Just sent an e-mail off the them.

BTW, what are we going to do to take back Capital Hill for the queers or have we given up on that turf? And if we have given it up where would one open a new gay only dance club in Seattle?

Righteous.

Jesus Christ!

"To bring the laws of our nations in[to] full compliance with the law of God."

Wow... that is the scariest thing I've heard in awhile...

shudder

And these events have violence surrounding them....

People wonder why I stay home on the weekends? Christ, you can get killed going bar hopping on the weekends in Seattle. And it is only a matter of time before one of these born-again freaks walks into Purr or The Cuff and starts shooting the place up.

*activates queer conspiracy*

To arms!

I know... why don't the Latvians STAY the fuck in Latvia and why doesn't Rev. Ken MOVE to be with his gay-hatin' brethren?

Oh they will know we are homosexuals by our...

Well? What should we do if they continue to host this horrid event?

Unfortunately many Americans are more likely to consider gay sex a terrorist act than to consider violent homophobia a terrorist act.

Mr. Poe,
If they do, we all have to go to lynnwood.
I e-mailed Lynnwood and Postman at the Times. Wonder if any of the local TV stations would give a rip.

Wow, the Watchmen on the Walls bill themselves as "The International Christian Movement for Human Rights." That's some nerve.

You should put on your queerest suit and tie and join a silent protest in front of the convention center. Anybody got a free Saturday coming up?

Oh, and an aside: They bill themselves on their web site as an "International Christian Movement for Human Rights." Isn't that special.

@11, the news will not care until one of the homophobs beats the shit out of or kills someone. THEN it will be a huge news story, well until Britney or Paris does something....

Also, somebody needs to be there with a video camera.

I was looking at Watchmen on the Walls website and found this quote from Ken Hutcherson:

"When we look at the world history, we will see, that all of the world civilizations collapsed because of the collapse of the family. Family is the nucleus of any civilization. Why did the Roman Empire fell? Because, of two sins – adultery and homosexuality. We must fight in order to preserve right standards and godly standards. Fight!"

Too bad Jared Diamond spent all that time writing Collapse. It would have taken three seconds for Ken to explain "it's the gays, stupid".

Thinking about the alignment between Ken Hutcherson and the hard-right homophobic Eastern Europeans, I can't help but think of Dinesh D'Souza aligning with the Islamists in condemning the decadent, immoral West. People like Hutcherson and D'Souza truly do hate America.

Another comparison would be the socially conservative Episcopalians who choose to form alliances with far-right African Anglicans in order to gang up against their fellow "immoral" Americans. Why do these people hate America?

Instead of contacting people in Lynnwood, whose refusal to host the event could open the city to a lawsuit on first amendment grounds, why not contact US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). http://www.ice.gov/

1-866-DHS-2-ICE
1-866-347-2423

As twisted and complex as it is to legally enter and reside in this country, I guarantee that someone's papers aren't in order. If they want trouble, let's give trouble back.

What's the protest situation on this? Plz post any info that comes your way, David.

My question is - where's the equivalent international pro-gay rights coalition? I don't mean equivalent in violence, just scope and ability to get the message out.

It feels like some people view pride parade as evidence that we're winning rights for gays that they didn't have in the not-too-distant past. Sure, that might be true, but it's not enough.

Get on the phone with England, France, Canada, fucking Sweden for Chrissakes. There are countries where this shit would not stand and we need to add the US to that list, pronto.

@20: Will do.

Is "overthrowing the US government and replacing it with God's Law" a valid reason to enter the US? Maybe there's a special visa for that.

I think us queers and our supporters should march and demonstrate against the bigots. Having hundreds of us show up to counter there message of hate is more effective than trying to silence them.

David, have you had any contact with this Vlad Kusakin, who apparently edits a Russian language newspaper in Seattle?

@22, Thanks and DEFINATELY let us know about any protest information. (it is only a week away and we HAVE to confront them face to face) Lets tell these bitches in their leaders own words to "Bring it on!!"

@23 Hilarious.

Heather @24: I disagree. We shouldn't have to spend our weekends picketing violent homophobes from other countries. Revoking their invitation seems like a perfectly reasonable goal.

But should that fail--protests, definitely.

If you inform the FBI that a group is going to be meeting in Lynnwood in order to plan imminent attacks in the US, that should do the trick. And it seems to be the truth.

Who are these people and why do they keep name-dropping Me?

David @ 28: We should not need to, but I think we have to protest. They will try to play the role of being victims of censorship. The speakers from Latvia are a different matter than local homophobes gathering for a meeting.
The idea of calling I.C.E. has merit.

@14 They have already attacked and killed someone they thought was gay outside of Sacramento this last summer.

See here: http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/338842.html

And here: http://www.alternet.org/rights/64336/

Well, we could also call the FBI.

We have foreign nationals, some of them possibly here illegally, who advocate the overthrow of the US Government and its laws and have openly declared war and are plotting to harm US citizens.

They should take that very seriously, as we do.

What is a caller to ICE supposed to tell them precisely? I'm a bit skeptical.

Gabriel @ 34,

See @ 33. And there's plenty of documentation of the allegations on the internet.

awesome idea...ice already operates heavily in lynwood however targeting the latino population... let's see if they are as willing to go after europeans.

ice does alot of ride-alongs with lynwood police.

Andrew @ 35, see @ 29.

ok you can't post more than one URL to slog so just google "ice immigration lynnwood" and you will get several articles on ICE raids in lynwood that target latino's.

anti-immigration types fear that immigration (latino) drives up violence and crime. let the ICE and lynwood police know that this speaker and movement is connected with the crime and violence they wish to prevent.

This is the scariest thing I've read in awhile. Well, I guess we know what we have to do.

I wonder if Darren D. Misklashuvacis will be there.

Why aren't we protesting Hutcherson's church? He's the one bringing these terrorists into our area.

@16, Hutcherson shows the typical ignorance and arrogance that is the hallmark of virtually every fundamentalists. He rants and raves about things he THINKS are true and things that he's heard over and over in the echo chamber of the religious right, in spite of the fact that the things he is saying don't remotely resemble the actual facts; facts that could easily be found with the simple click of a mouse or with a quick trip to the local library (ground zero of blasphemy, heresy and apostasy in their eyes).

Case in point: We hear over and over that Rome fell because of their pagan/polytheistic, idol worshipping, hedonistic religion and homosexuality. That sounds really scary and is very effective in rallying the fundie masses but the FACT of the matter is the statement is patently and categorically FALSE. The Roman Empire THRIVED and PROSPERED for a thousand years as a pagan/polytheistic and pederastic society. It was shortly (relatively) after Constantine made Christianity the State Religion of Rome and declared it a CHRISTIAN Nation that the Empire collapsed.

Of course facts and science and reality are always enemy-one of the fundies.

Hey all,

I lived in Latvia last year where I had the opportunity of interviewing hte pastor in question after he had orchestrated a violent protest at a gay rights meeting. Here it is for anyone who is interested:

http://www.baltictimes.com/news/articles/16005/

Wow, this news has been sitting with me and making me distressed ever since I read it this morning.

From the alternet article (@32), it seems like many of the people who would be coming for this convention are actually legal(?) immigrants living throughout the West Coast. This is even scarier, as it's not just going to be a gathering for foreigners to proclaim their hatred and go home, but will bring together those who live among us.

Since many attendees are already in the country, contacting ICE may not be as good of a strategy.

Any pointers on what to tell ICE?

The alternet article is actually a re-print of the Southern Poverty Law Center article. I only point that out because SPLC is a wonderful organization that has a ton of integrity.

Diligence!

I understand why the Convention Center doesn't want to censor anything, but calling them and telling them what you think about them hosting the event even though it's within their right to host it and it's within your right to tell everyone on the mountain what the Lynnwood Convention Center is hosting should certainly make them aware of what they are doing to the greater community.

Sargon Bighorn @ 45,

See @ 33.

The local FBI office might actually be more helpful, but as I mentioned @ 19, some of these people may be here illegally (over-stayed visas and such) so they'll have much bigger problems than American homos if they're facing deportation.

What if we have some fun pro-gay event that same weekend? It doesn't have to be at the same time, one could both protest anti-gay while giving support to pro-gay. If there were funds involved, they could be donated to lambda legal or some such organization by the end of the celebration.

Isn't it a little ironic that these Latvians are so virulently gay when they all look like giant talking penises? Seriously. Even Hutch looks like a big brown knob.

I just heard about one organization that, because of this, cancelled plans to book the Lynnwood Convention Center. Maybe others will do the same.

It may help if those who have already booked the LCC are aware of this event, too.

I just wrote a post distilling some of my comments above.

Postman now has this on his Times blog. I know King5 knows about it. E-mailed the PI and the Everett Herald as well. Anyone have a good contact at HRC?

Jamesb, I'll bet local TV stations would love to know about this, especially if a protest is being organized.

Here's what bothers me the most, from Paul's interview:

"Ledyaev attended a National Prayer Breakfast hosted by President Bush in February"

You all are getting all worked up for nothing. This group has the right to assemble and to use the convention center.

They are expressing a view. A view shared by many. Don't deceive yourselves. Calling them terrorist, asserting that they are violent. That is bogus. Most of the people attending this event are mothers, fathers with young children.

They have a particular view........ You have yours........... DEAL WITH IT.

@55 The group has been implicated in a murder not to mention hate crimes here in the US and in Latvia. There is a big difference in voicing views and inciting violence.

Tell ICE that Ledyaev has already been banned from Russia in one instance (I have a site that quotes that but am looking back through my records). As well, someone should call the White House because of memory serves me well, this person who is such an extremist had a nice photo taken at the White House with Hutch and Jay Hein, the director for Faith Based Initiatives. I'm a bit swamped right now but will try to get links up later...

I have contacted local media here (in Victoria, B.C.) and in Vancouver. I'd like to see this story spread beyond the blogosphere. Hopefully someone picks it up.

While running several weeks back, a bunch of dickwads in a pickup truck yelled gay epithets at me (I'm straight). Somewhat scary, since this appears to be part of a growing trend. Reminder to straights: gay bashing affects you too.

BTW: If I'm now a "homosexualist", does that mean I'll have better fashion sense?

Boy, if ever an event required a Big Pink Bus full of drag queens...

@16 - I find the "raise the alarm - foreigners are coming" response more than a little xenophobic. I hope it is no surprise to folks that people outside of the U.S. don't necessarily share U.S. values - and our current politicization and identification around sexuality is a very uniquely American thing. Perhaps some folks find that statement threatening, but that's how I see it as an anthropologist.

I think it's a great suggestion that folks go out and meet this conference with a counter-message.

@28 - David Schmader, I lost a lot of respect for you (there's plenty left, though) from your remark that "We shouldn't have to spend our weekends picketing violent homophobes from other countries." What a terribly lazy and nonchalant position to take - is calling Immigration Services as much walk we're willing to put to our talk? That'd make us about as creative and effective as the Bush Adminstration, which basically dials "Immigrants" whenever they're pissed. I really thought we'd rise above that. Such sloth.

I hope other folks can be persuaded to ignore your advice and sacrifice a WHOLE day for something they say they believe in.

Alex @ 61: Don't misunderstand me. If the event happens, I'm all for protesting. But this group is so effing outrageous, and has such a clear potential for violence, that I'd like to think that our government might show an interest in upholding the nation's laws and protecting the citizenry.

Showing up to protest will send a message to the Lynnwood Convention Center and the region, but not to the Watchmen. They don't care how many gay and gay-friendly people there are here. They've selected this region BECAUSE of our high level of support for gay equality. The more "threatened"/outnumbered/isolated they feel, the "holier" their violent mission will seem. There is no reasoning with religious extremists. We already know that the crazier members of the Watchmen are willing to kill for their holy cause. Why the fuck do I have to deal with this in my own goddamn country? Don't we have laws against this shit?

If this seems like a justification of laziness, fuck you.

Yeah I can deal with the views. The hypocrisy astounds me.

These people came to this country because they were being persecuted. NOW they want to persecute a segment of the population? That's about as disgusting as it gets.

Hutch has hooked his wagon to a star that exposes him for what he is- a person that is intent on causing physical violence to a segment of people he doesn't agree with.

@62 - David Schmader, I understand that you're not against the idea of a protest. In all actuality, I think I was more upset by the "dial INS" strategy that a different commenter suggested. Still, I found what you said could be illustrative of the luxuriated liberal stereotype the Right likes to throw around about us.

You ask, "Why the fuck do I have to deal with this in my own goddamn country?" I'm afraid that the key words in your question is "deal with", and you're choosing not to either way, whether there are laws "against this shit" or not. That's your right, and it's certainly your privilege, and if you want to call that laziness, it's up to you. I certainly am no holier than you are, but I think I have to accept that often, I'm not willing to put my feet to my outrage.

Right now, I do feel like a bad guest on your blog - for the record, I have always enjoyed your writing in The Stranger. Thanks for the opportunity to disagree.

Hey Alex: Thanks for the response, don't fret about any "bad guest" judgments, apologies for the F bomb.

Don't we have laws against this shit?

-http://www.findbilover.com-

Contact the Lynnwood Diversity Commission, too. There are seven commissioners and their emails are all on this site:

http://www.ci.lynnwood.wa.us/Content/CityHall.aspx?id=522

(Sorry, I'm clueless about how to post a hyperlink in comments). According to their site their duties include "Supporting programs for engaging citizens and community leaders in a holistic approach including dialogue, education, and training about diversity issues".

I emailed Eddie Tadlock (etadlock@lynnwoodcc.com), head of the Lynnwood Convention Center, and cc'd all the diversity commissioners. If they are doing their job, they should at least start asking questions about why Tadlock allowed this group.

Incidentally I had a look around the Watchmen site (I speak Russian fluently). It's your standard right-wing fare, protect the family and religious freedom, etc. But have a look at the site of their comrades in Latvia (in English, http://www.nopride.lv/en/), which promotes Scott Lively's books. It's pretty fuckin' scary. And these people are going to be in our backyard spewing this shit.

@14 -- Unfortunately, it *won't* be a big media story when these goons beat someone up and kill them. We know, they've done it already:

http://www.alternet.org/rights/64336/

Israel is a gay haven compared to America. Israel holds a huge gay pride parade every year that even the most Orthodox Jews attend in celebration.

It's only Christianity that causes homophobia. Judaism, even in it's most Orthodox forms is open to gays.

LCC cannot deny access to a group based on their ideology. Regardless of what we think of their views or purpose. They have the right to assemble.

The constitution cuts both ways.

City officials and the Center Management have no choice in this matter.

Please bark up the right tree. Express your view without trouncing on all of our rights. The constitution offers protection to Gays and Lesbians and should be preserved.

@70: Good point- our U.S. Constitution and judicial precedent protect the right to peaceful assembly. However, that shouldn't stop us all from contacting our media outlets, political representatives and community organizations to present an alternative point of view. Let them convene in peace- "kill them with kindness" and show them that instead of the righteous indignation they devour, the godly and compassionate people choose to accept others for their differences.

I'm all for the pink bus idea. The best way to deal with fascists is to laugh in their faces. Nothing crashes a hate conference like Liberty.

Let me rephrase that:

NO ONE crashes a hate party like Miss Liberty!

You want to be treated with respect? With a view of normalcy?. Clean up your act!!!!!!!!!!!!

You see these coummunity pages on this very site suggesting that casual sex is ok.. a site called the love Lab and Lust lab....

Why don't you call Lynnwood and send them a link to these pages, then put fourth you persuasive argument that you are worthy of broad community support and acceptance....

What a bunch of hypocrites......

The board of LCC is behaving very hypocritically. The board's chairman is quote in an article on HeraldNet today:
http://heraldnet.com/article/20071013/NEWS01/710130053/-1/news01

"Convention center officials said there's little they can do to stop an organization from renting the publicly owned convention center. The venue is owned by the Lynnwood Public Facilities District, a public taxing district that operates the convention center but is separate from the city. "Our understanding is that they're law-abiding. They have a right of free speech just like any other group," said Mike Echelbarger, the board's chairman.
"If we were talking about the (Ku Klux Klan) we'd have a totally different take on it. OF COURSE WE WOULDN'T RENT TO THE KKK," he said." (emphasis added).

So yes, they apparently do have some leeway in denying groups access to renting LCC. They chose not to exercise that in this case.

UKGayNews has also picked up the story and has some interesting background on recent events in Europe regarding these groups: http://www.ukgaynews.org.uk/Archive/07/Oct/1201.htm

Alex @ 61 said: "Showing up to protest will send a message to the Lynnwood Convention Center and the region, but not to the Watchmen."

That's fine. As a straight-but-not-narrow, Christian Lynnwood resident, I want to show that we're not all crazy-a$$ bigots. And making a visible showing can do that, to some degree. As Josh Friedes, advocacy director for Equal Rights Washington, was quoted in the Herald today, "What will Lynnwood do to make sure that GLBT citizens are welcome in the town and to make sure to the rest of the state that this conference isn't a Lynnwood value?"

Well, I'd like to do something to show that. So who's with me? email me!

Should the conversation be focused on protesting a gathering that's destined to occur, or rather should we be focusing our energies on cooperating with local politicians and human rights organizations to curtail this barbaric movement through lobbying and policy?

Fighting fire with fire in regard to any fundamentalist movement only feeds the beast. I know this because I had the misfortune in being raised in a fundamentalist home/community.

An educated and poised reaction can help put an end to this. If anyone has suggestions as how to organize this, I am 100% on board.

It just hit me, who wants to help create a Post littered with contact resources?

suggesting that casual sex is ok

Casual sex is okay.

There, I took it from suggestion to statement. Hopefully, you'll be so busy fanning yourself you won't have time to whine anymore.

If there is a protest, I'll be there.

Even if there isn't one, I may just turn up anyway and see what's going on.

There's a lot of good things which have been said and observed in these comments. I do think, though, that despite completely and utterly disagreeing with and repudiating what this group stands for, the best thing to do is not to try and get them prevented from saying it (because I think that no matter how disgusting someone's opinions are, they're entitled to have them and to say them), but instead to add to the dialogue (even though there isn't likely to be any) by showing up and saying something positive and affirming.

But that's just me--I'm too much of an idealist, and I do believe, despite many years of activism, that somehow there is hope for even the most bigoted and violent people out there, even when they've been utterly brainwashed by their own flawed theological understandings and assumed righteousness.

I hope to meet many of you on the occasion (for I think it's inevitable), you all sound really cool!

I'll be there this weekend no matter if anything is organized or not. Maybe I'm just a 'rubbernecker' when it comes to things like this but the potential for something bad is just too great to not go. Yes I'm even willing to risk my own health just to see how this goes, after all I wore a sweatshirt that said "That's MR. Faggot to you!" on it in a northern NH town of 4k back in the early 90s (though for that town not much has changed).

While they do have a right to PEACEFUL assembly, free speech is not unlimited (especially not under the Patriot Act). Speech used to incite people to violence is not permitted (revolt agains the government was before Patriot Act but not revolt doesn't have to be violent). The addage of "screaming fire in a crowded theater" holds here.

If their message condones, endorses, and encourages violence towards US citizens it isn't permitted. That is after all what the LCC official was expressing. He seems to think they're about 'peaceful' speech while the KKK isn't. Funny thing is back in the early 90s (damn I loved college) in NH the KKK was allowed to have a speech on the state house steps on Civil Rights Day (NH is one of the states that kept that name rather than changing to MLK Day) and the KKK kept it peaceful. Well we think so anyway, nobody could hear the dozen of them there over the hundreds of school students who were allowed to leave school to attend who told them (also peacefully if loudly) to go back home. The speakers from the KKK were all from the Northern Star in Michigan.

So who is going to be there? Is there any sort of protest actually planned? I'm really not sure what good it would do, but I'm very interested to know any details.

I am seriously disgusted to be a Lynnwood resident right now. SHAME on them.

Applicable email addresses:

General Lynnwood-
Cityhall@ci.lynnwood.wa.us,
ssimpson@ci.lynnwood.wa.us,

Lynnwood Convention Center-
info@lynnwoodcc.com
gdull@lynnwoodpfd.com
tlamonte@lynnwoodpfd.com

Aaron Reardon-
aaronreardon@yahoo.com
aaron.reardon@co.snohomish.wa.us

Mike Echelbarger--
Mike@Echelbarger.com

More forthcoming. Let me know if you would like them and I will post what I find.

Pastor Ken Hutcherson 8210 154th Ave NE Redmond, WA 98052 1-877-255-6948 ... Lynwood, WA 98036 (425) 774-7766 www.amcc.org Services 9:15, 11 am ...
Found this on the internet-ya gotta luv it
He must be a lonely man how about some cards and letters.

I contacted the convention center and they are holding there conferences Friday 6pm to 9pm Saturday from 11am to 9:30pm and Sunday from 6pm to 9pm. We are protesting Friday at 5pm and Sunday at 5pm. I am not sure who is protesting Saturday. I will be wearing a Pink Triangle on my arm representing the hatred they say we as gay men and woman caused the holocaust.

Please join us in peace, unity and equality for all.

Matt

How are any of theese people violent? They have not commited a single crime. They are simply standing up to what they believe in. God bless all of you, to whoever is leading a sinful life I pray that you will come to terms and realize that what you are doing is wrong.. Know the truth, stop living a lie.

Dear Tammy,
You have no proof that the words you are speaking are truth. I am so tired of christians shunning everyone for the way they live their lives. You are living a lie. The bible is just a bunch of lies.

The True Stories Project has teamed up with RCE (the Religious Coalition for Equality) and ERW (Equal Rights Washington) to offer a FREE screening of locally produced film “Inlaws & Outlaws” to counter the virulently anti-gay gathering of The Watchmen in Lynnwood this weekend.

Hosted by the Edmonds Unitarian Universalist Church, the screening takes place on Sunday, October 21st at 4 pm. Preceding the screening at 3 pm will be a Peace Vigil at the church, led by the Reverend Monica Corsaro, Co-Convener of RCE.

The Edmonds Unitarian Universalist Church is located at 8109 224 Street SW in Edmonds.

All are welcome to the vigil and the screening.

Visit: http://www.inlawsandoutlawsfilm.com/news/inlaws_outlaws_counters_antiga.php for more information.

Together, we can build & promote a community founded upon equality, tolerance and love.

Copy of a letter to KING5- talk about intolerance and hatred! yeah, lots of that going on-

I believe that reporting with integrity is crucial in presenting any news story. The foundation of our democracy is that we have a right to public debate on any subject. Your job is to present that public debate insuring that viewers have the right to their own thoughts and opinions based on the presentation of those ideas in a way that is truthful and unbiased.

With the goal of unbiased reporting in mind, I would like to address your current story regarding The Watchman on The Wall event in Lynnwood. Hatred is not the goal of this organization, and yet you used the words that the main topic was on "hatred and how to define it". You stop there, and give the impression that this ministry (much different word than organization isn't it? and yet ministry is the word that they use to describe themselves) is about hatred. Maybe you didn't take a look at their website? "Hatred" of a group of people, in this case homosexuals, is not a word that they use on their website to describe their viewpoint. How did they define hatred at this conference? Perhaps it is a belief system about sexual behavior that is believed to wrong.

Certain sexual behavior are considered wrong by most people. Adultery in one example. It ruins families, and the "moral fabric of this country." I "hate" seeing families torn apart because of adultery. Do I hate the individual that committed adultery? No- I may not like or respect that person, but most people wouldn't have a problem with my viewpoint on adultery, a behavior. Why is it that a viewpoint regarding homosexuality as wrong is considered as "hatred?"

Yet, because Watchman on the Wall disagree with that lifestyle you call it "hatred". That is biased reporting. That along with using the term "at war" (out of context) continue the misconceptions that cause hatred and intolerance towards individuals that disagree with the homosexual lifestyle. Misconceptions based on half-truths and journalist bias.

Are there individuals that do hate, and act on it? Yes, but it is because we live in a fallen world, and humans are inclined towards sin. It is prejudice to stereotype any group of people, including Conservative Christians because of individuals that act in ways that are hateful and who call themselves "Christian". (actually the Bible is pretty clear on looking at the "fruit" of a person's life and that "fruit" is defined as "love, peace, long-suffering, kindness) Hardly hatred.

I am not affiliated with that particular Christian group, and do not agree with their stance on all issues, however I am concerned that the word "hatred" and "at war" would be applied to me and others because of our viewpoint on homosexuality.

I sincerely hope that in the future that I can watch KING5 news with confidence, knowing that I can trust the information I am receiving. Now, that would be nightly news worth watching.

I am surprised more people did not show up for this protest. It was not anywhere as full as it should it be.