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STATE ‘PRIDE’ GROUP LAUNCHES ‘SC WILL BE GAY’ MOVEMENT
In an effort to reclaim a $5,000 ad campaign targeting gay tourists in, the Gay and Lesbian Pride Movement says it is launching a South Carolina “Will Be So Gay” effort to pay for the posters placed in London’s Underground claiming that the state is “So Gay.”
That project was terminated by the SC Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism last week after The Palmetto Scoop broke the story, resulting in local outrage and national news attention.
Area gays became incensed over the cancellation of the campaign and are now fighting back against what they call the “conservative ‘Bible Belt’ politicians” that put an end to the project and today announced the “SC Will Be So Gay” fundraising effort.
Ryan Wilson, president of South Carolina Pride, said that once debt to the British ad firm Amro Worldwide is repaid, the remaining proceeds will go to benefit the SC Pride 2008 Festival and Parade in Columbia.
“South Carolina may not be ‘so gay’ currently – but we are going to show the world that we can be and we WILL BE so gay, and gay friendly some day,” Wilson said in a press release announcing the initiative.
The pride festival, which is sponsored by the City of Columbia, Club Fusion and ID Lubricants, has already received $10,000 in taxpayer money — much it to pay drag queen RuPaul for “entertainment services” — and another $15,000 in community promotions money for the Gay & Lesbian Advocacy Movement, something that has Columbia residents up in arms.
“The City Council loves to give out all sorts of our money to promote their political agenda,” said one prominent city resident who asked not to be identified. “I wouldn’t be surprised if they handed NAMBLA a blank check. But just imagine if a conservative heritage group asked for even a quarter of what they’re getting.”
Dead horse, meet truncheon.
A tourist board official official approaches a London company which is putting together an advertising campaign targeted at English gay men and women. The contact comes, according to British news outlets, at the last moment. A charge of just under $5,000 dollars to be in the campaign is agreed and the ad campaign starts, including South Carolina (the only state, the remaiing locations are all cities). There is widespread publicity in Britan when the campaign launches on June 27. And in this publicity, there are direct quotes from a Kirsty Dillury who is described as a spokesperson for South Carolina Tourism, who says: “South Carolina has a lot to offer gay travellers, and we think that people may be surprised to see our destination reaching out to the gay market. We are delighted to be involved with the ‘So Gay’ campaign in particular as it sends a powerful positive message to everyone that there is nothing wrong at all with a destination being described as ‘so gay’. For our gay visitors it is actually quite wonderful for them to discover just how much South Carolina has to offer – from stunning plantation homes to miles of wide sandy beaches.” The ad campaign runs in London on the Tube (subway) and then last week, as the campaign finishes, the politicians go mad, saying South Carolina should never have participated – and tell officials not to pay the bill. A State tourism official reportedly quits. Is a deal not a deal in South Carolina? So, with the State welshing on the deal, a gay group launches a fundraising appeal so that the State’s debt can be paid. This group could be saving the South Carolina taxpayers far more than the original $5,000 costs as, with the bill paid, there will be no court case that would have given further bad publicity to South Carolina. Oh, well – it’s all really a storm in a teacup. But the damage is done. How many British tourists – straight or gay – will want to visit South Carolina after all this?
Why is advertising directed to gays a bad thing? Is this supposed to be self-evident? Because if we spend money to attract bikers (Wing Ding riders group convention was here in Greenville last week), why not gays? You know there is an element of the gay population with money to burn, right? Are you saying our state doesn’t need the money?
What is the big deal?
Attn: South Carolina
If any Brits actualy show-up in SC, send them north to Rhode Island
we will gladly seperate them from their money, CASH MAKES FRIENDS
They can sample our “Nothern Hospitality” and feel safe, on our streets
due to our VERY LOW crime rates (see FBI stats)
Fabu-Lance in Newport, Rhode Island….The City By The Sea
typo
Northern Hospitality
A deal is a deal, a contract is a contract, and now our illustrious state is attempting to weasel out. How typical!
So where are the ads to attract the NAACP, NAMBLA, NAZIs and the KLAN; OH MY?
Colbert Report: South Carolina is so Gay
VIDEO:
http://www.milkandcookies.com/link/117091/detail/