Pat Robertson says gay tourism and a tolerance of homosexuality might bring hurricanes, earthquakes and meteor strikes to the city, but not everyone is running for shelter. "I would warn Orlando that you're right in the way of some serious hurricanes and I don't think I'd be waving those flags in God's face if I were you," the religious broadcaster said Monday.
Robertson was referring to rainbow-colored gay pride flags flying from city lampposts in June for Gay Pride Month. He made the comments on his religious talk show, The 700 Club, on the Christian Broadcasting Network, which he owns.
Robertson, who sought the Republican presidential nomination in 1988, also predicted that tolerance of homosexuality "will bring terrorist bombs, it'll bring earthquakes, tornadoes and possibly a meteor." Robertson told his viewers that his words were "a message of redemption," not hate, and that he was not expressing his own opinion but speaking of Biblical truths.
But a local Baptist minister was skeptical. "Orlando is a pretty moral town," said Randy Young. "If God was going to hurl a meteor at someone, you'd think he'd start with Las Vegas. I really can't believe Pat said that."
About 120,000 gay and lesbian tourists visited Orlando last weekend for Gay Days, a quiet tourist event at Orlando's major theme parks until the Christian right brought national attention to it. Last year, Southern Baptists organized a national boycott of Walt Disney Co. after Gay Days. Disney World's Magic Kingdom is a favorite destination of gay tourists, but Disney does not host or publicize the event.
This year, Operation Rescue, known for protests at abortion clinics, protested outside Disney's gates during Gay Days. "This is really getting boring," Orlando gay rights activist Patricia Ritter said. "First Operation Rescue was going to turn us all straight, and when that didn't work, they decide they need a hurricane," Ritter said. "Some people need to grow up. We were here yesterday. We'll be here tomorrow. You don't have to like it but you do have to share the planet with us."
