Disgraced former Navy chaplain "Dr. Chaps" Gordon Klingenschmitt, who now has a program called Pray in Jesus Name (sic) is one of the most bigoted homophobes in the country, and that is saying something. As I wrote in an earlier diary, People for the American Way's Right Wing Watch has been engaged in a protracted battle with this maniac over uploading videos of the outrageous and hateful things he says to their YouTube account.
Klingenschmitt was successful twice last month for getting Right Wing Watch's YouTube account yanked, citing copyright violations. Both times, Right Wing Watch successfully petitioned for full reinstatement after proving to YouTube that the videos they posted were protected under Fair Use. After their last reinstatement, attorney's representing Right Wing Watch sent Klingenschmitt a cease and desist order which has led him to consult with his own lawyers who are recommending retaliation in the form of a lawsuit.
Unfazed by his sad little threat, RWW explains coherently why Klingenschmitt remains on their radar and why they feel it is important to continue to shine a light on his activities.
The entire purpose of posting these brief video clips to YouTube is so that they can serve as the focus in blog posts written here on RightWingWatch where we provide commentary, context, and criticism. Each video uploaded to our YouTube account makes clear that the clip is being posted as part of our regular news reporting to highlight and expose the outrageous statements made by key figures in the right-wing movement and includes commentary on the statements highlighted in the video. As the most popular video sharing site, posting our clips to YouTube makes our reporting available to the broadest swatch of people so that it can easily be shared with other bloggers, activists, and media outlets. In addition, our videos also include a link to the relevant RightWingWatch blog post in which it is being used, which contains further commentary, context, and explanation.
There can be no question that our video clips are used for an entirely different purpose (reporting and commentary) than Klingenschmitt's original purpose, which is to spread his radical, right-wing, anti-gay views and agenda, further making clear that our videos are protected by the doctrine of Fair Use.
The reason Right Wing Watch keeps their eye on this man couldn't be illustrated any better than their most recent video clip of Dr. Chaps explaining to his audience that gay people have non-human parts.
Here's another thing, he said that discrimination is dehumanizing. Hang on a second. I admit that the two men from Massachusetts are humans. They're men. But when they manifest sexual immorality, there's something inside of them that is manifesting and, on this show, we like to discern the spirits and I would say that's a demonic spirit that is manifesting inside of them and sinning by an act of their consent, of their free will, they're cooperating with the Devil and there is something unhuman inside of them. So when we point out that you know, we're not discriminating on the bases of their skin color, but we are discriminating on the basis of their character, as Martin Luther King said. There is something nonhuman inside of them and that should be discerned as something not human.
First of all, it was mighty big of the pastor to admit that those two men are humans, but it quickly goes downhill from there. This rhetoric goes beyond the usual condemnations his type is prone to spouting. These statements have entered very dangerous waters. By asserting to his audience that we have something not human inside of us gives them all the permission they need to look past our humanity and do to us what they will. Stripping a group of people of their basic humanness has always been the first step towards unleashing untold misery and violence on groups of people throughout human history.
Of course there are free speech issues involved here, but speech doesn't get much more hateful than this. Even as I defend Klingenschmitt's right to say what he will, I will also defend our right to stand up against it and call it exactly what it is, hate speech. People need to be made aware of it. So thank you, Right Wing Watch, for engaging this man so fearlessly. Your good work has not gone unnoticed.