'Homo Depot'? Chain hosts kiddie crafts at 'gay' fests

Is Home Depot seeking to introduce children to the homosexual lifestyle?

The home-improvement giant has sponsored yet another "gay" pride event and provided children's craft workshops "in the midst of loud and boisterous gay activities" at the 2010 Southern Maine Pride Festival in Portland, Maine, according to the American Family Association.

Home Depot logo spotted in numerous locations at 2010 Southern Maine Pride Festival in Portland. (Photo: Southern Maine Pride public Facebook page)

"The worst offense is that Home Depot has set up kids' workshops at these gay-pride festivals," explains AFA's director of special projects. "These are events that have loud, boisterous homosexual activists making their voices heard – and Home Depot is putting money behind setting up kids' booths at these kinds of events."

In a form letter to Home Depot, AFA tells the company its inclusion of children's activities at homosexual events is "irresponsible" and encourages children's attendance.

"Thus, they will likely be exposed to unhealthy and risky environments," it states. "I'm imploring you to put the safety and well-being of children first by not sponsoring or participating in homosexual events."

In photos of the June 19 Maine festival, Home Depot's logo can be spotted on plastic cups, "My toy store" bumper stickers and aprons. People wearing Home Depot aprons sat on a float above a large and prominently placed placard of a Home Depot orange race car.

Home Depot is also listed alongside Bank of America on the Southern Maine Pride's sponsor page.

Family wears Home Depot aprons and carries Bank of America balloon at 2010 Southern Maine Pride Festival (Photo: Southern Maine Pride public
Facebook page)

WND's messages left with Home Depot's corporate office were not returned.

Even Organizing for America – the network of activists that grew out of President Obama's 2008 campaign – hosted a table at the "gay" parade. An announcement from the organization explained, "We're looking for volunteers to join us in engaging the community about the importance of equality issues such as the repeal of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' extending benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees and supporting the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act."

Photos of the event [Warning: parental discretion advised] from various photographers show scantily clad men dressed only in brightly colored underwear briefs or unbuttoned shorts as they celebrated aboard parade floats.

Other men dressed in flamboyant women's clothing, and one impersonating a Catholic nun marched and carried a sign that read, "All acts of love and pleasure are my rituals."

"Gay-pride events have a long track record for offensive public displays of homosexual conduct," AFA noted in an action alert. "Obviously, Home Depot is OK with the idea of exposing children to an unhealthy and risky environment. So much so, it is willing to also celebrate it by participating in its promotion."

The Southern Maine Pride website lists a number of parade march rules, warning participants to observe state obscenity statutes and Portland's public-decency ordinances.

"Southern Maine Pride does not regulate or censor dress or behavior," the group adds. "However, the City of Portland does."

Children participate in "pride" celebration. (Photo: Southern Maine Pride)

(Photo: Southern Maine Pride)

The group welcomes "serious and comic male and female impersonations" but prohibits "sexual paraphernalia, genital or phallic representations and real or simulated sex acts."

Home Depot is said to have a history of support for pro-homosexual events.

In 2009, Home Depot contributed more than $5,000 to the Nashville Gay Pride festival, One News Now reported. The retailer also conducted the children's craft workshops at a special booth there.

According to the report, Home Depot has sponsored similar children's activities at homosexual affairs in Atlanta, Kansas City, Durham, Portland and San Diego.

Home Depot was also named in a list of event participants for the Boston Pride 2010 parade on June 12.

Home Depot, a company that offers health-care benefits to employees' same-sex partners, also supports seven of its own "affinity groups," or "teams of people who come together around a single aspect of diversity to take action that supports the company's business objectives and policies."

A listing of those groups on Home Depot's website includes "The Home Depot Pride (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender)."

"[C]elebrating diversity and practicing inclusion are not only nice to do – these goals are necessary to stay competitive," the Home Depot explains. "Today's market is as diverse as it's ever been."

AFA spokesman Randy Sharp told One News Now, "You know, it's very simple. Home Depot should be like a lot of Fortune 500 companies and simply remain neutral in the culture war – don't give money, don't give vehicles, don't lend employee support to homosexual activities on Main Street USA."

(Editor's note: Concerned individuals may contact Home Depot's corporate office at (770) 433-8211 or (800) 430-3376, fax: (770) 384-2356 or e-mail Home Depot consumer affairs.)

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