[Vision2020] Gays With Kids Want Role in Egg Roll

[Tom Hansen]

>From today's (January 21, 2006) Spokesman Review -

 

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Gays with kids want role in egg roll 

Group organizing big turnout for annual White House event

 

David Crary

Associated Press

January 21, 2006

 

Three months before the annual Easter egg roll at the White House, the
usually festive event is already taking on a divisive edge because of plans
by gay- and lesbian-led families to turn out en masse in hopes of raising
their public profile.

 

The Family Pride Coalition and other organizers envision the April 17 action
as a celebration that will earn goodwill and showcase their families
engaging in the annual tradition.

 

"It's important for our families to be seen participating in all aspects of
American life," said Family Pride executive director Jennifer Chrisler.

 

Yet some conservatives, alerted to the plans this week, accuse gay activists
of trying to "crash" an event for children and turn it into forum for
ideological politicking. Some groups are discussing ways to respond.

 

"It's improper to use the egg roll for political purposes," said Mark Tooley
of the conservative Institute on Religion and Democracy. Tooley wrote a
critical article this week in the Weekly Standard magazine about the planned
event that has circulated widely on conservative Web sites.

 

Since the article appeared Tuesday, Chrisler said Family Pride has received
"a flood of hate-filled, venomous messages telling us that our families
aren't welcome."

 

The issue was raised at a White House news briefing Wednesday when spokesman
Scott McClellan was asked if President Bush would seek to prevent the gay
families' action.

 

"This event is a time to celebrate Easter and to have a good family
celebration here at the White House," McClellan replied. "In terms of any
other details about it, I think it's still a few months off, so we'll talk
about it as we get closer."

 

On conservative chat rooms, some critics of Family Pride suggested the White
House could make the egg roll an invitation-only event, as it did in 2003
when attendance was limited to military families. Other critics said
conservatives should mobilize to outnumber gay families at the egg roll.

 

Susan Whitson, press secretary to first lady Laura Bush, indicated the White
House was unlikely to restrict admission to the egg roll.

 

Chrisler, who raises twin boys with a spouse she married in Massachusetts in
2004, intends to bring her family to the egg roll. She said organizers were
intent on proceeding despite any criticism, but that plans might change if,
closer to Easter, confrontations seemed possible.

 

"I'm a parent first - I would never want to put my child, or anyone else's
child, in harm's way," she said.

 

Family Pride has been recruiting participants for several months. Chrisler
said more than 100 families had signed up thus far and hopes at least 400
eventually enlist.

 

Free tickets to the egg roll will be distributed first-come, first-served
starting at 7:30 a.m. on April 15 - two days before the event. Family Pride
has urged its supporters to be in line the night before so their families
can be among the first on the White House lawn.

 

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Take care, Moscow.

 

Tom Hansen

Moscow, Idaho

 

"If not us, who?
If not now, when?"

- Unknown

 

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