What’s the difference between Imus and Dr. James Dobson?

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19504958.post-29442589376127756192007-04-25T09:49:00.000-07:002007-05-02T16:27:49.096-07:00What’s the difference between Imus and Dr. James Dobson?Imus lost his career. Dr. James Dobson still has his. Connect the dots. Both spew toxic rhetoric that is erroneous and harms and vilifies people. Imus’ career received the death sentence. James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, receives a national media platform. As a former women’s basketball coach at the University of Kentucky in the early 80’s, I am familiar with many fine young women and dedicated athletes. I feel grateful that Coach Vivian Stringer and the Rutgers women’s basketball team had the courage to confront the erroneous and abusive comments by Imus, inspiring our country to engage in an important and deeper conversation. Our organization, Stand UP Speak OUT, names these courageous voices our newest Wind Changers, recognizing the Power of One to access and impact the Power in All of US. While others held up their finger to see which way the wind was blowing before they spoke, these important voices of Coach Vivian Stringer and the Rutger’s Women’s Basketball Team automatically did the right thing. Without flinching, they held Imus accountable. They didn't ask that he be dimissed from his show. They let others supply the pressure by asking him to recant his diminishing remarks. They became Wind Changers, exerting their wind to alter the opinion of those who sought to discover their direction by holding up their finger. We hope their actions help each of us understand how we have failed to embrace Dr. King’s words, “None of us are free until all of us are free.” Using Gandhi’s and King’s non-violent process to confront Dr. James Dobson regarding his abusive and toxic rhetoric, we recently suffered arrest as part of Focus on the Facts, a campaign by <a href="http://www.Soulforce.org">Soulforce</a> at Focus on the Family in Colorado Springs. Few cared, fewer noticed, and Dobson’s comments, as vile and harmful as those of Imus, continue unchecked as he receives a national media platform for them. Where’s the public outrage? <a href="http://www.standupspeakout.com/index.php?page_id=371">Prominent scientists Dr. Carol Gilligan and Dr. Kyle Pruitt </a>recently voiced their concerns, publicly challenging Dr. Dodson’s misuse of their research to validate his point of view regarding same gender parents. Dobson’s tactics for verbally abusing and diminishing our community have a long and sordid history. Where is the media scrutiny calling for accountability? Where is the public outcry against Dr. Dobson’s comments? No one suggested that Imus be given a platform to validate his comments. His act of accepting complete responsibility by meeting with the attacked and offering a face-to-face apology saved him from being further ostracized, even if it didn’t save his career. Recanting the misinformation was our specific request of Dr. Dobson. Surely a man of his moral stature should be willing to take that step. Instead, Dr. Dobson continues speaking to 40 million people daily, his toxic rhetoric against our community causing barely the lift of an eyebrow, and his Love Won Out conferences being invited by churches to fill their sanctuaries. Rather than exhibiting moral integrity by acknowledging those who pointed out the lack of connection between his comments and their research, he did an about-face and vilified them, accusing them of being “gay activists.” In Citizen’s Link, the newsletter arm of Focus on the Family, Imus was taken to task for his comments by both Tom Minnery and Gary Schneeberger. <a href="http://www.citizenlink.org/CLtopstories/A000004339.cfm">Imus Dishonors Remarkable Women (April 10, 2007)</a> by Tom Minnery, senior vice president, government and public policy <a href="http://www.citizenlink.org/clcommentary/A000004350.cfm">It's Hard Out Here for Decency (April 11, 2007)</a> by Gary Schneeberger, senior director Don Imus is being lambasted – and rightly so – for recent hateful comments. But he's just a symptom of a larger disease: the increasing coarsening of culture. Can you get the obvious disconnect here? Don Imus is pummeled for his comments. Focus on the Family and Gary Schneeberger, who came out to tell us that <a href="http://www.standupspeakout.com/index.php?page_id=12&newsletter_id=10">"Dr. Dobson doesn't ever want to meet with you"</a> feels that there is no problem with Dr. Dobson's comments about gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons. Each song, film, TV show, Internet or print article and talk-show comment that enters the pop culture mainstream has the potential to do good or ill. To build people up or tear them down. To offer hope or despair. Don Imus long contributed to the latter half of those equations. But he is hardly alone. A society truly outraged by his remarks would do more than realize that – it would do something about it. James Dobson should take a lesson from Imus, own his mistakes, and accept responsibility for the harm his words have caused gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons. Indeed, Dr. Dobson, Tom Minnery, Gary Schneeberger and Focus on the Family have the opportunity each day to build people up or tear them down. To offer hope or despair. We will give them their due by saying that, in many cases, they do lift people up. Unfortunately, all they have offered our gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community is despair by continually tearing us down, implanting false information into the hearts and minds of those who trust Dr. Dobson. Dr. Dobson has received a national media platform to present “the other side” of the argument every time the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community stands up and speak out for ourselves. Indeed, they have contributed to the latter half of those equations of tearing us down. Indeed a society truly outraged by his remarks would do more than realize that—it would do something about it. It has taken 40+ years since the passing of civil rights legislation for racist comments to become unacceptable. Yes, even though they still occur (as evidenced by Imus and others such as comedian Michael Richards), today there is a stigma attached to being a racist. The quickness with which both the public spoke and corporations withdrew sponsorships, thus costing Imus his career, shows that there is now a stigma to heterosexism in combination with racism. But there is still no stigma to being homophobic. Our gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community can help to shorten the time table it takes for the development of a stigma for being homophobic by living as the gift that we are. Let’s empower our own community by encouraging one another to live authentic lives. Until we turn the corner and make toxic homophobic comments about our community as unacceptable as racist ones, no one is truly free. Let’s eradicate the homophobia that is alive and well in our country, and expressed on an ongoing basis by James Dobson, and supported by Gary Schneeberger, who couldn’t understand why we asked Dr. Dobson to recant remarks. Dr. Dobson's comments that aren't just hateful, they are literally eroneous. They are more than "This is my opinion." They are untrue AND inflamatory...just like those of Imus. Is anyone listening? Does anyone care? How we get others to connect the dots and say, "No more!" We need more love, not fear. We need more love, not less. Thanks to each of you who are opening your hearts to more authentic connections, deeper conversations, and more love. Dotti and RobynneStand UP Speak OUThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14604936097651459165noreply@blogger.com0