AFA Unhappy With Ford, Again

The gay hate group, American Family Association, is upset with Ford because the company has decided to advertise its vehicles in gay publications and, get this, offers diversity training classes to its employees.

Horrors.

Let's counter the boycott:

News Update: The AFA has renewed its call for a boycott of Ford (story). Please support Ford and let them know you aren't paying attention to AFA's call for a boycott.

The American Family Association, a gay hate group, has called on its 2.2 million members to boycott the Ford Motor Company because of Ford's perceived support of the "homosexual agenda" and gay marriage. Following the link, one becomes aware of the main complaints the AFA has of Ford:

• Ford advertises in gay publications with ads tailord to the gay market.
• Ford wishes to sell its vehicles to homosexuals.
• Ford supports diversity training throughout its company and subsidiaries.
• Ford financially contributes to the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and the Human Rights Commision.

Specifically, they are asking their members to contact their local Ford dealers and tell them that they will no longer buy Ford products as long as the Ford Motor Company supports the homosexual agenda and gay marriage.

The AFA is the same group who boycotted Disney World because Disney offered domestic partner benefits and held a "gay day." That nine year boycott officially ended practically the same day they announced the Ford boycott.

Show Ford that not everyone is as homophobic as members of the AFA. Contact your local Ford dealer and tell them that despite the boycott call, you plan on remaining or maybe becoming a Ford customer.

To find your local dealer, click on the make of your vehicle below:

Ford Jaguar Lincoln Land Rover Mercury Mazda Volvo

You may also contact the corporate headquarters in Deerborn, MI and tell them what you think about their contributions to the gay community and their push for diversity training in the automotive industry: The link provides an easy to use, online form submission. You may also contact them the old fashioned way:

In United States:
Phone:800-392-3673
800-232-5952 (TDD for the Hearing Impaired)
Mail:
Ford Motor CompanyCustomer Relationship Center
P.O. Box 6248
Dearborn, MI 48126
Hours of Operation:8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (Monday-Friday)

In Canada:
Phone:800-565-3673
Mail:Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited
Customer Relationship Centre
P.O. Box 2000
Oakville, Ontario L6J5E4
Hours of Operation:8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (Monday-Friday)
9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. ET. (Saturday)

Be sure to let the AFA know how you feel about their boycott, too. I'm sure they'd love to hear from you. (The link takes you to an easy online feedback form for the AFA.)

A Ray Of Hope?

On a follow up about the two gay Iranian teens who were hung (story):



A ray of hope? An excerpt from an article on 365gay.com covering this story:

Is gay life in Iran as dire as some reports on this case suggest?

According to a new interview with the publishers of the Iranian gay magazine MAHA conducted by the Web site GayRussia.ru, it is not.

The magazine is distributed from inside Iran via e-mail in PDF format. (If it were published on the Web or in traditional magazine format, it likely would be blocked or banned by the government.) The magazine has 600 subscribers.

"After eight months of hard work, eight issues and four supplements have appeared, covering issues such as gays and family, depression among GLBT, a report about lesbians in Iran, etc.," the publishers wrote in the e-mail interview. "MAHA also publishes a separate supplement for gay aid and to help GLBT to find a friend. Today MAHA has two editors, one gay and one lesbian, and MAHA's readers are all over the country and even some Iranian GLBT in exile."
The publishers said gays are no longer routinely persecuted in Iran.

"The regime does not systematically persecute gays anymore, there are still some gay Web sites, there are some parks and cinemas where everyone knows that these places are meeting places for gays," they wrote. "Furthermore it is legal in Iran that a transsexual applies for sex change and it is fully accepted by the government.

"There are some media which sometimes -- not often -- write about such issues. Having said that, the Islamic law, according to which gay punishment is death, is still in force, but it is thought [to be] not much followed by the regime nowadays.

"Thanks to the Internet and contact with the international community, people get the info, and Iran society has changed a lot, and support for GLBT rights is growing in Iran, though we still have a long way to go," the publishers said. "On the whole, we are optimistic about the future as Iran's situation cannot continue [as is] and people are pushing for reforms and changes."

More Evidence of Biological Link To Homosexuality

Complete Story
Courtesy Southern Voice

More and more, the evidence seems to point to a biological link to homosexuality.

The interesting point in the above article is that the gay rams' part of the brain that is thought to control the sex drive is half the size of the brains of hetero sheep. A study a couple of years ago in Canada found that the part of the human brain that controls the sex drive was half the size in gay men as opposed to heterosexual men. Another study a few years ago showed a statistically significant correlation between homosexuality and being the second born son. Something like almost 2/3rds of homosexual men were the second born son. Researchers theorized that possibly the mother's body "remembered" giving birth to one male child, so with the second male child, not enough estrogen or estrogen-like hormones were produced to fully "masculinize" the brain. They have found the same effects in the gay rams.

Despite the growing evidence of a biological link, no doubt many Christians will cling to their "love the sinner, hate the sin" philosophy.

Translation: gay bashing will be around for a long time.

Two Iranian Gay Teens' Last Day

The last day of life for Mahmoud Asgari, 16, and Ayaz Marhoni, 18. Both were publically hung for being gay.

Complete Story

Teen Sent To Ex-Gay Ministry Update

Zach's back - sort of.

On Aug 1, he posted a new blog entry. In the blog he railed against groups using his blog for their "one-sided (biased) agendas" and that "homosexuality is still a factor in my life" but "not who I am, it never has been".

Ah, yes - the homophobic key word -agenda. People who have followed Zach's blog insist the latest is not his entry. The writing style and "voice" is different. Zach went so far as to delete all prior posts so that there is no record of what he has said - and how he said it - in the past.

He hasn't posted since Aug 1. Hasn't finished his brainwashing training, yet, I reckon.

Aug Reminder: The Aug effort is underway. Read more....

U.S.C. 2257

Note: While this new law doesn't relate to gay marriage, I thought the restriction on the freedom of speech may interest some readers.


A new law that greatly restricts freedom of speech went into effect last June. It lasted ten hours before Attorney General Gonzales put enforcement on hold until Sep 7 while arguments brought before the government by the Free Speech Coalition are heard.

If you own a website and aren't a member of the Coalition, you are subject to enforcement of this law today.

The law requires any primary producer of Internet porn to maintain documentation of the age of any people who appear in the nude. Such strict requirements were always required of the primary producers of porn on the Net or elsewhere.

The law goes one step further. All secondary producers of porn are required to keep the same documentation on hand, too. That means if you post the cover of Debbie Does Dallas on you website, you need to contact everyone pictured on the cover in the nude and obtain and verify their age and id and keep that documentation on hand. If you are selling that movie, you need to get that information from every performer in the movie. In the past, you wouldn't have had to do that because you knew the producers of the movie had already collected the information and was readily available for inspection by the Feds.

But the law doesn't stop there. All the personal, swingers, and amatuer sites where members post their own pictures are subject to the same law. In the past if you posted your own picture, you were the primary producer of the porn and responsible for yourself. Now the owner of the website must get that proof from you before you can post your picture.

In effect, the law will shut these sites down.

Fine, you might think. Porn producers can take their business overseas. But if an American portal, like Google, allows you to view that porn, then American webmasters are in violation of the law.

So what happens if you post a nude pic of yourself? You must have proof of your id and age ready for inspection at any time, unannounced, between the hours of 8 AM to 6 PM, 365 days a year. Failure to do so could land you in jail for up to five years.

And yet mainstream media is strangely quiet about this invasion of our free speech rights.

Silencing of the Homosexuals Part II

related story

(For those who missed Part I, you can read it here.)

If you can't twist them to conform to your standards, shove them back in the closet where no one can see the dirty laundry.

Them are gay, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgendered people. The dirty laundry is the topic of sex. And the closet is on the fringe of society where most people won't bother to take a gander.

In the conservative right's and Christian right's effort to marginalize homosexuals and make them appear as less than normal, they have banned books, banned discussions of homosexuality in public schools, recinded discrimination and equal rights laws, and now - in at least one county in Florida - have banned official recognition of "gay pride, little g, little p".

The county is Hillsborough. Thanks to the effort of one homophobe, Ronda Storms, the county has deleted all references to homosexuality in its Human Rights Ordinance and now refuses to recognize gay pride. It is unclear if the ordinance means just the Gay Pride celebrations during the month of June or anything gay. Storms apparently wanted the ambiguity by refusing to capitalize the g and p.

Since the county is intent on setting the moral standard for America by example, what has the county produced so far?

• A father who beat his three year old son to death because he "wanted to toughen him up". During testimony in the father's murder trial, she said he was afraid his son might be gay.
• A 24-year-old teacher who had sex with her 14-year-old student in the backseat of her car while the boy's 15-year-old cousin drove them around. No, she wasn't teaching sex ed and drivers ed at the same time. She may claim a temprary insanity defense.
• We can't forget about the 8-year-old boy who beat his 7-month-old half-sister to death because her "crying made him mad". The murder occurred while the boy and his half sister were visiting the boy's father and his girlfriend. Note the "stability" of the heterosexual relationships involved.
• And let's not forget the plight of two migrant workers from Mexico - Areli Nava, 15, gave birth to Leonel Reye's son in a Florida hospital. Reyes is 24. The state immediately seized custody of the newborn. You see, in Florida, the sexual relations between the two are illegal because Areli is 15 - even though in their own country, their relationship is perfectly legal and, in this case, supported by both families. In fact, in Reyes country, a woman over 17 is "too old" to marry. The two, accompanied by Areli's parents, braved hurricanes to get their family reunited. The mother and child are still in state custody and the father is allowed supervised visits. He showed up to court with pay stubs in hand to show he can support the mother and child. The mother's parents showed up to plead with the court to allow Reyes to marry their daughter as all parties had planned. "He's a good man," pleaded Areli's father. Until Reyes completes a sex offender program, he won't be allowed to be reunited with his bride-to-be and son. He is required to complete the program even though he has never been charged with a sexual offense nor ruled a danger to Areli or his son. This is one story among thousands of migrant worker's cultural clash with Florida laws.

In all fairness, one can't judge a county, or any locale for that matter, by picking and choosing cases to present as evidence. One has to wonder, though, if these cases are symptomatic of a failing conservative agenda liberally infused with Christian philosophy.

Tell Hillsborough County what you think of their "gay pride, little g, little p" ban.

Teen Sent to Ex-Gay Ministry

From Zach's blog just before his parent's "shipped him off to camp":

Thanks. Thank you for all of the comments and messages, they mean a lot. really. I was shocked to see all of this... of course I haven't been on a computer, phone, nor have I seen any friends in a week almost-- Soon. Soon, this will be all over. My mother has said the worst things to me for three days straight... three days. I went numb. That's the only way I can get through this. I agree, if you're thinking that these posts might be dramatized.. but the proof of the programs ideas are sitting in the rules. I pray this blows over. I can't take this... noone can... not really, this kind of thing tears you apart emotionally. To introduce THIS subject... I'm not a suicidal person... really I'm not.. I think it's stupid - really. But.. I can't help it, no im not going to commit suicide, all I can think about is killing my mother and myself. It's so horrible. This is what it's doing to me... I have this horrible feeling all of the time... I wish this on no person... I'm so satisfied--happy's too strong of a word the state I'm in-- that everyone's taking the time to email and write letters in complaint to these people. I dont know if it will do anything, but if something did happen it would be -- awesome.


He was due to leave camp on Jun 20. He hasn't been heard from in the blogosphere world and no one knows if he is still away in the camp or not. His blog gained international attention and launched a series of investigations into the Love in Action camp by Tenn authorities. Many bloggers who interacted with him are very concerned that he is being isolated from the world until he "changes". On gay who was forced by his parents into the program for two years is particularly concerned for his mental well being. He says that the decline in Zach's mental state is apparent in his blog.

Yes, I'll definitely be following up on this story so if anyone learns anything new, please let me know.

Update: (20 Jun 05 1:45 PM EDT) PFLAG reports that Zach's initial 2-week stay has been extended another six weeks. Since he is cut off from the outside world and using the computer, we'll have to wait to see if he emerges a changed man espousing the ex-gay life or a damaged boy bitter at the world for treating him as they have.

UCC Endorses Gay Marriage

story

In an historic vote, the United Church of Christ passed a resolution that endorses same sex marriage. The vote means that the UCC is the largest mainstream Christian religion to officially recognize and endorse gay marriage.

In addition, the resolution encourages its congregation to develop wedding policies, endorse nondiscriminatory and gay rights legislation, oppose discriminatory legislation, including constitutional amendments, which deny homosexuals equal rights, and calls for an end to the rhetoric that promotes devisiveness and hatred towards homosexuals.

Specifically, as posted on the UCC website, the marriage equality resolution

1. Affirms equal marriage rights for couples regardless of gender and declares that the government should not interfere with couples regardless of gender who choose to marry and share fully in the rights, responsibilities and commitment of legally recognized marriage;
2. Affirms equal access to the basic rights, institutional protections and quality of life conferred by the recognition of marriage,
3. Calls for an end to rhetoric that fuels hostility, misunderstanding, fear and hatred expressed toward gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons,
4. Asks officers of the church to communicate the resolution to local, state and national legislators, urging them to support equal marriage rights,
5. Calls upon all settings of the church to engage in serious, respectful and prayerful discussion of the covenantal relationship of marriage and equal marriage rights,
6. Calls upon congregations, after prayerful, biblical, theological, and historical study, to consider adopting Wedding Policies that do not discriminate against couples based on gender, and
7. Urges congregations and individuals of the UCC to prayerfully consider and support local, state and national legislation to grant equal marriage rights to couples regardless of gender, and to work against legislation, including constitutional amendments, which denies rights to couples based on gender.

Now, if only all those other Christian denominations would follow suit....

Nah. I'm sure those seven points are far too controversial for them to adopt.

Gay Dad Wins Court Appeal

Awhile back, I posted a story about the gay Dad who was awarded custody of his son on the condition that his gay partner moved out. Another judge in Virginia had denied him a hearing claiming there was no change in circumstance to warrant revisiting the original custody terms despite the father's claims that his son became emotionally upset and sometimes in tears after his partner moved out.

A Maryland appellate court ruled the father was improperly denied a hearing. While the terms of the custody remain intact until the new court hearing, this ruling is a victory for gay rights.

"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Under Fire

story

The "don't ask, don't tell" policy signed into law by President Clinton bans openly gay people from serving in the military. Court challenges, a move in Congress, and four straight months of the military falling short on its recruitment goals threaten to abolish the ban.

The telling sign that homosexuals serving in our military poses no harm to our national security is the 47% decline in discharges granted under the "don't ask, don't tell" policy since the start of the War on Terrorism.

On the one hand, we have the official stance from the military saying that the decline cannot be attributed to the decision by frontline commanders to retain openly gay soldiers. The decline may be that fewer homosexuals are opening up and being "discovered".

On the other hand, we can look at the historical trend in discharges for homosexuality. They peak during peacetime and fall dramatically during wartime. Even Rep. Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD) acknowledges that he personally knew gay soldiers who served in Vietnam.

The message the military is sending and our government is quietly endorsing: gays have no rights, but if we need their bodies, we'll let them fight and die for our country.

Now is a good time for the military - and Congress - to step up to the plate and eliminate the ban on gays in the military. They're proudly serving our country. They're proudly dying for our country. The least we could do is show them the respect and dignity afforded everyone else and allow them to serve whether others know they're gay or not.

In the Words of a Homophobe

Warning: reading not for the faint of heart.

In Feb 1999, Billy Jack Gaither, 39, was led to the woods where two good ol’ Alabama boys Steven Eric Mullins, 25, and Charles Monroe Butler, 21 killed him.

Mullins is the one who charged with the murder. His “sidekick”, Butler, claimed he didn’t know Mullin’s intentions that fateful night. His side of the story was that the three went to the woods and when Gaither started talking “queer stuff”, anger seized the both of them and they killed him.

In a plea bargain, though, Mullins testified Butler knew he intended to “do away with” Gaither before they even asked Gaither to join them in the woods, a place known by the local young people as a “party place.”

The killing hardly reflects a spontaneous act of anger. Mullins sliced Gaither’s throat, beat him, stabbed him, and threw him in the car. Gaither tried to escape so Mullins beat him with an axe handle that was conveniently leaning against the car. As Mullins dragged the bloody Gaither to a clearing, Butler had set two tires on fire with kerosene. They threw Gaither’s body on top of the burning tires.

Here’s the clincher: as the investigation unfolded, Mullins, the local skinhead with SS tattoes on his hand, apparently was gay himself and may have had an affair with Gaither. No one, including Butler, knew this until after the fact.

Both were sentenced to life in prison with no parole.

Below is the chilling details in Mullins’ and Butler’s own words, compliment’s of PBS’ Frontline Special, Assault on Gay America, yes, the PBS - the one the republicans want to shut down for their liberal bias. The link, by the way, has much useful information on homophobia including the characteristics shared by homophobes, e.g. Republican, conservative, Christian, little or no gay acquaintances etc. No wonder the republicans want the station shut down.


Mullins confession, in his words:

JEFF MOBBS, SYLACAUGA POLICE DEPT: Today is March the 3rd, Wednesday, 1999. It’s 6:03 p. Steve, we’re here on the death of Billy Jack Gaither. Can you tell us what happened back on, February 19, 1999?

STEVE MULLINS: Yes, I can. Uh, I called, I called Billy Jack about four o’clock and asked him to come pick me up so we could go out to the bar. Um, he came and picked me up about seven (7:00). From there, uh, he had already bought a six pack of beer and we rode around and I drank it, some of it. Rode around and, uh, then about 8:30, 8:45 he was gonna go in the Tavern and try to collect $20.00 from this guy. Um, I stayed in the car because I didn’t have any money to get in and didn’t really want to go in. Um, He came back out about an hour later which was about 9:15 or 9:30. We, uh, went to the 11th Frame, told Charles Butler that I was there with Billy Jack and he knew Billy Jack was . . .

JM: What do you call, what do you call Charles Butler?

SM: Charlsey.

JM: Charlsey?

SM: Charlsey.

JM: What is his real name?

SM: Charles Butler.

JM: Is it Sr. or Jr.?

SM: Jr.

JM: Charles Butler, Jr.

SM: Yeah.

JM: Okay.

SM: Um, told him who I was with, told him what I was thinking about doing.

JM: And that was?

SM: Um, killing Billy Jack. Um, it was after a few minutes and I went back outside and was waiting, we were waiting on Charlsey; waiting on him and then we went, went back or I went back inside to see if he was coming on or about ready to go and he finished up his game of pool and he come out and he got him some beer out of the back of his daddy’s truck, six pack took him a shot of moonshine, asked me if I wanted some, I didn’t, we left, uh . . .

JM: You, you told him that you were with Billy Jack Gaither? Is that correct?

SM: Right.

JM: Okay. And you told him what you were planning on doing?

SM: Right.

JM: And that was?

SM: Killing Billy Jack.

JM: And why were you planning on doing that? Why, why did you tell him that too?

SM: Because, I thought I could trust him and I knew he didn’t like queers either.

JM: So, what are you saying? Are you saying that he, he?

SM: So we left, uh, went back to his daddy’s house, Charles Butler, Sr. and he started getting ready and we discussed what, you know, what we were going to do, we talked about it. Um, we got Billy Jack to go out to the boat launch on Millerville Highway and Charles, Charlsey was taking a, relieving hisself at the front of the car. Me and Billy Jack was standing at the back and Billy Jack was watching him when he was taking a leak and I grabbed Billy Jack and threw him on the ground, cut his throat, and uh, he was just sitting, he was knelt on his hands and knees. I told Charlsey to open the, to pop the trunk and he went around and popped the trunk and Billy Jack tried to get up. I stabbed him twice in the rib cage and told him to stay where he was. Charlsey popped the trunk I told Billy Jack to get in the car. He did. We shut the trunk. I drove us to 165 Cedar Creek Circle and uh, got two tires, and a gallon of kerosene, box of matches and an ax handle.

JM: What did you use to, uh, cut his throat?

SM: A pocket knife. A plain old pocket knife.

JM: What did you do with it?

SM: I threw it in the river.

JM: Okay.

SM: Uh, got the two tires, the ax handle, the gallon of kerosene, the box of matches and went to Peckerwood Creek Road, um, uh, got the tires out of the trunk, the ax handle, propped it up against the car. Charlsey was lighting the, lighting the tires. Uh, I drug Billy Jack out onto the ground and uh, had my back fumed to him, he out of the blue knocked me down the hill into the creek um, and when I finally got back up to the, to the top he was trying to leave in the car. He was laying across the seats. Charlsey was gone. I found out later he had hit him and he took off running, um, I told Billy Jack that he couldn’t go nowhere or anywhere cause I didn’t have, I had the keys and I grabbed him by his pant’s legs and drug him away from the car and got the ax handle which was leaned up against the door of the car and started beating him with it and Charles, Charlsey showed back up and I took my shirt off and told him to get the blood out of the car and we talked and I was still beating him and when 1, I gave; out of energy and couldn’t do it anymore, um, the fire got to going and the tires started burning real well and I drug him into the flame and uh, we stood there for a few minutes and then we left. Went to the Exxon, no, went to the trailer at 165 Cedar Creek Circle, went there, I went inside and uh we both, me and Charles Butler both went inside and uh, he sat in the kitchen and I went back to my bedroom and got some things to take a bath with and took a, took a shower, got cleaned up, changed clothes and l asked Randall Jones if I could use his car to take this guy home and go out to the bar for a little while and um, we left, I uh, I drove Randall’s car and Charlsey drove Billy Jack’s car. We went . . .

JM: What happened to the clothes?

SM: Um, my pants and shoes and socks were left in my bedroom and the shirt was
burned.

JM: Where did, where did it get burned?

SM: On the fire.

JM: Okay.

SM: Along with the ax handle. Um, we left and went to the Exxon in Sylacauga on 280. Um, Charles parked the car on the left end of the building and sat there and waited and gave me the $20.00 to go in and get a gallons, a gallon or a dollars worth of gas, um, I did that, went in and got the gas, paid for it, got my jug, went back and got in the car, met him around on the end of the building, discussed where we were gonna go with the car and we left and we went to, out Millerville Highway to the trash dump and he took, drove the car back off into the mud and um, got, you know, I he, I gave him the gas and he started pouring gas all over the car and I was back in the car waiting on him and he set it on fire and we left and went to the Southern Station for about a hour and uh, took him home and I got back home about 3:30 a.m.

JM: Where are the pants at now?

SM: There in the trash. Superior Garbage picks the trash up and they carried them
off.

JM: What day do they pick up?

SM: 1, I don’t know, we, our trash they hadn’t paid the trash bill down there and so you know, the trash can got gone with it and it was probably last week, last Tuesday, I don’t, I don’t know what days they run 1, you know, Randall worked with them for a little while and we were supposedly getting free garbage pick up and he quit and they disposed of the garbage can, I guess last Tuesday.

JM: Say you called B. J.?

SM: Yes, yes I did.

JM: What was the conversation?

SM: Just, we were talking about going out to the bar.
JM: And when he got to pick you up, did he already have some beer? Do you know what kind it was?

SM: Bud Lite in bottles, six pack.

JM: You know where that watersheds place is? Boat launch, I think you called it.

SM: 1, I don’t know how to get to it I mean 1, you know, I know, well, I know, you know the road that carries you out that away, but I don’t know how to get exactly to it.

JM: What’s the name of that road?

SM: Alls I know is you go out Millerville Highway and you’ll see a little brown sign that’s got a boat ramp on, a boat being launched and that’s where you turn at. You go down to where it T’s and take a right.

JM: Left or right?

SM: Left. Uh, go down and you’ll come to that road will dead end to where a road T’s off and you take a right down to I don’t, you know, 1, I don’t, I know it’s out that away, I don’t know exactly where. I’ve been out there swimming but not to the boat ramp. That was .

JM: Whose idea was that to go out there?

SM: Charles’s. It was his idea to go to the boat ramp cause that was, that was his idea to go out there, I didn’t know where to go.

JM: And what happened to the, the uh, knife that you had?

SM: Threw it in the river.

JM: And you don’t know what kind it was?

SM: Uh, black handle, uh, stainless steel blade. That’s all I know, regular, regular size, you know, probably three inch blade, I guess. Three or four inch blade on it.

JM: How far out did you throw the knife?

SM: Uh, not being able to see, guessing by hearing the splash, probably twenty, thirty feet.

JM: So it’s pretty close to the bank?

SM: I guess, you know, its pitch black dark and I just chunked, you know it could be fifty feet. I just threw it and you know, I didn’t close it up or nothing, I just slung it and . . .

JM: Which side of the boat ramp you on?

SM: Uh, the right side. As you, where you launch your boat, its right off at an angle.

JM: Where did you pull the car at? Towards that boat ramp?

SM: Uh, I didn’t, Billy Jack was driving and he circled around and pulled it up as you’re facing towards the boat ramp on the right side, on the edge of some woods, this big open area right there.

JM: Was there anybody else out there?

SM: No.

JM: Did you meet any other cars coming in or out of the roads you took?

SM: No, I didn’t.

JM: When you, when you left there, you said earlier that Billy Jack was in the trunk, is that correct?

SM: Right.

JM: You leave there and where do you go?

SM: Back to the 165 Cedar Creek Circle.

JM: Okay, and tell me again what you do there?

SM: I got the two tires that were around back, two of the tires that were around back, um, an ax handle, a box of matches, and a gallon of kerosene.

JM: Where do you put ‘em?

SM: I put it all in a, well, I put the two tires in the trunk and put the rest in the back seat.

JM: Describe the box of matches that you . . .

SM: It’s a large box of matches. I guess the biggest ones you can buy in a store.

JM: Do you remember the name?

SM: Huh-uh.

JM: Where were they at inside the house?

SM: Uh, on top of the, above the cabinets. Couple other boxes there now.

JM: Did you go back, um, did you go back to the scene or have you been back to the
scene since it happened?

SM: No, I haven’t.

JM: Either, have you been to either place?

SM: No.

JM: Since it happened?

SM: No, I haven’t.

JM: When you get down to Peckerwood Creek Road, is what you’re calling it. Is that correct? Is that the only name of the road you know?

SM: Yeah.

JM: Alright, you call the road that you come in on as “One Minute Road.?

SM: Yeah. You take One Minute Road to Talladega Springs, go down and it will cross a, a fairly new bridge and it’s the first dirt road to your left.

JM: If um, if I’m coming down Fayetteville Road from Sylacauga, I come through Fayetteville and I come to the forks right?

SM: Uh- huh.

JM: I take the left fork. That’s the One Minute Road you’re talking about right?

SM: Uh, yeah, you go down that away. That One Minute Road comes out right there and where the some kind of monument or something is in Talladega Springs.

JM: Which, do you turn left or do you turn right off the Talladega Springs Road?

SM: Left.

JM: Turn left?

SM: Right. Then at the bridge, you turn left.

JM: You go to the end of the pavement to the bridge and then you turn left.

SM: Right.

JM: When you’re down on, at Peckerwood Creek, you say Charlsey was starting the
fire. .

SM: Yes.

JM: And he puts some kerosene on the tires and starts it?

SM: Yes.

JM: And you’ve gotten Billy Jack Gaither out of the trunk already?

SM: Yes.

JM: Okay. And then next thing you know, you go falling down the, the hill?

SM: Yes.

JM: Did you go into the water?

SM: Yes, I did.

JM: What were you wearing at that time?

SM: Pair of blue jeans uh, a white sweatshirt, and a pair of socks and a pair of tennis shoes, underwear.

JM: Okay. So you basically got pretty wet then?

SM: Yeah. From head to toe.

JM: Alright and then what happened?

SM: I climbed back up to the top and Charlsey is not around and Billy Jack is trying to get. in the car, got the ax handle in his hand um, I tell him he can’t go anywhere because I’ve got the keys and I drag him back out to the back of the car and beat him.

JM: What happens to the your clothes?

SM: Um, my T-shirt or my sweatshirt? I took it off and Charlsey used it to clean up the blood in the car and then he threw it on the fire and the blue jeans were taken off in the trash.

JM: Who put the kerosene on the body?

SM: Uh, I put, well, we both did.

JM: Both of you did?

SM: Both did.

JM: How much kerosene did you have?

SM: It was a gallon.

JM: Full gallon?

SM: Uh- huh.

JM: What did you have the kerosene in?

SM: A red gallon jug, gasoline jug.

JM: You leave there after uh, you’ve already put Billy Jack on the fire? Is that correct?

SM: Yes.

JM: You’re driving the car?

SM: Yes.

JM: Was there any damage to the car then?

SM: No.

JM: No damage to the car?

SM: Just blood. That’s it.

JM: Okay. You leave there and you go where?

SM: Back to the trailer where I lived at and um, that’s where I took a shower and
changed clothes.

JM: That when you- you change clothes? What happens then?

SM: 1, wake up Randall Jones and ask him to borrow his car to go out to the bar for a
riffle while and take a friend of mine home.

JM: What were you wearing then?

SM: Uh, a pair of dress or khaki pants and a sweat jacket.

JM: What did you do with the clothes when you took them off?

SM: The clothes from, the wet clothes, I laid them in the bedroom floor.

JM: Okay, when did you get rid of them?

SM: Uh, last week um, Tuesday maybe Tuesday.

JM: What did you do with them?

SM: I threw them in the garbage.

JM: What did you throw in the garbage?

SM: The pair of pants, the the rest of it was washed in the laundry.

JM: And your tennis shoes?

SM: They were also washed.

JM: When um, when you approach uh, uh, Charlsey in the bar you tell me you tell him something.

SM: Yeah. . . ,

JM: What did you tell him?

SM: Told him that we, you know, he wasn’t comfortable with leaving with Billy Jack because he knew he was queer and you know, I mentioned to him about getting rid of him.

JM: What were your words?

SM: That was basically it. You know.

JM: So, then you planned to what you call, “get rid of Billy Jack” is that correct? .

SM: Um, yeah somewhat.

JM: Did you and Charlsey talk prior to this about getting rid of B. J.?

SM: Yes.

JM: How long?

SM: How long did we talk or how long had it been since we talked?

JM: How long had it been?

SM: Probably a week. Two weeks.

JM: Why?

SM: Just cause he was queer.

JM: How? You said you knew- how did you know Billy Jack before then?

SM: From the Tavern and just acquaintance. Just knew him.

JM: That’s all how you knew him?

SM: You know, a ride home. You know, a ride to the grocery store here and there. Just, you know, just knew him.

JM: And that’s only- only way you knew him?

SM: I didn’t know his last name or anything till this.

JM: You told me that um, that Billy Jack uh, ‘propositioned you earlier. Is that correct? Tell me what he said.

SM: He told me he wanted to suck my click.

JM: And?

SM: 1, I didn’t say anything.

JM: Okay. When did he tell you this?

SM: Uh, he told me a couple of times, but it you know it was probably a week or two before that that he told me and I didn’t say anything and then he told me that night also.

JM: Where did he tell you?

SM: Just riding.

JM: Riding? How much do you think you had to drink that night?

SM: Six pack.

JM: How much did he have to drink?

SM: Billy Jack? Uh, two that I saw of. He bought those separately.

JM: Kelley, you got any more questions?

KJ: No.

JM: Sgt. Nail? This will end the statement. Steve you got anything else to say?

SM: No.

JM: This’ll end the statement. It’s 6:30 p. m. Day is Wednesday, March the 3rd 1999.


Butler’s interview in prison after being found guilty:

Before the night of the crime, had you ever heard of Billy Jack Gaither?

No, sir. . . Let’s talk about what happened. Can you do that?

I reckon it started when me and Daddy had gotten off work. We had entered in this pool tournament. I’d played maybe two games, and Steve, he’d come in, and he asked me if I wanted to go to The Tavern with him. I told him that I was engaged in this pool tournament. He said, “I’ll be back in a while.” So he went on. I reckon they went to The Tavern, and I went on playing my games. They came back, and he come in and asked me if I was ready to go, and I said, “Sure.” So, we’re going out, and apparently a fight had broken out right there at The Tavern. Steve had some old warrants on him from Sylacauga, and so he didn’t want to go there. So instead, we go out to the Watersheds—this little public place where everybody goes out to have a good time. But it wound up different. Billy Jack started talking about some gay issues. . . . wanting to have a threesome, or whatever. Tempers flared up. Steve jumped on him, and cut his throat there . .

You’re saying Billy Jack basically hit on you, right?

Yes.

And you kicked him. Why?

I don’t know. I’d been drinking a lot whiskey, and just didn’t have no understanding . . . I didn’t even know the man, for him to be hitting on me. . . . Tempers just flared. It’s like he didn’t have no respect.

He was disrespecting you?

Yes.

How?

Well, sir, I don’t know. It’s not like I’m some gay tramp out there, waiting to be corn-holed by some prick.

So if a woman had done that to you, that wouldn’t be disrespect?

No, sir, I don’t reckon so.

Why is it disrespect if a man does it?

Well, sir, why would he want to just assume that I was gay, just like himself, and throw himself on me like he did?

Did he start grabbing you?

No sir, he didn’t start grabbing at me. Nothing like that.

He just asked you? It was just words, right? If a woman did that, you’d think, “That’s pretty cool”?

Yes sir, I reckon so. But he’s a man, and he did it, so it’s disrespect.

Why?

Would you like for a gay man to hit on you? Would you like for him to engage you into a threesome? How would you feel?

I don’t think I would kick him, Charles. What did kicking him did what for you?

Didn’t do a whole lot of nothing. Didn’t do no good, that’s for sure.

But you were clearly angry. What about it made you angry? What had he done?

Well, sir. . . I don’t think I needed to kick him. I don’t reckon he deserved that.

I want you to know, I’m not judging anything. I’m just trying to understand it. One thing that might help is to understand what that feeling is. When he came on to you, that was bad? That crossed a line?

Yes.

What was the line that he crossed? What had he done?

. . . I couldn’t remember what his exact words was. I don’t know. Hell, I don’t know.

You were pissed, flat-out pissed. Right?

I reckon.

At what?

At him coming on to me. It’s just stupidity, I guess. No, no, no. It’s just a feeling, like any other feeling.

He had made you—

Uncomfortable, I reckon.

And not a man—he was trying to make you not a man?

No. I don’t think anybody could ever do that. . .

When you were growing up, were there gay people around?

Yes, sir. I had one friend in particular. He’s lived with us several times, such as Steve himself. Steve even lived around him, and knew him as long as I have, if not longer. I’ve been to gay clubs with him, and all that. But we had an understanding from this guy we met that we was friends, and we was only to be friends.

So you’ve had gay friends. It’s not that you mind gay people.

No, sir. It’s not at all.

Did you think less of gays?

No. No, sir. I don’t they’re think any less than I am or . . . I don’t know.

They’re just the same old people. But I really never give it much thought.

But you went to gay clubs?

Yes.

Now Charles, if you go to a gay club, other men are going to look at you and say, “Well, he’s here. I’m here. He must be gay.”

No, sir. No such thing, especially when a fellow like me walks into a bar. My appearance alone sets me off.

You mean, you don’t look gay?

That’s right.

So if you went to a gay bar, nobody would know that . . .

I reckon. The numerous times I’ve been to a gay club, nobody’s ever hit on me. I’ve had people come to our table and sit down and want to talk to me and such, but they never did lead off to a confrontation, or what have you. They just want to know who I am—just being friendly. . .

So your reaction to Billy Jack then seems extreme. It seems you would be a little sympathetic to him. . . . So something had to snap in you that night, right?

Yes.

Have you thought about what that was?

No, sir. I ain’t never really thought about it. Never.

You thought that he disrespected you.

Yes.

I’m trying to get what that means, for a man to disrespect another man in that way.

I don’t know, man. It’s hard to explain it, I guess. I don’t know.

Are you a Christian?

I wouldn’t call myself a Christian. But I am a believer of God, and I never have forsaken him. And I’ve tried to follow in the right steps. I know I’ve not always been faithful for him. None of us has.

But were you raised in the church, or a Christian?

I went to church regular when I was young. Yes, sir. But I generally grew apart from it, I’ve went off and on ever since then—never was firmly grounded in a church.

So you didn’t study the Bible or that sort of thing, like some people did?

No, sir. No, sir. There are at least some folks who say that homosexuality is wrong, and that they can show you that in the Bible.

Have you talked to folks like that?

Yes.

What do you think of that?

Well, sir, it’s a sin. I never really give it much thought. I don’t know whether it’s . . . just because it’s a sin to be gay, don’t mean a gay person is like Satan himself. . . . They’re just as good-hearted as anybody else. You wouldn’t think of them as being sinners.

But their lifestyle is a sin?

Yes. . .

How come you’d go to gay clubs?

On account of my friend, Steve Edwards. First time I went, it was me, my brother, my sister-in-law, and Steve Edwards. We’d all go and, hell, I had a pretty good time, just getting out there. So Steve offered to go with me again, or invited me to go up there again with him. And I say, “Sure, why not?” I’d sit there, play pool, or sit up there and cut up with the bartender. . . .

What was the club like? Where was it?

It was right there in the midst of Birmingham. . . . They had the loud music going. It’s more like a saloon music type of group in there. They had a little dance floor separate from the bar area. It was a nice place. Outside, they had a privacy fence around, with little tables and chairs and little canopies over the table, for a little private talk, whatever. It was an all-right club.

Was it just men? Or men and women?

There’s women there, too. Men and women.

You say it was a gay club. Were the people who were there almost exclusively gay, or were there a mix of them?

No, there’s straight people there. Anybody could come in there.

So if it was straight people and gay people, why is it a gay club?

Well, sir, I don’t know. It’s just what everybody called it.

Could you look at the men and tell which one was gay?

Some of them, yes, sir. It really was hard to tell which ones were the women.

Why was that hard to tell?

You had your drag queens. They looked just about like a woman.

That could make it dangerous for you?

Oh, yeah.

Did you ever hit on women at the club?

No, on account of I didn’t know which ones were which. . .

Why do you think Steve Mullins jumped Billy Jack Gaither?

I don’t know. I have no idea. I don’t reckon he wanted his sex life to get out to anybody, on account of he’s hiding—he’s kept a secret from me for so long, so I don’t reckon he wanted anybody else to know.

Was something going on between him and Billy Jack?

I reckon. There were rumors. One of Billy Jack’s brothers stated in a newspaper that he knew that Billy and Steve was together. My attorney found another gay man that Steve was involved with. So I don’t know. . . . My attorneys discovered that Steve is flat broke, and wanted some money in exchange for sex. He lured the both of us out there—promised him sex with the both of us. Instead, it just blew up in his face, and he just didn’t know how to handle it. I don’t know.

So the killing was a coverup?

I guess so. I don’t know what to think. . . .

I’m curious about how you feel. It was Steve who attacked him, who beat him with the stick and killed him. What role do you feel you played?

I feel cheated. But I don’t hold no hate for nobody, nor no grudge against nobody. I just feel cheated. . . .I’m torn away from my family on account of something someone else has done. I don’t know.

Do you feel responsible at all?

I don’t reckon I could have stopped him, or stopped what had happened. Should I feel responsible? . . .

I bet you’ve lived through what happened a thousand times. Do you have regrets?

Yes. I have dreams—nightmares—from time to time. But it’s not like it was before. When it was first happening, things played back in my dreams. I’d have nightmares of Steve [Mullins] and us together again. . . I remember when we was at the trailer. Steve opened the trunk of that car, and Billy was laying there on his side. Blood was just covering half of his face . . . . It just sent something all up and down my back. And then, seeing Steve standing over him, beating him like he was. . . . I could feel every thump that went across his body. . . .It’s like a never-ending story. It’s like walking across a bed of glass. It’s painful, every step.

In the Words of a Homophobe

Warning: reading not for the faint of heart.

In Feb 1999, Billy Jack Gaither, 39, was led to the woods where two good ol’ Alabama boys Steven Eric Mullins, 25, and Charles Monroe Butler, 21 killed him.

Mullins is the one who charged with the murder. His “sidekick”, Butler, claimed he didn’t know Mullin’s intentions that fateful night. His side of the story was that the three went to the woods and when Gaither started talking “queer stuff”, anger seized the both of them and they killed him.

In a plea bargain, though, Mullins testified Butler knew he intended to “do away with” Gaither before they even asked Gaither to join them in the woods, a place known by the local young people as a “party place.”

The killing hardly reflects a spontaneous act of anger. Mullins sliced Gaither’s throat, beat him, stabbed him, and threw him in the car. Gaither tried to escape so Mullins beat him with an axe handle that was conveniently leaning against the car. As Mullins dragged the bloody Gaither to a clearing, Butler had set two tires on fire with kerosene. They threw Gaither’s body on top of the burning tires.

Here’s the clincher: as the investigation unfolded, Mullins, the local skinhead with SS tattoes on his hand, apparently was gay himself and may have had an affair with Gaither. No one, including Butler, knew this until after the fact.

Both were sentenced to life in prison with no parole.

Below is the chilling details in Mullins’ and Butler’s own words, compliment’s of PBS’ Frontline Special, Assault on Gay America, yes, the PBS - the one the republicans want to shut down for their liberal bias. The link, by the way, has much useful information on homophobia including the characteristics shared by homophobes, e.g. Republican, conservative, Christian, little or no gay acquaintances etc. No wonder the republicans want the station shut down.


Mullins confession, in his words:

JEFF MOBBS, SYLACAUGA POLICE DEPT: Today is March the 3rd, Wednesday, 1999. It’s 6:03 p. Steve, we’re here on the death of Billy Jack Gaither. Can you tell us what happened back on, February 19, 1999?

STEVE MULLINS: Yes, I can. Uh, I called, I called Billy Jack about four o’clock and asked him to come pick me up so we could go out to the bar. Um, he came and picked me up about seven (7:00). From there, uh, he had already bought a six pack of beer and we rode around and I drank it, some of it. Rode around and, uh, then about 8:30, 8:45 he was gonna go in the Tavern and try to collect $20.00 from this guy. Um, I stayed in the car because I didn’t have any money to get in and didn’t really want to go in. Um, He came back out about an hour later which was about 9:15 or 9:30. We, uh, went to the 11th Frame, told Charles Butler that I was there with Billy Jack and he knew Billy Jack was . . .

JM: What do you call, what do you call Charles Butler?

SM: Charlsey.

JM: Charlsey?

SM: Charlsey.

JM: What is his real name?

SM: Charles Butler.

JM: Is it Sr. or Jr.?

SM: Jr.

JM: Charles Butler, Jr.

SM: Yeah.

JM: Okay.

SM: Um, told him who I was with, told him what I was thinking about doing.

JM: And that was?

SM: Um, killing Billy Jack. Um, it was after a few minutes and I went back outside and was waiting, we were waiting on Charlsey; waiting on him and then we went, went back or I went back inside to see if he was coming on or about ready to go and he finished up his game of pool and he come out and he got him some beer out of the back of his daddy’s truck, six pack took him a shot of moonshine, asked me if I wanted some, I didn’t, we left, uh . . .

JM: You, you told him that you were with Billy Jack Gaither? Is that correct?

SM: Right.

JM: Okay. And you told him what you were planning on doing?

SM: Right.

JM: And that was?

SM: Killing Billy Jack.

JM: And why were you planning on doing that? Why, why did you tell him that too?

SM: Because, I thought I could trust him and I knew he didn’t like queers either.

JM: So, what are you saying? Are you saying that he, he?

SM: So we left, uh, went back to his daddy’s house, Charles Butler, Sr. and he started getting ready and we discussed what, you know, what we were going to do, we talked about it. Um, we got Billy Jack to go out to the boat launch on Millerville Highway and Charles, Charlsey was taking a, relieving hisself at the front of the car. Me and Billy Jack was standing at the back and Billy Jack was watching him when he was taking a leak and I grabbed Billy Jack and threw him on the ground, cut his throat, and uh, he was just sitting, he was knelt on his hands and knees. I told Charlsey to open the, to pop the trunk and he went around and popped the trunk and Billy Jack tried to get up. I stabbed him twice in the rib cage and told him to stay where he was. Charlsey popped the trunk I told Billy Jack to get in the car. He did. We shut the trunk. I drove us to 165 Cedar Creek Circle and uh, got two tires, and a gallon of kerosene, box of matches and an ax handle.

JM: What did you use to, uh, cut his throat?

SM: A pocket knife. A plain old pocket knife.

JM: What did you do with it?

SM: I threw it in the river.

JM: Okay.

SM: Uh, got the two tires, the ax handle, the gallon of kerosene, the box of matches and went to Peckerwood Creek Road, um, uh, got the tires out of the trunk, the ax handle, propped it up against the car. Charlsey was lighting the, lighting the tires. Uh, I drug Billy Jack out onto the ground and uh, had my back fumed to him, he out of the blue knocked me down the hill into the creek um, and when I finally got back up to the, to the top he was trying to leave in the car. He was laying across the seats. Charlsey was gone. I found out later he had hit him and he took off running, um, I told Billy Jack that he couldn’t go nowhere or anywhere cause I didn’t have, I had the keys and I grabbed him by his pant’s legs and drug him away from the car and got the ax handle which was leaned up against the door of the car and started beating him with it and Charles, Charlsey showed back up and I took my shirt off and told him to get the blood out of the car and we talked and I was still beating him and when 1, I gave; out of energy and couldn’t do it anymore, um, the fire got to going and the tires started burning real well and I drug him into the flame and uh, we stood there for a few minutes and then we left. Went to the Exxon, no, went to the trailer at 165 Cedar Creek Circle, went there, I went inside and uh we both, me and Charles Butler both went inside and uh, he sat in the kitchen and I went back to my bedroom and got some things to take a bath with and took a, took a shower, got cleaned up, changed clothes and l asked Randall Jones if I could use his car to take this guy home and go out to the bar for a little while and um, we left, I uh, I drove Randall’s car and Charlsey drove Billy Jack’s car. We went . . .

JM: What happened to the clothes?

SM: Um, my pants and shoes and socks were left in my bedroom and the shirt was
burned.

JM: Where did, where did it get burned?

SM: On the fire.

JM: Okay.

SM: Along with the ax handle. Um, we left and went to the Exxon in Sylacauga on 280. Um, Charles parked the car on the left end of the building and sat there and waited and gave me the $20.00 to go in and get a gallons, a gallon or a dollars worth of gas, um, I did that, went in and got the gas, paid for it, got my jug, went back and got in the car, met him around on the end of the building, discussed where we were gonna go with the car and we left and we went to, out Millerville Highway to the trash dump and he took, drove the car back off into the mud and um, got, you know, I he, I gave him the gas and he started pouring gas all over the car and I was back in the car waiting on him and he set it on fire and we left and went to the Southern Station for about a hour and uh, took him home and I got back home about 3:30 a.m.

JM: Where are the pants at now?

SM: There in the trash. Superior Garbage picks the trash up and they carried them
off.

JM: What day do they pick up?

SM: 1, I don’t know, we, our trash they hadn’t paid the trash bill down there and so you know, the trash can got gone with it and it was probably last week, last Tuesday, I don’t, I don’t know what days they run 1, you know, Randall worked with them for a little while and we were supposedly getting free garbage pick up and he quit and they disposed of the garbage can, I guess last Tuesday.

JM: Say you called B. J.?

SM: Yes, yes I did.

JM: What was the conversation?

SM: Just, we were talking about going out to the bar.
JM: And when he got to pick you up, did he already have some beer? Do you know what kind it was?

SM: Bud Lite in bottles, six pack.

JM: You know where that watersheds place is? Boat launch, I think you called it.

SM: 1, I don’t know how to get to it I mean 1, you know, I know, well, I know, you know the road that carries you out that away, but I don’t know how to get exactly to it.

JM: What’s the name of that road?

SM: Alls I know is you go out Millerville Highway and you’ll see a little brown sign that’s got a boat ramp on, a boat being launched and that’s where you turn at. You go down to where it T’s and take a right.

JM: Left or right?

SM: Left. Uh, go down and you’ll come to that road will dead end to where a road T’s off and you take a right down to I don’t, you know, 1, I don’t, I know it’s out that away, I don’t know exactly where. I’ve been out there swimming but not to the boat ramp. That was .

JM: Whose idea was that to go out there?

SM: Charles’s. It was his idea to go to the boat ramp cause that was, that was his idea to go out there, I didn’t know where to go.

JM: And what happened to the, the uh, knife that you had?

SM: Threw it in the river.

JM: And you don’t know what kind it was?

SM: Uh, black handle, uh, stainless steel blade. That’s all I know, regular, regular size, you know, probably three inch blade, I guess. Three or four inch blade on it.

JM: How far out did you throw the knife?

SM: Uh, not being able to see, guessing by hearing the splash, probably twenty, thirty feet.

JM: So it’s pretty close to the bank?

SM: I guess, you know, its pitch black dark and I just chunked, you know it could be fifty feet. I just threw it and you know, I didn’t close it up or nothing, I just slung it and . . .

JM: Which side of the boat ramp you on?

SM: Uh, the right side. As you, where you launch your boat, its right off at an angle.

JM: Where did you pull the car at? Towards that boat ramp?

SM: Uh, I didn’t, Billy Jack was driving and he circled around and pulled it up as you’re facing towards the boat ramp on the right side, on the edge of some woods, this big open area right there.

JM: Was there anybody else out there?

SM: No.

JM: Did you meet any other cars coming in or out of the roads you took?

SM: No, I didn’t.

JM: When you, when you left there, you said earlier that Billy Jack was in the trunk, is that correct?

SM: Right.

JM: You leave there and where do you go?

SM: Back to the 165 Cedar Creek Circle.

JM: Okay, and tell me again what you do there?

SM: I got the two tires that were around back, two of the tires that were around back, um, an ax handle, a box of matches, and a gallon of kerosene.

JM: Where do you put ‘em?

SM: I put it all in a, well, I put the two tires in the trunk and put the rest in the back seat.

JM: Describe the box of matches that you . . .

SM: It’s a large box of matches. I guess the biggest ones you can buy in a store.

JM: Do you remember the name?

SM: Huh-uh.

JM: Where were they at inside the house?

SM: Uh, on top of the, above the cabinets. Couple other boxes there now.

JM: Did you go back, um, did you go back to the scene or have you been back to the
scene since it happened?

SM: No, I haven’t.

JM: Either, have you been to either place?

SM: No.

JM: Since it happened?

SM: No, I haven’t.

JM: When you get down to Peckerwood Creek Road, is what you’re calling it. Is that correct? Is that the only name of the road you know?

SM: Yeah.

JM: Alright, you call the road that you come in on as “One Minute Road.?

SM: Yeah. You take One Minute Road to Talladega Springs, go down and it will cross a, a fairly new bridge and it’s the first dirt road to your left.

JM: If um, if I’m coming down Fayetteville Road from Sylacauga, I come through Fayetteville and I come to the forks right?

SM: Uh- huh.

JM: I take the left fork. That’s the One Minute Road you’re talking about right?

SM: Uh, yeah, you go down that away. That One Minute Road comes out right there and where the some kind of monument or something is in Talladega Springs.

JM: Which, do you turn left or do you turn right off the Talladega Springs Road?

SM: Left.

JM: Turn left?

SM: Right. Then at the bridge, you turn left.

JM: You go to the end of the pavement to the bridge and then you turn left.

SM: Right.

JM: When you’re down on, at Peckerwood Creek, you say Charlsey was starting the
fire. .

SM: Yes.

JM: And he puts some kerosene on the tires and starts it?

SM: Yes.

JM: And you’ve gotten Billy Jack Gaither out of the trunk already?

SM: Yes.

JM: Okay. And then next thing you know, you go falling down the, the hill?

SM: Yes.

JM: Did you go into the water?

SM: Yes, I did.

JM: What were you wearing at that time?

SM: Pair of blue jeans uh, a white sweatshirt, and a pair of socks and a pair of tennis shoes, underwear.

JM: Okay. So you basically got pretty wet then?

SM: Yeah. From head to toe.

JM: Alright and then what happened?

SM: I climbed back up to the top and Charlsey is not around and Billy Jack is trying to get. in the car, got the ax handle in his hand um, I tell him he can’t go anywhere because I’ve got the keys and I drag him back out to the back of the car and beat him.

JM: What happens to the your clothes?

SM: Um, my T-shirt or my sweatshirt? I took it off and Charlsey used it to clean up the blood in the car and then he threw it on the fire and the blue jeans were taken off in the trash.

JM: Who put the kerosene on the body?

SM: Uh, I put, well, we both did.

JM: Both of you did?

SM: Both did.

JM: How much kerosene did you have?

SM: It was a gallon.

JM: Full gallon?

SM: Uh- huh.

JM: What did you have the kerosene in?

SM: A red gallon jug, gasoline jug.

JM: You leave there after uh, you’ve already put Billy Jack on the fire? Is that correct?

SM: Yes.

JM: You’re driving the car?

SM: Yes.

JM: Was there any damage to the car then?

SM: No.

JM: No damage to the car?

SM: Just blood. That’s it.

JM: Okay. You leave there and you go where?

SM: Back to the trailer where I lived at and um, that’s where I took a shower and
changed clothes.

JM: That when you- you change clothes? What happens then?

SM: 1, wake up Randall Jones and ask him to borrow his car to go out to the bar for a
riffle while and take a friend of mine home.

JM: What were you wearing then?

SM: Uh, a pair of dress or khaki pants and a sweat jacket.

JM: What did you do with the clothes when you took them off?

SM: The clothes from, the wet clothes, I laid them in the bedroom floor.

JM: Okay, when did you get rid of them?

SM: Uh, last week um, Tuesday maybe Tuesday.

JM: What did you do with them?

SM: I threw them in the garbage.

JM: What did you throw in the garbage?

SM: The pair of pants, the the rest of it was washed in the laundry.

JM: And your tennis shoes?

SM: They were also washed.

JM: When um, when you approach uh, uh, Charlsey in the bar you tell me you tell him something.

SM: Yeah. . . ,

JM: What did you tell him?

SM: Told him that we, you know, he wasn’t comfortable with leaving with Billy Jack because he knew he was queer and you know, I mentioned to him about getting rid of him.

JM: What were your words?

SM: That was basically it. You know.

JM: So, then you planned to what you call, “get rid of Billy Jack” is that correct? .

SM: Um, yeah somewhat.

JM: Did you and Charlsey talk prior to this about getting rid of B. J.?

SM: Yes.

JM: How long?

SM: How long did we talk or how long had it been since we talked?

JM: How long had it been?

SM: Probably a week. Two weeks.

JM: Why?

SM: Just cause he was queer.

JM: How? You said you knew- how did you know Billy Jack before then?

SM: From the Tavern and just acquaintance. Just knew him.

JM: That’s all how you knew him?

SM: You know, a ride home. You know, a ride to the grocery store here and there. Just, you know, just knew him.

JM: And that’s only- only way you knew him?

SM: I didn’t know his last name or anything till this.

JM: You told me that um, that Billy Jack uh, ‘propositioned you earlier. Is that correct? Tell me what he said.

SM: He told me he wanted to suck my click.

JM: And?

SM: 1, I didn’t say anything.

JM: Okay. When did he tell you this?

SM: Uh, he told me a couple of times, but it you know it was probably a week or two before that that he told me and I didn’t say anything and then he told me that night also.

JM: Where did he tell you?

SM: Just riding.

JM: Riding? How much do you think you had to drink that night?

SM: Six pack.

JM: How much did he have to drink?

SM: Billy Jack? Uh, two that I saw of. He bought those separately.

JM: Kelley, you got any more questions?

KJ: No.

JM: Sgt. Nail? This will end the statement. Steve you got anything else to say?

SM: No.

JM: This’ll end the statement. It’s 6:30 p. m. Day is Wednesday, March the 3rd 1999.


Butler’s interview in prison after being found guilty:

Before the night of the crime, had you ever heard of Billy Jack Gaither?

No, sir. . . Let’s talk about what happened. Can you do that?

I reckon it started when me and Daddy had gotten off work. We had entered in this pool tournament. I’d played maybe two games, and Steve, he’d come in, and he asked me if I wanted to go to The Tavern with him. I told him that I was engaged in this pool tournament. He said, “I’ll be back in a while.” So he went on. I reckon they went to The Tavern, and I went on playing my games. They came back, and he come in and asked me if I was ready to go, and I said, “Sure.” So, we’re going out, and apparently a fight had broken out right there at The Tavern. Steve had some old warrants on him from Sylacauga, and so he didn’t want to go there. So instead, we go out to the Watersheds—this little public place where everybody goes out to have a good time. But it wound up different. Billy Jack started talking about some gay issues. . . . wanting to have a threesome, or whatever. Tempers flared up. Steve jumped on him, and cut his throat there . .

You’re saying Billy Jack basically hit on you, right?

Yes.

And you kicked him. Why?

I don’t know. I’d been drinking a lot whiskey, and just didn’t have no understanding . . . I didn’t even know the man, for him to be hitting on me. . . . Tempers just flared. It’s like he didn’t have no respect.

He was disrespecting you?

Yes.

How?

Well, sir, I don’t know. It’s not like I’m some gay tramp out there, waiting to be corn-holed by some prick.

So if a woman had done that to you, that wouldn’t be disrespect?

No, sir, I don’t reckon so.

Why is it disrespect if a man does it?

Well, sir, why would he want to just assume that I was gay, just like himself, and throw himself on me like he did?

Did he start grabbing you?

No sir, he didn’t start grabbing at me. Nothing like that.

He just asked you? It was just words, right? If a woman did that, you’d think, “That’s pretty cool”?

Yes sir, I reckon so. But he’s a man, and he did it, so it’s disrespect.

Why?

Would you like for a gay man to hit on you? Would you like for him to engage you into a threesome? How would you feel?

I don’t think I would kick him, Charles. What did kicking him did what for you?

Didn’t do a whole lot of nothing. Didn’t do no good, that’s for sure.

But you were clearly angry. What about it made you angry? What had he done?

Well, sir. . . I don’t think I needed to kick him. I don’t reckon he deserved that.

I want you to know, I’m not judging anything. I’m just trying to understand it. One thing that might help is to understand what that feeling is. When he came on to you, that was bad? That crossed a line?

Yes.

What was the line that he crossed? What had he done?

. . . I couldn’t remember what his exact words was. I don’t know. Hell, I don’t know.

You were pissed, flat-out pissed. Right?

I reckon.

At what?

At him coming on to me. It’s just stupidity, I guess. No, no, no. It’s just a feeling, like any other feeling.

He had made you—

Uncomfortable, I reckon.

And not a man—he was trying to make you not a man?

No. I don’t think anybody could ever do that. . .

When you were growing up, were there gay people around?

Yes, sir. I had one friend in particular. He’s lived with us several times, such as Steve himself. Steve even lived around him, and knew him as long as I have, if not longer. I’ve been to gay clubs with him, and all that. But we had an understanding from this guy we met that we was friends, and we was only to be friends.

So you’ve had gay friends. It’s not that you mind gay people.

No, sir. It’s not at all.

Did you think less of gays?

No. No, sir. I don’t they’re think any less than I am or . . . I don’t know.

They’re just the same old people. But I really never give it much thought.

But you went to gay clubs?

Yes.

Now Charles, if you go to a gay club, other men are going to look at you and say, “Well, he’s here. I’m here. He must be gay.”

No, sir. No such thing, especially when a fellow like me walks into a bar. My appearance alone sets me off.

You mean, you don’t look gay?

That’s right.

So if you went to a gay bar, nobody would know that . . .

I reckon. The numerous times I’ve been to a gay club, nobody’s ever hit on me. I’ve had people come to our table and sit down and want to talk to me and such, but they never did lead off to a confrontation, or what have you. They just want to know who I am—just being friendly. . .

So your reaction to Billy Jack then seems extreme. It seems you would be a little sympathetic to him. . . . So something had to snap in you that night, right?

Yes.

Have you thought about what that was?

No, sir. I ain’t never really thought about it. Never.

You thought that he disrespected you.

Yes.

I’m trying to get what that means, for a man to disrespect another man in that way.

I don’t know, man. It’s hard to explain it, I guess. I don’t know.

Are you a Christian?

I wouldn’t call myself a Christian. But I am a believer of God, and I never have forsaken him. And I’ve tried to follow in the right steps. I know I’ve not always been faithful for him. None of us has.

But were you raised in the church, or a Christian?

I went to church regular when I was young. Yes, sir. But I generally grew apart from it, I’ve went off and on ever since then—never was firmly grounded in a church.

So you didn’t study the Bible or that sort of thing, like some people did?

No, sir. No, sir. There are at least some folks who say that homosexuality is wrong, and that they can show you that in the Bible.

Have you talked to folks like that?

Yes.

What do you think of that?

Well, sir, it’s a sin. I never really give it much thought. I don’t know whether it’s . . . just because it’s a sin to be gay, don’t mean a gay person is like Satan himself. . . . They’re just as good-hearted as anybody else. You wouldn’t think of them as being sinners.

But their lifestyle is a sin?

Yes. . .

How come you’d go to gay clubs?

On account of my friend, Steve Edwards. First time I went, it was me, my brother, my sister-in-law, and Steve Edwards. We’d all go and, hell, I had a pretty good time, just getting out there. So Steve offered to go with me again, or invited me to go up there again with him. And I say, “Sure, why not?” I’d sit there, play pool, or sit up there and cut up with the bartender. . . .

What was the club like? Where was it?

It was right there in the midst of Birmingham. . . . They had the loud music going. It’s more like a saloon music type of group in there. They had a little dance floor separate from the bar area. It was a nice place. Outside, they had a privacy fence around, with little tables and chairs and little canopies over the table, for a little private talk, whatever. It was an all-right club.

Was it just men? Or men and women?

There’s women there, too. Men and women.

You say it was a gay club. Were the people who were there almost exclusively gay, or were there a mix of them?

No, there’s straight people there. Anybody could come in there.

So if it was straight people and gay people, why is it a gay club?

Well, sir, I don’t know. It’s just what everybody called it.

Could you look at the men and tell which one was gay?

Some of them, yes, sir. It really was hard to tell which ones were the women.

Why was that hard to tell?

You had your drag queens. They looked just about like a woman.

That could make it dangerous for you?

Oh, yeah.

Did you ever hit on women at the club?

No, on account of I didn’t know which ones were which. . .

Why do you think Steve Mullins jumped Billy Jack Gaither?

I don’t know. I have no idea. I don’t reckon he wanted his sex life to get out to anybody, on account of he’s hiding—he’s kept a secret from me for so long, so I don’t reckon he wanted anybody else to know.

Was something going on between him and Billy Jack?

I reckon. There were rumors. One of Billy Jack’s brothers stated in a newspaper that he knew that Billy and Steve was together. My attorney found another gay man that Steve was involved with. So I don’t know. . . . My attorneys discovered that Steve is flat broke, and wanted some money in exchange for sex. He lured the both of us out there—promised him sex with the both of us. Instead, it just blew up in his face, and he just didn’t know how to handle it. I don’t know.

So the killing was a coverup?

I guess so. I don’t know what to think. . . .

I’m curious about how you feel. It was Steve who attacked him, who beat him with the stick and killed him. What role do you feel you played?

I feel cheated. But I don’t hold no hate for nobody, nor no grudge against nobody. I just feel cheated. . . .I’m torn away from my family on account of something someone else has done. I don’t know.

Do you feel responsible at all?

I don’t reckon I could have stopped him, or stopped what had happened. Should I feel responsible? . . .

I bet you’ve lived through what happened a thousand times. Do you have regrets?

Yes. I have dreams—nightmares—from time to time. But it’s not like it was before. When it was first happening, things played back in my dreams. I’d have nightmares of Steve [Mullins] and us together again. . . I remember when we was at the trailer. Steve opened the trunk of that car, and Billy was laying there on his side. Blood was just covering half of his face . . . . It just sent something all up and down my back. And then, seeing Steve standing over him, beating him like he was. . . . I could feel every thump that went across his body. . . .It’s like a never-ending story. It’s like walking across a bed of glass. It’s painful, every step.

The Silencing of Homosexuals

Arkansas tried it first, but failed by one vote. Oklahoma tried it and it is now law. Alabama has put it forth through its legislature. Later this year may prove success or failure. Local governments in a dozen or so other states are trying it. Some may succeed. Some may not.

What is it that they're all doing?

Banning books. Specifically, books that portray gay characters in a positive light.

The book that has stirred the latest call for censorship, The King and King, aimed to teach children about diversity. It tells a story of a prince who searches for a companion and, after rejecting many princessess, takes another prince as his own.

State Rep. A.G. Crowe, R-Slidell, AL, wants that book off the shelf. He has proposed state legislation that would require books in publically funded institutions that have gay-positive themes to be placed in an adult section and out of the reach of children.

The problem: public libraries don't have an adult section.

Like the law in Oklahoma, the Alabama law would only encourage public institutions to separate the gay-themed books. It's a non-binding law with a heavy price tag, though. Since the institutions targetted are publically funded, any that fail to separate the books could face severe budget cuts.

"Great!" you might think. "My child shouldn't have easy access to such books."

The King and King won't be the only book relegated to obscurity. Added to the "adults only" section will be the classics such as Alice Walker's The Color Purple. Even some of Shakespeare's works would be banished to the adult section.

Tennessee William's Cat on a Hot Tin Roof would be vanguished, too. And if Crowe has his way, not only would the play be shelved in an out-of-reach place, but no school could ever perform the classic.

His proposed law doesn't stop at elementary schools nor does it stop at shelving books in a special section.

Its effects stretches clear through the universities. Yes, he feels it is necessary to protect our children from the harmful influence of positive gay role models even when they reach young adulthood. Universities would need an "adults only" section to house gay-themed books and only with parental consent could a college student check the book out.

Let's not forget that not only are the books being put out of reach and plays being banned, but free speech will be limited. Schools, including colleges, could not teach or even suggest that homosexuality is a normal facet of human sexuality. Schools, including colleges, could not sanction gay clubs like the Gay-Straight Alliance or the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Student Union.

Crowe's philosophy is simple: if you don't like the facts or opinions of others, hide them from everyone. That makes it easier to tell them what you want them to believe.

Regardless of one's beliefs towards homosexuality or even the degree one feels our children need to be protected from it, everyone should oppose this dangerous move by Crowe. Today, books with gay-positive themes are banned. Gay positive speech is supressed. Tomorrow, what will the banning flavor of the month be?

If that sounds like a scare tactic consider some of these titles that joined The King and King as books most requested to be removed from libraries for the year 2004:

1. J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series for promoting witchcraft and wizardary
2. Walter Dean Myers' Fallen Angels for racism, sexual content, language, drugs, and violence
3. Robie Harris' It's Perfectly Normal, a sex education book cited as being too explicit, especially for children
4. Robert Carmier's We All Fall Down for sexual content and language

Even classics such as Mark Twain's Huckleberry Fin and JD Salinger's Catcher in the Rye have graced this list in years past.

Imagine, for a moment, the book banning craze takes root and all gay-positive themed books are locked behind glass. Imagine, for a moment, that in addition to locking away the books "for the sake of the children" any gay-positive speech is censored or banned and gay support groups vanguished from our publically funded institutions.

Some readers may see the inherent dangers of the gay-ban precedence. Others may applaud the descion feeling relieved that they wouldn't have to "deal with the morally corrupt freaks" any more.

Imagine for a moment, now, that other groups successfully add to the list of banned books your favorites - science fiction for the promotion of beastiality, romance for sexual content, religious texts for violating the separation of Church and state.

Bingo! The jackpot!

Locked up side by side with the gay-positive books for being morally corrupt rests the Bible for violating the separation of Church and state compunded with the use of gratuitous violence, sex, racism, and sexism. Student religious groups would no longer be allowed to spread God's word on school grounds and no fliers could be distributed advertising Christian community events.

And every time you walked into a library, there behind the glass case is the Bible, locked away as a not-too-subtle reminder that there is something inherently wrong, or evil, with Christianity.

Now stop and think, for a moment, about the book banning craze. There's always been threats of banning books. Even the American Library Association, which compiles the most requested banned titles list, acknowledges that while the complaints are received, rarely - if ever - are the bans honored. No lawmaker has stepped up to the plate and requested, by law, that whole classes of books be banned based on certain content criteria.

Until now.

Something about showing homosexuals in a positive light has a lot of people scared. You may think that the Bible and other Christian works may never get banned nor would any other genre of books. But let the gay book ban take root and gain legitimacy and the precedence is set.

The only remaining question is what books are next?

AFA Delays Ford Boycott

From the Boycott Ford website:

UPDATE!

FORD BOYCOTT SUSPENDED UNTIL DECEMBER 1, 2005

Following a meeting with a group of Ford dealers, AFA has suspended its boycott of Ford Motor Company until December 1, 2005. In the meeting, the dealers asked for time to see if the concerns raised by AFA in their boycott announcement could be addressed by them in cooperation with officials from Ford Motor Company.

AFA felt that the dealers were making a good faith effort and agreed to accept their request. Therefore, the suspension request was accepted by AFA. During the remaining period AFA will work with the dealers in attempting to resolve our differences.

We urge those supporting the boycott to disregard the boycott until December 1, 2005.
On or about December 1 we will notify our supporters as to status of the boycott.

Click here to visit AFA.net.

To view the original website containing the reasons for the boycott, click here.


I reckon they'll pretend they're making progress for the benefit of the 2.2 million sheep following them. Helps build membership excitement and more donations.

While the boycott may be on hold, I still encourage everyone to tell Ford that they support Ford's diversity program and not to bow under pressure from a hate group.

And I encourage everyone to tell the AFA where they can permanently shove their boycott come December first.

Maryland Governor Vetoes Gay Rights Bill

Read Story

Republican Governor Ehrlich of Maryland vetoed legislation that would've given eleven basic rights to homosexuals, mostly covering medical and post mortem decisions. His objected to the proposed law's requirement to form a domestic partner registry, a move he felt would pave the way to civil unions and eventually gay marriage. He also vetoed a bill that would have abolished an unfair property tax assessed on unmarried couples.

He did have a noble reason for vetoeing the legislation. He wanted to "protect marriage" and there is no debate or compromise on that issue.

Yes, we need to protect marriage. I can't think of one person who would actively seek to destroy marriage. My only question: what are we protecting marriage from?

Maybe we need to protect marriage from a government that wishes to make life and death situations for our spouse. We've learned from Terry Schiavo, haven't we, that a husband can't be trusted to make a sound medical decision for his wife.

Maybe we need to protect marriage from a government that wishes to pass the Constitution Restoration Act. In case you haven't heard, that proposed act sitting in Congress as you read this would take legal jurisdiction out of the courts on matters that are governed by God's laws. If you're wondering how that relates to marriage other than gay marriages, then consider God's laws could be used to determine legality of divorces, custody decisions, child support payments, and even the "fitness" of being a parent.

Yeah, I know. You're saying, "That's far-fetched."

Not really. Every inch of our rights we give away today will stretch into feet, yards, and miles for our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Marriage needs to be protected, but not from homosexuals.

It needs to be protected from the government.

If you live in Maryland, why not ask the governor what he thinks he is protecting marriage from?

Interested in writing your own law legalizing gay marriage? A quick and easy way to submit your bill for your elected officials' consideration.