Homophobic banner gets fundies ejected from a baseball game

[Fenris]

"Straight" from the horse's ass, too!

http://www.repentamerica.com/pr_christiansejected.html

PHILADELPHIA – Yesterday, five Christians with the Philadelphia-based Repent America were ejected from the 2nd annual Philadelphia Philles' Gay Day after homosexuals and homosexual advocates began to incite a riot by pulling down the Christian's Gospel banner, which read, “HOMOSEXUALITY IS SIN, CHRIST CAN SET YOU FREE.”

During the 5th inning, the banner was unfurled, drawing the attention of the crowd. Within a few minutes, a security guard approached the Christians and demanded that they take the banner down. Moments later, two homosexual men stood up and began to passionately kiss in front of the banner, then two lesbian women did likewise, as the crowd cheered them on.



While other security guards began to approach the Christians, three young men emerged from the crowd and violently grabbed the banner, attempting to steal it in an effort to silence their message. "It became a struggle for us to keep our banner, until security ended it all by ejecting us from the ballpark, instead of just those acting disorderly," stated Michael Marcavage, director of Repent America. "Security officials accused us of inciting the riot due to the content of our message," he continued.

<SNIP>

"The way that our group was treated by Phillies' security and the Philadelphia police is inexcusable," Marcavage said. "The homosexual agenda is now being thrown in the faces of America's children in a public arena, while these officials permit lewd acts and riotous behavior, as they silence the Christians," he concluded.

[LearnedHand]

1. Poor, poor fundies

Having to see all that gay love right out there in public. Oh, wait? Wasn't it advertised as GLBT night? Then, I guess the fundies could have VOTED with their wallets and NOT bought a ticket, hmmm?

[Bronco69]

2. Oh those poor xtians.

being persecuted yet again. Those fu**ing wingnuts make me sick!

[Djinn]

3. I'm as straight as they come

but if I'd been at this game I'd have snogged the nearest woman to me just to offend these idiots.

Do the rest of us hang around outside their churces with "believing in a 2000 year old fable is really f**king stupid" banners?

Most folk don't give a fanny if they believe, they shouldn't give a fanny who folks sleep with.

[R Hickey]

4. I'm not gay, but this news makes me happy.

I guess its the atheism in me.

[kiahzero]

5. Eeh

The banner was rephrensible, but I'm not sure how I feel about them being kicked out of the stadium.

[DrWeird]

10. Conservative disruptors...

who purposefully showed up to harass perfectly good paying customers. Good on the stadium.

[kiahzero]

13. That's what I thought at first

What then, about someone wearing a liberal t-shirt in a mall? Do they get kicked out?

If not, is the line of acceptable behavior somewhere around there? Should they have been kicked out if they wore t-shirts bearing the same message?

[uhhuh]

22. Not the same

If a person went into a mall on fundie chimp lovers day, and made a spectacle of themselves by shouting "Hey you stupid irrational fundies, getta load of my shirt!!!", then I think they could reasonably be expected to be escorted out.

Apparently, this was a gay and lesbian day at the ballpark. These people went there to make a scene. If they went there, and had some sort of fundie, anti-gay message on their shirts, and did not attempt to disrupt the event, then I think they might have something to complain about.

They brought their eviction from the ballpark on themselves.

[kiahzero]

26. Damn, I missed that

My mistake - I didn't see it was a specific event. That justifies the park's decision pretty cleanly for me. At that point, the club became an expressive organization, free to discriminate against those who did not agree with the expression in question.

[Baltimoreboy]

34. So you oppose their free speech

But support that of gays?

[uhhuh]

35. Nice try

No. I respect their right to make a statement in a privately owned venue, and then be asked to leave by agents of that privately owned venue.

If they went to "Kids Day" at a ballpark, and unfurled a banner saying "kids suck", or "stop having children" I would expect any good host, which this stadium was acting as, to remove them, as it was against the theme of what the people attending were going there for.

In addition, I would like to say that I believe that organizers of pro chimp events have the right to limit protests at the events.

I think the problem arises when the media doesn't point out how restrictive these limitations are being imposed.

I think a candidate is stupid for not allowing more access to their events, but they should not be required to let everyone in and make whatever statements they like.

My main objection to "free speech zones" is the restriction of how far they must be from the event, even when areas outside the event are public areas.

These fundies could have stood on the sidewalk outside the venue with their banner and they would not have been removed, but their intention was to be put in the role of the victim, so they went into a situation where those who would agree with them would see them as being victimized.

[lanparty]

37. They were kinda inciting violence ...

It would be like unfurling a "New York SUCKS!!!!" banner at a Yankee game.

Besides, if you read those ticket stubs carefully, the parks reserve the right to approve or dissaprove any message that you display in the park. They have a strong motive to maintain a family friendly atmosphere. It's just like walking around Disneyland with a "Fuck Mickey Mouse" t-shirt on.

[DrWeird]

11. Conservative disruptors...

who purposefully showed up to harass perfectly good paying customers. Good on the stadium.

[Warren DeMontague]

12. What if it was a simlar statement directed at, say, Jews?

You can't wave a banner saying anything you want at a ball game. Think you can? Next time, try bringing one that says "Hey Cheney- Go Fuck Yourself", or "GOD IS JUST PRETEND". See how long it takes for security to "escort" you from the premesis.

[kiahzero]

17. That's true

However, this brings to mind all the times I've seen news stories along the lines of "Man wearing liberal t-shirt ejected from <event>." Hence my hesitance to support the stadium in this. My gut is telling me that they did the right thing, but my brain keeps thinking of all the ways this could be turned around.

[Warren DeMontague]

20. T-shirt one thing, banner another?

I'm something of a first amendment absolutist, so I see your point as well. But I can't imagine there's a first amendment right for people to hold up huge banners at ball games. Technically, a stadium is some kind of private property, isn't it? And if you're talking about a televised event, they must be able to control what exactly goes out over the airwaves, right? I mean they're not going to let 10 guys from Pepsi come in and hold up a big pepsi sign, giving them a cheap advertising spot... I don't know what the legal parameters are, I'm just sort of running them through in my head...

[kiahzero]

24. I've found things like this are rarely as cut and dry as they appear

I'm not a fan of what seems to be the trend in 'public' private areas such as shopping malls, sporting events, etc... basically, any place that is owned by a private organization, but would generally be thought of as a public place.

It seems that any sort of political expression is suppresed in these places. But what's the point of free speech, if you're not allowed to speak where the people are?

At the same time, why should a private organization be forced to be a forum for abhorrent viewpoints?

[KansDem]

36. Right, but when the Constitution was being written...

...there weren't such things as shopping malls and arenas for sporting events that could hold tens of thousands of people.

I wonder if the concept that a public forum on a piece of private property that could hold a number of people the size of an 18th-century city was conceivable to the 18th-century mind. I may be naive but weren't "public places" in 18th-century America truly "public places?" (for example, the town hall?).

[Placebo]

6. I HEART GAY PEOPLE.

Maybe thats because I am one. :loveya:

During the gay pride parade here in chicago a group of religious people were trying to march with AIDS IS THE CURE, NOT THE DISEASE type signs and a huge mass of gay men and women mobbed them and broke and tore all their signs and banners before the cops could arrive. Me and my friends watched with delight. :D

[Warren DeMontague]

14. Hey Nation---

you sure you don't have that backwards? I mean, Aids is the disease.

[Placebo]

16. Indeed I do!

thanks for correcting my f*cked up evil religious people banner quote typing skillz :D

[Warren DeMontague]

19. That's allright. I got the gist.

It actually is slightly more complex than your average Fred Phelps sign. What a bunch of scumbags.

[murielm99]

31. I have gone to some gay pride parades in Chicago.

The cops always make them stand in one area, across from the parade route and the parade atendees.

Their signs can be seen, but they are a little bit off to the side, and away from the main event. They are not prohibited, but sort of put in one spot to prevent trouble.

I have never seen anything like that happen at the parade in Chicago. When was this?

[Placebo]

32. late june...

there was a very small crowd of them and they were kind of smothered by the massive ammount of homogays :)

[Behind the Aegis]

7. good grief!

Why do they (fundies) always feel they are the victim!?! They are entitled to free speech, but why make such a spectacle? Do they really hate us that much?!

All I can say is they are lucky that all that happened was people trying to take the banner. Had there been a group of butch lesbians (or gay men), it could have taken a different turn! Of course, don't think us "less than masculine" gay men can't fight back! Cuz, personally, this "flamer" would have set the banner on fire with my lighter! If you can "flame" me, I can OUT-flame you!

Sorry, I am usually not violent, but this shit really pisses me off! I bet they'd be pissed if I stood up during their church dinner at Red Lobster with a banner saying "EATING SHELLFISH IS A SIN! KOSHER LAWS WILL SET YOU FREE!"

Brightest Blessings!

[Kanary]

8. It's really sad that we've gone downhill so far

that we are relieved that there was justice for something this blatant.

We've lost that much trust in our system.

Kanary, glad the Philly police showed some actual sense.........

[rooboy]

9. Fundies were there because they heard a rumour...

that at Phillies Stadium eleven guys were going to make it to "third base..."

[Spinzonner]

15. Some people need to define themselves

by who they can hate and disapprove of.

I guess maybe its an inferiority complex kind of thing.

[Warren DeMontague]

18. Christ is the Sin...

But hey, maybe a lil' homosexuality will set you free.

[Bluebear]

21. Great picture of the dudes

Good on 'em.

[UdoKier]

27. It's GAY DAY for Chrissakes.

Not really appropriate to come bash on Gay Day. There are plenty of street corners to preach on. The event was meant to celebrate gay PEOPLE, not gay sex (which is where they perceive the "sin" to be).

Their minds must've been blown by those burly baseball fans who started making out.

Sad that people have nothing better to do than to go and rain on others' parade.

I wonder how they'd feel If they threw a "Traditional Values" day and I came with a banner reading "There is no God. It's just common sense." or "Deism - the founding fathers' religion".

Of course I wouldn't do that. They are entitled to their infantile values system and GLBT folks should be entitled to love who they like.

[fujiyama]

23. HAHA

What a great way to piss off these fundy freaks!

[wickerwoman]

25. That's a great picture though.

For all the assholes who think gay men are skinny and effeminant.

[imax2268]

28. Good for Security...

They went there with an agenda...to make a disruption...they could have done it outside the stadium...but they went into it for a specific purpose...to cause a scene...they deserved what they got...

and then there's this quote...

"The homosexual agenda is now being thrown in the faces of America's children in a public arena, while these officials permit lewd acts and riotous behavior, as they silence the Christians," he concluded.

Why is it that these groups always have to pimp children into their causes...?

[JohnnyRingo]

29. Refering to them as "Christians" is the "inexcusable" part

of this article

[Mr Bojangles]

30. I would have to agree with you

The sad thing is, the wacko fundies are the ones doing all the stupid sh*t that gets the airplay. I myself am not Christian, but the majority of Christians I know are decent, reasonable people (some more than others, but that's the case with any religion).

But I guess the news is looking to shock us at every turn, and some nimrods at a ball game is more interesting than 3 or 4 people running a soup kitchen for the homeless in "the bad part of town".

[JohnnyRingo]

33. Well stated....

welcome to DU