Some info just handed to me:
The Watchmen on the Wall are an international anti-gay extremist group who are meeting October 19-21 at the Lynnwood Convention Center. The Watchmen are popular among Christian fundamentalists and Russian-speaking evangelicals from the former Soviet Union. Members have been increasingly active in several West-coast US cities generally considered gay-friendly, including Sacramento, Portland, and Seattle.
The purpose of the conference in Lynnwood is for the group to further plan their work against homosexuals and “homosexualists” (Watchmen term for straight people sympathetic to gay people). A featured speaker at the conference will be local Pastor Ken Hutcherson, founder of the Antioch Bible Church and vocal opponent of LGBT equality.
As news of the Watchmen gathering spread throughout the greater Seattle area, the response of outrage has been tremendous. Concern is high given the anti-gay violence that tends to swarm around Watchmen events. Activists from Lynnwood along with many groups are hosting an alternative event to show the support and concern for the LGBT community even as this conference happens. The event “Love and Pride: Lynnwood Responds to Hate” will feature a gathering of speakers, including members of the clergy, and a special viewing of Inlaws & Outlaws, a local-produced documentary featuring the real-life stories of Washington LGBT people.
Who: Lynnwood community activists and clergy members, Equal Rights Washington, the Religious Coalition for Equality, and the True Stories Project
What: Vigil, film viewing, and discussion
When: Sunday, October 21, at 3pm
Where: Edmonds Unitarian Universalist Church, 8109 224th Street, Edmonds, Washington
Sponsored by:
Equal Rights Washington
Religious Coalition for Equality
True Stories Project
Planned Parenthood
Seattle LGBT Community Center
Ingersoll Gender Center
Seattle Gay News
ACLU
Greater Seattle Business Association
