Thanks To Mike Ditto From Janus Online -- Hey Media Folks In Memphis, John Smid's Quote Is Verified. When Does Your Story Run?

According to Mike Ditto of Janus Online, he received an email from the editor of the gay periodical called We The People based in a Santa Rosa, Ca. We The People, in March of 1994, published the original article written by someone named Dennis Anderson which carried that heinous quote from John Smid. Not familiar with it? The one in which Smid suggested to Tom Ottosen, a current ex-ex-gay, that "I would rather you commit suicide than to leave Love In Action and return to a homosexual lifestyle wanting to return to the gay lifestyle. In a physical death you could still have a spiritual resurrection; whereas, returning to homosexuality you are yielding yourself to a spiritual death from which there is no recovery."

News media in Memphis were hesitant to run the quote on the 5, 6, or 10 o'clock news. But now, please hear me: you can run the story. According to Mike's comments at Ex-Gay Watch Blog:

I received the following in an e-mail from the editor:

I can verify the quote attributed to John Smid, director of Lone in Action, San Rafael's ex-gay organization. An ex-member, then 24-year old Tom Ottosen recalled Smid's words while speaking with We the People's Dennis Anderson. At the time, Ottosen was grappling with suicidal thoughts and was considering leaving Love in Action.

So the quote is verified (i.e. it hasn't been altered since it was gathered), and should be given as much weight as any second-hand quote--not as much as a first-hand quote, but not discounted either. Nixon denied saying the things Deep Throat and other sources said he said, until the tapes came out and confirmed the stories.

Peggy? Darrell? Anybody? Are you listening? That means it's okay for our local news to quit playing mumblypeg with children's lives and air the quote. This sound byte should make it much easier to denounce conclusively Love In Action as harmful to attendees so that more people in our community and in the United States will become outraged. Thank you to all the local Memphis media for your support and unbiased reporting of this story.

I highly recommend a review of Love In Action over at Janus Online. Michael Ditto, thank you so very much.