"Gay brothers and sisters,... You must come out. Come out... to your parents... I know that it is hard and will hurt them but think about how they will hurt you in the voting booth! Come out to your relatives... come out to your friends... if indeed they are your friends. Come out to your neighbors... to your fellow workers... to the people who work where you eat and shop... come out only to the people you know, and who know you. Not to anyone else. But once and for all, break down the myths, destroy the lies and distortions. For your sake. For their sake. For the sake of the youngsters who are becoming scared by the votes from Dade to Eugene."

("That's What America Is," speech given on Gay Freedom Day (1978-06-25) in San Francisco by Harvey Milk)

We can only imagine the terror and suffering of countless LGBT people in the 35 years who were willing to come out since this speech was given, but Milk's speech was prescient and right on. Today, though there are still legal impediments to many rights for LGBT people, the fact is that nearly every person now knows an LGBT family member, friend, co-worker or neighbor. Milk knew that an intimate expose' of the harm caused to real people would legitimize and personify the LGBT cause and good people would not be able to continue to traumatize their friends, family and co-workers. The tide has turned for good in favor of LGBT people.

Out of the more than 100 so-called "mormon" churches (http://mormonhomeevening.blogspot.com/2011/06/mormon-splinter-groups.html) created since Joseph Smith, the Brigham Young sect has survived only because it was driven into obscurity and grew without any serious challenge. It would almost certainly never have survived if it had remained in the Midwest, much like all the others. In the years since, people have largely just been polite about mormonism, mostly because they believed the lie that mormonism was just another benevolent christian church, and because they knew almost nothing about it. In fact it is hardly benevolent, but a dangerous mind-control cult, and is actually a threat to innocent naive people.

Mormonism can only be defeated by the bare-faced expose' of its false claims and its cultish practices, and the only people with credibility to do this are ex-mormons.


"Exmormon brothers and sisters,... You must come out. Come out... to your parents... I know that it is hard and will hurt them but think about how they will hurt you and your children! Come out to your relatives... come out to your friends... if indeed they are your friends. Come out to your neighbors... to your fellow workers... to the people who work where you eat and shop... come out only to the people you know, and who know you. Not to anyone else. But once and for all, break down the myths, destroy the lies and distortions. For your sake. For their sake. For the sake of the youngsters who are becoming prisoners of the lying cult."


When mormons have no choice but to be surrounded by fearless exmormons in their families, work places, and neighborhoods. It will be impossible to believe the lies and distortions propagated by cult leaders that exmos are sinners and unhappy and unsuccessful. Imagine the possibilities if the rigid TBM family members of every marginalized exmo spouse, parent or child out there had to confront (or just knew) 10 or 20 or 100 exmos in their lives.

I thank the holy Raptor Jesus every day for the courageous people who laid the groundwork and paid the price so that my family and I had enough handholds and footholds to extract ourselves from the mormon cult. We would never have been able to do so without you.

RPackham
SLCabbie
CL2
Deconstructor
Eric Davis
HikerDaddy
SQ1
Steve Benson
Bill Dobbs
Grant Palmer
Jeff Ricks
Sandra Tanner
ladyinthehat
Will Bagley
MikeUtah
CanadianJohnson
Bob McCue
eddie
Juanita Brooks
and so many more!

Thank you.

Mormonism has already seen its best days. Let us do all we can to help hasten its last days.

"break down the myths, destroy the lies and distortion"

Great Post!

You know how good you feel after a really good sob, or a fantastic gut wrenching laugh? That's how I felt only times 1000 after I told my parents that I was exmo and gay.

They were unhappy, but the playing field was leveled and a new honest relationship begun.

Here are some I've been privy to... In addition to a couple here lately that rodolfo and RJ helped orchestrate, of course:

The late Kathy Worthington and her partner Sara Hamblin Having a Holiday Fest... Guests included...

Cricket
Deconstructor
TLC
Myself
Several others who no longer post here

Nice little luncheons with:

Cricket
Deconstructor
NEPA (remember him?)
The highpoint of this one was Seagull Choker bringing out a dozen or so examples of temple robes and garments from various eras.

Same with...

Mav
Jacyn
DeAnn

Steve Benson
Deconstructor
Myself

Cricket
Tom Kimball
A special spy trying to organize a return-and-report on a Woodward fireside; alas, it never happened

Coffee with "Drinks Coffee on the Sly"

A late night dinner at Salt Lake's Oyster Bar with...

Wings
Sìòg
Toto
Cricket
Myself

That wicked Cricket did it again, showing off a new "trophy" of his, a green temple apron with velcro fasteners...

Our Salamander Society proprietor figures in a lot of my fondest memories... I met Tom Murphy through him (there's another hero, along with Simon Southerton), and we sat together and chuckled as we watched TBM's squirm at a presentation Simon gave at Benchmark Books.

Several bashes at Swedeboy's with BTC and that whole group...

Okay, here's one of my personal heroes (I talked with Sandra Tanner about him at the '02 Exmormon Conference; she remembered him well)

http://library.usu.edu/specol/manuscript/collms102.html

There's biographical information on Dr. Fitzgerald, but I don't see any mention of the story where his condominium in Holladay was put under surveillance by members of the Salt Lake Police Department because noted LDS dissident Douglas Wallace (who'd just been excommunicated in a highly publicized affair where he'd baptized a black man and ordained him an elder) was staying at the Fitzgerald residence.

Tragically, there was a firearms accident when one of the police officers passed his new 9mm automatic to the other and it discharged. The wounded officer was rendered a paraplegic and later committed suicide.

Salt Lake's police chief was later forced to apologize for the incident and acknowledge the surveillance was unwarranted and inappropriate.

Dr. Fitzgerald was the principal of Morningside elementary. Wings, et in utah, Steve Benson, and I all attended. He was one of the kindest, most intellectually honest men I ever met...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/12/2012 03:08PM by SL Cabbie.

Brigantia -- British Resistence Co/Leader

Matt -- Other British Resistence Co/Leader

JD:3:360 -- For providing references

The Late Great Deanne -- For keeping us all in **HARMONY

Many unknown and lost souls who have found their way out !!!


JB (A minor contributor here, but a real PAIN to the 15).

Deenie, the Dreaded Single Adult...

Man, they're gonna send you the Kleenex bills after that one...

brought tears to my eyes. Thanks for your support as it has meant a lot to me on this board.

There are so many on here who have made my life so much better.