The Broken Walls Ministries is an “ex-gay” group founded by David Alvarado, who claims to have dispensed of his LGBTQ lifestyle “through the power of god.”
This week, Alvarado’s ministry hosted a little rally at Texas A&M International University in Laredo, Texas. The event was billed as a Q&A session titled, “Can Homosexuals (LGBTQ) Change?”
Related: Nation’s richest private boarding school rocked with creepy ex-gay scandal
The conservative-leaning Laredo Morning Times reports that an impressive 45 people showed up for the event. But a screen grab from local station’s KGNS-TV‘s report—as well as in a photo from the Morning Times’ own article—the crowd appears considerably, um, smaller.
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Not only that, but Out Smart Magazine notes a campus Pride event organized in response to the “ex-gay” rally appears to have attracted more people. In fact, it was standing-room only:
And a petition calling on the university to cancel the “ex-gay” event drew an even greater response, gathering 400 signatures.
Now, you may be wondering why Texas A&M International University allowed this “ex-gay” event to happen on its campus in the first place?
According to university president Pablo Arenaz, the university likes to think of itself as a place where people of all groups can “exchange ideas.”
Oh, also, the college relies on the money it receives from renting out its facilities to third-party organizations.
Here’s his official statement:
What do you think? Does this look like 45 people to you? Take our poll below.
Related: Obese “ex-gay” Christian says it was easier to his change sex habits than his eating habits
Heywood Jablowme
“Broken WALLS Ministries”? In Laredo, Texas? (right on the border?) – sounds suspicious!
DCguy
Their entire existence is about lying and bigotry, of COURSE they’re lying about the crowd size.
But of course media will report on them over and over as if they were a huge group, just like they reported on the group “Gays for Trump” that got 7 people to show up for an event but got hundreds of media reports about them.
Chrisk
I was just thinking the same thing. Let’s face it. What’s one more lie considering..
The media will pretty much just accept whatever they’re told.
Kangol
Um, I find reparative theory and ex-gay organizations abhorrent, but I did a quick count based on the photos and tallied about 58 people there, so the 45 might be a lowball figure. Did they all attend? Did some just poke their heads in? Who knows.
But isn’t the issue not how many people showed up, but the absolutely horrendous anti-gay ideology organizations like this spread? They use this anti-gay claptrap to terrorize gay people, especially many young gay people. Why not focus on that instead of writing a lede that opens you up for ridicule?
PinkoOfTheGange
It is only the second pic, the 3rd is from and alternative rally I believe.
Amalgamate
shut up-there are 24 people in that picture
Kangol
Ah–thanks for that. Recounting I got to 37 with the first two photos, which seem to be of/from the ex-gay meeting. If this ex-gay group screws up the mind of even 1 person, though, it’s terrible.
Xzamilloh
Now, see when I saw “Broken Walls” my mind immediately went to the gutter and I was thinking of a really good night lmao!!!
tham
Everyone who went there….went there to cruise.
Ukin Blome
OH, You caught me. Now that I’m a fat old man x-gay meetings are the best place for me to score!
radiooutmike
This group gets a pass because it’s a religious-themed/based one.
Ukin Blome
So is the Church of Saint Priapist. We believe the way to the Holy Ghost is through serial fellatio. Unlike all the other religions, we practice what we preach!
Amalgamate
Mandarke-shut your mouth-there are 24 people in that picture
Matt1961
So let’s correct what this group said. it’s not ’45 people attended’ it’s “45’s people attended”. There, fixed it!
dwes09
@ heywood: very well put!
@brody: M-T-F transsexuals, and F-T-M transsexuals can be gay, bit or straight. They are in no sense gay men who become women or lesbians who become men. As hard as it may be for people to understand (especially the simplistic ones like you) gender dysphoria is real. When you comment out of ignorance and intellectual laziness it only reflects on you.
Brody
If a gay man wants to become a straight man through therapy, he’s labeled a pariah.
But if the same gay man wants to become a straight WOMAN through therapy and surgery, he’s labeled a shining example of pride and courage.
For the life of me, I’ll never understand liberal logic.
Kangol
Here’s the difference.
Reparative therapy urges gay people to become straight because homophobes consider being gay a bad thing, abnormal, and wrong.
Gender transition involves a person, of whatever sexuality, feeling that they are a different gender from what they were at birth, and undergoing treatment to become that gender.
Do you still not grasp the difference? They are completely different in kind and quality. That’s basic logic, even if it eludes you.
Heywood Jablowme
@Brody: I’d venture to guess that the vast majority of us disapprove of gay conversion therapy but we might make an exception in your case. If you want to become a straight man through therapy, you have our support. 🙂
dwes09
@ heywood: very well put!
@brody: M-T-F transsexuals, and F-T-M transsexuals can be gay, bit or straight. They are in no sense gay men who become women or lesbians who become men. As hard as it may be for people to understand (especially the simplistic ones like you) gender dysphoria is real. When you comment out of ignorance and intellectual laziness it only reflects on you.
[this post oddly appeared in the wrong place, so just reposting where it belongs]
DCguy
Oh My GOD! The “BRODY” screename has been brought out of mothballs? Hmmmm, looks like Cylest must have wittled down the other anti-lgbt screenames you’ve been using.
As for your comment. Lets dissect it.
1. A Gay man isn’t becoming a straight man, the group is using bigotry hate and fear to drive people into giving into their self hate to go back into the closet, and to try to trick some unsuspecting woman into wrecking her life by marrying them.
2. A Trans person transitioning is somebody living as the person they already are.
I know you know the difference, but of course your job is to try to deflect the narrative in such a way that attacks lgbts and supports bigotry against us.
Ukin Blome
Boris, you are correct, you will never understand. Just keep chasing Moose and Squirrel.
OzJosh
It scarcely matters. Put any one of them in a room with a vaguely attractive gay guy and they wouldn’t be ex anymore.
Donston
If you want to stop having sex and relationships with a certain type of person then it’s not that hard to stop doing so, and I’m assuming it becomes especially easier once you approach middle age. People take their “lifestyles” into their own hands everyday. Fluidity has some reality to it for some (especially people who suffered past abuse or rape). And adult trauma can have an affect on every aspect of your psychology and instincts. However, this idea of having your orientation “change” by therapy and god is nonsense. When asked if they’ve lost their same-sex instincts, passions, desires, romantic feelings, etc- these people almost never say they have, which means it ultimately came down to simply disregarding a certain “lifestyle” because they started to feel bad about themselves or that they developed some type of hetero attractions later in life (though most of the time, especially for men, they still have inherent same-sex romantic and sexual preferences). So, it almost never has anything to do with a genuine conversion and these programs. People can argue about this from a moral perspective. The biggest issue is that it’s a scam.
I’m not even going to deal with “Brody”s warped comparison. But honestly, as long as we’re talking about adult people who have not been coerced I don’t care if someone seeks these things out.
Dansktex
Almost all Texas universities (and probably those in other states) build “Student” Union buildings using student fees (no state money is allowed for student union buildings in Texas), then operate them as convention centers to make money for the university. They all have ballrooms, meeting rooms, etc. So it is common to rent out the facilities to any group wanting to host a meeting. The administrator is right in saying that the group rented the building. The moral question to ask is whether it is right for a university to charge students a fee to build and operate convention facilities on the campus.