s/o GHC convention

[momofkhm]

I thought the Great Homeschool Convention was the "ok" one and the spin off "Teach Them Diligently" was the one where Ken Ham, et all went.

 

Yeah, TTD has Ken Ham listed as a speaker. I thought TTD was the one that was the whole 7 day creation, young earth, must conform to us group of people.

 

Then the GHC people were much more inclusive. I guess things change quickly.

 

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. Now I'm glad I signed up for the state one after all. They aren't perfect for sure. (I tell everyone who asks if you aren't somewhat conservative Christian, you won't fit in.) But at least it's the beast I know.

[Mrs Mungo]

TTD is where Ken Ham and company went. Apparently GHC has decided that it is best to tick off *everybody* versus making *anybody* happy? Doesn't seem like good business to me.

[radiobrain]

GHC is attempting to be inclusive. However, they are still very YE.

 

Look at the "convention philosophy" under their about section.

http://www.greathomeschoolconventions.com/convention-philosophy

 

They do have many secular/educational vendors/speakers.

 

They also have a LOT of Christian and YE vendors.

[Avila]

TTD is where Ken Ham and company went. Apparently GHC has decided that it is best to tick off *everybody* versus making *anybody* happy? Doesn't seem like good business to me.

 

Yes. This.

 

And another board I am on is very ticked that GHC allowed Jack Chick tracts to be sent home in the offical welcome bags. I cannot imagine why they would do that, other than to let Catholics know that they really are not welcome at the conference. ugh.

[melissel]

I WANT to believe this:

 

GHC is attempting to be inclusive.

 

But it still seems more like this:

 

TTD is where Ken Ham and company went. Apparently GHC has decided that it is best to tick off *everybody* versus making *anybody* happy? Doesn't seem like good business to me.

 

:glare: It will be very interesting to see what comes up next year, eh?

[Mrs Mungo]

Yes. This.

 

And another board I am on is very ticked that GHC allowed Jack Chick tracts to be sent home in the vendor bags. I cannot imagine why they would do that, other than to let Catholics knownthat they really are not welcome at the conference. ugh.

 

:001_huh: Are you serious? That is honestly, quite shocking for any group that claims to be even a teeny bit inclusive. Those tracts are full of so many lies. It really disgusts me.

[Mrs Mungo]

GHC is attempting to be inclusive. However, they are still very YE.

 

Look at the "convention philosophy" under their about section.

http://www.greathomeschoolconventions.com/convention-philosophy

 

They do have many secular/educational vendors/speakers.

 

Vendors, yes, especially big companies. Speakers, not so much this year. That's why I didn't go.

[Avila]

:001_huh: Are you serious? That is honestly, quite shocking for any group that claims to be even a teeny bit inclusive. Those tracts are full of so many lies. It really disgusts me.

 

I am completely serious. Three or four people from the list so far have found them and complained to GHC.

 

And my original post misspoke. It was the official welcome bags put out by GHC that the tracts were put in.

Edited April 24, 2012 by Asenik

[melissel]

I am completely serious. Three or four people from the list so far have found them and complained to GHC.

 

Sebastian (a lady) just posted about it on another thread. Ugh.

[Lang Syne Boardie]

Yes. This.

 

And another board I am on is very ticked that GHC allowed Jack Chick tracts to be sent home in the offical welcome bags. I cannot imagine why they would do that, other than to let Catholics know that they really are not welcome at the conference. ugh.

 

:001_huh: Are you serious? That is honestly, quite shocking for any group that claims to be even a teeny bit inclusive. Those tracts are full of so many lies. It really disgusts me.

 

I am very, very shocked.

 

I am trying to imagine what I would do if I were sitting in the hall, waiting for the opening and first speaker, casually flipping through my welcome packet and chatting with those around me...and coming across a Jack Chick tract.

 

How offensive and wrong.

[radiobrain]

Again, just to clarify....

 

This is what came in my welcome package....

 

A chick tract book, like a glossy trade book, that was sealed. Not like loose chick tracts falling out. It says "Chick tracts get read" across the front with random stock photos of people on it (and a small thing about Jesuits and global warming, so I think if you find those offensive, you shouldn't bother). So basically, if you know what chick tracts are, you can choose to open it, throw it out or whatever. The actual chick tract is stapled into the booklet. You would not see it by accident.

 

Most of everything in those bags is worthless to me... I go through it and throw most right into the recycling bin.

 

As far as secular speakers....MCT, Shelagh Gallagher, Zaccaro, anyone doing something about giftedness or college prep. There were quite a few others, SWB, Janice Campbell, Lukeion, Jim Weiss, etc. who I wouldn't say are secular, but they are educationally focused. That seems like quite a few to me.

 

I feel that if we don't support the secular/educational vendors and speakers they won't want to come back, and GHC won't want to bother either. Then where are we? Most are all small family businesses. Running a convention must be insane, especially as you obviously can't keep everyone happy.

 

Sorry... this all bugs me.

 

And I don't work for the convention.... I have only tried as hard as I can as one person in her house, to get more secular/educational options as possible to her hometown convention. It just happens to be the hometown for GHC. Even with the small amount there, it is still worth $25 early reg. or $10 vendor hall, IMHO. I don't expect anyone to cater to my weird whims.

Edited April 24, 2012 by radiobrain

[melissel]

Again, just to clarify....

 

This is what came in my welcome package....

 

A chick tract book, like a glossy trade book, that was sealed. Not like loose chick tracts falling out. It says "Chick tracts get read" across the front with random stock photos of people on it (and a small thing about Jesuits and global warming, so I think if you find those offensive, you shouldn't bother). So basically, if you know what chick tracts are, you can choose to open it, throw it out or whatever. The actual chick tract is stapled into the booklet. You would not see it by accident.

 

Most of everything in those bags is worthless to me... I go through it and throw most right into the recycling bin.

 

As far as secular speakers....MCT, Shelagh Gallagher, Zaccaro, anyone doing something about giftedness or college prep. There were quite a few others, SWB, Janice Campbell, Lukeion, Jim Weiss, etc. who I wouldn't say are secular, but they are educationally focused. That seems like quite a few to me.

 

I feel that if we don't support the secular/educational vendors and speakers they won't want to come back, and GHC won't want to bother either. Then where are we? Most are all small family businesses. Running a convention must be insane, especially as you obviously can't keep everyone happy.

 

Sorry... this all bugs me.

 

And I don't work for the convention.... I have only tried as hard as I can as one person in her house, to get more secular/educational options as possible to her hometown convention. It just happens to be the hometown for GHC. Even with the small amount there, it is still worth $25 early reg. or $10 vendor hall, IMHO. I don't expect anyone to cater to my weird whims.

 

I hear you. I really do. I want, so badly, to go to the Hartford conference. I'm an atheist, so attending the conference would already be difficult for me. What happened last year left a bad taste, and I still suspect that they canceled the Northeast conference because of the kerfluffle and not because of the venue, in spite of claims to the contrary, so that's part of it too. Also, the fact that there's still no actual schedule posted is irritating the heck out of me. I kinda have plans to make, and I need to know some details. But I still hoped to find the money to go until this last Bravewriter thing just really, really turned me off.

 

Believe me, I want to support a conference that claims to value diversity. But it doesn't feel like GHC values diversity. It feels more like they barely tolerate it as long as they make money off it.

[momofkhm]

Apparently GHC has decided that it is best to tick off *everybody* versus making *anybody* happy? Doesn't seem like good business to me.

 

:iagree:

 

Thanks. I thought I was on the right track.

[JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst]

I am completely serious. Three or four people from the list so far have found them and complained to GHC.

 

And my original post misspoke. It was the official welcome bags put out by GHC that the tracts were put in.

 

Ayup--and once I get everyone at home back on track my complaint letter will be going in as well!

[mommymilkies]

I am completely serious. Three or four people from the list so far have found them and complained to GHC.

 

And my original post misspoke. It was the official welcome bags put out by GHC that the tracts were put in.

 

Yes, I received one and put it straight into the trash. It was quite disturbing to me.

[QuirkyKapers]

Now I have to go check my welcome bag. I really didn't even look at any of it. I looked and there wasn't any in my packet. I am very disappointed that they were in other peoples. I am going to still let them know that is unacceptable to me.

Edited April 24, 2012 by QuirkyKapers

[Susan Wise Bauer]

I never picked up a welcome bag and am completely appalled (and embarrassed) that I was associated with a conference that would do this.

 

Thanks for alerting me so that I can follow up.

 

SWB

Edited April 24, 2012 by Susan Wise Bauer
Because I can't spell

[Lang Syne Boardie]

radiobrain, I think you're being too generous. Disliking the presence of Chick material is not a weird whim, or a necessary evil to be endured as a non-likeminded person at a Christian-sponsored event.

 

Really, most of the people expressing disgust on this thread are Christians. We'd never tolerate this if we were in charge. Surely there are only a few people or groups that don't see Jack Chick "teaching" and Westboro Baptist church as being two peas in a pod and not representative of Christian belief.

 

At least, that's what I want to believe, so if I'm wrong nobody tell me.

 

(IAHE was kind of strange this year. Nothing overtly anti-Catholic, and slightly less patriarchal than usual, but the tone was...militant. Lots of revisionist history and promotion of the NRA.)

[Mrs Mungo]

I never picked up a welcome bag and am completely appalled (and embarrassed) that I was associated with a conference that would do this.

 

Thanks for alerting me so that I can follow up.

 

SWB

 

I don't even know how to articulate how...disheartening I find the current attitude of certain factions. It fosters so much division in the church-at-large, in the homeschooling community and in our country. :(

[Mrs Mungo]

Really, most of the people expressing disgust on this thread are Christians. We'd never tolerate this if we were in charge.

 

Right. I wonder, however, if those in charge knew? I will say that for large volunteer give-aways, I have had tons of donations that I never really saw until we were actually packing the giveaway bags. I would really like to give them the benefit of the doubt. But...and again, this is hard to articulate...it seems like in order to be both "inclusive" and "Christian" that they are feeling pressure to bend over backwards to accommodate that latter label?

[Farrar]

I see what you're saying, but when we know that the GHC people have been trying to control their message and not inviting people back based on things that even they seem to admit have nothing to do with their curricula or positions as speakers, then it's hard not to see them allowing this nonsense into the welcome bags as an actual endorsement. I think it would be a lot less offensive if they really were just letting anyone put anything in.

 

But even then... there's a line somewhere, right? These things are full of lies. Even many fundamentalist Christians don't want to associate themselves with these things.

 

And thanks to SWB for trying to help stem the tide against this sort of thing!

 

Again, just to clarify....

 

This is what came in my welcome package....

 

A chick tract book, like a glossy trade book, that was sealed. Not like loose chick tracts falling out. It says "Chick tracts get read" across the front with random stock photos of people on it (and a small thing about Jesuits and global warming, so I think if you find those offensive, you shouldn't bother). So basically, if you know what chick tracts are, you can choose to open it, throw it out or whatever. The actual chick tract is stapled into the booklet. You would not see it by accident.

 

Most of everything in those bags is worthless to me... I go through it and throw most right into the recycling bin.

 

As far as secular speakers....MCT, Shelagh Gallagher, Zaccaro, anyone doing something about giftedness or college prep. There were quite a few others, SWB, Janice Campbell, Lukeion, Jim Weiss, etc. who I wouldn't say are secular, but they are educationally focused. That seems like quite a few to me.

 

I feel that if we don't support the secular/educational vendors and speakers they won't want to come back, and GHC won't want to bother either. Then where are we? Most are all small family businesses. Running a convention must be insane, especially as you obviously can't keep everyone happy.

 

Sorry... this all bugs me.

 

And I don't work for the convention.... I have only tried as hard as I can as one person in her house, to get more secular/educational options as possible to her hometown convention. It just happens to be the hometown for GHC. Even with the small amount there, it is still worth $25 early reg. or $10 vendor hall, IMHO. I don't expect anyone to cater to my weird whims.

[elegantlion]

I have now unliked GHC on facebook, following the lead of another poster. The Julie Bogart issue was bad enough, backroom politics, but the chicktrack just makes me feel icky. :glare:

[JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst]

Right. I wonder, however, if those in charge knew? I will say that for large volunteer give-aways, I have had tons of donations that I never really saw until we were actually packing the giveaway bags. I would really like to give them the benefit of the doubt. But...and again, this is hard to articulate...it seems like in order to be both "inclusive" and "Christian" that they are feeling pressure to bend over backwards to accommodate that latter label?

 

While it is certainly possible that they contracted these gift bags from a third party, I would argue that if they will determine the participation of a vendor or speaker by spending the time to read an associated blog they could spend 10 minutes or less to check the contents of those bags before placing them on a table and directing all attendees to that table.

[radiobrain]

Well I am an Agnostic, who is as close to being an Atheist as you can get w/o going there. I am married to a Catholic. I was raised in a huge city going to a progressive private school that was probably 80% Jewish. I was raised by an anarchist Atheist father and a wishy washy agnostic, now lutheran (? I don't really know) mother. I am a secular homeschooler who is not an unschooler. I a secular homeschooler/artist/musician who is not a liberal. I am also not specifically a conservative. I am used to being the minority in any room I am in.

 

I generally try not to be judgmental wherever I am, and overlook a lot of crap because if I didn't my life would be very difficult.

 

Maybe as I have zero religious POV to plumb, I have no place inthis conversation. I always looked at chick tracts as a joke... like "what a bunch of crazies" much like I would with Heaven's Gate, westboro baptist, Jonestown, Kim Jong Il, or other groups I think are not right.

 

As far as "weird whim" that had to do with my personal idea of a good convention, not whatever you think I meant. ;)

 

 

BTW, last year I remember checking on that venue hall and yes, they did suddenly close it.

 

I am done with this argument. I don't know why I bother.

Edited April 24, 2012 by radiobrain

[Mynyel]

I am in a agreement. After last year I felt odd even going to the convention in Greeneville but I wanted to see Demme.

 

Next year the GHC is off the radar. I will be going to the state one here or none at all.

 

Humph... too bad we can't have a WTM convention! :)

[dsmith]

What the heck were they thinking?!? I can't imagine how infuriated I would be if I opened a welcome bag and saw THAT disgusting piece of filth! Shame on them!

 

 

Yes. This.

 

And another board I am on is very ticked that GHC allowed Jack Chick tracts to be sent home in the offical welcome bags. I cannot imagine why they would do that, other than to let Catholics know that they really are not welcome at the conference. ugh.

[tkeller]

Not getting involved, but wanted to add I went to the conference and didn't get that in my bag. Just got the program, and the rhino technologies order sheet and a couple book marks. Maybe it was slipped in some of the bags but not others without them knowing.

[at the beach]

Not getting involved, but wanted to add I went to the conference and didn't get that in my bag. Just got the program, and the rhino technologies order sheet and a couple book marks. Maybe it was slipped in some of the bags but not others without them knowing.

 

It wasn't in the program bag they handed out when you paid your $/checked in. It was in the bags that were in the vendor hall. Totally different bag. I got both bags.

Edited April 25, 2012 by Violet

[Scuff]

Who is Jack Chick and why is he offensive?

[Mrs Mungo]

Who is Jack Chick and why is he offensive?

 

http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0071/0071_01.asp

[KnitWit]

Words fail me. Chick tracts??

[Sebastian (a lady)]

I understand what you're saying about trying to move an existing, available conference in a good direction. To the extent that your voice helped to get vendors and speakers in the hall that might not have otherwise been there, thank you. I appreciate the effort and input you were able to give.

 

It's not that I'm wanting to throw the baby out with the bath water. But I am wanting to not be a member of the silent majority who thinks that something is wrong, but doesn't speak out.

 

As I said in another post (possibly in another thread), I regret that I didn't get up right away when I saw the catalog and find someone in authority so they could be removed from the remaining bags. There didn't seem to be anything other than the registration tables, but I also didn't put much effort into it other than keeping it to complain about later.

 

So for that, shame on me. I shouldn't have stayed silent then.

 

I think it must be very hard to organize a convention like this. There are so many groups/factions/entities who are ready to condemn opinions that they don't share. (I think the tract catalog goes beyond this line; I'm thinking of issues like classical vs character based, rigorous vs child led, YEC vs OEC vs theistic evolution vs evolution, etc.)

 

Overall I'm glad that I went to the conference. Dr. Reynolds was a firecracker. Jim Weiss could read a grocery list and it would be like Balm in Gilead to listen to him. Susan Wise Bauer made me laugh in one session and want to sob tears of both joy and repentance in another (we even managed a whole 50 minutes of lifegiving naptime this afternoon). Todd Wilson had me laughing so hard I couldn't see (while he was pointing out some real rough edges and flaws).

 

I'm not wanting to cast them out of the camp or dust my feet off and head off to some other conference. But I do feel like I ought not stay silent.

[forty-two]

See, I'm not offended to be *given* a Chick tract - they are so horrifying as to be entertaining. But I'd be completely mortified to be *associated* with Chick tracts.

 

And I am really disquieted by how more inclusive Christian hs'ing leaders/conventions/curricula seem to be moving toward more militantish exclusivity - it seems to be a quiet trend, as inclusive groups get taken over by the un-inclusive people they allow in their big tent. Or enough of the rank and file who just want to be Christian get taken in by the loud "this is how to be Christian" groups when they are part of the big tent, and then push for the inclusive Christian groups to be less so. I don't know what's to be done about that.

[Blueridge]

Words fail me. Chick tracts??

 

As they advertise on their website..."Everyone loves Chick tracts!" :tongue_smilie: I haven't seen these in years and years, but I remember how frightening and mean (and such ugly artwork!) they were. Appalling.

[KnitWit]

As they advertise on their website..."Everyone loves Chick tracts!" :tongue_smilie: I haven't seen these in years and years, but I remember how frightening and mean (and such ugly artwork!) they were. Appalling.

 

This is what I remember from my childhood Independent Baptist Church where we were given these to pass out. They were horrid!

[Shannon in TN]

I have now unliked GHC on facebook, following the lead of another poster. The Julie Bogart issue was bad enough, backroom politics, but the chicktrack just makes me feel icky. :glare:

 

Not to hijack, but I haven't unfriended Midwest Ghc yet on FB and they posted a pic of inspirational words - i'll have to cut/past bc I'm using my phone - but someone in their comments mentioned the tracks and Ghc responded that they are investigating. Others have mentioned how they treated JB, and to please explain. Seems crazy they would post this:

 

"Before you assume, learn the facts

Before you judge, understand why

Before you hurt someone, feel

Before you speak, think"

[Holly IN]

(IAHE was kind of strange this year. Nothing overtly anti-Catholic, and slightly less patriarchal than usual, but the tone was...militant. Lots of revisionist history and promotion of the NRA.)

 

Are you from Indiana? Just curious about this year's convention?? I never went this year or for the last 4 years due to the patriarchial beliefs they hold.

 

Holly

[Holly IN]

I pitched the chick flick. Didn't make a fuss. Just pitched it as I thought it was creepy.

 

I like GHC. I do not know what they did last year or this year. I probably won't like what they will do next year. I however like them better than IAHE!! So I had to do the "choosing" game each year and GHC won every time. Since last year I didn't like what they have done but at least they are not patriarchial in nature that my own state convention is.

Just pitch what you do not like in your bag. I did. Yes the chick flick came in the bag that the check in desk told me to pick up. Yes they should have checked it closer!! No harm done for me as I just pitched it!

 

Holly

[Susan Wise Bauer]

Received this from GHC, FYI...

 

***QUOTE TILL END OF POST***

 

The following is an email response we sent to a couple of our Catholic friends / attendees that wrote to us:

 

Thank you SO MUCH for bringing this to our attention, and please accept our sincere apologies!

 

 

 

These “convention bags” were provided by a third party company, Great Stuff Convention Bags. As many homeschool conventions use their services, and as we had used them several years ago without incident, we did not review the materials in the bags prior to their distribution.

 

 

 

As you may or may not be aware, we have “Featured” convention speakers that are Catholic. And, our friend and advisor, Attorney David Gibbs III, represented Terri Schaivo’s parents (also Catholic) in their fight to save her life. Please know that we were equally shocked and disappointed. We have contacted the convention bag company, and instructed them to remove this from our convention bags for the upcoming events in California and Connecticut.

 

 

 

Again, our sincere apologies! We’ll take extra care to ensure that something such as this does not happen again.

 

 

 

================================================

 

The following is from our MidWest FB page:

 

Eva Roll Loved the conference and found great resources. Hated to find the Jack Chick catalog in my hand- out bag. Prejudice isn't Christian and he has so distorted the truth about the Catholic church it has bred much prejudice. By the way on pg32 he criticizes Billy Graham... Please get rid of this hand out for future conferences.

17 hours ago · Like

MidWest Homeschool Convention in Cincinnati ‎Eva Roll - Our apologies! A 3rd party company does those hand-out bags, and does so for a lot of homeschool events. We've already had that material removed for our future conventions. We'll be more careful as we move forward. Again, please accept our sincere apologies!

5 hours ago · Like

 

Eva Roll Thanks so much for removing the Jack Chick hand outs. I appreciate your attention to this matter! God Bless.

3 hours ago ·

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[iquilt]

Thank you for posting this clarification SWB.