News Release: Will Only One Side of the Story Be Told?
January 24, 2012 // afaofpa // Education Issues, Homosexual Agenda
News Release
For Immediate Release: January 24, 2012
Contact: Diane Gramley 1.814.271.9078 or 1.814.437-5355
Will Only One Side of the Story Be Told?
(Harrisburg) — Tomorrow night the Dallastown High School Gay Straight Alliance Club will be showing the “documentary” Out in the Silence. The target of that documentary is the American Family Association of Pennsylvania (AFA of PA).
“Homosexual activists Dean Hamer and Joe Wilson targeted the AFA of PA accusing us of encouraging the bullying of students who identify as homosexual and calling for the boycott of a lesbian-owned theatre. All of which are false, yet they chose to distort and twist the facts as well as deliberately edit out any conversations that took place between Dean, Joe or CJ and me to fit their own agenda,” commented Diane Gramley, president of the AFA of PA.
For those who want to know the truth about what happened during the filming of this ‘documentary’ and read the letters that are referenced during the film, they can go to the AFA of PA website. Interested parties can also go to the AFA of PA YouTube channel and watch excerpts of the AFA of PA response to Out in the Silence held in Coudersport in August 2010.
The AFA of PA has made it very clear that ALL students should be provided a safe learning environment. Our letters and other communications have never indicated otherwise. We fully support anti-bullying programs which address ALL bullying and do not single out certain groups for special attention. The AFA of PA has also taken a strong stand in educating on the dangers of the homosexual lifestyle and not simply telling students that engaging in homosexual acts is simply a ‘safe alternative lifestyle.’ Additionally, the AFA of PA does not believe anyone is ‘born gay.’
Medical problems students should be warned of include:
– 57% of all new HIV cases in 2009 were men who have sex with men (MSM)
– Young MSM, especially those of minority races and ethnicities, are at increased risk for HIV infection. In 2009, young MSM accounted for 27% of new HIV infections in the US and 69% of new HIV infections among persons aged 13–29. Among young black MSM, new HIV infections increased 48% from 2006 through 2009.
– increased cases of syphilis among men who have sex with men
– men who have sex with men can shorten their lives by up to 20 years
– bisexuals are a bridge for HIV/AIDS into the heterosexual community
“Hamer and Wilson have used their false claims in the documentary to further their agenda and proclaim that all those who oppose their tactics and lies are haters and encourage the bullying of homosexuals. I made it very clear to CJ Bills, in the conversation that was conveniently cut from the film, that what happened to him was wrong and the school should have investigated his accusations more thoroughly,” Gramley further stated.
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Topics: CJ Bills, Dallastown, Dean Hamer, Joe Wilson, Out in the Silence
Why does the AFA continue to use that Canadian study which is no longer valid? The study was done before the mid-1990′s when new treatments drastically changed the outlook for those with HIV. To continue to cite that study to marginalize gay men is intellectually dishonest.
It is okay with you that young men who have sex with men accounted for 27% of new HIV infections in the US and 69% of new HIV infections among persons aged 13–29 in 2009? It’s okay with you that Pennsylvania was in the top 10 states that has the highest number of AIDS diagnoses in 2009? It’s okay with you that 1 in 5 men who have sex with men have HIV? These stats are from the CDC. The Gay and Lesbian Medical Association even acknowledges the dangers to homosexual men.
It’s telling that you don’t even try to refute my claim that the Canadian study you use over and over is no longer valid. Of course, I’m very concerned about HIV and it’s impact on everyone at risk, including gay men who, at least in the US, are affected the most. There are many populations with particular health concerns; I want everyone to be able to make informed decisions about their life and to have access to the appropriate health care services. Twisting science to serve your political agenda does not serve that goal.
From aidsmap.com: “Comparing the life expectancy of people diagnosed with HIV in 2005 with that in the general population, it was 21.1 years shorter.
Men could expect to die an average of 19.1 years before their HIV-negative peers, but this figure varies by age. A man diagnosed aged 20 would die 25 years early, a 40-year old 18 years early and a 60-year old 10 years early.”