Jason Sandford
Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.
GayWired.com has the story about how negative press forced a gay couple out of Cleveland County, N.C.:
Part of the plan for Camp Lickalotta included a stage area for a planned annual music festival called Bushstock. Shortly after bulldozing began on the stage site a reporter from the local newspaper arrived and requested an interview.
“That Friday evening, we were contacted by Drew Brooks of the Shelby Star, stating that his editor had been contacted concerning the Camp Lickalotta website, and that it was obscene.” Joanie shared.
After careful consideration of the trouble an article might cause in the community, the interview was refused. The next morning an article ran anyway with no input or consent from Joanie or Nancy. As is often the case in a small town word spread quickly and brought out the less open-minded citizens of the area. The article and the surrounding controversy was soon picked up by the local television station. What started as a simple dream of a peaceful, inclusive recreation space was now a platform for homophobic hate speak and expressions of disgust at the camp name.
Days later the owners of the Golden Valley Campground gave in to pressure from the community and served Joanie and Nancy with eviction papers. After months of hard work the couple was given only seven days to pack their possessions and vacate the campground. Their vision shattered, they left on the final day under the protection of the local sheriff’s office.
Joanie and Nancy now live over 150 miles apart because they no longer have a home. They have received threats and false articles continue to be written about them. The hate has even impacted their dog Pretty Girl, who misses her friends at Golden Valley and her rides on the tractor.
As hard as they may have tried, hate and small mindedness have not killed the dream of Camp Lickalotta or Bushstock. Nancy and Joanie are now more determined than ever to see their dreams become a reality. The pair tells us that a new location has been obtained for Bushstock and in the near future a new location for Camp Lickalotta.
Bushstock08.com
CampLickalotta.com
I live in neighboring Lincoln County, and unfortunately, a similar hack job article just appeared in our Lincoln Times-News Friday based on a mere rumor that they might have the concert somewhere in this county. I think the organizers need to stop dodging the media. Obviously the stories are going to run anyway and at the very least, they could give their side of things. It’s sad that the level of intolerance is so high even in 2008.