I’m sure Pam is well aware of all of this, but for those who aren’t, Florida is a popular pit stop for such events. And Katherine Harris and Ft. Lauderdale’s Official Psycho, excuse me, mayor, aren’t the only religionist snakes spreading poison throughout the sunshine state. Anita Bryant may long since have stopped leading them in choruses of “Where the Peaceful Orange Juice Flows,” but Florida is overflowing with professional homohaters connected with the national antigay industry.

Numero Uno for years was the Rev. D. James Kennedy of Coral Ridge Presbyterian church in Fort Lauderdale, mentioned above. Last year, my friend, Miami’s Freedom Democrats president and “Amazing Race” winner Chip Arndt was among those who protested a so-called ex-gay “Love Won Out” orgy being held there.

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Until a massive heart attack right before last New Year’s left him, ironically, speechless, Kennedy was one of the biggest mouths for antigay propaganda yet oddly flew under the radar of most media. “Rolling Stone” called him “the most influential evangelical you've never heard of...the godfather of the Dominionists—biblical literalists who believe God has called them to take over the U.S. government.” His empire was funded in large part by exploiting fears of gays. In an industry known for its turf battles, even James Dobson, the fuhrer of Focus on the Fascist Family, called him, “one of the nation's most powerful defenders of righteousness.” With 10,000 church members, the sale of Bibles, other books [“I WAS Gay”], pamphlets [“Fast Facts on Gay Adoption”], audio tapes & CDs [“Redeeming Love: Christ's Love For The Homosexual”], and videos ["Hate Crimes Laws:" Censoring the Church and Silencing Christians”], and viewers/listeners to his broadcasts in nearly 200 countries, including 81st of US households, his annual income was estimated at nearly $60 million. Too brief attention was paid to him a few years ago when some LGBTs protested the $8 million that the wife of then-AOL head Steve Case gave to Kennedy’s own K-12 school that she had attended.

One of the most likely guests of honor at the event planned for Tampa is Mary Gray Black, the City Commissioner from nearby Largo who led the torch-bearing villagers to drive the "transgender monster," er former City Manager, Steve now-Susan Stanton, out of town this spring. Hell, they'll probably erect a statue to Black, and the other City Commissioners who shamed themselves by joining her. Maybe they’ll also honor the four male cops who threw Equality Florida director Nadine Smith to the floor and arrested her for the “crime” of distributing leaflets protesting Stanton’s virtual lynching.

Closer to Tampa, Rhonda Storms, who as a former Hillsborough county commissioner, introduced a resolution to prohibit the county from recognizing or participating in gay pride events is sure to be welcomed with open arms. She also created a tempest about gay-friendly books in her local library, and is now a Florida state senator.

One particular appearance would, no doubt, send the faithful into religious orgasms: Florida US Senator Mel Martinez, Chairman of the GOP, who was elected in a viciously antigay campaign, abetted by his gay Repug campaign finance director, Kirk Fordham, whom HRC honcha [sic] Hilary Rosen publicly urged sympathy for when he got caught up in the scandal of his later boss, Mark Foley. In sum, for the religionist antigay industry, Florida is the land of milk and money.