CNN: Straighten your gay kids at a "conversion camp" - (VIDEO)

[dzika]

July 28, 2005

Video - CNN: Straighten your gay kids at a "conversion camp"

"...there's no touching and no flashy clothes."




Video in Windows Media format (7 minutes)

[vi5]

1. For some reason when I hear about these conversion camps...

I think of that Simpsons where Mr. Burns takes Bart as his son. Homer and Marge hire a deprogrammer to kidnap him and re-program him, which pretty much just consists of the guy yelling. "You do NOT love Mr. Burns. You love Homer and Marge Simpson!"

I somehow picture these things as being the same way. You do NOT like men. You like WOMEN!!"

[DanCa]

2. I am so sick and tired of the Fristians

Bastardising the teaching of my lord to justify thier homophobia. This is beyond disgusting and bizare. You know all I know is that my god loves everyone regardles of thier orientation and stance and reproductive issues. I am sorry for the soapbox but this is distressing. This red thing that the Fristians worship is definetly not Jesus Christ but some god of madness riches and warfare.

[getmeouttahere]

3. Pieces of human excrement!

is there a written guarantee that your child is now straight? Let's see them make some guarantees! IF, IF any unfortunate souls end up at this "camp", well, I just don't want to think of the implications for the children who will have to overcome this in the future, when they are trying to come to grips with the fact that they are gay and can't do anything about it.

[Solly Mack]

4. "But I'm a Cheerleader!"

Homophobes are a danger to themselves and everyone around them.

Why aren't they locked up for rehabilitation?

[drmom]

5. So, they are putting a bunch of gay kids together in a camp...

...that's awfully nice of them to act as a dating service.

[long_green]

11. "Conversion Camps"

Arbeit Macht Straight!
Suicide is a serious problem with young people struggling with their sexual identity. I wonder what the incidence rate of suicide is in a program that, at its core, believes homosexuality is something to be eradicated.

[moobu2]

6. CNN is about to do another story on gay conversions coming up now

[sakabatou]

7. Same place where they sent Zach

[youthere]

8. I have a question...

does anyone actually know (or heard of) someone who truly has changed their sexuality? I'm not being contrite...I would be interested to see some actual "proof" that sexuality can be changed.

[moobu2]

9. From everything I've read

this type of quack therapy does more harm than anything else.

[FreedomAngel82]

14. I think so too

It's sad really. I wish there could be something done about these places.

[long_green]

10. in what way?

I know plenty of people who started out living heterosexual lives to the point of marriage and children only to accept their homosexuality. I can think of just one case that went in the other direction.
Did these people change or did they come to accept the reality of their sexual identity? That's your call. Or mine.

[youthere]

12. That's my question...

for those who claim this conversion therapy is successful. Is it a true change of sexuality or suppression, or what?

[long_green]

15. We don't know...

and it's for damn sure that the yahoos running this program don't know.

[jonnyblitz]

17. they don't do proper long term followup to determine this..

and this is one reason why critics say their succuess rate claims can't be trusted. How can you tell for sure if somebody is "cured"? a person can lead on outward heterosexual existence but who knows what goes on in his head, what his desires actually are...I can't imagine how babbling crap from the bible,practicing sports, and "turning my life over to Jesus" would make me desire women all of a sudden. :shrug:

[FreedomAngel82]

22. And how do they know

they aren't just bi-sexual or just curious? I'm sure lots of people go through a curious stage or something. How do they know they really "cured" someone who is gay?

[Touchdown]

18. It's only behavior modification and self delusion.

Nobody honest has come forward and say they have no same sex attractions anymore. Most of them speak in addiction language..."Last week, I saw this man and I was tempted to fall from grace..." crap like that.:puke:

[skypilot]

19. Self-delusion is exactly what it is.

Did you hear that one poor kid, Ben, the one with the goatee? If I heard him correctly--and I think I did--he seems to have convinced himself, at least in part, that he "became" gay because it made him popular.

[Divine Ms Q]

13. new name

Gee, is that what they're now calling the Boy Scout Jamboree????

:banghead:

[Sgent]

16. Actually

the conversion camps (including the one that Zach is at) don't really endorse conversion as such.

They say that either you must be hetro or celebate -- either is fine.

Please note, I couldn't disagree more and have protested in front of this place, but that's what they believe, not me.

[GracieM]

20. Creepy

[FreedomAngel82]

21. I watched the whole video and it was pretty fair and balanced I think

They showed people who had attended and critics and the person who ran the camp. There was one guy who was on there named Brandon who said what needed to be said. He said he realized he can still have his faith but still be who God intended him to be. He is a social worker now and is very critical of the organization (he had been through it) and only one had a licenses. One guy said he was going to study psychology now instead of journalism so maybe he'll make some discoveries he didn't know about before. The first guy Brandon said he still lives in Memphis and goes to church reguarly with his boyfriend. I thought that was interesting. I wonder what type of church he goes to and how they are with him coming with his boyfriend.

[Touchdown]

23. There is no balance with this issue.

Reparative therapy (which is what this is called) is quackery. The APA, AMA, and SPCA ;) ...all have condemned this practice as psychological damaging. Lending credence, any of it, to a lie such as homosexuals can change is not fairness or balance. A lie is a lie. There is no two sides to psychological assault and battery masquerding as ministerial therapy. It's the same "balance" that CNN shows whenever the subject of gay rights come up...call Jerry Fatwell as an "Expert" on gays. :eyes: No matter who he's got on the other side of the desk, having him anywhere near a mike when gay rights are being discussed is offensive and pure hate-mongering to any gay person watching CNN, and CNN knows it. It's like having David Duke on a panel discussing Yom Kippur or the social consequences of haveing shelf space in Bodegas for Kosher foods.

EDIT: EWWW Typos!