“Lacerations, Perforations and Death”

Fight disinformation: Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily newsletter and follow the news that matters.


Back in June, Cameron Scott reported that George Bush’s choice for Surgeon General, Dr. James W. Holsinger, like so many other so-called medical science appointees, has some problems with the concept of human sexuality. Dr. Holsinger, of course, explains it all by reminding us that pipe fittings are named after the parts used in “real” sex, between males and females.

Dr. Holsinger appeared before the Senate health committee in July, in order to answer questions concerning his misgivings about gays and bisexual individuals, which he outlined many years ago in a document in which he warned that gay sex can lead to “lacerations, perforations and deaths.” Holsinger, who founded a church to help make gay people straight, told the Senate that his opinions have “evolved” since he first made his famous statements about the dangers of homosexuality. He also has gone from favoring stem cell research to being against it. On July 26, the committee gave him a questionnaire, whose return it requested by August 10. Dr. Holsinger has still not returned the questionnaire, but the recent is now apparent: He does not have to.

Holsinger has resigned
from the board of trustees of Asbury Theological Seminary in Kentucky, and the supposed reason is that he is going to get a recess appointment as Surgeon General.

GREAT JOURNALISM, SLOW FUNDRAISING

Our team has been on fire lately—publishing sweeping, one-of-a-kind investigations, ambitious, groundbreaking projects, and even releasing “the holy shit documentary of the year.” And that’s on top of protecting free and fair elections and standing up to bullies and BS when others in the media don’t.

Yet, we just came up pretty short on our first big fundraising campaign since Mother Jones and the Center for Investigative Reporting joined forces.

So, two things:

1) If you value the journalism we do but haven’t pitched in over the last few months, please consider doing so now—we urgently need a lot of help to make up for lost ground.

2) If you’re not ready to donate but you’re interested enough in our work to be reading this, please consider signing up for our free Mother Jones Daily newsletter to get to know us and our reporting better. Maybe once you do, you’ll see it’s something worth supporting.

payment methods

GREAT JOURNALISM, SLOW FUNDRAISING

Our team has been on fire lately—publishing sweeping, one-of-a-kind investigations, ambitious, groundbreaking projects, and even releasing “the holy shit documentary of the year.” And that’s on top of protecting free and fair elections and standing up to bullies and BS when others in the media don’t.

Yet, we just came up pretty short on our first big fundraising campaign since Mother Jones and the Center for Investigative Reporting joined forces.

So, two things:

1) If you value the journalism we do but haven’t pitched in over the last few months, please consider doing so now—we urgently need a lot of help to make up for lost ground.

2) If you’re not ready to donate but you’re interested enough in our work to be reading this, please consider signing up for our free Mother Jones Daily newsletter to get to know us and our reporting better. Maybe once you do, you’ll see it’s something worth supporting.

payment methods

We Recommend

Latest

Sign up for our free newsletter

Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

Get our award-winning magazine

Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights.

Subscribe

Support our journalism

Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation.

Donate