My actual statement with headline caption:

ANTI-CHRISTIAN ACTIVISTS WILL MARCH THROUGH THE STREETS OF CONWAY TOMORROW AND THE CONWAY CITY COUNCIL ENABLES THEM TO DO SO ON A SUNDAY, THE LORD’S DAY

Tomorrow in Conway, Arkansas, a “Gay Pride Parade” approved by Mayor Tab Townsell and the Conway City Council back in 2003 will once again be conducted on the Sabbath Day. How many parades do you know of that are scheduled to take place on a Sunday? Have you ever wondered why they chose a Sunday to conduct a parade? I believe it is because they understand that the lifestyle they are glorifying on our streets is considered sin by every Bible-believing Christian and they use their parade on a day reserved to worship God and reverence the Lord to mock Christians. I object to Mayor Townsell and the Conway City Council continuing to allow people, many of whom do not even live in our community, to parade down our streets on a Sunday and accuse Christians of being “bigots” because they believe the Bible teaches that homosexuality is sin. This is truly one of the most offensive public displays against Christians you will find anywhere in our state and especially offensive because they have specifically chosen Sunday to try and intimidate people who believe in the Word of God.

I remember well that the majority of Conway citizens came out in opposition to this selfish display on our streets in 2003 and I remember that it was Conway Mayor Tab Townsell that championed the parade in front of the City Council. The room was packed with those in opposition and he refused, along with his council members, to allow the motion to be heard which objected to this so-called “Gay Pride Parade”. The late councilman Sandy Brewer had made the motion and not one other person on the council would second his motion – including a few who are still serving on the council even today. They could have pointed out that most parades are not conducted on Sunday and out of respect for churches and families they should conduct their activity on another day – but no, the Conway City Council enabled this blatant mockery of God’s Word to happen on the Lord’s Day.

It should not be taken lightly that Mayor Townsell and all but two Conway City Council Members also just recently passed an ordinance in support of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender agenda for the city employees policies. Though no discrimination was occurring in Conway and no one had filed a complaint, the mayor and all but two city council members chose to join with the gay political organization Human Rights Campaign to continue to force people to affirm that their agenda MUST have the complete attention of America and Conway even though they represent just 3.8% of the population. The mayor and city council of Conway need to be reminded that they serve the majority of Conway citizens, not some radical homosexual activist group like the Human Rights Campaign that calls Christians bigots.

I submit that the same-sex marriage agenda that came before the U.S. Supreme Court warrants the same response from all Americans – remind the 9 justices that 96.2% of Americans should not be forced to affirm the confusion of 3.8% who demand our full attention.

Some will get mad at me for speaking the truth. I believe that those who call the truth “hate” are simply those who hate the “truth”. You and I both have the right to voice our opinions and our beliefs. I hope that the silent majority in Conway will soon find their voice and speak out against the foolishness Mayor Townsell and the Conway City Council unleashed in our city with their complicit actions against the senses and beliefs of the vast majority of our citizens.

This parade against Christian values may indeed happen again for the 12th time on a Sunday in Conway, but I object to it ever again being held on the Sabbath Day again. It is one thing to proclaim you are a homosexual and demand attention to yourself, but it is quite another for homosexual activists to cross the line and accuse Christians of being “bigots” and that their belief that homosexuality is sin is “hate speech”.

I urge everyone to contact the Conway City Council and Mayor Tab Townsell and tell them that you oppose them for allowing activists to march through the streets of Conway on a Sunday to purposely mock Christian values and accuse Christians of being bigots. Here is the contact information for the entire city council: http://www.cityofconway.org/aldermans/

Please note, two brave council members voted against Mayor Townsell’s pro-homosexual and anti-Christian ordinance a few days ago – Mark Ledbetter and Mary Smith should be commended for their courage to stand against the gay agenda being pushed by Mayor Townsell. The rest of the City Council should have listened to the majority of our citizens as well.

I was elected by voters on three occasions to serve in the Arkansas Senate and to stand up for their values – no one misunderstood where I stand on important issues dealing with the family. I speak up today to oppose those who have disregarded the will of the people in our community who are being intimidated for their beliefs in God and family. This has all gone way too far.

The only thing it takes for evil to succeed is for good men and women to do nothing. Choose to start standing up for your beliefs today, evil has won too many battles in America lately.

Sincerely,

Sen. Jason Rapert

Mr. Kilmer,

My comments didn’t fit your storyline, so you decided to be a bit “creative”. You will not find anywhere in my written statement or my comments that I suggest the gay parade not be allowed to occur at all, I advised you that the city has every right to regulate when the parade occurs, “time, manner and place” – something you took for your own in your article but you wouldn’t even acknowledge to me on the phone. What I did say is that Sunday was not the appropriate time and bothered many people in our community and has caused them concern for many years.

You have chosen to ignore my comments which you say is the basis of your story, and actually wrote a story and inserted my comments where they would fit your “spin”. Who really respects free speech??? You certainly haven’t respected mine.

I expect more out of the Arkansas Advance Institute than you have displayed here today. I think it best that the writers for the Advance Arkansas Institute actually live and work in our state – perhaps you would be more respectful of the facts. When does puffery become libel by the way?

As the old saying goes, fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

Sincerely,

Sen. Jason Rapert