Tag Archives: Fayetteville

AFA says allowing 10-year-old to be Pride parade grand marshal is 'child abuse'

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Will Phillips
Will Phillips

Yesterday, we told you about 10-year-old Will Phillips being chosen as grand marshal of the Northwest Arkansas Gay Pride Parade in his hometown of Fayetteville. Phillips is the young man who made news last fall when he refused to stand in class to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, because the pledge promises “liberty and justice for all” and, as he says, it’s a lie because LGBT people aren’t given equal rights in this country.

Well, leave it up to our old buddy Tim Wildmon over at the American Family Association to say something egregiously stupid and outrageous about Will being given this honor.

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Arkansas boy who refused to say Pledge named grand marshal for gay Pride parade

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Last November, we told you here on Instant Tea about Will Foster, a 10-year-old boy from Fayetteville, Ark., who got in trouble because he refused to stand up with the rest of his elementary school class and say the Pledge of Allegiance.

Will Phillips
Will Phillips

Will said he wouldn’t do it because he believed that same-sex couples should have equal rights, including the right to marry, and because it would be lying to say the Pledge, which promises “liberty and justice for all,” when he knew for a fact that didn’t apply to LGBT people.

Since making headlines last fall, Will has been all over the country, his dad says, talking to “literally thousands of people” and recording public service announcements promoting LGBT equality.

Now, organizers of the Northwest Arkansas Gay Pride parade in his hometown are honoring Will Foster for his commitment to equality by naming him grand marshal of their parade.

The parade will take place in Fayetteville, beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday.

Go here and watch a new video interview with Will, in which he declares, “It’s wrong for anyone to be treated differently just because of the way they were born.” What’s he looking for? “Full equality.”

He also notes that, having attended the parade before, he knows there will likely be protesters at some point along the parade route? How will he respond to them? “Smile wider and wave at them.”

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