A group of LGBT youth who have been on the receiving end of anti-gay bullying had requested a lunch meeting with the “actor,” to discuss his vitriolic remarks against the LGBT community. Here’s the letter they sent:
Kirk Cameron
c/o Mark Craig
Mark Craig Productions
1383 Callens
Ventura, CA 93003Friday, July 20, 2012
Invitation to Kirk Cameron to lunch on Saturday, July 28 in Ocean Grove, New Jersey
Dear Mr. Cameron:
I am Corey Bernstein, age 17, a resident of New Jersey and co-chair of the Youth Caucus at Garden State Equality, the state’s organization for LGBT civil rights. I endured brutal bullying at my former school because I am gay.
Mr. Cameron, I understand you are visiting Ocean Grove, New Jersey from Friday, July 27 through Sunday, July 29 to speak to the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association. When you are in town that weekend, I would like to extend this invitation for you to join me and other members of Garden State Equality’s Youth Caucus – many of whom are also teenagers who have been bullied because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
In fact, I would like to invite you to meet us for lunch at 1:00 pm on Saturday, July 28th in Ocean Grove, along with leaders from the local organization Ocean Grove United and from Garden State Equality. The lunch would be at the home of the co-chairs of Ocean Grove United.
In a kind, respectful and constructive way, we’d like to talk to you about the pain your words about being LGBT have personally caused me and other LGBT youth. If you can’t join us for lunch that Saturday – when we youth will be meeting regardless – but can meet us at another time that weekend, we will do everything to make the timing convenient for you.
Mr. Cameron, words casting negative judgments about LGBT people not only perpetuate prejudice in our wider society, but also hurt LGBT youth in particular. Some of your public comments about being LGBT have devastated us LGBT youth. We yearn to grow up in a world that provides us dignity and safety. That is our simple, most heartfelt dream.
The problem is not just that you oppose marriage equality – a view we disagree with, but to which you are entitled in our free nation – but that you did so with such disregard for how we youth would perceive your words. Your statement that being LGBT is ”destructive to our civilization,” when millions of LGBT people like me try our very best every day to make our world a better place, was like a knife in the heart. Many LGBT youth struggle with coming to terms with their sexual orientation or gender identity. Hearing statements such as yours are extremely hurtful and dangerous to these youth.
Haven’t my teen colleagues and I endured enough hurtful words at school? What kind of lesson might you, as a public figure, be giving to would-be bullies about how to treat other LGBT people? I must give you the benefit of the doubt when you say love everyone, including LGBT people. But saying that being LGBT is “destructive to our civilization,” as well as some of your other comments – calling being LGBT “unnatural” and making clear your belief that only certain marriages provide appropriate happiness – run counter to the loving person you no doubt are.
And I don’t know that such words are necessary to expressing one’s faith. Millions of God-loving people of many faiths hold different views from yours on being LGBT.
When I heard your comments, I personally felt you hated me – as did many other LGBT teens I know – without your having even met us. Please, Mr. Cameron, won’t you meet us when you’re in Ocean Grove at the end of the month? Although it may be tempting to call me and say you’re busy and that you’re taking our concerns seriously and did not intend to cause us pain, I really want you to meet us in person so we can talk with you face-to-face about the pain your words caused us.
You or your representatives may reach me via this email or on my mobile phone, .
Sincerely,
Corey Bernstein
Co-Chair Garden State Equality Youth Caucus
Kirk Cameron’s response: eh, if you want to hear more hate from me, just look me up on YouTube or something. It’s all there. Kirk is apparently too busy with his new schedule as one of NOM’s “stupid celebrities” that they wish to use in a futile attempt to turn the cultural conversation back in their direction.
Seriously, here’s their letter back to the kids:
From: Mark Craig
Sent: Wednesday, July 25, 2012 4:48 PM
To: corey.bernstein
Subject: Fwd: Mr. Craig – for Kirk Cameron from Corey BernsteinHi Corey,
My name is Mark Craig and I am Kirk’s manager. His schedule is quite hectic with his movie “Monumental” and working on a new one at the same time, as well as his Love Worth Fighting For events.
He usually flies in the day of the event and after the event is actually traveling to the next one. Because of this intense schedule, there is not time to set up extra meetings like you are suggesting. That being said I would normally just write a simple reply, “Thanks for your invitation, however Kirk’s schedule will not permit,” but because you have taken some time to share some of your feelings, Kirk asked me to personally thank you on his behalf for your kind invitation and is very sorry he can not attend because of the schedule that weekend. I also want to thank you for taking the time to write and share your heart in your letter.
For this reason, I want to share this thought with you, from someone who sees and works with Kirk almost everyday of the year – I promise you his goal is not one of trying to hurt people in any way, in fact it is just the opposite. He has a concern for their well being – not only now, but eternally. He goes out to share a positive message through events like this weekend and I assure you he will only be presenting a positive/ inspiring message.
I would like to suggest if you really are interested in Kirk’s thoughts on the matter, you can listen online to the interviews and comments Kirk has shared where he was given ample time to communicate his heart and thoughts. I hope you can attend the event and see for yourself.
We wish you the best, Mark Craig
Manager for Kirk Cameron
Ouch. Love from Fundamentalists really does fall flat in every way, doesn’t it?
At the second link, you can also read the response from Congressman Frank Pallone, who WILL be joining the kids.
[h/t Joe]
THAT is one awesome Congressman.
Kirk Cameron is a coward.
Really, who would want to meet with him only to get a bunch of platitudes and Bible crap? It’s not like it’s remotely possible to make Cameron see LGBT people as human. He only understands his dogma.
“He has a concern for their well being – not only now, but eternally.”
This kind of thinking got people BURNED AT THE STAKE (“We’re just trying to spare the heretic hellfire, y’know?”)
It’s completely antithetical to the Prince of Peace, Jesus. I reject it entirely!
A “christian” who doesn’t give a crap about violence against people he hates.
Typical.
Hmmm. When I saw Kirk on the sitcom many years ago, I kind of thought he might be gay.
Like some other wingnuts that come out so strong against the LGBTs, is he hiding something?
Been there done that!
More atheist, crybaby, lgbt melodrama! Maybe ALL people who believe in traditional marriage are NOT bigots… But since the hate and intolorence actually comes from gays, I guess that is predictable..
Shag, not all lgbt folks are atheists (I’m not), just like not all Christians are hateful, hypocritical, totally *unchristlike* bigots (like you are)!
are not…
So, we’re the hateful ones because you lot aren’t used to your targets resisting in the slightest? Seriously, Shag? If that’s the case then perhaps your cause, vile and truly hateful as it is, is not as worth it as you think it is, if such minor opposition against your overwhelming, undeserved privilege causes you to break down like this.
Furthermore, if the shoe fits, wear it. You are talking about keeping people as second-class citizens, the same way you did with my ancestors just because they had a darker skin tone, and women. You also did it with the same rhetoric about preserving tradition and those forms of institutionalized bigotry being ordained by your deity that you’re using now.
Lastly, why should we tolerate a divisive, criminal-protecting, child-raping, bloodthirsty, saber rattling, and overall depraved cult such as yours? Isn’t your slogan that we should stand against evil? That’s what we’re doing!
Shagustus said ” Maybe ALL people who believe in traditional marriage are NOT bigots… But since the hate and intolorence actually comes from gays, I guess that is predictable.”.
You’re words are deceptive. Virtually all gays believe in tradtional marriage as well, just as they believe in same sex marriage. But “believing in traditional marriage” is no doubt not what you meant, what you meant was “opposing same sex marriage” and yes all those who oppose same sex marriage ARE bigots.
Hate and intolerance are actions of trying to deprive others of the same rights you have. No gays are trying to deprive anti-gay bigots of their right to marry, the hate and intolerance is entirely from your side, bigot.
Excellent comment, Priya Lynn. I certainly believe in traditional marriage. My father died in my mother’s arms 5 days after their 53rd anniversary with us, their children gathered together around his bed. One of my brothers was married to his first wife till her death and married another woman several years later. My nephews and nieces have married.
But I also believe in marriage equality. Marriage equality does not exclude “traditional marriage,” except in the minds of those who want to deny the right of marriage to the person of our choice for those of us who are lesbian or gay.
What those who tout “traditional marriage” fail to admit is that traditional marriage has involved polygamy, it has involved family alliances and it has involved men owning their wives. It has involved the three marriages of Newt Gingrich and the two marriages of Ronald Reagan and John McCain and the four marriages of Rush Limbaugh. It has involved the dissolution of the marriages of slaves and the forced marriages of men who got girls pregnant. It has involved lots of other things as well. There is no such thing as one form of “traditional marriage” except in the minds of those who don’t want same sex couples to marry and are willing to go so far as to initiate votes to forbid such marriages and are willing to go so far as to see legislation to invalidate same sex marriages that have already taken place legally.
It is not the LGBT community that has been using campaigns of lies to distort the relationships and realities of straight people or of self-professed “christians.” It has been a fringe of “Christians” who have clothed their hatred in their religious beliefs in order to force their beliefs on the rest of society. This same fringe has not hesitated to lie to get what they want.
The legalization of same sex marriages does nothing to attack or undermine or destroy marriages between men and women. But the enactment of laws and amendments to define marriage as solely between one man and one woman has the effect of attacking the relationships of those lesbians and gay men who have formed their own unions for their benefit and the benefit of their children.
Shagustus,
“Believing in traditional marriage” is always code for “denying marriage rights to same-sex couples”. That’s bigotry.
“Maybe ALL people who believe in traditional marriage are NOT bigots…”
So, if your position isn’t bad… why do you have to use code words instead of saying what you actually mean?
Funny, I don’t remember the part about how God made some people wrong and wants you to take it out on them, but I do remember the “false witness” thing (and lot’s of “be nice” stuff, too, actually).