Published: October 15, 2008 04:00 am         

Peaceful protest at SUCO

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By Denise Richardson
Staff Writer

Hundreds of students at the State University College at Oneonta chanted "Love is love'' and shouted "Go home'' Tuesday to a father-daughter team preaching that Jesus Christ can save homosexuals.

Jim Deferio, of Syracuse, and his daughter, Michelle, held signs in the campus quad and quoted stories and scriptures from the Bible. They attracted several listeners after arriving at about noon, students said, and the gathering quickly grew to hundreds as students heard about the rally through phone calls and text messages, and as they walked through the quad between classes.

Deferio's sign said, "Thousands of ex-homosexuals have experienced the life-changing love of Jesus Christ."

During the first hour, Deferio cautioned a protester to ``get your sign out of my face,'' and several students and administrators were heard cautioning students not to touch Deferio or his daughter or even brush against them because it could used in a lawsuit. Students objected to Deferio's use of a camera to videotape them.

Student protesters were encouraged to turn their backs toward Deferio in symbolic rejection and hold high their signs of opposition.

``Stay calm, relaxed,'' a protester said. ``All we have to do is show we have strength.''

Deferio said he was at the State University at Albany on Monday, and that campus was ``more tolerant'' than the SUCO community. He notified SUCO officials he would be at the campus Tuesday for a ``gospel outreach.'' Michelle Deferio, in talking with a student, said neither she nor her father said they hated homosexuals and that sentiment was an interpretation by students.

But several students, while affirming freedom of speech, said they were offended by the tone of Deferio's message, based on sexual orientation and religious grounds.

``I feel I'm being judged for who I love,'' said Chris Spicer, Open Minded Unity vice president and a SUCO junior who said he is gay. ``I was taught as a child to love everyone.''

Lauren McGee, a SUCO junior and president of OMU, a gay-straight alliance, said the Deferios' presence was an emotional threat to some students.

``It's very difficult for many to handle the situation,'' McGee said. ``It doesn't make it a very safe environment on campus.''

Robin Nussbaum, coordinator of the gender and sexuality resource center at SUCO, stood in front of Deferio to lead the protest.

``I'm trying to encourage peaceful, respectful counter-protest,'' she said.

Two students held banners with gay-pride rainbow colors, and others made impromptu signs saying ``God is love;" ``Think about the voices you are not hearing today;'' "Support diversity _ end hatred;" ``It takes all kinds to make the world;'' and ``God made me gay.''

Some other students applauded the turnout opposing the Deferios, and were happy to see students standing up for something.

``I'm proud of my campus,'' Brandie Finger, a SUCO senior majoring in education, said as she walked through the crowd.

``It's really good to show different opinions,'' Lauren Christian, a senior earth-sciences major, said while watching the rally with two other students.

Campus resources and programs support diversity and work to prevent racism, sexism and other biases, they said, noting that the college's Red Dragon mascot ``popped out'' of a closet during recent Coming Out Day activities.

``Most people aren't afraid of coming out,'' said Samuel Alaimo, a senior majoring in anthropology.

SUCO President Nancy Kleniewski said the Deferios have the right to speak and were given permission to preach. She refused to ``get involved in the substance'' of the dialogue, but said she went outside during lunch time to see the activity, which she said was usual.

A line of students tried to use a sheet to obscure Deferio's sign, but Deferio towered over the crowd as he stood on the highest tier of landscaped seating in the quad. For at least two hours, Deferio, surrounded by more than 50 students, shouted that Jesus saves sinners.

``You need a savior _ someone who hasn't sinned,'' Deferio told the crowd. ``Don't try to be an illegal alien in God's kingdom.''

But his words often were drowned out by individuals shouting back or by the chanting crowd.

Deferio has been ``making the rounds'' on SUNY campuses, said Barton R. Ingersoll, chief of University Police and associate vice president at SUCO. Tuesday's gathering at SUCO was the largest protest since he joined the college 15 years ago, Ingersoll said. The most recent protest had been six or seven years ago, involving about 10 people objecting to the food service before the current operator started.

On Tuesday, one or two university officers stood in or near the crowd, and Ingersoll, who also watched the demonstrators, said police were present to make sure people had a chance to speak and that their rights were protected.

The rally ended at about 5:30 p.m. without incident, University Police said.

Larry Curran, of SUCO Campus Ministry, said Deferio's activity was political and not an experience that connects people with the spirituality of God. The students' ``peaceful, non-reactive response'' to Deferio was ``fabulous,'' Curran said during the rally Tuesday.

``How can you not be proud of people who are saying `Love is love,''' Curran said. ``You don't help people by condemning people. The best way to preach the gospel of Christ is to live the gospel of Christ _ we need a society of true tolerance, not lip service.''

Mike Farmer told the crowd he was a 1981 graduate of SUCO and he was pleased to see the student turnout Tuesday. In an interview later, Farmer said his experience as a fundamentalist Christian probably prompts more compassion than others have for Deferio. Farmer said he used to be like Deferio until he began studying the New Testament on his own, began asking questions and was kicked out of two fundamentalist churches.

``We're all expressions of God _ everyone,'' Farmer said.

He and his wife, Dannette, just happened to be visiting the campus from their Montana home, he said.

``I'm so impressed _ this is my college,'' he said. ``I'm amazed at how many people are out, standing up for their gay brothers and sisters.''