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SF City Council Condemns Christian Youth Rally
SAN FRANCISCO - A Christian youth rally that drew more than 25,000 people to AT&T Park this weekend met resistance from city leaders and some residents, who questioned the rally's agenda in this largely The two-day rally, called "Battle Cry for a Generation," was intended to guide young people away from a popular culture that organizers say glamorizes drugs, violence and sex. Except those and flowers in the hair are the things that attract young people to San Francisco. Ron Luce, whose Texas-based Teen Mania organization put on the event, said it hopefully would inspire a "reverse rebellion" against corrupting influences such as MTV and the online meeting hub, MySpace.com. The rally, which also will visit Detroit and Philadelphia, featured religious rockers, speakers and the debut of what Luce called a Christian alternative to MySpace.com - at advance ticket prices of $55 and walk-up prices of $199. How's they miss Seattle and Boston? "This is more than a spiritual war," said Luce, 44, a Concord native and a President Bush appointee to a federal anti-drug abuse commission. "It's a culture war." I wonder if Luce posts here. City leaders prepared for the battle earlier this week, when the Luce said it was the first time one of his events has been officially condemned. Both sides clashed Friday outside City Hall, where Luce led a pre-Battle Cry gathering of teenagers waving triangular red flags flown from long, medieval-looking poles that went with the event's military metaphors. I hope they had sharp pointy tips. "Are you ready to go to battle for your generation?" he asked, to which the crowd roared "yes!" A Battle Cry invitation had made plain the symbolism of gathering at "the very City Hall steps where several months ago, gay marriages were celebrated for all the world to see." Besides which it's a great open plaza with easy access for media trucks and cameras. Barricades separated Luce's crowd with counterprotesters about 6 feet away who said the Friday and Saturday event amounted to a "fascist mega-pep rally." Assemblyman Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, told counterprotesters that while The resistance didn't discourage Luce, who said he plans to return to San Francisco next year to chart the progress of his youth movement. Best free advertising I ever got. Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2006-03-26 |
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