IN TODAY'S "PC WORLD" IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYONE IS
TRYING TO BE A BIT MORE TOLERANT.
BUT IN ONE STUBBORN TOWN IN RURAL RED STATE ARKANSAS,
DISCRIMINATION IS ON THE RISE.
WORST OF ALL, THE LOCAL CITY COUNCIL REFUSES TO OPEN
THEIR EYES TO THE TOWN'S BIGOSTRY.
>> WE DO NOT DISCRIMINATE IN EUREKA SPRINGS.
EVERYBODY IS ACCEPTED FOR WHO THEY ARE.
IF YOU ARE A SEVEN FOOT TALL MAN AND YOU WANT TO PARADE
IN TOWN BAREFOOT WEARING A PURPLE DRESS, THAT'S FINE.
>> OH, REALLY?
TELL THAT TO LOCAL RESIDENT RANDALL CHRISTIE.
>> THERE IS DISCRIMINATION EVERYWHERE, THERE ALWAYS HAS
BEEN.
I DOUBT THERE EVER WILL BE A TIME WHEN THERE'S NOT
DISCRIMINATION.
>> YOU ARE FACING DISCRIMINATION HERE BECAUSE YOU'RE... JEWISH?
>> NO, I'M FACING DISCRIMINATION HERE BECAUSE --
>> YOU'RE BLACK?
>> I PASTOR A CHURCH.
>> SO THE PEOPLE BEING DISCRIMINATED AGAINST HERE
ARE CHRISTIANS?
>> YES.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
IN ARKANSAS WHERE CHRISTIANS MAKE UP A MEAGER 86% OF THE
POPULATION, PASTOR CRISTIE FEELS DISCRIMINATION BECAUSE
EUREKA SPRINGS PASSED ORDINANCE 2223.
>> THE ORDINANCE PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON A
PERSON'S SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY.
>> YES, THIS BACKWARDS TOWN ACTUALLY VOTED TO PROTECT
THE LGBT COMMUNITY.
>> I DID TAKE A VOCAL STAND AGAINST 2223.
THIS LAW DELIBERATELY DISCRIMINATES AGAINST THE
CHURCH.
THEY HAVE A PARAGRAPH REGULATING CHURCH HIRING
PRACTICES.
>> NOBODY IS TAKING AWAY THE CHURCH'S RIGHT TO DO
ANYTHING.
THEY ARE NOT A PART OF THIS ORDINANCE.
THEY'RE NOT INCLUDED IN THIS ORDINANCE.
IT HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH CHURCHES.
>> OKAY, THOUGH THE CHURCH IS EXCLUDED FROM THIS LAW
AND PASTOR CHRISTIE CAN HIRE ANYONE HE WANTS.
WHILE THE TOWN DIDN'T TAKE AWAY HIS CHURCH OR BAN
PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF CHRISTIANITY OR SHUT DOWN
HIS ENORMOUS PASSION PLAY OR REMOVE HIS 66 FOOT CHRIST OF
THE OZARK STATUE OR STOP HIM FROM EXPRESSING HIMSELF IN
LOCAL PAPERS, ONLINE AN THROUGH ADS PLASTERS AROUND
TOWN, HE IS STILL UNDER ATTACK.
>> WHEN WE PASSED ORDINANCE 2223, THE RELIGIOUS
CONSERVATIVES WERE SO UP SET ABOUT THIS BECAUSE THEY ARE
ANTI-GAY.
THEY DESCENDED ON US LIKE A PLAGUE OF LOCUSTS.
>> OKAY, FIRST OF ALL, YOU CAN'T USE PLAGUE OF LOCUSTS.
THAT'S A BIBLE THING.
THAT'S NOT YOURS.
>> OKAY.
>> AND SECONDLY, WHY ARE YOU BEING SO MEAN TO THESE POOR
RELIGIOUS PEOPLE.
>> THESE POOR RELIGIOUS PEOPLE ARE MEAN TO US.
THEY WRITE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
THEY MARCH UP AND DOWN THE STREET HOLDING SIGNS SAYING
DIVORCE IS EVIL.
>> MAYBE THAT'S BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO CONTEND WITH THE
NIGHT MARRISH HELLSCAPE SIN PALACE THUNDER DOME OF GAY
THAT IS EUREKA SPRINGS.
>> THE ENERGY OF DOWNTOWN IN YOUR EXPERIENCE HAS CHANGED
A LOT SINCE THE INFLUX OF LGBT, IT REALLY HAS.
THERE USED TO BE MORE FAMILY- ORIENTED SHOPS THAN THERE
ARE NOW.
>> WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF SHOPS THAT HAVE COME UP THAT
ARE MORE GAY ORIENTED, LESS FAMILY ORIENTED?
(LAUGHTER)
>> THERE'S A FEW.
>> WE DON'T HAVE OPEN DISPLAYS OF HOMOSEXU--
-- HOW DO YOU OPENLY DISPLAY THAT ARE YOU HOMOSEXUAL?
>> YOU OPEN UP GAY STORES.
>> WE DON'T HAVE-- WE HAVE STORES THAT ARE OWNED BY GAY
PEOPLE, BUT THEY'RE NOT GAY STORES.
I REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT.
>> WELL, THERE ARE STORES THAT SELL LIKE INTERESTING
RUGS.
>> A RUG.
>> IN YOUR FACE LESBIANISM, OR WHAT ABOUT THAT CUTE
LITTLE GELLATO STORE, WHICH THAT SCREAMS IN YOUR FACE,
"ACCEPT ME NOW" HOMOSEXUALITY.
>> GELATO, THAT IS KIND OF AN ICE CREAM, ICE CREAM IS-- NOT
GENDER NEUTRAL?
>> THESE LAWS THAT PROTECT GENDER EXPRESSION ALLOW
BIOLOGICAL MALES TO GO WHEREVER THEY WANT,
BIOLOGICAL FEMALES TO GO WHEREVER THEY WANT, DEPENDING
ON HOW THEY ARE EXPRESSING THEIR GENDER THAT DAY.
IT IS HAPPENING, YOU KNOW.
>> WHAT IS HAPPENING.
>> THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT WALK THAT THE REST ROOMS AND
SOMEONE IN THE OPPOSITE SEX IS IN THAT RESTROOM.
>> DOING WHAT?
>> EVIDENTLY USING THE RESTROOM.
>> AND THEN WHAT?
>> I DON'T KNOW BUT THAT'S A PROBLEM FOR SOME PEOPLE.
>> I'M NOT QUITE CLEAR SURE WHAT BATHROOMS HAVE TO DO
WITH THIS.
BUT FOR SOME REASON, CONSERVATIVE RELIGIOUS
PEOPLE ARE TERRIBLEABLY HUNG UP ON BATHROOMS.
>> SADLY FOR CHRISTY, THE ANTI-DISCRIMINATION
ORDINANCE IS BACKED BY THE VAST MAJORITY OF LOCAL
RESIDENTS, AND HE IS UNABLE TO ESCAPE THE CONSTANT
REMINDER OF THE LGBT'S PRESENCE.
>> THEY START PUSHING THEIR LIFESTYLE IN OTHER PEOPLE'S
FACES.
>> THEY HANG OUT THEIR FLAG.
YOU KNOW, THE OLD ADAGE OF HANGING OUT YOUR SHINGLE.
>> YEAH.
IT ALWAYS FEELS LIKE IT IS JUST LOOMING OVER YOU.
>> EVERYWHERE YOU GO.