Paul E. Keith wrote about Stephen Bennett’s demonstration in Provincetown, Mass., over the weekend.
Since then, Paul has reflected some more, and writes:
My original post was concerned, of course, with what I saw in Provincetown on Saturday that was specific to the Steven Bennett Ministries demonstration – if one could call that flop by such a term. That was the reason I went out to P’Town, after all. But I want to add something else I saw that, I believe, is of far greater importance to all of us, gay or straight, with or without kids of our own.
Both before and after the time I spent at Provincetown Town Hall, I also spent time relaxing and crowd watching in the main Square, where the road into town from the highway intersects Commercial Street as it goes out to the Parking area near MacMillan Wharf. After crossing Commercial, the road becomes two one-way streets with a small tree-lined park between them. Benches line the grassy area and there are at least four ice cream shops within a Frisbee’s throw.
The Square was full of folks as it so often is on a fine summer day; old and young, boys and girls, women and men. The sheer volume of ice cream was daunting to one who would dearly love to drop a few pounds! At first I didn’t notice anything special, anything out of the ordinary as it were. I’d seen this traditional gathering many times before while bustling through the foot traffic on my way to the Now Voyager Bookshop or when heading to lunch at The Lobster Pot. I had even seen it “from the inside” on those few occasions when the lure of ice cream overwhelmed my dietary common sense. But I had never really looked at the scene before; never really saw what went on there. On this visit, “focused on the family” as I was – and with no apology to James Dobson – I really noticed what was happening there.
On this bench were two Dads, one wiping ice cream drool from the mouth of a toddler and the other taking an older child by the hand before crossing the street to buy some sodas. On that bench were two Moms, one holding an infant in her arms and the other yelling at an older boy to stop teasing his sister. Over on a bench at a picnic table, a Mom and a Dad were looking at a Tourist Guide, planning their next adventure, while a couple of young ‘uns slurped up the goodies while asking, “Can’t we go to the beach now? You PROMISED!” All these scenes were repeated, with many variations, throughout the Square. Adults in same-sex and opposite sex pairs sharing the duties and fun of parenting, while kids of all colors and shapes and ages did what kids do best: testing to see if their parents really did have eyes in the backs of their heads. It was an extraordinarily ordinary scene and, unless one paid attention, as I did, one would never even think of it as being anything one wouldn’t see in any park in America on any fine Summer day.
The naysaying SB Ministry folks up at Town Hall, encircled by their youthful opponents, dourly dedicated their day to warning “gay families” of the supposed disasters to come if they didn’t repent and disavow their “gay family lifestyles.” Had they spent more time licking up ice cream at the foot of MacMillan Wharf with their own children, perhaps the very ordinariness of the day would have moved even them to see what I saw: healthy, happy families – gay and straight – going about their healthy, happy lives, side-by-side, in the loving bliss of parental nurture and childhood fun.
Why, it was a scene that would have looked just as natural in any city or town in America. And just as moving to those who have enough love in their hearts to dare open their eyes to see.
I might go back for a Double Cone next Saturday. Hmmm…maybe a big dollop of pistachio in a sinfully tasty sugar cone. I just wish I had a husband to share it with me. And a couple of kids with messy faces to keep me on my toes….
At the Daddy, Papa and Me blog, Trey also has observations on the Family Pride Coalition‘s Family Week in Provincetown.
Thanks to Paul Keith for the photos of Bennett.
I’ve had my own share of fun with Stephen Bennett. I discovered his website years ago, and unlike most other anti-Gay organizations, his website had a bulletin board. So I, and other Gay people of faith, engaged Bennett and his minions in debates that became SO spirited that Stephen eventually shut down the boards. Later they were opened up again in a slightly different format, only to be shut down when they couldn’t refute our logic, just throw Bible verses at us. Today there’s a discussion board at SBMinistries.org, but it’s dull dull dull. Very little discussion from either side. He’s become completely inconsequential. And I wish he’d get rid of that ridiculous mullet!
I’ve just posted photos taken by Paul Keith. It appears that the mullet is gone, but I thought he looked fine either way. I’m more concerned with people’s actions and beliefs than their hairstyles. 🙂
It looks like Stephen Bennet has updated his site with his own events of the weekend. https://www.sbministries.org/080704ptown.html
I’d be hard pressed to find a more negative piece of writing, in my opinion. He must have used negative remarks about gays over a dozen times in the recap of the events. Funny how he touted this as a trip of love. Using all of those names and negative remarks about many of the gay people in P-town doesn’t sound very loving (even if they were opposing Bennett’s efforts).
The only recent online references to SBM I see currently are:
Christploitation.com notes SBM’s bulletin board
AFA’s blog links to the P-Town report (and had talked about it ahead of time)
Stacy Harp’s E-Involved blog quotes SBM
Kingston (NY) Daily Freeman reports Bennett is lending his face to an ex-gay billboard
So, who knows. Obviously Bennett has the option to cite his sources and respond calmly and rationally, but chooses other options.