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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, Jan. 12, 2001 CONTACT: Gary Glenn 517-835-7978 Between the Lines 248-615-7003 ext 32 |
| Pro Family Group Calls On "Gay" Newspaper to Apologize for Positive Portrayal of Violent Rhetoric Against Christians |
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MIDLAND -- The American Family Association of Michigan Friday invoked Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s philosophy of non-violence in urging a statewide gay and lesbian newsmagazine to apologize for positively portraying "hate speech" by a Ferndale homosexual activist who used violent rhetoric toward Christians, who he characterized as "vampires." "This weekend, as Michigan honors Dr. King's philosophy of Christian compassion and non-violence, we call on homosexual activists at Between the Lines to apologize for honoring instead an incident of hateful, discriminatory, and violent rhetoric last year against people of faith in the city of Ferndale," said AFA-Michigan President Gary Glenn. Glenn cited last week's "year in review" issue of Between the Lines, a Detroit-based gay and lesbian publication, which listed developments each month during the year 2000 regarding the homosexual issue. Featured as the February 2000 "Quote of the Month" was a statement by homosexual activist and Ferndale City Councilman Craig Covey, who said in response to Ferndale voters' rejection that month of a so-called "gay rights" ordinance: "This vote shows that the Christian Right is down but not out yet. We might have to drive another dagger into that vampire." (go to www.pridesource.com, click on Michigan News, then YEAR IN REVIEW, then February) Glenn last year characterized Covey's comment as "hate speech" and asked authorities to investigate whether it violated a state law banning threats of physical violence against individuals based on their religion. Officials concluded it did not. However, Glenn criticized Between the Lines for resurrecting and featuring the quote without condemning its violent and discriminatory content. "Under pressure, Craig Covey last year eventually apologized for calling Ferndale citizens who rejected his political agenda 'vampires' who needed another stake through their hearts," Glenn said. "We call on homosexual activists at Between the Lines to follow suit, by apologizing for featuring this violent rhetoric in a positive fashion, and then joining AFA-Michigan in condemning threats of violence against any and all citizens of Michigan." Glenn also called on publishers of the publication to join him in the year 2001 in warning individuals who engage in homosexual behavior of the drastic medical consequences of homosexual behavior. "In the tradition of his Christian faith, Dr. King would no doubt have admonished all people to 'love the sinner' while compassionately condemning -- if we truly love our neighbors -- self-destructive behavior that prematurely kills them if they choose to engage in it," Glenn said, citing an Oxford University study which projected that young men who engage in homosexual behavior will die from eight to 20 years younger than the male population at large and have only a 50% chance of living to age 65. [LINK] He also said individuals involved in homosexual behavior face a greater risk of domestic violence than do heterosexuals, according to researchers. "Finally, in the spirit of Dr. King's life's work to end racial discrimination, we urge the publishers of Between the Lines and other homosexual activists to rethink, and hopefully abandon, their pursuit of a political agenda that openly seeks to discriminate against -- if not drive a stake through -- a diverse population of Americans, from people of certain faiths to cherished community organizations such as the Boy Scouts," Glenn said. The growing coalition in Michigan in opposition to the homosexual political agenda includes "those who have inherited the authentic civil rights mantle of Dr. Martin Luther King," Glenn said, including King's niece, Alveda King-Tookes of Atlanta, who campaigned against a so-called "gay rights" ordinance in Ypsilanti in 1998, and African-American pastors Elder Ira Combs, Jr. of Jackson's Greater Bible Way Temple and Pastor John Williams of Grand Rapids' Central Baptist Church. Combs is working with AFA-Michigan to warn Jackson High School students about the dangers of homosexual behavior, while Williams leads an effort to amend Grand Rapids' city charter to prohibit the city from granting special "protected class" status to individuals who engage in such behavior. Glenn criticized Between the Lines for intentionally ridiculing Elder Combs in its Dec. 7th issue by publishing a photo of the African-American minister with his tongue sticking out, taken when Combs was apparently licking his lips during comments at a news conference regarding a homosexual student group at Jackson High School.[LINK] "Boastfully highlighting a threat to drive daggers into the hearts of Christian 'vampires' who oppose their political agenda, while intentionally ridiculing a respected African-American religious and community leader, is proof enough that homosexual activists at Between the Lines do not share the spirit of Dr. King being celebrated this weekend," Glenn said. # # # |
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