Here is what I found:

(1) With the execption on the organizers, the guys from “Exgay Watch”, some local gay affirming clergy and myself, very few people really KNEW or CARED much.

(2) Those who did know, definitely thought of the conference as a “Focus On the Family Event”.

(3) No one liked FOTF.

(4) Very few knew of EXODUS — except some who had “survived” an “ex-gay” group and some others who “knew someone who got really messed up by one”.

(5) “NARTH what?” No one knew or CARED what NARTH was. The word reminded some of “DARTH VADER” — the Star Wars villian.

(6) They were all going to be relieved when the circus left town. No one, except some Rally Speakers, used the word HATE. “STUPID” was the term I heard most often.

Overall, I got the feeling that most people who DID know werre irritated, but not angry, the FOTF roadshow had hit town. They seemed to have better things to do — like enjoying their lives, their families, their gay-friendly valley and all its natural beauty. Maybe, I should do the same.

Thanks for the invitation. My post is now up.

http://www.family.org/cforum/pdfs/fosi/marriage/Why_Not_Gay_Marriage.pdf appears to be the pamplet in question.

“Love Won Out media director Gary Schneeberger said the event was not aimed at influencing political decisions on gay marriage, domestic partner benefits or gay adoption. But in at least one of the conference sessions the speaker highlighted gay marriage ballot initiatives and told the audience arguments they could use against gay marriage advocates.”

“National same-sex marriage could also mean a very real threat to our religious freedom,” Bill Maier, a Focus on the Family vice president, told the group.

“Protesters started gathering on Fred Waring Drive outside Southwest Community Church about 7:30 a.m. Saturday to make a peaceful statement against the Love Won Out conference sponsored by Focus on the Family. Being careful to stay on the sidewalk and off of private property, they marched and carried signs. A group on the corner waved and yelled, “Good morning!” to cars driving into the church.

“It’s not about shouting slogans,” said Pam Erwin of Palm Springs, who held a sign that read, “I reconciled my faith and sexuality.”
“Whatever your religious belief, there’s no room for hate,” she said.

Michael Bussee of Riverside said he was one of the founders of event organizer, EXODUS International, and used to believe that it was possible to change homosexual behavior, until he fell in love with a man in EXODUS.

Bussee said he doesn’t think organizations like EXODUS are hate organizations. “I just believe that the message that they send … reinforces cultural attitudes that being a homosexual is bad and that any decent person would want to change.”

One organizer told me she planned to announce to the crowd that I was “going to be on the grounds all day if anyone had any questions about the “Ex-gay” movement”, but I think it slipped her mind. They also did not mention Exgay Watch or its information and research about all things “ex-gay”.

The “focus” seemed to be more on expressing displeasure with:

(1) FOTF for coming into town “spreading lies, divisiveness and HATE”. (I thanked one speaker, Nick Warner, for reminding the crowd that it ws IGNORNANCE, not hate.)

(2) The Mayor of Palm Springs for “welcoming” the conference to Palm Springs — when the conference was actually in another city.

(3) George Bush, right-wing politics and the war in Iraq and all things Republican.

One organizer asked me to be “careful” about passing out Olive Branches or the card that read: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. She said “some people had expressed concern about the religious message”. I think they might have been a little worried that I planned to pass out the “Four Spritutal Laws” or something.

I was reminded that this event was THEIR, “local” expression on “their civil rights”. I politely but pointedly replied that I was only trying to express my own. She said she “understood”. Many folks asked for the cards and Olive Branches.

Again, I was treated with tolerance and respect and the organizers had other things to attend to.

And it looks like Daniel Gonzales at Ex-Gay watch shares my sentiments. When I get some time this evening, I’ll try to post my thoughts on my web site as well.

The march was completely peaceful — a beautiful early Fall morning in a very affluent “golf course and coutry club” neighborhood. I was told the annual income was over $600,000 a year. I met quite a few of the local gay or gay-afffirming clergy and enjoyed talking to them.

None of the cars stopped, many of the drivers actually smiled and waved back. We were so well-behaved that I think a lot of those folks coming to the conference thought we might be the welcome wagon from Focus on the Family! There were no “counter demonartatrators. No incidnents of any kind. We picked up a few stray pieces of litter, got back on the bus and left.

We drove back into Palm Springs for the rally in the park — maybe 500 — 700 people? There were a few speeches, (nothing particularly memorable), an information table of gay-affirmeing organizations and churches and a couple of songs about “love”.

At the Unity Rally itself, none of the speakers made any mention of NARTH or the articles. (I could tel some of those attedning had no fondness for the Mayor — who did not attend.) Mingling and talking to folks at the rally, no one seemed to know (or care) what NARTH was or what NARTH had to say about ANYTHING. In fact, when I mentioned “NARTH” to anyone I met, they pretty much uniformly responded, “what’s that”?

A few DID know of EXODUS — having met someone who “went through that and it really (bleeped) him up…” or “my parents tried to make me go through that”. Most people seemed only vaguely aware of what EXODUS was.

I realized that the only people who DID know were some of the conference organizers, two or three other protestors, the 3 or 4 guys from “ex-gay watch” and me.

On the other hand, everyone DID seem to know the name “Focus on the Family”. Whenever it was mentioned from the podium, the crowded would give a collective sort of “groan” as though something had upset their stomach. Folks I talked to indicted they would be “relieved when FOTF packed up their tent and went HOME”

I didn’t see the evening news, but Lisa Darden said the NBC station in town news ended it six o’clock coverage of the event with “perhaps we can agree to disagree after all.”

By the way Warren, I hope you won’t be sad, but no one mentioned you all day. (Grin)

Signed, your “on-the-spot’ reporter, Michael