Deb’s House Concerts …………

Deb’s House Concerts

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I just checked out this link. Hmmm.

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Check it out

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The Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists

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Deb’s House Concerts

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GoodAsYou said it better than I ever could. So, you can either read it on their page or read it here (quoted entirely from their post … then, go visit them anyway).

March 10, 2008

Kern: Eschews apology, manages to further offend

In response to the audio in which she said, among other things, that gays are more of a threat than terrorists, Oklahoma Rep. Sally Kern has issued an official statement. Most offensive part? This quote (highlighting out own):

“A vigorous debate on an issue is not ‘hate speech’ – it’s free speech. I have made clear my opposition to the agenda of homosexual activists, but I have never endorsed or supported any hateful action targeting individuals on the other side of this debate and never will. The fact that many gay rights activists claim anyone opposing their agenda is engaging in ‘hate speech’ says more about them than me.“

Yea, Sally? Those who are loudly lashing out against your comment that homosexuality is “the death knell of this nation” are saying more about themselves than they are saying about you? And what is it, exactly, that they are saying about themselves: that they refuse to sit back and let someone compare their lives and loves to an atomic bomb? That they won’t allow people to foster the sort of hostility that keeps us all vulnerable? Or simply that they have a better handle on the concept of reality than you do, Ms. Kern? Because all we are hearing, Mr. Kern, are people who are SICK of living in a world where comments like yours get a considerable pass!

Sally dear, you got caught when you thought nobody was listening. And you were caught warning folks that gays will destroy this society. Gay activist aren’t claiming everyone who lashes out against gays is engaging in “hate speech.” We are claiming that YOU, Sally, have disseminated hate-filled rhetoric! It’s fine that you want to try and spin it in your favor. Such in human nature. But don’t try and pass the buck, or make it sound like the gays are being nutty by reacting unkindly to you putting a warning label on our existences! You put your homo-hostile thoughts on record, so we are now putting our reactions on the same!! And should the chips fall in your direction? Well that says more about our need to keep fighting for respect than it does the righteousness in your words!

**Full press release after jump:

Oklahoma House of Representatives
Media Division
March 10, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: State Rep. Sally Kern
Capitol: (405) 557-7348

Kern Responds to Activist Criticisms

OKLAHOMA CITY – State Rep. Sally Kern (R-Oklahoma City) issued the following statement today in response to the criticisms of homosexual activists who have objected to a recent speech she gave on their efforts to promote their agenda at both the federal and state level.

“To put this simply, as a Christian I believe homosexuality is not moral. Obviously, you have the right as an American to choose that lifestyle, but I also have the right to express my views and my fellow Oklahomans have the right to debate these issues.

“In recent years homosexual activists have begun to aggressively promote their agenda through the political process, often providing substantial financing to candidates who agree with their views, including many running for state legislative races. National publications such as Time, The Atlantic and USA Today have noted that trend. That is their right, just as it is my right to voice opposition to their agenda, which I have been asked to do at several public forums in recent months. That’s what democracy is all about. It appears some homosexual activists believe only one group is allowed a voice in this debate. I disagree.

“A vigorous debate on an issue is not ‘hate speech’ – it’s free speech. I have made clear my opposition to the agenda of homosexual activists, but I have never endorsed or supported any hateful action targeting individuals on the other side of this debate and never will. The fact that many gay rights activists claim anyone opposing their agenda is engaging in ‘hate speech’ says more about them than me.

“Most Oklahomans are socially conservative and believe marriage is a sacred institution, the union of one man and one woman, and that the traditional family is worth protecting and preserving. When I campaigned for office, I promised my constituents to stand up for those values, and I do not apologize for keeping my word.”

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And, visit Pam’s House Blend to read this letter (below) a minister in a Welcoming and Affirming Baptist church wrote to Ms. Kearn (prefaced by Pam’s comment). He sent Pam a copy of his letter.

Pam’s intro to the letter:

UPDATE: I received this letter from reader Rev. Russell Mark, who is actively involved with the Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists (www.wabaptists.org). He’s not a spokesperson for AWAB, but he said “I can say many of us have had our belly full of this theo-fascism. It is, in itself, a form of terrorism. We have to strike back in a language they might possibly understand.” This is the letter that he sent to Rep. Kern:

The letter by Rev. Russell Mark to Sally Kearn:

State Representative Kern:As a concerned citizen; as a Baptist minister and as a Christian, I applaud your intent to protect our children, our communities and our country. Afterall, you swore an oath to uphold the law and the Constitution of the State of Oklahoma and to serve your constituents. I am concerned, however, that in your zeal you have fallen into the trap of so many well-meaning extremists and that is to dehumanize your preceived enemies. To do so, no doubt, is to make them easier to attack, afterall, no one really quibbles at squashing bugs. However, you may be familiar with the recent murders of a 15 year old boy in Oxnard, CA and the murder of another teenager in Fort Lauderdale, FL. These young men, among the many people that are attacked each month in this country, had the audacity to present themselves publicly as being gay. For their sin at such a very young age some well intentioned, god-fearing individual, took it into their hands to destroy the enemy. The CA boy was killed by his peer; a teenage young man that was taught by his elders at home and at church that gays are the scourge of society. Yes, he snuffed out a fag for Jesus. Just like you teach.

Though your recent public words did not call for murdering gays, there may be those that take your authority to heart and kill the enemy. You said to your constituents that you had been a teacher, but a teacher is first a student, yet your words were filled with idiocy and lies. So are you are a poor student that can’t research and find truth for yourself? Do you only repeat what your elders have taught you? I seriously doubt if you’ve ever had the courage to meet with a gay group of anykind and talked about your concerns, or more, actually learn first hand about those you think are your enemy. Instead you stand at a distance and throw rocks and incite others to throw rocks, or worse. For that, you are a coward and a bully and need to fully understand that the blood of every young gay man and woman that is physically or psychologically injured or dies in this country is on your head. These are the real stakes, Represtentative Kern, and yes, words do matter.

As a Christian I have to ask what kind of god do you worship that you would seek the murder of children? Does your Jesus call you to spread lies, repeat gossip and inuindo about people you don’t even know? Does your Jesus teach you to spread hate and to live in fear and teach others to live in fear? So very odd isn’t it that your Jesus and my Jesus are so very different. You see, my Jesus teaches the power of love; to confront my enemies face to face; to embrace them and seek to understand them; to find commonality. Out of humilty, seek understanding and out of love, to not be afraid. Even in my anger at what you have said, I would seek to understand how you, my sister-in-Christ would say such ignorant, offensive and incitful things. How do you take a few obscure passages and totally ignore all that Christ teaches and seek to bludgeon an entire people? How do you do this and then go to church and worship the Christ who gave everything to reconcile the world? What about bigotry and fear-mongering is Christ-like? How dare you treat the cross with such distain! And how dare you misuse the authority of your office. Be ashamed Representative Kern. Be very ashamed. More than your constituents are watching; God is watching.

Lastly I would say that it is not too late to learn from your grievious error and to make amends. Our faith teaches us a lot about forgiveness; how to seek it and how to find it. Afterall, the Gospel is about reconciliation with God, ourselves and with one another. This choice is yours.

Rev. Russell Mark

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