Christians protest outside an H-E-B over chain's donation to Pridefest

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Christians protest outside an H-E-B over chain's donation to Pridefest

By Tracy Idell Hamilton, Express-News (San Antonio, Texas), June 17, 2006

More than 100 people joined Christian radio talk show host Adam McManus on Friday evening to picket a busy H-E-B grocery store waving brightly colored signs at passing commuters with phrases like "H-E-B pushes the homosexual agenda," and "H-E-B promotes sodomy."

The group is protesting the grocery chain's $300 support of Pridefest San Antonio, the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community's annual celebration of all things queer.

Pridefest runs from 3 to 11 p.m. today in HemisFair Park.

Since learning of H-E-B's support earlier this week, McManus has asked his listeners to contact the chain and demand that it take back its money, apologize on its Web site and not fund "such depravity" in the future.

By Thursday, the gay community began its own campaign, urging people to call H-E-B and thank the company for its commitment to diversity.

A spokeswoman with H-E-B declined to say how many calls it has received in support or protest. She said the company would not be asking for its $300 back.

"Our corporate policy has always been one of inclusiveness," said Winell Herron. "We want to treat all our customers and (employees) with dignity and respect."

To put the company's donation in perspective, Herron noted that H-E-B donates "millions of dollars annually" to charitable organizations, educational initiatives, hunger and disaster relief efforts across Texas and Mexico.

McManus says it is not the amount, but the principal. Christians are protesting, he said, that H-E-B would give any amount of money "to a group of people defined by their sin."

Sudie Sartor, who lives across the highway from the H-E-B at Loop 1604 and U.S. 281, where the protest took place, said she would be boycotting the chain from now on. Learning that Whole Foods also "promotes the homosexual agenda," by sponsoring Pride events, she said she would quit shopping there, too.

Yvonne Jonas, who answers the helpline for PFLAG - Parents and Friends of Lesbian and Gays - called H-E-B to offer her support Friday.

She does not believe McManus and Friday's picketers represent the majority of San Antonians, and offered up her new favorite quote, one she heard from an Episcopal priest who e-mailed her recently:

"No prejudice is ever debated that isn't already dying."

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