Monday 16 April 2007

Billboard Company Refuses Ex-Gay Ads

from staff reports

Competitor stands up for free speech.

Focus on the Family's Love Won Out Conference is in Omaha, Neb., this weekend, but one billboard company doesn’t want anyone to know about it.

Over the years, Love Won Out has traveled to 43 cities sharing the message that it's possible to break free from homosexuality. The event is regularly advertised on billboards. But when conference organizers contacted billboard company Waitt Outdoor for the Omaha conference, they were turned down. Melissa Fryrear, director of gender issues at Focus on the Family, said no explanation was offered.

"There is nothing objectionable about the billboard whatsoever. The message is, ‘I questioned homosexuality. Change is possible. Discover how,’ " she explained. " It's obviously a message of hope.”

Thankfully, Lamar Advertising Company stepped up and placed the billboards. Scott Butterfield, a spokesman for Lamar, said his company would only turn down an ad that was inaccurate, misleading or promoted illegal activity.

“We support the First Amendment rights of advertisers to promote legal products and services,” he said.

Private companies have the right to refuse services to anyone they choose, although they rarely do. Fryrear said the message of Love Won Out is something people who are unhappy with their homosexuality deserve to hear.

“I needed that in my own life, and, thankfully, I did hear that message," she said. "We want to get that message out to as many people as possible and offer the hope that, yes, homosexuality can be overcome.”

Source

6 comments:

The Truth said...

While obviously biased towards your thinking. I'll support the 1st Amendment right for people to say what they wish.

It's not a true freedom unless you take the hate talk as well as the stuff you want to hear.

Jemdude said...

Just because you disagree with the article doesn't mean that it's hateful.

There are many people with homosexual feelings that do not want those feelings. They should be given the opportunity to choose help getting out of it; if they want it.

The Truth said...

There's the fundamental flaw in your logic though. they feel guilty about it because they've been taught in utero to feel ashamed of it.

It's not something you can "change" like a hairstyle.

That being said, the human mind can deny anything if given enough will power.

Jemdude said...

It's possible for sexual preferences to change. I'm not saying it's easy, but it is possible. Look at my other post about the ex-lesbian magazine founder/publisher.

The Truth said...

I cannot agree with you there. I have no first-hand account on changing my sexual prefrence anymore than you have. But if you speak with those of homosexual persuaion and are okay with it, you'll hear that it is impossible. I also added the caveat that a Human mind can deny anything if given enough willpower, even to deny what a man wants is another man.

Suzanne said...

People can change their feelings about anything...except people of the same sex?

I don't believe that. Feelings can be re-programmed. Obviously there are people in the world who've learned to do that. How do you know they're ALL lying?