| NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 12, 2003
CONTACT: Diane
Gramley 1.814.271.9078
Robin Ennis 1.419.626.0830
TRADITIONAL VALUES GROUP SAYS 'GAY DAY' AT CEDAR
POINT IS NOT AMUSING
(Franklin, PA) -- A traditional values group said that parents should be
aware that same-sex couples plan on once again descending on Cedar Point
in Sandusky, Ohio. The
'unofficial Gay Day' will be held on Fathers' Day as it has been for the
past several years. The
American Family Association of Pennsylvania today spoke with Robin Ennis
of the Cedar Point Public Relations Department expressing concerns that
parents would unwittingly attend with their children.
"Supposedly this day is chosen because there are fewer families
there! But there will be
families with children and parents will find themselves in the
uncomfortable position of having to explain why men are holding hands
and kissing other men and why women are doing the same with other women. Men dressed as women will also pose a problem.
And what might children witness as they enter the public rest
rooms? Once again unsuspecting parents will enter the park and be
shocked by what they encounter," Diane Gramley, director of the
American Family Association of Pennsylvania said.
Increased homosexual activity in the park will be a major concern for
families. “Parents do not
want to go for a fun-filled day at “the Best Amusement Park in the
World” only to have it undermined by concerns about what their
children are exposed to,” continued Gramley.
On June 17, 2001 during the
‘unofficial Gay Day’ at Cedar Point a man dressed as a woman was
asked to leave the park. According
to spokeswoman, Janice Witherow, the individual’s attire was against
the park dress code policy. The
dress code prohibits costumes and was adopted to address safety and
security concerns. Witherow
further says, “We need to be able to identify our guests should
something happen, and we can’t allow one sex to be dressing up as
another sex and entering restrooms where they’re not supposed to
be.”
Homosexual activity increasingly goes hand in hand with public sexual
activity. A recent article
on a Canadian gay web site states that anyone cruising “in a park
knows it can be a sexually exciting experience and tons of fun.”
It goes on to acknowledge that this activity “comes
naturally.” Dr. Tom
Coates, director of the USCF AIDS Research Institute further states,
“The whole idea of gay liberation is having sex with whom you want to
have sex.” But the CDC
sees anonymous homosexual activity as a major concern in the spread of
HIV/AIDS and views it as a public health risk.
Increasingly across Pennsylvania and in other parts of the nation
homosexual public sex has become a problem. Earlier this year 11 gay men were arrested for engaging in
public sex in a restroom at Strawbridge Department store in
Philadelphia. There have
also been problems at Camp Hill Mall in Camp Hill, the Upper Main Line
YMCA, Schenley Park in Pittsburgh and Scott Park in Erie to name only a
few locations.
“We again urge Cedar Point to consider the traditional families which
are the backbone of their business. They do not want their children exposed to this type
activity. Cedar Point’s
concern should be for the safety and well-being of families and
children. AFA has already
been contacted by several parents who have recently become aware of
“Gay Day” on Father’s Day. They
are extremely disappointed and have changed their plans.
How many more families we will never hear from have done the same
thing,” asked Gramley?
# # #
Copyright 2002 - 2008 American Family
Association of PA | 
