Letter to the Editor Ambush Magazine
Mardi Gras may not be the same now that Christian activists have declared war on it. In case you missed it, an ad placed in The Times-Picayune on February 17 announced that a local church group intends to clean-up celebrations in the French Quarter.
Anger and outrage are what I feel. Our community faces a serious threat in Reverend Grant Storms, leader of the Reformer Church and Concerned Christians for Reform. Much like anti-gay activist Anita Bryant, Storms has publicly said that Christians and "Sodomites" cannot co-exist in society. He is a radical activist who understands the value of shock in order to gain attention for his intolerance.
You may recall that last year this pastor took video cameras to Southern Decadence and filmed activities in the street. Public displays of nudity and sex were recorded and turned over to several news outlets, notably WVUE Fox 8 TV. The footage aired for several days and the ensuing flap was covered by the daily newspaper. Storms brandishes the video as a weapon to bash politicians and then grandstands in the media for increased law enforcement. His shtick is a firebrand form of self-promotion.
Storms also files citizen complaints with police. This triggered several arrests of individuals and bar managers for various offenses related to indecency. While not all of those arrested were convicted at the end of their trials, the act of being hauled off to jail and then having to hire legal representation constitutes genuine harassment.
Carnival is Storms’ next target. Already, he has given an interview to the national magazine Rolling Stone, and Fox 8 ran a new story based on the recent ad. Storms has clearly signaled, through his words and actions, his intent to escalate this crusade.
Who is Grant Storms? He is a pastor with a small congregation in Jefferson Parish. He and his son, Jason, are staunch opponents of abortion. They conduct street preaching, revival services and a regular Sunday ministry. But they are also activists with links to funding from the conservative American Family Association and John Birch Society. Storms host a call-in radio program on WSHO 800 AM (simulcast on wsho.com) from 4 – 5pm in the afternoon on weekdays. Tune in just once and you’ll get an earful.
Up at the state capitol, Storms went to the Legislature to campaign against a bill that would end employment discrimination for gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered people — he compared us to "drunkards" at that time. He also publicly opposed the repeal of the state sodomy law, and campaigned against it in Baton Rouge. But perhaps what Storms is best at doing is preaching his beliefs through the mainstream media.
The media thrives on controversy and the self-righteous pastor plays this card well.
Storms uses intimidation to harass and silence his opponents. In an article published in The Times Picayune, supporters of the anti-discrimination bill reported that Storms sent a pack of gospel goons to picket at their homes. Around this time, Chris Daigle of LAGPAC was quoted as saying, "This harassment should make us all very, very angry."
Most recently, Storms was escorted off the campus of UNO for hate speech. When you listen to him, you realize that he delights in the distress he causes because, in his mind, it forces us to think about God. He takes pride in his activism and uses shame as a weapon to keep us down. On his web site, he lists "organization, mobilization and confrontation" among the pillars of his beliefs <www.geocities.com/grantstorms>.
On that same Web page, he says "We feel that there hasn’t been adequate police presence during these events. We also feel that patrons of these events have crossed the line when it comes to indecency and ludeness (sic). We are asking that the New Orleans Police Department do a better job during Mardi Gras 2003. We are working to put an end to the Southern Decadence festival that occurs in New Orleans on Labor Day weekend."
French Quarter business owners — gay and straight — should see this as a direct threat to their livelihood. The impact on both sales and employment will be negative.
The local ACLU leader published an opinion about Southern Decadence, stating that, "Any radical activist movement to cancel this huge tourist event, which infuses millions of dollars into the local economy, is misguided and radical overkill."
Counter arguments about the economic impact of Mardi Gras and Southern Decadence matter little to this zealot who eschews the material world.
Storms reveals his outsider status (he is from out of state) when he labels Mardi Gras "idolatry" and rages about Carnival ‘Krewes’ named after mythological deities and cities such as "Babylon". He questions the City for shutting down on Mardi Gras Day.
He mocks other religions for "merely saving souls." Storms calls some church leaders "sissyfied and feminized" because they do not wage war in the streets. He criticizes the Pope, and both the Catholic and Baptist churches for what he terms "spiritual blindness." Church leaders who do not condemn and picket against abortion are among his favorite targets. He also takes them to task for not condemning ‘Harry Potter’ books.
Ironically, Storms roasts President Bush for having appointed open homosexuals within his Administration. He’s against the President’s plan to send money to Africa to assist in the fight against AIDS. "Let Africa take care of Africa," Storms says dismissively.
Local officials are targets too. Storms regularly contacts the office of Mayor Ray Nagin demanding an audience, and gives out the phone number for the Mayor’s office on his radio show so that listeners can bombard the Mayor with complaints. French Quarter Councilwoman Jackie Clarkson is another politico on the receiving end of this storm cloud. Storms notes that the GLBT community is not well organized to fight back.
What power he cannot achieve politically he attempts to achieve in the court of public opinion by distributing shock video to television stations. And he is an equal opportunity activist: he will now attempt to take on heterosexual activities in the French Quarter — long an adult entertainment district. "Girls Gone Wild" is the latest object of his wrath.
Reportedly, part of his strategy is to bring children into the Vieux Carre at the height of celebrations and then claim they have been exposed to adult imagery. He demands enforcement of existing laws — a semantic sleight of hand given that police resources should be focused on crowd control, pick-pocketing and violent acts during these huge gatherings. Storms zeroes in on busy periods as a means to overwhelm his foes.
The French Quarter has a long tradition as an adult entertainment zone, and owes part of its world-famous reputation to tolerance. We need to protect this legacy.
I would have written Storms off as a whacko were it not for his persistent and sophisticated attacks. Storms believes that the city is beholden to a "Sodomite agenda" and that its traditions are wicked. He rails against the local "laissez faire" (let it be) attitude and makes no accommodation whatsoever for a secular community. The last time I checked, the Constitution guaranteed freedom of expression across the entire spectrum of religious belief. We all know the danger of fundamentalist political regimes.
It concerned me when he told listeners of his radio program, "We need to purchase artillery to protect our families… I have some." Storms is a gun advocate who points to the Constitution and says that people should bear arms and be prepared to act as a militia. He laments that police have high-powered weapons but he, mercifully, cannot.
It’s time to join with the straight community, business owners and proponents of economic development to address this pastor’s intolerance and bully tactics. Maybe it’s time to demonstrate leadership and change laws which apply to the French Quarter by formally sanctioning Bourbon Street for the economic powerhouse it is — millions of dollars in tourism revenue, tax dollars and jobs are generated here.
Tell the Mayor and City officials that you support them and not Storms. Tell the News Director at Fox 8 and other news outlets that you oppose Storms. Fight back.
Reverend Storms pisses me off. Let’s rain on his parade.
--A Concerned Citizen
From: <countryclubmsy@yahoo.com>
Subject: [Country Club New Orleans] The Country Club is Now Open and under New Ownership
Members and Friends,
Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Karl Wilder and as of Friday the 14th I took over the Country Club. I hope to be able to welcome you all back personally.
We are now open Noon to 1am Daily until after Mardi Gras when the hours will be extended. The pool is heated and will be open year round. Our first happy hour was last night and a lot of great people dropped by, we even had our first skinny dippers of the season.
I have a lot of upgrades planned for the club but remember WE WILL NOT CLOSE FOR RESTORATIONS. We will only close one room at a time.
Membership will have its priveledges. Watch your mail for a great renewal offer for current members. For each new member you bring in at the time you renew a month, will be added to your membership. Bring in 12 new members and get a free year. As we bring in shows members will be the first to get tickets and priority seating.
We will be open for Mardi Gras weekend with a contest every day at 4 culminating in a FULL MONTY Strip Contest on Monday. $200 Cash Prize. This one is about the art of stripping so dust off your Gypsy Rose Lee outfits and work that technique.
We want to be your party headquarters for private parties of all types. Members will get steep discounts on the facility as well as the bar charges for parties. I will have entertainers available and remember...this is a private club so the entertainment can go any direction your little minds can wander...we will book Kathy Lee Gifford if you so desire.
I hope you’all will come around both Summer and Winter. I will be there to welcome you. Come on over and skinny dip...the water is just fine.
Yours, --Karl Wilder
Brought to you by
Over 3.5 MILLION hits per month & 375,000 unique visitors per month
Copyright © Ambush, Inc. All Rights Reserved ®
828-A Bourbon Street, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70116-3137, USA
PH 1.504.522.8047