Michael A. Campion gets to make decisions as to whether applicants are psychologically fit to be police officers at a number of departments in Illinois. But is Campion psychologically capable of treating gay applicants fairly?
In an article that Campion appears to have co-written in 1977, the following opinions are expressed:
A choice is required. We believe a man or woman is not born a total homosexual nor is he born as a bisexual with a heterosexual and homosexual orientation being natural to him. But rather, he is born with a total heterosexual orientation and chooses to indulge in homosexual behavior.
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There appears to be little support for a genetic or hormonal cause of homosexuality in the Scriptures, which teach that the homosexual is responsible for his behavior.
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The third basic factor is the fact that homosexuality satisfies man’s basic nature of selfishness.
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Homosexuality’s alleged “incurability” or “constitutionality” as espoused by some in our society today is supported by neither Scripture nor solid medical evidence. It is time that the homosexual is told that he has chosen this lifestyle and that he is responsible for it.
There are certain environmental factors during childhood which may predispose a person toward a homosexual orientation. However, a person can become aware of these factors and being aware of them, can then choose an alternative course of behavior. Man is not determined to the extent that be has no will * Homosexuals have chosen their behavior. This again points out that the individual is responsible and that homosexuality is not a condition but rather a conduct.
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Since our society will not, it is important that the church take an intelligent stand against the flaunting of homosexuality in our present-day society.
and, of course, the ex-gay mantra
We have known many who practice homosexual behavior who feel they are “caught” or that this is “the way they were made”. Freedom lies in the fact that they are not made this way, but rather that through help, this “habit” may be overcome.
1977 was a long time ago and opinions change. But as recently as three years ago, Campion was a board member of the virulently anti-gay Illinois Family Institute. Campion hides his anti-gay credentials, and dismisses his IFI connections as irrelevant to his work
The psychologist bristles at questions about why he doesn’t reference IFI on his CV or on his firm’s Web site (www.campionbarrow.com). He says he omitted it for the same reason he didn’t mention that he enjoys fishing, swimming, and sailing — it’s irrelevant to his work.
“Municipalities hire me because of my qualifications and my expertise, not because of what party I vote for,” he says.
But I know that I would not want Campion evaluating me for anything. His attitudes are very relevant. And it is not only gay people who are questioning his objectivity. Minneapolis has put Campion on leave after his activism at IFI was brought to their attention
Members of the Police Community Relations Council had concerns about this group and had heard complaints from several people who weren’t hired to be Minneapolis police officers after they were deemed “unqualified” by Campion’s psychological tests, said council cochairman Clyde Bellecourt. During a meeting with council members last week, Campion made statements about single parents and race that disturbed them, said council member Ron Edwards.
Naturally, the IFI jumped to Campion’s cause
“I have known Mike Campion for years, and he is a man of great Christian integrity and character,” said Peter LaBarbera, IFI’s policy & media advisor. “Mike is a fair and decent man, respected by his peers, who honors the ethical standards of his profession. Now he is being smeared by pro-homosexual activists. The message is growing across our nation: Christians are the only group that can be discriminated against — especially if they live out their faith in the public square.”
LaBarbera is not someone I would want as a character reference.
What? What is it with LaBarbera and hyperbole? A story from August 26, 2006 — Racist trooper: State tries to oust officer with ties to Ku Klux Klan:
So…we have a Police Officer…belongs to a non-job related organization that holds diversity values much different from the police organization he belongs to…the police want to let the officer go because, as Nebraska State Patrol Col. Brian Tuma said, “Being affiliated with a white supremist organization is not consistent with the practices and policies of our agency.”“Only.” I don’t think Christians with ties to organizations that don’t share a police department’s diversity beliefs are “the only group that can be discriminated against;” the only group of people that a police department doesn’t want on a police force. LaBarbera’s “only” statement is hyperbole.
This man’s Christian lifestyle is a chosen one. If he finds the police academy’s policy on gay officers incompatible with his BELIEFS, he doesn’t have to work there.
Police agencies have an obligation to have as talented and competent a force a possible. It’s not an easy task to recruit into the ranks as it is.
But if, like the LAPD and the military are learning the hard way, that they’d rather take people with lower intelligence ratings and criminal records, rather than gay candidates…this is a scandal that will one day bite them in the ass.
The taxpayers won’t appreciate lowering standards to justify anti gay discrimination.
The diversifying of police forces has proven an excellent tool so that officers can encourage confidence and integration with the communities they serve.
This old school examiner isn’t appropriate for the goals and effectiveness of today’s police.
I’ve noted before at XGW that LaBarbera harbors racist sentiments — specifically, he is a very active supporter of the racist Constitution Party. This is consistent with his past: In the 1980s LaBarbera was a supporter of the genocidal “contra” terrorists and death squads of Central America.
From Autumn’s observation, it now becomes apparent that LaBarbera believes one has to be a violent white racist like himself in order to qualify as a “man of great Christian integrity and character” and “a fair and decent man.”
LaBarbera should have qualified his statement about christians being the only group that it is acceptable to discriminate against. It is only the sanctimonious self-righteous christians who face discrimination, just as a member of any other faith who indulged in sanctimonious, self-righteous behavior faces “discrimination.” The type of “discrimination” that LaBarbera laments is people and organizations, collectively and individually exercising their right of free association or dissassociation.
To simplify, if you act like a jerk, no one is going to want to have anything to do with you.
As for Campion, the article in the Minneapolis Star Tribune stated that he had used disdainful facial expressions during the exam process and the Minneapolis PD had received complaints. Campion was not an employee of the police department, but was an employee and/or owner of a company contracted to provide this service for the police department. He was not fired per se, but the police decided to use another firm, based on the complaints. It was a business decision.
Here are Campion’s credentials: https://www.campionbarrow.com/cba_team.htm#Mike.
Also note that Thomas R. Campion (a son or other relative?) attended Grove City College. And we all know that Grove City has staff that actively campaign for ex-gay programs and against anti-bullying programs.
I noticed that too. I didn’t want to make a huge point of it, because the link is tenuous at best, but it is there.
And we’re the ones with an agenda?