Woman SLAMS Franklin Graham’s Attacks On LGBT Youth (WITH AUDIO)

The sign that greeted Franklin Graham in Carson City (image courtesy Canyonwalker Connections)
The sign that greeted Franklin Graham in Carson City (image courtesy Canyonwalker Connections)

Franklin Graham has used his father’s good name and goodwill to become a water carrier for the religious right. But if there was any doubt that Graham fils has gone off the rails, it was erased when he had the gall to trash gay and lesbian youth. Well, a prominent straight ally was having none of it. So when Graham fils came to her neck of the woods, she decided she couldn’t remain silent.

Last year, Graham fils was a guest at James Dobson’s Family Talk Gathering in Colorado Springs. People for the American Way’s Right Wing Watch got a clip of a discussion between Graham fils and Dobson.

Graham fils warned evangelical churches against allowing gays to join. But he had some particularly vicious things to say about LGBT kids.

“We have allowed the enemy to come into our churches. I was talking to some Christians and they were talking about how they invited these gay children to come into their home and to come into the church and that they were wanting to influence them. And I thought to myself, they’re not going to influence those kids, those kids are going to influence those parents’ children. What happens is we think we can fight by smiling and being real nice and loving. We have to understand who the enemy is and what he wants — he wants to devour our homes. He wants to devour this nation.”

I had to listen to this twice to believe what I was hearing. Graham fils was actually suggesting that LGBT youth are part of some evil, satanic plot to turn good Christian kids gay, or at least make them more accepting of the LGBT lifestyle. I’ve heard my share of ignorant and homophobic rhetoric over the years. But this has to stand as one of the worst.

Kathy Baldock came to the same conclusion. She is the executive director of Canyonwalker Connections, a group that works to bridge the gap between Christian conservatives and the LGBT community. When Baldock heard that Graham fils was coming to Carson City, Nevada as part of his “Decision America Tour,” Baldock made the short drive from her home in Reno with a friend and two of her kids. Also on hand was Yvette Cantu Schneider, the former head of women’s ministries at the notorious “ex-gay” ministry, Exodus International. Schneider has since become a gay rights supporter, and is convinced that it’s not gay youth, but “the church’s teaching” that is causing rifts in families.

When Graham fils took the stage, Baldock stood to the side holding up a large pink sign which read:

“Franklin Graham — your words about gay youth are POISON; you are NOT a reflection of your father; you are NOT a reflection of OUR FATHER.”

This wasn’t just hyperbole. Researchers at San Francisco State University have found that LGBT youth who are rejected by their family and friends are more likely to commit suicide, go into depression, and sink into drug abuse than their counterparts who are accepted. Read for yourself here.

A Graham fils staffer tried to give Baldock some song and dance that her sign was distracting and wasn’t in line with the permits for the rally, but Baldock wouldn’t budge. She kept holding up her sign throughout Graham fils’ speech, then moved to the primary exit. At least four people pushed tracts into her hands–apparently thinking that she wasn’t really a Christian. Others told her that she needed to get saved and offered to pray for her.

To Baldock’s surprise, only one woman wanted to actually discuss the issue at hand–Graham fils’ attacks on gay youth. told Baldock that she could not believe Graham fils could say something so hateful–even when Baldock showed her a printed copy of Graham fils’ hateful words.

Later, Baldock said she felt “sorrow” for those who questioned her faith. She knows–she was once just like them. Like many evangelicals, she once believed that it was not possible to be Christian and gay. However, by 2007, she had hopped the fence and become a strong supporter of opening the church doors to the LGBT community. As she sees it, what many evangelicals see as speaking “the truth in love” is really speaking “ignorance in fear.” It’s a mentality that she believes needs to change–and soon.

Send Baldock some love on Facebook and on Twitter.

Darrell is a 30-something graduate of the University of North Carolina who considers himself a journalist of the old school. An attempt to turn him into a member of the religious right in college only succeeded in turning him into the religious right's worst nightmare--a charismatic Christian who is an unapologetic liberal. His desire to stand up for those who have been scared into silence only increased when he survived an abusive three-year marriage. You may know him on Daily Kos as Christian Dem in NC. Follow him on Twitter @DarrellLucus or connect with him on Facebook. Click here to buy Darrell a Mello Yello.