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By Steve Peoples
Journal State House bureau
The Rhode Island Democratic Party this afternoon joined a gay-rights group in urging Governor Carcieri to cancel plans to headline a fundraising banquet for the Massachusetts Family Institute, an advocacy organization that considers homosexuality "an unhealthy practice and destructive to individuals, families and society."
Party Chairman William Lynch said that the governor should "immediately withdraw his agreement to speak at the event and apologize to the thousands of gay and lesbian Rhode Islanders, and their families, who stand to be offended by his callous appeasement of this ultra-conservative organization," according to a statement issued late Tuesday afternoon.
Carcieri, a Republican, has accepted an invitation to serve as the keynote speaker for the Family Institute's 18th Annual Fundraising Banquet, a $50-a-head event scheduled for the night of Oct. 15 in Newton, Mass.
Carcieri was asked to share "his beliefs and values on traditional marriage," and would confine his remarks to that subject, according to the governor's spokeswoman Amy Kempe.
When asked to comment on the group's position on homosexuality, Kempe responded: "I haven't asked him if he has considered all of their positions, so I don't feel comfortable answering without talking to him."
Carcieri was not available Tuesday evening to clarify his position. A message left with Family Institute president Kris Mineau was not returned.
The Family Institute Web site outlines its position on various issues ranging from abortion to pornography. On "human sexuality," its published position reads:
"MFI does not consider homosexual behavior to be merely an alternate lifestyle or sexual 'preference'; it is an unhealthy practice and destructive to individuals, families and society. Our compassion for those plagued by same-sex attraction compels us to support the healing of those who wish to change their behavior."
It continues: "MFI strongly opposes any efforts by political activists to normalize homosexual behavior and all attempts to equate homosexuality with benign characteristics such as skin color, or the 'gay rights' movement with the civil rights movement."
The newly formed advocacy group Queer Action of Rhode Island sent a letter to the governor's office dated Aug. 29 asking him to cancel the appearance. On Monday, Kempe said the governor had no plans to back out. This afternoon, she said the same thing following the release of Lynch's statement.
"At this point, the governor intends to honor his commitment and speak at the annual dinner," Kempe said.
Lynch blasted the decision:
"For the governor to support a group that believes gay and lesbian Rhode Islanders are not normal, hard-working, taxpayers proves that he is a sectarian extremist who, now in the waning days of his administration, seeks to fan the flames of intolerance in a desperate attempt to appear relevant again," he said.
"As if a tanking economy and record high unemployment weren't enough, now Rhode Islanders have one more reason to be ashamed of and disappointed in their governor."
