Sad News From MassResistance

Update: Someone has set up a support Claudia group on facebook. Friends are beginning to express their concern and support on the "wall" of the group. All are worried and reporting that phones, internet, etc. have been cut off.

Last week Claudia Contrada, the daughter of Amy Contrada, one of America's most actively anti-gay moms, chose to come out publicly as a lesbian on QueerToday.com.

At first I struggled with the decision to publish Claudia's brave interview because of her unfortunate situation at home.

Then I thought about what I was doing when I was seventeen. I was completing my senior year of high school at a college in Boston because my rural hometown and high school had become too unsafe due to anti-gay harassment. It was not long before I felt empowered enough to tell my story. Since my arrival in Boston I have met hundreds of teens who, like me, made it through difficult times by their own determination, the support of their friends, and the support of organizations like BAGLY, Boston GLASS, and PFLAG.

Knowing she had the appropriate support networks in place, I decided to post the interview out of respect for Claudia's wishes and for the thousands of queer youth around the world who would draw strength and inspiration from her resilience.

The story spread among LGBT and progressive blogs. And on November 2nd, Claudia went on to give a stellar performance in the sold-out Laramie Project play that depicts the brutal anti-gay murder of Mathew Shepard. Despite overwhelming support from the community, the play was protested by Fred Phelps thanks to the red carpet Claudia's mom rolled out for them by holding an anti-Laramie Project forum at the school a few weeks prior.

That should have been the end of this story.

But today things suddenly took a turn for the worse. The author of the MassResistance website*, longtime anti-gay activist Brian Camenker, announced that Amy Contrada had pulled her daughter from school and the remaining performances of the play. As usual, his expose' also included lies and attacks on me, QueerToday.com, and the Acton school system. The twisted material was also sent out via e-mail to his supporters and the Massachusetts legislators.

As I read his vicious rant my heart sank because Claudia's cherished role in the Laramie Project, and her support system of friends, teachers, and counselors had been robbed from her in order to maintain her mother's sick addiction to hate.

What kind of mother pulls her daughter from her school, supportive friends and teachers, and the play she is enthusiastically participating in during the final stretch of her senior year?

What kind of 50+ year old male computer programmer posts photos of a 17 year old girl's bedroom, personal e-mails and facebook details on his web site?

What credentials does this man have to judge who is a lesbian and who is not?

What constitutes psychological abuse?

Our thoughts and prayers (for those who pray) are with Claudia and the entire Contrada family. May they find compassion, acceptance and peace at once.

See Also:

• InNewsweekly: ...Contrada Not Gay...
  
• Good As You: Stop Exploiting My Kid, That's My Job!
  
• Ryan's Take: MassResistance Hits New Low

*Brian Camenker writes the MassResistance web site content. Amy Contrada writes the MassResistance blog content.

MassResistance Daughter: I Am A Lesbian

Growing Up Gay In One Of America's Most Anti-gay Homes

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Two years ago this week QueerToday.com activists organized the largest ever protest of Focus On The Family's anti-gay Love Won Out Conference that features "ex-gays" who advocate sending gay teens to dangerous conversion camps. At the protest we set up a coffin to represent the many teens who have been victims of violent anti-gay crimes and those who have committed suicide due to homophobia.

Amy Contrada, of the vehemently anti-gay duo MassResistance, was in attendance that day. What none of us knew, was that she had the potential to be a "PFLAG mom."

This week Contrada's daughter Claudia is starring in the Acton High School Production of the Laramie Project despite the fact that her mother helped to organize a forum against it, and no doubt opened the door for the similarly anti-gay Fred Phelps crew to plan their own protest of the event.

In a most brilliant display of resilience Claudia is standing up as an inspiring role model for anyone, especially young people, struggling with homophobia in their homes or communities. In addition to her acting, some of the things Claudia speaks out about include animal rights, AIDS, and war.

Today in an exclusive interview with QueerToday.com Claudia has revealed that she is a lesbian.

It seems that for every young person we lose due to homophobia there are many more who are standing strong in the face of adversity.

Please leave your support for Claudia in the comments section, and purchase your tickets to the Laramie Project here.


1. Hi Claudia! Could you tell the readers of QueerToday.com what your participation in the Laramie Project has been like?

Being a part of Laramie Project is great because it’s such an important piece of theater. A lot of us in the cast and crew have been working together for a while so there’s this support we all give to each other.

2. What lesson/s do you think are important for people to come away with after they see the play?

The most obvious message is acceptance, but people also need to understand that Matthew Shepard’s murder was not just a one time kind of thing, but it can happen anywhere.

3. What is it like for you as a young woman of color in your community, school, and home?

It doesn’t really affect me that much. I mean when I was younger some immature kids would make a comment or two about my eyes or something, but now it’s not really a big deal because there are a lot of Asians in my town.

4. What is it like for you to be supportive of gay rights but have an anti-gay activist parent?

It’s difficult because we clash horribly. It’s really stressful because there’s always an argument going on.

5. What has your brother's experience been like?

He went off to college when my mom was starting up with her activist stuff so he hasn’t had to live for extended periods of time lately.

6. Do you have any advice for young LGBT people and/or their allies?

Life can be difficult, to the point where you just want to give up on it, but if you find strength in yourself and support in your friends and don’t let anything hold you back, things will eventually fall into place.

7. What inspired you to become interested in the rights of oppressed communities, and animal rights, etc.? Who are some leaders (alive or dead) you look up to ?

Well I love animals and have grown up with them so the thought of killing them or torturing them tears me up. It’s disgusting. As far as oppressed communities go, I know what it’s like to be prevented from being who you are. It’s painful and psychologically unhealthy. People shouldn’t have to go through that.

8. Do you identify as LGB or T?

I am a lesbian, which my mom still does not get. She just says that I am confused. I realized in around eighth grade, but I was in denial for quite some time because I was scared due to my mother constantly saying that homosexuality is wrong. How can it ever be wrong to love though? That’s what I’d like to know.

Anti-gay Zealot's Daughter to Star in Laramie Project

QueerToday.com - September 26, 2007 - Boston -

Amy Contrada, author of the vehemently anti-gay MassResistance blog and tireless crusader against the Laramie Project play, failed to report that her own daughter will star in Acton High School's production of the play this November. Despite the fact that her daughter will play a TV reporter and serve as a Moderator for the play, which sensitively chronicles the death of Mathew Shepard, Contrada remains committed to organizing an anti-gay forum at the same High School in October.

Friends of Contrada's daughter first posted messages on QueerToday.com on the evening of September 25. "When you meet her (The daughter of Amy Contrada), it's hard to believe that her mom is like that - she's such her opposite," wrote one classmate. Another drama club friend showed their support by posting "Go C****!"

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. Her efforts to encourage acceptance instead of hate is both a testament to her own courageousness and to the power of social support. She clearly has strong allies in the Acton Drama Club. We at QueerToday applaud Contrada's daughter, and we will keep her family in our thoughts because have seen how Contrada's style of homophobic religious terrorism can painfully tear families apart.

Contrada insists that the Laramie Project is "an extremely offensive piece of propaganda that uses the murder of the gay college student Matthew Shepard to push acceptance of homosexuality and horribly demonize Christians and others who have moral issues with homosexual behavior." The forum that Contrada has organized will feature a prominent "ex-gay" leader and several other right-wing speakers who will present theories about "homosexuality" that have been debunked by every major psychological association.

Contrada has also been very active in the controversy in the Lexington school system surrounding the popular children's book, King & King. The issue was referenced in the Democratic debate on September 26th. In response, all of the Democratic candidates said they would be comfortable teaching second graders about "all types of families." John Edwards acknowledged that young people are "leading us on this issue."

While Contrada dealt with her family drama, her cohort in hate Brian Camenker, who was recently slammed on the Daily Show, was caught trying to sneak into a meeting of the Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG). It would do Amy good to have a Mayor Sanders moment. May we recommend her local PFLAG?

Mathew Shepard's mother is currently working to ensure that the Mathew Shepard Act will continue to gain support. On September 27th the hate crimes bill passed in the Senate setting up a potential battle with the Bush Administration.

The Acton High School production of the Laramie Project will begin November 2nd. Tickets can be purchased at abdrama.org.

The anti-gay forum at Acton High School is on October 3rd, at 7PM and is open to the public.

LGBT youth seeking friendship and leadership opportunities should contact the Boston Alliance of LGBT Youth to learn about a group near you.

For more information about this story or QueerToday.com contact Mark Snyder. (Please note that it is our legal right to post any e-mail sent to us in regards to this issue.)



Update: Sept. 30, 2007 MassResistance took our article out of context, reworded our comments, and encouraged their readers to send us hate mail. Compare their version of what we said, to our original post above.

From MassResistance E-mail Blast:

This is the face of evil - targeting a family and child.

The Boston-based homosexual newspaper "Bay Windows" has done a lot of
disgusting things over the years, from their hate-filled,
sexually-laced attacks on Pope John-Paul II when he died, to their
pornographic "personal ads" featuring sickening homosexual sex acts.

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.

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 Bay Windows article also links to a list of students in the
Acton-Boxborough High School Drama Club. (Why is an adult homosexual
newspaper doing this?)

Even worse, quotes from students from the high school are included in
these "reports." It seems that the adult homosexual activists at the
school's "Gay-Straight Alliance" club have been working with the
blogger and others.

(These attacks on Amy, involving her daughter, began last May, after
she helped expose the atrocities of "Youth Pride." )

Here's the link to the "Bay Windows" article.

Here's the blog which the article links to. It also includes the
quotes from the kids from the high school appear. The blog,
"QueerToday", is run by an extremely disturbed 24-year-old man named
Mark Snyder. He is a "GLBT queer" activist who is connected to a
number of extremist homosexual organizations that target children,
including BAGLY (where he used to be office manager), which has led
kids to counseling on body mutilation in order to "become" the
opposite sex. Some of the regular contributors to the blog include
"firecrotch", "queerfemme" and "Becca dBus" [See YouTube video of this
person]". [NOTE: If the blog entry changes or disappears, we will
re-post it at MassResistance.org.]

But Snyder is mostly known for organizing vulgar and hateful protests
against churches. In 2005 his protest outside of the Tremont Temple
Baptist Church in Boston included dragging coffins in front of the
church doors screaming obscenities with megaphones. It was so horrific
that Boston riot police were required to protect the parishioners.
(Amy was also our reporter and photographer on the scene that day.)
Snyder also led the "Queer Kiss-In" demonstrationat the Cathedral of
the Holy Cross in 2002.
Here's the church riot that Mark Snyder organized in 2005.


Amy and her husband were forced into a no-win situation by the school
when the "Laramie Project" was chosen as the fall play. Their daughter
had her heart set on acting during her senior year; being involved
means a great deal to her. A number of parents, including Amy,
beseeched school officials not to select this very controversial play.
But they arrogantly refused. So parents have organized the Oct. 3
forum to publicly voice their concerns.

(In fact, Amy Contrada has no part in the forum. She is putting her
efforts into our banquet which takes place the following day.)

Imagine what it must be like for a very sensitive and vulnerable
17-year old, and for the Contrada family, to have to deal with this.
But the "queer" activists seem to be reveling in it. This is the true
sleazy, self-centered face of the homosexual movement, that cares
about no one else's rights and nothing but their immediate emotional
desires.

(Why is a Boston-based adult homosexual newspaper so obsessed about a
high school play in Acton? Probably for the same reasons they focus on
children's activities in schools around the state.)

This is an evil, disgusting thing to do to a wonderful (and
courageous!) family with a beautiful daughter.

DO NOT allow these people get away with this. LET THEM KNOW that good
people will not stand for it.

The Hate Mail:

From: Takeshi & Jennie Kurono

"You Repobate!!!"

Why don't you grow up and get some counselling. Your antics are beyond
putrid. This is why we need to get you homosickos under control. Someone
needs to stuff you asses back in the closet and bolt the door shut. You do
nothing but destroy the peace. I can't wait until you crash and burn. You
sicko!!!!!

From: Janet Rodgers <jrodgers1@maine.rr.com>

Date: September 28, 2007 6:44:52 PM EDT

Subject: Your concern for Claudia

I have to actually rephrase this, as your lack of concern for her family and the disunity you seem to aggressively be trying to cause. Does the word truth-a-phobic fit here? I would have to think so, as the truth is, your disrespect for Claudia and Amy's privacy and personal beliefs is appalling and a very sad statement of how the homosexual community acts towards others who disagree with them. Is disagreeing a crime? It seems you would like to make it one by mislabeling it a hate crime when really it is a free will choice of opinion, just like your own blatant and harmful expression you have displayed. However, I see much harm in trying to tear at the fiber of a family's existence and harmony. Your expression of truth is a true hate crime, as you are doing untold damage to a 17 year old girl and her mom.

So sorry that your representation of your beliefs must become truly harmful and hateful and a true display of what you really represent. Not a fair cause or concern for others, but a selfish act of emotionalism in the face of truth that you do not wish to hear.

In truth God has created you but not for sinful purposes, that is a choice we each make each day. God does not make an alcoholic drink, or a sex abuser abuse others, nor does he force you to make the choices you make, to live a life that he has clearly warned will not end in blessings, but sickness and curses, unless you repent and ask his forgiveness, then there is NO sin too great for him to heal and deliver any of us from. There is hope for everyone if we CHOOSE it. There are many who have been delivered from many different sins, including homosexuality. God says there are many who are hard hearted and will choose to refuse this message of truth and that it will actually make them angry to hear truth. I pray that is not any of you reading this. God believes in free will, so even if you choose to deny the truth in this email, he will not cause you to choose differently, it is up to YOU. God loves you, Jesus died for you and the Holy Sprit calls you to Him and desires to grant you true peace in your inner most being....it's the ONLY way to true inner peace, joy and life, and it will last for eternity! Ask Jesus into your heart right now and ask him to make Himself real to you and he WILL.

A parent concerned for both sides of this issue, from Maine

Parents Education Foundation pulls in $80,000 in 2005

Brian Camenker of MassNutBags brings home $47,000 to spew hate!



Bay Windows top story states:



Yearly Revenue of the Parents Education Foundation:

2005: $80,220

2004: $21,760

2003: $8,150

2002: $32,650




They use the cover of Parents Education Foundation as their non-profit 501 © 3.

Also on the pay role is none other than Amy Contrada pulling in $6,000. So much for being a volunteer!



Read the full article!

(Great reporting Ethan Jacobs!)

Don’t throw rocks when you live in a glass house.

Amy Contrada has been on the Board of Parents Education Foundation since 2006. The foundation is the backbone of MassNutBags, where Brian Camenker is the President. If you want to donate to to Amy and Brian while getting a tax break you can donate to the education foundation. But if you want to donate to their hate mongering... well that is not tax deductible. Do not worry, Brian and Amy both have split personalities. They keep their hate mongering separate from their educational work so that they follow the tax laws accordingly!



Introducing Amy's Evil Husband
Amy Contrada lives with Michael Contrada in Acton. (click here if you would like to see a picture)
Michael is the Executive Vice President of Balanced Scorecard Collaborative. His company helps increase the financial success of huge oil companies (the 7th largest) that destroy the earth and the army that has killed hundreds of thousands of innocent people around the world.



Michael is also a supporter of George Bush! He was even silly enough to give money to him in 2004...after he fucked up this country... (shame on you Michael)



Before working at this weird Balanced Scorecard company, Michael did work for chemical companies, pharmaceutical companies, and energy companies. How Christ-like of him.... destroy the earth, take advantage of the sick and poor, and support the murdering of innocent Iraqis! What about the parts of the bible that say we are the caretakers of the earth, we should feed and clothe the poor, and "thall shall not kill"?



We here at QueerToday would like to give our first ever Good Christian Award to Michael & Amy. For your hateful disregard of Christian values. Don't let it get to your head: Remember Jesus loves you but he is not in love with you.



Amy & Brian are the largest complainers on the planet. Their recent post and hilarious radio hatecast (a must listen!) both prove it. They take pictures of me.... then claim I am there to intimidate them with my camera.... and then turn around and post pictures of me on their website. {Hmmm I think I have to go put on some boots, this shit is about waist high.} Wait until you hear the ridiculous descriptions of QueerToday.com and our friends!



They used to call us radical homosexual terrorists, but now we are reduced "sad effeminate gay boys." I'm actually really happy. Some might even call me gay.



Notes to Amy: A. Your frumpy clothes and disorganized web site do not reflect the amount of money your husband ( or do you live with your brother?) must be raking in helping evil corporations increase their productivity. B. "Radical homosexual terrorists" works much better... it adds that element of fear that you desperately try to instill in your readers. No one is afraid of a sad effeminate gay boy Amy. Don't you want these people to stand up and fight against our homosexual agenda? C. As long as you continue posting our photos on your web site, we will do the same.



Shout out to MassResistanceWatch for keeping on top of the MassNutBags and their continual hypocrisy!