But this is among the worst. They are attacking a mother and her vulnerable high-school-age adopted daughter in a particularly vicious way. They've published an article with the message that the daughter should be ashamed of her mother and distance herself from her mother - calling the mother horrible, vulgar names.
They appear to be doing this because Amy Contrada, a MassResistance activist, has spoken out on issues and because MassResistance is helping parents on a forum on a homosexual play being presented at the high school in Acton, MA, where Amy lives.
Amy Contrada's 17-year-old adopted daughter has shown great talent as an actress, and has won awards over the years. As many of you know, adopted children, particularly those of a different race (she is Asian) face particular emotional struggles. Claudia loves acting and it has helped the bond between Claudia and her parents, who also have a love of theatre.
Amy is apparently embarrassed that word got out that someone in her family is doing a gay positive play which her and Brian have protested against. Here's what Amy wrote about "The Laramie Project" the movie which was being shown in Worcester:
In the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, we read about the propaganda film "The Laramie Project" being force-fed to high school students at the Tantasqua Regional High School -- without parents being informed or given the chance to opt their children out. (This is the film which portrays Matthew Shepard's murder in Wyoming as a "hate crime", when in fact the murderers were thieving thugs on drugs.)
Massresistance's "press release" about Amy raises so many questions about Massresistance's tactics:
- What difference should it make if Amy's daughter is adopted or not, why does Massresistance stress this?
- Why does Massresistance make a point of pointing out that Amy's daughters is a different race? (Neither of these details were listed in the BayWindows online article)
- They are accusing Bay Windows of "attacking" Amy and her family when all they did was point out a fact that is listed on a public website. Amy and Brian need to look into their own website and see the times they've attacked gay and lesbian parents and their families.
Bay Window's story was not about Amy's daughter but all about the woman who has made it her life's work to take away rights from GLBT Americans.
Update: Head over to Queer Today to read the hate mail they've received from the people who make up Massresistance.
9 comments:
I know I shouldn't be shocked by anything Amy and Brian do or say, but this section is manufactured from whole cloth:
The Bay Windows article links to a disgusting blog posting about her and her daughter, which says:
". . . Contrada's daughter is clearly a brave, compassionate, and inspiring young woman who is willing to lead in the face of adversity - in this case coming from her own mother. .. we have seen how [Amy] Contrada's style of homophobic religious terrorism can painfully tear families apart . . . I can't even imagine the horror of living in a house with that bitch Amy. Poor, poor kid."
The last sentence is from the comments and Mark actually chastises the author! You'd never get that from the e-mail blast.
It is a fun game to play though. I'd make a run with Ms. Contrada's recent rant on "Queering Christ" but my momma had a thing about bearing false witness.
It fits perfectly that they would stress both adopted and other race. Those are classic hallmarks of bigots. Pressed, they might say she is not their real daughter.
Contrast that with a healthy family, like John Edwards. He doesn't get the importance of marriage equality, but his wife and daughter do, and both say just that -- they disagree with hubby/dad.
I hope somewhere in that twisted brain that Amy is aware of her daughter's brave and superior nature.
I was so very fortunate to have had my Son in my life. Once the formal, five minute, adoption hearing concluded I never again thought of him as adopted or referred to him as adopted.
He was just My Son, Richard Junior.
It all reminds me of that ad from the 70's:
"Grandpa, what is prejudice?"
"Who called you prejudiced?"
"Jimmy"
"Who is Jimmy?"
"He's my Jewish friend."
"Then you ARE prejudiced~ because you think of Jimmy as your Jewish friend, and not as your friend."
Camenker and Contrada are incapable of seeing people as people. They have to be categorized and judged.
Wow, I just read the Bay Windows article, Queer Today and Massresistance's press release.
Neither Bay Windows nor Queer Today focus on the daughter other to say that she's in the play while Massresistance give a lot of information on Amy's daughter: She's 17, she's adopted and she's a different race. Why is Massresistance humiliating Claudia Contrada like that? That poor child being used like a prop like David Parker used his child.
Massresistance also forgot to add that Amy is a PAID activist.
Also, they try to make it all seem private - but Amy's daugther is in a public play at a public school and on a public web site. And Amy is a public figure.
Not that it really matters, but doesn't Ami always refer to herself as a single parent?
If I am not mistaken, doesn't the MR web site reference A (Mann) Contrada's husband? This is the first time I have have ever heard that Ami had a partner. I always assumed she was Brian's beard.
I also remember reading that Brian's daughter is so embarassed by her father's activities that she would like to wear a bag over her head in school.
I think we should all rent a bus and go out to Acton/Boxbourgh for openning night and I will chip in for a dozen roses for the young thespian Claudia Contrada.
Well basically my mom's crazy and there's nothing to be done about her. She's too stubborn and stuck in her ways. She'll never change and never see anyone else's perspective.
But anywho, you guys are pretty fab. Thanks for the support.
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