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MassResistance
FoundedMay 8, 1995 (1995-05-08)
FounderBrian Camenker
TypePolitical activist
04-3271722 (EIN)
Location
Key people
Brian Camenker, President
Revenue
$137,953 (2010)[1]
Websitemassresistance.org
Formerly called
Parents' Rights Coalition[2]
Article 8 Alliance[3]

MassResistance is an American organization that promotes anti-LGBT and socially conservative positions. The group is designated an anti-LGBT hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center,[4] in part for claims linking LGBT people with pedophilia and zoophilia, and claims that suicide prevention programs aimed at gay youth were created by homosexual activists to normalize and "lure" children into homosexuality.[3][5][6]

The groups activism takes several forms, including promoting its views via its website, blog, email, lobbying, and voters' guides.[7][8] It has also provided support for anti-gay activism in foreign countries such as Taiwan and Australia.[9]

MassResistance was founded by Brian Camenker in 1995 as the Parents' Rights Coalition, and in 2003 it changed its name to Article 8 Alliance. It adopted its current name, MassResistance, in 2006.[3]

History

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Brian Camenker, a conservative activist in Massachusetts, founded Parents' Rights Coalition in 1995. The name was changed to Article 8 Alliance in 2003 and then to its current name, MassResistance, in 2006. The organization is based in Waltham, Massachusetts.[3]

Origins

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Camenker's vocal opposition to "the homosexual agenda" began in 1992, when his neighbor showed him a teaching guide that contained what he characterized as "disgusting descriptions of gay sex".[10] Camenker was one of several parents who expressed concern to the Newton school committee about a pamphlet provided to teachers for use as background material at Newton's Day Junior High School. The pamphlet listed graphic tips on subjects including safe sex for lesbians.[11] A short while later, Camenker founded a conservative organization, Newton Citizens for Public Education (NCPE), which opposed a controversial ninth-grade sex education program in Newton. Camenker was accused by Massachusetts Board of Education chairman Martin Kaplan of having ties with Christian right organizations.[12] Following a vote by the Board of Education that recommended support groups for LGBT students, Camenker expressed concern about harassment of gay students, but stated that direction being taken would "cause more acrimony rather than less". He added, "People should view gays as friends, as Americans, rather than as someone who's different than them".[13][14]

Parents' Rights Coalition

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Camenker formed the Parents' Rights Coalition on May 8, 1995.[3][15] That same year, Camenker, heading the Massachusetts Interfaith Coalition,[16] sponsored a bill in Massachusetts requiring school officials to notify parents about sex-education courses. The bill, if passed, would give parents the option to remove their children from those classes.[17][18]

MassResistance has promoted its platform through media appearances and lobbying for laws related to parental rights in public schools. The bills that have been submitted on behalf of MassResistance in the past several years have been consistently rejected by the Joint Judiciary Committee.[19][20]

Parents' Rights Coalition opposed a Massachusetts public school teacher reading of King & King, a fairy tale involving two married men, to kindergartners. In 2006, they alleged that the school violated a law requiring the school to inform parents of all sex-ed-related material.[21] The lawsuit has since been thrown out of Federal Court.[19]

Hate group designation

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Since March 2008, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) has listed MassResistance as an active anti-gay hate group.[3][6][22]

In 1996 MassResistance's leader, Brian Camenker claimed that suicide prevention programs aimed at gay youth were "put together by homosexual activists to normalize homosexuality". MassResistance also asserted that groups such as the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), which support school anti-bullying programs, actually want to "lure children into homosexuality and, very possibly, sadomasochism".[3]

MassResistance has also insisted that gays were "trying to get legislation passed to allow sex with animals", later adding, "They [gays and lesbians] are pushing perversion on our kids".[3]

MassResistance has claimed that "gays are dangerous to kids", and have made comments regarding "skyrocketing homosexual domestic violence"[3][23] and called a gay pride event a "depraved" display that featured "a great deal of obviously disturbed, dysfunctional, and extremely self-centered people whose aim was to push their agenda".[3]

Political involvement

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In March 2012, MassResistance president Brian Camenker[24][25][26] and the anti-gay organization, Jews and Christians Together, jointly made a series of pre-recorded telephone calls endorsing U.S. presidential candidate Rick Santorum and opposing U.S. presidential candidate Mitt Romney for the Ohio "Super-Tuesday" Republican primary.[27][28][29][30][31][32]

A few days after the calls were broadcast, MassResistance's website stated: "As the 2012 presidential primary races are heating up, MassResistance is being called on to expose an important issue that the mainstream media (even Fox News) won't talk about. Millions of emails and robo-calls with MassResistance's information went to voters in key states leading up to Super Tuesday, which likely made a difference, say activists".[29]

Criticism of FBI and CIA

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In 2012 MassResistance publicly criticized the FBI and CIA for "embracing the homosexual movement". Camenker is critical of the FBI's LGBT program promoted on the FBI's careers website, as well as their involvement with the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) and the CIA's Agency Network of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Employees and Allies (ANGLE).[33][34][35][36]

According to MassResistance, the FBI actively recruits homosexual and transgender employees and agents. MassResistance is especially critical of the FBI's "outrageous" official partnership with the SPLC.[33][35]

Positions

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MassResistance has maintained conservative social positions on "hot-button" issues such as abortion, assisted suicide, homosexual and transgender rights, gun control, marriage, and other issues.[37] The group monitors changes to LGBT rights legislation in countries as far away as Australia, but focuses most of its efforts on the United States, and especially in Massachusetts.[38][39][40]

Abortion

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MassResistance has expressed strong opposing views about Mitt Romney for his moderate policies on abortion.[7] During Romney's term as governor of Massachusetts, MassResistance criticized him for his stance on abortion, referring to him as "probably the most pro-abortion and pro-gay rights Republican official in the nation for the last decade".[10][37]

In 2012 MassResistance opposed the nomination of Kenneth Salinger to the Massachusetts Superior Court by Governor Deval Patrick, citing Salinger's activist agenda and financial contributions to MoveOn.org and pro-abortion group EMILY's List.[8] MassResistance gave a presentation at a conference hosted by Phyllis Schlafly's Eagle Forum. Camenker spoke to U.S. Representative Todd Akin during the conference, and reflected later on how he "gets it" and how thrilled he was to meet and speak "with a smart, principled, pro-life, pro-family Congressman". After Todd Akin's televised interview in August 2012 in which he claimed that women victims of what he described as "legitimate rape" rarely experience pregnancy from rape and the ensuing backlash, MassResistance commented that "Todd Akin misspoke during a lengthy interview and then apologized and clarified his statement. Given his record, that should be the end of it".[41]

Same-sex marriage

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Main article: Same-sex marriage in Massachusetts

MassResistance has always maintained staunch opposition to same-sex marriage.[7] In its booklet, What same-sex 'marriage' has done to Massachusetts, Camenker characterizes acceptance of same-sex marriage as "a hammer to force the acceptance and normalization of homosexuality on everyone". The organization objects to schools teaching children that same-sex marriages are a normal part of society. They cite "radical" activist judges and "cowardly" politicians as factors in the increasing acceptance of same-sex marriage, and warn the public to fight back.[42][43]

Massachusetts has permitted same-sex marriage since 2004, and MassResistance has continued to oppose it through political activism. In October 2008, MassResistance mounted a petition campaign for a ballot referendum to reinstate a recently repealed 1913 law to deny Massachusetts marriage licenses to same-sex couples who reside in states that do not recognize same-sex marriage.[44] It failed to gather a sufficient number of signatures.[45]

Anti-bullying

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MassResistance has voiced objections to anti-bullying efforts in Massachusetts, including anti-bullying legislation, in part because of concern that it could "silence criticism of the gay movement".[46] They criticized Mitt Romney's support of the Massachusetts Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth.[47][46] MassResistance has characterized efforts to prevent bullying as "a very aggressive, fascist-type movement".[48][49][50]

According to MassResistance, the "homosexual anti-bullying agenda" is exploiting the legitimate problem of school bullying, with the aim of pushing "homosexual-normalization propaganda" at children.[50]

Testifying at a Joint Committee on Education hearing in 2009 that was considering nearly a dozen bills that would address bullying, Brian Camenker of MassResistance "claimed supporters had been brought in by 'special-interest groups' with a gay-rights agenda".[51] In its written testimony, MassResistance stated that it had filed bill H.1059 in the Massachusetts Legislature[further explanation needed] to repeal the anti-bullying law that the commission was addressing. The testimony suggested adopting a student-run approach to anti-bullying in schools, and concluded that the anti-bullying law was onerous and costly, and should be repealed in favor of a top-down, school-directed solution. It went on to say that homosexual activist groups were behind the law and that the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) had diverged from its role of fighting anti-Semitism.[52][clarification needed]

Transgender identity and rights

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MassResistance opposes laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of gender identity.

On Nov. 6, 2018, Massachusetts voters preserved an existing nondiscrimination law by passing the Massachusetts Gender Identity Anti-Discrimination Initiative with 68% of the vote, that protects the right of people to access public accommodations based on the gender with which they identify. MassResistance had campaigned unsuccessfully with "highway standouts, leafletting, and some public debates" to strike down the law. The organization posted an article several days later criticizing the campaign efforts.[53]

Activities

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Fistgate

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In 2000 members of the Parents' Rights Coalition attended a statewide conference, called "Teach-Out", that was sponsored by the Massachusetts Department of Education, the Governor's Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth, and the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, held at Tufts University.

One student asked about fisting and was provided with an explanation.[54] MassResistance dubbed the incident "Fistgate" after one of its members "secretly recorded the workshop".[55][56] A state employee who participated in the discussion filed suit against Camenker and Scott Whiteman as a result of the distribution of the tape recordings.[57] According to Bay Windows, a "Massachusetts Superior Court judge ruled that the tape was illegally acquired and therefore an invasion of privacy against those individuals present, who were never told they were being recorded."[58] Greg Carmack suggested that the question might have been planted by those making the recordings.[59]

Disorderly conduct

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In October 2008, MassResistance employee Michael Olivio was arrested for disorderly conduct at a school after parents became concerned about his taking many pictures of their children.[60] When questioned by police, he explained that he was filming footage for a documentary, but mistook an elementary school for a high school. When asked by police to leave, Olivio began to "act erratically"; he "ran through yards [...] shedding clothing". Camenker supported Olivio's statement that he was working for the MassResistance, but went to the wrong school.[60]

Criticism of Mitt Romney

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Camenker first voiced concerns about Mitt Romney in 1994, when Romney unsuccessfully ran for U.S. Senate on a platform supporting gay rights and abortion rights. According to Camenker, "Romney is a RINO, a Republican In Name Only".[10]

In April 2006, MassResistance tried to pressure Romney into ending a state advisory commission on LGBT youth. Romney instead ordered the commission to focus on suicide prevention among gay and lesbian teens.[61]

In November 2006, Camenker released a 28-page report critical of Romney's sympathetic positions on gay rights and portraying him as a social liberal. The report focused on Romney's term as governor of Massachusetts and his peripheral involvement with social issues such as gay rights and abortion. Camenker wrote that "the biggest problem is that Romney is so clearly and blatantly faking this. He's a fraud", suggesting that Romney was merely pandering to special interests.[37][61]

In January 2007, Romney's campaign issued a press release critical of Camenker for MassResistance's "Mitt Romney Deception" report.[10] Romney's campaign removed the press release from its site, but MassResistance continued to display it on their own site, and they issued their own press release as well.[62] Romney responded in defense of his conservative record as governor that he was "as staunch a defender as anyone in the country" of traditional marriage, and opposition to abortion and stem cell research.[61]

References

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  1. ^ "2010 IRS Form 990 federal tax return". Foundation Center. 2010. Retrieved October 2, 2012.[permanent dead link‍]
  2. ^ LeBlanc, Steve (July 2, 2006). "Group wages battle against Massachusetts gay culture". Rutland Herald. Rutland, VT. Associated Press. Retrieved October 2, 2012.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Schlatter, Evelyn (2010). "18 Anti-Gay Groups and Their Propaganda". Intelligence Report (140). Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved October 5, 2012. Generally, the SPLC's listings of these groups is based on their propagation of known falsehoods—claims about LGBT people that have been thoroughly discredited by scientific authorities—and repeated, groundless name-calling. Viewing homosexuality as unbiblical does not qualify organizations for listing as hate groups.
  4. ^ "SPLC". Retrieved October 14, 2017.
  5. ^ "Active U.S. Hate Groups". Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved 2008-10-30.
  6. ^ a b Jacobs, Ethan (March 26, 2008). "Shocker: MassResistance Declared a Hate Group". Bay Windows. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
  7. ^ a b c Hamby, Peter (January 8, 2012). "Stop-Romney movement sets skirmish lines in South Carolina". CNN. Retrieved October 7, 2012.
  8. ^ a b "Fighting back against nomination of activist lawyer for judgeship in Mass". MassResistance. July 21, 2012. Retrieved October 7, 2012.
  9. ^ "U.S. Hate Group MassResistance Behind Anti-LGBT Activities in Taiwan". Taiwan Sentinel. 2017-01-02. Retrieved 2020-05-06.
  10. ^ a b c d Levenson, Michael (January 22, 2007). "Activist rains on Romney's parade". The Boston Globe. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
  11. ^ Kennedy, Helen; Managan, Patricia (January 13, 1993). "Parents sparring over sex ed in Newton". Boston, MA. The Boston Herald. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
  12. ^ Kennedy, Helen (May 11, 1993). "Newton board passes sex education plan". Boston, MA. The Boston Herald. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
  13. ^ Johnson, Jason B. (May 19, 1993). "Controversy in the schools Policy on gays in school draws mixed reviews from students". Boston, MA. The Boston Herald. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
  14. ^ Dorning, Mike (December 3, 1993). "Gay teen support groups ease transition from closet". The Orange County Register. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
  15. ^ "Articles of Organization" (PDF). Commonwealth of Massachusetts. May 8, 1995. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
  16. ^ Wetzstein, Cheryl (May 20, 1995). "Massachusetts panel backs pro-gay programs in schools – Pushes homosexual 'youth pride' march in Boston". Washington, D.C. The Washington Times. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
  17. ^ Paige, Connie (October 10, 1995). "Bill for sex-ed notification headed to House for debate". Boston, MA. The Boston Herald. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
  18. ^ Paige, Connie (April 4, 1995). "Senate OKs compromise parental-notification bill". Boston, MA. The Boston Herald. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
  19. ^ a b "US Court of Appeals Opinion". January 21, 2008. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
  20. ^ "Two for one: Help stop "Safe Schools Czar" Kevin Jennings – and get historic documentary". MassResistance. Retrieved October 2, 2012. Brian Camenker, President of Parents' Rights Coalition (now MassResistance).
  21. ^ "Parents May Sue School Over Gay Book". he Pink News. April 25, 2006. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
  22. ^ Aiello, Dan (December 31, 2009). "Sister of prop 8 mastermind will run for sacramento superior court judge". Sacramento Examiner.
  23. ^ Camenker, Brian. "What same-sex "marriage" has done to Massachusetts". MassResistance. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
  24. ^ Tashman, Brian (April 6, 2012). "MassResistance Says America's 'Worldwide Homosexual Terror Group' will bring about 'Brutal Oppression'". Right Wing Watch. People for the American Way. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
  25. ^ "Rick Santorum Backers Accuse Mitt Romney Of Advancing Gay Marriage". Bay Ledger. March 5, 2012. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
  26. ^ Andrew, Mike (April 6, 2012). "Romney is the Gay candidate, Santorum says". Seattle Gay News. Retrieved May 21, 2021.
  27. ^ "Dump Romney". Jews and Christians Together. Archived from the original on October 12, 2012. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
  28. ^ Strasser, Annie-Rose (March 5, 2012). "Santorum Backers Hit Romney with Anti-gay Robo-calls in Ohio". ThinkProgress. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
  29. ^ a b "Massive robo-call and email blast of MassResistance material in primary election states: Millions of voters reached!". MassResistance. March 12, 2012. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
  30. ^ Rachel Maddow (April 12, 2012). Pro-Santorum Robo-Call Urges Voters To Vote For Santorum and NOT Romney & Homosexuality. MSNBC.
  31. ^ LoBasso, Randy (March 7, 2012). "Here Is the Anti-Gay Robocall That Almost Won Rick Santorum Ohio". Philadelphia Weekly. Archived from the original on September 4, 2012. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
  32. ^ Posner, Sarah (March 6, 2012). "Jews and Christians for Santorum?". Religion Dispatches Magazine. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
  33. ^ a b "While you weren't looking: FBI and CIA embrace homosexual movement. Reaching out to "gay and transgender community"". MassResistance. September 28, 2012. Retrieved October 12, 2012.
  34. ^ Tashman, Brian (October 2, 2012). "Gays Have Taken Over the FBI!". Right Wing Watch. Retrieved October 12, 2012.
  35. ^ a b Broverman, Neal (October 3, 2012). "Gays Control FBI, CIA, Trying to Subvert Christians, Rightwinger Claims". The Advocate. Retrieved October 12, 2012.
  36. ^ Schneider, Jim (October 1, 2012). "FBI/CIA Embrace Homosexual Movement". Voice of Christian Youth America. Retrieved October 12, 2012.
  37. ^ a b c Camenker, Brian (November 20, 2006). "The Mitt Romney Deception". MassResistance. Retrieved October 7, 2012.
  38. ^ "Main page". MassResistance. Retrieved October 7, 2012.
  39. ^ "MassResistance Voter Guide". Commonwealth of Massachusetts Freelance Media Registry. Archived from the original on August 22, 2013. Retrieved October 7, 2012.
  40. ^ Fargen, Jessica (February 21, 2010). "Sen Yolks It Up in Southie – Brown salutes his supporters". Boston, MA. The Boston Herald. Retrieved October 7, 2012.
  41. ^ Camenker, Brian (September 3, 2012). "My dinner with Todd Akin. His current struggle -- and what it means to you". MassResistance. Retrieved October 7, 2012.
  42. ^ "MassResistance releases new, updated version of shocking booklet: "What same-sex 'marriage' has done to Massachusetts"". MassResistance. August 2, 2012. Retrieved October 7, 2012.
  43. ^ "What same-sex 'marriage' has done to Massachusetts". MassResistance. July 31, 2012. Retrieved October 7, 2012.
  44. ^ Johnson, Glen (August 16, 2008). "Gay marriage opponents seek to reverse new law". Associated Press. Retrieved October 12, 2012.
  45. ^ Jacobs, Ethan (October 30, 2008). "1913 law petition fails". Bay Windows. Retrieved July 8, 2013.
  46. ^ a b Curlin, Casey (March 15, 2010). "Suicides spur review of bullying measure; Bill would make schools accountable". The Washington Times. Washington, D.C.
  47. ^ Reinhard, Beth (May 11, 2012). "Romney's Evolving Record on Anti-Gay Bullying". National Journal. Washington, DC: Atlantic Media. ISSN 0360-4217.
  48. ^ Moser, Bob (February 7, 2011). "David Barton, Bully for God". The Texas Observer. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  49. ^ Barton, David (host); Camenker, Brian (guest) (January 24, 2011). Homosexual Indoctrination in Our Public Schools. WallBuilders Live!. Aledo, TX: WallBuilders, LLC. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  50. ^ a b "MassResistance counters testimony from gay groups, special interests at overflowing public hearing on "anti-bullying" bills in State House". MassResistance. November 23, 2009. Retrieved October 7, 2012.
  51. ^ Szaniszlo, Marie (November 18, 2009). "Victim's mom lends voice to anti-bully bill". The Boston Herald. Boston, MA.
  52. ^ Camenker, Brian (February 25, 2011), Written testimony to the Commission on Bullying Prevention (PDF), Commonwealth of Massachusetts, retrieved October 7, 2012
  53. ^ "Massachusetts voters overwhelmingly say "yes" to transgender "bathroom" law. What happened?". MassResistance. 9 November 2018. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
  54. ^ Kiritsy, Laura (May 25, 2000). "Firestorm over GLSEN sex education workshop worsens". Bay Windows. Archived from the original on April 14, 2008. Retrieved June 8, 2008. via EBSCOHost accession number 15750379
  55. ^ "The Fistgate Report". Massachusetts News. Archived from the original on April 7, 2003. Retrieved June 8, 2008.
  56. ^ "Critics contend safe-sex forum far too graphic". The Union-News. May 17, 2000. Archived from the original on July 4, 2008. Retrieved June 8, 2008.
  57. ^ Greenberger, Scott (November 28, 2000). "Educator fired for sex discussion sues to reclaim job". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on August 8, 2008. Retrieved June 8, 2008.
  58. ^ Berlo, Beth (December 20, 2001). "GLSEN national poll shows wide support amongst parents for gay youth protections". Bay Windows. Retrieved October 22, 2017.
  59. ^ Carmack, Greg (August 3, 2000). "Was GLSEN 'fistgate' controversy a contrivance?". Bay Windows. Retrieved October 22, 2017.
  60. ^ a b Patten, Jim (October 23, 2008). "Man snapping pictures outside school caught after foot chase". Eagle-Tribune. Andover, Massachusetts. Archived from the original on July 30, 2012. Retrieved October 5, 2012. But Michael Olivio's employer has come forward to back up his story. Olivio, 48, works for the anti-gay rights group MassResistance.org. Brian Camenker, head of the group, said Olivio mistakenly went to West Middle School Tuesday to snap pictures instead of the high school.
  61. ^ a b c Leblanc, Steve (January 13, 2007). "Activist slams Romney over issue record". The Republican. Springfield, MA.
  62. ^ "Mitt Romney Campaign's press release attacking Brian Camenker". MassResistance. January 12, 2007. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
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