I couldn't resist....

I responded to "Bill's" email - from the Portland Mission.

Bill,

Interesting. I must have gotten confused by the reasoning behind your decision not to associate with the Queer Quistmas event by the reported statement your staffer, Brian Merrell made. I believe it was, "Sorry, we don't work with queers to fight poverty or homelessness."

You can see by that statement how I would be led to believe that your organization held some sort of prejudice against the LGBT community, and what they could offer your Mission, and not that you were unable to "provide all the benefits that the organizer/event would require."

If you are concerned about your donors refusing to donate anymore due to religious belief conflicting with the LGBT communtiy, I'd say they need to learn that religion teaches acceptance and love, not hatred and bigotry. I'd futher venture to say that your staff needs to learn tact, and to bite their tongue when dealing with people and/or organizations they disagree with.

As I am in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, I would say that this issue has ventured quite a bit further than your community. I first heard about it on FaceBook, where it was shared by several of my almost 2,000 friends there. It has since moved on to the blogosphere, where I am sure its spreading just as quickly.

It takes years to build a reputation - and a single error in judgement to forever ruin it.

Good luck with your Mission. And try to remember in future that when you're dealing with people who care and want to help, it really doesn't matter who they're sleeping with.

Trish S

Not that I believe it will go anywhere - but at least I made a point.

Stoopid fucktards.

Portland Rescue Mission: Still Fucktarded.. and trying to blame the other guys.

Yesterday's post regarding how the Portland Rescue Mission won't accept help/donations from you if you happen to be gay held a link to the article on Change.org. On that page, there was a petition that people could sign to support "working with LGBT organizations to help the homeless". I'm one of those supporters. As part of the petition, an email was sent out in my name. The email was actually quite good, and I have no issue with it. Today, I received an email from the "Director of Development Ministry, Portland Rescue Mission".

The email is all about how they were "misunderstood" and that the decision to decline had nothing to do with sexual orientation... wait.. let me show you the email in its entirety. Including his name, phone numbers, and email should you want to get in touch with this director yourself.

Trish, thanks for sharing your thoughts regarding our decision to not sponsor the Queer Quistmas event next week. Please note that this was a sponsorship decision, not a decision to decline the much-needed and useful contribution of blankets and winter outerwear. We were willing to accept the donations, but the organizer has chosen to direct the gifts elsewhere. Fortunately, they will still benefit the homeless people of the Portland community who we serve everyday at Portland Rescue Mission. Our decision to decline the sponsorship was primarily based on the urgency of a decision (the event is Dec. 20) and our inability to provide all the benefits that the organizer/event would require. Unfortunately, the organizer took this to the media and it understandably took on a life of its own.

We regret the confusion that this issue has created in our local community and the greater community of LGBT concerns.

Bill Miller - Director of Development Ministry
Portland Rescue Mission
1507 NE 122nd Ave., Portland, Ore. 97230
P: 503-906-7605 (direct); 503-477-1773 (cell)
F: 503-227-1126
billm@pdxmission.org
www.PortlandRescueMission.org
GIVE SOMETHING MORE.
More than a meal... More than a bed... GIVE HOPE.
________________________________

From: Trish S
Sent: Sat 12/18/2010 7:05 PM
To: Info
Subject: Please work with LGBT organizations to fight homelessness


Dear Portland Rescue Mission,

I recently became aware that your organization decided to not work with a gay-themed holiday festival to hold a sweater-and-coat drive to fight homelessness and poverty. What a sad message this sends, not only to those who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, but also to those who are homeless or struggling with poverty.

We all, gay and straight alike, should be in the fight to combat poverty and homelessness. I understand that you are an organization with religious values, but those values should not prohibit you from working with others of different faiths, creeds, sexual orientations, gender identities or races.

Please reconsider this decision. During this holiday season, we should all be in the spirit of giving, and working to stave off homelessness.

Thank you for your time.

Trish S
Toronto, Canada

Looks like the Spin Doctor for the Portland Mission didn't do his research. He obviously didn't bother to read the article - because it clearly mentions that the staffer from the Mission stated, "Sorry, we don't work with queers to fight poverty or homelessness."

I can smell the bullshit wafting up from Portland all the way up here in Canada.

Portland Rescue Mission: Fucktarded.

Apparently, the Portland Rescue Mission wants your coats and sweaters.. unless you're gay.

You can read about it here.

What. The. Fuck?!

Are they worried about a sense of style? Donations from people who know how to accessorize? Worried they'll catch "The Gay"?

The Mission said they were worried that the people who donate to their cause, many of them religous, would stop donating if they knew LGBT people were involved. Really?! Do they honestly believe that none of the homeless or poverty-stricken they're trying to help are, in fact, gay? Or that none of the members of their church are? Or their neighbours? Those are some seriously effective blinders those people are wearing.

If you're homeless and freezing your ass off, are you really going to wonder about the sexual orientation of the person offering you a free coat or sweater... ? Really? Show of hands..?

I didn't think so.