Homophobia Rears its Head in Bangs

By Steven Morris
March 12, 2004, Texas Triangle
 
A former assistant football coach in Bangs, Texas was finally arrested last week, almost two years after parents accused him of improper conduct, including making anti-gay remarks toward male students. He was indicted on two counts of indecency with a child and once count of improper conduct between a student and an educator.

Some parents in the small town of 1,600, which lies about 120 miles southwest of Fort Worth, accused Joseph Johnson of using defamatory and sexually oriented language toward boys and girls in 2002. It was also alleged that he held one student against his will in a classroom.

Some students claim Johnson bullied them, used improper physical conduct and made anti-homosexual remarks toward boys. Other students said they never heard Johnson use an inappropriate remark.

Last year, during a closed meeting with the superintendent and the school board, the board did not take any action against Johnson, citing inadequate proof of wrongdoing. Soon after the meeting, he was granted a contract extension and a raise.

But when the State Board for Educator Certification began to investigate, Johnson was placed on paid leave and he soon resigned.

Both the cities of Bangs and its neighbor Brownwood have come under fire in the past for their homophobic attitudes. In 1977 Brownwood played host to Anita Bryant and her anti-gay crusade. Local leaders offered a free six-pack of beer to any residents who helped keep the "fags from Dallas" out of town.

In 2002 the Bangs Church of Christ placed the phrase "Homosexuals shall not enter into Heaven" on the marquee outside the church. That incident prompted the creation of Brownwood's first-ever Human Rights Committee.

Johnson has been released on $65,000 bail.

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Church marquee sparks angry response
Brownwood Bulletin Editors note: The names of two people quoted have not be printed at their request due to fear of negative reprisals. By Dia Catalani Brownwood Bulletin BANGS Michael Light, pastor of the church for almost six years, says he change...
6.8K - Jan. 20, 2002; scored 540.0
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SO APPARENT !

AFTER READING DIA CATALANI’S ARTICLE REGARDING THE MARQUEE AT THE BANGS CHURCH OF CHRIST, WE NOW UNDERSTAND JUST HOW SERIOUS THE “PROBLEM” OF INTOLERANCE IS IN THIS SMALL AREA OF THE WORLD.

WHENEVER A MOTHER IS IN SUCH FEAR OF REPRISALS FROM HER PEERS AND CANNOT USE HER REAL NAME TO DEFEND THE MENTAL HEALTH AND PHYSICAL SAFETY OF HER OWN CHILD FROM BULLYING, INTIMIDATION, AND PHYSICAL HARM, WE CAN ONLY PRAY TO GOD THAT HE HAS MERCY ON THIS COMMUNITY AT THE TIME OF JUDGMENT.

FOR THIS MOTHER, AND OTHERS LIKE HER, WHO ARE EXPERIENCING THESE
CONDITIONS, WE OFFER THE FOLLOWING HELP LINES AND SUPPORT GROUPS. YOU ARE NOT ALONE AND YOU WILL BE SUPPORTED.

PFLAG..........NATIONAL OFFICE............PFLAG.ORG
PFLAG 1726 M Street, NW Suite 400 Washington, DC 20036
ph: 202.467.8180 fx: 202.467.8194
CORPORATE SPONSOR: AMERICAN AIRLINES

PFLAG Waco
P.O. Box 23533
Waco, TX  76702-3533
phone: (254) 750-7211
help line: (254) 776-3806
info@pflagwaco.org

PFLAG Austin
P.O. Box 9151
Austin, TX  78766-9151
phone:
help line: (512) 302-FLAG
pflag-austin@writeme.com

Cathedral of Hope
P. O. Box 35466
Dallas, TX 75235
Phone: 214-351-1901
Toll Free: 800-501-HOPE

TRINITY METHODIST CHURCH - AUSTIN
600 East 50th Street
Austin, TX 78751
Telephone: 512-459-5835
Fax: 512-467-9611

ST ANDREW’S PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH - AUSTIN
14311 WELLS PORT DRIVE
AUSTIN, TEXAS 78728
512.251.0698

IF YOU, OR YOUR LOVED ONES, ARE EXPERIENCING HARASSMENT DUE TO RACE, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, OR RELIGION ( HATE CRIMES ), PLEASE CONTACT THE OFFICE OF AGENT STAN STRAUSS WITH THE FBI IN DALLAS AT
214- 922-7200 OR AGENT LORI BAILEY AT 214-922-7638. THE JAMES BYRD JR HATE CRIME ACT IS TEXAS LAW AND THIS TYPE OF ACTIVITY WILL NOT BE TOLERATED BY STATE OR FEDERAL AUTHORITIES !

THE ERA OF SILENCE ON THIS TYPE OF TREATMENT IS OVER !

BROWNWOOD HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE

“WE PROMOTE COMPASSION, UNDERSTANDING, EDUCATION, AND TOLERANCE AND WE STAND AGAINST HATRED FOUND IN ANY FORM.”