What we faced today at Brown University, an Ivy League university, had the flavor of a religious persecution. As we peacefully campaigned, about 250 frenzied pro-homosexual students gathered to scream, spit, taunt, insult, assault, and even attempt to destroy our traditional marriage banner. Only with supernatural protection, and a strong police presence, did TFP volunteers manage to complete the campaign without serious injury.
- I'd say religious persecution indeed, but the persecutors were TFP volunteers--those who came to our campus waving banners proclaiming their views on "traditional marriage," upsetting, frightening, and alienating members of our LGBTQ and LGBTQ-friendly population, handing out pamphlets saying we were going to hell, listing all the reasons why we were "wrong" and "sick."
- I'd amend their paragraph to say "pro-LGBTQ rights" students. What primarily rallied us together were our feelings about civil rights--a desire for equality, especially in relation to same-sex marriage.
- We didn't gather to "scream, spit, taunt, insult, assault" -- we gathered to counter-protest. There is a difference between "screaming" and "chanting," by the way. In any massive crowd of people incensed by a political/personal issue such as this, you will ALWAYS get people who get rowdy or don't behave in the most tactful manner. However, to pretend like most (or even MANY) Brown individuals were "out of line" is a flat-out falsehood. Similarly, implying that without the Brown police and "supernatural protection," there would've been a threat to the TFP volunteers' bodily integrity and that only thanks to police were they not seriously injured is ludicrous. Finally, comparing the behavior and "united front" of a TINY contingent (12-15 people at most) of people who are TRAINED in protesting and are doing this as part of a national tour to hundreds of passersby, students, staff, and others who impromptu gathered on Brown's campus due to the presence of TFP is A TERRIBLE, INACCURATE, UNFAIR comparison.
- I also need to mention that our central quad is NOT public property and that TFP's campaign/protest/hatefest invaded our campus without permission.
- I'm pretty sure no one spit ON protestors. What I witnessed and got captured on film was that some people received pamphlets from TFP, tore them up, then spit on THE PAMPHLETS.
Suddenly, a loud thud-rip noise was heard. I looked up and saw a pro-homosexual student literally crashing through our traditional marriage banner, attempting to destroy it. Running at top speed, he flung himself into it and ripped one side loose. Some students watching from a distance approvingly cheered the act of violence.
- That's true, and I think that student was extremely misguided in what they did. It was inappropriate on many levels and should never happen again.
"Why are you here?" many students asked. We politely told them how the TFP was on a state-wide tour defending traditional marriage. They would just stand there in a sort of daze, and repeat the question again: "But why are you here?" Some of them just couldn't believe it.
- Of course they couldn't believe it. For some people, it's hard to think that at a generally liberal, tolerant location such as Brown University, there would be such a protest. Being at Brown sometimes shields people from the cruel realities of the world, such as rampant homophobia, so it's jarring to see that homophobia and hatred right in the center of our campus grounds. Furthermore, it must've been a case of confusion due to the fact that TFP is not a student group and did not request to be on Brown's campus, so they had no permission to be there and people were wondering why/how they were there.
TFP volunteer Mr. Danniel Pribble debated with one pro-homosexual student, illustrating how the acceptance of homosexual vice leads to the acceptance of pedophilia. In fact, during a recent session in Canadian parliament, experts claimed that pedophilia is a "sexual orientation." / "What moral grounds do you stand on to oppose pedophilia, once you've accepted homosexual behavior?" asked Mr. Pribble. "You're right," answered the student. "I don't have any substantive objection with pedophilia."
- The conversation about pedophilia is a very complex one that usually gets many parties riled up. It's also completely irrelevant to this event and its purpose, and the comparison of accepting homosexuality and accepting pedophilia is a stupid one. I'll point out the biggest hole: pedophilia involves minors, people who are unable to legally consent to sexual activity, while homosexuality, as long as it's between CONSENTING adults, is exactly that--consensual. Anyway, the opinion of ONE student on pedophilia is by no means representative of the LGBTQ community at Brown or any group, for that matter.
As Mr. James Bascom distributed pro-family literature, a woman with a rainbow ribbon on her lapel said: "You're being so intolerant!"/ "Why don't you tolerate us?" inquired Mr. Bascom. "So tolerance is a one-way street, then?" / "Yes, yes. It is," said the woman. It became amply clear that free speech at Brown University is not free and that the opposition would do everything they could to silence our message of truth: that marriage is between one man, and one woman.
- This argument keeps coming up, and it's still ridiculous every time. Being "tolerant of intolerance" DOES NOT MAKE SENSE. Long story short: tolerance doesn't have to be awarded to groups that advocate hatred and keeping sections of our population as second-class citizens. Finally, the TFP message isn't "a message of truth"--it's a message of OPINION that disguises itself as a "message of truth."
By now, the number of pro-homosexual students increased to about 250. The pitch of their screaming intensified too, and in the chaos, one of our youngest volunteers, Zachariah Long, 17, was spat upon in the face.
- I am SO very doubtful that this happened, so very doubtful.
Approaching Zachariah, one student said: "Can I shake your hand? Because it takes a lot of courage to be out here." Another added: "This is great! But, I'm going to go right now before something happens. Keep up the good fight. Thanks for being here. It takes a lot of guts. It's really brave."
- If ONE more person says "Oh wow, it's really brave to be conservative at Brown," I swear I'm going to have a conniption. Since when is it oh-so-brave to spout hatred and claim opinions as facts? It's about as brave and informed as going into a room full of women and saying "YOU SHOULD ALL BE IN THE KITCHEN MAKING ME DINNER." Oy. Bravery is in the eye of the beholder, I guess, though, so what might be "brave" to some, others might just call "stupid" (e.g. facing off against a ravenous tiger just for fun, or protesting like this at Brown). Anyway, even if what TFP did was "brave" by some definitions, it's by no means positive, right, or something we should be admiring. I'd also like to point out the courage/bravery of all the COUNTER-protestors, as well as LGBTQ people in general.
On the other side of the intersection, Mr. Leo Fitzsimmons, a TFP supporter, explained why marriage is important: "marriage produces children. And there's no future without marriage. Same-sex 'marriage' does not produce children." This simple reality befuddled the student who responded with profanities. "God bless America," responded Mr. Fitszimmons. The young student, who looked like an American, was so upset that she yelled, "I'm not American!"
- Marriage is important because it produces children? So should infertile couples not be allowed to marry? There's no future without marriage? Oh right, because adoption doesn't exist, no one is ever born outside of wedlock, people in same-sex marriages can't bear children if not biologically with their partner, and people have to be married and in love to propagate the human race...
- Also, what is the need to talk about someone "looking like an American"? What does it mean to "look American"? THIS IS SO PROBLEMATIC. Do they men she looked Caucasian? And who CARES? This entire sentence is so riddled with problems, I don't even know where to begin. It's freaking me out.
Seeing the violent attitude of the pro-homosexual students, the police chief wanted to escort us to our van and ensure our safe departure. After completing the 1 hour and 30 minute rally in its entirety, we prayed three Hail Marys, shouted our motto "Tradition Family Property – America" and left. Policemen surrounded us on all sides and were assisted by a patrol vehicle on the street. A rowdy group of approximately 250 pro-homosexual advocates attempted to break through the perimeter to harass us. Without ceasing, they screamed obscenities and yelled in chorus over and over again: "God loves gays!"
- The Brown police was there to make sure people protested peacefully and nothing got out of hand. MOSTLY, though, they were trying to make sure traffic kept flowing, no one got hit by a car (since the protest and counter-protest were getting huge and, towards the end, it all turned into a march), and that sidewalks remained clear at certain areas. It's not like they "wanted to escort" TFP to their van, but that it was part of their job to do so as part of the BROWN DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY because they are there at all big events, especially protests.
Thank God, the police protected us as we packed our vans. But when we pulled away from the curb, many pro-homosexual students closed in to hit the sides of our vehicles with their fists or palms. A hard object, maybe a rock, was thrown against one of the vans.
- I highly doubt something was thrown, but whatever.
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