Repost: Bay Area Reporter- Fundies' festival comes to town, by Zak Szymanski

Fundies' festival comes to town
by Zak Szymanski
z.szymanski [at] ebar.com

On the Web site run by the national touring events known as Battlecry (http://www.battlecry.com), the gatherings look almost like "Promise Keepers" events targeted toward young hipsters: there's the Christian theme, strategically placed photographs of floppy-haired emo boys and hip-hop artists, and a message that the "Battlecry stadium events will offer ... 100,000 people across the nation to hear today's leaders give a relevant message to the leaders of tomorrow. They will experience unforgettable ministry and worship."

While some people affiliated with Battlecry emphasize that the event is not political in nature, local LGBT and progressive leaders aren't convinced, and they are calling on community members to show up to demonstrate against the event when Battlecry comes to San Francisco this weekend. The live music and prayer event will be held at AT&T Park through Saturday, March 25, and is kicking off with a rally on the steps of City Hall on Friday, March 24 at 2:30 p.m. to "show America in a very visible way that there are young people that love God and want to build the future of our country on biblical values."

"Please prayerfully consider coming early and gathering for this pre-event Battlecry rally at San Francisco's City Hall and have your teens participate as we pray for the northwest region, our nation, and this generation," an announcement from Battlecry founder Ron Luce said. "These are the very city hall steps where several months ago ***gay marriages*** [sic] were celebrated for the entire world to see."

Battlecry publicity materials also state, "People, the car is on fire and the youth of America are trapped inside. Suicide, abortion, alcohol, drug abuse, and violence are fiery flames licking at the wreckage of many young lives. ... Try to imagine a society that mocks the fact that 'under God' was ever even in our Pledge of Allegiance. Try to imagine the motto 'In God we trust' taken off our money. Imagine all references to Christ and His cross removed from all emblems and city logos. Try to imagine a world where a pastor can go to jail for saying homosexuality is wrong. Current news stories confirm that these unfortunate events are already happening here and in other nations around the world."

Those hoping to attend this weekend's Battlecry stadium event must pay $55-$65 for the entire package if they order tickets by phone, otherwise admission is $199 at the gate, according to a sales representative who said the large price difference was to ensure that the group would break even. Staci Slaughter, vice president of communications for the San Francisco Giants, which owns the stadium, declined to disclose how much Battlecry was paying for the two-day rental of the ballpark, but noted that fees are negotiated privately and depend upon a variety of factors including the size of the event. According to organizers, tens of thousands of people may attend Battlecry. An article in the San Francisco Chronicle in 2000 noted that "prayer rentals" were one source of income bringing the San Francisco Giants extra cash and that the stadium rented for $125,000 for four hours. Battlecry – booked under the event name "Acquire the Fire" – will be held at AT&T Park on Friday from 5 to 10 p.m. and Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

On Tuesday, March 21, Jeff Johnson, Battlecry's listed media contact, told the Bay Area Reporter that there "was nothing political about the event at all" and that the City Hall location of the Battlecry rally was not related to San Francisco's gay marriages. The rally, he said, was to energize young people against a destructive pop culture that fosters violence and low self-worth. He also said that the rally was "not really a demonstration" that would typically warrant police presence. But after speaking for several minutes to a known reporter Johnson asked that he not be quoted and said he could not speak as a representative of Battlecry. He instead offered to find a spokesperson for the event through Teen Mania, the Texas-based ministry that hosts the Battlecry events (http://www.teenmania.org). Teen Mania representatives, however, did not contact the B.A.R. , and Johnson called back to say he did not believe he would be able to locate a spokesperson.

"Their press release clearly talks about gay marriage and people in a car being burned by abortion. I don't know what they call politics, but if you put lipstick on a pig it's still a pig," said Supervisor Tom Ammiano, who encouraged LGBT community members to turn out against Friday's Battlecry rally, noting that recent anti-choice events in the city have not attracted as many counterdemonstrators, and the right wing likely is banking on activist fatigue for the same small turnout this time around.

"We are disseminating information and asking people to attend a counterdemonstration," said Elizabeth Creely, a co-organizer of the Bay Area Coalition for Our Reproductive Rights. "Most of us have to work during the day so we won't be able to attend. But we are encouraging people to come out if they can."

BAYCORP (sic), said Creely, is a group that also takes a strong pro-LGBT stance at demonstrations.

"BAYCORP (sic) recognizes there is a natural alliance between reproductive and queer rights activists," said Creely. "We have the same opponents and we are the targets of the same critiques around how people are supposed to use their own bodies. We share interests like privacy rights. There's a real history between the movements."

Captain Kevin Dillon at SFPD Northern Station said police have been talking to both progressive activists and Battlecry representatives in anticipation of Friday's rally at City Hall. Should a counterdemonstration take place, he said, police would work to keep both sides separated.

Ammiano and Supervisor Bevan Dufty introduced a resolution at the Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, March 21 condemning Battlecry's rhetoric and affirming city support for LGBT equality and reproductive freedom. The resolution will not go before the board for a vote until next Tuesday, March 28.

"Obviously there's free speech and they certainly have the right to spread their filth," said Ammiano. "They can say it, and we have the right to say that what they're saying is not good and we're not supporting it. I think the board will probably agree these are not values shared by the elected officials in San Francisco."

After San Francisco, Battlecry is scheduled to hit Detroit from April 7-8 and Philadelphia on May 12-13.

Copyright © 2005, Bay Area Reporter, a division of Benro Enterprises, Inc.