Red Flag Rally at Tampa's WFLA Ch 8 this Wednesday, 5PM

Outraged?!

Show Up Wednesday, 5PM. Wear a Red T-shirt. Bring a Red Flag.

200 S Parker St, Tampa

Click here for directions

WFLA says this hateful infomercial didn't "raise any red flags."

Let's raise red flags they can't miss this time.

Join us for a Red Flag Rally to DEMAND a public apology from NBC's affiliate WFLA Ch 8 for screening a dangerous and dehumanizing anti-gay infomercial - Speechless: Silencing Christians.

Media General, which owns WFLA, must hear from the community. They must understand that they were wrong to air and profit from hateful and vitriolic anti-gay propaganda.

WFLA decides every day what it will air and what content it rejects as unacceptable programming. When they air something inaccurate, damaging and defamatory we must hold them accountable.

Let's show them the real meaning of Free Speech.

This was not a vigorous exchange of differing viewpoints in a vast marketplace of ideas. This was a one-sided hate rant on the public airwaves auctioned off to the highest bidder by a struggling corporation willing to throw out ethics for profit.

WFLA management said they understand the show would be offensive to those who "chose the homosexual lifestyle," but "not red flags" went up for them when they viewed it prior to airing.

They may have not seen the red flags before, but let's make sure they see them on Wednesday.

Responsible stations across the country have declined to air this dangerous homophobic propaganda, but not WFLA, sister company to the Tampa Tribune and TBO.com.

Instead Media General/WFLA chose to make a reported $35,000 dollars from a commercial that attacks gay people and our families with lies, junk science and discredited "reprogramming centers."

Join Us this Wednesday, 5PM for a Peaceful Demonstration outside WFLA's headquarters.

1. Issue an apology. While they can't undo the damage already done, WFLA must screen a show to combat the lies, such as the film "For the Bible Tells Me So."
2. Provide balance by airing a program that counters the lies and hateful vitriolic message they profited from airing.

Kudos to Darryl Rouson: Latest Co-Sponsor of Bill to Repeal Fl Anti-Gay Adoption Ban

Three years after denouncing gay people on television, State Rep Darryl Rouson (D)  has become the newest co-sponsor of a bill that would repeal one of the most notoriously anti-gay laws in the country.

Florida Statute 63.042: No person eligible to adopt under this statute may adopt if that person is a homosexual.

Florida is the only state that bans gay people from becoming adoptive parents.   The anti-gay law was passed more than 30 years ago at the height of anti-gay hysteria whipped up by former Orange Juice spokesmodel Anita Bryant.

Child welfare advocates have long argued that the ban hurts the thousands of children languishing in foster care by allowing bias to shrink the pool of qualified adoptive parents.

The bill would strike the discriminatory language from the bill and free judges to be guided only by the best interest of each child, not by anti-gay prejudice.

Rouson's co-sponsorship is especially significant. Three years ago Rouson,  told a Tampa Bay area talk show audience:

 "I think it is wrong to allow adoptions of children by gay and lesbian couples. It sends a wrong message early to a child during formative years that's hard to overcome just by sitting down and talking to them."

As well as, "I think lesbianism and homosexuality is morally wrong. The law is supposed to discriminate sometimes, in some respects, it is supposed to discriminate against social order and anarchy."

During his run for the Florida House, Rouson issued an apology when video of the interview began making the rounds across the internet.  Rouson released this statement:

"I have become educated. I have evolved... When I heard those words and saw my demeanor, I was saddened that I was so condemning and cavalier about my fellow human beings. I am not God. Nor should I sit as God and condemn or judge any human... My words were harsh, divisive and painful. … I knew immediately in my gut that I had to correct that. For me, it was a humanitarian issue...

"In the ensuing time since the taping, I have forged relationships with individuals in that community, and these are individuals I genuinely like. They are good people. I have seen more vividly and paid more critical attention to the matter of children in the foster care system born to crack-addicted moms with dads in prison. Why should they languish in a cold system when they could be in loving households — same-sex households? The paramount interest is the love and welfare of the children.

"For me, it was not a theological or biological debate. It was not even a political one. It was just the right thing to apologize for causing pain and speaking in condemning words of a fellow human being. There was not any concern of losing this seat or winning this seat. If I lose, the worst case scenario is to go home to raise my five boys and make a ton of money practicing law. No, I didn't flip-flop. I evolved. It was a growth process."

In 2008, Darryl Rouson also spoke out against amending Florida's constitution to bar the state from providing civil marriage rights to gay couples.

USA Today Editorial: 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Deserves to Die

EDITORIAL: View on Gays in the Military: After 16 Years, 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Deserves to Die

USA Today voices its opposition to DADT: "Beyond the pragmatic reasons to overturn the ban is this: The policy is simply wrong. It says that gay men and lesbians may serve their country — and even die for their country, as many have — only when they deny who they are. If the truth comes out, they're out, too. That is neither patriotic nor honorable."

Wednesday 07.08.09

http://blogs.usatoday.com/oped/2009/07/our-view-gays-in-the-military.html

Just days after he took office in 1993, President Clinton tried to deliver on a campaign promise to overturn the ban against gays in the military. He failed abysmally.

The military brass opposed him. The public opposed him. Congressional Republicans opposed him. Even some otherwise thoughtful senators from his own party shot him down. And the nation ended up stuck with the firestorm’s convoluted legacy — a compromise known as “don’t ask, don’t tell” that deftly combines pure prejudice with blatant hypocrisy. Recruits aren’t asked about sexual orientation (don’t ask) but are discharged if they engage in homosexual conduct or admit to being gay (don’t tell).

Now, 16 years later, the nation has another new Democratic president who vowed during his campaign to overturn this American embarrassment. Given the political history, the issue’s sensitivity and the crises President Obama has faced, it’s understandable that this was not his out-of-the-gate priority.

But six months into his presidency — when the nation is at war and the military remains overstretched — the time to move toward repeal is quickly arriving. If anything, the case against discrimination is stronger today than it was when “don’t ask, don’t tell” was enacted.

The country’s views of gay men and lesbians have changed drastically since 1993, when only 40% favored homosexuals serving openly in the military. A USA TODAY/Gallup Poll in May found that 69% of adults favor open service for gay men and lesbians — including 58% of self-described conservatives.

Some retired officers insist that lifting the ban on gays would undermine readiness. But if anything is hurting readiness, it’s this policy. From its creation in 1993 to 2007, the armed forces discharged more than 12,000 otherwise qualified men and women under “don’t ask, don’t tell.” They’ve included combat troops, code-breakers, medical and intelligence specialists, and translators fluent in critical languages such as Arabic. The military has spent millions in tax dollars to train their replacements.

No less an authority than retired Army general John Shalikashvili, a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, argued last month in The Washington Post that research “shows conclusively” that arguments for the gay ban are bunk. And Colin Powell, who as chairman of the Joint Chiefs in 1993 opposed lifting the ban, said Sunday on CNN that “a lot has changed” and that the policy should be reviewed.

Some of the most convincing evidence comes from other nations — including Britain, Canada and Israel — that have lifted bans. Britain’s new policy has proved so successful that the military now actively recruits gays and offers partner benefits.

Ultimately, it will be up to Congress to right this wrong with a new law. A House measure to do so, with 150 sponsors, needs and deserves Obama’s vocal support this fall as Congress completes action on his top priorities, particularly a health care overhaul.

Beyond the pragmatic reasons to overturn the ban is this: The policy is simply wrong. It says that gay men and lesbians may serve their country — and even die for their country, as many have — only when they deny who they are. If the truth comes out, they’re out, too. That is neither patriotic nor honorable.

Join our Statewide Online Town Hall, Thursday, July 9th at 6:30PM

Join Us Thursday, 6:30PM for an
Online Town Hall on WFLA's Homophobic Programming

Thank You!

Nearly 1,000 of you responded to our recent survey about next steps regarding the airing of a homophobic program on the NBC affiliate WFLA in Tampa.

We've compiled your survey responses and we'll share them with you during our online town hall meeting, Thursday at 6:30. We'll also strategize on next steps. Click here to register.

WFLA is hoping we will move on to other issues so they can go back to business as usual. Are you going to let that happen?

Join our Statewide Online Town Hall,
Thursday, July 9th at 6:30PM

Thousands of our supporters have contacted the station condemn the airing of the program"Silencing the Christians." Now it's time to help us decide our next steps.

This has become a statewide and nationwide issue as anti-gay extremists shop this hateful infomercial around. Many have rejected the program as blatantly and dangerously bigoted. Others, including Tampa's NBC affiliate have cashed the $35,000 check without a concern for the harm inflicted on the gay community. The St. Petersburg Times took WFLA to task in a strong column.

EQFL Supporter at St. Pete Pride

Image by: Paul Monti

What Do You Think About NBC Screening Homophobia?

WFLA Homophobic TV Program: Help Decide the Next Steps

How Should We Hold WFLA Accountable for Homophobic Programming?

Protest at the studio? Reach out to advertisers? Boycott?

Help Decide Next Steps- Take Our Survey and Tell Us What You Think

Over the past few days we've gotten tons of email from our members suggesting next steps as our community responds to the airing of the reckless, homophobic program on WFLA in Tampa.

This has become a statewide and nationwide issue as anti-gay extremists shop this hateful infomercial around. Many have rejected the program as blatantly and dangerously bigoted. Others, including Tampa's NBC affiliate have cashed the $35,000 check without a concern for the harm inflicted on the gay community.

More than 1,800 of our supporters have contacted the station condemn the airing of the program "Silencing the Christians".

The St. Petersburg Times took WFLA to task in a strong editorial.

WFLA is hoping we will move on to other issues so they can go back to business as usual.

What do you say?

Help Decide the next steps in responding to WFLA's anti-gay programming.

Click here to take our survey.

The results of our survey will be discussed on our Statewide Online Town Hall, Thursday, July 9th at 6:30 p.m. Complete the survey and you'll automatically recieve the details on how to join us Thusday night.

Is Challenging Anti-LGBT Messages Censorship?

Over the last several days, Equality Florida has received a few emails suggesting that our recent efforts - condemning Tampa NBC affiliate WFLA's screening of a homophobic infomercial - amount to censorship.

We could not disagree more.

Equality Florida would vigorously defend the American Family Association's (AFA) RIGHT to say what they want. Only government can take rights away, and we would strongly oppose, let alone advocate for government limiting AFA's ability to speak.

The First Amendment does not, however, require a television station to air absolutely anything if someone is willing to pay for it. Every broadcast company in the nation has standards for content and they vet that content all the time.

If an advertiser pulls their funding from a show because of the content, are they censoring that show and denying someone their freedom of speech? Of course not. They are simply making a business decision to not associate with the content of that show. Likewise, WFLA, a business, constantly makes decisions about what content it will and wont allow on its network.

As the St. Petersburg Times recently editorialized, in part:

"...The film criticizes efforts to allow gay people to serve in the military, to teach school children that homosexuality is acceptable and to pass laws preventing employers from discriminating against gay people.

If you were to substitute the words black or Hispanic for the word gay in the film, it's a safe bet that someone at WFLA would have raised a red flag, to use Pumo's words.

Could anyone, for example, imagine WFLA airing a documentary decrying "propaganda techniques to manipulate people into accepting the interracial lifestyle?" (replace the word "interracial" with "homosexual" and you have an actual line from Silencing Christians)."

We believe WFLA made a terrible decision that did real harm to the Tampa Bay community and they should apologize. They aired a one-sided show that was factually inaccurate and advocated for dangerous "reparative therapy" as a "treatment" for gay people.

Let's be clear. This show does harm to communities. The dehumanizing rhetoric used throughout the 60 minute broadcast is exactly the type a catalyst for increased anti-gay hate violence, especially perpetrated by impressionable young men.

When Ryan Skipper, a young gay Polk County man, was killed in 2007, his killers drove around and bragged to friends that they had killed a "fag." They were shocked that they weren't embraced as heroes. At the time, we asked ourselves "In what world did these young men live that it was okay to harm, even kill someone because of who they are?" It is shows like the one WFLA broadcast - at 7PM on a Saturday - that create a world in which anti-gay violence is at least perceived to be acceptable within a community.

That's our position. What do you think?

SP Times Editorial Condemns Anti-LGBT Program

GREAT St. Pete Times Editorial on NBC / WFLA's broadcast of the homophobic infomercial, Speechless (The Times is Florida's largest newspaper). Nice job by our communications director, Brian Winfield. We learned about this program on Saturday morning and have been mobilizing a massive statewide response - to demand an apology and to ensure it doesn't get aired elsewhere in Florida. In just 5 days, over 2,000 eqfl members have hammered WFLA with letters and calls.

Stratton




St. Pete Times: WFLA should have seen the red flags over antigay program

On Saturday morning, thousands of people turned out to celebrate at St. Petersburg's annual Gay Pride parade and festival, promoting acceptance and tolerance of the area's gay, lesbian and transgendered residents.

Hours later, WFLA-Ch. 8 aired an hourlong special paid for by the conservative American Family Association called Speechless: Silencing the Christians. The film urged viewers to fight a "radical homosexual activist agenda" aimed partially at persecuting churchgoers who find homosexuality morally wrong.

Two sides of an issue that got the airing they deserved? Or was one over the line?

Equality Florida, a Tampa-based statewide gay rights group, thinks Media General-owned WFLA bowed to bigotry, sparking at least 1,000 telephone calls and e-mails of protest to the station. The group asked the NBC affiliate to reconsider airing the show three hours before its 7 p.m. broadcast Saturday, but general manager Mike Pumo said the content did not "raise a red flag," according to a story in the Tampa Tribune, also owned by Media General.

"This show paints the entire gay community as being anti-Christian and that's just not true," said Brian Winfield, director of communications for Equality Florida. "On a day when tens of thousands of Tampa residents and their friends gathered together to celebrate diversity and pride, WFLA chose to profit from screening a show that was dehumanizing to gay people."

Officials from WFLA and Media General did not return calls for comment, including Pumo, whose outgoing office voice mail message said he was on vacation until July 6. Similarly, a spokeswoman for the American Family Association did not return calls for comment.

Narrated by conservative Christian talk show host Janet Parshall, Silencing the Christians promises to "reveal the truth about the radical homosexual agenda and its impact on the family, the nation and religious freedom." The film criticizes efforts to allow gay people to serve in the military, to teach school children that homosexuality is acceptable and to pass laws preventing employers from discriminating against gay people.

If you were to substitute the words black or Hispanic for the word gay in the film, it's a safe bet that someone at WFLA would have raised a red flag, to use Pumo's words.

Could anyone, for example, imagine WFLA airing a documentary decrying "propaganda techniques to manipulate people into accepting the interracial lifestyle?" (replace the word "interracial" with "homosexual" and you have an actual line from Silencing Christians).

So what makes it okay to decry the "homosexual agenda," as the show kept repeating over and over?

"The striking thing about the gay and lesbian movement is that it's a grass roots thing," said Ray Arsenault, a professor of history at the University of South Florida in St. Petersburg and a nationally recognized expert on civil rights. "There's hasn't been a signal from Washington, as with civil rights in the '60s. There's still a sense that it's okay to express this antigay bigotry."

The St. Petersburg Times faced a similar issue when it joined a growing list of newspapers that distributed the controversial DVD Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West to readers. Critics, who said the DVD was a backhanded way of demonizing Muslims, questioned whether the newspaper was treating the issue fairly.

And while producers of the film say Christians are being persecuted, Winfield fears gay people are the group under fire, demanding WFLA apologize for the broadcast. "At what point do we as Americans believe in fairness?" he asked. "When do we say that's true for everybody?"

Michael Farmer
GSA Network Coordinator
Equality Florida
407-462-9692
Michael@eqfl.org
416 N. Ferncreek Ave. Suite B, Orlando FL, 32803
www.eqfl.org/gsa

St. Petersburg's gay community seeks to become key voting bloc in mayor and council elections

When we flex our collective political muscles, we are a force to be reckoned with, and victories in St. Pete this fall could yield a sea change in Pinellas politics. It's not that we must win every race. Simply winning a few, high profile, targeted races will send a signal to politicians that Equality is a winning message - and that homophobia has a political cost.

Stratton



St. Petersburg's gay community seeks to become key voting bloc in mayor and council elections

By Cristina Silva, Times Staff Writer
In Print: Wednesday, July 1, 2009


ST. PETERSBURG –– The rows of rainbow flags, feather boas and glitter-streaked men dressed as Hollywood starlets made for an unusual campaign backdrop.

But there they were, a handful of St. Petersburg mayoral and City Council candidates, passing out campaign literature, posing for pictures and introducing themselves to potential voters amid Saturday's St. Pete Pride festivities.

In a sign of St. Petersburg's changing politics, the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community is harnessing its collective voice, forcing candidates to take notice.

After years of tension between the group and conservative Mayor Rick Baker, it's seizing the coming leadership change as a chance to make inroads and get its issues addressed.

"It is a matter of get-out-the-vote," said Rick Boylan, founder of the Pinellas Stonewall Democrats. "If we can mobilize the community and inform them of which candidates support issues and which candidates are pro-equality and get them to participate, we can definitely have an impact on who is elected."

The community sees Hillsborough County Commissioner Kevin Beckner's election in November as a sign that the area is ready to embrace — or at least tolerate — them. Beckner was open about being gay during his campaign.

Now the group's efforts are focused on St. Petersburg City Council candidate Steve Kornell, a social worker with a shot at becoming the city's first openly gay elected official.

Beckner hosted a fundraiser for Kornell in Ybor City. Kornell also enjoys the financial and political support of prominent gay groups Victory Fund and Equality Florida.

The community's recent level of outreach is unprecedented.

St. Pete Pride hosted its first mayoral forum last week, drawing seven candidates.

Mayoral hopefuls Jamie Bennett, Kathleen Ford and Scott Wagman campaigned at St. Pete Pride, an event Baker has shunned since he was elected in 2001. Wagman marched alongside a crew of "fabulous" dogs he called Waggers for Wagman. Ford set up a booth. Bennett walked in the parade.

There also were City Council candidates aplenty.

Incumbents Jeff Danner, Leslie Curran and Karl Nurse put in appearances, along with Vel Thompson and Kornell.

The Stonewall Democrats interviewed the Democratic front-runners –– Ford, Wagman and Bennett –– and expect to endorse a candidate next month.

Nurse has also scheduled an upcoming fundraiser at Georgie's Alibi, a popular gay bar.

Gay activists said they are searching for a candidate who will best serve both the interests of residents citywide and the gay community. In other words, they want a mayor who will grant city workers domestic partner benefits and combat crime.

The gay community has been a growing presence in St. Petersburg since at least 2001, when St. Pete Pride was founded.

The Stonewall Democrats formed its chapter after campaign consultant Darden Rice lost her City Council bid in 2005. Rice was smeared for being a gay woman.

"That was a big consideration when I decided to run. What would happen? Would people be ready for me?" she said.

Beckner's election changed the political landscape, Rice said.

"I don't know that it has the newness or shock value it had before," she said.

The Stonewall Democrats rallied behind political newcomer Wengay Newton in 2007, helping to elect him to the City Council despite widespread opposition from political elite, including Baker. Newton's opponent was not seen as a supporter of gay rights. Newton, meanwhile, has walked in every St. Pete Pride since he was elected.

Beckner's victory over his conservative opponent in 2008 further buoyed hopes that the gay community could wield its influence in St. Petersburg.

"There is a personal stake in it for a lot of people now," said David Schauer, a St. Pete Pride organizer. "We see that we can make a difference."

Kornell said he does not think his sexual orientation will cost him votes. He faces community activist Angela Rouson and retired police Officer Joe Smith in the District 5 race, which covers the city's southernmost region.

Rouson and Smith are African-American. Kornell is white.

"I've always felt that discrimination has no place in our city," Kornell said.

Just how much impact the gay vote will have is difficult to measure. The organizational efforts are mostly untested and the size of the community in St. Petersburg is unknown.

The state GLBT Democratic Caucus estimated about 74,000 gay people in Pinellas, or roughly 8 percent of the population.

Still, candidates aren't taking any chances.

Republicans Bill Foster and Larry Williams attended the June 22 St. Pete Pride mayoral forum and spoke of their traditional beliefs.

"I went," Foster said, "It wasn't because I thought I was going to garner a lot of votes or get the most applause, but I want every citizen to know that I intend to listen and I intend to represent their interests whether we agree or disagree."

Bennett paid $500 to be a St. Pete Pride sponsor this year.

"They definitely participate in campaigns," he said. "No candidate or mayor can ignore them."

Cristina Silva can be reached at (727) 893-8846 or csilva@sptimes.com.

Shame On You NBC Channel 8- Time to Admit Your Mistakes

This past Saturday, as tens-of-thousands of Tampa Bay residents celebrated at St. Pete Pride, Tampa's NBC Ch. 8, WFLA, screened the ugly and dangerous anti-gay infomercial -Silencing Christians.

Help us DEMAND a public apology from NBC 8, WFLA and STOP this bigoted program from running elsewhere in Florida!

The moment we heard about the show, Equality Florida jumped into action and you responded. In just two hours, EQFL members in Tampa Bay

• Sent 1,000 email letters to WFLA
• Made hundreds of phone calls

After talking with Equality Florida, WFLA held an emergency meeting of top executives to review this program. Their decision: General Manager, Mike Pumo, said there were "no red flags" regarding the show's content and proceeded to air it.

Click here to send a letter demanding an apology.

Responsible stations across the country have refused to air this dangerous homophobic propaganda, but not WFLA, sister company to the Tampa Tribune and TBO.com.

Instead, WFLA NBC 8 chose to make $35,000 dollas off the demonization and dehumanization of LGBT people in Tampa Bay.

Don't let these homophobic lies go unchallenged!

With your donation, we'll launch a multi-pronged strategy to:

1. Demand WFLA issue a public apology for airing this dangerous infomercial.
2. Train 100 grassroots leaders from every corner of Florida on how to organize when these attacks happen locally (Equality Campaign Training is July 11-12)
3. Urge WFLA's advertisers to punish the station for running this awful program
4. Challenge this show anytime it's scheduled to air in any Florida market.

Click here to see the Homophobic Propaganda Show

Outraged?!

Help us fight these lies-
we can't do it without YOU!

Please give just $25

We'll put your gift to work immediately to:

• Organize our community and keep the pressure on WFLA
• Train 100 grassroots activist leaders in Orlando
• Challenge any Florida stations planning to run this bigoted program
• Contact businesses to pull ads from stations that do

Equality Florida responds in the Press:

'Homophobic' showspurs angry calls, e-mails to WFLA - Jun 27, Tampa Tribune

"We have 20,000 members in the Tampa Bay area," Pollitzer said. "We reached maybe 10,000 through the e-mail network. And, we only sent this to the greater Tampa Bay area, to folks within this media market. All the calls are from people who watch WFLA.

"By broadcasting this homophobia," he said, "WFLA is willing to make a profit off the dehumanization of the Tampa Bay gay and lesbian community."

WFLA should have seen the red flags over antigay program - Jun 30, St Pete Times

"This show paints the entire gay community as being anti-Christian and that's just not true," said Brian Winfield, director of communications for Equality Florida. "On a day when tens of thousands of Tampa residents and their friends gathered together to celebrate diversity and pride, WFLA chose to profit from screening a show that was dehumanizing to gay people."