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Los Angeles ABC affiliate refuses ad with gay families during Inauguration: ‘Too controversial, families will be watching.’

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Non-profit organization GetToKnowUsFirst.org produced five 30-second commercials featuring gay and lesbian families, with the message “Marriage promotes families. Support marriage equality.” The ads, while not tied to any current election, are the result of California’s passage of Proposition 8 in November. The group aired the spots in 42 of the states’ 58 counties – everywhere the initiative passed by 50% or more – during Tuesday’s coverage of the Presidential Inauguration. KABC is the only station that refused to sell the ad space.

The rejected ad profiles two African American men raising five children ages 6 through 25. Ironically, the family lives in Los Angeles.

The media buy was attempted by the organization’s ad agency, New and Improved Media. Its CEO, Keith Fisher, was surprised that KABC rejected the group’s money. Fisher said, “We usually only see this with risque content, as in a trailer for a movie.” He added, “If KABC thinks they have to protect the public from this family, something’s obviously very wrong over there.”

Chris Yokogawa, the ad agency’s media buyer, worked with the station, attempting to ease any concerns they might have. He said, “We went back and forth a couple of times. I explained that this family is far from controversial. They were firm in their rejection. They said it was too controversial to air during the Inauguration, since ‘many families will be watching.'”

The ad aired across California on Tuesday – before, during and after the Presidential Inauguration on Good Morning America, The Today Show, Despierta America (Univision) and Levantate (Telemundo) broadcasts, as well as on a wide range of regional news stations, CNN and FoxNews during evening coverage of the day’s events.

Project Coordinator John Ireland expressed astonishment at KABC’s rejection. He said, “This ad is about families. I challenge anyone to watch the commercials and articulate what is inappropriate about airing it at any time of day.”

One week prior, at attorney Gloria Allred’s urging, Rev. Rick Warren indicated he would be willing to show the ads to his congregation at Saddleback Church in Orange County. Days before the Presidential Inauguration, he changed his mind, dropping the offer.

Melissa Etheridge Directly Writes About Rick Warren Invocation at Obama Inauguration

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We brought you the link to the Little Mrs. blogging about it; now, here is what Melissa Etheridge has directly written about Rick Warren as posted at The Huffington Post.

Melissa Etheridge
Posted December 22, 2008 | 05:10 PM (EST)
The Choice Is Ours Now

“This is a message for my brothers and sisters who have fought so long and so hard for gay rights and liberty.”

Read more after you make the jump to:

http://www.twolesbosgoinatit.com/2008/12/22/melissa-etheridge-writes-about-rick-warren-invocation-at-obama-inauguration/

Melissa Etheridge Meets Rick Warren – Hollywood Farm Girl

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Melissa Etheridge Meets Rick Warren – Hollywood Farm Girl

The spouse of Melissa Etheridge gives us another side of the Rick Warren issue. Apparently Melissa Etheridge met Warren and the lovely spouse of Melissa gives us a few thoughts to ponder.

Here is part of what Tammy Lynn says on her blog “hollywood farm girl”:

“rick is not a televangelist. rick is not falwell. rick spoke of some “stupid” things he’s said (his word, not mine), some missquotes that were given, and lots of ammunition from the media. all excellent points. (we’re all war-minded right now, you know. it’s easy for the media to distract us by throwing us into our own verbal wars here at home.) ) what to do, what to do…. the rest of the public is given an animation of rick warren… and then my wife meets the man behind the projections, the quotes, the “OTHER SIDE”. and he is warm, caring, effusive, and LOVES gays. since he nearly swallowed honey when he hugged her, i tend to believe him. he wants our gay marriages to be just as respected and embraced as the straight marriages. he just wants to wear his yamaka, and me wear my hat.”

Come over to http://twolesbosgoinatit.com to check out this and other stories including Samantha Ronson’s (Lindsay Lohan’s love muffin lesbian girlfriend) recent trip to the hospital . . . AND MORE!

Happy Holidays!

Gay dads celebrate Father’s Day with Rick Warren, author of “The Purpose Driven Life”

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This Father’s Day, a group of LGBT and straight-ally families will spend their holiday in a way that is both extraordinary and profoundly commonplace: they will attend services at Saddleback Church, the mega-church founded by Rick Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life.

The following day, the families will join leaders from Saddleback Church for a private meal and conversation.

The visit is the conclusion of a six-week journey, a gay-friendly family road trip, to initiate dialogue with mega-church congregations across the nation. In December 2007, organizers of the project – which is called The American Family Outing – invited the leaders of six major mega-churches to match families from their congregations with LGBT families for a meal and conversation. Then, on Mother’s Day 2008, the outing began with a visit to Joel Osteen’s Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas.

As of June 16, 2008, The American Family Outing will have met successfully with all six of the churches. The meetings have ranged in size and depth; Lakewood Church welcomed the families to worship but would only meet privately with one of the Family Outing’s clergy leaders, Pastor Jay Bakker. In contrast, Bishop Eddie Long of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Georgia met personally with LGBT families from Atlanta and around the country.

“The meetings have been an occasion to clear up misperceptions on both sides and to begin to focus on what we have in common,” says Jeff Lutes, Executive Director of Soulforce and one of the organizers of the American Family Outing.

Lutes and his partner, Gary Stein, along with their three kids, will be participating in the visit with Saddleback Church. Members of the Lutes-Stein family have also visited Lakewood Church and The Potter’s House in Dallas. They will also join families visiting Willow Creek Community Church in Illinois on June 8.

“It’s not your average summer vacation,” says Lutes. “But it has been an amazing experience. In the end, we’re doing it to make a safer world for our kids, so it’s all worth it.”

Clergy leader Jay Bakker will also join the families for the visit with Saddleback.

The American Family Outing is a collaboration between Soulforce, COLAGE, National Black Justice Coalition, and the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches.

Article adapted by ProudParenting.com from original press release.