Filmmaker Morgan Jon Fox has released an extended preview for the feature-length documentary, “This Is What Love In Action Looks Like.”
According to the filmmaker:
In the summer of 2005, a 16-year-old from Memphis, Tenn., wrote on his MySpace blog about his parents sending him to a “Fundamentalist Christian” program that claimed to offer “freedom from homosexuality.” What followed is a modern-day message in a bottle, as teen-agers in the local community stood up for their friend with daily protests which eventually grew to include a plethora of individuals demonstrating at the facility in what would become an international news story.
The documentary features several former clients of the organization who tell their personal stories about the time they spent within the programs walls, including exclusive never before seen interviews with several teenagers who were forced into the “Refuge” program.
The documentary producer’s intent was to show the passion and conviction of both sides of such a strong debate, however, countless attempts to interview Love In Action officials, and their wider network of affiliates were continuously denied, unfortunately thwarting [the filmmaker’s] wishes to allow them to tell their personal stories in detail.
This Is What Love In Action Looks Like will premiere in February 2008.
Facebook users: Join the Cause.
While the story itself needs to be told and analyzed, does an 18-year-old in Zach’s situation need the publicity that comes from having his photograph made public all over again? I’m not sure that was necessary to this film. I don’t know how Zach feels about the whole thing now, but I know in the immediate aftermath of the fiasco he shunned publicity.
This concern seems to come up each time a reference is made to what happened in 2005 surrounding Zach’s involvement it LIA/R. As I see it, he can certainly decide not to comment now or in the future, but what happened, and what he said then are news and part of history. Considering the vast references on the Internet, avoiding specifics in a story now would seem like a false gesture — it’s all out there. And if we followed such a practice for all events and people, there would be gaping holes in our reporting of many important issues from the past.
I agree the story itself is and should be public, but I was specifically referring to the photographs, which arguably add nothing. It would be different if their absence left a “gaping hole” in the reporting, but I don’t think that would be true.
Dave,
During all the demonstrations, I was one of the main advocates for having Zach’s photo, etc taken out of blogs and media reports. We understand the concern now as much as we did then. If you have any specific concerns or questions, feel free to email me at sawedoffpictures@gmail.com
Hi, Morgan. I’d be happy to hear your opinion on it, if you’d care to comment here.
Looks good. And I like the use of music from The Album Leaf.
When the time comes, Morgan, you’ll have to let us know where it’s going to premiere.
Dave,
The well being of Zach, and his friends here in Memphis was and always will be the first priority. This is why, when the controversy was at its highest, the people in Memphis took great care and concern to try and limit the amount of personal profiling on Zach or his friends in the national media. There were many occasions we had to protect friends of his from large news outlets who were preying upon them for information, etc. It is important to get these stories out, sure, but of course not if it’s at the expense of those involved. This has always been my stance and the stance of those involved in organizing the demonstrations, etc in Memphis. Though most of those involved here in Memphis are younger and maybe naive in some ways to the world, taking care of our friends and preserving each others well being is what we care about more than anything, which is why those demonstrations started. The documentary will answer many other questions people have but it’s best not to publicly discuss those things before then for many reasons. Again, if you have other questions, I’d be happy to answer them on a one to one basis. On another note, its a beautiful day outside, but my break is over, so back to making Latte’s. 🙂
I’m rather agnostic on the matter of his pics. On the one hand, they probably don’t add much to the story. On the other, they are also all over the net. I’m mostly talking about the details of the incident when I say it’s history.
Concerning the preview itself, I think it’s a good intro to a compelling story. I look forward to it.
Morgan,
Thank you for both your involvement in the protests and in this film project.
I know that XGW was careful not to use Zach’s last name until his father gave his big press conference. I certainly respected your efforts at that time to protect Zach’s identity.
Best of luck on your movie. I hope it gets the attention it deserves
The case of Zach and Lance Carroll being forced going to these live-in programs made me ponder on the delicate balance between youth and parental rights. Usually, society assumes that the parent has the best interests for their children, and I’m sure that Zach’s and Lance’s parents had best intentions.
Frankly speaking, I am sick and tired hearing the countless horror stories of LGBT youth suffering abuse from their parents, whether it is intended or unintended, physical, or psychological, and spiritual abuse. These parents have exposed their children to a major risk of psychological trauma, and for this, I believe these parents should be held criminally, and civilly liable for their abusive actions regardless of their intentions. I also think that parents should not have the right to force their gay children to go to some antigay church. When it comes to the welfare of children, religious rights should definitely take a back seat.
Because I think, there should be strong child and family policies taking into account the special nature of LGBT youth welfare. This in my opinion takes a much higher priority than the discrimination and hate crime bills that the Democrats are currently pandering to gays.
The psychological damage that the ex-gay program does to gay youth is criminal.
These kids need to be taught about behaving responsibly – not shamed about their god-given sexual orientation which happens to be homosexual.
Rob, has a point. He’s just stating it very strongly.
When religious parents were refusing medical intervention for their children, the law stepped in as legal guardians of that child.
When state Supreme Courts and then SCOTUS started looking at various cases, parents WERE brought up on charges if their children were refused medical intervention for TREATABLE and CURABLE medical emergencies.
Here in California, legal protections for individuals unwillingly committed into mental institutions allowed the state to examine individuals for actual illness, and mental disability, not the BELIEFS of their family that they needed such intervention.
Joe Stark had been told by NON medical or psychiatric people in his community that Zacy was going to die or contract a disease by age 30.
There isn’t a court in the land that should hold up defending such irresponsible information like this being forwarded to the Stark’s.
It’s called malpractice and malicious misdiagnosis. It’s unprotected.
Parents can neither deny, nor FORCE procedures on their children. And no professional should be allowed to use FEAR and IGNORANCE to get clients.
Besides, if you have to be forced, blackmailed, coerced…threatened in ANY way…it’s not love.
John Smid wants to think and believe otherwise and shame on him.
This is when the ex gay industry and it’s perception of struggle, threat, danger and curative necessity and ability seriously hit the wall.
The Starks would all be better served by PFLAG, which has no religious affiliation and welcomes all. They have books and booklets for religious families too and their information and outreach has FAR more positive results and fosters family cohesion than LIA ever could.
They don’t force BELIEFS on you….it’s a listening and sharing situation, period.
Hey All,
I just went to love in action’s 28 day source program. I still have alot of questions and am very uneasy. I dont know how I can try and change my sexual preferance and I am very confused about my relationship with Jesus. My mom knows about my homosexuality and constantly tells me “I want grand kids”….. I dont know what to do I feel so utterly conflicted and unsure about things. Sorry if my comments were unrelated to the other posts.
Justin
Hi, Justin,
I’d like to be of help. I sent you an email. Just let me know if that’s an appropriate address to mail you on.
Dave
I was active in this story as an activist and a radio show host in Nashville. I emailed with Zach a little after he got out and remember he just wanted to go back to being a normal kid, not to be labled by the story. I have no idea how he feels about it today.
I will vouch for Morgan and friends, that they did their best to protect Zach’s identity and personal space, sometimes to the detriment of the cause and common sense. QAC was exciting because it was a group of young people who became engaged in the cause. I pleaded with national organizations to support the fight, provide on-the-ground assests, and help ride the wave of publicity. I’ll never understand why but they all avoided it like the plauge and fumbled the oppurtunity for major media impact and to develop young leaders.
Justin,
If there is any way any of us can help, please know we are willing.
Hi Justin,
I fully understand if you have a lot of questions. I don’t know if you like to read books, but one book that I would like to recommend that what meant a lot to me to me when I was trying to understand my sexuality and my relation with Jesus is called “The children are free” by Miner and Connoley, 91pages and sort of easy to read.
Another thing that has meant a lot to me was video from a sermon by Mel White. It can be viewed at google video (23minutes)
If you want to just talk to someone, or if you want me to send you my copy of the book mentioned above, feel free to send me an email at noa@resare.com
/Noa
ps. It isn’t necessarily so that mothers to gay people doesn’t get granchildren. Next weekend me and Alex are going with our kids to a gingerbread baking event with most of the rainbow families in our community. The “Homosexual lifestyle” apparently can include that also.
The homoSEXual lifestyle is the destruction of America. It’s all that sinful mixing up of batter and that hedonistic baking of gingerbread. Is that normal Christian American bread? NO, the deviants have to have their bread all spicy and gingery. And we know where that leads!!
And then getting together with children. Why all the interest in children, huh? Luring them there with sweets and candies, for what? I’ll tell you why. It’s slave labor!!! They are getting these children together to work, to make houses. It’s bad enough that children in heathen lands work making our well tailored, discount priced, knock-off brand clothing, but now the homos have them in construction.
OH, it’s an evil lifestyle, let me tell you. And did you know that these houses live on average 20 years less than other gingerbread houses?
It’s time we tell the TRUTH in love. Because like it says in the good book, love the gingerbread house but hate the homosexuals.
Zack Stark posted one more time after his return from Love in Action, before privatizing his MySpace acct. He basically said that he wasn’t abused or mistreated, and in fact he met lots of nice people and made the best of it all. He explained that he was still gay and it wasn’t the most important thing about him. He cautioned people against sensationalizing the story out of proportion, and asked people not to worry anymore. He expressed the wish to simply be left alone and forgotten. I found it a very admirable, responsible message; refusing to cave into pressure from activists on both sides, he simply told the truth.
Thus, I find this documentary in questionable taste.
The documentary isn’t about Zach. It’s about Love In Action. It’s about exposing what it is – how it is less than “loving.”
I have to say that i spent 6 months of my life in the ‘Refuge Camp’ and have so much to say about it. I was kicked out because my sexual relations with another female attending LIA. After being kicked out of the program my family didn’t want me back so i was pretty much considered homeless because LIA turned their back towards me. I ended up ALONE and felt the need to pretend i wasn’t gay just so i could somewhat have my ‘family’ back and could live with one of my counselors friends. I don’t agree with ‘safe keeping’, being ‘on level’.. my ‘unhealthy’ belongings and letters being thrown away while attending the program… I don’t agree with being placed in there just because i am gay but be among child molesters/abusers. I heard John say that its not ‘brain washing’… I HIGHLY disagree! Morgan, what your doing is AMAZING… thank you
Do any of you know when this film is to be released?
Natalie you know LIA was not all that bad it was sort of fun. I hated sanctuary and all of the m/i groups. I felt lonley I acted out with my self several time while in thr program. you know it was not all bad though
do you still struggle with same sex attraction if you want help let me know.