1. Council Bluffs, Iowa -- Victory Fellowship Church's former youth pastor Brent Girouex confessed to police that he had sex with at least four young men in his congregation. Eight more have since come forward to say they were also violated by Mr. Girouex.
This warped sexual predator justified his actions by saying he was keeping them "sexually pure" for God. He said he was helping to get rid of "homosexual urges by praying while he had sexual contact with (them)...When they would ejaculate, they would be getting rid of the evil thoughts in their mind."
The facts of this case along with his confession of guilt should have guaranteed that this man spend the rest of his life in jail; but no. The judge sentenced Girouex to 17 years and then suspended the entire sentence, instead giving him five years probation and instructing him to complete sex offender counseling.
The church had no comment. The victims and their families are justifiably outraged. Mr. Girouex's wife has filed for divorce and has asked the court to deny him any contact with their four children.
I am beyond disgusted. Where did Mr. Girouex learn this hate? At the worst, Victory Fellowship taught Mr. Girouex and is complicit in his actions. At the very least, VF harbored a social terrorist who used the Bible to condone hate crimes. And the judge's sentencing decision has nothing to do with justice.
2. Cleveland, Ohio -- In the year ending September 2, 2013, Cocktails, a bar friendly to the LGBT community in this city made nine 911 calls for everything from teenagers throwing rocks at patrons entering or leaving the bar to the assault by 20 people on one patron as he left the bar in the Fall of 2012.
And how has the Cleveland Police Department handled these problems? By sending Cocktails owner, Brian Lyons, a letter signed by Safety Director Martin Flask warning him for excessive 911 calls. "Repeated calls to the same property place an undue and inappropriate burden on the taxpayers and City of Cleveland and our Safety forces...Failure to address these issues, resulting in future calls for police service, will be scrutinized for appropriate administrative and law enforcement action."
After local news stories began circulating about the letter, Mayor Frank Jackson told Mr. Flask to rescind it and to meet with the Police District Commander and Mr. Lyons to work together on the safety issue at Cocktails. The city claims to be committed to fully investigating any crimes against Cocktails' patrons and to working to make the city safer for everyone.
This bar is in my neighborhood. It is not loud. It doesn't attract large crowds. It doesn't even have a sign outside. It is a quiet, neighborhood establishment whose patrons just happen to be gay. They shouldn't need media attention to become part of the "everyone" the city wants to keep safe and the owner shouldn't be threatened for asking for protection.
First, #2:
ReplyDeletethe sheer ugliness of the response by the Safety Director, of the City of Cleveland, speaks to his own homophobia.
And, with the added irony being that the very agency sworn to uphold the laws of the State of Ohio AND protect its citizens (ALL of its citizens) issued the warning to cease and desist.
'Homophobia' has long been thought to be brought about by an individuals fear that he, or she, could one day be gay. This, of course, is based on nonsense, nothing more.
So, what does this say of the Safety Director's decision to threaten an openly gay bar for calling for help and protection? You be the judge.
Now for #1. I don't know, from seeing what you posted, that VF had knowledge of this creeps acts, let alone condone them. But, the fact that Mr. Creep is listed as "formerly" at VF implies they let him go.
Should he have been prosecuted? Of course. Were his actions that of hating? Again, I didn't 'see' that either. What I did see was some creepy perv trying to justify a [very] criminal act in the guise of religion while he criminally violated children
The LORD told us not to use HIS name in vain. I think Girouex mighta been jacking off in Sunday school and missed that part.