Religion, Culture and Homophobia

[tyroneweaver]

The Global Divide on Homosexuality
Greater Acceptance in More Secular and Affluent Countries

Some unsurprising information - most Muslim-majority nations show significant majorities stating that homosexuality should not be accepted. What is surprising though - is significant numbers in non-Muslim countries such as S. Korea, China, El Salvadore and in Africa: Ghana, Uganda and Kenya, both Christian majority are over 90% unwilling to accept homosexuality.

"The survey of publics in 39 countries finds broad acceptance of homosexuality in North America, the European Union, and much of Latin America, but equally widespread rejection in predominantly Muslim nations and in Africa, as well as in parts of Asia and in Russia. Opinion about the acceptability of homosexuality is divided in Israel, Poland and Bolivia."​

On the other hand, the trend in developed and more secular countries is towards greater tolerance of homosexuality, including among immigrant populations.

The report also notes a strong relationship between religiousity and anti-homosexual attitudes that correlates with both Islam, Christianity and even Judaism, with secular Jews in Israel being far more tolerant than religious Jews:

"There is a strong relationship between a country’s religiosity and opinions about homosexuality.2 There is far less acceptance of homosexuality in countries where religion is central to people’s lives – measured by whether they consider religion to be very important, whether they believe it is necessary to believe in God in order to be moral, and whether they pray at least once a day."
​

Another interesting point is that this increased tolerance is also reflected in immigrant populations to secular countries: Section 5: Political Opinions and Social Values, specifically Muslims. The overall national trend is towards greater acceptance, and though the trend is still lower than the rest of America, it is still trending towards greater acceptance.

Acceptance of homosexuality has risen significantly among those with high levels of religious commitment (from 16% in 2007 to 30% today) as well as those with medium levels of religious commitment (from 21% in 2007 to 37% today). However, those who express a low level of religious commitment continue to be more accepting (57%) than those with a high religious commitment (30%). Four years ago, 47% of those with low religious commitment said homosexuality should be accepted, compared with 16% among those who express a high commitment.


Whether Muslim Americans were born in the U.S. or immigrated here seems to make little difference in views toward homosexuality. Currently, 41% of the native born say homosexuality should be accepted, about the same as the 38% of foreign born who say this. In both cases, the numbers are up since 2007 (30% among the native born, 26% among the foreign born).​

Given the recent tragedy in Orlando, which is driving a new furvor of anti-muslimism and a sudden new finding of "pro-gay sentiment" amongst formerly gay-hating demographics - it might be a good idea to look at actual trends within the US, and what really goes on around the world - including gay-hating non-Muslim countries that seem to get a free pass.

I would not trust any Christer's new found support for gay Americans.

And I don't trust a prez that is trying to force 2 conflicting cultures on us.
We;re not picking sides. We just don't need bloods vs crips on our front doors because of your/s and obama's petty political gains.

 

[koshergrl]

"While immigrants draw much of the attention, it’s their children who are proving to be the most fruitful recruiting ground for radical jihad in the U.S., accounting for at least half of the deadly attacks over the past decade.

"The latest instance of the second-generation terrorist syndrome played out in Orlando, Florida, over the weekend when Omar Mateen, son of immigrants from Afghanistan, went on a jihad-inspired rampage, killing 49 people and wounding 53 others in the worst mass shooting in U.S. history.

"Authorities said Mateen had flirted with other terrorist groups but declared his allegiance to the Islamic State on Sunday morning as he began his horrific spree.

"He follows in the footsteps of Syed Rizwan Farook, one of the San Bernardino, California, terrorists who was the son of Pakistanis; Nadir Soofi, one of two men who attacked a drawing competition in Garland, Texas, last year and whose father was from Pakistan; and then-Maj. Nidal Hassan, the child of Palestinian immigrants whose shooting rampage at Fort Hood, Texas, in 2009 set off the modern round of deadly lone-wolf attacks.

"In other cases, attackers were immigrants brought to the U.S. as young children. They grew up in the U.S. but were besieged by questions of identity."

Children of immigrants proving most fruitful recruiting ground for jihad in U.S.

 

[Coyote]

The Global Divide on Homosexuality
Greater Acceptance in More Secular and Affluent Countries

Some unsurprising information - most Muslim-majority nations show significant majorities stating that homosexuality should not be accepted. What is surprising though - is significant numbers in non-Muslim countries such as S. Korea, China, El Salvadore and in Africa: Ghana, Uganda and Kenya, both Christian majority are over 90% unwilling to accept homosexuality.

"The survey of publics in 39 countries finds broad acceptance of homosexuality in North America, the European Union, and much of Latin America, but equally widespread rejection in predominantly Muslim nations and in Africa, as well as in parts of Asia and in Russia. Opinion about the acceptability of homosexuality is divided in Israel, Poland and Bolivia."​

On the other hand, the trend in developed and more secular countries is towards greater tolerance of homosexuality, including among immigrant populations.

The report also notes a strong relationship between religiousity and anti-homosexual attitudes that correlates with both Islam, Christianity and even Judaism, with secular Jews in Israel being far more tolerant than religious Jews:

"There is a strong relationship between a country’s religiosity and opinions about homosexuality.2 There is far less acceptance of homosexuality in countries where religion is central to people’s lives – measured by whether they consider religion to be very important, whether they believe it is necessary to believe in God in order to be moral, and whether they pray at least once a day."
​

Another interesting point is that this increased tolerance is also reflected in immigrant populations to secular countries: Section 5: Political Opinions and Social Values, specifically Muslims. The overall national trend is towards greater acceptance, and though the trend is still lower than the rest of America, it is still trending towards greater acceptance.

Acceptance of homosexuality has risen significantly among those with high levels of religious commitment (from 16% in 2007 to 30% today) as well as those with medium levels of religious commitment (from 21% in 2007 to 37% today). However, those who express a low level of religious commitment continue to be more accepting (57%) than those with a high religious commitment (30%). Four years ago, 47% of those with low religious commitment said homosexuality should be accepted, compared with 16% among those who express a high commitment.


Whether Muslim Americans were born in the U.S. or immigrated here seems to make little difference in views toward homosexuality. Currently, 41% of the native born say homosexuality should be accepted, about the same as the 38% of foreign born who say this. In both cases, the numbers are up since 2007 (30% among the native born, 26% among the foreign born).​

Given the recent tragedy in Orlando, which is driving a new furvor of anti-muslimism and a sudden new finding of "pro-gay sentiment" amongst formerly gay-hating demographics - it might be a good idea to look at actual trends within the US, and what really goes on around the world - including gay-hating non-Muslim countries that seem to get a free pass.

I would not trust any Christer's new found support for gay Americans.

That "support" didn't exist before this incident. It certainly wasn't there when Eric Rudolph carried out his bombings. Presumably, it's only a crime when Muslims do it. I'm sure that "support" will disapate when this becomes old news. What's truly ironic is to see those who's posts have been filled with hate filled anti-gay memes suddenly sporting a hypocritical rainbow.

 

[Coyote]

As long as your leaders evade saying "RADICAL ISLAM" and not dealing with as in RADICAL ISLAM, you'll keep hearing of those situations.

Except "Radical Islam" doesn't account for the majority of anti-gay hate crimes and killings in America.

 

[Coyote]

It is interesting to find out how "accepted" homosexuals are around the world. Meanwhile, the mass murder terror attack yesterday was done by a guy who not only yelled allah akbar but called the police to tell them about his allegiance to ISIS. To suggest that global attitudes about homosexuality drove this freak to kill a bunch of people, seems to me to be a non sequitur.

Homophobia - regardless of the religion behind it - is what drove this person to do what he did. He hated homosexuals and I'm not sure what difference it makes whether he yells "allah akbar" or "halleluja".

Closer to reality is that he hates all infidels, sure, that includes homosexuals. ISIS freaks don't yell hallelujah, they yell allah akbar.

If he generically hated all infidels, he would not have chosen a specifically homosexual venue.

If he had shot up a synagogue, would you wonder why he chose a specifically Jewish venue?

He was going to commit murder-suicide in only one location.

There was also the factor that he was reportedly angered by seeing to men kissing.

 

[Coyote]

Apparently Christians love gays and wouldn't do a thing to harm them, so we should ignore non-Islamic anti-gay hate crimes and murders or the rampant Christian homophobia in parts of Africa. Not to mention we should ignore the trend towards accepting homosexuality in secular countries - even amongst immigrants. To do otherwise would require something like critical thinking.

 

[guno]

It is interesting to find out how "accepted" homosexuals are around the world. Meanwhile, the mass murder terror attack yesterday was done by a guy who not only yelled allah akbar but called the police to tell them about his allegiance to ISIS. To suggest that global attitudes about homosexuality drove this freak to kill a bunch of people, seems to me to be a non sequitur.

Homophobia - regardless of the religion behind it - is what drove this person to do what he did. He hated homosexuals and I'm not sure what difference it makes whether he yells "allah akbar" or "halleluja".

Closer to reality is that he hates all infidels, sure, that includes homosexuals. ISIS freaks don't yell hallelujah, they yell allah akbar.

they also yell praise jesus when murdering people at women clinics

 

[Coyote]

It is interesting to find out how "accepted" homosexuals are around the world. Meanwhile, the mass murder terror attack yesterday was done by a guy who not only yelled allah akbar but called the police to tell them about his allegiance to ISIS. To suggest that global attitudes about homosexuality drove this freak to kill a bunch of people, seems to me to be a non sequitur.

Homophobia - regardless of the religion behind it - is what drove this person to do what he did. He hated homosexuals and I'm not sure what difference it makes whether he yells "allah akbar" or "halleluja".

Closer to reality is that he hates all infidels, sure, that includes homosexuals. ISIS freaks don't yell hallelujah, they yell allah akbar.

they also yell praise jesus when murdering people at women clinics

Christians don't do that sort of thing, don't you know? You're only allowed to blame Islam - even if the killer is mentally ill, it's religion.

 

[guno]

Apparently Christians love gays and wouldn't do a think to harm them, so we should ignore non-Islamic anti-gay hate crimes and murders or the rampant Christian homophobia in parts of Africa. Not to mention we should ignore the trend towards accepting homosexuality in secular countries - even amongst immigrants. To do otherwise would require something like critical thinking.

Americans’ Role Seen in Uganda Anti-Gay Push

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/04/world/africa/04uganda.html?_r=0


Meet the American Pastor Behind Uganda's Anti-Gay Crackdown

Meet the American pastor behind Uganda's anti-gay crackdown

 

[guno]

And our lower educated religious here in America


Tarah Demant of Amnesty International USA on the danger of hateful rhetoric at home and abroad.

The Mass Murder in Orlando Shows the Danger of Hateful Rhetoric Against LGBTQ People

 

[guno]

Christian father 'shot his son dead for being gay' and 'stabbed to death his wife'
LA man accused of shooting his own son because he was gay

 

[guno]

Gee now where did all the Christians run away to on this thread?

words to incite end up badly , and we have heard a constant screed against LGBT people from the religious right here in America and they are getting what they wanted

 

[irosie91]

It is interesting to find out how "accepted" homosexuals are around the world. Meanwhile, the mass murder terror attack yesterday was done by a guy who not only yelled allah akbar but called the police to tell them about his allegiance to ISIS. To suggest that global attitudes about homosexuality drove this freak to kill a bunch of people, seems to me to be a non sequitur.

Homophobia - regardless of the religion behind it - is what drove this person to do what he did. He hated homosexuals and I'm not sure what difference it makes whether he yells "allah akbar" or "halleluja".

Closer to reality is that he hates all infidels, sure, that includes homosexuals. ISIS freaks don't yell hallelujah, they yell allah akbar.

If he generically hated all infidels, he would not have chosen a specifically homosexual venue.

he chose a soft target which LOGICALLY would not include muslims since muslim homos are rarely out of the closet. He wanted to murder lots of American boys to please his daddy and be a muslim hero

 

[koshergrl]

Apparently Christians love gays and wouldn't do a thing to harm them, so we should ignore non-Islamic anti-gay hate crimes and murders or the rampant Christian homophobia in parts of Africa. Not to mention we should ignore the trend towards accepting homosexuality in secular countries - even amongst immigrants. To do otherwise would require something like critical thinking.

Please share with us the list of Christian hate crimes against homos and name the Christian groups that claimed them. You can't, because they don't exist. You're an anti Christian, anti American, mentally ill death cultist who makes shit up.to justify the killing of innocents, and to shift blame away from your friends.

 

[Coyote]

There's no indication he hated "all infidels" or that he hated Jews or that his target was going to be anything but a gay target. For some reason, people seem to want to deny he was homophobic or that homophobia had anything to do with his attack.

Authorities Continue Investigation Into Orlando Nightclub Shooting

This was clearly terrorism - violence in pursuit of a political message. But this was a hate crime, too. Mateen's father said his son had a problem with the gay community. Apparently they were out together in Miami a couple of months ago, and he saw two men kissing and got really angry.

Another clue - Mateen's ex-wife has talked about a very violent and stormy marriage. She said he used to beat her. She claimed he was unstable and bipolar. She and some of his coworkers have claimed that he was racist and homophobic. So investigators are trying to piece together all these motives and gather details of his life to try to get to the bottom of this.​

Multiple people have made statements indicating he was unstable and mentally hill as well as homophobic and racist.

He had visited the club before and used gay dating apps - it was clearly more than just an easy target that happened to be convenient.

The Orlando Sentinel writes that "at least four regular customers" at Pulse said they had seen Mateen before.

Ty Smith told the paper that Mateen would sometimes "get so drunk he was loud and belligerent." Smith and his husband, Chris Callen, also spoke to The Canadian Post and said they had seen Mateen at Pulse multiple times. They noted that straight people patronized the club as well as gay people, and wouldn't speculate on Mateen's sexuality.

"He couldn't drink when he was at home — around his wife, or family. His father was really strict," Smith said.

"He's been going to this bar for at least three years," Callen said.

Smith and Callen decided to keep their distance from Mateen after they saw him pull a knife at Pulse and threaten another patron, they told the Canadian news agency.

Another Pulse regular, Kevin West, told the Los Angeles Times he hadn't seen Mateen at the club until shortly before the shooting. But he recognized him — from Jack'd, a gay dating and chat app.
​

People who act like this shooting is some kind of new thing, or pretend homophobia had nothing to do with it ignore the long history of attacks on LGBT bars and nightclubs of which is just the latest.

Until the Pulse massacre, the most notorious act of violence against a gay bar was the burning of the UpStairs Lounge, a New Orleans gay bar, in 1973. An arsonist set fire to the bar, killing 32 people in less than 20 minutes. The vast majority of politicians declined to comment on the arson, and the Catholic Archbishop of New Orleans did not offer support to the victims. (The Archdiocese apologized for its silence in 2013.) Many news outlets ignored the story; some of those that did cover it mocked the victims for being gay. No one has ever been prosecuted for the crime. When asked about identifying the victims, the chief detective of the New Orleans Police Department responded, “We don’t even know these papers belonged to the people we found them on. Some thieves hung out there, and you know this was a queer bar.”


In 1997, “Olympic Park Bomber” Eric Robert Rudolph bombed the Otherside Lounge, a lesbian nightclub in Atlanta, later explaining that he believed “the concerted effort to legitimize the practice of homosexuality” was an “assault upon the integrity of American society.” He described homosexuality as “an aberrant sexual behavior,” and wrote that “when the attempt is made” to “recognize this behavior as being just as legitimate and normal as the natural man/woman relationship, every effort should be made, including force if necessary, to halt this effort.” In his confession, Rudolph railed against the “homosexual agenda,” including “gay marriage, homosexual adoption, hate-crime laws including gays, or the attempt to introduce a homosexual normalizing curriculum into our schools.”


Three years later, Ronald Gay opened fire on Backstreet Cafe, a gay bar in Roanoke, Virginia, killing Danny Overstreet, 43, and severely injuring six others. Gay was angry that his last name could mean “homosexual” and said God had told him to kill gay people. He called himself a “Christian Soldier working for my Lord” and testified in court that he wished he could have “killed more fags.” More recently, in 2013, Musab Mohammed Masmari set fire to Neighbours, a gay nightclub in the Capitol Hill area of Seattle, on New Year’s Eve.* Masmari had explained that he believed gay people “should be exterminated.” ​

Where was the outrage then? The support?

Referring to the arson attack in 1973:

“It was horrible,” Arthur Lambert, a firefighter who responded to the blaze, said in a video interview in 2013. “These people, they were literally roasted alive.”

The New Orleans Times-Picayune wrote in 2013 that the lounge was “not just any bar, but as a gay community hangout where locals could gather without fear of social persecution” at a time of intense anti-gay stigma.
​

Suddenly - staunch anti-gay advocates have found their missing moral backbone and are condemning violence against gays where there was silence before? No, not quite. This moral outrage is limited, very limited.

We have justifiable outrage at an Islamic Imam who states gays should be killed (enough to generate 3 or 4 threads) but stunning silence on our own Christian religious leaders who are calling for the same penalties:

Kevin Swanson News / LGBTQ Nation
California lawyer seeks to put 'shoot the gays' proposal on 2016 ballot
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...-calls-for-killing-gays-to-end-aids/19929973/
Christian leader supports death penalty for gays

Arizona Pastor: “The Government Should Use The Death Penalty On Homosexuals”

“Well, the Bible teaches that, actually, gays should be executed. Because it actually says in Leviticus 20:13 that if a man also lie with mankind as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood should be upon them.”

“But obviously, you don’t personally believe that, do you?” asked the host.

Then things got a little awkward.

“Now, obviously I believe every word of the Bible, including that. Now, I’m not saying that I would ever kill anyone, because I never would, but I believe that the government should use the death penalty on murderers, rapists, homosexuals, and…that’s what the Bible teaches, very clearly,” responded Anderson.
o, if Anderson had his way, the government would seek out and kill all homosexuals.

Further defending his bold statement, Anderson said, “I read the words of the Bible and you asked me if I believed it. Well, I wouldn’t be a Christian pastor worth my salt if I didn’t believe the Bible.”​

Not to mention equally stunning silence on homophobic actions going on around the world targeting gay communities that don't seem to merit attention yet are quietly and effectively attempting to change existing laws on homosexuality into a draconian set of penalties.

American Christian Churches and Evangelical NGO's are complicit in attempting to pass anti-gay legislation in African countries that calls for the death penalty:

Africa is at the center of this global LGBT recap, thanks to last week’s African Leaders Summit in Washington, D.C. , efforts in Uganda to resurrect the Anti-Homosexuality Law thrown out by the Constitutional Court, and the introduction of a new kill-the-gays bill in Kenya.​

A Kenyan “kill the gays” bill has been introduced by Edward Onwong’a Nyakeriga of the Republican Liberty Party. It would include the death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality” as well as lifetime jail sentences for running ‘brothels for homosexual purposes,” which Pink News suggests could be used against anyone who lives with a gay person. The Star of Kenya reports that a foreigner who commits a homosexual act would be stoned in public.​

 

[Coyote]

It is interesting to find out how "accepted" homosexuals are around the world. Meanwhile, the mass murder terror attack yesterday was done by a guy who not only yelled allah akbar but called the police to tell them about his allegiance to ISIS. To suggest that global attitudes about homosexuality drove this freak to kill a bunch of people, seems to me to be a non sequitur.

Homophobia - regardless of the religion behind it - is what drove this person to do what he did. He hated homosexuals and I'm not sure what difference it makes whether he yells "allah akbar" or "halleluja".

Closer to reality is that he hates all infidels, sure, that includes homosexuals. ISIS freaks don't yell hallelujah, they yell allah akbar.

If he generically hated all infidels, he would not have chosen a specifically homosexual venue.

he chose a soft target which LOGICALLY would not include muslims since muslim homos are rarely out of the closet. He wanted to murder lots of American boys to please his daddy and be a muslim hero

He chose a place where, according to those who frequented it, he had been hanging out for 3 years.

 

[norwegen]

The Global Divide on Homosexuality
Greater Acceptance in More Secular and Affluent Countries

Some unsurprising information - most Muslim-majority nations show significant majorities stating that homosexuality should not be accepted. What is surprising though - is significant numbers in non-Muslim countries such as S. Korea, China, El Salvadore and in Africa: Ghana, Uganda and Kenya, both Christian majority are over 90% unwilling to accept homosexuality.

"The survey of publics in 39 countries finds broad acceptance of homosexuality in North America, the European Union, and much of Latin America, but equally widespread rejection in predominantly Muslim nations and in Africa, as well as in parts of Asia and in Russia. Opinion about the acceptability of homosexuality is divided in Israel, Poland and Bolivia."​

On the other hand, the trend in developed and more secular countries is towards greater tolerance of homosexuality, including among immigrant populations.

The report also notes a strong relationship between religiousity and anti-homosexual attitudes that correlates with both Islam, Christianity and even Judaism, with secular Jews in Israel being far more tolerant than religious Jews:

"There is a strong relationship between a country’s religiosity and opinions about homosexuality.2 There is far less acceptance of homosexuality in countries where religion is central to people’s lives – measured by whether they consider religion to be very important, whether they believe it is necessary to believe in God in order to be moral, and whether they pray at least once a day."
​

Another interesting point is that this increased tolerance is also reflected in immigrant populations to secular countries: Section 5: Political Opinions and Social Values, specifically Muslims. The overall national trend is towards greater acceptance, and though the trend is still lower than the rest of America, it is still trending towards greater acceptance.

Acceptance of homosexuality has risen significantly among those with high levels of religious commitment (from 16% in 2007 to 30% today) as well as those with medium levels of religious commitment (from 21% in 2007 to 37% today). However, those who express a low level of religious commitment continue to be more accepting (57%) than those with a high religious commitment (30%). Four years ago, 47% of those with low religious commitment said homosexuality should be accepted, compared with 16% among those who express a high commitment.


Whether Muslim Americans were born in the U.S. or immigrated here seems to make little difference in views toward homosexuality. Currently, 41% of the native born say homosexuality should be accepted, about the same as the 38% of foreign born who say this. In both cases, the numbers are up since 2007 (30% among the native born, 26% among the foreign born).​

Given the recent tragedy in Orlando, which is driving a new furvor of anti-muslimism and a sudden new finding of "pro-gay sentiment" amongst formerly gay-hating demographics - it might be a good idea to look at actual trends within the US, and what really goes on around the world - including gay-hating non-Muslim countries that seem to get a free pass.

I would not trust any Christer's new found support for gay Americans.

That "support" didn't exist before this incident. It certainly wasn't there when Eric Rudolph carried out his bombings. Presumably, it's only a crime when Muslims do it. I'm sure that "support" will disapate when this becomes old news. What's truly ironic is to see those who's posts have been filled with hate filled anti-gay memes suddenly sporting a hypocritical rainbow.

Did you know that, in a Christian country like America - that is, a country that has historically appealed to God, legal tradition, and Enlightenment theory to articulate its jurisprudence - a country in which Christianity is embedded in the common law - when someone commits an offense in the name of Christ, even an offense against gays, he is prosecuted?

Did you know that?

 

[irosie91]

Where was the outrage then? The support?

Referring to the arson attack in 1973:

Al Gore had not yet invented the internet in 1973-----regarding that muzzie apology you put
up-----I do not know where to start. I have known lots of muslims (notice--I did not say
"muzzie") Of them --LOTS tended to support the muslim "caliphate delusion"---or at least wax ELOQUENT of its "BEAUTY"-----but it did
not stop them from drinking. I learned about islam from some mildly observant muslims and--some non-observant to the point of cynicism-----but the caliphate delusion ----seems to be unshakable (except the one Saudi I knew)

 

[koshergrl]

It is interesting to find out how "accepted" homosexuals are around the world. Meanwhile, the mass murder terror attack yesterday was done by a guy who not only yelled allah akbar but called the police to tell them about his allegiance to ISIS. To suggest that global attitudes about homosexuality drove this freak to kill a bunch of people, seems to me to be a non sequitur.

Homophobia - regardless of the religion behind it - is what drove this person to do what he did. He hated homosexuals and I'm not sure what difference it makes whether he yells "allah akbar" or "halleluja".

Closer to reality is that he hates all infidels, sure, that includes homosexuals. ISIS freaks don't yell hallelujah, they yell allah akbar.

they also yell praise jesus when murdering people at women clinics

Christians don't do that sort of thing, don't you know? You're only allowed to blame Islam - even if the killer is mentally ill, it's religion.

There's no indication he hated "all infidels" or that he hated Jews or that his target was going to be anything but a gay target. For some reason, people seem to want to deny he was homophobic or that homophobia had anything to do with his attack.

Authorities Continue Investigation Into Orlando Nightclub Shooting

This was clearly terrorism - violence in pursuit of a political message. But this was a hate crime, too. Mateen's father said his son had a problem with the gay community. Apparently they were out together in Miami a couple of months ago, and he saw two men kissing and got really angry.

Another clue - Mateen's ex-wife has talked about a very violent and stormy marriage. She said he used to beat her. She claimed he was unstable and bipolar. She and some of his coworkers have claimed that he was racist and homophobic. So investigators are trying to piece together all these motives and gather details of his life to try to get to the bottom of this.​

Multiple people have made statements indicating he was unstable and mentally hill as well as homophobic and racist.

He had visited the club before and used gay dating apps - it was clearly more than just an easy target that happened to be convenient.

The Orlando Sentinel writes that "at least four regular customers" at Pulse said they had seen Mateen before.

Ty Smith told the paper that Mateen would sometimes "get so drunk he was loud and belligerent." Smith and his husband, Chris Callen, also spoke to The Canadian Post and said they had seen Mateen at Pulse multiple times. They noted that straight people patronized the club as well as gay people, and wouldn't speculate on Mateen's sexuality.

"He couldn't drink when he was at home — around his wife, or family. His father was really strict," Smith said.

"He's been going to this bar for at least three years," Callen said.

Smith and Callen decided to keep their distance from Mateen after they saw him pull a knife at Pulse and threaten another patron, they told the Canadian news agency.

Another Pulse regular, Kevin West, told the Los Angeles Times he hadn't seen Mateen at the club until shortly before the shooting. But he recognized him — from Jack'd, a gay dating and chat app.
​

People who act like this shooting is some kind of new thing, or pretend homophobia had nothing to do with it ignore the long history of attacks on LGBT bars and nightclubs of which is just the latest.

Until the Pulse massacre, the most notorious act of violence against a gay bar was the burning of the UpStairs Lounge, a New Orleans gay bar, in 1973. An arsonist set fire to the bar, killing 32 people in less than 20 minutes. The vast majority of politicians declined to comment on the arson, and the Catholic Archbishop of New Orleans did not offer support to the victims. (The Archdiocese apologized for its silence in 2013.) Many news outlets ignored the story; some of those that did cover it mocked the victims for being gay. No one has ever been prosecuted for the crime. When asked about identifying the victims, the chief detective of the New Orleans Police Department responded, “We don’t even know these papers belonged to the people we found them on. Some thieves hung out there, and you know this was a queer bar.”


In 1997, “Olympic Park Bomber” Eric Robert Rudolph bombed the Otherside Lounge, a lesbian nightclub in Atlanta, later explaining that he believed “the concerted effort to legitimize the practice of homosexuality” was an “assault upon the integrity of American society.” He described homosexuality as “an aberrant sexual behavior,” and wrote that “when the attempt is made” to “recognize this behavior as being just as legitimate and normal as the natural man/woman relationship, every effort should be made, including force if necessary, to halt this effort.” In his confession, Rudolph railed against the “homosexual agenda,” including “gay marriage, homosexual adoption, hate-crime laws including gays, or the attempt to introduce a homosexual normalizing curriculum into our schools.”


Three years later, Ronald Gay opened fire on Backstreet Cafe, a gay bar in Roanoke, Virginia, killing Danny Overstreet, 43, and severely injuring six others. Gay was angry that his last name could mean “homosexual” and said God had told him to kill gay people. He called himself a “Christian Soldier working for my Lord” and testified in court that he wished he could have “killed more fags.” More recently, in 2013, Musab Mohammed Masmari set fire to Neighbours, a gay nightclub in the Capitol Hill area of Seattle, on New Year’s Eve.* Masmari had explained that he believed gay people “should be exterminated.” ​

Where was the outrage then? The support?

Referring to the arson attack in 1973:

“It was horrible,” Arthur Lambert, a firefighter who responded to the blaze, said in a video interview in 2013. “These people, they were literally roasted alive.”

The New Orleans Times-Picayune wrote in 2013 that the lounge was “not just any bar, but as a gay community hangout where locals could gather without fear of social persecution” at a time of intense anti-gay stigma.
​

Suddenly - staunch anti-gay advocates have found their missing moral backbone and are condemning violence against gays where there was silence before? No, not quite. This moral outrage is limited, very limited.

We have justifiable outrage at an Islamic Imam who states gays should be killed (enough to generate 3 or 4 threads) but stunning silence on our own Christian religious leaders who are calling for the same penalties:

Kevin Swanson News / LGBTQ Nation
California lawyer seeks to put 'shoot the gays' proposal on 2016 ballot
Pastor calls for killing gays to end AIDS
Christian leader supports death penalty for gays

Arizona Pastor: “The Government Should Use The Death Penalty On Homosexuals”

“Well, the Bible teaches that, actually, gays should be executed. Because it actually says in Leviticus 20:13 that if a man also lie with mankind as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood should be upon them.”

“But obviously, you don’t personally believe that, do you?” asked the host.

Then things got a little awkward.

“Now, obviously I believe every word of the Bible, including that. Now, I’m not saying that I would ever kill anyone, because I never would, but I believe that the government should use the death penalty on murderers, rapists, homosexuals, and…that’s what the Bible teaches, very clearly,” responded Anderson.
o, if Anderson had his way, the government would seek out and kill all homosexuals.

Further defending his bold statement, Anderson said, “I read the words of the Bible and you asked me if I believed it. Well, I wouldn’t be a Christian pastor worth my salt if I didn’t believe the Bible.”​

Not to mention equally stunning silence on homophobic actions going on around the world targeting gay communities that don't seem to merit attention yet are quietly and effectively attempting to change existing laws on homosexuality into a draconian set of penalties.

American Christian Churches and Evangelical NGO's are complicit in attempting to pass anti-gay legislation in African countries that calls for the death penalty:

Africa is at the center of this global LGBT recap, thanks to last week’s African Leaders Summit in Washington, D.C. , efforts in Uganda to resurrect the Anti-Homosexuality Law thrown out by the Constitutional Court, and the introduction of a new kill-the-gays bill in Kenya.​

A Kenyan “kill the gays” bill has been introduced by Edward Onwong’a Nyakeriga of the Republican Liberty Party. It would include the death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality” as well as lifetime jail sentences for running ‘brothels for homosexual purposes,” which Pink News suggests could be used against anyone who lives with a gay person. The Star of Kenya reports that a foreigner who commits a homosexual act would be stoned in public.​

Muslims hate gays, despite their standing as the number one human traffickers (specializing in child sex slaves) in the world. They also hate women. And Christians. And Jews. And free speech. And life in general. Each of their martyrs will choose different soft targets...some target schools. Some target shops and cafes where women congregate. Whatever mental illness they harbor has been bred and pounded into them, sort of like yours has, from birth..so it's impossible to extricate the crazy from the ideology they embrace. They're one and the same and you can't separate them.

 

[irosie91]

It is interesting to find out how "accepted" homosexuals are around the world. Meanwhile, the mass murder terror attack yesterday was done by a guy who not only yelled allah akbar but called the police to tell them about his allegiance to ISIS. To suggest that global attitudes about homosexuality drove this freak to kill a bunch of people, seems to me to be a non sequitur.

Homophobia - regardless of the religion behind it - is what drove this person to do what he did. He hated homosexuals and I'm not sure what difference it makes whether he yells "allah akbar" or "halleluja".

Closer to reality is that he hates all infidels, sure, that includes homosexuals. ISIS freaks don't yell hallelujah, they yell allah akbar.

If he generically hated all infidels, he would not have chosen a specifically homosexual venue.

he chose a soft target which LOGICALLY would not include muslims since muslim homos are rarely out of the closet. He wanted to murder lots of American boys to please his daddy and be a muslim hero

He chose a place where, according to those who frequented it, he had been hanging out for 3 years.

it's called----in my town CASING THE JOINT
it was a BIG OPERATION