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2004
PFLAG National Conference Wrap-Up |
The 2004 PFLAG National Conference was a huge success! Six Phoenix
PFLAGers joined Arizona PFLAGers from Flagstaff and Page/Lake Powell chapters
for a 3-day weekend of presentations, workshops, dinners and awards.
Highlights included moving testimonials from both parents of Barry Winchell,
the Army private who was brutally murdered in his barracks on July 4, 1999 (and
subject of the HBO movie "Soldier's Girl") who were there to receive a
humanitarian award for their work on behalf of their son and the unfair and
un-American "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy which fueled Barry's death. The
amazing and inspiring true story of the attorneys from GLAD (Gay and Lesbian
Advocates and Defenders) who successfully fought and won the right for gay and
lesbian couples to legally marry in the state of Massachusetts was also very
moving. Also on had was
Esera Tualo, the recently "out" ex-professional football player who
served as our inspirational (and musically gifted) emcee of the conference's
Gala Dinner. There were many other inspirational and heartfelt
moments during the conference, but we here in Arizona are most
proud of the special recognition that Bob, president of
PFLAG Page/Lake Powell received when he was recognized for the
2004 PFLAG Chapter of the Year - Honorable Mention award.
Way to go, Bob!! Below are some photos from our trip to the
2004 PFLAG National Conference. You'll note that there are
far more photos from a small protest that was held outside the
conference hotel -- they are included here so that you can see
the vile, hateful messages these "professional anti-gay
protestors" were spewing. Fortunately for us, they also
tell the inspiring story of one man who decided enough was
enough -- you'll have to keep reading to find out who that
heroic man is . . . .
Click on any photo to see a larger
version of that photo.
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Our Arizona contingent at the
conference:
(Note: All are from PFLAG
Phoenix unless otherwise noted.)
(Front left) Bob (from PFLAG
Page/Lake Powell), Phil and Bud.
(Back left) Mike, Bunny and Daria.
(Not pictured, but there) Georgia (from
PFLAG Flagstaff) and George. |
| PFLAG Phoenix chapter co-president
Bunny, and her husband George, enjoying the Gala
Dinner and Awards Ceremony at the conference. |
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Ron Schlittler, interim
Executive Director of PFLAG, and Bob, president of
PFLAG Page/Lake Powell and recipient of the 2004 PFLAG
Chapter of the Year - Honorable Mention award.
Way to
go, Bob!!!
You make all of us in Arizona proud! |
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Esera Tualo, "out"
ex-professional football player and emcee of the 2004
National PFLAG Conference, and 2004 Chapter of the Year -
Honorable Mention award winner Bob, president of
PFLAG Page/Lake Powell. |
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The 'lovely' site we encountered on our
last day of the conference as we left the closing
session/brunch to the conference hotel across the street.
Who were they? The 'friendly' crew of the vile and
anti-gay Rev. Fred Phelps and his pathetic clan
from
GodHatesFags.com (visitors to that site beware!).
Also along for the protest, the anti-gay Rev. Lou
Sheldon. Guess we were 'twice-blessed' that day! |
One and a half (note the extra pair of
legs!) protestors with their 'curious' signs (Note the one
that says "God: USA's Terrorist".
Huh?
Has anyone informed George W. of this? |
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More 'inviting' signs. |
Wait! Who is that among these
vile protestors?
Could it be . . . ? Why, yes it is!
It's PFLAG Phoenix's own George (husband of
Bunny) standing tall among these idiotic
protestors!
What's he doing? Why, he's giving them some special
verbal 'PFLAG love'!! |
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George, what on Earth are you
doing? Why, he's taking charge and leading these
miserable singers in their unpatriotic songs . . . and
trying to show them what rhythm is all about! Yeah,
he's got the beat!! |
There goes our heroic George
again. None of these protestors are going to forget
this man anytime soon! Why? Because nobody
gives it back as good as George does. And, he does
it without all the vulgerness that these protestors did.
That's really cool! |
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Tell it to the finger, baby!
Go home
and cry to Mama!! |
| Okay, this is getting really sad.
These confused protestors aren't sure what has hit them!
Where did this human hurricane come from?! How come
he's better at this protesting business than these
goofballs??? |
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Let's see if we got this right:
Seven yelling idiots versus one Phoenix PFLAGer. Who
wins? Keep going! :-) |
| You tell 'em, George!
And tell
'em, he did!! |
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Wait! Where are they going?
Why are they quickly packing those signs away?
George doesn't care -- he's got a message for them!
And, packing up or not, George is gonna make sure they
hear it LOUD and CLEAR! |
"Na-na-na-na.
Na-na-na-na.
Hey, hey, hey.
GOODBYE!!!
Toodles, you little pathetic
protestors!
PFLAG George for Congress! :-) |
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Our hero-of-the-day, George,
relaxing and basking in his well-deserved battlefield
glory with his
I'm-gonna-strangle-him-if-he-does-that-again supportive
wife, Bunny. George,
we love you, man!! |
Our version of
the 'Mighty George vs. the Nelly Protestors' spat:
Although our
newly elected PFLAG Phoenix co-president Bunny
may strangle him for taking them on, we're all very
proud of her husband George who
single-handedly out-shouted the anti-gay Rev.
Fred Phelps gang (of
www.godhatesfags.com fame) and
anti-gay Rev. Lou Sheldon who were protesting at this weekend's
PFLAG National Conference in Salt Lake City. Apparently, our
George was too good at giving them what they
were trying to give to all of us (albeit in a non-vulgar
manner), and they quickly packed up their vulgar hate-spewing
signs and headed home! Way to go, George!!!
The Salt Lake
Tribune's version:
Anti-PFLAG protesters chime in on
issues during rally outside conference
By
Jason Bergreen
The Salt Lake Tribune |
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Sign carrying protesters
rallied outside a Salt Lake City hotel Sunday, loudly
opposing this weekend's gathering of Parents, Families
and Friends of Lesbians and Gays.
The small group of eight to nine protesters, members of
the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan., shouted,
“you hate children,” and “scat,” along with other
stronger language, at PFLAG conference attendees and
anyone else crossing the street between the Little
America and Grand America hotels between noon and 1 p.m.
The protesters, some standing on American flags, waved
brightly colored signs with slogans that read “God Hates
Fags,” "Thank God for Aids,” “Thank God for Sept. 11,”
and “Death Penalty for Fags.” They also sang America
the Beautiful ,
changing the lyrics to disparage homosexuals.
At one point Sunday, PFLAG
member George Tarquinio confronted
protesters by waving his arms above his head and begging
for salvation. “Help me, help me, I want to repent,” the
Phoenix, Ariz. man said mockingly.
At one point, a heated verbal exchange broke out briefly
between a protester standing on the corner of Main
St. and 500 South and a
motorist who stopped to comment on her sign. Another man
entering the Little America hotel greeted the protesters
by holding up his middle finger. But the hour-long
protest, though loud, was peaceful and mostly ignored by
pedestrians.
A Salt Lake City police officer kept an eye on the
city-permitted protest from his parked patrol car about
20 feet away.
PFLAG member Sue Null,
of Houston, Texas, said the group actually helps the gay
and lesbian cause. “It's unnerving,” she said of the
protest, “but the long-term effect is that they are so
outrageous any thinking person wouldn't come out and
support them.”
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Why don't
you join us at the next PFLAG National Conference in 2006?!? |
