Family Group Compares Homosexuality to Nazism

Wow.  That's pretty much all I can think of as a response to this.  But it's true...a staff member at the Illinois Family Institute (IFI) has penned a screed that not only compares LGBT people to Nazis, but urges the Christian Church to fight homosexuality as if it were akin to nazism or slavery.

The article, written by Laurie Higgins, IFI's Division of School Advocacy Director, describes how since the Christian Church acted too late in combatting nazism, it shouldn't be haste in acting to defeat homosexuals.  After reading that, and reading Laurie Higgins's bio (where you'll see she's a former school teacher), I can only be thankful that someone with this much hate in their system isn't in charge of teaching children anymore.

Here's an excerpt, and prepare to be horrified:

What is alarming about the account of the German Evangelical Church's reprehensible failure [to fight nazism] is its similarity to the ongoing disheartening story of the contemporary American church's failure to respond appropriately to the spread of radical, heretical, destructive views of homosexuality. Don't we today see church leaders self-censoring out of fear of losing their positions or their church members? Don't we see churches criticizing those who boldly confront the efforts of homosexual activists to propagandize children and undermine the church's teaching on homosexuality? Aren't the calls of the capitulating German Christians for "a more reasonable tone" and a commitment to "honor different views" exactly like the calls of today's church to be tolerant and honor "diversity"? Don't pastors justify their silence by claiming they fear losing their tax-exempt status (i.e. government assistance)? Don't they rationalize inaction by claiming that speaking out will prevent them from saving souls?

What is even more reprehensible in America, however, is that church leaders don't currently face loss of livelihood, imprisonment, exile, or death, as they did in Germany, and yet they remain silent.

Someone give this "religious" writer a history book, and maybe let her know that LGBT people were also victims of the Holocaust.  But beyond the historical point, isn't this disturbing?  It's literally a call to action to churchgoers to combat homosexuality as if it were akin to the threat of one of the worst, most violent movements ever to exist in the history of the planet.

I say this goes beyond even the Fred Phelps level of hatred and anger toward LGBT people.  And the scarier part?  The Illinios Family Institute is relatively mainstream within the conservative movement.  Note that former GOP Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee will be keynoting their fall 2009 conference in Chicago.  Is it fair to say that Mike Huckabee thinks that homosexuality is as big a threat as Nazi Germany?  I know Huckabee is conservative, but is he that crazy?

Here at change.org, we've started at action where folks can write the Crowne Plaza O'Hare - the venue where the Illinois Family Institute's Fall Conference with Mike Huckabee will take place - and urge them to refuse to host the IFI's conference. Political organizations will often stake out controversial positions on social issues.  But does the Crowne Plaza O'Hare really want to endorse a conference by a group that actively compares homosexuality to nazism?  Isn't that like hosting a conference by the Klu Klux Klan?

Please consider taking action, and sending the message that comparing homosexuality to nazism is not only disgusting, it's also dangerous.  The IFI is entitled to hold whatever views it wants.  But what Laurie Higgins does in her piece is fuel the fire for violence.  And while she has the right to say it, we also have the right to let others (like the Crowne Plaza O'Hare) know just what we think of it.