oh good, I was wondering about that. it sounds suspiciously like the "Summer Harvest Festival" we had in So Calif. when I lived there. same bait n switch tactics. the only thing harvested there was the cash out of easily-deluded goobers' wallets. both sound soothingly bland and harmless to anyone not paying attention, which I suppose is the entire point.

i agree with you! i've noticed the signs around town. i kept wondering what it was about. finally i found out and it disgusted me. the reasons are the same as yours. another thing that annoys me is that the startribune is a sponsor and they had a huge insert in todays paper. they were a sponsor of pride and did no such thing. infact, they refused to run an ad for gay pride. shame shame!

what I really want to know, after reading the strib story, is why this even is taking place AT THE STATE CAPITOL?? Hello, separation of church and state? yes, hi, you're dead now. buh-bye.

Agree 100%. Ever since I first saw the signs, I figured it had to be some sort of religious thing, then I saw the Salvation Army people promoting it downtown during the Farmer's Market last Thursday, and my suspicions were confirmed. I won't be going b/c I have to work and b/c I figure enough people don't like me already for being myself; I don't need to go to a festival and be told that again.

Palau and paper: An unholy pair?
Doug Grow, Star Tribune
August 5, 2004

Among the first things journalists are taught is that we should not wear our personal beliefs on our soiled sleeves.

It's OK to vote, for example. But it's not OK to make political contributions.

Clearly, this is all about perception. Journalists want to be seen as objective (or at least fair), even though once we leave our cubicles we're as full of personal beliefs and biases as anyone else.

In the name of full disclosure, I confess that I don't live a life of objective neutrality. I'm a Twins fan. A union member. A former PTA member. A current AARP member. A lifelong Christian -- though I don't know if my beliefs would pass muster these days among many of the more, umm, enthusiastic wings of the faith. Though often accused of tilting left, I once even participated in a Republican caucus. (It was a long time ago.)

Still, I believe I can be fair -- even to White Sox fans and young people.

All of this disclaiming leads me to a discomfort some of us in the Star Tribune newsroom are feeling these days.

Our company is a corporate sponsor of a major evangelistic Christian traveling show being held on the State Capitol grounds this weekend. The festival is led by Luis Palau, who apparently is a new-age Billy Graham. Palau combines Christian rock music, extreme sports and preaching "to bring the young generation back to God."

Organizers are expecting anywhere from 150,000 to 250,000 people to participate in the event, which has been embraced by Gov. Tim Pawlenty and his wife, Mary.

Why isn't the newspaper simply reporting on this big cultural event, especially at a time in our history when religion and politics have formed such an unholy alliance?

Sponsorship seems to create a fundamental conflict of interest, as noted by a number of people who have written, called and sent e-mails to the Star Tribune.

In a letter to the editor published Wednesday, Marc Kermisch summed up the concerns of many.

"With the event taking place on the grounds of the Capitol, it appears that the state is endorsing Christianity as the religion of choice. ... The support of the Star Tribune carries this message even further, leading me to believe that the Star Tribune has a strong bias toward Christians and is not able to report in a fair and balanced way on stories that involve religion."

Why are the State Capitol grounds available for a clearly religious event?

Jim Schwartz, the state's Department of Public Administration spokesman, explained that the grounds are open to all groups, which go through an application process. Even a rag-tag bunch of white supremacists were able to reserve space a few years ago.

The one major obligation, Schwartz said, is that groups leave the grounds in good shape, just as they found them.

But the state's not sponsoring the event.

The newspaper is a sponsor -- one of more than three dozen corporate sponsors.

Sponsorship, in the Star Tribune's case, means roughly a $50,000 contribution in goods and services. In exchange, Palau's outfit is buying $20,000 in advertising. And in exchange, the Star Tribune is helping Palau raise $1.8 million to fund the show. And in exchange, the Star Tribune name will be plastered around the grounds along with the names of the other corporate sponsors.

Ben Taylor, senior vice president for corporate communications, explained the newspaper's participation simply. It's a way of getting the Star Tribune name before a massive target audience of young people. The newspaper sponsors all sorts of events, he noted, ranging from Gay Pride functions to the Basilica Block Party.

"Sponsorship does not mean endorsement," Taylor said. "Newsroom editors and staff members are not involved in making sponsorship decisions."

But again, this comes down to perception -- and faith.

Readers must have faith that there's a difference between sponsorship and endorsement.

And readers must also have faith that the newsroom runs independently from corporate offices. They must trust reporters in the newsroom when they say the corporate people, who sign the checks, are not dictating the coverage of events the company sponsors.

This tension between the corporate side of the news business and the newsroom side has always existed. It probably reached a peak in the Twin Cities during the civic debate over whether the area's first domed stadium should be built.

The publisher of the newspaper at the time was a leading Dome promoter. The efforts of the corporation, the Star and Tribune Co. at the time (owned by the Cowles family), created so much newsroom anxiety that in 1979, 45 normally tight-with-a-buck reporters and editors for the Minneapolis Tribune purchased an ad proclaiming their independence from the corporate position.

Today's journalists are a little more frugal -- but just as concerned about public perceptions.

Doug Grow is at dgrow@startribune.com

I hear they will be serving Kool-Aid...

I am disgusted at the intolerance displayed at this website. As gay people, shouldn't we above almost all others understand the idiocy of intolerance toward those whose beliefs or lifestyles differ from our own? Christians aren't bad. Mean people are bad, whether they are Christians or gay ideologues.
I went to the Twin Cities Festival, just to see what was what, to take in some culture that was not my own, (remember that concept?) and I must say that I was impressed by the love and humanity I experienced there. I have to admit that I heard in advance that it was a Christian event, so I had some idea what to expect. (Frankly I think one would have had to live under a rock to miss the fact that this was a Christian event).
However, my pre-conceived idea and reality were not the same. I knew it would be a benign and benevolent crowd, because I live in the real world, not the hate-filled world that so many of our brothers and sisters sadly live in. It sometimes seems that we find love for each other only through the common bond of hatred for others who do not share our life-style or ideology. So sad.
What I witnessed at the festival was much more than benign and benevolent. What I saw was 100,000 people, smiling, sober, having fun, and treating each other with love and kindness. There was no hate there that I could see or feel. No fighting, no intolerance, no outward displays of impatience or frustration. Just love.
I have never been religious, but I must say that I have never experienced the feelings of love and acceptance that I experienced at this event. If this event was even a shadow of what they call a relationship with Jesus Christ, then I can see why they find their faith valuable. Luis Palau was magnificent; articulate, kind, convincing, non-judgmental, loving, and spreading a message of love.
I have never experienced this depth of love at any "gay" event I have ever attended. What I saw at the Twin Cities Festival were good people, loving each other, and worshipping their God. Are we as a united community going to say that our intolerance toward them is acceptable and justified, even though we have been the victims of intolerance? How dreadfully hypocritical!
We must grow out of our self pity people! It blinds us to acceptance of goodness that occurs outside our safe little hate-world. Just because others hate does not make it right for us to hate!
If we are to gain any legitimacy over and above the legitimacy offered to fringe groups of society, we must be open to understanding that groups of people are neither good or bad, unless those groups are filled with good or bad people. News flash: There are bad Christians, and there are bad homosexuals. Get over it, and you might find that there are many slices of life that you can participate in and enjoy, that you formerly excluded yourselves from. Why put oneself in a prison of ones own device? Why not understand reality?
The Christian community is not en masse out to get us. There are undoubtedly some who are, but from what I could tell, they were not at the Luis Palau Twin Cities Festival.

Andy, the responses to your rebuttal of my comments have proven my point. Hate, hate, hate, bitterness, self-pity, self-righteousness, and justifications for having a piss-poor attitude about life. It's always someone elses fault when we don't feel good about ourselves, is that it? After all, if the people posting such intolerance felt good about themselves, they would not feel the need to lash out at those who say things they don't want to hear.
I choose to live my life with pride AND be respectful of others beliefs, just as I would ask them to be respectful of mine. If someone is not respectful, that doesn't mean I turn my back on the whole world and reject everything but what my own comfort level prefers. It means I avoid those who treat me poorly, and go on living, being open to those who treat me with respect.
At least when Luis Palau says homosexuality is a sin, he is saying it from a standpoint of love, not hate. If he truly believes that we are going to hell unless we "repent" for being gay, how could his conscience allow him to do other than what he does? We may think he's ignorant, but in his mind he is trying to save us from self-imposed hell. In other words, we might not like what he says, but the evidence indicates that he says it out of love for all human beings.
That is so different from the narcissistic bile I see spewed from most of our brothers and sisters posting on this website, and, I'm sorry to say, from the gay community at large.
Is there anyone posting here condemning Luis Palau (and Christianity in general) who can honestly say that they are doing it because they have so much love in them for Christians, that they are simply welling up with passion, and compelled to condemn for the good of the Christian? I think not.
I think gays condemning Christianity are doing it out of self-pity. Boo-fucking-hoo, a Christian is trying to save me from a hell he believes in. How dare he love my soul enough to say what I don't want to hear!
There is a marked difference between hate-born condemnation, and love-born condemnation. Both hurt, but both also give an indication as to the motivations of the person doing the condemning. I see Luis Palau and his movement trying to reach everyone they can with love through a message we don't like, but that they believe in. I see us responding in a very, very unattractive way that makes us look ugly as a community, just at a time when some of us are trying so hard to show that we are just human beings like everyone else, and not to be feared.
Bottom line is, hatred and intolerance are what we've been working so hard to overcome. Shall we become that which we are against? Not me.

I don't see how you can say Andy's posts are full of hate hate hate and self pity. I don't think andy pities himself. He's merely reacting against the ideologies of anti-gay threads of christianity which say 1) there's something wrong with him for being gay and 2) that he needs to change. If he doesn't believe that there's something wrong with him and that he needs to change, then it's right of him to reject their 'love' because their 'love' is based on those premises. Telling a Christian to buzz off when they try and convert me in the street doesn't mean I wouldn't stop and help a beaten and bloody Christian if I found one in a ditch. I'm not telling the Christian to buzz off because I hate them or pity myself, I'm telling them to buzz off because their belief system is incongruous with mine. I wish they'd just live and let live. This whole 'we gotta save the unsaved' thing is kinda creepy.

I am not necessarily commenting on Andy's posts, although at times I take issue with his rhetoric and disrespectful tone on this subject. I am more commenting on the others who have posted. Take a moment to read the posts regarding this subject.

The posters sound more like petulant school children railing against an overprotecting but unappreciated parent than self-actualized adults doing their best to live and let live with those who differ, and deal with the realities at hand.

Let's live in the real world for starters. Our community is in the extreme minority, whether we like it or not, and as far as sexual preference goes, we always will be. Although we've made great strides, our community has historically been, and to this day still is, viewed with suspicion and disrespect by the majority. We don't like it, never have, and never will.

That being the case, we would be well served to behave in a way that would make people understand that we are just human beings, not society's underbelly. But instead, our community in general has taken a nose-dive into the rhetoric of intolerance and hate-speech, which will only serve to keep us right where we've always been; viewed with suspicion and disrespect. We perpetuate the circle of oppression.

I mis-spoke. What's this we business anyway. I don't do it, and most of the self-respecting homosexuals I know don't do it either. It's just the loudest, crassest, meanest people, who get all the attention, and perpetuate the stereotypes that keep us down. Until we act like self-respecting adults instead of self-righteous children, we are doomed to second-class citizenship.

Yes, what is this 'we' business? Stop grouping us all together--we're NOT all in this together. It's not simply sexual orientation that binds people together but also class, race, faith (or lack of), age, and what, exactly, we want out of life. Take the time to actually read Andy's posts--perhaps those you dismiss and mischaracterize as petulant school children just don't want to be assimilated into mainstream culture? Maybe what they rail against society because they seek an alternate vision for themselves, and they merely want the space in order to create that? Is it so wrong? Go off and love the Christians if you want and cultivate a relationship with Jesus Christ if it makes you feel better, but don't expect me to join in lock step with you or support you just because we both are gay. It's clear from your posts that there are WAAAAY too many differences between you and some of the people on here than could be compensated for by the commonality of sexuality.

You're right about one thing Jason. There is one real big difference between myself and at least most of the posters here. I am 66 years old. You know how I know that I am older, even though I don't know it? From the anger, hatred, intolerance, and poorly thought out pseudo-ideologies found here. Those unattractive qualities were never a hallmark of homosexuality when I was young. They were the hallmark of lost human beings, both gay and straight, and of course, still are. But now it seems that gays in the forefront; many of the ones you find in leadership positions, many of the ones you see at the rallies, many of the ones held up by the media as "mainstream" gays, most of the posters here on this site; are just plain angry, and have little else to offer, at least outwardly.

When I was a younger man, I had great hope that in my lifetime, homosexuals would become more than second-class citizens. I've worked toward that goal through personal responsibility and trying to be an example to those I came in contact with, both gay and straight. And now I am in the process of watching a younger generation squander the dreams and work of an older generation, and it makes me sad, and compels me to try to make at least a few people understand that anger, intolerance, and hate are a dead-end street.

I am a mature, self-actualized adult human being, who does not rely on any of the groups you mention for binding to society. I have always prefered thinking of myself as human being first. That is what binds me to my fellow human beings; my humanity. All those other categories are meaningless if one forgets one's humanity.

If one is a gay human being, but wallows in hatred and self-pity, then one loses one's humanity, and becomes only gay. Sure, you still have arms and legs and a body, but you relinquish your humanity when you succumb to self-absorbtion. Many gay people these days are just gay. They have nothing else to offer but their gayness. They have abandoned their humanity. To me, that is not living, it is death before death comes.

I am not dismissing people as petulant, I am pointing out untoward behavior by calling their behavior petulant. There is a difference. I also am not suggesting that they be assimilated. I am suggesting that they behave unselfishly, and that they understand that the implications of their actions are that they will lead an unsatisfying existence if anger against non-gayness is their main identifyable characteristic.

Would you agree that repeatedly engaging in any activity that has no chance of success whatsoever is a futile endeavor? Especially when that activity turns one bitter, angry, hateful, and intolerant? My point being that one can "rail against society" all they want. Society ain't going anywhere Jason. As I said in my last post, we will ALWAYS be in the extreme minority and NEVER be fully accepted as "the same" in the eyes of society. Those being the given set of circumstances, one has a choice to make; Happiness or anger. Love or hatred. Tolerance or intolerance. One cannot take on anger, hatred and intolerance as their main identity and remain mentally healthy.

So many young gay people have locked themselves in a prison of anger, and any hope of true joy is sucked out of their life. Rather than construct a life in which they demonstrate their humanity through words and actions, they become only angry, hateful, and gay. They love only gayness, and reject out of hand anything not gay, or that doesn't embrace gayness. That makes me sad, because life can be about so very much more!

One does not create their own space for an alternate vision by alienating the world and commiserating with the like-minded. When your identity becomes "railing against" something as formidable as society, all you succeed in creating is a shell of a body housing a bitter soul that is doomed to forever seek but not find. Yes, I think that is "so wrong".

"Go off and love the Christians"? "There are Waaaaay to many differences between me and some of the people on here"? Are you shooing me away Jason? Don't like what I have to say, so you push me away rather than respecting my views? How immature and unattractive! That is exactly what I have been talking about. Why reject because one has felt rejected? When the subject becomes uncomfortable, why isolate rather than engage? Wake up man!

When your arguments start to consist entirely of repetitious assertions of how bitter and angry we are, people will start to suspect that you actually have nothing to say. It's so unattractive.

Yet Jason, you fail to address even one of the assertions I make. Do you really suspect that I have nothing to say Jason? Are you really that pitifully shallow?

I don't want to get into a bashing war with you. If you have answers to my assertions, lets hear them. I, unlike you, am always open to hearing the ideas of others. When I don't agree with them, I challenge them, and explain why I don't agree. I don't just shut down the debate by calling names and accusing thoughtful people of having nothing to say.

Am I perhaps hitting too close to home with you?

Wait, what were your assertions? And what are assertions?... "Something declared or stated positively, often with no support or attempt at proof."

The problem I'm seeing recently relating to gay issues is that there isn't an effort made to support or prove ones statements. Hence, why you make assertions rather than points.

Andy's post was an objective argument made towards this event.

I'm trying to understand where you're coming from on this... but when I read your posts I can only think of talking to people in my home town who've been around for a few generations in the gay community. They fought for what they wanted 30 years ago, are comfortable with what they have and don't want to ruffle anyone's feathers anymore for fear of losing what they have.

It seems you make the generalization that anyone who speaks out against something is "full of hate, hate, hate." (Or bitter, angry, jaded, unamerican, "needs to get laid"... what-have-you.)

If you have points you'd like to make I'd be willing to counter (or possibly agree) with them, as I'm sure jason would too.

But don't make assertions.

OK Naythan, here are some small samples of the drivel of which I speak. I just ran through these postings quickly and grabbed a few immature, spiteful comments. The true snide and guttural tone of these words is more apparent when one reads them in the full context of the entire postings...

...Suspiciously like the "Summer Harvest Festival", bait n switch tactics, easily-deluded goobers, soothingly bland, it disgusted me, why this even is taking place AT THE STATE CAPITOL??, my suspicions were confirmed, unholy alliance, I hear they will be serving Kool-Aid, blah, blah, blah. Doug Grow even indirectly compares the Luis Palau Festival to "a rag tag bunch of white supremacists" with clear innuendo.

Am I the only one here that sees how this constant drone of negativity and intolerance toward "non-gayness" harms our community? These postings only scratch the surface of the hatred that exists out there by gays towards traditional society, and you know it. Any of you who would feign ignorance of this fact are simply in denial because you can't admit personal ugliness! You would prefer to be self-righteous over being intellectually honest!

The gay community at large is being dragged down into the shithole of negativity, hate, and intolerance by this type of narcissistic display. How can we possibly ever become a legitimate player in society if our community is so utterly mired in immature bashing of the majority? In fighting the battle to be loved and accepted, we are becoming like those who have made us feel unloved and unaccepted. And in the process, we are working directly AGAINST our objectives, not toward them!

Some will undoubtedly say "I am not fighting to be accepted. I don't need straight approval." Those people would be liars. Everyone needs to feel accepted. But when one seeks and gains their acceptance from identifying with one group, and that group becomes mired in hate and intolerance, one is doomed to an unfulfilling life at best, a pitiful existence at worst.

Let's grow up people. Let's act like self-responsible adults, and try to understand and work with others who do not share our lifestyle and/or sexual preference. We are steadily and surely isolating ourselves from the world at large through belligerence, immaturity, intolerance, and yes, even hate.

grandpa's off his meds again...

See what I mean? It is so easy when one feels threatened by truth that hurts to just lash out with mean-spiritedness. Grandpa off his meds??? In what way does that address any of the issues I bring forth other than to prove that exactly what I've said is true beyond doubt? Punk. I assume by grandpa you mean I am old. Old enough to know better and be wiser than you apparently.

Andy's comments were related to a specific "festival" that you apparently attended. I'd like to know, did these people know you were gay? Did you show up with your partner and hold hands with him when you walked around the festival? Did anyone have any inkling of an idea you were a homo infiltrating their turf?

These "loving" people are the same ones that stand up and say much more hurtful, hateful things about us as a gay community than we could ever say about them.

Yes, I know there's a line somewhere. Not all christians hate homos, but the good christians rarely speak up when the minorty stands up and bashes us.

I think our community does a great effort of tackling our issues in a positive manner. Pride itself is full of love and a coming together of our community from all the different subcultures that exist within it.

What you seem to be doing is taking one persons opinion of a particular event, and spinning it around and applying it to the young gay community, and there is where I think you're mislead.

Andy's post wasn't full of hate as you'd like to think.

"...Suspiciously like the "Summer Harvest Festival", bait n switch tactics, easily-deluded goobers, soothingly bland, it disgusted me, why this even is taking place AT THE STATE CAPITOL??"

Not all opinions may have "nice" things to say, but so what, this is a personal opinion, not everyone likes everything. He wasn't attacking christians or anyone in particular. He was addressing the pretenses in which this Festival was marketed, and I agree, not all of their marketing efforts made it clear it was a primarily christian event.

"my suspicions were confirmed, unholy alliance, I hear they will be serving Kool-Aid, blah, blah, blah."

Hateful? No, how could it be? A possibly "risque" cultural reference? I got it, and chuckled. But hateful? No.

"Doug Grow even indirectly compares the Luis Palau Festival to "a rag tag bunch of white supremacists" with clear innuendo."

Maybe you're over at the Star Tribune Talk boards ripping on Doug Grow and his obviously hateful attitude. Did you even read the Doug Grow article to gain context to Andy's statements, or find out why someone else was not happy with this certain festival?

I've heard hateful things, they come from people who identify as christian. Does this mean all christians are hateful? No. Even if one could conclude that Andy was full of hate, hate, hate... does that make all homosexuals hateful? No.

Like I said before, the vibe I get from you is the "shhhh, don't say anything that could piss someone off, because then we won't get our partnered Blue-Health Insurance at the married rate." or "If we let the drag queens be seen by the hotel staff they'll never let us perform at the Comfort Inn again."

Just out of curiosity though, in what ways are you involved in the gay community right now? (In terms of activism.)

meh, i didn't realize you switched from quoting Andy to 42...

not that it changes my post too much...

I don't know how many people knew or cared that I was gay or not. I attended the festival with a female friend and my brother, neither of whom I am compelled to hold hands with.

But you know what Naythan? I knew this was a Christian festival and I just wanted to see what it would be like with 100,000 people all in one place for one reason. Knowing this, even if I had a lover (he died 7 years ago) I would not have overtly displayed my sexuality at this event. My respect for other human beings would have prevented it.

You see, I don't feel it is my job or my duty to rile straight people up and ruffle their feathers. It stands to reason that a mass of Christian humanity would be upset and offended at overt displays of homosexuality. Yes, I know, heterosexual couples get to hold hands, why should I not be able to, blah, blah, blah, boo-hoo. It's not that I am unable, it's that I would choose to respect the wishes of straight people, and in this case, Christian straight people, to not expose their children to homosexuality against their wishes. Because it is my legal right to hold hands with whomever I choose does not make it right in any situation.

The nasty little secret that we all know is that being homosexual is an extra burden on ones life that would not be there if we were straight. This is why parents fear their children being gay. It's not a blind reaction when parents wish to shelter their kids from homosexuality. They know that their kid could end up being gay, and it worries them sick, because every parent wants a life for their children that is full of all the possible opportunities they dream of, and if their kid ends up gay, the fear is that those opportunities will be diminished. This is a legitimate fear.

So why would I go to a Christian event and display that I am gay, unless my whole reason for going was to make Christian parents fear homosexuals? To push buttons? To show that I can and will? Out of respect and propriety, I would choose to be just a man, and keep my sexuality out of the equation.

Personally, I think that the sexualization of children is just plain wrong from any angle. I think that normal affection between parents is healthy for kids to witness. But overt sexuality, or displays of sexuality that put children at risk of exposure to something their parents would rather they not be exposed to is just plain disrespectful to both parents and children.

And what do loving Christians say that is hateful? If you dislike them saying that being gay is a damnable sin, I've said that they are just trying to save someone from a hell they believe in. To do anything else would be unloving in their eyes. Read my first post on this topic to see more of my thoughts on this.

I don't think good Christians hate homos, I think they don't understand us, and that can breed fear, which I stated before, I believe is a legitimate fear. A parents wish is that their kid turns out "normal". Anything else would be a hardship for their child, which no parent wishes upon their own child.

Our community does almost nothing in a positive manner. It does things that make gay people feel good about themselves and each other, but that also further isolate us from society, and serve to drive a wedge between homosexuals and heterosexuals.

Pride is all about making each other feel good about the fact that we are gay, and displaying it in public for the discomfort of heterosexuals. Pride is the antithesis of the sense of propriety I spoke of earlier. It is as overt of a display of sexuality in public. The point is, sexuality is nothing to rally around. It is just a fact of life. I don't need anyone to make me feel good about being gay. It is just who I am. Whether some other gay person pats me on the back or not, I am still gay. I don't need to feel community with gays in particular, because I feel community with humanity in general.

You may not want to see it Naythan, but Christians were being attacked in those postings, in mean and spiteful ways. One must take care to not let themselves be blinded to negativity just because it melds with their ideology.

I did read the whole Doug Grow article, and his bent was clear. His agenda was to deflect the anger of intolerant anti-Christians away from the Red-Star Tribune, and heap blame onto the shoulders of the Luis Palau event, and those who attended it.

Let me ask you something. The criticism of the marketing of the Palau event has me puzzled. Why is it a necessary encumberance on the marketers to advertise that this is a Christian event on their roadside signs? Why is it viewed as tricky and deceptive that it was not there? Like I said in an earlier posting, a little digging, and there was absolutely no hiding that this was a Christian event. Do all events advertise all aspects of the event, or are they marketed to as broad a target audience as possible, in order to maximize the turnout?

When my nephews buy tickets to a Slayer concert at the Excel, is it advertised as a satanic event? Or is it just assumed that for anyone who would attend this event, it would be known, and for others, they would just show up and find out when they got there? Do you cry and whine when Slayer comes to town? Or is it off your radar because your agenda is predisposed to be suspicious of Christianity, but not suspicious of satanism?

What I am trying to say here is that the Palau event was just marketed as an event. Anyone who wanted more information could easily find it. If one did not seek it, whose fault is that? It need not be assumed that there was trickery or craftiness involved in the marketing. It may be assumed that the event needed X amount of attendees to be financially viable, and that marketing people determined that they needed to advertise non-specifically, and then make detailed information readily available to those who would seek it. The same logic applies to Slayer. Except that Slayer will never overtly admit they are satanic. Palau never hid the nature of this event. You see, intellectual honesty and ideology do not always mesh.

The vibe that you should get from me is not that I'm afraid of upsetting the apple cart for fear of personal persecution. I've been persecuted in the past, and I've also done some persecuting. I've learned, and I suspect you'll learn some day, that poeple are first and foremost, just people. When you start dividing people up into groups that are pitted against each other, all groups involved come out losers. The only way to succeed in life and lead a happy existence is to look for commonalities, and ways to build on them. Seeking out and exploiting differences leads to division, and thwarted goals. Seeking out and exploiting commonalities leads to togetherness, and human potential being striven for and reached.

The negativity posted on this website would fall in the "seeking out and exploiting differences" category. It saddens me that this logic, which is so apparent to me, is just seemingly lost on you guys. I've done my best to articulate my views.

I don't involve myself much in the gay community in any activist ways any more. I have grown disgusted with the "us against them" mentality that is the hallmark of these organizations nowadays. I choose to work with charities that feed the poor, and reach out to lost or drug-addicted folks. You see, I work for the benefit of humanity; gay or straight, white or black, old, young, what have you. If everyone would see it my way, we would have no divisions like we experience today.