The Orbis

Students, faculty and staff have formed a campus-wide organization that creates an alliance among gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, questioning and straight, naming the organization GLBTQS Alliance for Progress (GAP). GAP's first campus program will be a Gay Marriage Documentary Clash and Debate.

Sam Jones, chair of the event, explains that the program intends to create a safe space on campus for people to learn about opposing viewpoints on gay marriage through informed dialogue, in a reasonable setting. In this spirit, Jones encourages students, faculty and staff who disagree or agree with gay marriage to attend an intellectually honest debate.

The documentary viewing and debate will be held at Sarratt Cinema on Monday, Oct. 4 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. GAP will be screening a 35 minute "documentary clash" edited by Robert Cox. Cox has worked to edit portions of two opposing documentaries: "I Can't Marry You" and "I Do Exist."

After the "documentary clash," community leaders and experts will debate the cases both for and against gay marriage.

Joe Bass of WRVU will moderate a debate between two pro gay marriage and two anti gay marriage community leaders and activists. Randy Hicks, President of the Georgia Family Council, and Larry Crain, attorney with Brentwood Law Offices, will be speaking against same-sex marriage. Hedy Weinberg, Executive Director of the Tennessee ACLU, and Victor Anderson, professor at Vanderbilt University Divinity School, will be speaking as advocates of same-sex marriage.

Jones says, "We have organized the debate to produce the most intellectually stimulating clash possible. The Tennessee Eagle Forum helped us find the best anti gay marriage speakers, and the Nashville Association of Professional Persons helped us find the best pro gay marriage speakers."

After Bass poses several pre-planned questions, audience members will be welcome to ask questions. The event ends at 9:00 p.m., and wedding cake will be served.

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