Association Blasts Mayor’s Support Of Gay Pride Parade

By Skip Descant

Posted: June 25, 2010 at 5:15 a.m.

The American Family Association denounced Fayetteville's Pride Parade in a press release yesterday. Mayor Lioneld Jordan and the city council has received hundreds of e-mails from the group's supporters asking the mayor to drop his proclamation.

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FAYETTEVILLE — Strong words from an evangelical Christian advocacy group are not enough to temper Mayor Lioneld Jordan’s support for a gay pride parade set to roll Saturday in Fayetteville.

The American Family Association, based in Tupelo, Miss., denounced Jordan’s endorsement of the parade and the gay rights message it represents. The group also wanted the parade’s permit revoked, said Don Marr, Jordan’s chief of staff.

“We call on Mayor Lioneld Jordan of Fayetteville to cancel his plans to issue a proclamation celebrating homosexual behavior and Gay Pride,” wrote Tim Wildmon, association president, in a statement. “There is nothing about homosexual conduct to be proud of, and much to be ashamed of.”

Jordan said he has no plans to alter his endorsement of the gay pride event.

Association supporters bombarded the mayor’s office with several hundred e-mails Wednesday afternoon, city officials confirmed. Many did not seem to be from Fayetteville residents, they said.

“Even if I get 1,000 letters,” Jordan said, “my decision is made.”

Jordan earlier said as long as he held the office of mayor, he planned to represent all of Fayetteville.

Kyle Cook, an alderman from Ward 2, in central Fayetteville where the parade will take place, said he stands behind the free speech the parade and its opposition represents.

“The American Family Association has a right to their comments, and the gay pride folks have a right to their parade,” said Cook.

Bobby Ferrell of Ward 3 in northeast Fayetteville, limited his comments to, “The mayor has taken his position, and that’s his prerogative.” Ferrell would not say whether he endorsed the gay pride parade.

“The mayor, I’m sure, is making the right decision,” said Shirley Lucas, an alderwoman from Ward 4 covering west Fayetteville. She said she’d received only one call about the parade, and the caller favored it. “It’s fine with me. I agree with the mayor.”

The association also took issue with the parade organizers’ decision to have Will Phillips, a 10-year-old West Fork boy, serve as grand marshal in the parade. In October, Phillips gained national attention when he declined to stand in his classroom for the Pledge of Allegiance. He said he would continue to do so until everyone in the United States is treated equally.

The association likened the boy’s role to child abuse, according to the statement.

“He’s obviously just parroting the nonsense he’s been told by manipulative adults,” Wildmon added.

Bryan Fischer, issues analyst for the association, said gay rights are complex issues that involve marriage, adoption and, not the least of which, sexuality. Children are generally not equipped to make decisions on these topics, he said.

“We just feel that the 10-year-old boy is being exploited for political purposes,” Fischer said Thursday. “This boy’s too young to understand all of that. He’s been brainwashed and indoctrinated for this dark political purpose.”

Jay Phillips, the boy’s father, said the parade is an event his family has always participated in, and the parade’s overarching message of equality and respect is universal, regardless of age.

“Even if Will wasn’t being honored in this manner, by people we’ve known for years I might add, we would be in this parade as we will be in next year’s,” Phillips said.

Phillips also took issue with the associationa’s tactics.

“The AFA is a national group who has slandered our community, my family, and has tried to bully our locally elected leaders, and I am disappointed to see them attempt to use my son to further their interests,” he said. “They don’t know the town, they don’t know the people, they don’t even know my son’s name.”

Will Phillips was misidentified in the association’s news release as Will Marshall.

“There were just three calls that came from people in Fayetteville against it (the pride parade), said Lindsley Smith, city communication director. “Most Fayetteville calls have been in favor of it, and all of the other calls are from people outside of Fayetteville, including out of state.”

Smith said the city did not plan to dedicate staff time to an analysis of where each e-mail came from.

The NWA Pride Parade is organized by a private group that does not receive public money. The Fayetteville Advertising and Promotion Commission gave the NWA Center for Equality — a registered nonprofit group — $4,000 to promote and advertise gay pride events this month. The parade does not fall under that organization’s purview; the promoted events included the parade.

A member of the NWA Center for Equality said the controversy is disappointing but not entirely unexpected.

“Things are expected. I was a little shocked when I found out about it,” said James Rector. However, he was comforted the opposition is not necessarily coming from Fayetteville.

“I think that the values of Fayetteville, for the most part, are open to diversity,” Rector said.

“Equality shouldn’t be controversial,” said Smith, who is also a Democratic state representative for Arkansas House District 92, which includes Fayetteville. Smith has been a constant advocate for gay and women’s rights issues.

Comments

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I'd encourage folks who are concerned about this event to just go watch it before judging. Having lived in larger cities that have similar parades/festivals, I think this is a lot of hoopla about nothing by people who are imagining images in their head of people and conduct that they will NOT see on Saturday.

Posted by: JayTee

June 25, 2010 at 10:14 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Being the fundalmentalist association that they are, I find it laughable for the AFA to condem the practice of indoctrination. The dogma used to justify their phobic outlook requires indoctrination to exist. Good going Mayor Jordan.

Posted by: Monoped

June 25, 2010 at 10:28 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

That's all the AEA is trying to do is indoctrinate everyone to their way of thinking, evern among all those kind of groups, they can not agree......thanks Mayor Jordan. keep up the great work

Posted by: AlvinL

June 25, 2010 at 6:53 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

from the current posted comments i can understand why fayettevillr is referred to as " FUDVILLE " AND KNOWN AS THE san francisco of NORTHWEST ARKANSAS.

Posted by: maxxey

June 25, 2010 at 8:44 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

That's cool, maxxey. What a great compliment.

Posted by: Dexter

June 26, 2010 at 6:37 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

It's Mayor Jordan's right to endorse the parade PERSONALLY. For him to endorse it ON BEHALF of the City of Fayetteville is wrong. I certainly hope most of Fayetteville's residents still hold deep convictions that to endorse ANY sort of sexual pride rally or parade sets the wrong moral tone for the City's visitors and children.

My planned shopping excursion with my mother and friends to Fayetteville today has been cancelled. We'll head to the Promenade in Rogers instead.

Posted by: MCS0719

June 26, 2010 at 7:52 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

JayTee, you and most others are completely missing the point here. This has nothing to do with "pride" or equality. It has everything to do with a minority group intentionally stirring up controversy and forcing their viewpoints and behavior upon others, including children and tourists. I applaud Mr. Ferrell for keeping his personal beliefs to himself. As elected officials, the Mayor and Council are to look after the interests of the City of Fayetteville, NOT to cater to any certain group.

I dare say that if this were a "Heterosexual Pride" Parade, or a Bible School parade, the Mayor and all you people supporting today's display would be screaming from the rooftops declaring such an event homophobic, prejudiced, religiously intolerant, or illegal. The Mayor would most likely deny a required permit for any such event. It is without fail the most intolerant of people who demand 'tolerance' from the rest of us.

Posted by: MCS0719

June 26, 2010 at 8:23 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

MCS0719 it will be nice when you GROW up. You like the AEA and others of such like, don't get it. everyone should be equal. but we all know that does not happen, to many biggoted, narrow minded people like you that can not see 2 inches from their noses. It is a shame, it reallly is. Why don't you pack up and, well, go somewhere else clear out of this country if you don't like it. We all should be equal. but until the narrow minded biggots either change, or move somewhere else, equality will not happen.

Posted by: AlvinL

June 26, 2010 at 1:55 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

AlvinL, I am a champion for equality in all nations for all people. However, catering to one particular group, whether it be ethnic, religious or sexual, does nothing to further equality, it in fact has the opposite effect. For the City to use taxpayer dollars to give preferential treatment to any group based solely on their minority status is not at all equal. Perhaps some research on the meaning of equality and bigotry would serve you well.

Posted by: MCS0719

June 26, 2010 at 3:42 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

MCS has owned this thread. Without even trying to enflame he's exposed the true arrogance of those with the inferiority complex.

Posted by: Wildturkey

June 27, 2010 at 1:26 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Wildturkey--

You're absolutely right-- if you're referring to MCS0719's arrogance and inferiority complex.

Posted by: alpha_cat

June 27, 2010 at 4:08 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

All he did was state a strong reason for why the taxpayer revenue should not pick any sexually based cause to spend it's dough.

I appreciate your being here though. It's shown that lack of rationality many in the Pride community have and what they think of others that don't hold there hand and blow in their ear.

Posted by: Wildturkey

June 27, 2010 at 10:01 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Wildturkey--

Here, then, is a stronger argument than MCS0719 provided. It was posted in the other thread that you're not reading very carefully, so I'm not surprised you missed it:

The A&P funds come from the Hotel, Motel and Restaurant tax in Fayetteville. That money comes from your wallet only if you voluntarily go out to eat in Fayetteville or stay in a hotel or motel there.

All OUT June received $4,000, or about 1.2 percent of the $332,850 awarded for 2010. Since it is certain that this award was more than covered by the dining out and hotel stays of families with gay members, gay families, and people who don't worry about who sticks what where, there is no reason to be concerned that the money was not spent in a manner that is satisfactory to those who provided it.

The Pride Parade was one activity out of a month of activities. The small investment of A&P funds was greatly magnified by corporate sponsorships and the hard work of a group of dedicated volunteers. I provided some of the money myself, and I'm pleased with the expenditure and the results.

Posted by: alpha_cat

June 27, 2010 at 11:39 a.m.

Religious and ethnic groups hold parades all the time, and get actual government support (with nonvoluntary tax dollars, no less) for them. Once again, MCS0719 is wrong-- as are you.

I take it that you're not in the Pride community, so you must be in the Shame community-- and rightly so. But take heart. Perhaps your group can get it together to apply for A&P funding next year.

Posted by: alpha_cat

June 27, 2010 at 11:58 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

$1 is too much for any parade or activity that publicizes any sexually based cause.

Note the word 'any'.

Same goes for religion as well.

It's not the gov't place to promote either of those type of activities.

If you want to have those type of events, they power to you. But the usage of a single tax dollar is wrong.

Posted by: Wildturkey

June 28, 2010 at 3:38 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

Why?

Posted by: alpha_cat

June 28, 2010 at 4:36 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

The mayor should 'represent all of Fayetteville."

Posted by: TedWebber

July 1, 2010 at midnight ( permalink | suggest removal )

I personally have no objection to gay people having a parade, If that's your thing then go for it.
What I do have a problem with is allowing a 10 year old child to be exploited by the gays by allowing him to be the Grand Marshal of the parade.
If I were a citizen of Fayetville I would be livid that the good Mayor should endorse and promote such exploitation.
The good people of Fayetville need to keep this in mind when election time rolls around.
Mr Mayor, shame shame on you.

Posted by: NoThanks

July 1, 2010 at 11:21 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )

NoThanks--

How exactly was Will Phillips exploited? He had taken a consistent and widely-noted stand on the matter of lip-service to equality. He has been interviewed on television news and talk shows, and received awards for his position.

The Pride Parade was an expression of the desire for equality, which is why Will Phillips is famous. Will's cause celebre made him a completely relevant and appropriate grand marshal. He had a good time, and was an articulate speaker. The parade was more tame than most Mardi Gras and Carnaval parades (notable religious observances) in terms of sexuality.

The only exploitation here is your mention of NAMBLA. Your attempt to exploit Will Phillips in order to score points with the ignorant is as heinous as any exploitation you allege on the part of All OUT June.

Posted by: alpha_cat

July 1, 2010 at 2:27 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )