| − | In December 1999 the tenth birthday of Stonewall was celebrated with an entertainment at the Albert Hall in London. The star performer, [[Elton John]] and his group "Pet Shop Boys" put on a dance in which they dressed as Cub Scouts and then proceeded to strip on stage. They knelt before Elton as if to suggest they were performing a sex-act. The Cub Scouts are boys aged 7-12, so by wearing the uniform they were suggesting sexual activity between such boys and adults. The event caused adverse comment in the British press and at that date, before LGBT propaganda had completely saturated British society, Stonewall was actually forced to apologize, possibly the only instance of them ever doing so. “THE GAY rights group Stonewall has apologised after Sir Elton John caused outrage by performing a dance act with male teenage strippers dressed as boy scouts at a benefit concert. The Scout Association described the show as "deplorable and in bad taste" and is asking Sir Elton for a formal apology and a charitable donation by way of redress. Sir Elton, 52, introduced the dancers, who peeled off their uniforms and caps to the tune of "It's A Sin" by the Pet Shop Boys. The 18- and 19-year-old dancers knelt on the floor, grabbed their groins, and stripped down to skimpy shorts." John Fogg, a spokesman for the Scout Association, said: "We think it is pretty deplorable and in bad taste in terms of denigrating our uniform and what it stands for. We are disappointed that someone of Sir Elton's standing should involve himself in something of such poor taste. It linked homosexuality with paedophilia. If Stonewall are completely for the rights of homosexual people, they have not done themselves any favours." Mr Fogg said the dance routine was "an error of judgement" and added that he hoped Sir Elton now realised his mistake. He said the association planned to write to him to seek an apology. "The association would welcome any positive sign of regret from Sir Elton, including his holding a concert for some of the association's young members, a donation or taking part in one its child-welfare campaigns," Mr Fogg added. A letter outlining the concerns of the Scout Association's chief executive, Derek Twine, was sent to Stonewall's chief executive, Angela Mason, yesterday urging the group to seek to "educate and inform, and avoid the reinforcing of stereotypes". Mr Fogg said the association had made the difficult decision formally to allow homosexuals to become troop leaders four years ago amid much controversy, and the dance routine was a major setback. "Many of our members will be upset by the mickey-taking aspect of the dance, but the issue is more serious - it gave out the wrong message about homosexuality and paedophilia," he said. <ref> www.independent.co.uk/news/gay-group-apologises-for-sir-eltons-camp-act-with-cub-scout-strippers-1124299.html</ref> | + | In December 1999 the tenth birthday of Stonewall was celebrated with an entertainment at the Albert Hall in London. The star performer, [[Elton John]] and his group "Pet Shop Boys" put on a dance in which they dressed as Cub Scouts and then proceeded to strip on stage. They knelt before Elton as if to suggest they were performing a sex-act. The Cub Scouts are boys aged 7–12, so by wearing the uniform they were suggesting sexual activity between such boys and adults. The event caused adverse comment in the British press and at that date, before LGBT propaganda had completely saturated British society, Stonewall was actually forced to apologize, possibly the only instance of them ever doing so. “THE GAY rights group Stonewall has apologised after Sir Elton John caused outrage by performing a dance act with male teenage strippers dressed as boy scouts at a benefit concert. The Scout Association described the show as "deplorable and in bad taste" and is asking Sir Elton for a formal apology and a charitable donation by way of redress. Sir Elton, 52, introduced the dancers, who peeled off their uniforms and caps to the tune of "It's A Sin" by the Pet Shop Boys. The 18- and 19-year-old dancers knelt on the floor, grabbed their groins, and stripped down to skimpy shorts." John Fogg, a spokesman for the Scout Association, said: "We think it is pretty deplorable and in bad taste in terms of denigrating our uniform and what it stands for. We are disappointed that someone of Sir Elton's standing should involve himself in something of such poor taste. It linked homosexuality with paedophilia. If Stonewall are completely for the rights of homosexual people, they have not done themselves any favours." Mr Fogg said the dance routine was "an error of judgement" and added that he hoped Sir Elton now realised his mistake. He said the association planned to write to him to seek an apology. "The association would welcome any positive sign of regret from Sir Elton, including his holding a concert for some of the association's young members, a donation or taking part in one its child-welfare campaigns," Mr Fogg added. A letter outlining the concerns of the Scout Association's chief executive, Derek Twine, was sent to Stonewall's chief executive, Angela Mason, yesterday urging the group to seek to "educate and inform, and avoid the reinforcing of stereotypes". Mr Fogg said the association had made the difficult decision formally to allow homosexuals to become troop leaders four years ago amid much controversy, and the dance routine was a major setback. "Many of our members will be upset by the mickey-taking aspect of the dance, but the issue is more serious - it gave out the wrong message about homosexuality and paedophilia," he said.<ref>http://www.independent.co.uk/news/gay-group-apologises-for-sir-eltons-camp-act-with-cub-scout-strippers-1124299.html</ref> |
| − | Stonewall has always relied on tactics of sheer aggression, insult, abuse and bullying to make its impact. For many years it held an annual Awards ceremony, where it heaped the crudest possible invective on [[Christians]], labelling anyone who would not capitulate to their ideas as "Bigot of the Year". Alan Craig of the Christian People's Alliance, Simon Lokodo, Lord Maginnis, Cardinal Keith O'Brien and Archbishop Philip Tartaglia were among those targeted for public denunciation in a manner copied from the most extreme communist regimes. This obnoxious ritual was only discontinued after Christians in 2012 organized a letter-writing campaign to Stonewall's corporate sponsors protesting and asking for funds to be withdrawn.<ref> http://www.christianvoice.org.uk/index.php/archives/4604</ref> | + | Stonewall has always relied on tactics of sheer aggression, insult, abuse and bullying to make its impact. For many years it held an annual Awards ceremony, where it heaped the crudest possible invective on [[Christians]], labelling anyone who would not capitulate to their ideas as "Bigot of the Year". Alan Craig of the Christian People's Alliance, Simon Lokodo, Lord Maginnis, Cardinal Keith O'Brien and Archbishop Philip Tartaglia were among those targeted for public denunciation in a manner copied from the most extreme communist regimes. This obnoxious ritual was only discontinued after Christians in 2012 organized a letter-writing campaign to Stonewall's corporate sponsors protesting and asking for funds to be withdrawn.<ref>http://www.christianvoice.org.uk/index.php/archives/4604</ref> |
| | Stonewall's attempts to "educate" the public have resulted in the death of at least one innocent person. On 28 November 2011, Roger Crouch, aged 55, who had just received Stonewall's title ”Hero of the Year”, hanged himself in the garage of his home. | | Stonewall's attempts to "educate" the public have resulted in the death of at least one innocent person. On 28 November 2011, Roger Crouch, aged 55, who had just received Stonewall's title ”Hero of the Year”, hanged himself in the garage of his home. |