Kevin Jennings (right)
Photo: Alan Light

I really admire Truth Wins Out for standing up to the bigoted smear campaign against Kevin Jennings, the Obama Administration official who used to run the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network. Here's an excerpt from their 10/16/09 press release:

NEW YORK – Truth Wins Out criticized the on-going smear campaign that anti-gay organizations and politicians are orchestrating against Kevin Jennings, who is serving as the Assistant Deputy Secretary of Education for the Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools.

“We are witnessing a disgraceful political hit job filled with baseless allegations, ugly innuendo and outright homophobia,” said Truth Wins Out Executive Director Wayne Besen. “Kevin Jennings is a hero that has saved the lives of many students and is eminently qualified for his position. Thanks to his work, countless gay youth were able to concentrate on scholastic success instead of basic survival or even suicide.”

Jennings, the founder of the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight, Education Network (GLSEN) has the support of the National Association of School Psychologists , Learning First Alliance , National Education Association, National Association of Secondary School Principals, Council for Exceptional Children and the Social Workers Association of America.

The groundless attacks intensified after fifty-three House Republicans signed a letter to the Obama administration asking for the dismissal of Jennings. “As the founder of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, Mr. Jennings has played an integral role in promoting homosexuality and pushing a pro-homosexual agenda in America’s schools –an agenda that runs counter to the values that many parents desire to instill in their children,” the lawmakers write.

“Jennings ‘real agenda’ was promoting tolerance and stopping children from essentially getting mugged in schools because of their real or perceived sexual orientation,” said Besen. “These attempts to slime Jennings have nothing to do with his exemplary record or qualifications. Instead, extremists are trying to use Jennings as a proxy to further their culture war.

The 53 Republicans should be ashamed of themselves, but bigots like them have no shame.

When Jennings ran GLSEN, he was one of the few queers in leadership positions who really took their responsibilities seriously and never sold out his constituency for the purpose of self aggrandizement or self enrichment. It's so typical of where our country is going these days that the more integrity someone has, the more likely that person will subject to insane personal attacks from the right fringe, especially the religious extremists.