Under pressure and threats of protests, an LGBT safe space known as “The Center” in New York has decided to cancel a #WalkAway event that was due to take place in their building.
The planned LGBT WalkAway town hall event was the first of its kind. For years gays have been told the Democrat Party was their rightful home. Today gays are getting fed up with the socialist surge in the DNC. And gays are joining the MAGA movement where love of country, economic viability and national security are paramount.
The Center cancelled the event.
New York City is becoming a completely hostile place for Trump supportersRepublicans. Diversity of thought is not allowed.
Center Statement on Event Cancellation: Upon further review and consideration, The Center has cancelled the March 28 Walk Away event. Full statement available at https://t.co/HPF8qs35al.
— The Center (@LGBTCenterNYC) March 22, 2019
But The Center had previously supported the event:
We acknowledge the diversity of our community's perspectives, and while we may be disgusted by or reject the ideas some groups espouse, we will not stand in the way of their right to say them.
— The Center (@LGBTCenterNYC) March 20, 2019
The Center, New York City’s LGBTQ+ community center, has raised the ire of New York’s queer community for scheduling an #LGBTTownHall hosted by #WalkAway, a movement founded by gay man and former liberal Brandon Straka. The aim of the movement is to get LGBTQ+ people to abandon the Democratic party in favor of Republicans. The event is scheduled to take place on Thursday, March 28.
Jason Rosenberg tweeted a screenshot of an ad for the event, which ran in the LGBTQ+ publication Get Out Magazine, on Monday. Rosenberg is a member of ACT UP, the AIDS activist group that has met weekly at the LGBT Center since its inception in 1987.
The ad says that Democrats use “lies, fear mongering, fake news, hate and division” to keep people in the party’s ranks.
“This is incredibly egregious that you’d host an event where panelists have used queer slurs and stood behind policies that put the community at great risk,” Rosenberg wrote in a subsequent tweet. “Stand for something.”
In a phone interview with Out, Rosenberg said his deepest concern is the “betrayal and testing of trust” for those who, like him, use the center for organizing and movement building.
“I think the fear mongering and hate speech that will fill that room encroaches on our ability to do our work properly,” he says.
Here’s Rosenberg’s tweet, which appears to be the start of the uproar:
1. This is really poor graphic design.
2. @LGBTCenterNYC why?
3. @GetOutMag um? pic.twitter.com/B9Aho0fHnE— Jason Rosenberg (@mynameisjro) March 20, 2019
This was followed by other groups threatening to disrupt the event:
@LGBTCenterNYC has still not cancelled an Alt-Right event happening next week in their facility. Sign onto an open letter to say:
No space for alt-right provocateurs!
No platform for transphobia, Islamophobia, racism, sexism, misogyny!#NoSpaceForHate!https://t.co/8nylKxJpxf pic.twitter.com/mXeX30ouCH— Outlive Them NYC (same on mastodon) (@outlivethemnyc) March 21, 2019
The organizer of the event and #WalkAway founder Brandon Straka has fired back:
Still not a phone call, not an email, nothing from the LGBT Center. They took our payment, they took our signed contract, told me we are good to go- then I find out they cancelled my event via their announcement on twitter calling us a “hate group”. @LGBTCenterNYC
— Brandon Straka (@BrandonStraka) March 22, 2019
I am just finding out via Twitter that the @LGBTCenterNYC has bowed 2 the pressure of the lies, dishonesty, & bullying of activist leftists. Nobody at The Center contacted me. I am finding out now as u r from this twitter post. We will be pursuing legal action 2defend our RIGHTS https://t.co/0VE7rko2sd
— Brandon Straka (@BrandonStraka) March 22, 2019
Popular YouTube personality Blaire White, who was one of the scheduled speakers, is going on about the covfefe as well:
Please change your name from the LGBT Center to the Liberals-only Center. Right-wing LGBT people are still LGBT and deserve a space as well. Instead of choosing to protect US from the people expressing anger over OUR presence, you chose to cancel everything. WEAK.
— BLAIRE WHITE (@MsBlaireWhite) March 22, 2019
Rob Smith, who touts himself as “America’s Favorite Black Gay Republican,” was also slated to speak at the event:
You should rename it the Democrat LGBT Center of NYC, because it’s quite apparent that other perspectives aren’t welcome. This is EXACTLY why so many LGBT people are becoming conservatives and doing a #WalkAway.
The mob knows you’re weak. Now they own you.
— Rob Smith (@robsmithonline) March 22, 2019
Straka has vowed to reschedule the event at another venue.
2. We are seeking a new location and the lgbt community WILL get their Town Hall. As the leftist mob deployed their media bullies to shut us down, we’d greatly appreciate the support of the conservative media. @FoxNews @TuckerCarlson @IngrahamAngle @foxandfriends @OANN @BlazeTV
— Brandon Straka (@BrandonStraka) March 22, 2019
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