06/20/2005
Sad news. Zach, the 16-year-old MySpace blogger forced by his parents into going to the "Love in Action" reparative camp to "cure" him of his homosexuality, has been forced back for another six weeks. Zach was supposed to be released from the camp today but has been sent back because his parents find it "necessary and effective."
Posted 5:30 PM EST by Andy Towle in Elsewhere | Permalink
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Haven't the parents should take a class in queer theory, or maybe, just watch 'My life in pink'. So cute...
Posted by: Peter Konefal | Jun 20, 2005 6:34:56 PM
The above sentence is perhaps one of the most ungrammatical I've ever written. I am duly proud. :)
Posted by: Peter Konefal | Jun 20, 2005 6:35:33 PM
It's a shame that idiocy is still an occuring trend in today's modern world.
The fact that this is happening in the south is really no big surprise; these people fight Darwin's theory of evolution being taught in school and virtually every other theory, view or statement that doesn't revolve around their goddamn religion.
What do these people even contribute to society anyway? The south (the bible belt in particular) is poor, they have been since slavery was abolished and their "economy" collapsed. Federal taxes support their illiterate asses, and what do they give in return? Jack shit.
They're dead weight as far as I'm concerned,and if this country ever does end its reliance on oil, those oil tycoons in Texas will be crying all the way to their beloved Jesus.
The last zealot I saw was protesting abortion and using his bible as justification, as well as putting signs around the necks of his two children who couldn't be more than 7 years old.
When he tried to shove his propoganda at me I spit in his face and threw his bible in the garbage, and said that CPS should take his children away. Needless to say, they didn't offer me anymore on the "word of Jesus." Come to think of it, they all look petrified.
I'd do the same thing (probably worse) to these idiots in TN who are harassing this poor kid. I say hold a bible burning outside of the premises... and perhaps inform them that Jesus was either a safartic Jew if not flat out African in ethnicity, since we all know racial tolerance is a true pillar of christian southern culture.
Ciao
Jason
PS-- Am I completley insane for thinking Zac's story would make a great book or movie? At least this is a very important issue that needs to be addressed (cult-like brainwashing going unnoticed by authorities) I'm sure Judith Regan would allow Zac to publish his story...
Posted by: Jason | Jun 20, 2005 6:58:05 PM
Just remember, hate only begets more hate.
Posted by: Tom | Jun 20, 2005 7:04:37 PM
Any kowledge of how to contact either his parents or the brainwashing facility? I would love to give them a piece of my...well you know. I'd love to tell them that Hitler, Satan, and soon W. will be saving them a box seat.
Posted by: Andrew | Jun 20, 2005 7:38:33 PM
Jason, hate, bigotry, and wrongheadedness are not confined to the South. And all Southerners are not hateful, bigoted, and wrongheaded. We're not all living off your tax dollars, and we're not all illiterate and impoverished religious extremists.
Posted by: Becky | Jun 20, 2005 9:21:12 PM
Infuriating. Simply infuriating.
Posted by: Rob | Jun 20, 2005 9:44:40 PM
One more thing to ponder, as we have to deal with yet another example of how children are treated like property instead human beings, is this is another example reinforcing the already weakened state of the family. Teens in this country seem to have absolutely no 'faith' in parents and family being there for them. God forbid teens actually need real support and understanding, because this seems to be the rule for the religiously inclined. 'How dare you, slave! Thats 'my' life you're living, not yours." The 'Do as I say, or else!" attitude just doesn't cut it anymore. Do all you parents out there who espouse this belief/attitude/mindset think you're not going to pay for your actions when you face the Man who said "Suffer the little children to come unto me"? If you don't recognize the cruelty you are administering, the torment you are causing, then I truly pity you, and your future in heaven is looking pretty bleak. Thank God that the final judge is 'GOD'.
Posted by: Paul | Jun 20, 2005 10:30:57 PM
I've been trying to type things to say, but I can't think of anything, I'm baffled.
Posted by: DutchECK | Jun 21, 2005 1:52:14 AM
"According to someone who claims to be a friend of Zach's..." is the basis of this latest story. Sounds a bit premature to me.
Posted by: Dave Rattigan | Jun 21, 2005 2:37:08 AM
If this is true then I feel very sorry for Zach and his family...what a loss.
That said, this actually reminds me of a book that I just finished, The Night Listener, by Armistad Maupin. The book tells a story of an overnight DJ who befriends a 12 year old boy via the telephone and Internet...he doesn't actually meet him. Further into the story his friends confront him about whether this boy is actually real, or if he's been created by an adult to play games with people's minds. I really enjoyed the book (until the end that is) and this story struck me as being oddly similar. The blogosphere is ripe with people supporting Zach, sending hate mail to Love in Action, and people trying to track down Zach's parents...all of this for someone that we really don't know exists at all.
As I said...I find this oddly similar to Maupin's latest book.
Posted by: Wayne | Jun 21, 2005 12:19:27 PM
DO you think it's real? I hate to question it...
Posted by: Roy | Jun 21, 2005 3:14:15 PM
Jason, would you like, marry me? Your feelings mirror mine to a T...
Posted by: Andy W | Jun 21, 2005 4:12:15 PM
And having his story published would enable this poor kid to make a dollar and a cent in return for all the crap he's being put through. I bet that would really rub it in his parent's faces.
Posted by: Andy W | Jun 21, 2005 4:13:50 PM
Jason
Who do you think you are. Apparently you seem to think that you are better than the people running this "camp". Let me just point out that the close mindedness that put poor Zach into this camp is the same kind of close mindedness that you seem to express about the South.
Posted by: Sara | Jun 21, 2005 4:19:35 PM
Becky,
Color me forgetful but I dont recollect saying that hatred, bigotry, and religious extremism were confined to the south.
However, anyone with access to the internet can see that the highest murder rates are in the south, that the south has a startingly high divorce rate (2nd only to Nevada, the home of Las Vegas) as well as more hate crimes than northern states.
The Federal Tax statement is completley true. So yes, I am angry that people we support fiscally show utter and complete disregard for a human life, as well as our government doing nothing about it.
Do I go off spewing these comments for the hell of it? No. However, when these religious extremists go off telling people how to run their lives, I am presented with a unique oppurtunity to inform them just how peverse and innacurate their thinking is.
Sara,
You're absoultely correct, I do think I am better than the people running this camp. Actually, I take that back, I KNOW I am, because I would never lock someone in a prison masquerading as a psychological facility to correct a "problem" that the APA hasn't classified as a mental disorder for over 20 years.
So if questioning their logic and reasoning (as well as mental well-being) makes me a part of the supposed "arrogant northern elite" than buy me a button and a flag, and I will wear both of them proudly.
Au revoir!
Jason
Posted by: Jason | Jun 21, 2005 6:12:51 PM
my space has formed a group call free zach http://groups.myspace.com/freezach they are trying to get more media attention if you can be of help please let them know.
ps: so jason, what do you think of florida?
Posted by: mel | Jun 21, 2005 11:59:17 PM
As a mother of 3 children, ages 10, 8, and 5, I am utterly appalled by the actions of Zach's parents. How dare they traumatize their son this way! The complete closed mindedness of Zach's parents is baffling to me. How can they see his sexual orientation as their fault and not something he was born feeling? I would never treat my kids this way. As long as they are good people, I am behind my kids in everything they do. It truly stumps me why some parents act so idiotic. And throwing Christianity into the mix really chaps my ass! I'm so frustrated, I just wish I could do something to help. =-(
Posted by: Laura | Jun 23, 2005 10:50:21 PM