An e-mail attacking San Diego’s third annual Youth Pride festival, which circulated in the community over the past week, contained the heading “The James Hartline Report Action Center” and described the event as “horrible” and a “vile party.” Youth Pride takes place this year May 13-14 at the World Beat Center in Balboa Park.

Youth Pride director and Update assistant editor Ren Petty founded the event three years ago and is not worried about any major confrontations this year, but recalled last year’s opposition.

“They did show up last year,” Petty said, referring to a handful of protesters from a local Christian church and the conservative group Concerned Women for America. “They didn’t have any signs with them. They stayed on the opposite side of the street and one took notes on what was happening. We are anticipating them showing up again this year. We don’t see them as violent people, so we think they will just show up to see what’s going on.”

Petty said James Hartline, a local proponent of the ex-gay movement, was one of the most outspoken people in opposition last year. She described how he came to the San Diego City Council after Youth Pride took place to protest the 7-0 decision to issue a resolution proclaiming May 1, 2004, as San Diego Youth Pride Day.

Petty said Youth Pride is obtaining

another proclamation this year from Councilmember Toni Atkins’ office to declare Saturday, May 14, as the official Youth Pride Day.

Last year Hartline and San Diego News Notes reporter Allyson Smith claimed that as Christians and heterosexuals they were denied entrance to the festival and were considering a lawsuit against the city for allowing discriminatory acts on public property.

Hartline criticized Update in his e-mail, calling it “a homosexual newspaper that contains dozens of advertisements for graphic sex, male prostitution, oral copulation, anal intercourse and disease-filled bathhouses.”

Hartline would not comment directly to the Gay & Lesbian Times about his e-mail and views on Youth Pride, referring all comments to his lawyer.

“It is time that the madness stops,” Hartline wrote in his e-mail. “It is time to tell the radical homosexual agenda that they cannot have our kids. No longer will they be given a ‘blank check’ to indoctrinate our vulnerable teenagers into lesbianism, gender confusion, and anal intercourse. IT MUST STOP, NOW!!!”

Hartline also objected to Youth Pride being held on public, tax-funded property.

“Tell the City of San Diego to STOP the allowing of public property to be used for the mixing of adults with minors in this vile youth party! Tell the city of San Diego to stop letting adults put their hands on our kids’ minds,” he wrote.

Poway High School’s jazz and hip-hop dance teams had been booked to perform at Youth Pride this year, but assistant principal Kelly Burke informed Youth Pride on April 26 that Poway High would not be participating in the event.

Petty has not been given a clear explanation as to why the school pulled out of the event.

“The only kind of thing that we want on our end of things is we really haven’t been given a direct reason why they couldn’t come now,” she said. “Having spoken with the assistant principal and taken those measures to invite them and explain to them what the event was about and ensure none of the kids were going to get hurt – we still haven’t been really given a reason why they can’t come.”

Poway High School spokesperson Sharon Raffer did not respond to two calls placed by the Gay & Lesbian Times seeking comment.

The Youth Pride theme this year is “Operation Queer Freedom: Seeking Weapons of Mass Acceptance.”

Musicians Alicia Champion, Kevin Wood, The New Dadaists and Figment are scheduled to play at the May 14 Youth Pride festival. Five awards will be distributed at the event honoring outstanding community youth activists, outstanding community youth groups, a youth-friendly community member, an awareness award and an outstanding school group/GSA. The festival is restricted to youth ages 14-24, with one adult or parent permitted per youth guest. Admission is free.

Family OUTing is an all-ages community event which takes place on Friday, May 13, and features youth theater performances, art exhibits, food and refreshments, and a keynote speaker from the community who has yet to be determined.

“That was something we implemented last year after there was a showing of adult allies in the community who wanted to be involved, but obviously couldn’t go to the 14 to 24 festival,” Petty said.