Mike Tidmus

L-R: Exodus International Board member Don Schmierer, San Diego-area Pastor Jim Garlow (photos L-R: Exodus International, Skyline Wesleyan Church)

In March 2009, three American advocates of so-called “ex-gay” conversion therapy traveled to Uganda to preach at an anti-gay rally that led to the introduction of a now-infamous, draconian bill that would criminalize homosexuality and under certain circumstances would inflict capital punishment. Among the three Americans was Exodus International board member Don Schmierer.

On 27 January 2010, at Skyline Wesleyan Church near San Diego, California, Exodus International will hold a training session (they call it an “equipping”). The purpose of these equipping events is to teach pastors, ministers, educators and counselors how to deal with “unwanted homosexuality.”

The pastor of Skyline Church is no stranger to LGBT Californians, our families, friends and allies. Pastor Jim Garlow claimed responsibility for jump-starting Prop 8, the California ballot initiative that took away the existing right of LGBT couples to marry; was the driving force behind the pre-2008-Election, anti-gay rally, TheCall, at Qualcomm Stadium; traveled to DC to oppose The Matthew Shepard & James Byrd Jr Hate Crimes Prevention Act; was one of the original signatories of the blueprint for American theocracy called The Manhattan Declaration; and, most recently, tried (unsuccessfully) to worm out of testifying in the Perry v Schwarzenegger Prop 8 trial.

If you don’t buy the ex-gay lie, join us at the parking lot of the San Diego LGBT Center (Note: this is not an Center-sponsored event) at 8:00 am on 27 January. At 8:15, we will carpool out to Skyline Church in La Mesa for a peaceful protest to let those who oppose our rights and, indeed, our very existence know that we like who and what we are and, since we’re not broken, we don’t need fixing.

Please bring signs, whistles, banners and flags. Keep it positive and peaceful.

Details:

Date: Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Time: 8:00am – 9:30am
Location: LGBT Center parking lot
Street: 3909 Centre Street
City: San Diego, CA

Check back here or the Facebook event page for updates.

If you want to attend but bypass the carpooling from the Center, we’ll be arriving at Skyline Wesleyan Church around 8:30 am. The “ex-gay” training is slated to begin at 9:00 am. The address is: 11330 Campo Road, La Mesa, CA 91941. Here’s a Map: http://bit.ly/6PCsJ9

Background on Uganda, Garlow and Exodus International:

• Maddow: Uganda be kidding me, 3 December 2009
• The Engle-Garlow connection, 20 December 2009
• All posts on Uganda