said. "Generally, it doesn't deliver the kind of sheer sexual pleasure that homosexual sex does." If all one seeks is an orgasm, he said, "the evidence is that men do a better job on men, and women on women. Homosexuality," he said, "seems too powerful to resist."

In 1987 the work of Paul Cameron was condemned by the UK Press Complaints Commission when it was presented as "fact" a newspaper article.

My question to you is, why would a publication purporting to be a scientific journal would publish literature from a known hate group.

Write to the associate editors of Psychological Reports. Ask them why they are willing to associate with a publication that publishes literature from a known hate group. (Ammons Scientific has a long list of associate editors. It is woefully out of date. This mail will not go to everyone on the list. For example, one of the listed associate editors, Frederick H. Kanfer, died during 2002.)


Copy your e-mail and paste it into Ammons Scientific's web form. Ask the same question of R. B. Ammons, C. H. Ammons, Bruce Ammons, Douglas Ammons, and S. A. Isbell.

Let's Give a Diocese the Chance to Clean up its Act

Catholic School in O.C. Limits Gay Parents' Role

St. John the Baptist memo says same-sex couples can't act as a family unit at its events.

By Seema MehtaLA Times June 14, 2005

An Orange County Catholic school that angered some parents by allowing a gay couple to enroll their two boys last year has drafted a policy that would forbid the men to appear as a couple at school functions, according to a memo distributed to teachers.In January, officials at Costa Mesa's St. John the Baptist School adopted new admission guidelines that require parents to display "appropriate conduct, in order to support the school's mission and provide positive role models to our students." [I'd like to know when the support of both parents for a child's education became "inappropriate conduct".]

The May 6 memo, obtained by The Times from a parent at the school, states: "Practically speaking this means: The children adopted by a same-sex couple" may enroll "on the condition that the same-sex couple agree not to present themselves as a couple at school functions."Calls to school officials and to the conservative Norbertine order that runs it for the diocese were not returned.Some parents say Sister Mary Vianney, the school's principal for 31 years, has not had her contract renewed after she objected to the new attendance requirements. The parents held a candlelight vigil Saturday and have asked Orange County Diocese Bishop Tod D. Brown to intervene. [...]

There is also commentary from the Rainbow Sash Movement on this event at this link: http://www.rainbowsashmovement.com/Innocentchildren.html

You may wish to contact Bishop Brown at the offices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange:

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 14195
Orange, CA 92863-1595

Telephone: (714) 282-3000
Facsimile: (714) 282-3029

IF you DO contact the gentleman, remember he stood up for admitting children of gay couples and it's the principal there, a nun, who's formulated the "new policy" and it's her we disagree with.

The two secretaries to Bishop Brown have Email addresses on file at the Diocesan website:
Secretary to Bishop Brown:
Judy Bobier E-mail Link
Secretary to Bishop Brown:
Florence HansenE-mail: E-mail Link

In each instance, ask them to forward your request on to the good Bishop after expressing your concern as succinctly as possible.

Or you can contact the school and the headmistress directly:

SAINT JOHN THE BAPTIST SCHOOL
Sr. Mary Vianney Ennis, SM
Enrollment 610 K - 8th grade Extended day care
1021 Baker StreetCosta Mesa, CA 92626-4184
(714) 557-5060 Fax: (714) 557-9263
E-mail link

As angry as I get at some of the ridiculous BS perpetrated by bigots in the name of ANY local popular deity, I've found it's best to approach those in parochial education and positions of management with as little hyperbole as possible and with an eye to appealing to reason and fairness.

Christian Coalition Wants Gays To Wear Warning Labels

Rev. Bill Banuchi, executive director of the New York Christian Coalition said,

"We put warning labels on cigarette packs because we know that smoking takes one to two years off the average life span, yet we 'celebrate' a lifestyle that we know spreads every kind of sexually transmitted disease and takes at least 20 years off the average life span according to the 2005 issue of the revered scientific journal Psychological Reports*," said Rev. Bill Banuchi, executive director of the New York Christian Coalition.

Is it any wonder that the Southern Poverty Law Center's Mark Potok had this to say about Christian hate groups?

"Their tone [against homosexuality] has become quite amazing after the Lawrence decision. What was really striking was while the Klan and neo-Nazis spoke out against the Lawrence decision, the really vicious statements came from well-known leaders of the Christian right."

“Our bailiwick is extremism,” he said. “We’ve avoided the Christian Right in the past, and we don’t feel we’ve expanded to include the Christian Right — we feel very strongly they have entered our world [of extremism]. ... They have gone absolutely wild. The level of personal demonization was really quite remarkable. We felt we had to say, ‘Thus far, no further.'"

Potok went on to say that personal vilification and the false science against gay men and lesbians issued by institutions of the religious right are not only hateful, but dangerous.

"It is quite remarkable how they claim to hate the sin but love the sinner. That’s an absurd claim. We have reports that clearly show this kind of rhetoric paves the way to violence. Without question, gay men and lesbians are the most attacked group — and the hate crimes toward them are more violent."

Mark Potok is the editor of SPLC's Intelligence Report. It most recent issue focuses on the activities of Christian hate groups in an article titled Holy War, by Bob Moser.

Paul Cameron is a well-known fraud who has a long record of putting out fradulent anti-gay 'research', as well as suggesting that gays and lesbians should be exterminated.

*Psychological Reports is little more than a vanity publication to which writers pay $27.50 per page to have articles printed.

Click here to send an e-mail to Rev. Bill Banuchi, executive director of the Christian Coalition. Tell him exactly what you think of his Neo-Nazism and references to fraudulent 'research'.

The Fall of the Last Bastion of Freedom in America

Don't let free internet access fade away!

The mechanisms to remove and limit internet access are once again in motion. A recent proposal in the House aims to curtail public (government/municpal) free access to the internet in any area where such access is provided by a corporation for a fee.

A Republican from Texas introduced a bill called Preserving Innovation in Telecom Act of 2005 (yet another example of intentionally misleading the public through the use of language). This bill would prevent municipal offerings of broadband access in any areas where a corporation offering similar services exists...

Between limiting access to paying customers, the continued existence of the Patriot Acts I & II, and the attempts to discredit bloggers and limit their capacity, the NeoConservatives and Republicans are brutally assailing one of the core principles upon which this nation was founded - the freedom of speech and expression.

Internet under attack in Congress

A bill just introduced in the House could destroy universal, affordable Internet access everywhere. The “Preserving Innovation in Telecom Act” (H.R. 2726) would let big cable and telecom companies shut down Community Internet and municipal broadband projects being planned across the country.

The bill would prevent state or local governments from providing “any telecommunications service, information service or cable service” anywhere a corporation offers a similar service.

[...]

...is this the fall of our last bastion of freedom, or just another attempt to stifle free speech and freedom of expression? The outcome depends on us, and making ourselves heard.

Do your part:

Send an email to John Conyers, AMERICABlog, and BradBlog and submit this tidbit to the DailyKOS, asking that they provide additional coverage on this.

Read more about the bill here, and sign the Free Press petition:

Free Press - Internet under attack in Congress

Here's the official docket regarding the bill:

Preserving Innovation in Telecom Act of 2005 (Introduced in House)

We are fast losing one of our most valuable national resources - an asset which has proven itself time and again as truly helping "empower the people". Please help prevent the curtailment of public, free internet access for all people.

Teachers Want Anti-Gay Organization Removed From Lake Washington High School

Anti-gay extremist preacher, Ken Hutcherson, and Lake Washington High School are back in the news. The school was drawn into the Hutcherson/Microsoft controversy when it became known that Hutcherson's 3,500-member anti-gay congregation uses the school's facitilites for their gatherings. (The earlier MailToBlog item about this is here.)

The Lake Washington Education Association wants the school district to eject the group. Teachers at Lake Washington High School hesitate to speak out because the school's principal, Mark Robertson, is a member of the anti-gay organization.

The 6/7/2005 Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports,

"... the Lake Washington Education Association "leadership says
Hutcherson's presence at Lake Washington High implies that his beliefs are
condoned by the district, goes against the district's human dignity policy,
brings unwanted attention to the school and promotes intolerance."

"The Lake Washington Education Association strongly condemns the
bigoted views of Dr. Ken Hutcherson," union President Kevin Teeley wrote in the
organization's recent newsletter."

Although the district advertises a human dignity policy, it has taken no steps to see that it is used to qualify which groups may or may not use their facilities. At best this is administrative oversight. At worst it is pure hypocrisy.

The district is now claiming that free speech rights override their policy.

A district spokesman said,

"It comes down to almost an all-or-nothing situation, based on
First Amendment jurisprudence, If we rent a facility for the use of a church, we
can't typically restrict access to another group with which we have
disagreements (over) the point of view they're expressing."

Gosh, how on earth does that policy restrict anyone's freedom of speech? Enforcement of the school district policy wouldn't prevent the anti-gay preacher from preaching hate and promoting discrimination. It would simply tell him he'd have to do so elsewhere.

But the organization's anti-gay activities go beyond preaching hate and discrimination.

"Former Lake Washington High librarian Lee Bates, now at Inglewood Junior High, addressed the school board last night, upset at the treatment of a group of gay rights supporters who visited Antioch.

The activists were told they would have to sit in a separate section unless they removed their
rainbow armbands. The visitors eventually chose to remove their armbands and sat wherever they wanted.

"It is not about the pastor's beliefs but his treatment of people that is in question," said Bates, husband of former Lake Washington Superintendent Karen Bates."

He cited the district's human dignity and harassment policies, which encourage respect and non-harassment of people, regardless of their sexual orientation, among other differences or
characteristics.

Click here to write a letter of support to Kevin Teely and the Lake Washington Education Association with copies to the school district and school administration.

Tell them that their inconsistency in applying the human dignity policy reflects very badly on the school, particularly since the principal's membership in the anti-gay organization brings up conflict of interest issues. And then ask them about the message they send to their gay students by allowing this preacher of hate and discrimination to operate in their facilities.

The Bible Says Rick Perry is a Lying Hypocrite

Well, I guess I can breathe a little easier now that the Texas legislature has adjourned. I never feel safe when they're in session. This year's session was probably even worse than average. They were too busy bashing gays and discussing the merits of Dutch ovens to bother with their court mandate to fix the unconstitutional school finance law. Apparently they don't mind chaos in the Texas public school system as long as they can honor Dutch ovens and ask voters to ban marriage.

Yes, you read that correctly. The Texas legislature is asking voters to ban marriage. So don't blame it on the gays, folks, blame it on yourselves. Caught up in the emotion of a bigoted anti-gay frenzy, they got foolish. The legislature decided to forward a constitutional amendment to voters, an amendment that will ban all marriages in the state of Texas. If you don't believe me, just read what they wrote. First they define marriage and then they prohibit it ... for everyone.

Sec. 32. (a) Marriage in this state shall consist only of the union of one man and one woman. (b) This state or a political subdivision of this state may not create or recognize any legal status identical or similar to marriage.

And this brings me to the subject of this post ... a letter I recently received from the office of Texas Governor Rick Perry in response to one I wrote him about the anti-gay amendment. (Text of the letter is at the end of this post.)

Governor Rick Perry, Dede Keith

I am appalled by your response to my letter regarding enshrining prejudice and discrimination in the constitution. It is quite an experience to witness such dishonesty wrapped up in such self-serving sanctimony.

You claim, "strengthening the family is a cornerstone of Governor Perry's political philosophy." Yet you show nothing that would strengthen families. You show only that you promote removing protections from some families. The gay marriage ban does absolutely nothing to strengthen families --- nothing at all.

You go on to say, "The governor believes that if Texas fails families, Texas will fall far short of its potential to have safe communities, the best schools in and economic opportunity for all Texans." Are you oblivious to the fact that the marriage ban does exactly what you claim you want to avoid? It not only fails a large number of families, it deprives them of the benefits and protections you claim to support.

Then you continue by saying, "He also believes that the traditional family --- with a loving mother and a loving father --- provides the ideal environment for children."

That sounds so very sanctimonious, but you don't show how the marriage ban would accomplish anything to support your narrow definition of family or protect children.

What does it do to protect children from physically and/or sexually abusive mothers and fathers?

What does it do to protect children from poverty and all of its resultant problems?

What does it do to ensure a good education for these children?

What does it do for children whose access to health care will be cut off by the amendment?

You say "as governor he also is guided by deeply held beliefs."

What does the marriage ban do to prevent "loving mothers and fathers" from divorcing and remarrying (which, BTW, is forbidden by his "deeply-held" belief system.

Luke 16:18 - "Every one who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery."

Mark 10:11-12 "And he saith unto them, Whosoever shall put away his wife and marry another, committeth adultery against her. And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery."

Governor Perry and Ms. Keith, you are both hypocritical liars, the kind MY deeply-held belief system warns us about.

1 Timothy 4:1-5 - "The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer."

You may tell Gov. Rick Perry exactly what you think of him by clicking here.

Text of Governor Perry's Letter
Governor Perry often must deal with issues that generate intense emotional debate --- and the issue of same-sex marriages is a case in point. As with almost every issue, there will be good people on both sides who disagree.

Besides being bound the Constitution and the laws of and the United States, as governor he also is guided by deeply held beliefs. The governor believe that Texans expect their leaders to have a strong set of personal ethics to help guide them in handling the often complicated and complex issues we face in our diverse state. Accordingly, Governor Perry supported and signed SB 7, which the legislature passed during the 2003 legislative session. This bill complements current state law that prohibits issuing a marriage license for persons of the same sex by prohibiting the recognition of a same-sex marriage or civil union legitimized in another state. The governor also supports President Bush's call for a constitutional amendment prohibiting same-sex marriages.

Strengthening the family is a cornerstone of Governor Perry's political philosophy. The governor believes that if fails families, will fall far short of its potential to have safe communities, the best school in and economic opportunity for all Texans. He also believes that the traditional family --- with a loving mother and a loving father --- provides the ideal environment for children.

Sincerely,
Dede Keith, Administration and Constituent Services
Office of the Governor