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News Release
For Immediate Release: March 11, 2010
Contact: Diane Gramley 1.814.271.9078 or 1.814.437.5355

State Rep Babette Josephs’ Criticism of AFA of PA is Unfounded

(Harrisburg) – Last month during the annual ‘Freedom to Marry Week” 25 homosexual activists and their allies held a rally in the Capitol Rotunda in Harrisburg. The rally was held to show support for Senator Daylin Leach’s bill to legalize same-sex marriage in Pennsylvania. In response to the rally the American Family Association of PA (AFA of PA), a statewide traditional values group, issued a news release addressing some of the dangers associated with engaging in homosexual acts and the problems with legalizing so-called same sex marriage. State Representative Babette Josephs, a participant in the rally, has taken exception to those claims and has herself issued a news release in response.

“Representative Josephs, an outspoken supporter of so-called homosexual marriage and special rights for homosexuals, apparently did not read our news release thoroughly as she has misrepresented what the AFA of PA said. We did not pull the HIV/AIDS statistics out of thin air, but simply quoted data from the Centers for Disease Control. Additionally, we quoted homosexual activist Matt Foreman, former executive director of the Gay and Lesbian Task Force, when HE called AIDS a ‘gay disease.” The remarks contained in our news release were not homophobic in nature, but stated the facts,” noted Diane Gramley, president of the AFA of PA.

The AFA of PA agrees with Representative Josephs that AIDS is a “horrible disease,” but her actions do not show her compassion for those who suffer with HIV/AIDS. A compassionate society and her lawmakers would not validate a lifestyle through force of law that negatively impacts and kills so many. There’s a good reason why the FDA refuses to allow men who have sex with men to donate blood.

In 1996 the 104^th Congress understood the importance of marriage between one man and one woman as a foundational block to society. The Defense of Marriage Act was introduced and passed, “To define and protect the institution of marriage.” The negative impact of same-sex marriage on the Netherlands is not questioned.

“The AFA of PA urges Representative Josephs to thoroughly read the information provided in our February 9^th news release. Our hope is that she will objectively look at the facts and not ignore them as those pushing for the normalization of this dangerous lifestyle are inclined to do,” concluded Gramley.

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