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Minister describes gays as ‘predators’ during marriage rally

Tony Perkins, Bishop Harry Jackson among those who spoke at Baltimore church

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Maryland Marriage Alliance, same sex marriage, gay marriage, gay news Washington Blade
Maryland Marriage Alliance, same sex marriage, gay marriage, gay news Washington Blade

Maryland Marriage Alliance held a ‘Marriage Protection Rally’ at New Harvest Ministries, Inc., in Baltimore on Sunday. (Washington Blade photo by Michael K. Lavers)

BALTIMORE ā€” A California pastor referred to gays as ā€œpredatorsā€ during an event against same-sex marriage at a local black church on Sunday.

ā€œYou know if weā€™re willing to stand up and do what we need to do in order to be able to understand that theyā€™re after our children, theyā€™re predators,ā€ said Phillip Goudeaux of the Calvary Christian Center in Sacramento, Calif., during what organizers described as a Marriage Protection Rally at New Harvest Ministries, Inc., in Baltimore. Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, Bishop Harry Jackson of Hope Christian Church in Beltsville and Maryland Marriage Alliance President Derek McCoy were among the roughly 100 people who attended the event. Ā ā€œTheyā€™re preying on them, trying to redefine the thing they rarely notice. I mean you ainā€™t going to change, but they can go after our children. They canā€™t reproduce so theyā€™ve got to indoctrinate. And theyā€™re indoctrinating our children and theyā€™re not indoctrinating our society.ā€

Goudeaux, who was among the most vocal proponents of Californiaā€™s voter-approved Proposition 8 that overturned the stateā€™s same-sex marriage law in 2008, repeated previous claims that gays are trying to indoctrinate children.

ā€œI guess you guys might make a decision if youā€™re going to allow them ā€” excuse me if this offends you, those perverted spirits to come over here because itā€™s a spirit of perversion,ā€ he said. ā€œIā€™m trying to cross my attitude because I get Iā€™m really challenging a lot of areas because I didnā€™t get to choose to be black. I was born this way. Sexual preference is a choice. You can choose what kind of sexual preference you want, I guess. To me I donā€™t understand how two men would want to be together anyway. Thatā€™s nasty. Thatā€™s nasty. Maybe you donā€™t like the way Iā€™m saying it, but itā€™s nasty. I like what God did. God made a man, but then he handcrafted him a woman because he wanted that woman to take our total attention. So thereā€™s got to be something the matter when a man sees another man or wants a man more than he wants a woman … Thatā€™s sick. Thatā€™s sick.ā€

Goudeaux and others spoke at the church near Johns Hopkins Hospital slightly more than two weeks before Maryland voters will vote on Question 6.

A Washington Post poll published on Oct. 18 found 52 percent of Maryland voters support the same-sex marriage law that Gov. Martin Oā€™Malley signed in March, compared to 42 percent who said they oppose it. A Gonzales Research poll last month indicated 44 percent of black Marylanders back marriage rights for same-sex couples, compared to 52 percent who oppose them.

A Public Policy Polling survey in May found 55 percent of the stateā€™s black voters support nuptials for gays and lesbians. A Hart Research Associates poll conducted in late July noted 44 percent of black Marylanders would support Question 6, compared to 45 percent who would vote against it.

Revs. DontĆ© Hickman of Southern Baptist Church in Baltimore, Delman Coates of Mount Ennon Baptist Church in Prince Georgeā€™s County and Al Sharpton and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People are among the prominent black clergy and civil rights organizations that have endorsed Question 6. Both Hickman and Coates and NAACP Chair Emeritus Julian Bond have appeared in Marylanders for Marriage Equality television ads that continue to air in the Baltimore and D.C. media markets.

Jackson mocked those religious leaders in Maryland, D.C. and elsewhere who have backed marriage rights for same-sex couples. McCoy showed his groupā€™s latest television ad that features Angela McCaskill, the Gallaudet University administrator placed on administrative leave earlier this month for signing the petition that prompted the Nov. 6 referendum on the stateā€™s same-sex marriage law.

ā€œNow I know you hear a lot of stuff that says, well the pastorā€™s not going to have to preach this thing. We can co-exist together. We can do all of this,ā€ said McCoy. ā€œThatā€™s totally disingenuous. And I wish I had more time, but Iā€™m going to tell you thatā€™s a lie. Itā€™s not true. Yeah, he might not be forced tomorrow to marry somebody, but they basically said in that law that Iā€™m going to give you the right you already have in the First Amendment of the Constitution, thank you very much. I never understood that: Iā€™m going to give you a right that you already have.ā€

Perkins showed a FRC video during his speech that features a Massachusetts man who claims he was arrested in 2005 because he demanded his sonā€™s school administrators not expose him to what court documents describe as ā€œany further discussions of homosexualityā€ after he brought home a book that includes families with same-sex couples. A local newspaper reported police arrested David Parker for criminal trespass after he refused to leave his son Jacobā€™s school.

ā€œYour vote can make a difference in this election,ā€ said Perkins. ā€œAnd I know youā€™ve seen unfolding here in just the last several days in Maryland the fact that same-sex marriage is not about what happens at the altar of marriage, but rather itā€™s about altering every fundamental right that we care about in this country. Youā€™ve seen with Dr. McCaskill, what has happened with her in that she has lost her position or been indefinitely suspended simply because she signed a petition to put this on the ballot. These are not theoretical issues. These are happening across the nation where people are losing their God-given right of the freedom of religion, the freedom of speech in the wake of this forced march down the aisle towards same-sex marriage. Now friends, it does not have to be that way. Itā€™s not what God intended. Itā€™s not what our founders intended. It is not I believe in the best interest of America. Itā€™s certainly not in the best of interest of the church to go down this path. I want to encourage you to continue in this stand.ā€

Perkins again urged those who attended the rally to vote on Nov. 6.

ā€œWe need to know what the issues are, where the candidates stand on the issue. I could not, and I will not vote for a candidate who supports the redefinition of marriage,ā€ he said to applause. ā€œWe need to know where they stand. And finally we need to participate. We can have rallies. We can register. We can do all that, but on Election Day we have to turn out. And no one should keep you from voting. As an American citizen, you have a right to vote. As a Christian, you have a responsibility to vote, to stand up for truth and to be salt and light to this culture.ā€

Marylanders for Marriage Equality spokesperson Kevin Nix responded to Perkins’ claims that Question 6 threatens freedom of religion and speech.

“This comes right out of their binder full of lies and misinformation,” he told the Washington Blade earlier on Monday.

Bishop Angel Nunez of the Bilingual Christian Church in Baltimore and Bishop Eugene Reeves of New Life Ministries in Woodbridge, Va., also spoke during the roughly two-hour event.

Beverly Johnson of New Harvest Ministries told the Washington Blade on behalf of Bishop Marcus Johnson, the church’s pastor, that the marriage rally was one of the “many events” that the congregation hosts.

“This was just one of many and that’s what his answer was on that,” she said.

She directed questions about Goudeaux’s reference to gays as “predators” to him. McCoy declined to speak with the Blade inside the church.

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Rehoboth Beach

Adult suspect pleads guilty to Rehoboth Beach hate crime

Case pending for five juveniles charged in targeting women for harassment

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(Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

A 21-year-old man has pleaded guilty to a charge of disorderly conduct in connection with an Aug. 17 incident in which five juveniles and one adult were arrested for allegedly targeting three women for harassment on a street in Rehoboth Beach based on their perception of the victimsā€™ sexual orientation.

Lt. Mark Sweet, a spokesperson for the Rehoboth Beach Police Department, said the adult suspect in the case, Jerome Charleston, was sentenced to a fine of $100 plus court costs at a Sept. 18 arraignment in which he pleaded guilty to a single count of disorderly conduct.

A statement released by Rehoboth police at the time of the incident says it occurred on Saturday, Aug. 17, at 2 a.m. at Baltimore Avenue and Second Street. The statement says three women flagged down a police officer after a vehicle drove past them and then came to a stop.

According to the statement, five juveniles exited the vehicle and approached the women, making statements that their behavior in public was not appropriate. During the exchange, the statement continues, one of the juveniles fired an Airsoft gun at the women and all five returned to the vehicle and fled the area.

Airsoft guns are replica guns designed to shoot non-metallic projectiles. No injuries were reported in the incident.

The police statement says officers in nearby Dewey Beach located the vehicle and apprehended the five juveniles and an adult driving the vehicle.

ā€œOnce in custody, it was determined that the only reason the suspects stopped to confront the victims was due to their perception of the victimsā€™ sexual orientation,ā€ the Rehoboth police statement says.

The police statement says three of the juveniles arrested in the case, two of whom were 15 years old and the other 14, were from Rehoboth Beach. It says another youth, age 14, was from nearby Lewes, and the other, at age 15, was from nearby Blades, Del.

The statement says each of the juveniles was charged with Aggravated Menacing, a felony; and the misdemeanor counts of Offensive Touching, Conspiracy in the Third Degree, Disorderly Conduct, and a Hate Crime.

Charleston, the only adult in the case, was charged with Disorderly Conduct, which is a misdemeanor.

The Washington Blade couldnā€™t immediately determine the status of the case against the juveniles. Police spokesperson Sweet said those cases were still pending and Rehoboth Police could not comment further on those cases.

In most jurisdictions, including Delaware, juvenile cases are kept confidential and are not part of the public court records.

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Comings & Goings

Charles Roth joins board of Pride Bands Alliance

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Charles Roth

The Comings & Goings column is about sharing the professional successes of our community. We want to recognize those landing new jobs, new clients for their business, joining boards of organizations and other achievements. Please share your successes with us at [email protected].Ā 

Congratulations to Charles Roth on his appointment to the board of directors of the Pride Bands Alliance, the national and international organization for LGBTQ bands. On his appointment Roth said, ā€œI am beyond humbled, and excited, to join the Board of Directors of Pride Bands Alliance at the national / international level for LGBTQ+ band organizations.  The mission of promoting diversity, inclusivity, community, and pride through music is something I have always held very close to my heart.  I very much look forward to working with this amazing organization and team, to keep that visibility alive and well, and to help foster and expand it even more across our country.ā€

Roth is the 2025 Guest Drum Major for The Queer Big Apple Corps, and former Marching Band Artistic Director for D.C.ā€™s Different Drummers. Under his leadership, DCDD expanded its presence in and around our nationā€™s capital, featuring high-profile performances including at the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade, Smithsonian Institute, World Pride 2019, and two special appearances at the Naval Observatory, home of Vice President Kamala Harris. He is the Team DC LGBTQ Student Athlete Scholarship Chair, and board member.  He is a band director in Alexandria City Public Schools, and teaches middle school band at a Title I, International Baccalaureate School, where he built an award-winning program.  

Congratulations also to Amira McKee and Chinanu Okoli, named by The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists as recipients of the 2024 Phillips-Green Family Scholarship. These scholarships provide financial assistance to two CONNECT participants to support their participation in the CONNECT Student Journalism Training Project, and help launch their careers as young journalists.

“We are so excited to be partnering with the Phillips-Green Family Fund,” said NLGJA Executive Director Adam Pawlus. “Thanks to their generosity, we are thrilled to continue our support for young journalists whose work exemplifies our mission of creating a fairer and more diverse field of journalism.” 

The CONNECT Student Journalism Training Project provides real-world, hands-on experience to students or recent graduates pursuing a career in journalism. The Phillips-Green Family Fund aims to provide organizations with financial assistance that work toward the education and well-being of women, children, and families. Their support helps make it possible for students in financial need to participate in our CONNECT program.

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District of Columbia

A D.C. AIDS story: ā€˜I couldnā€™t have survived without you guysā€™

Old friends reunite as mystery of Kilbourne Place memorial stones is solved

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Three gay men are memorialized in stones placed along Kilbourne Place in Mount Pleasant. (Blade photo by Michael Key)

ā€˜Red Reminds Meā€™
Seven videos reflecting the spectrum of living with HIV
Sunday, Dec. 1, 4-9 p.m.
David Bethuel Jamieson Studio House at Walbridge
3229 Walbridge Place, N.W.
Washington, D.C.
Reserve free admission on Eventbrite

In the tradition of my family, funerals are not somber affairs cloaked in black garb. We call them ā€œcelebrations of lifeā€ where through our tears we laugh and reminisce about the dead. At the end, we all gather either in the basement of a church or a matriarchā€™s house where over a spread of rich, decadent food, we rejoice in the fact that our dead relative shed the chains of their flesh and transcended to the next phase. With bellies full, the kids run outside and play with each other and the adults would drink and trade stories. The repast is my fondest memories of childhood. It was a time when I could see family members separated by distance and eat collard greens simmered in smoked turkey and mac and cheese so cheesy that it solidified into a brick when cold. 

Never would I have imagined that a repast would occur at Don Juanā€™s on the corner of Mt. Pleasant and Lamont. Instead of collard greens and mac and cheese, I dined on cheese pupusas with curtido. This occasion solidified the importance of a chosen family. While none of us were related by blood, we were related through one thread: AIDS. The story of the Kilbourne Memorial Stones is an AIDS story in which through unraveling the lives of Robert Rockershousen, Jakob Efsen, and Charles Winney, we received a glimpse into the impact of AIDS within D.C.ā€™s gay community. A community that is often overshadowed by New York City and San Francisco when the early years of the epidemic are discussed.

When the Blade published my story ā€œUnraveling mystery of the Kilbourne Place memorial stonesā€ in August of 2023, Charles Winneyā€™s story was still untold. What I did find out about him was through scouring public records but, no one stepped up to eulogize him. My friend, Peter Stebbins, knew of my struggles to locate a source for Charles and motivated me to continue fighting for him. In June of this year, I told Peter that I knew of Charlesā€™s partner, Larry Martin, who lives in Provincetown, Mass. Between the years of 2022 and 2023, I reached out to Larry through multiple means, but I received no response. Peter being a Provincetown regular since the 1980s, was adamant that he knew someone who knew Larry and could get him in contact with me. I cautioned Peter that this might not have been a good idea. I interpreted Larryā€™s silence as not wanting to reopen an old wound.

Undeterred, Peter found a mutual friend on Facebook and reached out to Larry; 48 hours later, a relationship formed between Larry and me. Through phone conversations and in-person interviews, he brought me into the world of Larry & Chuck (Charles). From their beginnings as a young couple in Baltimore through their years on 1747 Kilbourne Place, they built an intricate and intimate web of community that reminded me of the communal affection I received from my family. There was this sense of ā€œthrough thick and thinā€ that allowed them to stand in the gap for others within their community that were affected by AIDS. Larry told of how he and Chuck used to host dinners and care for those who were dying. They did it because they cared, and it was important to their identity as gay Christians to be of service of others.

In our many conversations, Larry alluded to the identity of who placed the stones. He hinted at the fact that it was a communal effort, and it wasnā€™t some lone solitary figure. Excitedly, I wanted to immediately put the story out, but he suggested for me to wait until he brought in his two friends, Mark Lambert and John Koran. Mark was Chuck and Larryā€™s roommate on Kilbourne Place. He was one quarter of the ā€œGolden Girls,ā€ which consisted of Mark, his friend Robbie, Larry, and Chuck. Together, they hosted large parties on the property that included parties for Pride. John was Robertā€™s best friend and roommate. Like Larry, I reached out to John through multiple avenues, but we did not connect.

Within a week, we were sitting at Don Juanā€™s drinking and breaking bread. While it was my intention to keep the group interview as formal as possible, I became enraptured in the camaraderie and nostalgia that permeated the air. Among these men with their graying hair and wrinkles, I again felt like that kid at the repast listening in on the adults. Larry officiated in a manner that was reminiscent of a patriarch. He corralled us all together in a group chat and laid the foundation for us to gather. Although the initial goal was to find out more information about Chuck, that moment laid bare the reality that these men belonged to a fraternity where they were hazed by the devastation of the AIDS epidemic. They are AIDS survivors.

Allowing these men to convene and break bread in fellowship was a way to finally eulogize Chuck and also a way for them to have a repast for Jake and Robert. Their banter and inside jokes brought forth a youthfulness and exuberance that almost moved me to tears on a few occasions. They became the adults in my family who drank their liquor and slapped their knees in laughter as they reminisced about the good olā€™ days. While the men gave their eulogies, it was revealed that Larry, John, and a few others decided to lay down the Kilbourne Memorial Stones. It was decided that now that these men were together, we should walk down to the stones and take photos. 

The men stood in front of the stones and on the porch of 1747 Kilbourne Place and they continued to laugh and tell stories while I snapped photos. We eventually parted ways and as I waited on the corner for a car to pass, I turned around and looked at the men for what may be the very last time. They were walking with their arms wrapped around each other like brothers. The scene reminded me of a discussion that was had at the dinner table less than an hour before. I asked the men if they believed their lives as gay men would be different during the epidemic if they didnā€™t have the support of each other. They all agreed in unison that their friendship was instrumental in their survival and Larry said among the nodding of heads, ā€œI couldnā€™t have survived without you guys.ā€

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