Several anti-gay groups and their representatives wasted no time in actually blaming the LGBT community and/or liberals and progressives for this morning’s shooting at the Family Research Council‘s (FRC) Washington, D.C. headquarters, during which a security guard was shot in the arm. Others merely used the event as an opportunity to position themselves and the anti-gay lobby as victims of the left or, like the folks at the Manhattan Declaration, which advocates for bible-based anarchy over the law, used the event to gain more followers. NOM, the National Organization For Marriage, the American Family Association (AFA), Liberty Counsel, Gary Bauer’s American Values, Peter LaBarbera, and even bloggers like Erick Erickson took time out to blame the entire left, or the LGBT community, for today’s shooting.

And while an astonishing 27 LGBT organizations immediately condemned the shooting, can anyone recall the same response from the right when right wing madmen attack the left?

Brian Brown, president of NOM, the National Organization For Marriage, issued a threatening statement, demanding that “labeling pro-marriage groups as ‘hateful’ must end.”

“Today’s attack is the clearest sign we’ve seen that labeling pro-marriage groups as ‘hateful’ must end,” said Brian Brown, President of NOM. “The Southern Poverty Law Center has labeled the Family Research Council a ‘hate group’ for its pro-marriage views, and less than a day ago the Human Rights Campaign issued a statement calling FRC a ‘hate group’—they even specified that FRC hosts events in Washington, DC, where today’s attack took place.”

“NOM has always condemned all violence and vilification connected to our ongoing national debate about the meaning and definition of marriage,” Brown stated. “For too long national gay rights groups have intentionally marginalized and ostracized pro-marriage groups and individuals by labeling them as ‘hateful’ and ‘bigoted’ — such harmful and dangerous labels deserve no place in our civil society and NOM renews its call today for gay rights groups and the Southern Poverty Law Center to withdraw such incendiary rhetoric from a debate that involves millions of good Americans,” added Brown.

Brown concluded: “Violence is never the answer, and on that we all must agree, or risk the consequences.”

Wayne Besen of Truth Wins Out called Brown’s statement, “grotesque, unseemly, and exploitative.”

Bryan Fischer, the public face of the certified anti-gay hate group, American Family Association, said via Twitter:

 

If SPLC is right, that using irresponsible language re: homosexuality causes violence, then they to blame for FRC shooting.

— Bryan Fischer (@BryanJFischer) August 15, 2012

Liberty Counsel attorney and Liberty University dean Matt Barber wrote via Twitter:

Efforts by @splcenter & @glaad to dehumanize Christians & equate biblical truth to “hate” are working. You have blood on your hands #FRC

— Matt Barber (@jmattbarber) August 15, 2012

 

I call on @splccenter to immediately retract its “hate group” smear of #FRC & other Christian groups & issue an apology #LeftWingViolence

— Matt Barber (@jmattbarber) August 15, 2012

 

The homo-fascist left is pulling out all the stops to silence Christians & conservatives. Expect left-wing extremist violence to rise #FRC

— Matt Barber (@jmattbarber) August 15, 2012

 

.@splccenter smears #FRC as “hate group.” Not surprisingly, liberal activist reacts by shooting #FRC employee. I warned of this

— Matt Barber (@jmattbarber) August 15, 2012

 

In “Anti-Gay Group Responds To FRC Shooting With Request To Sign Anti-Gay Pledge,” Joe Jervis reports:

Backers of the Manhattan Declaration have issued a press release about the FRC shooting. The message closes by asking for more signatures on their anti-gay pledge, whose signees vow to commit disobey any laws that protect LGBT Americans.

Today, the news broke of a shooting at the Family Research Council, a think tank in Washington, D.C. that promotes faith, family, and freedom. The FRC has been a friend of the Manhattan Declaration from our very first day. Though the details remain unclear, it seems a security guard prevented the shooter from venturing beyond the lobby. At some point in the intervention, he was shot. Initial reports are that the guard will be okay. Such heroic action warrants a thanks beyond mere words. But, for now, words will suffice. Thank you for your bravery, Leo. And for the part you play in the pursuit of a more free, more faithful nation.Sign the Declaration.

Erick Erickson, founder of RedState, and, amazingly, a CNN contributor, made up a few “facts”:

The Family Research Council is one of my favorite organizations. I consider Tony Perkins a friend and he and his staff are in my prayers today, as they should be yours. … It is not a political statement, but a fact that for years the left inside and outside the media has ridiculed the family values the Family Research Council defends. It is not a political statement, but a fact that had this been at an abortion clinic or the Human Rights Campaign’s headquarters instead of the Family Research Council’s headquarters, we’d be in for a week of handwringing in the media about homophobia and right wing nuts. But because the Family Research Council promotes the values shared by a majority of Americans, but only a minority of the left in and outside the media, this story will move on off the radar. Instead, the Human Rights Campaign, which aggressively supports gay rights, will go on calling the Family Research Council a hate group, the media will give the shooting a passing reference, and it will all be forgotten until Brian Ross and ABC News can figure out a way to pin it on the tea party. … This is further typified by disgust at Chick-Fil-A for promoting traditional values, but delight with Ben & Jerry’s promoting “correct” values. That’s not a political point. That’s a fact.

Of course, Peter LaBarbera couldn’t resist:

Shooting at Family Research Council: now how long will it take homo’l zealots like Joe Jervis to blame FRC for staging its own hate crime?!

— Peter LaBarbera (@PeterLaBarbera) August 15, 2012

 

There is a long history of homosexual activist hate-violence, assaults + harassment agnst #Christians + churches. #FRCShooting #tcot

— Peter LaBarbera (@PeterLaBarbera) August 15, 2012

 

And Catholic League president Bill Donohue, ignoring the joint statement of over two dozen LGBT organizations condemning today’s shooting, writes:

Early reports indicate that the motives of the shooter are cause for serious concern. One source told Fox News that the suspect “made statements regarding their policies, and then opened fire with a gun striking a security guard.” After he was apprehended the suspect said, “It was not about you. It was about what this place stands for.”
Is this what we have come to? Has the environment become so toxic that a faith-based organization becomes a target of an attack simply because it holds traditional values on sexuality, marriage and life? Unfortunately it seems that this may be the case.
We hope that this incident is taken seriously. There are still a couple of months to go before the election and signs indicate that they will be contentious. Now is the time for people of goodwill to call for civility and condemn this attack.