W E D N E S D A Y , J U L Y 2 7 , 2 0 0 5CNN Covers Gay Conversion...Poorlyby Michael in New York on 7/27/2005 10:44:00 PMThe CNN program "Paula Zahn Now" ran an unsatisfyingsegment tonight on the scam known as gay conversion therapy-- the lie that people can be "changed" from gay to straight.(It's rebroadcast at 2 a.m. if you're interested.) Of course,these scams have proven worthless.</p><p> Virtually every "successstory" trumpeted by the far right (and it's amounted to only ahandful) has collapsed within a short time.</p><p> Indeed, the entiredangerous and damaging idea of conversion therapy wascreated by two "success stories," two men who later admittedit was all a ridiculous farce, that they were gay and loved eachother and have since worked to expose the movement's lies.You found out virtually none of this in a segment that focusedon a young man whose evangelical parents sent him to"straight camp," Love in Action.</p><p> His story was counterbalancedby the story of another young deeply religious man who wentto Love in Action but soon realized he could be faithful and notreject what God had created him as and is now in a happyrelationship and worshipping weekly. (Presumably at UU orUCC or MCC or with Episcopalians or any one of the growinghouses of worship who are welcoming to gays.)The problem? Other than these two "paths," the only outsidecriticism of these radical fringe groups offering pseudo-scienceand self-loathing to young people came from a quick commentfrom a psychiatrist who has written a book abouthomosexuality.Not a word from the mainstream organizations like the AMA orthe APA or countless others that have not only condemnedthese practices as little more than witch doctoring but madeclear they can be extremely damaging to the people involved.Barely a mention that this "camp" is staffed mostly byuntrained quacks.</p><p> Not a word about how anyone connected tothem can be censured or kicked out of the APA, etc forpotentially doing harm to patients.</p><p> Not a word from respectedmedical and psychiatric leaders that there is nothing to "fix" or"cure." Not a word about the man in Florida just on trial forkilling his three year old son because he was worried the littlechild was gay and wanted to beat it out of him.Heck, the story didn't even seem to realize how patheticallylowered the goals of these groups are.</p><p> In the past, theypretended people could be cured.</p><p> Now they're careful not tomake that claim -- for the simple fact that they could neverproduce anyone who had been "cured" that managed to stay"cured" after enjoying their 15 minutes of fame and heftypaychecks from the far right for speaking engagements.</p><p> Now,all these wackos claim is that people can learn to live with theirhomosexuality -- that's a far cry from what they pretended waspossible even ten years ago.The nice, polite, well-spoken young man profiled said hethought maybe someday he could have a relationship with awoman, but if he had to be celibate, that was fine too.</p><p> He eventook issue with the question as to whether he was gay --because he thought EVERYONE was a little queer and that noone was purely straight or gay.</p><p> And he's mostly banished those EschatonPretty Much - I think this encapsulates nicely ourmodern media environment.1 hour ago HuffPost PoliticsHuckabee's Huck Pac In Turmoil With StaffTurnover, Mounting Debts - Former Arkansas Gov.Mike Huckabee's political action committee, HuckPac, is undergoing a "restructuring," ExecutiveDirector Sarah Huckabee said Wednesday....2 hours ago Ben SmithGoing small - My story tonight: President BarackObama came alive about 50 minutes intoWednesday night’s news conference – whensomebo2 hours ago FiredoglakeLate Late Night FDL: What Eclipse? - A new videofrom Fatoumata Diawara, and and oldie from Bob.2 hours ago Daily KosOpen Thread and Diary Rescue - *Today, srkp23(pulling a double shift), ybruti, taylormattd,ItsJessMe and vcmvo2 combed through hundredsof diaries to find this powerful list.</p><p> Today's...3 hours agoJ O H N ' S P H OT O S Show AllA M E R I C A B L O G T V Next 6AMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: CNN ...http://www.americablog.com/2005/07/cnn-covers-gay-conversi... 1 of 57/23/09 3:52 AMVisit ourAMERICAblog TV site.see all 322 videos >I collect with vodpod In honor of SenatorDeMint For the GOPers, healthcare is politics.</p><p> They just Traditional media has todebunk the birthers One small step...</p><p> The right-wing media, thevoices of the GOP, inAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: CNN ...http://www.americablog.com/2005/07/cnn-covers-gay-conversi... 2 of 57/23/09 3:52 AMThe TreatmentObama Has a Grown-UpTalk With America(Gulp)3 hours agoEzra KleinTab Dump8 hours agoWonk RoomSen.</p><p> Byron Dorgan:The ‘Trade’ InCap-And-Trade ‘MakesNo Sense To Me’9 hours agoHealth BeatTruth Squad: WallStreet Journal HealthCare Editorial Wrong onthe Facts . . .10 hours agoDaily DoseProviders Endorse 'Payfor Value' ProposalsG AY P O L I T I C S Visit our new gay politicssection, AMERICAblog Gay.F E E D S Blog RSS AMERICAblog TV RSS Twitter RSSTwitter Feed Get the blog by email: Subscribe me! 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