Tom Jackman has introduced a new Sh**-storm. Its about time. I have grown weary of our regular news. Thanks, Tom.
The Washington Post:
A new blog launched this past summer called “Queer at Patrick Henry College,” written anonymously by several former students of the Purcellville-based institution for home-school grads. Without any notoriety, the blog might have toiled in relative anonymity, exploring the idea of homosexuality at a Christian college where it is, uh, frowned upon.
But then the president and founder of the school, Michael Farris, sent a threatening note to the bloggers, saying he would sue if they didn’t stop the unauthorized use of the college’s name. And now, Queer at Patrick Henry College is out there, blogospherically as well as sexually.
College President Mike Farris used to be the darling of all that was home school so I expect he is having one fit. He has threatened to sue. Well, anyone can threaten to sue. He certainly doesn’t own the name “Patrick Henry.” Farris also insists that homosexuality does not exist at Patrick Henry College. I guess statistics isn’t taught at Patrick Henry?
Trevor Baratko of the Loudoun Times-Mirror have ferreted out the full story and met with some of the major players, reports Jackman:
…he spoke with both Farris and the anonymous bloggers. Farris told him homosexuals can’t exist at Patrick Henry and that he thought the blog was a hoax. The site apparently is blocked on the Patrick Henry wi-fi network. Baratko then met the bloggers and saw at least one genuine Patrick Henry diploma.
Last week, Farris sent the blog a note on its Facebook page, saying, “This page is in violation of our copyright of the name Patrick Henry College… you must remove this page at once. On Monday, we will began (sic) the legal steps to seek removal from Facebook and from the courts if necessary.”
The next day, Farris retracted his threat, also publicly on Facebook. The combination of threat/non-threat attracted the attention of other blogs, New York magazine and others, as well as a number of supportive messages for the blog on Facebook. The blog’s goal is to help create a support network for lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgendered-questioning (LGBTQ) students at Patrick Henry. We’ll see if they take advantage of this brief burst into the spotlight.
Mike Farris ran for LT governor in 1993 and was solidly beaten by Don Byer. That was the election won by George Allen for governor. Farris was seen as very radical. I was at the Republican State Convention as a vendor when Farris was snatching the convention votes away from his opponent. (A woman named Jo someone) The Farris supporters booed her and interrupted her speech. The Farris supporters also leafleted seats with inflammatory rhetoric. It was an incredible eye-opener to me.
Patrick Henry College is in Purcellville. Its full title, according to the website is, Patrick Henry College for Christ and for Liberty. Apparently there is no liberty for “queers.”
Does Mike Farris have a prayer of stopping these bloggers from operating? I believe their objective is to discuss what gay orientation means to those in the Christian community.
Here is the blog website: http://queerphc.wordpress.com/
I will watch and add them to our blog roll if they play nicely with others.
The reality is that people in all walks of life and all religions are gay. No one is exempt. To pretend otherwise is extremely cruel to those young people who do not deserve to be treated with derision.
Perhaps the ultimate question becomes, how do folks who believe the Bible says homosexuality is a sin, reconcile with this when a child or friend is gay?
More Reading: The Loudoun Times
Farris is an idiot in doing this and should look up the term “Streisand effect.”
I have always thought Farris was misguided. However his peeps didnt throw me to the ground and stomp me like Ollie north’s peeps did.
He retracted the threat. So I guess that’s that.
It was once said “All the world’s a stage”, but now it’s turning into a circus. Enjoy!