Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: affinity group, Anti-gay church, Bash Back!, ex-gay, Mount Hope Church, Queer Action, Queers
The Mount Hope Church is a deplorable, anti-queer mega-church in
Lansing, Michigan. The church works to institutionalize transphobia and
homophobia through several repulsive projects including organized “ex-gay”
conferences and so-called “hell houses”, which depict queers, trannies and
womyn who seek abortions as the horrors. Mt. Hope is complicit in the repression
of queers in Michigan and beyond.
Bash Back! ain’t down with that. And so on Sunday November 9th, about
thirty radical queers from Lansing, Chicago, Memphis and Milwaukee
disrupted the church’s most well-attended sermon.
At noon, a small group of folks dressed in pink and black, equipped with a
megaphone, black flags, picket signs and an upside-down pink cross began
demonstrating outside the church. The group was extremely loud and wildly
offensive.
The demonstration drew a majority of Mount Hope’s security staff outside
to watch them.
Meanwhile, with the guards pre-occupied by the distraction, over a dozen
queers had put on their Sunday-best and infiltrated the church’s
congregation. At the signal that the guards had been lured outside, the
infiltrators sprung into action.
A group stood up, declared themselves fags, and began screaming loudly.
Upon hearing the loud interruption, other affinity groups went into
action. A team that had been hiding under the pews in the closed-off
balcony dropped a banner and pulled back the curtains to reveal “IT’S OKAY
TO BE GAY! BASH BACK!”. Another group threw over a thousand fliers to the
entirety of the congregation. The fire alarm was pulled. Queers began
making out in front of the pastor. And within a matter of minutes,
everyone had evaded the guards and made their escapes.
Bash Back! operatives, still hidden among the congregation observed a
person screaming that Satan had come to Mount Hope, that the end was here,
that the queers were everywhere. She then began speaking tongues. The
dumbfounded pastor, after regaining his composure, went on to speak of the
of decadent, depraved wolves that menace his flock of sheep.
Let it be known: So long as bigots kill us in the streets, this pack of
wolves will continue to BASH BACK!
We are everywhere.
bashbacknews.wordpress.com
58 Comments so far
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what a fantastic action! Keep up the good work.
Comment by West Coast (a) November 11, 2008 @ 2:24 am-Your friends on the west coast.
lets see some fotos/video??? yall had to of documented that shit? fuck yeah!!!
Comment by conrad November 11, 2008 @ 2:34 amyall should add this to the wikipedia page! one of the comments from that rightwing blog referenced it, which made me happy
Comment by dandee lyon November 11, 2008 @ 5:34 amLet me lay out for you very simply. Should you muthers do that in my presence you need for anarchy will go out the window when I put my nine in your fag-anarchist face. I’m sure at that point you’re anarcho-fag ways will disappear as you call for the police to protect you. The problem is it will be too late for you.
Get a life you pieces of homo shit.
Comment by Urworsnitemare November 11, 2008 @ 2:09 pmGreat Job!!! How wonderful to read about the action.
Comment by Richard November 11, 2008 @ 3:13 pmWell Done!
Comment by Ginger November 11, 2008 @ 6:28 pmThis is an inspirational action
Comment by Eric November 11, 2008 @ 6:48 pmi am so proud of you all…
Comment by horus November 11, 2008 @ 7:24 pmAll I can say is…I love you.
Comment by Heather November 11, 2008 @ 8:12 pmYou are my fucking heroes. Thank you for doing this work and holding this space.
Comment by Urban Scout November 11, 2008 @ 11:16 pmThere are some pics at weyi.com
Comment by Pics November 12, 2008 @ 1:21 amthat is so fucking awesome.
Comment by Kevin November 12, 2008 @ 3:54 amLove it! Nothing like direct action against those organizing hate and homo/trans/queer-phobia.
Comment by Tran-Archist November 12, 2008 @ 5:07 amkeep fighting the good fight, brothers and sisters. ignore those who would attempt to break your spirit.
solidarity
Comment by class warrior November 12, 2008 @ 5:35 amWell done. Time for war on god and all his bigot minions. Queers Bash Back!
Comment by Tom K (ARA) November 12, 2008 @ 5:47 amyour all beautiful! this is amazing!!
Comment by vegantom! November 12, 2008 @ 9:39 amgood work
I’m so proud of ya’ll! We’ll make out in front of pastors all day. No homophobic racist and sexist gods!
Bash Back my dears.
Comment by osqar November 12, 2008 @ 8:31 pmMichigan needs more of this.
Comment by crow November 12, 2008 @ 8:39 pmwow, wow, wow!! you are an inspiration! our movement needs to spend more time like this on the offensive, and less on the defensive. we deserve equal rights, and we are HERE, whether the christo-hypocrites like it or not. they should spend more time on correcting the vile deeds of their own. keep up the good work!!
Comment by penpal November 12, 2008 @ 8:52 pmwhat you’ve done is absolutely wonderful
and learning that there exist groups like yours is very inspirational
keep bashing back and fucking up the bigots!
Comment by jozi November 12, 2008 @ 9:59 pmUrworsnitemare, you can put your nine-inch something else in my fag anarchist face if you want, baby.
Comment by Eeger November 13, 2008 @ 12:20 amPretty amazing action! Well planned and well executed. As an old guy, I am proud of the young taking charge of their own destinies.
Comment by Richard November 13, 2008 @ 1:44 ami EFFIN love making people uncomfortable. long live the queers!
Comment by Tiph November 13, 2008 @ 4:10 amAwesome work, Bash Back!
Comment by Props November 13, 2008 @ 4:12 amKeep it up!!!
I can’t say that I condone this, but I sure as hell will never say that I condemn this either. Keep on keepin on…
Comment by Shannon Sparks November 13, 2008 @ 6:29 amYou guys rock! Glitter as a weapon–love it! I think you may be inspiring me.
Comment by Riverwolf November 13, 2008 @ 3:54 pmI love you all!! THANK YOU!! ^_^ Keep up the amazing work.
Comment by Colleen November 13, 2008 @ 4:30 pmYou fucking made my WEEK. Thank you!
Bookmarking now…
Comment by PSue November 13, 2008 @ 4:42 pmFuck. Yea!
Comment by Michael November 13, 2008 @ 7:14 pmWe need a San Diego group =)
Please be careful. I can understand the frustration, but does anyone think this will only set us back? There’s plenty of hatred out there. How can respect be expected when we don’t show any? Shouldn’t we be taking the high road? Maybe not…just my thought.
Comment by Concerned November 13, 2008 @ 10:01 pmYou should be proud! btw is there video?
Comment by Zac November 13, 2008 @ 10:26 pmGods. I feel like getting out there and DOing something now. Its so frustrating that the local Alliance here does nothing. I will change that. Now I feel like I can. Thanks.
Comment by Emerson November 13, 2008 @ 10:50 pmfucking brilliant.
Comment by michael knife November 13, 2008 @ 11:03 pmy’all are super great!!! i serve a radical church in boston and go to a “progressive” divinity school and welcome queers/faggotz/dykes/trans folk/etc. to come make out at my church any time (might make some of the older marxists a little uncomfortable, but it’s good for them. queer up the christofascist churches!!!!!!!!!!
Comment by jason November 13, 2008 @ 11:55 pmLove you all soooo much. wish i could have been there!
Comment by Bee November 14, 2008 @ 4:14 pmGreat fucking job! And, oh man, I love how people fail to understand words repeatedly given to them… Especially with the mainstream news and conservatives screaming “liberals” every five seconds. Just shows their need for fucked up binaries, can’t comprehend anything outside of their this-or-that mentality.
Comment by Rugrat November 14, 2008 @ 6:49 pmWowzer!! On the scale of pranks that one is right up there! As a Christian, I must say I am petrified by the actions of some people of the same faith as I. All the best on your quest but what are you aiming to achieve?
Comment by xian November 15, 2008 @ 6:22 amRock on, folks. Rock on.
Comment by Isa November 15, 2008 @ 7:43 amjesus died for you to and loves you
Comment by Gods Love November 16, 2008 @ 1:55 amthere needs to be a group like that in los angeles.
Comment by andrew November 16, 2008 @ 4:13 amBEAUTIFUL!! shake ‘em up!!!
Comment by rae November 16, 2008 @ 6:22 amJesus died for my sins and all I got was this lousy t-shirt.
Comment by yinsurgent November 16, 2008 @ 5:32 pmBeautiful action. I heard about it on right-wing radio first, so they were extra-frothy. Talking about RICO laws
This is such amazing and inspirational news! Thanks to all of you!
Comment by Sam November 16, 2008 @ 9:58 pmlove love love
this is fantastic news! i used to live in western michigan and know well how much hate is there. i despised living there!! that’s why i am so glad to be in the bay area now, but even happier to see people are taking a stand! bash back indeed!
Comment by hulagirl23 November 17, 2008 @ 1:31 amhey “Concerned”
Comment by Michael November 17, 2008 @ 5:17 amI don’t think it’s going to set anyone back by protesting the people who are promoting hatred.
Brilliant. You could have picked a better church though, considering the Assemblies of God was founded by a black man and was the first denomination to allow women as elders, I’d say its a bit less deserving of a bashing than tons of other radically right-wing fascist churches in lansing.
Comment by Ex~ November 17, 2008 @ 5:28 pm1 Corinthians 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
Comment by Michael November 18, 2008 @ 7:25 amRevelation 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Comment by Michael November 18, 2008 @ 7:42 amI’m actually pretty close to Mt. Hope, I have some friends who go there. I’m a young queer at Great Lakes Christian College. I just heard about this action tonight and decided to look into things.
I honestly can’t say how I feel one way or the other about it. It hurts our image…but maybe it is time to take the battle to the streets. I honestly don’t know. I would like to find out more about Bash Back! though.
Comment by zabriel November 18, 2008 @ 7:54 amand what was the net result? guerilla movements have a mixed history regardless of thier noble principles. confrontation, alienation and bashing back has a certain visceral attraction. nonetheless, it has lead to endless rounds of retaliation and generations of hatred. can anyone point out to me how disrespect for another earns respect? i believe in confrontation and for standing up for one’s rights and the rights of the oppressed, but have we no grace or honor in doing so? i do not in any way condemn what sounds like a mighty good show, but rather, i wonder whether it is all sound and fury signifying nothing. take care all.
Comment by jujul November 19, 2008 @ 7:55 am@Michael- A big steaming, vile DUMP on your new testament…have a nice day!
Comment by horus November 20, 2008 @ 3:41 pmgreat job!
Comment by mooj December 5, 2008 @ 11:49 pmhi y’all – just speaking as an older life long out proud activist – darlings please, never give your passion , but please look around at the pending court cases, the different states where initiatives have passed or failed – we need constructive action- those of you who are not familiar , nor political junkies might not realize that giving the wingnuts red meat is not wise – at this time, they already deludedly feel victimized – took out a full page AD in the Times using the T word , comparing this to terrorism vs. the direct action it was..This will cause GLAAD to spend money on a defamation retort –
it took place in a church – please , demonstrate outside. Never stop either ! We are in need of coalitions. i ask patience, i ask that you work constructively with your local equality groups..
Look we live under fascism right now and UNTIL a few things are rolled back , like the fucking Patriot Act, and HR1955 – my beloved youth, you place yourselves in the precarious catagory of being deemed an enemey combatant or worse ITS INSANE but it can HAPPEN look at FREE in Oregan – HE got 20 yrs at age 20 something for setting SUVs on fire. all because they tacked the Orwellian cynical usage of “ECO” terrorist to him. HE WAS GIVEN 20 plus yrs , for the crime, and the SU fuckin Vs were later sold.
Realize the Republican part is trying desparately to rebuild itself on our backs – realize also we are on the verge of Federal laws that will help us in an unprecidented way , including an inclusive ENDA.
i apologize for being 51, i apologize for my concerns..but they are deep, i beg you to be wise, be careful and never ever give up your passion.
– i have been an activist since i was 16 – we need a multi prong approach – Join the Impact showed us we have more straight allies then ever BEFORE IN HISTORY – dear ones, lets not squander this historic moment.
The last thing you want to do is feed Wingnuts – they hate us irrationally , continually feel victimized – WE need to get this solved constitutionally – the Seperation of Church and State..
most people are burnt out on the fundi and their insane mega churches and damage to liberation Christians. – we need to find MORE creative ways, to get them into their pews and out of our public sector –
i have a post up on my blog, sounding rather cranky and scared for y’all feel free to come and discuss – i am proud of caring, and know your actions will be even more creative in the future..
its out of the deepest most enduring love i write this to you. You are our youth, I love you. Believe in your wisdom – we need the exchange and the passing on of oral history and a realistic assessment of the civil rights cusp we are on – and the situation is ripe for positive , historical wins for us. Believe it ! – and for goddess’ sake please be thoughtful of un intended consequences.
warmly PP(transgender)
Please reconsider
Comment by proudprogressive December 15, 2008 @ 6:49 pmAs a queer individual: this sickens me… where is the tolerance? It certainly doesn’t appear to be present in the actions of BB.
And if this comment should disappear, well… congratulations on being fascist totalitarians?
God bless.
Comment by Tyger Lily January 3, 2009 @ 10:09 amAs a person that lives within a 1/4 of a mile directly East of Mount Hope on Michigan Ave, I received a gay hate letter that beyond the fact called me a hatemonger, intolerant and referred to me and Nazi’s.
The hate letter also said I WAS directly involved in the disruption at the Mount Hope Church Services by the Bash Back group. SOMETHING THAT IS COMPLETELY UNTRUE!!!!!! Just for the record, I did not even know about the event until 2 weeks after it occurred.
I went to file a police report with the Eaton County Sheriffs and they denied me the opportunity to file a complaint.
Understand, the hate mail (yes, mail) contained my license plate number and was mailed to my home. It was totally directed at me.
The letter stated out as saying, “Where is your hate sign?” The hate sign they were talking about was the HRC’s sign “Stop Hate Crimes Now.”
Since I have lived in Delta Township I have not been active in the gay community. I am disabled and rarely leave my home. There is NO reason why I would have received this hate letter but for the fact I had the nerve to say to everyone, including the member’s of Bash Back “Stop Hate Crimes” I have now become the victim of a hate crime by either a member of Mount Hope or at the least a supporter of Mount Hope.
Considering the fact that the Eaton County Sheriffs, FBI, Post Office Inspector General, Mount Hope Church, Bill Donahue of the US Catholic Church, Bill O’Reilly, Fox News or any MSM outlet, gay advocacy groups that suck money out of gays to help hate crimes victims all have turned their backs on the queer.
Given that frustration and knowledge that at any time I could be the victim of a more escalated act of unprovoked violence, only because I dared ask that hate crimes be stopped, I have adjusted my opinion of Bash Back.
Comment by RainbowWarrior January 16, 2009 @ 1:58 amWell, I’m sure this action was exciting and gave a momentary high, but I don’t believe in disrupting a service, even one in a hate filled church. Please, continue to demonstrate, but do this outside. Do’nt give these people an opportunity to be even more self-riteous. Bravery must be tempered with good judgement.
Comment by Jesse February 4, 2009 @ 2:14 amHomosexuals are Gay!!!!!
Comment by Josh July 28, 2009 @ 9:22 pmyou people make me sick.
Comment by maxkeisernews September 18, 2009 @ 8:45 pm