Speaking Truth to Power
Last week we blew the roof off the LGBT Resource Center!
On Monday we received a letter that was written by the American Family Association (AFA) to its local members. This letter stated that in conjunction with the launch of the website http://www.silencingchristians.com/, the AFA had produced an hour-long infomercial entitled "Speechless: Silencing Christians" decrying advances in equality for the gay community. The show was set to air that night -- Monday, February 9th -- at 7 p.m. on WOOD TV8.
The following were high points from the AFA letter informing its members of the content of "Speechless" and why they should tune in:
Melissa Pope, Director of Victim Services for Triangle Foundation – Michigan’s leading anti-violence organization serving the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities – states, “There is a direct connect between this kind of anti-gay programming and violence against the LGBT community.” It is especially important to acknowledge this potential risk considering hate violence against the gay community in Michigan increased 133% last year!
In a lightning fast response, WOOD TV8 pulled the programming for the evening and announced “Speechless” would be rescheduled later in the week. But we didn’t stop there.
We continued to work with hundreds of campus allies as well as eleven local, state, and national organizations to let WOOD TV8 know that we value the diversity, as well as the safety, of our community.
On Wednesday afternoon, after two reschedules of the program, WOOD TV8 rescinded their offer to air the show stating, “Our station is being bombarded with calls and messages, and we find ourselves in the middle of someone else’s fight.”
GVSU’s “Do Something Guide” states the following:
I encourage all of you to join us, whether LGBT or ally, as the LGBT Resource Center works to educate and develop student leaders who are empowered to create social change. Join our Facebook group “Friends of the GVSU LGBT Resource Center” to follow our work and become involved in the equality and justice community.
On Monday we received a letter that was written by the American Family Association (AFA) to its local members. This letter stated that in conjunction with the launch of the website http://www.silencingchristians.com/, the AFA had produced an hour-long infomercial entitled "Speechless: Silencing Christians" decrying advances in equality for the gay community. The show was set to air that night -- Monday, February 9th -- at 7 p.m. on WOOD TV8.
The following were high points from the AFA letter informing its members of the content of "Speechless" and why they should tune in:
"The TV show will reveal the truth about the claim that homosexuals are born that way and cannot change; the negative impact on children resulting from schools promoting the gay lifestyle; protected minority status for homosexuals.
The AFA letter went on to say "it will attack the major lies of militant gay activists head-on; alert viewers about what's at stake for the family if they get what they want; present helpful information to stop the radical homosexual political agenda.Quickly the students and I set up a Facebook group entitled “Tell WOOD TV8 to Stop Hate!” and we sent an invitation to all our friends asking them to please contact WOOD TV8 to let them know this kind of irresponsible broadcasting is biased, unprofessional and leads to hate violence.
Melissa Pope, Director of Victim Services for Triangle Foundation – Michigan’s leading anti-violence organization serving the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities – states, “There is a direct connect between this kind of anti-gay programming and violence against the LGBT community.” It is especially important to acknowledge this potential risk considering hate violence against the gay community in Michigan increased 133% last year!
In a lightning fast response, WOOD TV8 pulled the programming for the evening and announced “Speechless” would be rescheduled later in the week. But we didn’t stop there.
We continued to work with hundreds of campus allies as well as eleven local, state, and national organizations to let WOOD TV8 know that we value the diversity, as well as the safety, of our community.
On Wednesday afternoon, after two reschedules of the program, WOOD TV8 rescinded their offer to air the show stating, “Our station is being bombarded with calls and messages, and we find ourselves in the middle of someone else’s fight.”
GVSU’s “Do Something Guide” states the following:
“Students also need to become active participants in making a difference outside of the classroom. Applying what you know to real life situations will help you better understand and educate others on the need for awareness and diversity.” (Fall 2008 p. 42)The students of the LGBT Resource Center certainly put that into practice and received an electrifying education in the power of using their voices to address injustice and create change. The cancellation of the anti-gay infomercial “Speechless” by WOOD TV8 was a victory for fairness and safety. By the end of the week, our Facebook group had over 1,100 citizen activist members! Our grassroots effort received national media attention and changed the course of West Michigan history.
I encourage all of you to join us, whether LGBT or ally, as the LGBT Resource Center works to educate and develop student leaders who are empowered to create social change. Join our Facebook group “Friends of the GVSU LGBT Resource Center” to follow our work and become involved in the equality and justice community.
“When will justice ever come to Athens? Only when those who are not injured are just as indignant as those who are.” ~Thucydides
Labels: AFA, GVSU LGBT Resource Center, Speechless, Tell WOOD TV8 to Stop the Hate, WOOD TV8
posted by Colette Beighley @ 1:30 PM
1 Comments:
It was so awesome to watch this grassroots action at work! Thank you so much for your efforts to stop that awful programming and for helping West Michigan to take one more important step towards being an open and diverse community.
But even more than that, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for empowering youth at GVSU to learn how they can impact their future and in fact change the world!
What a beautiful sight!
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