Posted on 01/13/2005 9:15:02 AM PST by presidio9
Telluride's Mountain Village will host Gay Ski Week next month, an event that has stirred debate among residents of the posh ski -resort and the funky Victorian town a few miles away.
In a community that prides itself on diversity, a controversy erupted last month when a resident of Mountain Village wrote a letter to the editor of a local newspaper, questioning why the ski village would promote the gay ski event, which takes place Feb. 26 to March 6.
The letter struck a nerve in the community.
"It was definitely vociferous. It's to be expected," said Suzanne Cheavens, editor of the Telluride Daily Planet. "We're a progressive, liberal sort of place."
Many residents, and even former residents, wrote to voice their support for the village's sponsorship of the ski week, which coincides with the Telluride AIDS Benefit.
"This community is so accepting of absolutely anything," said Ron Gilmer, a letter writer and AIDS activist who spoke by phone Wednesday from Telluride, where he has lived for 13 years.
After the flurry of letters was published, a Web site that publishes an online guide to Telluride, posted a warning to alert families considering a ski vacation about the Gay Ski Week event.
"We weren't trying to be judgmental. The issue isn't having a gay ski week," said Al Heirich, a longtime local resident who operates the site. "Anybody has a right to informatively let folks know what's going to be going on in a small town."
Heirich says he posted the alert after visitors to his site had inquired about the controversy they had seen on the local paper's Web site.
Now he's in a dispute with the ski area.
Telluride ski resort has asked the site to remove links to its Web site. Heirich says he has done so.
"It was unauthorized, and we felt he really didn't represent Telluride or the Telluride ski resort," said Maryhelyn Kirwan, ski resort spokeswoman.
Kirwan said the ski resort expects to host a variety of groups throughout the season, including many Christian and religious groups, college groups and youth groups.
Mountain Village spokeswoman Kerri Cardin said the resort's first gay-oriented ski week in 2004 attracted about 250-300 people, although the village was not a sponsor that year.
Aspen is among the ski resorts hosting gay ski weeks. This year's event runs Sunday to Jan. 23.
"Well, when is Christian Days at Disney World? Been to any Christian "outfests" lately?
"
Actually, there are several at Disney World, each year, capped by their Christmas celebration, complete with choirs singing religious Christmas songs. You might look at their site and their calendar.
As for Christian "outfests," I attended one such, termed as a "revival," this year in the Twin Cities. Lots of people there "outing" themselves as Christians.
You see, people belong to different affinity groups, and they're proud of their affinities. Everyone from Undertakers to Auto Mechanics join groups which promote their professions, hold conventions, and even have ski outings.
So, this is a "gay days" at some ski resort. OK. I'm sure church groups have also made block reservations at the same resort. I know that churches here in Minnesota do that sort of thing at the ski areas in this state and in Wisconsin. So, you have "Lutheran day" at some ski resort. Happens all over the place.
It's just that you don't like gays, so you don't think they should have "gay days" anywhere. That's fine. I'm not gay, and I don't care if they have a "gay days" somewhere I might be going. I just don't care. I don't care if there's a big church group there, either, and I'm an atheist.
I let people live their lives...as long as they let me live mine. I can guarantee I'm not going to turn gay if I'm skiing on the same mountain as a bunch of gay people. I can equally guarantee that I'm not going to turn Christian if I ski on the same day as some Christian group.
Either would be a non-event to me.
I think the 250 - 300 people figure is in reference to the number of gay people that participated in the event, not the total number of people that skied that week.
um, er, you said pole....hahahah
Actually, I like a lot of people who have chosen to be homosexuals. So you are wrong in your assumption. However, I believe the Bible teaches homosexuality is sinful and I don't believe condoning sin is ever right. Simple as that.
Does this mean that during the rest of the season gays are not allowed to ski there? If not the I demand a "Heterosexual Awareness Ski Week" as equal time.
OK, try Googling:
Christian Ski Retreat
Church Ski Trip
Looks like there's lots going on...
Try Google on:
Disney Night of Joy
Actually there IS gay rugby, gay rodeo too.
There are a lot more Christians than there are gays, yet you don't see Telluride going out of its way to Block out and sponsor a Christian Week. Why do you suppose that is?
But won't the presence of so many flamers just melt all the snow?
Head?
There's a Disneyworld at Telluride now?
How diverse is the Telluride community?
"There's a Disneyworld at Telluride now?"
Someone else brought up the Gay Days at Disneyworld, so I tossed that one in.
...and there's a lot of those gay dollars to be had. Gays often have quite a bit of disposable income. (No breeding, less expenses!) And since they often have quite a bit of taxable income, they're beginning to see the logic in voting for Republicans. You can't take very many ski-n-sex trips to CO if The Swimmer has taken a big chunk of your money away.
NAAWP - Nat'l Assoc. for the Advancement of White People
you'll never see it.
I knew about the rodeo, but RUGBY? Must be the influence of the Brits. Can't imagine the Aussies swishing through a scrum.
From a marketing point of view, Christians, as a group, are not distinct enough to be targetted. How do you put together a marketing plan that will attract both evangelicals and Catholics, for example?
Homosexuals, on the other hand, are much more easily targetted by marketing. Plus, based on their average level of education, disposable income etc., they're a pretty attractive group from a marketting perspective.
"It was unauthorized, and we felt he really didn't represent Telluride or the Telluride ski resort," said Maryhelyn Kirwan, ski resort spokeswoman.
Since when do you need authorization to have a link to another web site on your own site?
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