Bashing Back: Wayne Besen on GLBT People, Politics, and Culture / Edition 1

by Wayne Besen R

Overview

The Best of Besen!

Bashing Back: Wayne Besen on GLBT People, Politics & Culture is a compilation of 72 columns from the outspoken GLBT activist and author of Anything But Straight: Unmasking the Scandals and Lies Behind the Ex-Gay Myth. Funny, provocative, and informative, this unique book puts a progressive spin on hot-button topics in the political, cultural, and social arenas, covering everything from AIDS and African-Americans to Zach Stark.

Bashing Back presents an A-to-Z look at Besen's worldview on a wide range of topics, including Bill O'Reilly, Brokeback Mountain, Ellen DeGeneres, gay pride parades, marriage rights, Mary Cheney, overhauling the gay movement, religion and politics, sports and homophobia, The Passion of the Christ, the pitiful state of TV news, the Vatican's war on gays, the World Trade Center, and New Orleans. Smart and funny, Besen delivers a knockout punch to the notion that liberalism stands for nothing and progressive means passive.

From the author:
"The columns I have chosen for this book touch on politics and people, comedy and culture. But most of all, they are a strong defense of the liberal values that have made this nation strong. It is time we proudly stand up for what we believe in. If we don't defend our values, our opponents will define them. . . . Bashing Back is the first punch in a fight to take back our culture and restore progressive values for the good of the nation."

An excerpt from "Bill O'Reilly:"
Once upon a time I actually enjoyed The O'Reilly Factor. While I almost always disagreed with him, he was at least entertaining. Lately, however, he has morphed into just another Bush mouthpiece. The master of the "No Spin Zone" is suddenly spinning so hard he is in the Twilight Zone, dizzy in his own deception. He even had the audacity on CNBC to suggest that Fox isn't a conservative news outlet. That's beyond spin. If it were closer to Hanukah I'd think O'Reilly was a dreidel.

My other problem with his show is that it's unnaturally obsessed with gay issues. More gay people appear on The O'Reilly Factor than on Showtime's Queer as Folk. I know that sounds strange coming from a gay columnist who has twice appeared on his show. But it seems like he's had on every gay person in America to use as his personal political piñata. When even gay activists are tired of watching gay segments, it's time to find a new culture war issue.

Bashing Back is an invaluable compilation of Besen's best columns from Planet Out, Gay.com, and the Washington Blade. It's an essential resource for longtime Besen readers and an entertaining introduction for newcomers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781560236702
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	03/26/2007
Pages:	222
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)

Read an Excerpt

Once upon a time I actually enjoyed The O'Reilly Factor. While I almost always disagreed with him, he was at least entertaining. Lately, however, he has morphed into just another Bush mouthpiece. The master of the "No Spin Zone" is suddenly spinning so hard he is in the Twilight Zone, dizzy in his own deception. He even had the audacity on CNBC to suggest that Fox isn't a conservative news outlet. That's beyond spin. If it were closer to Hanukah I'd think O'Reilly was a dreidel.

My other problem with his show is that it's unnaturally obsessed with gay issues. More gay people appear on The O'Reilly Factor than on Showtime's Queer as Folk. I know that sounds strange coming from a gay columnist who has twice appeared on his show. But it seems like he's had on every gay person in America to use as his personal political piñata. When even gay activists are tired of watching gay segments, it's time to find a new culture war issue.

Bashing Back is an invaluable compilation of Besen's best columns from Planet Out, Gay.com, and the Washington Blade. It's an essential resource for longtime Besen readers and an entertaining introduction for newcomers.

Table of Contents

• Preface
• A
• AIDS and African Americans
• Andrew Sullivan’s Reckless Rhetoric
• Armstrong Williams
• B
• Bill O’Reilly
• Biology of the Gay Brain
• Brokeback Mountain
• C
• Civil Unions versus Marriage
• Condom Fatigue
• Constitutional Marriage Amendments
• Coretta Scott King
• D
• Defending Bathhouses
• Discrimination in Maine
• E
• Ellen DeGeneres
• F
• Fire and Brimstone Smokescreen
• Fruit Fly Study
• G
• Gay Pride Parades
• Gayborhoods
• GOP Convention
• H
• Harriet Miers
• Holding Hands in Public
• Howard Dean
• Howard Dean and the DNC
• I
• Islam and Cartoons
• Israel for Gays?
• J
• James McGreevey
• Jeff Gannon
• John Kerry
• John Roberts Nomination
• K
• Kerry versus Bush
• L
• Logo Television
• Losing the Battle
• M
• Marriage
• Mary Cheney
• Mary Cheney Celebrates Father’s Day
• Metrosexuals
• Miracles over Math
• Modern Conservatism
• N
• New Kinsey Scale
• Newt Gingrich
• O
• Online Lying
• Out In Park Slope
• Overhauling the Gay Movement
• P
• The Passion of the Christ
• The Pitiful State of Television News
• Presidential Election 2004
• The Priest Made Me Gay?
• Programmed to be Shallow?
• Q
• Queer New York
• R
• Reggie White
• Religion and Activism
• Religion and Politics
• Republican Bullying
• Rick Warren (Purpose Driven Lies)
• Ronald Reagan
• S
• Soul Market
• South Carolina Pride Speech
• SpongeBob
• Sports and Homophobia
• T
• Taxes and Bush
• Terri Schiavo
• U
• Undermining National Security
• Utah and Brokeback Mountain
• V
• Values School
• Vatican’s War on Gays
• Virginia on the Move
• The Virginian-Puppet?
• W
• Whining on the Right
• Who Will Define Jesus?
• Will & {Dis}Grace?
• World Trade Center and New Orleans
• X
• X-Gays
• Y
• Yahoo Think Tanks
• Z
• Zach Stark

What People are Saying About This

David Mixner

With the publication of Bashing Back: Wayne Besen on GLBT People, Politics and Culture, the author has powerfully proven once and for all that he is one of the most important voices in the progressive community. His unique insights, powerful outrage and uncompromising commitment to real justice and equality make this book A MUST READ for they who care. Wayne Besen pulls no punches when it comes to the issues and people of our time. FINALLY, SOMEONE WITH THE COURAGE TO CALL IT AS HE SEES IT. HOW FRESHENING! (David Mixner, Author/ Activist)

Joe Kort

Wayne Besen's comedic wit and knowledge base compels you to read through this book. Besen takes current events involving homosexuality in America and helps make sense the confusing politics at play. Like watching the Daily Show, Besen makes gay news entertaining, enlightening, and informing. Besen is on the pulse of gay issues in politics, the media, religion, and the gay community itself. . . . Bashing Back will provide as A VALUABLE RESOURCE BOTH AS CURRENT EVENTS AND AS TIME GOES BY A GREAT READ FOR GAY HISTORY IN AMERICA. (Joe Kort, MSW, author of 10 Smart Things Gay Men Can Do To Find Real Love)