Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, sparked controversy earlier this month when he compared gay rights to the Holocaust during a radio broadcast for Washington Watch.
Perkins was commenting on a court case that revolves around a judge’s ruling over Denver-based Masterpiece Cake Shop owner Jack Phillips’ unlawful discrimination against a gay couple when he refused to make a wedding cake for them.
Since Phillips had earlier made cakes for pet weddings, his claim that he caters to Christian weddings only was considered false, with the judge concluding Philips must serve all people, regardless of their sexual orientation if he wants to continue running his business. Soon after, Phillips took his business online, propagating for the Religious Right, insisting Christian rights are being taken away.
Perkins stepped up in Phillips’ favour while speaking with Nicolle Martin of Alliance Defending Freedom saying, “I’m beginning to think, are re-education camps next? When are they going to start rolling out the boxcars to start hauling off Christians? I mean, at what point do Christians say enough is enough?”
This is not the first time Perkins has made a reference to the Holocaust. Yet again, he found himself on the receiving end of a raft of criticism from different quarters.
The Jewish Anti-Defamation League responded to Perkins’ comments saying, “There is no comparison between contemporary American political issues and the actions of Hitler’s regime during the Holocaust. Such inappropriate analogies only serve to trivialize the Holocaust and are deeply offensive to Jews and other survivors, as well as those Americans who fought valiantly against the Nazis in World War II.”
Perkins’ comment about re-education camps appears rather ironic because what he fears gays might do to Christians in exactly what Christian activists like himself are advocating for gays by backing the quack practice of ex-gay therapy.
Ex-gay therapy involves camps for gay individuals where they will be taught heterosexuality is the norm – they will be made to strip and touch themselves in front of a mirror so they can grow familiar with the ‘straight’ way of being.
Photo Credit: Family Research Council
