Journalist David Pakman accuses an anti-gay activist of lying before the Texas Senate over an anti-gay marriage bill.
Earlier this week The New Civil Rights Movement reported on the testimony of Beverly Roberts, a regional director in Texas for the anti-gay, anti-choice group Concerned Women For America. Roberts appeared before a Texas Senate committee, telling Senators that same-sex couples are “demanding” ministers marry them, in violation of their faith and First Amendment rights.
Roberts asked, “why are homosexual couples in states where same-sex marriage is legal, demanding that ministers perform their marriage ceremonies?”
She also called these supposed instances of same-sex couples demanding ministers marry them “hate crimes,” “targeted bigotry,” and “bullying tactics.”
As this was not factual, NCRM contacted Roberts. Her response made it clear her testimony was false.
Yesterday, David Pakman, progressive journalist and longtime host of The David Pakman Show dissected Roberts’ false testimony, and her comments to us.
“That’s what’s called a lie, Beverly,” Pakman said on his syndicated radio show. “That’s what we call ‘lying.'”
Pakman added that he felt having to explain the concept of lying to her was like talking to a little kid.Â
“Do you know the difference, between something that’s the truth, and something that’s a lie?”
Pakman says that “behind the scenes” he thinks “many of these bigots would say, ‘While I’m opposed to lying in principle, because of Jesus and stuff, here, I’m serving the greater good by lying.'”
He calls their moral relativism “stunning.”
As usual for Pakman, it’s an excellent analysis of the tactics of the far right.
Pakman has a long history of directly confronting anti-gay bigots, including his one-on-one interviews with Bryan Fischer, Gordon Klingenschmitt, and Paul Cameron. In 2012, Cameron admitted to Pakman that as a child he was attracted to men.
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Image: Screenshot via The David Pakman Show/YouTube