Posted on 02/13/2007 9:13:35 AM PST by Froufrou
A national communications company refused to display a conservative Christian group's potentially controversial advertisements promoting a conference on sexuality over the weekend.
Focus on the Family expressed disappointment at Clear Channel Outdoor's decision to block ads for its international Love Won Out conference in Phoenix, Ariz.
The billboard ad was drafted to read, "I questioned homosexuality: Change is Possible, Discover How."
Gender issues director at Focus on the Family, Melissa Fryrear, said Monday the advertising company had turned down the business, but as of Monday, its lawyers had not received an explanation for the decision.
A Clear Channel Outdoors representative told Cybercast News Service,"Our local managers review each advertisement on a case-by-case basis to ensure that it meets the tastes and standards of the local community.
"Local managers reserve the right to reject advertising copy if it does not meet their community's standards for appropriateness or the copy is deemed offensive towards any business, group or individual," the representative added.
Fryrear argued that "there is nothing objectionable about [the ad]."
"It gives a hopeful message for those who are dissatisfied living homosexually and [shows] that there is an alternative they could consider," she said
Despite the advertising controversy, the conference was successful, Fryrear said. At the same time, Focus on the Family would never know how many more could have been impacted had the billboard ad not been refused.
"We wanted to try to get the message out in a variety of mediums," she said. "Our concern certainly is that it would have affected potential attendees because we weren't able to promote it as intentionally as we had planned."
Even a group protesting the conference, Arizona Human Rights Foundation (AHRF), questioned the decision to censor the advertisement.
AHRF representative Amy Kobeta said although she was glad the communication company had tried to avoid offense, the move was "a little odd because it seems to be somewhat of an infringement on free speech."
"I would be upset if someone didn't advertise one of our conferences and I think the reverse is also true," Kobeta said.
The ad was eventually picked up by another advertising company in the area.
Focus on the Family said the goal of its annual Love Won Out conference is to answer questions on the divisive issue of sexuality and raise awareness about the continuing need to show love to the homosexual and lesbian community.
"We are trying to help Christians respond in a Christian way to someone who is struggling with homosexuality," Fryrear said. "We are also trying to offer resources and hope to [unhappy homosexuals] that would assist them as they continue to pursue heterosexuality."
She said many of the people attending the conference are Christian family members or friends of homosexuals.
"They don't want to forfeit what they believe about sexuality, and of course they love their loved one," Fryrear said. So Focus on the Family is "helping them continue to stand by what they believe biblically and [show them] how to respond to a gay identified loved one in a compassionate and understanding loving way."
The ARHD and other homosexual advocacy groups, however, expressed concern about the motives of the group.
"I don't understand how it can be compassionate if you are telling someone that they are inherently flawed and they are required to change," Kobeta said.
"The conference is based on two very flawed principles," she said. "One is that homosexuality is a choice and the other is that homosexuality can and should be cured.
"Both of those, we feel, perpetuates stereotypes, bias, and discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transsexual people," Kobeta added.
Kobeta argued "this kind of [movement] should not be perpetuated and there is an alternative in loving and accepting yourself for who you are."
Fryrear said she would have preferred that the critics participated in the event.
"The conference has oftentimes been misrepresented and I would much rather them hear the grace that we are exhorting to Christians to extend to them.
"Someone protesting on the sidewalk doesn't have an opportunity to hear that," she said.
Freepers are very hypocritical on this issue of what private business should promote and what it shouldn't promote. No matter what they do, they're going to piss people off.
Not just decided, but rightly, eh! Your own pathological bias shines through. And I'm speaking quietly and softly. Sweetly. To you.
Grow up. Homosexuality is a dead end, for a person and for a society.
Do you think there is an overweight person or a smoker who has never heard of weight-loss and stop smoking programs? And yet they are allowed to advertise on billboards without the fast-food franchises or the tobacco industry getting into a lather. Why is an advertisement for a sexual addiction program any different?
Pathological, eh? Wow. I'm biased because I respect a private corporation's right to refuse ad content that would offend gays, sympathizers, and most "tolerant" Americans? Golly, gee.
Grow up.
I have. That's why I've stopped caring what consenting adults do in private. It's none of my business.
Homosexuality is a dead end, for a person and for a society.
That may be true, but that doesn't mean that a homosexual person shouldn't be able to do what he will with consenting adults behind closed doors. Nor does it mean that an advertising company must carry advertisements that a significant portion of the population finds offensive.
Homosexuals can be cured?
Oh,maybe so,darling,but why would anyone WANT to be cured??
Just joking there,Vaduz.
Seriously,I truly think they were born that way.I don't care how much gay propagandizing is done in the schools or media.A straight guy isn't going to Bend Over for Billy unless he was leaning that way from the beginning.
Your response wasn't into what was right, rightful or about the free market -- it was all about mocking and celebrating the shutting down of those who speak up to oppose homosexuality.
So what is pathological about your on-line persona here, jude baby? It's your pathological lying.
I'm not going to stand for these ad hominem attacks. Go take a flying leap.
OK, Let me get this straight (no pun intended). If someone is born homosexual change is not an option, but if they are born a male changing that is acceptable?
AM I ON CANDID CAMERA?
Shalom.
So by extension of that same wickedly idiotic logic, all murderers were born that way too. And all wife-beaters, and all thieves. So why do we prosecute them? After all they only are doing what comes naturally.
And from a completely different perspective: The New Gay Teenager, and a followup article: Gay Seminar Upsets Parents: Governor's School's seminar called 'The New Gay Teenager'
This is important in light of TX. Rep. Mike Villarreal's proposed legislation HB 900, which I would post except I don't know if that's against the forum rules.
He proposes that 'anyone' cannot refuse to buy or sell with a 'anyone' even suspected of being homo or bi -sexual.
The times they are a-changin. Just a few short years ago there was no place in the civilized world where it was considered a hate crime to say "homosexuality is a sin." Just a few short years ago there was no place where someone would have been forced, against their will, to accept a homosexual "marriage."
I chalk it all up to the rise of the nanny-staters who want to control every aspect of their neighbors' lives -- a bit like Sharia Law.
So true. It's a good thing those who believe homosexuality is wrong are fighting back.
Shalom.
What!? You want people to think? Or how about this... a person can lead a heterosexual lifestyle and turn homosexual, but not the other way around? Of course not and I should know better to ask such questions. </sarcasm>
Seriously, people really need to get educated on the complex issues surrounding homosexuality. People Can Change
I think I see what you're saying, but once again there is as yet no proof that a 'gay gene' exists, so nobody is
born gay [that we know of, as of yet.]
Also useful for fundraising, pledge drives....
I once asked this question to a pro-gay claiming "homos are born the way they are! they can't change!" After sputtering, he said, "we have nothing to do with transsexuals! That is completely different from being gay!"
I asked, "so what does the T stand for in GLBT? Tomato?"
Then he called me a homophobic bigot.
It's a fine line. There are many more issues than simple freedom of speech and freedom of business dealings alone can address. Let me take a different example.
Some time ago the FCC decided that cigeratte manufacturers could not advertise on TV. Why? Was the product illegal? Were they advertising something untrue (is that even an issue anymore)? No, it was just an unpopular product.
Rather than debate the legality of the product in the public arena, a bureaucrat decided to deny a legitimate business concern the opportunity to hawk its wares, an opportunity other legitimate concerns have.
Do we want a nation where people who agree to publish advertisements suddenly find themselves in the position to decide what is valid and what is not valid for us to see?
I'm not talking about obvious venue issues, like sex phone numbers, but legitimate businesses.
For heaven's sake, I saw a billboard advertising condoms the other day. It had a topless woman on it with her arms crossed over her breasts. How controversial can the Focus message be?
Shalom.
Oh the nuances of it all!
The current debate isn't about what they do behind closed doors. The current debate is about what they demand society do to validate them.
This thread is about neither. It is about an inoffensive ad which a company decided not to display because this nation has become intolerant of those who believe homosexuality can be changed.
Shalom.
Way too much effort involved. Give me Brittney flashing without underwear. Give me Anna Nichole Smith's life, death, and daughter. But don't ask me to learn about anything substantive. I might miss "Desperate Housewives."
Shalom.
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