I broke this story over on Blue Arkansas and I'm sharing it here to get the word out. A candidate for Congress from Arkansas' 1st District sits on the board of an anti-gay hate organization and is touting his membership on his website.
Former state senator Tim Wooldridge is running to take the seat of retiring Congressman Marion Berry. Wooldridge has always been known to be conservative, but this takes the cake. On his website, Wooldridge is touting his membership on the board of the Families First Foundation, a group that has this to say about gay people:
During June of each year (and, in reality, every day of the year) Americans are asked to respect "gay pride" as a vocal minority extends the homosexual agenda beyond tolerance and acceptance toward legitimization. A passive America celebrates being politically correct–and remains silent!
William Butler Yeats seemed to herald our time when he wrote, "...The ceremony of innocence is drowned; the best lack all conviction while the worst is full of passionate intensity..."1
The passionate intensity of the pro-homosexual forces is helping them win the public relations battle with the people of America. A recent Gallup survey indicates that 52 percent of Americans now regard homosexuality as an acceptable alternative lifestyle. That is a dramatic rise of support from 1992, when just 38 percent favored homosexuality as an acceptable alternative lifestyle.2
In times like these we cannot afford to remain silent or "pitch our tents toward Sodom."3
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The passionate intensity of the homosexual agenda must not be overlooked. Homosexuality is a leading cause in undermining the traditional family structure. Although the homosexuals comprise only two to three percent of the population,4 they exert tremendous cultural influence. Gays claim to constitute ten percent of the population.5 but their strength is not "how many" but "how much" the few contribute to the ferocious attack on traditional sexual morality.6
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Are Christians guilty of discrimination because of a refusal to tolerate homosexuality? No. There is a difference is wise, informed discrimination and prejudice! Discrimination against what is bad is necessary for the preservation of good. Did past cultures that practiced discrimination know something the current culture should learn? Unless truth has surfaced to discount the social policies of the past, then a similar discrimination against homosexuality and for heterosexuality appears needful for the social good.
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If homosexual "rights" activists have their way, marriage will become a question of sexual rights and subjective, individual interpretations. Polygamy, incestuous relationships, and even non-sexual relationships might be called marriage, and this would be considered an infringement of personal rights. Since same-sex marriage would represent and equivalency between homosexual and heterosexual behavior, bisexuality would likewise be acceptable. A bisexual might even claim a right to have his menage à trois recognized as a "marriage"."
This isn't about what Senator Wooldridge thinks about marriage equality or about any other single issue. This is about simple decency and respect for all people, and his ability to represent ALL of his constituents. Democrats in tough districts can skirt the issue of marriage equality, that's fine with this gay man, but sitting on the board of an organization that promotes hate is intolerable.
The last thing I want to say here is this. Please, do not think that kind of thing represents my state and district, or the Democratic Party of Arkansas. There are great Democrats in this state and I can tell you from personal experience that there is a thriving gay community here and that the people of Arkansas are far more gay friendly than people tend to think. Don't let Wooldridge give us all a bad name.