NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  August 8, 2003

CONTACT:  Diane Gramley  1.814.271.9078 or 1.814.437.5355

 

TRADITIONAL VALUES GROUP SAYS PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES STRIKE OUT WITH GAY DAY

 

(Philadelphia) -- On Tuesday August 12,  the Philadelphia Phillies Major League Team will host its first "Gay Community Day."   A traditional values group has expressed outrage that an activity as 'American as apple pie' is being usurped by a group that is seeking normalization of their sexual activity.

 

 

"Families will take their children to Tuesday's baseball game for a good time, but instead they will be confronted with a 'Gay Community Day.'  What type message is this giving the children attending?  Those who engage in homosexual activity -- because this is what really defines a homosexual -- are using this in-your-face method to further seek acceptance of their unnatural and dangerous sexual behavior," Diane Gramley, director of the American Family Association of Pennsylvania said today.

 

AFA of PA finds it "interesting" that those involved in homosexual behavior are willing to support the Phillies through ticket purchases, while the Phillies in turn support the Boy Scouts through participation in the Scouts Explorers Program.

   

"The question here is -- the Phillies have been involved with the Scouts since 1988, but didn't homosexual activists just convince the United Way of Southeastern PA to withhold funds for this very  'Learning for Life' Explorer program?  So the Phillies support the Scouts on one hand, but on the other endorse those who are responsible for the Scouts losing a $400,000 grant.  I'd call that somewhat double-handed," commented Gramley.

 

Stadium security is to be prepared to deal with so-called "anti-gay" bias, but perhaps they should be more prepared to deal with protecting the children who will be attending the game.  Philadelphia is the site where earlier this year 11 homosexual men were arrested in the Strawbridge Department store in Center City for engaging in public sexual activity in the store restroom.  Two of the witnesses to this activity were a young boy and his father who unsuspectingly walked into the restroom.

 

 "Public homosexual activity is becoming an increasing problem across the state and parents need to be prepared to protect their children.  The Centers for Disease Control recognizes that men who have sex with men have large numbers of anonymous partners thus resulting in the rapid transmission of HIV/AIDS and other STDs.  This creates a real public health risk," continued Gramley.

The AFA of Pennsylvania is encouraging the Phillies to reconsider their decision to host "Gay Community Day."  Most of their ticket sales come from traditional families and apparently the Phillies have chosen to turn their back on those very families which provide the backbone of their sales.  Kathy Killian, the director of group sales, says if this "Gay Community Day" is a success then it may become an annual event.

 

"Ms. Killian says that what they've started is an open door policy.  As a reminder -- that door swings both ways.  As parents are fearful of taking their children to Disney World in June during Gay Days, will parents become fearful of bringing their children to Phillies baseball games?  That's something the Phillies' sales office needs to think about long and hard," Gramley concluded.

 

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