Betsy Ross, Ben Franklin Part of 'Gay-Friendly' Tourism Campaign

CNSNEWS.com ^ | 11/14/03 | Susan Jones

[kattracks]

(CNSNews.com) - Betsy Ross, Ben Franklin, and George Washington are lending their images to a new "gay-friendly" advertising campaign intended to bring more visitors to Philadelphia.

The campaign -- which mixes historical figures with rainbow banners and other contemporary images -- will promote "gay travel" to the Philadelphia area, said the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation in a press release.

"A visit to the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall and Philadelphia's other historical attractions is an American experience of interest to both gay and straight travelers," said Meryl Levitz, president and CEO of the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation.

She said the advertising will "showcase Philadelphia's mainstream attractions, restaurants and events as well as gay-specific events of interest..."

The ad campaign features the tagline, "Get your history straight and your nightlife gay."

The first ad in the three-year, $300,000 campaign will appear in the December issue of New York's Metro Source magazine. Internet advertising will be a major element of the campaign, because "research shows that gay travelers are Internet savvy and book more trips on the Web than their straight counterparts," said Levitz.

The Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation, a private, nonprofit organization, describes itself as "Philadelphia's official regional tourism marketing agency."

 

 

[Modernman]

Benjamin Franklin: "That hard-to-be-governed passion of youth hurried me frequently into intrigues with low women that fell in my way, which were attended with some expense and great inconvenience"

The old rascal always was my favorite Founding Father.

[presidio9]

Right. If we are going to target a traditionally Democrat special interest minority, wouldn't it be more productive to go after, say, African Americans? At least they are reproducing.

[Modernman]

(Shrug) The pink dollar is no different from the straight dollar. On average, homosexuals have a higher income and a higher education level than straights. It's not surprising that people want their money. That's the beauty of America- everyone's dollar is the same.

[GovernmentShrinker]

They seem to get most of it from hysterical religious conservatives . . .

[GovernmentShrinker]

presidio9 doesn't want it -- he'd rather be poor. He's probably running those new 20s through the washing machine with bleach right now, desperately trying to get rid of the pink tinge :-)

[Rummyfan]

"Get your history straight and your nightlife gay."

Are you sure this isn't from THE ONION?

[presidio9]

Actually I have several homosexual clients. In public I keep my revulsion for their self-destructive lifestyle to myself. If only they could do the same instead of demanding that we celebrate their behavior every chance they get.

[scripter]

Bump and thanks for the pings.

Hmm. In what category does this article go in the database...

Homosexual Agenda: Categorical Index of Links

Homosexual Agenda Index (bump list)

[scripter]

They seem to get most of it from hysterical religious conservatives

This religous conservative gets it from the experts.

[xzins]

The daytime crowd is always the worst, for some reason.

They're on the boss's computer diddling away the time and FR is always a lively debate.

Probably some are on computers in liberal institutions.

[eastsider]

Hmm. In what category does this article go in the database...

Manipulation?

[scripter]

Manipulation?

Thanks - that's probably the best category.

[upchuck]

Lemme make sure I'm understanding this correctly. Philly is purposefully trying to attract to their fair city perverts that carry and willing spread deadly disease? Why on earth would they do that?
Oh, wait, I forgot, Philly is the "City of Brotherly Love."

Scrip - tanks fur tha "queers & faggots" ping!

[zx2dragon]

This does not appear to be a hijack of any sort. It's the tourism board using historic images alongside contemporary images for a certain demographic. It's been done before for various parts of the culture, except I don't think you'll ever see anything in mainstream print stating White Pride with the pics of the founding fathers.

[Salvation]

Unbelievable!

[Antoninus]

My beloved Philadelphia is a cesspit of homo-promo. The city actually flies rainbow banners during "gay pride month" and has a giant mural honoring the heroes of buggery. The only good thing I can say about this is that someday, we'll look back on all this nonsense... and vomit.

[Antoninus]

Next you'll be angry that gay Americans dare put out an American flag on the 4th of July or something.

When do the dog-plookers and kiddie-doodlers get their $300,000 ad campaign?

[Antoninus]

Remind me again what George W.'s margin of victory was?

You'll find most of the buggery crowd located in the blue states that were won most handily by Wooden Al. Honestly, it's better for all concerned if the radical queers and lezbos stayed with the Ds (as in the Deviant party).

[TheAngryClam]

When there's enough of them that aren't in jail and who have enough money to make it worth advertising to them.

Face it, this is business, and what matters is money, and gay people's money is just as good as straight people's.