TWO CHIRSITIANS ASSAULTED WHILE SHARING BIBLLICAL MESSAGE
MONROE, WI . March, 05 On March 1st, two individuals with Wisconsin Christians United were in Burlington, Wisconsin literature dropping the WCU brochure Homosexuality: The Truth and a flyer dealing with so-called same-sex marriage. After leaving that literature on the doors of close to half of the homes in Burlington, the two men stood on a busy street corner holding signs which read, “Homosexuality is sin,” and “Christ can set you free.” The two individuals with WCU are Mike Foht, a full-time missionary, and a young Christian friend from Northern Ireland (Ulster) who had come to America to experience some ministry work here.
After a short time, a car with two individuals stopped by the picketers. A very large, very angry young man jumped out of the car and approached the picketers demanding to know “What the f--k are you doing? What’s with that sign. You guys got something against gays? . . . I’m going to kill you both and bust you.” The man then began viciously kicking one of the WCU signs with what appeared to be steel-toed work boots. He also kicked the young man from Ulster, bruising his knee. The assailant then turned on Mike Foht, kicking him and swinging his fists at him. In the process of trying to fend his attacker off, Mike ended up on the ground. The perpetrator’s friend shouted at him to come back to the vehicle so that they could flee the scene, which they did, but not before the berserk man picked up the sign reading, “Homosexuality is sin,” and repeatedly punched it while screaming curses. [...]
Could any of this have anything to do with the fact that Christians who take a biblical stance on homosexuality are constantly being portrayed as ignorant, violent hatemongers looking for victims on which to satiate their mindless rage? (source)
In a word, no. But I will suggest this to you. People in my community are beaten and killed EVERY SINGLE DAY in this country alone. People are fed up with it. People are tired of the violence and we are tired of the hate language used towards our community.
You think the gay community is hateful? What do you call it when people from the religious community take the Bible, turn it into this hateful message, then try to use that message to get legislation passed that demonizes my community and makes it less than other people?
I am sorry that the two “Christians” were harassed. Violence against anyone is never the answer. But to not understand where the frustration comes from that would drive someone to do this, is very naive and irresponsible on they part of these Christians. The violence that you witnessed is just a normal day for my community.
If you really want to understand us (a big if), try talking to us. I promise you, if you talk to me, I will talk to you. If you hold a sign to my face that says, “Homosexuality is sin,” I will respond accordingly, and you won’t like it. Not one bit.
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It's pretty simple really. When you dehumanize people and reduce them to nothing by sinning vermin, the religious nuts shouldn't really be surprised that the sinners (that's us) respond with anger.
They've done it for a long time and they've gotten away with it. What they are seeing now is a movement that's sick and tired of being bullied by these religious thugs. Sometimes that will result in harsh words being used and sometimes, there may be violence. That's what happens when you push someone too far. They are taking actions to try to curtail real freedoms (equality) for our community. When you start messing with real people's lives, anything can happen.
If they keep this crap up, they should expect consequences. And sometimes those consequences could be severe.
Here you go:
http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/3/42005b.asp
I won't waste any sympathy for the "christians", nor will I say that the attack was the right way to deal with these mindless idiots. What I would do is buy the booted bud a beer.
A few years ago, I was at the gay beach in Santa Monica and a couple of guys kept riding by on bikes shouting the typical anti-gay epithets.
After the third or fourth pass, a couple of HUGE bodybuilders stepped in their path and knocked them off their bikes. Then, they were beaten and kicked by about 15 guys. They were lucky to have gotten away. Their bikes were taken away and ditched into the surf. When the cops came, nobody saw anything -- even the straight folks playing vollyball.
I also have fond memories of the AB101 demonstrations in California in 1991. Thousands of us literally took control of the streets and followed then governor Pete Wilson all over the state. I was on the national news burning Wilson in effigy (CBS used it as stock footage for "civil unrest" for years afterward).
Personally, I'd like to see some more militant activism. But, I'm a bit too old for that sore of thing.
Dan,
I know exactly what they are trying to do with this story. They picket our events and incite violence against our community. It's never covered by the press. We are expected it seems to just sit there and take it.
So one of the few times that they actually get a reaction from someone from our community, they are trying to get it covered anyway they can to make us look like tyrants. We aren't tyrants, but we could be. If you push people enough, that's what will happen.
I agree that they are just trying to get press, but I do at least think it is valid to offer a statement to people out there who are not gay and are trying to understand the reaction the two Christians received, and where some of us are at in our tolerance for those actions. Judging from the email I receive, there are a lot of straight people who read this site. I can't tell you how many times I've received a letter from someone telling me that I gave them something to think about and they no longer think of us as being all that different. At least, that's something.
A story like this should be ignored.
The only people who would care to make this story public (assuming it is true) are christian haters. It serves their purpose by potraying themselves as victims. No doubt they will milk this for all it's worth.
Dan
"Would anyone have objected to a Jew in 1935 beating the crap out of a Nazi? Would they not have cheered them on?"
Buck,
In a word, yes. Many would, and did, object if a Nazi beat the crap out of a Nazi. And those who agreed generally did not cheer it on. If they did, they ended up shot or in a concentration camp along with the Jew.
And that, my friend, is what is so disturbing about the story Bill posted. It's like blaming Jew
I look at it this way. I'm tired of playing nice while they are allowed to spout their idiocy. Would anyone have objected to a Jew in 1935 beating the crap out of a Nazi? Would they not have cheered them on?
In my book these "Christians" are no different. If they thought they could get away with it they would round up all the gay and lesbian people they could and exterminate us.
How short is our memory. Does no one remember these same people screaming that all gays should be "quarantined" back in the '80s because of AIDS?
If they want to be martyrs, let them be martyrs. I, for one, am tired of being on the martyr end of things. I can understand exactly how that young man felt seeing that in his neighborhood - knowing that their real purpose was to foment hatred and violence against him and his family.