I had to admit there are probably a lot of people who think exactly the same thing in many other areas around the country, but not for the same reasons the makers of the sign might think...
Posted on 01/17/2011 9:16:16 AM PST by scottjewell
The colorful attention-grabbing billboards of gay black men in a church and on the basketball court are creating a firestorm of controversy on an issue that continues to drive a wedge in segments of the African-American community.
City Councilman Joseph Allen said Friday that he came in for both scorn and support after publicly expressing his displeasure this week that the billboards send the wrong message to impressionable youngsters, particularly those being raised by single mothers who may not have positive male role models.
"This kind of billboard is putting the stamp of approval on a gay lifestyle," said Allen, who is black and insists he is not homophobic.
He said he has talked with the city lawyer about taking down the billboards in Schenectady but was told the advertisements are protected under First Amendment rights.
Tandra R. LaGrone, executive director of Albany-based In our Own Voices, said the group is sponsoring the awareness campaign because it is consistent with the mission of promoting the health and welfare of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people of color.
"I thought it would be useful and pertinent to have the campaign in the Capital Region because of the numbers for HIV and AIDS among gay black males have has risen significantly," she said. "You have to start from a place of respect in order to address the stigma and homophobia of being a black gay man."
There are a total of 18 billboards in Schenectady, Albany, Rensselaer and Montgomery counties along with ads on buses and bus shelters, said Peter Constantakes, spokesman with the state Department of Health which gave $50,300 to the campaign.
"This is targeting a group that is reluctant to get tested or to use a condom or other protection," said Constantakes, adding that across the country, black males are one of the fastest-growing groups being infected with the virus that causes AIDS. "There is the stigma that they are keeping everything secretive and are afraid to get tested."
The campaign is modeled after similar ones in Long Island, Rochester and New York City, Constantakes and LeGrone said.
LeGrone called Allen's remarks especially "frightening" considering he is an elected official and black. "He is looking at his constituency as strictly being heterosexual individuals," she said, adding that the message is that gay black men make up every segment of society and are here to stay.
In one of the ads, three men kneel at a basketball with the message, "This is where I play," while another shows an older man with a clerical collar and Bible standing in pew behind a younger man that says, "This is where I pray."
Pastor Richard Parsons of Consecration Temple Church of God Christ in Schenectady said the message he gets when he sees the billboards is that homosexuality is OK. "It's directly against God's word and what God hates, I hate," he said.
Paul Webster, president of the Schenectady chapter of the NAACP, said he would rather see black activists, politicians and clergy tackle the problems of gangs, guns and violence that are addling the community.
The billboards' over-arching message is, he said, about "preserving families and protecting people," Webster said.
Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/I-am-gay-billboards-igniting-controversy-957981.php#ixzz1BJMzktAf
*Snorting laugh*
They don’t care.They just want to do what “feels good”.
Perhaps we heteros should put up some Straight Pride billboards.
not only that, the image they are using is an obvous RELIGIOUS SANCTION. IOW they are giving a government establishment endorsement to a pastor who is endorsing the homosexual choice.
Interesting how that is part of the tax funding. If this were reversed it would be a separation argument. Since it endorses the left position it is ok to establish this particular religion.
I had to admit there are probably a lot of people who think exactly the same thing in many other areas around the country, but not for the same reasons the makers of the sign might think...
On sale now: T-shirt logo, HOMOPHOBIC AND PROUD OF IT!
Haven’t decided if logo should include target site over-lay.
First Amendment, and all that.
These billboards create or save jobs! As well they promote homosexual sex justice! They help victims that engage in homosexual sex! How could anyone think that this is not necessary? Everyone know that those who engage in homosexual sex are special victims of crime requiring special homosexual sex inclusive care (including billboards just for them). Yes, this is a redundancy of efforts that promoted homosexual sex; however, it is needed for homosexual sex justice and orifice diversity!
/end sarcasm
New York State Crime Victims Board/Division of Criminal Justice Services
Six other organizations across the state are receiving grants for the first time from the Crime Victims Board:
* The Legal Aid Society of Rochester (Monroe County): $326,260 to retain two attorneys to assist domestic violence victims with obtaining orders of protection from Family Courts in Orleans and Monroe counties.* Staten Island Legal Services (Richmond County): $322,554 to continue funding a social worker position to assist domestic violence victims.
* Columbia Memorial Hospital (Columbia County): $265,416 to fund a victims’ advocate and part-time mental health therapist at the Dr. Stephen and Suzanne Menkes Child Advocacy programs, which serves children who are victims of physical and/or sexual abuse in Columbia and Greene counties.
* Wyckoff Heights Medical Center (Kings/Queens counties): $192,678 to retain a social worker and hire a case coordinator so that the center’s rape crisis services can be expanded to serve domestic violence victims.
* In Our Own Voices (Albany County): $186,742 to fund a new advocate to assist lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender (LGBT) individuals who have been victims of crime. The grant also will allow the agency to retain an outreach specialist.
* Mechanicville Area Community Services (Saratoga County): $104,364 to convert a part-time victims’ advocate position full time.
Approved NYS Stimulus Contracts > NY's Stimulus Contract Details
NY's Stimulus Contract Details Vendor Name: IN OUR OWN VOICES INC NYS Agency: Victim Services, Office of Agency Code: 01400 Contract Number: C501067 Current Contract Amount: $186,742.00 Stimulus Money Set Aside: $0.00 Stimulus Spending to Date: $73,817.60 Total Spending to Date: $92,272.00 Contract Start Date: 10/01/2009 Contract End Date: 09/30/2012 Contract Description: CRIME VICTIMS WITNESS ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM Contract Type: Grant Original Contract Approval Date: 10/27/2009
The dietary laws and the worship laws changed - the sexual ones were never rescinded... If anything, Jesus himself reaffirmed these by saying what WAS acceptable.
Hey,if the deviants can have their pride s**t,we should be able to have ours!The First Amendment protects we normal people,too!
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