After being contacted by friend of XGW Scott H, openly gay mayor of Palm Springs Ron Oden rolled out the welcome mat in The Desert Sun:
Palm Spring’s openly gay mayor, Ron Oden, says the valley should welcome a controversial religious alliance condemning homosexuality with open arms, not picket signs.
Oden believes showing courtesy and kindness will lead to positive education and communication with attendees during next month’s “Love Won Out” conference at Southwest Community Church in Indian Wells, sponsored by conservative Christian groups Focus on the Family and Exodus International.
Here’s the best part:
“However, what better place could they come to find positive role models in the community? We have people here who have been in loving relationships for decades and are successful, self-confident, self-actualized people. And not just one or two. This is a good place to come and see their examples. It may go against what they teach. My job as mayor is to welcome people.”
Apparently having not understood that last paragraph it appears some locals have gotten their panties all up in a bind and the mayor is now holding a press conference to clear up confusion. More stories here and here.
Anyone wishing to participate in the welcome party for our friends at Love Won Out in Palm Springs, please contact myself or Scott H. LWO check-in is from 7-8am and the “Unity Rally” isn’t until 11am so our event will conclude giving participants time to go to the “Unity Rally” to be held in Palm Springs being thrown by larger organizations.
I will be there to welcome the delegates — but I am not quite sure how to do this with “open arms”– in light of the fact that NARTH endorses the public teasing and ridicule of gender variant kids and EXODUS favors the abolition of all hate crime laws.
I agree we should be courteous and be proud of our gay-affirming and diverse community. The mayor is suggesting no picket signs. I am kinda new to this welcoming thing. And I am still reeling from being stabbed by gay-hating gang members and having my best friend bleed to death from five stab wounds.
I will try to put on a happy and polite face (love my enemies and pray for those who mistreat me) but how? What would Jesus do?
I am open to suggestions.
From the Desert Sun article:
“Haley said Love Won Out events aim to help friends and family love individuals, despite their homosexuality.”
That little lie out of the mouth of Haley is all that really needs to be said about whether Oden will foster understanding with LWO….
I think it’s a great move by the mayor. What better way to show LWO how their views are becoming increasingly marginalized than to yawn at their presence in a community where openly gay, older men and women feel safe walking down the street hand in hand?
While it’s tragic to think that some teenage kid will be dragged by his parents to this event this weekend because they can’t accept their little one is gay, we can’t discount the fact that the younger generations are understanding more and more about homosexuality and that our “lifestyle” isn’t the evil thing it’s made it out to be. I say, let’s welcome LWO to West Hollywood some time and show them how little an impact they are making.
Notice also that it forced Love Won Out to say publicly that Oden is NOT welcome to their convention…because he sees nothing wrong with being gay.
Think about it…he forced them to show their close-mindedness, their total fixation on the belief that to be gay is to be unhappy or wrong, or perverted. It provides a beautiful contrast between how it is to be openly gay and accepting, and what it is like to be filled with anger, despite, and unhappiness.
In response to “anonymous” above: don’t kid yourself. I am not so sure how safe gay men are walking hand-in-hand anywhere — including Palm Springs.
I live only 50 miles away, in Riverside CA, and within one block of the historic Mission Inn, my friend and I were punched, beaten and stabbed in the back by five gang members yelling anti-gay slurs. Jeffery bled to death of multiple stab wounds.
Alan Chamber’s response? He said he was “sorry” but reminded me that “everyone has had hard times” — and reiterated EXODUS’s official opposition to all Hate Crime Laws because they are a “tool to crush Christian evangelism”.
Jeffery and I were attacked without any provocation or “public displays of affection” — for doing nothing more than looking at some photos of a recent hiking trip.
There was another gay-hate attack in the same location within the past few weeks — bricks, rock and physical assaults against patrons of the Menagerie. Three were arrested.
I wrote to Mayor Oden several seeks ago about all of this and the upcoming EXODUS/NARTH workshop, but I recieved NO response. And now, NARTH endorses teasing and ridiculing “gender variant” children. How safe are they?
(Google “Jeffery Owens” for details about his death.)
Michael Bussee:
What would Jesus do?
I think Jesus would call their church a den of theives and drive them out.
Brett: Believe me, I am pretty close to it right now. Christian means “like Christ” or “in the manner of Christ.” — and these comments are NOT Christian. The Bible says: “You will KNOW they are Christians by their LOVE…”
Can you imagine Jesus EVER advocating teasing, bullying or ridiculing children? If the behavior is not Christ-like, I think we are justified in saying that we doubt that such folks are, indeed, His disciples.
I have also extended a personal invitation to Alan Chambers to attend the Unity Rally and I promised he wouldn’t be kicked out either.
Letters of concern have been sent to the mayor and city council members of Palm Springs, Riverside and Indian Wells. I have also contacted the church by phone and email. We will see how they respond.
Hi Michael. I am so sorry–I never realized that you were the person involved in that terrible attack. I live in Redlands, and the two attacks in Riverside have completely freaked out the community (plus Cal State San Bernardino has one of the most rabid antigay people ever). This area has become crazy.
I hope one day to meet you, and again I am so sorry that attack happened to you.
Thanks, Aaron. I am pleased to say that Alan Chambers and Dr. Throckmorton, Ed Hurst and Robbi Kenney have also expressed their sympathy and outrage about the attack that wounded me and left Jeff dead.
Nothing from NARTH, Joe Dallas, Frank Worthen, etc. I take heart that I still have the Holy Spirit, our Comforter, who abides with me — even if many of his disciples seem to care less.
Michael Bussee, I too am sorry for your loss & pain! I trust that you have a supportive comm’y to assist you in your time of healing!
What would Jesus do? He would call out these modern Pharisees on their ungodly teachings which contribute to such behavior – especially to young minds!! But more to the point, “What would Jesus HAVE YOU do?” Only YOU can decide that. Whatever it is, I trust it is something that HONORS YOU & YOUR FEELINGS! Jesus would be very fine w/that!!! b/c He LOVES you & LOVED Jeff!!! & I’m sure His heart aches whenever any of His GLBT children are harmed, especially in His name!
Dear God, Michael….I remember that attack and my best friend (who was raised in Riverside) frequented that coffee bar all the time.
I am so sorry, my friend.
It’s these outrages that stir my blood, religion is used to justify ANYTHING and I”m so sick of it.
From polygamist abuser Warren Jeffs, to Islamo fascists who espouse convert to Islam or die to ex gays who insist that gay people are an invention of the devil so therefore must be gone…
to argue against people who claim they know God and God’s wishes is so intractable and frustrating.
But when blood is shed by those they complain aren’t fit to be with ‘normal folk’, I am reminded of the activity of any other historical haters.
Yes, that’s what it is.
I know it when I see it, and Love Won Out keeps trying to convince me I don’t know what I’m seeing.
They are truely tiresome.
As a straight person, they come off treating me as if I’m morally bent or misguided by gay people.
It’s no easier for us gay supportive straight people either.
I am however, unbowed. I know my own mind.
Jeff wasn’t killed by Christians. He was killed by hate. I am grateful for the kind thoughts of many people — straight, gay, ex-gay, Christian and non-Christian who expressed their sadness and concern — even EXODUS and NARTH expressed condolences recently. I believe they were sincere.