JoeMyGod:

You may recall the deranged “ex-gay” advocate Richard Cohen, whose ridiculous “reparative therapies” such as beating out one’s homosexual tendencies with a tennis racket and a pillow became the laughingstock of YouTube. Well, it turns out that Cohen isn’t quite the relatively harmless lunatic we all thought. His book’s completely fabricated “statistics” about gays “recruiting” and molesting children (courtesy of fellow mental patient Paul Cameron) are being used to promote Uganda’s “kill gays” bill. Last night Rachel Maddow ripped him to pieces. When Cohen attempts to deny some of his words, Rachel blasts, “I’m reading it from your book, dude.”

Part two of Rachel’s interview/confrontation/asswhupping after the jump.

108 replies on “Rachel Maddow to Anti-Gay, Ex-Gay Hater Richard Cohen: “I’m reading it from your book, dude.””

  2. Dan, that was my favorite line of that interview too. I’m sorry but the “dude” tossed in there was a special moment.

    The anti-gay fundies do have blood on their hands. Even if they are preaching love/branded-tolerence, they still demonize and give the weakest minds on this planet all the justification they need to commit violence against gays. There is no way to get around that reality and they just don’t have the sense to understand that being “gay” has been around for a long long time. You can’t un-gay history.

  6. Oh man…I couldn’t finish that segment when I watched it. It was just so obvious that he was getting buried deeper and deeper in his own shit.

  7. @4, the answer to your question is about 25 million people. In answer to the one you didn’t ask but think you know the answer to, you’re wrong: probably 90% of them were heterosexual. The biggest indicator of HIV infection is poverty, not sexual orientation; the problem is worst in sub-Saharan Africa, and in rich Western countries it is worst not in gay centers in rich cities, but in places like Mississippi and Appalachia — red states, dontcha know.

  8. 1) Rachel controlled the fuck.
    2) Dick got owned, drawn, and quartered.
    3) Dick liked this asswhupping. You know he did.
    4) Rachel makes this dyke’s heart swoon every single time.

  9. The smug dipshit gave himself away at the end when speaking of his own experience. Over and over throughout the interview he referred to his organization helping people with “unwanted same-sex attraction”. Like helping people who don’t want to like dogs or steak dinners, etc. Nope, he said he was “healed”, and that implies there is a “sickness” you can be healed from. Why isn’t anyone trying to heal people who don’t want to have “opposite sex” attractions?

  17. He’s still a ‘mo at heart. Just because he’s fucking a woman now, doesn’t mean he isn’t closing his eyes and pretending he is fucking some dude’s ass.

  18. Ha! No professional credentials because he is a victim of a hate crime, you guys.

    Be sure to watch the second video that completes the interview.

    How many pyschotherapists does it take to change a light bulb?

    One, but that bulb really has to want to change…..

  20. Most all associations that deal with psychology and mental health issues in this nation have a clear bias for the homosexual side, there’s just no denying that, so it is more believable that he was kicked out because of his views. Since counseling that homosexuality to be viewed as a non changing behavior is fine but counseling the opposite to those that seek it is not. But that is not the case on many other nations.

    Case in example is ms Maddow herself, when she says she “resents” those that have come out of homosexuality?

    So much for tolerance.

  23. I love that woman.

    But one thing she should have asked is this: given that Cohen claimed repeatedly that it’s fine if people want to be “homosexual” and he only tries people who want to change, would his organization help someone dealing with unwanted heterosexual feelings, and is that possible?

  24. It must be painful to need to adhere to mainstream values to such a degree that one suppresses both sexual orientation and religious/cultural identity.

    You were such a nice, Jewish homo, Mr. Cohen.

  26. Loveschild, Maddow said nothing of the sort, and no scientifically respectable organization in any nation views sexuality as able to be changed through any sort of psychological, spiritual, medical or any other intervention.

  28. OK, so how exactly does he “help” people? I don’t understand if you can’t “pray it away” or “marry a woman to make it go away”, how are they “helping” these people? What else is there? Beat the gay away?

  29. @21- Most psychological associations try to deal with reality. After examining the evidence they found it clear that trying to change people’s sexuality did more harm than good.

    But y’all don’t care about who gets damaged (or killed) you just want to keep the gays from having the hot gay sex with you, cause that would be disturbingly fun.

  30. And more than a lack of tolerance, a really poor strategy on their part.

    Because if ms Maddow’s wish for African nations to see this interview for example, is realized, i don’t think that such nations, upon seeing and hearing the type of power that homosexual groups can come to have on medical associations along many others to the point of coercing and forcing acceptance of homosexuality and firing and ostracizing those that have not only done research that say otherwise but who thru their own lives are examples that homosexuality is something that can be overcome by those who seek to do so, will want to get on that ‘tolerance’ bandwagon when they know that as soon as they hold on to more institutions, gays may not show such tolerance to those that disagree with them, including past homosexuals.

  31. 30, What this guy does, is promise that you can change if you really want to, and if you spend thousands of dollars on his conversion CDs, DVDs, books, etc. Then when after you’ve spent your money, listened, watched and read the materials, and you’re still not straight, he says, “Oh, you must not have wanted it enough.”

  32. Loveschild – she didn’t say she resents people coming out of homosexuality. She resents that the book “Straight Parents Gay Child” may be falsely looked to on advice for how to accept your gay child, when in fact it is basically telling parents their child needs to be “changed” and why. It’s not for accepting people as they are, it is for people who don’t feel being gay is something that is wrong.

    Gay is not wrong.

  33. 32, Yet Loveschild, you remain silent on this man’s, as well as other American right wing wacko’s meddling influence on Uganda. Why is that okay?

  34. It’s not “bias”, Lovesself. It’s observational research-based consensus derived from decades of client cases by thousands of licenced psychiatrists, psychologists, and vetted by a body professionalizing them. That’s called “consistency”, not “bias”.

    It’s also not a this vs. that side duel as you frame it. You do well to keep your blinders on as you have and keep believing that this is all a big ruse “against” the heterosexual universe.

    As someone who makes it a regular affair to diminutively pat queers on the head, “for they know not what they sin, dear Lord,” your own tolerance has yet to be revealed in this space. Ever. So much for tolerance? Pot, kettle, blacksmith.

    Dick Cohen got owned by Rachel Maddow. Every debate club from sea to shining sea will concur with this. If you want to play, you have to be prepared. Dick wasn’t, and now you’re all “oh Jesus Lord, bias!”

    I am biased against you, Lovesself. I am not tolerant of you. I’m also not a professionalized psychiatrist.

  36. 34, Loveschild has trouble comprehending not only what she reads, but what she watches on TV. If it’s not a televangelist, or Jerry Springer dumbing down to her level, she just can’t follow along.

  37. The question I wanted to hear: Since you say you’re upset about the Ugandans using your book to justify this law, *what are you doing about it*? Has he told the Ugandans how he feels? Is he doing anything to fight this law? I’m guessing the answer is “no”, but that would certainly expose how he really feels.

  38. 33 – Thank you. So basically it’s just a big pyramid scheme that preys on people who have been so indoctrinated by religion, parental beliefs, etc that being gay is wrong and sinful and have such hatred for themselves they will do or pay anything to “fix” themselves. Charming.

    There is so much evidence out there that shows this kind of crap doesn’t work. Even the people who run different groups like this (the high up people) have been photographed picking up dudes in gay bars. If it doesn’t work on the people promoting this crap, what makes people think it will work for anyone else?

    And does anyone else notice that it seems to be mainly men who seek or are forced into ex-gay therapies? That can’t be a coincidence.

  39. Thank you, #36, for trying to explain to that utter moron Loveschild what science means. I fear it was a wasted effort, but still.

    Even if it were true that gay pressure on the APA 35 years ago caused it to remove homosexuality from the DSM, which it isn’t, but even if it were true, in the intervening 35 years we have decades and thousands of rigorous scientific experiments, papers, client cases and research dissertations by hundreds of reputable, peer-reviewed scientific and professional organizations that demonstrate beyond any doubt the validity of that decision.

  41. 40, It worse than that, it’s like abstinence only sex ed. It doesn’t curb the sex, only the person’s ability to prepare and protect themselves in sexual situations. Also after a gay person has spent their money on all these phony therapies, and they didn’t work, often these people fall into deep depression, and they end up harming or killing themselves.

  42. I went through some pointless, painful therapy as a teenager to try to “fix” my homosexuality back in the ’80’s. It was the single most damaging thing that ever happened to me. I have no patience people like LC who want me to be “tolerant” of homophobes.
    LC, you can turn around and play the victim when people call you on your hateful bullshit. But the truth remains. You are morally reprehensible, ignorant and mean spirited. Shame on you.

  43. And I’m sure plenty of gay people can tell you that you can’t help who you’re sexually attracted to. I have not met a woman yet who turns my crank in just the right way to make me want to eat her pussy. I see some women who I think are beautiful and whatnot, but that doesn’t make me want to have a relationship and be sexually active with her.

    I’m sure it’s the same way for gay folks out there. Anyone can force him or herself into a relationship with the gender to which they are not attracted, but it’s a relationship doomed to fail.

  44. Rob – That is so sad. I’m so glad that’s why there are organizations out there like http://www.truthwinsout.org for people coming out of ex-gay therapies and cults. People coming out of it need to be helped and cared for so they don’t feel hopeless, helpless, and suicidal.

    The way I’ve heard it be explained is like it’s leaving the Mormon church. The Mormon way of life so totally encompasses people’s entire lives that when you realize it’s all a bunch of bull shit and leave, you’re alone and scared. Which is why it is important to friends and family members of the people going in to ex-gay therapy to stay in contact so that when the “ex-gay” comes out of his fog and realizes it’s all crap, he will have a support system there to help him back to his feet and into the real world. It is so 1950’s to think you can change your sexual orientation.

  47. Wow. I honestly thought I was pretty far on the straight end of the Kinsey scale until the first time I saw Rachel Maddow on Olberman’s show. I get a little bit more queer every time I see her do a takedown like this.

    She’s amazing.

  48. To quote an OSU researcher (on a different topic), “A public unwilling to understand — much less practice — even the most basic of scientific processes in reaching their own conclusions will never expend the effort to really understand complex topics…”

    Loveschild is a member of the public that he was referring to.

  49. Most all associations that deal with psychology and mental health issues in this nation have a clear bias for the homosexual side

    This is my favorite tactic of the homophobes. If you cite a bunch of scientific research that says that people can’t change their orientation, that having gay parents doesn’t harm you, etc., then they just go on and say, well your researchers are just biased by a pro-homosexual agenda! My researchers say the opposite! As if a bunch of non-credentialed, religiously-motivated researchers (e.g., Paul Cameron) are somehow the bastions of impartiality.

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