LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY sunfell)

Meet the Fundies
By Steve Satterwhite, Texas Observer
Posted on October 20, 2005, Printed on October 20, 2005
Alternet

Every soul who testified at the Texas Senate State Affairs Committee hearing on May 19 on the topic of a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage and civil unions had more to say than they could cram into the three minutes made available to each speaker.

There were so many people who wanted to testify that the hearing was held in a packed Senate Chamber instead of a committee room. For upwards of 10 hours, they took their turns, the on-deck speaker sitting beside the one who was already testifying.

For those who supported gay marriage and gay rights in general, the proposed amendment was cast as a hideous step toward the Dark Ages, a crippling legal twist on the civil definition of marriage. What's worse, it codified discrimination in the state constitution, a document that should be used to guarantee civil rights. It would deny some human beings the freedom to be fully human.( Warning: Some of this article contains graphic material. )

Been doing some followup on this story as well...Zach, unfortunately, got largely taken in, but his story may be earning a victory for OTHER kids at threat for committment there and in similar facilities.

http://www.isaccorp.org/loveinaction/love-in-action.09.19.05.html reports how the State of Tennessee has now ordered Love In Action to shut down the Refuge "de-gaying" center as it was handing out medication to mentally ill clients without a license. (Tennessee requires licensure for supportive care.)

Reportedly Peterson Toscano (a walkaway from Love In Action) has also verified the unlicensed handing out of drugs.

http://www.isaccorp.org/loveinaction/love-in-action.09.14.05.html is another article that gives the initial info on how the facility may be closed down (and also talks about the increased scrutiny Love In Action is facing--in part because of Zach's situation).

Needless to say, the dominionists running the joint are displeased and are contersuing the State of Tennessee:

http://www.isaccorp.org/loveinaction/love-in-action.10.01.05.html

(What's especially funny is that Love In Action flat out lies about its purpose. A quote:

"We are not changing homosexuals to heterosexuals," says LIA Director John Smid.

(Uhhh...that's what I thought the entire point of that whole "de-gaying"/"reparative" therapy WAS. So, are you or are you not running a "de-gaying" clinic?)

Needless to say, though, it looks like Refuge may well be shutting down. Good riddance to bad rubbish. Let's hope it's the first of MANY.

LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY matraia)

The recent post on Calvary Chapel got me thinking and made me do some digging. Seems my father and stepmother are both involved with them still. Now I have a personal interest in that particular church system's antics. Where would be good to go to learn more?