We got an email today from Texas State Board of Education candidate David Williams, a San Antonio Republican whose controversial Facebook post we reported about last week. We wrote that Williams had posted on the Facebook page of the Family Research Council — a group whose anti-gay rhetoric is so incendiary that the Southern Poverty Law Center has identified it as a hate group — that he was proud the student council at his son’s school rejected a request to form a club (apparently a Gay-Straight Alliance) supporting gay students. Williams defended his post in his email to TFN today:
Hello, I was alerted to a post on your site commenting that I was anti-gay and wanted to make sure the complete story is made available to your constituents. The GSA was voted down by students in order to be fair to ex-gays that found change is possible. Students were presented the several scientific views on the origins of same sex attraction and did not think a GSA to support one view only was needed. I pray you enjoy(ed) a blessed Resurrection Sunday.
Williams then provided a link to an article on the website of a group that claims gay people can change their sexual orientation. The article quotes Williams:
“To make a long story short, after hundreds of e-mails, phone calls, prayers — [and] actually getting some ex-gay literature through churches into the hands of students at the school … it was voted down by the students. We have to praise the Lord for that.”
The article also notes that Williams “has developed a ten-step plan to deal with homosexual activism in schools.”
Williams is seeking the State Board of Education District 3 seat currently held by Michael Soto, D-San Antonio. Soto also has an opponent, Marisa Perez, in the Democratic primary.
How long do you have to live in Texas before you can run for SBOE?
Dear Mr. Williams,
I am very disappointed that you are walking back your anti-gay comments! What kind of man are you anyway? Stand your ground, I say! Be a bigot and be proud! Revel in your ignorance and scientific literacy! Bring back the Bronze Age when men were men and sheep were scared.
Nothing worse than a weasel, Williams.
However, it does make for a good campaign slogan: Vote for Weasel Williams. He’ll say anything to get elected.
Whenever I’m calling someone ignorant, I try not to confuse the words “literacy” and “illiteracy.”
Actually, it reads fine either way; illiteracy to compound the insult, or literacy as satire.
It’s really nice of you, Gary, to serve as TFN Comment Thread Editor. But, please remember to turn the lights out in your Mom’s basement before you go to bed.
You’re welcome.
We live in Texas; we don’t have basements.
You’re welcome.
Loved your comment….Weasel williams, indeed. Hope it catches on.
I don’t think Williams weaseled out. He clung to his bigotry and ignorance, from what it sounds like to me.
Hey Williams: Share those “scientific views” here. Give some links. I’m willing to wager you’re talking about nonsense that has no foundation in reality. Creationists are good at that.
No comment on the issue of whether such vote may have violated the federal Equal Access Act (20 USC § 4071)?
There are no “scientific views” supporting the “ex-gay” racket.
Homosexual people can certainly choose not to have sex with other members of their own sex, just as heterosexual people can choose not to have sex with members of the opposite sex. But that doesn’t make the gay or lesbian people who make such choices no longer gay or lesbian.
Thank you, abb3w, for asking the obvious question. Readers here should peruse http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equal_Access_Act. David Williams’ son’s school violated federal law in rejecting the formation of a GSA club (UNLESS it bans ALL after-school clubs, which I doubt is the case). The law was initiated and lobbied for by religious organizations who wanted to have extracurricular clubs for their student members after school. Congress obliged and the Supreme Court has upheld its legality. Now, any student-initiated group of gays, atheists, humanists, ethnic groups, etc. can legally form their own after-school club along with the chess club, drama club, and similar clubs. The GSA students should sue the school and make them pay all legal expenses for obliging them to obey the law.