Posted on 03/27/2006 5:10:53 PM PST by Frank T
TORONTO (CP) - The co-director of the Christian Peacemakers Teams says the family of freed Christian peace activist James Loney kept his sexual orientation quiet out of fear for his safety.
Doug Pritchard says the family feared Loney might come to harm at the hands of his Iraqi captors had they known he was gay. Pritchard says it likely wouldn't have helped if Loney's partner, Dan Hunt, had come forward with public pleas for his release.
Hunt made his first public appearance since Loney's ordeal began last November when he greeted his partner Sunday at the airport.
Loney arrived in Toronto after he and two other peace activists were rescued by coalition soldiers in Iraq.
The 41-year-old Loney was kidnapped in Baghdad along with fellow Canadian Harmeet Sooden, Briton Norm Kember and American Tom Fox, whose bullet-ridden body was found earlier this month.
Loney is expected to travel to his hometown of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., where red ribbons decorate the trees and store and restaurant owners have posted welcome-home messages in their windows.
In the city of 75,000, signs reading, "Prayers Answered - Welcome Home James" were to decorate several city buildings. At the Civic Centre, a message book was waiting for well-wishers to leave Loney a personal greeting.
The Sault Star also published a full-page colour photograph of Loney for residents to post in their windows "so that Jim, his parents Claudette and Patrick, and other family members see the joy of an entire community as he arrives home."
Loney's parents have kept a low profile since their son's arrival back in Canada, and so far no one is saying exactly when he's expected to arrive in Sault Ste. Marie.
Radical religious fundamentalist nutjobs are anti-gay? Of course they are.
Being a mush-headed peace activist is sooooooo gay...
Well thankfully he wasn't American. They shoot you for that.
You know, the sexual orientation of hostages has never been an issue before. Leave it to the gay community to make sure it's an issue from now on.
"Doug Pritchard says the family feared Loney might come to harm at the hands of his Iraqi captors had they known he was gay."
What kind of harm? They would have sodomised him?
Why? MooHamHead would "pork" nearly anything that had a pulse...
What seems wrong with this statement.
I don't think homosexuals realize they'll be the first to go if Islam - the religion of peace - takes over.
Wait a sec ... I've lost my place ... Mainstream Christianity supports Homosexuality now ?
This was in sharp contrast to the families of other hostages who were repeatedly making public statements that their relatives were horny as heck for wimmen.
Gee, ya think?
Also, I bet all of these years, Dan has thanked God that his parents didn't name him Richard.
And his captors are the people with whom he sympathizes! To these people evil is good and good is evil. I'm really glad none of our courageous troops were hurt freeing this guy.
Keeping it quiet? What's the matter? Afraid they wouldn't celebrate his diversity?
Good thing he wasn't found guilty of the two great crimes. 1) Being American or 2) Being Jewish.
Phew! What a relief.
I know a gay man who is more of a pro-military hawk than I am. When I asked him why, he said, "If these Islamofascists took over, I'd be the first one up against the wall."
So they were afraid of the very people they were defending AGAINST our fighting heroes!
Only as befitting for him to receive Allah's punishment, yes but they would not have enjoyed it. What would make it sinful, you see.
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