}

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Equality Matters


The USA’s anti-gay rightwing is relentless in spinning ever more propaganda, presenting utter nonsense and outright lies. Debunking the anti-gay industry is a huge job. Fortunately, there are a lot of folks working on making things right.

The video above was posted about a month ago, and talks about the work of Equality Matters, which is a project of Media Matters for America (MMfA). I’ve posted information from both of them, and have found them to be invaluable resources.

The rightwing loves to hate Media Matters and everything associated with it. The main reason, of course, is that the group debunks the lies and disinformation of the USA’s rightwing, setting out the real story—the truth—rather than rightwing lies. Equality Matters does similar, though more focused, work. Little wonder the rightwing hates them so much.

I’ve always thought it was funny how the rightwing attacks Media Matters because, they claim, it was funded by George Soros. However, Soros never donated to MMfA until 2010, some six years after it was founded. MMfA has always been open and transparent about Soros’ support, unlike its adversaries on the right.

And, to be blunt, why the hell should I be upset about a million bucks to MMfA from Soros when the far right Koch Brothers spend hundreds of millions of dollars on rightwing and far rightwing causes/organisations? I’m sorry, but I think the rightwing are nothing but extreme hypocrites when they get all weird about Soros spending money to support his political ideology, but remain silent on the Kochs’ spending hundreds of millions to promote their interests. If it’s okay for the Kochs to spend hundreds if millions on far rightwing causes and to benefit their interests, well, a few million spent on liberal and progressive causes seems only fair—actually, it doesn’t seem at all fair, since it’s not even in the same league.

Media Matters for America and its Equality Matters work are important. We know they’re important because of how much time and energy the rightwing spends attacking them. Obviously, they’re hitting too close to home for the rightwing to bear. Good. Make the rightwing squirm.

The issue here is, as it always is, that all sides get to present their best arguments and hope to persuade people. But the rightwing doesn’t get a free pass to lie with impunity or to present misinformation, disinformation and deliberate falsehoods as if they’re true. And that’s exactly why we need groups to constantly debunk the rightwing Lie and Propaganda Machine. It’s why we need MMfA and Equality Matters.

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