[HeartStrongList] Distressing News

[heartstrong at heartstrong.org]

Hi Everyone,

On the eve of our Spring Outreach Trip, we have learned the distressing
news that two candidates running for President of the United States are
making an appearance at the rabidly anti-GLBT Messiah College in
Pennsylvania.  And you can rest assured they will not be there to talk
about the faith-based anti-GLBT bullying at that school.

For many years, we have spoken about how political leaders in this country
can nearly glamorize religious educational institutions which cause
immense pain and hardship for GLBT students.  This is yet another example.

It was just a short time again that another of the presidential candidates
visited Liberty University, again giving credibility and undue attention
to a religious educational institution responsible for causing great
damage to so many of our GLBT brothers and sisters.

We grieve when the leaders or those who wish to be leaders of this country
bow down to the seductive glance of approval from members of the religious
right.  Especially when we have spent more than ten years and more than
3000 volunteered hours helping to heal the wounds caused by these schools
and inflicted upon our students.  (Messiah College and Liberty University
are two of these schools.)

Maybe it is fitting that this is occurring on the eve of our Spring
Outreach/Educational trip.  It is a long, dusty, seemingly endless road. 
As we have always done in the past, we use negative experiences to
motivate us to do positive things.  So that's what we will be doing with
this alarming information.

At moments like this, when it can feel like the leaders of this country or
those who desire to be leaders of this country cast a cold shoulder to the
human suffering in these schools, it is now that the work of HeartStrong,
the only non profit in the world with the sole mission of reaching these
students, must push further and harder.

And it is your support that enables us to do.  As an all volunteer
organization, HeartStrong has fulfilled its mission statement quietly and
consistently for more than 10 years and will continue to do the same
because of the few who see our vision and make it possible.

Marc Adams
Executive Director
http://www.heartstrong.org