Protest Religious Right Rally, Similar Rally Speaker Says "We call them Faggots"

Anti-gay leaders from Focus on the Family, Family Research Council, and a former head of the Christian Coalition will be in town next week to provide "grassroots tools" to "values voters" in order to "influence their own communities and their state.” At similar rallies around the country, the anti-gay rhetoric has reached a breaking point where the line between meaningful debate of a controversial issue and outright bigotry and hate has been crossed. OutFront Minnesota is responding with a peaceful demonstration Tuesday evening:

OutFront Minnesota is leading a demonstration at an event co-sponsored by Focus on the Family Action and Family Research Council Action. Their rally (called 'Stand for the Family') is intended to mobilize so-called "values voters" this fall. These national groups target GLBT people and GLBT families to further their political goals by openly campaigning against homosexuality, same-sex marriage, its legal equivalent, and GLBT families. Our demonstration is to show that persecuting GLBT people is not the Minnesota way and that we stand for fairness, inclusion, and equality!

The details are:

Date: Tuesday, October 3rd
Location: Corner of 7th and Kellogg, in front of the Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul.
Time: 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

At a similar rally also headed by the Family Research Council last weekend, a speaker had these words of Christian kindness to share with the crowd:

Back in the days when I was a kid, and we see guys that don’t stand strong on principle, we call them “faggots.” … [People] that don’t stand up for what’s right, we say, “You’re sissified out!” “You’re a sissy!” That means you don’t stand up for principles.

Another speaker at the rally said this:

“the gay rights movement was inspired ‘from the pit of hell itself,’ and has a ’satanic anointment.’

These words are not meant to inspire meaningful debate on topics relating to the LGBT community and the Christian community. They are meant to inspire fear, distrust and violence against LGBT people.

It's important that people attending these conferences see a different side of gay and lesbian people than the one espoused by Christian leaders at these conferences. That's why OutFront's action is so important. If attendees can see us, in person, before they hear their leaders name-call and bear false witness, maybe we can change a mind or two.