Know Your Enemy: CCV

Sun Tzu, author of On the Art of War, said, “Keep you friends close and your enemies closer.” With several political battles on the way, this weekly column is dedicated to identifying those who promise to be our adversaries. Our first Enemy: CCV.

Who is CCV? CCV is Citizens for Community Values, a highly conservative grassroots organization that was started in 1983 by Dr. Jerry Kirk, pastor of College Hill Presbyterian Church and is currently presided over by Phil Burress.

What is their mission? According to their Website, the CCV “exists to promote Judeo-Christian moral values, and to reduce destructive behaviors contrary to those values, through education, active community partnership, and individual empowerment at the local, state and national levels.”

So what behaviors do they consider “destructive”? Of primary concern to the CCV are, in order: pornography, sexually oriented businesses, material harmful to children and homosexuality. Of secondary concern: gambling.

Homosexuality is a more destructive behavior than gambling? To CCV, it is. Their Website claims that “the destructive outcomes associated with homosexual behavior are numerous and they are well documented. Those destructive outcomes include AIDS, a much higher incidence and risk of sexually transmitted diseases, approximately three times the risk of alcoholism and drug abuse, a significantly higher rate of domestic violence and promiscuity, and a shortened life span.”

Wow! Those are shocking figures! Where did they find them? Good question: there were no references or links to the studies supporting these claims, though they are “well documented.”

Well, they don’t seem to like gay people much, that’s for sure. On the contrary! Though the CCV do not condone homosexual behavior, they say themselves that “those individuals are entitled to all the rights and freedoms offered to citizens of this community, state and nation.”

Really? Then they must’ve been thrilled that City Council passed the anti-discrimination amendment of GLBT! Well… not exactly. In truth, their sister organization, Equal Rights not Special Rights are opposed to the measure and plan to get it on the ballot in November.

But I don’t understand… they said themselves that homosexuals are entitled to all the rights and freedoms of everyone else! Oh they ARE entitled to the same rights—but not special rights.

Special rights? You mean that gays and lesbians will get special rights that everyone else doesn’t get? That’s what the CCV says: “By claiming the need for special protection, those who practice homosexual behavior are asking for rights that other citizens do not have.”

What are those rights that other citizens do not have? “The homosexual activist desires to coerce others not to take into account the inclination of homosexuals to practice same-sex sodomy when they make decisions, even though those others—including employers, landlords, and parents—have a right to take this preference into account. Our courts always have protected such 'legitimate discrimination' as a basic right. To give such special protection or privilege to homosexuals is to take away that basic right.”

“Legitimate discrimination?” But I always thought discrimination was a bad thing. Oh, your naiveté is so cute! “We all know that discrimination, per se, is not wrong or illegal. To the contrary, to say that one is 'discriminating' — in his choice of friends, his choice of food, his choice of reading materials, etc. — is a complement. Personal discrimination based on legitimate values is a virtue, and discrimination even when based on whimsical preferences, is a right.”

So it’s OK to discriminate against gay and lesbians? “There are legitimate, common-sense reasons for taking into consideration a person’s sexual preference in making personal decisions, especially when that preference is associated with infections disease and emotional disorders.”

But heterosexuals can have infectious diseases and emotional disorders too! Does that mean that it’s OK to discriminate them in those cases? Let me see… uh no, I don’t see that on the Website anywhere… next question.

I’m still confused. How is protecting gays and lesbians against discrimination a special right? "If we were to grant special privileges to those who choose to participate in behavior peculiar to one's self-described 'sexual orientation' — homosexuality — would we not be obligated to grant the same privileges to those who choose to engage in the behaviors associated with any of the other known sexual orientations?"

Other known sexual orientations? How many are there? Funny you should ask: the CCV generously provides a list of sexual orientations or “Paraphilias” from The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision.

You mean, the CCV has a LIST of sexual orientations on its Website? Yes—so visitors can place the word “rights” behind each one “to see the problem posed by granting so-called 'gay rights' based on sexual orientation.”

Let me take a look: “Apotemnophilia - sexual arousal associated with the stump(s) of an amputee”?!? Well, if you put “rights” after it, you get “Apotemnophilia rights”! Kind of catchy, isn’t it?

Who cares? Look at this—“Coprophilia - sexual arousal associated with feces”!!! Ewwww!!! Um, I don’t think you’re getting the point…

The point? The point is: this list is disgusting! I can’t believe the CCV would put such pornographic filth on their Website! Don’t they know that CHILDREN might see this! Wait—the CCV are against pornography and harmful materials to children!!! Don’t you think that Phil Burress KNOWS what pornography is? He admits on the Victims of Pornography Website that he was addicted to porn for 25 years before becoming president of CCV! Heck, this guy is probably a bigger expert on porn than Larry Flynt!

Well, if they really believed in protecting children, they should take this filth off their own Website! In fact, I’m going to contact them at info@ccv.org and DEMAND that that they remove that list! In fact, I’m going to tell all my friends at DL to email them and tell them how offensive their site is!
Well, you have that right—wait, you’re not gay, are you?

Oh, shut up.