Warren Throckmorton Offers Day of Silence Response for Evangelicals

Having faced off with Warren Throckmorton in e-mail exchanges and having been trashed by him by name in a column in TownHall.com after "ex-gay" Michael Johnston was exposed as a fraud in 2003, I do not really trust anything Throckmorton does. In general, I continue to think his religious fanatiscm and desire to prey on distraught parents of young gays and cash in on the ex-gay financial gravy train strains the credibility of his actions.

However, compared to his prior gay bashing jihads, this proposal looks like a decided improvement. Nonetheless, I believe a stronger way to demonstrate the Golden Rule would be for Throckmorton to SUPPORT the National Day of Silence. That way, there would be no other agenda being served and Throckmorton would be unequivocally acknowledging that abuse against gays does occur and that it is generally fueled mainly by his "Christian" friends. Here are some highlights from Pam Ferguson at Ex-gay Watch (http://www.exgaywatch.com/wp/2008/04/warren-throckmorton-offers-day-of-silence-response-for-evangelicals/#more-2868):

While Dr. Throckmorton may have the best of intentions with the Golden Rule Initiative, he’s getting mixed reviews from all sides. He says…

Although we are being criticized by some on both extremes, I believe the Golden Rule Initiative is an effort to affirm consensus in attitude and action that schools should be safe places to learn for all students. We all should agree that bullying and harassment of GLBT students is wrong. The Golden Rule group is making a stand on that common ground.

I believe there’s merit to Dr. Throckmorton’s idea. Now, lest you begin rotting your tomatoes to toss my way, hear me out on this. I grew up in an anti-gay, evangelical home. It took years for me to understand the depth of the bigotry because it was couched in scripture, dowsed in guilt, and lit up with the flames of charismatic fundamentalism. I was not as clear-thinking and transparent in my youth as some in the amazing crop of young people I’ve had the privilege of befriending.

I understand that many view the Golden Rule Initiative as a distraction from the very important and vital message of The Day of Silence.