OOOOOOOOOOOOIOOOOOOOOOOOOCIO The Gospel Accoifdirig to Gabbard Editor is note: This article is abridged here by pefmission of the author and first appeared in Honolulu Weekly in January of 1999. Although it is OITM’s policy to publish only original material, we felt an exception was in order in light of Mike Gabbards recent mailbox-to-mailbogx campaign in Vermont. BY CHAD BLAIR hen Hawai‘i voters ‘ i decided by a two-thirds majority last November that gays and lesbians did not deserve marriage rights, the state sent a message worldwide: Hawai‘i is not a paradise of toler- ance. The chief Hawai‘i spokesper- son in opposition to homosexual marriage has been Mike Gabbard, 51, founder and chair of the Alliance for Traditional Marriage. Gabbard’s message: Homosexu- ality is unnatural, as well as morally and spiritually repugnant. A devoted follower of a reli- gious group that has received attention in years past for its mem- bers’ involvement in conservative (some might say reactionary) political efforts, Gabbard has made a crusade out of his belief that Hawai‘i must “Stop Promoting Homosexuality,” as the organization he co-founded in 1991 is titled. He has been untiring and forceful in the articulation of this agenda, despite the attacks on him —— and his business endeavors — this platform has inspired. While Mormons, the Roman Catholic‘ church and Christian Religious Right organizations sup- ported the same-sex marriage ban with . enormous financial resources, it was Gabbard, a devo- tee of Krishna — tanned and fit, wearing a floral lei and a Hawaiian print shirt — who personified the drive. Gabbard’s visage graced many a television news program last fall, and his words made head- lines. Even Time magazine quoted him. v On TV, where most people see him, Gabbard always appears con- fident and pleasant. Yet while he professes much “compassion” for homosexuals, this compassion is based on the belief that lesbians and gays have chosen a lifestyle that is perverse and decadent — one that could lead to the disper- sion of perverse and decadent. ideals throughout society. During the election season, I television commercials, many paid for by Save Traditional Marriage ’98, aired suggesting that gay mar- riage could lead to other “unnatur- al” alliances —— between people and animals, for example. Gabbard served on STM’s steering‘ committee. Other spots warned that legalization of gay marriage would lead school curricula to reflect pro-gay sensibilities. _ Whyhas Mike Gabbard made a life’s workjout of this crusade to convince 'Hawai‘i’s people that homosexuality is wrong. “One morning I woke up to a world in which an unnatural, unhealthy, immoral activity, which was. taking thousands of lives, was being portrayed in the media as moral, natural, healthy and nor- mal,” he replied." “I believe that all of our problems — be they envi- ronmental, crime, health, econom- ic, wars, etc. — can be traced to people holding on to and living by a [a] hedonistic and therefore selfish world view. This is why [homo- sexuality] is such an important issue to me.” , Gabbard is ‘a man of contrasts and contradictions. He openly dis- cusses sexual practices that rarely see the light of-Lday, yet he is secre- tive about his own livelihood. His views about gay _lifestyles are heavily formed by mainstream ludeo-Christiln teachings, yet Gabbard himself is a follower ofa The Gay Deception is not an ambiguous program: An opening video montage, accompanied by dramatic-sounding music, shows gays and lesbians kissing, touch- ing and holding hands. Fear ofgay adoption is implied, as is the increasing (and, by implication, unwanted) presence of gays in mainstream America. As the montage ends, Gabbard himself comes on the screen, the Pacific Ocean crashing on the an op.-n i..~:rz.- [ram ~ .‘luIwUI'1'1 K'llXlt"l< In V¢rm.'I:1!'.6 rlzlxenx Aloha, Vermont friends. fringe group ofa minority religion in America. He believes in democ- ratic processes, yet he also thinks government should acknowledge majority views that suppress the freedoms of a minority. Gabbard cites extensive research support- ing his views on gays, yet’ he ignores a growing body of scien- tific research — biological, psy- chological and social — showing human sexual orientation to be innate, or, perhaps, irrelevant. Just who. . is Mike Gabbard...really? , . The “Gay Deception” .. Gabbard himself is hardly a foaming-at-the-mouth monster. Rather, he is soft-spoken and clear-headed, and he smiles beatif- ically at supporters as well as detractors. He can be seen each Sunday on his cable-access show. rocks behind him. Looking direct- ly at the camera, unblinking in the ‘hot sun, Gabbard explains that his show “sets the record straight” on the true nature of homosexuality. In Mike Gabbard’s worldview, there is little room for variation. “I am accused of being a hatemonger, but l’ve never given anyone AIDS,” he says. “l’ve not hurt or killed any- one. Whereas homosexuals, suppos- edly the great lovers of mankind, continue to engage in activities that are‘ ripping each other apart physical- ly and mentally.” -The Deli Dispute Born in ‘American Samoa, Gabbard obtained a bachelor’s in English from Sonoma State University in California and a master’s in community college administration from Oregon State GABBARD, p20 Getting Active dracine@state.vt.us > Contact Michael Obuchowski > Donate to Vermont Freedom > Sign the Marriage Resolution www.vtfreetomarry.org whitacre@vermontel.net. ‘I > Contact Doug Racine at (802) 826-2226 or VT 05 I0|-|32l, (802) 463-3904; or speaker@leg.state.vt.us tion/information campaign by check or money order payable to: VFMTF to P0 30x l3l2, Middlebury, VT 05763. > For the contact information for your local paper or regional VFMTF representative, or for help getting started with a letter or petitionflcontact Sandi or Bobbi at (802) 362-2959 or at 72 Akinson St, Bellows Falls, to Marry Task Force's educa- or get information at r: OUT I THE MOUNTA|NS_ — MAY 1999 — 2 o.*.~;‘».".'-'..". »- '.“:.*..'xrn'rm»'. -=.u’T vi-' A-‘:2; ':' Q» THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE (0 “go O’ . - E D ‘E Z 2 _ m Tom Sweeney l..M.T. , . _A~‘ “ 107 South Main St. W. 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