Let us begin this post by saying that we COMPLETELY disagree with the actions of those responsible for ripping Phyllis Burgess' styrofoam cross from her hands before stomping on it during a recent Prop 8 rally in San Diego. That kind of behavior is totally unacceptable no matter what side of this fight for human rights we are on. We cannot fight hate and ignorance with more hate and ignorance.
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The truth about Phyllis Burgess or the cross ladyI know there was a post about this somewhere but i couldn't find it. I think it deserves a whole topic on its own because it emphasises that the so called "liberal" media will probably portray us as evil initiators of violence even if the opposite side agitated us. And would probably never accurately report anti-gay violence. Instead they would say it occurred as a defensive reaction. Ok so the real truth about Phyllis Burgess or the lady who got her cross stomped on (which btw I do not agree with).
PHYLLIS BURGESS NOT QUITE THE SWEET, LITTLE OLE LADY SOME WOULD LIKE US TO BELIEVEThat said, the whole truth of the matter has not been accurately reported. Phyllis Burgess is not exactly the innocent victim who was "swarmed" upon by angry gay protestors that many in the right-wing media and blogosphere have portrayed her to be. It seems that Phyllis Burgess is actually quite the experienced protestor and agitator, having made so many appearances at SoCal LGBT events, that she is well-known by the media and local law enforcement. And according to eye witness reports, Burgess was responsible for screaming and elbowing her way through the crowds, and in the process knocking a disabled Prop 8 protestor to the ground, just before having that cross ripped from her hands. So it seems likely that, while still inappropriate, the treatment she received was a reaction to her violence and inappropriate behavior . . . not a reaction to her conservative beliefs. Of course, that doesn't make for nearly as good TV as "homos attack poor grandma unprovoked", so don't expect to hear the whole story any time soon. Joe.My.God]
Click here to visit the MySpace page of Ms. Burgess if you would like to leave her a comment. Please be courteous!
The Truth About Phyllis Burgess
There's more to the story of Phylliss Burgess, 69, the "Styrofoam Cross Lady" that is currently the darling of Christianist websites after her cross was ripped from her hands and stomped during a Prop 8 rally in Palm Springs. If you buy the story being told on right-wing sites, Burgesss is a frail, elderly, innocent victim of "gay fascists."
But it turns out that Burgess is somewhat of a professional rabble-rouser and has disrupted at least several other LGBT events, including Palm Springs Gay Pride. Burgess even showed up to protest at the White Party, a giant circuit party held every spring.. On CNN's iReport, a witness to the cross incident tells a somewhat different version of the event than the one depicted on the news video that is on so many right-wing sites. At City Hall a woman with a huge styrofoam cross appeared screaming about YES on 8 at the back of the crowd of NO on 8 supporters --their rally. She wanted to get to where the speakers were up front and I saw her knock a disabled man, a NO on 8 supporter to the ground, screaming, "Get out of my way!". People in the crowd around her tore away her cross and threw it to the ground and began pushing her. Local CBS channel 2 and KMIR channel 6 videotaped the woman being shoved and then interviewed her, ignoring the poor disabled man who was attacked first. Later after all of the rally, march and protest were over I watched the news which headlined this as "Gay Protest Turns Violent!"Mike Tidmus has posted an excellent recap of the Burgess story, and suggests that we watch this video of the event for a clearer idea of Burgess' tactics. If you study the video from KESQ, you’ll see Ms Burgess emerge, not from the sidelines, but directly through the middle of the crowd. You’ll also note that the news anchor recognizes Burgess, because this is not Burgess’ first visit to an anti-Prop-8 event. She showed up to protest five days earlier at the Palm Springs Gay Pride Parade.Burgess is apparently well-known to the Palm Springs police and she informed them in advance that she would be attending the No On 8 candlelight vigil during which the cross incident occurred. Several days later, new cross in hand, she again appeared, this time at the Palm Springs Village Fest, telling the press, "I have a right to be here. It's not to antagonize, but it exposes where the hatred is." Check out Burgess' MySpace page in which she rails against gay rights. The gay people who snatched and stomped Burgess' cross were definitely in the wrong, but it's clear that she is a professional agitator and hardly an "innocent victim." Submitted by Ria (222 posts) on November 21, 2008 - 6:59am. |
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This does not surprise me.
I knew there was more to the story. That there was a definite backstory and this was not a single grandma who just wanted things to stay the way they are.
I really suspected someone bankrolled her to go to this rally (and I suspected others)...to make herself a target...to shine a negative light on those who are anti-prop 8. I really did suspect she pushed the people until they snapped a bit.
She's also divorced