A coalition of pro-homosexual, pro-socialist organizations that includes the radically left Southern Poverty Law Center, which was identified by a convicted domestic terrorist as having inspired his attempt to murder Christians, is telling members of Congress to shut up.
Well, at least not speak at the annual Values Voter Summit in Washington, D.C.
That's because the Family Research Center, which was in the bull's-eye for convicted terrorist Floyd Lee Corkins II when he attempted to murder FRC workers a year ago, is a sponsor of the event.
According to a statement Monday from the SPLC, the FRC, and another sponsor of the Values Voter Summit, the American Family Association "have long records of vilifying the LGBT community and spreading other forms of bigotry."
The SPLC said it sent a letter "calling on members of Congress and other public officials not to speak at the upcoming Values Voter Summit."
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The letter, signed by Michael Sherrard of Faithful America, Dave Montez of GLAAD, Chad Griffing of Human Rights Campaign, Hilary O. Shelton of National Council of La Raza, Michael Keegan of People for the American Way and J. Richard Cohen of SPLC, said, "We urge you to not lend the prestige of your office to the summit."
The letter accuses the conference sponsors of denigrating homosexuals by their affirmation of biblical values. It charges that FRC President Tony Perkins has described pedophilia as "a homosexual problem" and the AFA's Bryan Fischer blames homosexuality for the Nazi Party.
The conference is scheduled Oct. 11-13, and its organizers say the SPLC intimidation will be unsuccessful.
"The Southern Poverty Law Center's latest letter seeking to intimidate speakers at the Values Voter Summit is further evidence of desperation from an organization linked to domestic terrorism in federal court. It should be noted that many of the congressional speakers receiving the SPLC propaganda have actually spoken into the congressional record about this radical left-wing, anti-Christian organization, whose reckless and baseless labeling has led to devastating consequences," the FRC's Perkins said in a statement.
"Just last month, a federal judge handed down a 25-year prison sentence for the domestic terrorist shooting of FRC's building manager. The judge determined that it was an act of domestic terrorism after the shooter admitted that he used SPLC's hate map to identify FRC as a target. This attack, designed to intimidate and silence those who support and promote the natural and biblical definition of marriage, was facilitated by the Southern Poverty Law Center," the statement continued.
"Despite the fact that the SPLC continues to add to their $250 million bank account to aid in their demonizing anyone who disagrees with their pro-homosexual agenda in our schools and communities, we will not be intimidated by the SPLC's inciteful rhetoric and reckless labeling. We again ask the SPLC to send another message: Civil discourse is essential to a democratic republic."
The SPLC said it targeted with its letter Sens. Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz and Tim Scott, and Reps. Paul Ryan, Randy Forbes, Michele Bachmann, Jim Bridenstine, Louie Gohmert, Jim Jordan, Steve King, Steve Scalise, and Scott Turner.
It was just a year ago when Corkins, a heavily armed homosexual activist, by his own words inspired by an anti-family diatribe posted by the SPLC, entered the Washington offices of the Family Research Council with the intention of killing "as many people as I could."
Retired Lt. Gen. William G. "Jerry" Boykin is the FRC's executive vice president, with oversight of daily operations such as policy, church ministries, finance, human resources and facilities.
He was one of the original members of the U.S. Army's Delta Force and later commanded the Green Berets, so battle strategy is nothing new to him.
But he wonders about the current politically correct environment in which organizations can pin a "hate" label on a group, such as the SPLC has done to the FRC, and not face any consequences.
"One year after Floyd Lee Corkins attempted to commit mass murder at the Family Research Council, the SPLC is still recklessly labeling people and groups as 'hate mongers' and 'hate groups,' which clearly endangers those who have been labeled as it unquestionably incites people like Corkins to violence," Boykin said.
Boykin noted Corkins pleaded guilty to domestic terrorism after explaining to the judge in his federal trial that he targeted FRC because of SPLC's map of "hate groups."
"Yet nothing has been done regarding the dangerous and potentially deadly actions of SPLC," he said. "SPLC is now connected to terrorism in federal court. Yet no one in the mainstream media seems to care. When will the media hold groups like SPLC accountable?" Boykin asked.
Corkins was subdued after shooting building manager Leo Johnson in the arm and injuring him. A video of the attack shows Corkins entering the building and approaching Johnson, then leaning over to place his backpack on the floor. When he straightens up, Corkins points a semi-automatic handgun directly at Johnson and fires.
Despite being wounded in the arm, Johnson was able to subdue Corkins after a brief struggle.
It was in an interview with FBI officers later when Corkins fingered SPLC as his inspiration.
Asked by the FBI how he picked FRC to attack, Corkins stated, "It was a, uh, Southern Poverty Law, lists, uh, anti-gay groups. I found them online. I did a little bit of research, went to the website, stuff like that."
FRC said that when Corkins later pleaded guilty to a charge of domestic terrorism, SPLC "was connected in federal court in this first domestic terrorism conviction in Washington, D.C., under the post 9/11 law."
"Floyd Corkins admitted his intention to 'kill the people in the building and then smear a Chick-fil-A sandwich in their face,'" FRC explained. "The Southern Poverty Law Center has thus far refused to remove Family Research Council as a 'hate group' from its target map."
Boykin has suggested he would like the U.S. government and its agencies to discontinue using, citing or working with the Southern Poverty Law Center. And he said the media should stop citing SPLC.
According to the government's sentencing memorandum in the case against Corkins, the "mass killing of innocent civilians" was averted narrowly by "the heroic intervening actions of Leonardo Johnson, a building manager/security guard who was seriously injured as a result."
Among the counts to which Corkins has pleaded guilty is an Act of [Domestic] Terrorism while Armed.
In an FBI interview of Corkins after he was taken into custody, an agent asked Corkins, "What was your intention. … You're … a political activist you said?"
Corkins responded: "Yeah, I wanted to kill the people in the building and then smear a Chicken-fil-A sandwich on their face."
FBI: "And you, what was your intention when you went in there with the gun?"
Corkins: "Uh, it was to kill as many people as I could."
Key to the case, according to the government's document, was that, "He had identified the FRC as an anti-gay organization on the Southern Poverty Law Center website."
FRC officials repeatedly have explained they adhere to a biblical perspective on homosexuality, but are not "anti-gay."
SPLC, however, describes FRC as being staffed with "anti-gay propagandists" and charges that the family organization's "real specialty is defaming gays and lesbians."