American Family Association accuses Pride Parade of exploiting 10-year-old boy | Opinion
Banner, Opinion — By Christopher Spencer on June 24, 2010 at 3:51 pm
Some on Facebook are adopting this as their profile picture in support of the parade
The American Family Association, a nonprofit that promotes conservative Christian values, launched an e-mail campaign recently to halt Mayor Lioneld Jordan’s proclamation of support for the NWA Pride Parade scheduled at 10 a.m. Saturday.
Ward 2 Alderman Matthew Petty said Wednesday in a comment on the Fayetteville Flyer he has received as many as 500 e-mails so far calling that the city drop its support.
The association asks people through an automated e-mail system to express their shock and offense that the city would endorse a parade where the LBGTQ community “will parade their deviant lifestyle on the streets of the city.
“It’s even more abhorrent that the city is supporting it, knowing very well that the organizers of this event are exploiting children to push their radical sexualizing event.”
The child in question is Will Phillips, a West Fork boy who earned some national attention last year for refusing to say the Pledge of Allegiance because he felt the words “liberty and justice for all” was not applied equally.
Phillips will be grand marshal of the parade and that has those writing e-mails especially upset.
Jordan told Northwest Arkansas Newspapers that his position is unchanged despite the e-mails. He will issue a proclamation of support.
The parade is sponsored by NWA Pride as part of the All OUT June event, a month-long series of activities dedicated to celebrate inclusiveness in Fayetteville. The event received $4,000 recently from the Fayetteville Advertising and Promotion Commission. The commission is supported by a tax levied on food and lodging within the city.
Jon Cox, a board member of the NWA Center for Equality, knows the Phillips family and recently wrote on his blog about the controversy.
“This whole week has just been going crazy. Lots of mudslinging. Thankfully, they’re mostly all groups far away, and we’ve got tremendous local support. This year’s Parade promises to be bigger than ever, and it’s all because people are willing to stand up. We’re getting stronger, and they’re getting scared,” Cox wrote in his post.
The center also provides information on contacting city leaders.
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17 Comments
As a point of clarification, the parade and its organizer, NWA Pride, did not receive any A&P funding. All OUT June, a program of the NWA Center for Equality to promote an entire month of LGBT pride events and activities sponsored by a number of local organizations, received the grant.
Thanks for clarifying that point, Anthony.
So my understanding from the application to the A&P is that while All OUT June is a NWA Center for Equality event, NWA Pride – a separate group – is the parade organizer.
Is that correct?
Yes, Christopher, that is correct. They are separate groups.
Excellent. That was my understanding, but it’s good to get that additional clarity. Thanks, Tom.
Can’t wait for the parade. AFA’s narrow views has only poked the beehive here… now those of us who might have just passed this off will show up to demonstrate their support of equal rights and diversity.
I don’t like hypochristians.
All of this splitting hairs regarding which organization is behind the parade is glazing my eyes over.
The point is, All Out June advertises the pride parade on its website. There’s a general feeling in the gay population — and population at large — that they are all one in the same.
Skip-
As a reporter- you should understand that facts are what is important. Your job is to present the facts. Your eyes glazing over only tells me that you would prefer to muddle the facts for the sake of sensationalism or at the very worst you have no respect for your profession and facts are just nuisances you are willing to overlook. AOJ/CoE received the A&P money- not NWA Pride. Regardless that some people in our area feel that they are all one- they are not.
AOJ posted the pride parade because it is relative to what they are doing for the month of June and as a courtesy to the NWA Pride.
Sara:
I have great respect for the facts, which my stories on these events and topics represented.
Hopefully, they were not muddled… Or sensationalised.
Sara, even reporters are people outside of their profession and have a right to a opinion even if you don’t agree with them. Lighten up.
Sara says “The public doesn’t understand things correctly and the paper isn’t helping.”
Skip says “The public understands things a certain way and that’s how we’re going to report them.”
And that’s why we read blogs. Because the paper isn’t interested in educating the populace, just making a profit off of it.
For clarification, NWA Pride did not receive any funds from tax dollars. NWA Pride is privately funded.
NWA Pride is fearful for The City of Fayetteville’s support. The same support they give any other parade or event. Like the Tea Party event.
We are also grateful for the Mayor ang the city for standing up to hate and supporting equality for all.
@dude what – Given the salaries of most employees who report the news at newspapers I can assure you their main concern is not making a profit but rather educating the public. I suggest you go befriend some folks who work on the front lines at the local newspapers and see just how high off the hog they aren’t living. I get so tired of hearing people piss and moan about how awful the newspapers are and how useless they are when nothing could further from the truth. So dude what back at ya, dude.
And since I’m cranky, it also continues to be tiring to see the number of people pissing and moaning on blogs under the guise of lame screen nicks. Yep, I said it and I am not taking it back.
AOJ promoted the parade, as did NWA Pride, along with others, promoted AOJ. NWA Prid along with thos others did not receive A & P Funds.
Stating the readers think NWA Pride received money from the A & P fund to put on the parade, so that is what was reported is, well , laszy. I have stated from when I was first asked, that NWA Pride was a sperate organization and did not receive funds from A & P or public funding period.
Still, over and over, I heard that. The Tea Party showed up to the parade to protest because they thouhgt A & P funds were being used for a Pride Parade.
Since NWA Pride advertised other organizations and companies, NWA Pride must own them, under the logic being used in the article. “Show me the money!”
@Morgan – I couldn’t care less what you think and I’ll call it like I see it. Our newspaper does a lazy job of reporting and researching. Their intentions are irrelevant.
@dude-what – Right, their intentions are irrelevant. Now pardon me if I cut and paste a moment……”And that’s why we read blogs. Because the paper isn’t interested in educating the populace, just making a profit off of it.” Seems the whole point of your post was the newspaper’s intentions. Or perhaps that was just lazy on your part and you, in fact, had a different point but just couldn’t bother to make it.
Administrator’s note: Comment removed per violation of the comments policy
@dude
I don’t assume but rather take people at their word. Even though you keep going back and forth and can’t settle on a point, I will still take you at your words. Now you are saying you mean the bosses and not the writers. Who do you suppose does the reporting and research? Do you really think it’s the people who manage the newspaper or do you rather suppose it’s….say maybe the writers?
As far as your comment about the Special Olympics and those participants’ handicaps? I’ll set aside the fact you’ve now had to resort to adhominem attacks and just go with the comment shows a serious lacking in empathy, kindness and general all around nice person. You’ve clearly exposed your character and intelligence, or lack thereof, far better than any comment I could make. Good job you!