Box Turtle Bulletin
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobby“Now you must raise your children up in a world where that union of man and box turtle is on the same legal footing as man and wife…”
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobbyJuly 29th, 2010
Today the National Organization for Marriage held a rally at Granite City Baptist Church in St. Cloud. This is the same church which paid for an ad in a local paper claiming that The Moslems were a threat to America and were trying to “take control” by “supporting the gay agenda.”
According to the Trial Tracker (thanks guys for being the most reliable source of info about NOM’s Tour of Mostly-Empty City Plazas (and church lawns)):
Today, 73 NOM supporters gathered on a lawn in front of Granite City Church.
There is no report as to whether The Moslems tried to infiltrate the rally, but one NOM supporter made an unintentional statement when they brought their rainbow umbrella.
A handful of protesters stayed on the sidewalk about 250 feet away to maintain a presence, but the main equality event was across town in a park by the university where 89 folks showed up to support marriage for all.
Phyllis told me a community organizer, Justin Michael, spoke to the crowd largely composed of students from St. Cloud State University, the second largest in the state (the rally is being held in Barden Park, next to the University). There’s a lesson here: St. Cloud is part of Rep. Michele Bachmann’s district, a virulent opponent of equality (and many other progressive issues). But this goes to show again that even in the reddest bastions of homophobia, we can find the future in younger supporters of equality like the students from St. Cloud State. We cannot write off areas of the country that may seem more conservative by their representation or character.
The “reddest bastions” comment refers to the fact that St. Cloud is represented by Michele Bachmann, a congresswoman obsessed with opposing civil equality for gay people (on religious grounds). Here are just a couple of her doozies:
If you’re involved in the gay and lesbian lifestyle, it’s bondage. It is personal bondage, personal despair and personal enslavement.
and
It’s part of Satan I think to say that this is “gay.” It’s anything but gay.
The speakers today seemed to be the same formula: Brian Brown, Catholic Priest, local “family” activist, Baptist Pastor, black person. However Michele Bachmann was not among the speakers on the church lawn. I’m not sure about Satan.
UPDATE: NOM’s Louis Marinelli has blogged about the St. Cloud event. The man is truly delusional.
Like I mentioned, we had at least two hundred attendees today and the best part is that they were an active crowd. You could sense that they were engaged and excited to be there and I know that when they left our rally today they were going to go home and spread the word.
At least two hundred? I guess that doubling the crowd hasn’t been impressive so now NOM is just taking the actual turnout and multiplying by three. Here’s the accompanying photo that Louis provides of the audience.
There are 61 people in this photo, including children.
As for the protesters, there were enough to count on one hand and they stayed closer to the street, held and few signs and kept to themselves. They weren’t an issue.
Yup, because the bulk of theme (outnumbering NOM’s crowd) were across town, in my opinion a wise move.
Although Bachmann didn’t make an appearance, State Representative Steve Gottwalt (District 15A) did show up. Still no word on either Bishop Battle or Satan.
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Rebecca
July 29th, 2010
If you’re involved in the gay and lesbian lifestyle, it’s bondage.
Well, only if you like that sort of thing…
bearchewtoy75
July 29th, 2010
I really thought that they would get the best turnout at a CHURCH!
Oh, poor NOM NOM NOM.
Timothy Kincaid
July 29th, 2010
bearchewtoy,
Well, Brian Brown is back doing the “estimating” so they may yet have the “best turnout”
Lindoro Almaviva
July 29th, 2010
Well, that is their biggest crowd yet; at least in the Midwest, if not on the whole tour.
On their way to the hundreds of thousands, by my count, they should reach that count sometime in 2045-2050.
Robert
July 29th, 2010
Michelle Bachmann is correct. Satan is gay. He’s horny and flaming!
Sam
July 30th, 2010
I think Louis has slipped back a few too many before the rally. He must have been seeing double at that time.
I saw his beer belly in the photos that were taken at the Madison rally so I know he drinks. I mean, who wouldn’t drink if they were working for NOM, right?
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