Christian fundamentalist Rev. Grant Storms is well-known in New Orleans for his opposition of Southern Decadence, a three-day gay pride festival in the French Quarter. He was first arrested over a year ago for alleged masturbation, which occurred in a van at a public park with children playing near by. The Reverend Grant Storms is known best for his protests of the pride festival, during which he equipped his followers with bullhorns, bibles, and picketing signs during their march down Bourbon Street. In fact, the protests he directed spurred the New Orleans City Council to create ordinances banning megaphone use above a certain decibel level. ... Storms told ABCNEWS he wants to end Southern Decadence. "Totally … utterly and totally. We want them out of town," he said. In a city where almost 40 percent of the population is Roman Catholic, the archdiocese of New Orleans agreed with Storms, and asked officials to ban Southern Decadence. But the head of the mayor's task force on gay and lesbian issues says the city can't afford to ban the festival. Storms condemned the city officials. "They're prostitutes. They're legalized prostitutes," he said. As for Storms, he says he's got even grander plans — to eliminate public nudity and sex at Mardi Gras and beyond. For example, Sin City, U.S.A. — Las Vegas. "That's our next stop … schedule a flight to Las Vegas," Storms said. "We want to take it to every city in the United States, wherever stuff goes on." ... In the same interview, Storms also said he is not "anti-gay per se," but that, "I'm anti-decadence, I'm anti-depravity, I'm anti-sin." When asked if he believes homosexuality is a sin, he replied, "Yes. Oh undoubtedly. The Bible's very clear." He is anti-sin. Homosexuality, to him, is a sin. That would make him anti-gay. After his proselytizing on the sexuality of others the Rev. Grant Storms was arrested for masturbating in public, in the presence of children, no less. In fact, eyewitnesses stated that he was "looking at the playground area that contained children playing, with his zipper down…," as seen in the police report |
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