 

R.U.1.2? Targeted By Flier

urlington — On Sunday, May 15, a ﬂier

was found on the postage-stamp-sized
“lawn” of the R.U.l .2? Queer Community
Center. Headlined “R U Confused 2?,” the
ﬂier purports to refute any non-condemnato-
ry interpretation of the Christian Bible‘s few
verses related to homosexuality.

The flier is. signed by “Rev. John
Hamel,” identified as the pastor of the "City
Streets Church,” which meets at the Fletcher
Free Library in Burlington.

Among the claims on the “R U
Confused 2?” ﬂier are that “The Curse of
Death is not only upon individuals who
accept homosexuality and lesbianism as ‘nor-
mal.’ It’s also upon all Nations who do so.”
Further, the writer of the ﬂier says that when
homosexuality is accepted — “When all the
men go off with the men and all the women
with the women” — no more children will be
born. ‘

The ﬂier also carries the typical
characterization of homosexuality and les-
bianism as an “abomination,” carrying “the
same death penalty” as bestiality. It refers to
“liberal politicians and ignorant religious
leaders” who might try to convince the read-
er that the Bible (as the author of the ﬂier
interprets it) is ‘wrong.

In an email response to questions
about the ﬂier and about his church and pas-
toral training, Rev. John Hamel denied that
he had called for the death penalty for homo-
sexuals and lesbians, an idea he called
“ridiculous.” He added, “What I said was
that the Bible says that there is a curse of
death that comes upon people for committing
homosexual acts.  You should apologize
for falsely accusing me.”

Hamel wrote in his email, “God
loves homosexuals but He despises homosex-
uality. I love all people including homosexu-
als because God dwells within me.” In
response to an emailed question, he denied
placing or asking anyone else to place the
tract on R.U.1.2? property. “Although, I am

' not sorry that it was placed on your property.

 I hope it will help you. You will indeed
answer to the Almighty for your behavior
one day.”

The self-styled pastor refused to
answer any questions about his church and

its affiliation or his own ordination and train? ‘

ing, writing that such questions were “very
rude and demanding.”
Library Co-director Amber Collins

said in a phone interview that she had spoken
with the Burlington City Attorney regarding
the group. Collins, a 38-year veteran of the
library, said her concern was the posting of
fliers “implying that Fletcher Free Library is
their church.”

“Apparently this was set up before
we could get them a copy of the rules” for
community organizations to use the library
for meetings, Collins said. “I’ve been trying
to contact [John Hamel] for two weeks to get

‘him a copy and get him to sign off.” Among

the policies is one that limits nonprofit
groups’ use of the facility’s meeting rooms to
once a month. Collins said the “City Streets
Church” has been meeting there every
Sunday for at least a month.

Collins added that the Burlington‘
City Attorney told her the library could not

Rainbow
Graduation

deny the use of the space to a church group.
City Attorney Gene Bergman said, “The poli-
cy allows use by civic organizations and does
not discriminate

Asked whether a group engaging in
hate speech could use city facilities. Bergman
said, “There are rules related to activities
conducted within the room, but not anything
a group might do beyond the room. The

important point is that we are not choosing

on the basis of content.” Bergman cited the
U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in 2001 in Good
News Club v. Milford Central School, in
which the Court found that if the school
allowed some organizations to use facilities,
it must allow the private Christian Good
News Club to do so under the same terms.
SafeSpace Program Director

Hannah Hauser said the ﬂier is likely not a

.2

specific enough threat for its placement on
R.U.l .2? property to be prosecuted as a hate
crime. She was familiar with the ﬂier. having
found one while returning from the Youth
Pride celebration on Church St. on May 14.
Safespace would document the incident, she
said, if it ‘is reported.

R.U.l .2? Queer Community Center
Executive Director Christopher Kaufman
said the ﬂier “proves we still have a lot of ’_
work to do." He said he would raise the issue
with the library “to try to get them to under-
stand that it‘s not okay to house a hate group.
Just because" they call themselves a church
doesn't mean they‘re not a hate group.”

Kaufman filed a complaint about
the ﬂier with the Burlington Police
Department on May 17, and has been in con-
versation with Robert Appel, director of the
state’s Human Rights Commission. V

On May 5, 27 graduating UVM lgbtqa students received rainbow stoles as part of their academic regalia at a cer-
emony in Billings North Lounge. The ceremony was hosted by LGBTQA Services. In addition, several students
and faculty earned service awards: Unsung Advocate Award to Meghan Bannan & Jac Callanan; Emerging
Leadership Award to Rhian Waters, Ashley Gallo, and Lindsey Carfagna; Ally Award to Sandra Solomon,
Assistant Professor, Psychology; Bridge-building Award to Khristian Kemp-DeLisser; Faculty Leadership Award
to Jackie Weinstock, Associate Professor, Integrated Professional Studies and to Annie Stevens, Assistant VP
for Student & Campus Life; Student Leadership Award to Kim Little; and the Jackie Weinstock Service Award to
the Translating Identity Conference Committee (pictured above). Ethan Fechter-Leggett won the Student Life
Activism and Commitment to Social Justice Award. There was also a special award to departing professor and
campus lesbian academic icon Esther Rothblum. V

Stroud

Wins Step 1 Appeal

announced that she would not
resume wearing her ministerial
regalia or performing sacramental
tasks until all appeals are exhausted.

Germantown, PA — According to
an update issued by the former
Reverend Beth Stroud’s partner
Chris Paige, Stroud has won her
appeal of a church court’s decision
to “defrock” her for being an
avowed lesbian.
At 10:30 am on Friday,

April 29, the Northeast Jurisdic-
tional Committee on Appeals

announced that it had set aside the

' decision and penalty from Stroud's

December 2, 2004 trial due to con-
cerns about due process. The vote of
the Committee on Appeals was 8-1
for the reversal.

The content of the deci-
sion focuses on procedural questions
relating to the specific charge lev-
eled against Stroud. The decision is

a lengthy document containing a
detailed analysis of specific points
of church law raised in the appeal.
“The evidence in support
of the charge was overwhelming and
would be sustained in the absence of
legal error,” the Appeals Committee
decision reads. The decision hinged
on the lack of deﬁnition in church
documents for the words “status”

and “practicing homosexual.”
Stroud’s bishop, Marcus
Matthews, announced a few days
later that he would appeal the deci-
sion reinstating Stroud as a minister,
even though he offered to reappoint
her to her former position as associ-
ate pastor of the First United
Methodist Church of Gerrnantown.
Stroud declined and

Her church, known as a liberal con-

gregation, has kept Stroud on as a‘
lay minister.

The Judicial Council of
the United Methodist Church is
expected to consider the Bishop’s
appeal at its October meeting,
according to a report in the
Washington Blade. V