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Reprinted from UPI, June 7, 1998.
The Righteous Appear at Disney Gay Days
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla., June 6 (UPI) - Dozens of members of the anti-abortion group
Operation Rescue have picketed at Walt Disney World, protesting the annual Gay Days and
the company's gay-friendly policies.
Today's protest began at the Hyatt Hotel, headquarters for Gay Days which Disney does
not sponsor before moving to the entrance road to the Magic Kingdom.
Group members likened Orlando to the biblical Sodom and Gomorrah and called the Disney
entrance gates the gates of hell. The protesters had signs with messages including,
"What would Walt think?" and "No mouse in my house."
A banner plane they hired flew overhead asking people to repent and go with Jesus.
Protesters danced, sang, prayed, and distributed religious and anti-Disney literature.
Some cars driving toward the park honked in apparent approval of the group, while other
people shouted messages of opposition.
National leader Rev. Flip Benham blessed three people before they entered the park to
distribute literature while wearing T-shirts reading "Jesus is the standard."
He said, "If you really want to go to hell, if you really want to condone that
which is an abomination to God, if you really want to see this nation turn into rubble,
you're going to have to do it by walking over us."
The three said later there was no confrontation with gays inside the park.
Disney spokesman Bill Warren said, "From our point of view it was a real good day
inside the Magic Kingdom. We feel no impact except handling media calls."
Before the protest, Disney officials said demonstrators would be allowed into the park
but would be asked to leave if they caused trouble.
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