Gay 'agenda' targeted — Speakers in American Fork warn of dangers

Published: Tuesday, April 1, 2008 12:18 a.m. MDT
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
AMERICAN FORK — Stephen Graham of Standard of Liberty addressed same-gender attraction as a serious social problem, and John Gunter of Citizens for Families focused on the dangers of pornography at a parents meeting held at the American Fork Library Monday evening.

The two were originally scheduled to speak at an American Fork High School PTSA meeting but felt they were being silenced by school administrators so they organized Monday's event on their own.

"We said, 'This is essential information and it is being silenced because of misinformation and intimidation,"' Graham said. "So we said, 'Let's just hold the meeting ourselves."'

While Gunter spoke for nearly 20 minutes, the majority of the meeting was dedicated to the issues surrounding what Graham refers to as the "homosexual agenda."

He feels that through special-interest groups and school curriculum, society generally and children specifically are becoming accepting of homosexuality.

"They are smart, they are clever and they are patient," Graham said. "If they can get our children indoctrinated in the schools, into accepting inappropriate sexuality as normal and OK, even celebrated, all they have to do is wait for you and me to die. And in one generation they win. There will be nobody to stand against them."

Story continues below

Graham also focused attention on dangers he associates with homosexuality like suicide, drug use and sexually transmitted diseases. Through a series of videos, which Graham admitted were not very recent, he attempted to show these dangers.

But Yana Walton, director of communications for the Utah Pride Center, who was in attendance at the meeting, said generalizations in the presentation don't represent the truth.

"He is making an assertion that gay people inevitably have diseases that are not around in every other population," said Walton. "I think that by using fear-based tactics of saying gay people have AIDS, he is trying to talk about disease as a way to scare parents."

She said that if the issue is sexually transmitted diseases, then comprehensive sexual education is needed to help teach how diseases are transmitted and prevented, regardless of sexual orientation.

More than 20 people and a swarm of media representatives attended the meeting. PTSA President Belinda Jensen was pleased with how the situation turned out, even after the meeting was canceled last week.

"The truth of it is that there was miscommunication between the board and the principal, and we should have discussed it more," said Jensen. "It is fine that it was canceled, and this is probably a better forum for it anyway, away from the school."

The Utah Pride Center will hold another meeting to offer information on resources for parents and youths at the library at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 9.

Recent comments

To the mom who is raising her children in the LDS faith... good for...

Dear Anon and mom | April 5, 2008 at 5:17 p.m.

You sound like you are someone that believes everything the Bible...

To "Already Spoken" | April 5, 2008 at 4:58 p.m.

Conservatives are judgemental and adore punishment.
Progressives...

Anonymous | April 5, 2008 at 2:11 p.m.

Image
Dan Lund, for the Deseret Morning News

John Gunter, representing Citizens for Families, talks about the dangers of pornography during his presentation in American Fork.

previousnext

Latest comments

Blazers get the unbalanced trade they seek while not signing Millsap away...

Ricky Bobby - THE JAZZ DO NOT WANT TO TAKE BACK EQUAL SALARIES. They want to...

Owls need holes for nest

Despite the fact that logging has all but stopped in the pacific northwest...

My understanding of what FAIR is trying to do, is to provide well thought out...

Jazz will resign Milsap. If they don't it will be ahuge mistake. First off,...

Stadium of Fire flag burning was fake

I was waiting for it to be burned on the big metal structure right by the...

Hey Ute fan... the Utes had a good season. And keep throwing that BCS bowl...

Tyrus Thomas is in the last year of his contract too so what is the point for...

CougarKeith, people don't know how to properly retire the flag, what they did...

It is just talk but since it was brought up: IF we can get Prizbilla &...

Advertisements