Fayetteville writer and cable talk-show host Richard Drake gives a no-star rating to the American Family Association's hate-based travelogue about Eureka Springs on his Arkansas Times blog.

«They're Coming to Your Town» tells the story of this small Christian oriented community that was invaded - invaded, I say! - by hordes of godless folk in the 1960s and 1970s. Little by little, they stepped out of the closet and wrenched control of this sleepy burg out of the hands of the holy and into the hands of those who worship at the altar of «diversity.»

Read the entire review here:

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*** UPDATED 1/31/08 - WEATHER CHANGES ***

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Eureka Springs, AR: Simply, The Place To Be...Really!

The Eureka Gras - Mardi Gras Extravaganza is without a doubt the most outrageous event in Eureka Springs, second only to Diversity!

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The Eureka Springs City Council seems to have been afflicted with collective amnesia regarding the Domestic Partnership Registry.

Despite deliberately setting aside time during a January 14 meeting to review its 2007 accomplishments, the council made nary a

mention of last year's historic enactment of the only Domestic Partnership Registry in the state. Having approved the measure unanimously on three separate occasions, the council was more than happy to take credit for it at the time.

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The dedicated corps of bedroom police at the Arkansas Family Council have announced their petition drive to put the Arkansas Adoption and Foster Care Act on the ballot. If passed, the initiative will prevent Arkansas adoptive and foster children from being placed with unmarried couples. As the act puts it:

... a minor may not be adopted or placed in a foster home if the individual seeking to adopt or to serve as a foster parent is cohabiting with a sexual partner outside of a marriage...the foregoing prohibition applies equally to cohabiting opposite-sex and same-sex individuals.

That's right, all you «One Man/One Woman» folk. The Arkansas Family Council means you. Just when you thought choosing heterosexuality would keep you safe from the prying eyes of Dr. James Dobson, here comes the Arkansas Family Council. «They're coming to your bedroom,» straight people... with a pair of binoculars and a clipboard. And we don't care what you're doing in there but, whatever it is, you'd better have a license to practice.

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After ranting last week like a banshee gone wild, this week I will rave concerning the promise of co-operative efforts by all segments of the community to promote the arts of Eureka Springs.

Don't get me wrong, as I do not apologize for speaking out against the blatant discrimination that has reared its ugly head in our town. However, I am encouraged any time all fractions of Eureka work together in a positive manner.

A fine example of «working together» occurred last Tuesday night when approximately 150 guests attended the art reception at the Bank of Eureka Springs. The purpose of the event was to present the quality and diversity of the art and artists of our community to the executive staff of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and an associate editor of American Style Magazine.

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Every day Eureka Springs neglects to market its off-beat charms to gay travelers--as well as its traditional demographic--it falls farther behind in its quest for a thriving tourist economy.

Why? Because competition for the rainbow dollar is becoming downright intense. Now, Pittsburgh, of all places, has launched a campaign to get a piece of the $65 BILLION gay and lesbian travel pie.

«Statistics tell us there is a lot of money to be had . . . ,» Beverly Morrow-Jones of Visit Pittsburgh told WTAE TV news yesterday. « . . . Just like everybody else, the gay and lesbian community wants to be welcomed,» she said.

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(EUREKA SPRINGS, AR) – Members of The Royal Barony of All Oklahoma will venture from their own realm to make multiple appearances on Friday, February 1 and Saturday, February 2 at the Eureka Gras Extravaganza weekend events.

Friday, Her Regal Highness Czarina I Kris Kohl and her royal court will be delivered by Eureka Springs Limousine to the Grand Kostume Masque Ball at the Basin Park Hotel. Eureka Springs TV will be on hand to record for later broadcast the 7:45 p.m. arrival of the royal procession, including Grand Marquis Roger Francis, Grand Marquesa Dominique LaRue, Lord Knight Protector Marc Acuff and First Lady in Waiting Miranda Ray.

On Saturday at 2 p.m., members of the Barony will «dress-out» in royal garb and crown jewels and join the Krewe of Wobniar («rainbow» spelled backward) for the Eureka Gras Parade at 2 p.m.

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Nursing homes unprepared to nurture lesbian and gay elders

Thanks to radio journalist Jacqueline Froelich, KAUF National Public Radio has been the only mainstream media outlet in Arkansas to report on the American Family Association's anti-gay video about Eureka Springs, «They're Coming to Your Town.» Here's a link to her KUAF podcast on the subject:

Ozarks at Large: The American Family Association's take on Eureka Springs

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Too damn bad that the entire populace of Eureka Springs can't be as accepting of all people as is the town's art community.

Recent animosity towards gays in Eureka Springs has come from some of its most prominent business and church leaders. This is especially true in reference to the sorry ass «They're coming to your town» film. I am shocked and very disappointed to find out how some of those «smiling, how are you» folks feel about their homosexual neighbors. Almost made me want to move after more than twenty years of living, loving, creating, and enjoying being here. But HELL NO, I am not budging. It is my town too!

To you sons-of-bitches who think that I am hurting your poorly run businesses, and that I am going to hell, a pariah, should stay in my closet, type of guy, you've got another think coming. My heels are dug in. And no, those heels are not spiked. They are New Balance.

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Sometimes on my way home from work I see a young man walking. I would guess him to be somewhere around 19 or 20 years old.

He always walks very fast, like he's exercising. He's painfully skinny and quite feminine acting. He has a definite swish in his hips, his hands are always bent up at the wrist. If one didn't look closely, he would appear to be an ordinary teenage girl. A girly girl at that.

He always has headphones on, singing to whatever song he's listening to. Singing loudly, swishing his way down the sidewalk. I call him Boy George, because he kind of reminds me of the washed-up singer. But this kid has a lot more class – and courage – than George.

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