Wayne Besen Joins New Jersey Liar in Promoting “Gay Conversion Torture Camp” Conspiracies

There comes a time when you run out of talking points and simply have to resort to downright fabrication in order to fuel controversy. That’s just what Wayne Besen is doing on his anti-ex-gay hate blog, hilariously named Truth Wins Out (TWO). Voice of the Voiceless (VOV) thinks Wayne would have a hard time recognizing truth if it slapped him in the face.

Not even twenty-four hours after VOV called TWO, The Huffington Post, and GayStarNews out after suggesting that South African youth were tortured and killed by a militaristic-style camp with “reparative therapy elements,” Besen has doubled-down on his discredited conspiracy theory, saying:

To be clear, calling boys “sissies” and “moffies”does have an undertone about sexual orientation, but Bekker is deflecting attention from the real issue by saying that “turning boys into men” is not the same thing as changing homosexuals into heterosexuals. Indeed, on a surface level that’s true. Moreover, no one is claiming that the crimes were committed because the boys were gay, but rather were part of a hyper-masculine environment committed to the idea that these boyswouldn’t be “moffies.”

Really? No suggestions of gay to straight themes in the camp? Then why didn’t Besen just condemn this horrific tragedy instead of suggesting that the attitudes of these brutal criminals were similar to the disposition of professional therapists in the USA? Instead, Besen wrote this:

While no specific ties appear to exist at this point between American “reparative therapy” programs and this gruesome camp, the notable parallel is that groups like NARTH and Journey Into Manhood, as well as “therapists” like George Rekers have long been focused both on “preventing” homosexuality by teaching boys to be as masculine as possible, and on “curing” homosexuality in teens and adults by teaching them how to Be Men. Of course, it doesn’t work, as sexuality has nothing to do with either effeminacy or masculinity, but that’s the idea.

Here we go again, an activist-blogger trying to play therapist. I won’t even give him the decency of responding to his uneducated opinions on sexual orientation change effort therapy. But what I will address is his obvious exploitation of a tragedy to make subtle associations, wherever he can, with certain groups and therapists who disagree with his uninformed opinions.

By connecting professional therapists to brutal criminals, Besen uses a psychological technique called “jamming” (not that Besen would be educated enough to know this) where a respected person is compared to a non-respected person in order to make people believe they are similar, even unconsciously. Besen is notorious for doing this when he routinely compares PhD-level psychotherapists to ex-gay religious ministry leaders, many of whom have no formal psychological education or training. Not that there is anything wrong with persons of faith who minister to homosexuals, but it’s like comparing apples to oranges. All educated therapists know that relying on simple behavioral therapeutic techniques, such as celibacy, do not help persons resolve unwanted same-sex attractions.

The truth is, Besen and his goons at TWO are so desperate to bring down highly educated mental health professionals who help persons with unwanted same-sex attractions, that they’ll do and say just about anything, even lie, to achieve their objectives. In fact, here is a picture we found of Wayne and his good friend Matt Barber, after Barber called him out at the 2010 Awakening Conference at Liberty University. Besen tried (but failed) to pass as a college student in an undercover ploy to dig up dirt. To his surprise, the Christians at Liberty welcomed Besen with open arms, not that he would know how to accept such compassion.

With his latest tirade, Besen is stooping to the level of Brielle Goldani, the New Jersey transgendered woman who lied about being tortured in a so-called “Conversion Therapy Camp” in Columbus, Ohio in 1997. It turns out that the camp, “True Directions” did exist, but only in a 1999 movie starring drag queen Ru Paul.

VOV broke the story on WorldNetDaily.com (see: http://www.wnd.com/2013/03/transgendered-woman-lies-about-therapy-torture/) and will be announcing major developments in New Jersey on Monday, May 6 to stop this destructive legislation that was advanced on fraudulent testimony.

So be careful what you read on the internet folks, especially on amateur blogs like Besen’s TWO. He likes to make things up…that’s his specialty.

Christopher Doyle, M.A. is the Founder and Acting Director of Voice of the Voiceless

Rev. DL Foster Comments on Chris Broussard’s Reaction to Jason Collins “Coming Out” in the NBA

May 1, 2013, Atlanta, GA – Voice of the Voiceless (VOV), a public advocacy organization supporting and defending the rights of former homosexuals, individuals with unwanted same-sex attractions, and their families, today voiced approval of ESPN’s handling of Chris Broussard’s reaction to Jason Collins’ announcement that he is gay. Collins made headlines this week when he become the first player in a major professional sport to openly announce his homosexuality.

Broussard, a veteran ESPN sports reporter was invited to add perspective —not as a representative of ESPN— but as an American citizen with free speech rights, in response to the “coming out” of Jason Collins. Despite Broussard responding with grace, truth, and honesty, he was yet excoriated by the same groups who demanded that another sports star (Tim Tebow) keep his Christian faith hidden because it is “too polarizing.”

“Discrimination has found a new soft target in the media marketplace. Bracketed by concerns of losing one’s employment and the threat of a public media lynching is the new reality for American citizens of traditional biblical faith who would dare openly voice their perspectives on sexuality and morality,” said Rev. DL Foster, VOV Co-Founder.

Nowhere is that concern more pronounced than in the media as Americans found out on Monday in the wake of the previously unknown player’s announcement that he was homosexual. Despite intense pressure from a chorus of pro-gay personalities, ESPN stood by Broussard, issuing a statement that called the discussion “respectful” and part of its “commit[ment] to diversity.” We applaud ESPN for their tolerance and respect for diversity.

Much like the team sports ethic, ESPN gets it that dissension in national discussions about homosexuality is a vibrant part of our American ideals. VOV calls on other organizations to resist extremist voices that seek to push our nation into a one-sided media monopoly on important issues.

Rev. DL Foster is the Co-Founder of Voice of the Voiceless

South African Native, André Bekker, Exposes Gay Activist Speculation that Death Was Motivated by Sexual Orientation

April 30, 2013 – Johannesburg, South Africa. On April 29, 2013 GayStarNews reported the headline: “Gay teens starved, tortured, killed at camp to turn them into ‘men.’”

From the bottom of my heart, and in the strongest terms possible, I join with Voice of the Voiceless to condemn this inhumane, brutal, and criminal act. I mourn with Raymond Buys’ family and pray that justice is served.

Unfortunately, some “journalists” may be using this tragedy to further certain political ends in South Africa, which is both outrageous and disrespectful to this young man and his family. What is particularly of interest in the GayStarNews story is that the headline includes the words “Gay teens.” Nowhere is it stated how the reporter knows that they are gay, and in none of the major newspapers in South Africa, nor on the News broadcasts, is there any mention made that these teenagers were gay or that their deaths are related to their sexual orientation.

For example, News24 reported: “Court hears of teen’s terrible torture.” The heading in the Daily Telegraph reads: “Teen dies after being ‘beaten’ at camp that ‘makes men out of boys’.” According to Raymond Buys’ mother, her intentions of sending her son to this camp were “to make him a better man, to give him a better future,” not change his sexual orientation from gay to straight. The Daily Telegraph also stated that Raymand Buys had “learning difficulties,” and The Daily Maverick reported the same fact in their September 2011 press release, where it stated that Buys had been:

“Cast away due to his rebellious nature, by his mother and her boyfriend. They dropped him off at the gate of the Leader [De Koker]… They were willing to pay thousands of rand just to be rid of him. The group known as X-Military Leaders (7,000 members) took him in and cared for him. The young man’s behavioural deviations were noticed immediately.” Exactly what these “behavioral deviations” were (other than a physical inability to carry out certain tasks) is unclear. Buys was believed to have had some sort of learning disability, as, reportedly, did Calitz and Van der Walt, two other young men who previously suffered similar torture, and eventually died as a result.

But activist Melanie Nathan has suggested that the other aspect held in common by the three young men was that they were all perceived as “gay and clearly effeminate.” Gaystarnews also reported “When Calitz requested to leave, De Koker reportedly told him he ‘wasn’t a moffie [gay] and he would make a man out of him’.” It is not stated, but seems to be a quote from Nathan: “What is so shocking is that the murder of Buys is not the first, as Echo Wild Game Rangers has seen the deaths of 2 young teens, also perceived as gay and clearly effeminate, when in 2007, 18-year-old Eric Calitz and Nicolaas van der Walt, 19 both died in similar circumstances. de Koker was handed a suspended sentence in 2009 over Calitz’s death but escaped charges for van der Walt’s death, which was ruled to have been caused by a heart attack. It was reported that de Koker told Calitz that he wasn’t a “moffie” (like saying “fag”) and he “would make a man out of him.”

Interestingly, that remark is made to suggest that Calitz’s death was as a result of the report “de Koker told Calitz that he wasn’t a “moffie” (like saying “fag”) and he “would make a man out of him.” It is worth mentioning that this was never brought up as the motive for this crime in the 2007 trial. Of more importance is the fact that amongst the Afrikaners, to say someone is not a “moffie” is a saying, “you are not a sissy.” In this context it has no reference to a person’s sexual orientation.

For example, a boy would for instance dare his friend to do something risky, and if the friend would not have the courage to take up the challenge, his friend will then say; “come on man do it, you are not a moffie.” What De Koker then said to Calitz is that he is not a sissy, he will make a man out of him,” with no reference to his sexual orientation. This clearly means, “making men out of boys,” not changing gays into straights.

What is troubling is that Melani Nathan “suggested” that “they were all perceived as ‘gay and clearly effeminate’” Gaystarnews quotes her as saying the same and goes one step further with her quotation by suggesting this was a “gay conversion camp” and “with a little bit of digging [into the story], the gay reparative undertones start to emerge.” Just what those “gay reparative undertones” are, is not clear. Although activist Nathan does not mention “gay conversion camps,” there has never ever any mention made in any of the court hearings or news reports of any “gay conversion camp.” This is entirely the Gaystarnews reporter’s own invention.

When we look at Melanie Nathan’s blog entry she unfortunately does not mention what “digging” she did and what “gay reparative undertones start to emerge.” Whatever she discovered is nowhere else reported in the mainstream media. She also made no mention of how she came to know that the “three young men were all perceived as ‘gay and clearly effeminate.’” Currently, there is no evidence to suggest that the crimes committed were done so with the motive that these teens were gay.

In the light of these facts, it seems that these reports in the gay media are nothing but propaganda, based on half-truths and pure speculation. Raymand Buys does not deserve to be dishonored by such exploitation. He was was tortured at the hands of brutal criminals, and now continues to be abused at the hands of activists trying to score cheap political points for their own selfish objectives.

Andre Bekker is a Theological Counselor in South Africa and Guest Contributor to Voice of the Voiceless. Note: portions of this story were edited by Christopher Doyle.

Today in their press release, Liberty Counsel (LC) warned of the dangerous “hate” map being put forth by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC).

“FBI footage released yesterday reveals that Floyd Corkins sought to kill employees of the Family Research Council (FRC) because the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) listed FRC on its website as a so-called ‘hate group.’ Although FRC is clearly not a ‘hate group,’ the SPLC lists it as such solely because it disagrees with the organization about homosexuality and marriage as the union of one man and one woman.”

Informed readers may remember an op-ed I wrote in mid-February this year about the SPLC’s Hate Campaign Against Ex-Gays where I warned of the “interactive map on their website of over seventy therapists who offer sexual orientation change effort (SOCE) therapy. Similar to the map of gun owners that was recently published in a New York newspaper, this “hate” map acts as a black list, putting professionals at-risk for potential violence from those who oppose SOCE.

LC reports that “Last year, Corkins entered the lobby of FRC armed with a loaded semi-automatic pistol, 100 rounds of ammunition, and 15 Chick-fil-A sandwiches. The security guard was shot, but he was still able to wrestle Corkins to the ground until police arrived. Corkins confessed to the FBI that he intended to kill as many people as possible and to rub Chick-fil-A sandwiches in their faces. He had a list on him of three other pro-family organizations in Washington, DC, where he intended to carry out more murders after he finished slaughtering people at FRC. When interrogators asked Corkins how he picked FRC, he said, “Southern Poverty Law lists anti-gay groups. I found them online, did a little research, went to the website, stuff like that.”

I have first-hand experience of the deceptive practices of the SPLC. In October 2011, I co-facilitated a group therapy seminar in which Samuel Wolfe, an attorney with the SPLC, registered and attended. During one of the breaks, our staff casually attempted to get to know Mr. Wolfe, who avoided telling us his motivation for participating. After the first day of the seminar, we did a little research and discovered that Mr. Wolfe was indeed an employee of the SPLC. One of our staff members asked Mr. Wolfe why he was attending. Mr. Wolfe claimed that he was doing research on so-called “change therapies” and wanted to see if our seminar really harmed persons with SSA.

We politely informed Mr. Wolfe that we only allowed participants, not observers, to attend our healing seminars, refunded his fee, and asked him to leave. Last April, an article appeared in “The Advocate” written by Mr. Wolfe. Below is an excerpt:

“As part of our investigation, I recently attended a conversion program where participants used ‘touch therapy,’ which involves being held like a baby by another man, with lights dimmed and soft music playing. The idea is to receive the nurturing missed as a child, thereby becoming more ‘whole’ and automatically shedding ‘unwanted same-sex attraction.’ Tragically, some of the participants were teens, prodded by their parents and communities that reject them as they are.”

While there is no mention of my organization, the processes he describes are similar to a therapeutic activity that we have individuals participate in, teaching about healthy touch and bonding rather than sexualizing one’s emotional needs. Nothing about this program was intended to “shed” unwanted SSA, as Mr. Wolfe claims.

Not only is the SPLC dangerous and ideological, they are also dishonest about their real motives: branding anyone who disagrees with their radical, liberal agenda as propagators of hate. The SPLC needs to be reminded that tolerance does not include tolerating intolerance.

Christopher Doyle is the Co-Founder and Acting Director of Voice of the Voiceless, the only anti-defamation league for former homosexuals, persons with unwanted same-sex attractions, and their families. For more information, visit: www.VoiceoftheVoiceless.info

Today The Christian Post (CP) reported on the suspension reversal of a Texas student who was punished for saying homosexuality is wrong. “14-year-old, Dakota Ary, from Western Hills High School of the Fort Worth Independent School District was initially given a suspension of one day in-school and two days full.”

After learning of the suspension, the student’s mother contacted Liberty Counsel for legal defense. Matt Staver, Founder of Liberty Counsel told CP that he believed Western Hills High made the correct decision in reversing their course of action. “The decision to rescind the suspension is the correct one. The suspension was wrong and improper,” said Staver. “I applaud the student for standing up. We stood with him to resist an unjust suspension and we are pleased that suspension has been reversed.”

CP reports that “Dakota Ary was in a German language class at Western Hills when class conversation shifted to the issues of religion and homosexuality. The student reportedly said that ‘being a homosexual was wrong.’ Upon hearing his remark, the teacher proceeded to take administrative action. Ary himself is an honors student, noted for being a member of the high school’s football team and a volunteer at his church. The rescinding of the suspension allows for him to play in an upcoming football game. In a publicly released statement, the Fort Worth Independent School District said that it does not comment on student matters.”

This is code for: “We don’t want to shine more light on the intolerance of some of our employees to free speech.” I’m assuming the teacher did not object to any student saying homosexual behavior was perfectly normal and carried no consequences to youth involved. I’m sure the teacher also failed to mention that half of all new HIV infections are among men who have sex with men.

Staver also commented that: “These instances are increasing and will continue to increase unless Christians and people who love liberty stand up and resist this intolerance.”

We agree with Staver and Liberty Counsel. Tolerance does not mean tolerating intolerance. Adults and youth have the right to disagree with homosexual behavior, no matter how politically incorrect it may be. Free speech is a fundamental right in America, and activists who are quick to equate “disagreement” with “hate” are treading on dangerous ground.

For more information, see: http://www.christianpost.com/news/texas-students-suspension-for-anti-gay-remark-reversed-94734/cpf

Christopher Doyle is the Co-Founder and Acting Director of Voice of the Voiceless. For more information, visit: www.VoiceoftheVoiceless.info