Matt Drudge: Putin Is Leader of the Free World

I first saw this posted over at Little Green Footballs…
Matt Drudge says Vladimir Putin is leader of the free world.

This is same Vladimir Putin who is leading the charge against various freedoms in Russia (speech, assembly). And the same Putin who leads a government which persecutes religions other than Russian Orthodox (including Christians).  Despite some efforts to limit abortions lately, Russia subsidizes legal abortion and has one of the highest abortion rates in the world.
Even a cursory analysis of Russia’s problems makes it clear that Russia’s leaders must do something to address their many problems. However, stigmatizing gays and limiting freedoms is unlikely to do much to help. It is certainly bizarre to see conservatives here rally around the former KGB officer.
LGF tipped the hat to the New Civil Rights Movement.
 

NARTH Complains About Lack of Research in Statement on Reorientation Therapy Court Cases

After the 9th Circuit court upheld CA’s law banning reorientation therapy for minors, NARTH issued a statement in response. For context, I reproduce the entire statement with comments to follow:

NARTH finds today’s ruling by the court to be disappointing and plans to appeal this decision. If left standing, this ruling will constitute a serious intrusion by government on the freedom of minors and their families to choose their desired form of psychological care.
At a time when adolescents who experience themselves as being the wrong biological sex are allowed to pursue sexual reassignment surgery, licensed therapists who are willing to assist youth with unwanted same-sex attraction and behaviors will be prohibited from even talking to minors in a manner that could be construed as promoting the pursuit of change. 
Politicians and non-elected judges have seen fit to approve of such encroachments on personal and professional freedoms in spite of the fact that the American Psychological Association admits the exact causes of same-sex attractions are not known, virtually no research exists directly addressing the modification of same-sex behaviors and attractions with minors, and the prevalence of harm from such change efforts is unknown and has therefore not been established as being any greater than the rates of harm documented for psychotherapy in general.  Furthermore, much research has documented that fluidity in sexual attractions and identity often occurs naturally and is particularly pronounced in adolescence and early adulthood, which suggests the viability of therapeutic change efforts for some youth.
These facts make it clear that science is not at the forefront of this effort to restrict freedoms.  If that were the case, gaps in our knowledge of this area would be addressed through a bipartisan program of research, not by the heavy hand of government squelching professional practice in order to appease powerful interests of activists within professional associations and lobbying groups.  NARTH sincerely hopes that these crucial facts will be considered by a more receptive judicial audience in the future.

Strong point of the statement: They are correct that more research is needed on minors who are in conflict over their attractions to the same sex.
Given the concerns over safety and effectiveness, it seems reasonable to take seriously adult reports about when they were minors. In one sense, retrospective (but still inadequate) research has been done by asking adults about their experiences while teens.
Weak point of the statement: Spontaneous developmental change in attractions does not “suggest the viability of therapeutic change efforts for some youth.”
Being situationally or temporarily attracted to the same sex is not the same experience as exclusive attraction to the same sex throughout adolescence.  The CA law allows therapists to discuss sexual orientation issues and engage in self-discovery. However, when a youth declares a gay orientation, a therapist is not allowed to engage in therapeutic techniques designed to change orientation.
Weakest point of the statement: The hypocrisy of NARTH whining about research.
Opponents of reorientation therapy are reacting to many stories of youth and young adults who felt harmed by being dragged to the conversion therapist and asked to do something they couldn’t do. There are some studies that link parental lack of acceptance (one manifestation of which is forced attendance at conversion therapy sessions) with mental health adjustment in GLBT youth. Surely those studies are relevant and are unanswered by NARTH.
It is just as accurate to say “science is not at the forefront” of NARTH’s effort to maintain access to conversion therapy.  “If that were the case (science at the forefront), gaps in our knowledge of this area would be addressed through” a program of research led by NARTH. However, this has never been the case. Despite numerous calls for such research from various sources, NARTH has done just one survey of adults since the organization was founded in 1992.
The lack of research complaint is a dodge. While I haven’t been on the inside for quite awhile, I was at one point. I actually did some research on the subject and attempted to address concerns of both sides. I did it on my own dime and worked to get it published. However, where has NARTH been? It is my settled opinion that the defense of conversion therapy is not based on science because if it was, there would be some NARTH-generated science to talk about.
Perhaps those who defend NARTH should ask why NARTH has not tested it’s claims. And perhaps NARTH should stop talking about science until it has some to talk about. If NARTH’s leaders were serious about research, they would channel all of their funds and efforts into a large multi-year study of their efforts designed by legitimate scholars instead of legal fees.

League of the South President Blames Blacks for Failing Cities

What do failing cities have in common? According to League of the South president Michael Hill, race is an explanation.

I don’t pretend to understand the problems of all failing cities, but I suspect the tweeters don’t really know either. They are however able to cast blame on groups they oppose for other reasons.
Among white nationalists, BRA stands for “black run America.” BRA is responsible for numerous social ills and helps to form their internal justification for segregation and secession.

Institute on the Constitution: Confederate Troops Fought For “Government Of The People, By The People, For The People"

According to a post on John Lofton’s Institute on the Constitution blog, journalist H.W. Mencken was right to declare the Confederate side of the Civil War to be fighting for government of the people. Lofton declared the Gettysburg address to be a lie because, in agreement with Mencken, the Union soldiers were fighting against self-determination.
And what did the South want to self-determine?
Mencken says the Confederates went into the battle free. But who was not free? What group of people, living in the South, did not have the right of self-determination?
After spending some time listening to the IOTC material and perusing their website, there can be little doubt that the the position of the IOTC is that the wrong side won the Civil War.  They are not over it.
Here are just a few other articles on point:
Lincoln A Murderous Tyrant Who Lied Repeatedly About Secession
America According to Lincoln
What Might Have Happened if the South Had Won and Lincoln Put on Trial for War Crimes?
Michael Peroutka To Address “League Of The South” In Chattanooga, Tennessee, November 1
President Bush Trails Michael Peroutka by 45 Points! – “You may also tell them that I am proud to be a member of League of the South. I look forward to receiving the support not only from guys with Confederate flags in their trucks, but also those with the Southern Cross in their hearts.” — Michael Peroutka
Fireworks, Gettysburg, and a Bittersweet Fourth of July – In this article, Michael Peroutka says America lost the battle of Gettysburg:

The second sadness comes from the historical proximity of the defeat of our American forces at Gettysburg.
On the fourth of July, 1863, after three days of brutal and desperate fighting to defend and preserve an American way of life, American soldiers retreated in the rain through Frederick, Maryland and slipped back across the Potomac River to the relative safety of Virginia.
I wonder what “Independence Day” thoughts went through the minds of these men as they marched away from that horrific scene where they and their brethren had sacrificed life and limb for the cause of American Independence. What singular faith and courage led them to continue the struggle to defend America from the growing tyrant!
Though most people living in America don’t realize it, the Army of Northern Virginia was the last force capable of countermanding the centralized tyranny that had, more than one hundred forty-two years ago, succeeded in undermining the concept of the Constitutional Republic. When Lee lost at Gettysburg, no earthly force remained that could stand against the Washington leviathan.

Do you see what he did there?  Peroutka refers to the Confederate troops as the “American forces.”  These “American forces” were battling to “preserve an American way of life.” According to Peroutka, the effort to preserve the Union and end slavery was tyranny and the Confederates were fighting for the “cause of American Independence.”
So when the National Religious Broadcasters and Liberty University broadcast the IOTC course, should it be called the American view or the Confederate view?
 

Ban on Conversion Therapy for Minors Upheld in California

In an opinion handed down today, the 9th Circuit Court upheld California’s ban on conversion therapy for minors.
The staff summary of the opinion begins:

Reversing an order granting preliminary injunctive relief in Welch v. Brown, 13-15023, and affirming the denial of preliminary injunctive relief in Pickup v. Brown, 12-17681, the panel held that California Senate Bill 1172, which bans state-licensed mental health providers from engaging in “sexual orientation change efforts” with patients under 18 years of age, does not violate the free speech rights of practitioners or minor patients, is neither vague nor overbroad, and does not violate parents’ fundamental rights.

Here is the full text of the decision.
Note: I edited this post to reflect the fact that the quote above is from the staff summary of the opinion and not the actual opinion. The meaning is the same.