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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 1995)
12 ▼ lU c a m b c r 1, I M S ▼ ju s t out THE BEST RATES THE BEST SERVICE THE QUICKEST RESPONSE GUARANTEED PACI FI C GUARANTEE MORTGAGE national news PFLAG stands firm As TV stations cave in to Pat Robertson the group takes its ads elsewhere 246-LOANC5626) E x p e r ie n c e ... In te g r ity .. .R e lia b ility S iw U King's Heights View 1800 sq. ft. soph istica ted condo alternative, superb view, m eticulous detail, fa n ta stic design. C all f o r appointm ent. $ 339,000 0 Wndermere Cromo A Captan Really Group, Inc. 503 - 220 - 1144 / 503 - 970-3801 FORTUNATELY, by Inga Sorensen espite the threat of legal action, getting a gun and considering suicide. The spot members of Parents, Families and finishes with a voice saying: “It is estimated that 30 Friends of Lesbians and Gays say percent of teenage suicide victims are gay or les they will not back away from bian.” Project Open Mind, a new advertis “People need to hear about this,” says Banaszak, ing campaign that condemns anti-gay rhetoric es PFLAG has turned to print media to get adding that poused by national figures such as Pat Robertson its message out. and Jesse Helms, among others. “We had not initially intended to do that, but “We are not going to give up on this,” says Rob we’ve been forced to because CBN has put enough Banaszak, PFLAG’s communications director. pressure on the broadcast outlets,” he says. “Our goal right now is to let people know that these On Nov. 21, PFLAG placed a half-page print ads exist and the reasons they are not airing.” advertisement in USA Today that describes CBN’s PFLAG, which has affiliates in 380 cities na efforts to quash the project. The ad starts off: “Pat tionwide and in 12 countries, recently launched an Robertson doesn’t want you to hear these hateful words on TV ...” emotionally compelling television advertisement campaign known as Project Open Mind, which Banaszak says PFLAG has also attempted to focuses on the deadly consequences that may stem place print ads in the major newspapers in the from anti-gay hate speech. target cities; as we went to press, both the TuIsa PFLAG kicked off Project Open Mind on Nov. World and Houston Chronicle were refusing to let 8 at a press conference in Washington, D.C. Dur PFLAG purchase ad space. ing that briefing, the group unveiled two 30-sec- In related news, PFLAG says Nancy Rodriquez, ond television ads—which include anti-gay com who is included in the “Bashing” spot, was dis ments from Moral Majority founder Jerry Falwell, missed from her job the day after Project Open Christian Coalition leader Pat Robertson, and ul Mind was made public. traconservative U.S. Sena tor Jesse Helms—that were • set to air that week in At lanta, Tulsa and Houston. Soon after the campaign was made public, PFLAG says R obertson and the Christian Broadcasting Net work threatened legal action against the local television stations in the target cities. Banaszak says the threat of a lawsuit convinced the CBS affiliate in Houston to -■»ss.. W m . ïdè*?.- renege on its promise to run one of the PFLAG spots, while the NBC affiliate in Tulsa, which ran a spot for five days, took it off the air after CBN announced its liti gious intentions. PFLAG fur ther claims the Atlanta-based Cable News Network agreed to run a spot on the Larry King Show, but also backed down due to CBN’s In a statement issued Nov. 10, Rodriquez said: legal threats. “On Nov. 9 , 1 went to my job as usual at Houston “This is censorship pure and simple,” says Auto Care [near Atlanta], where I was dismissed. PFLAG President Mitzi Henderson. “We are sad I was told to turn in my keys and that I would be on dened and angry that television stations who have an ‘on-call status until March’ because of a slow down in sales. Since I began working at Houston a broadcast responsibility to their communities Auto Care last March I have consistently been a top would cave in to pressure...from the Christian sales person, as 1 can show with end-of-the-month Broadcasting Network.” reports. While at Houston I was repeatedly com Donna Red Wing, national field director for the mended for my job and given permission for every Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, leave I took from work so that I could participate in adds: “[It] is a sad day when the radical right can Project Open Mind and matters involving Paul’s bully people from doing what is right. Project killers. Open Mind is an extraordinary project that has the potential to educate millions of Americans on the “1 believe I was wrongly dismissed from Hous dangers of hate speech. That education can prevent ton Auto Care because of my public involvement violence and even save lives.” with Project Open Mind,” she continued. “I have One spot, entitled “Bashing,” features a voice filed a [complaint] with the Georgia State Labor over of Robertson equating homosexuality with Board and sought legal advice.” Satanism and Adolf Hitler as the viewer witnesses In addition to the advertising campaign. Project Skinheads beating up a young gay man. At the end Open Mind includes a program of local commu of the spot. Atlanta resident Nancy Rodriquez tells nity outreach to educate the public about the harsh viewers: “My son Paul was brutally murdered. The realities of anti-gay rhetoric and attacks. FBI said it was a gay-bashing.” For more information about Project Open The second spot, “Innocent,” includes anti-gay Mind, contact PFLAG, 1101 N th St. NW, Suite comments from Helms and Robertson, as well as a 1030, Washington, D.C. 20005; clip of Falwell saying: “God hates homosexual (202) 638-4200. Contributions benefiting the ity.” As they are speaking, the viewer sees a campaign are appreciated. teenage girl in tearsentering her parents’ bedroom. D ...... w m m j JOSM i li w m j^ É iS ^ L i fe benefactors C an H e l p . We can turn your life insurance policy into very real, very spendable cash. 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