Figure skater Adam Rippon, who is reportedly the first openly homosexual athlete to qualify for the Olympics from the United States, on Tuesday denounced the White House decision to select Vice President Mike Pence for heading the country's delegation to the South Korean Winter Olympics. Rippon, 28, who was selected to the Olympic team this month, said, “You mean Mike Pence, the same Mike Pence that funded gay conversion therapy? … I’m not buying it,” USA Today reported. Rippon added he would prefer not meeting Pence during the usual meet-and-greet session between the official delegation and the athletes, which takes place before the Olympics opening ceremony, the report said. “If it were before my event, I would absolutely not go out of my way to meet somebody who I felt has gone out of their way to not only show that they aren’t a friend of a gay person but that they think that they’re sick. … I wouldn’t go out of my way to … [Read more...] about Adam Rippon, Gay Figure Skater, Unhappy About Mike Pence Heading Olympic Delegation
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Gay Olympic skater Adam Rippon isn’t happy with the choice of Mike Pence to lead U.S. delegation
Figure skater Adam Rippon is not happy with the choice of Vice President Mike Pence to lead the U.S. delegation to the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, next month. “You mean Mike Pence, the same Mike Pence that funded gay conversion therapy?” Rippon said during an interview with USA Today on Tuesday. “I’m not buying it.” Rippon, a first-time Olympian who came out as gay in late 2015, is referring to a statement Pence made on his congressional campaign website in 2000: “Resources should be directed toward those institutions which provide assistance to those seeking to change their sexual behavior.” Many have interpreted that comment to be in support of gay conversion therapy, although a Pence spokesperson told the New York Times in November 2016 that Pence does not support the practice. On Wednesday, Alyssa Farah, press secretary for the vice president, responded to the allegation that Pence supports conversion therapy. … [Read more...] about Gay Olympic skater Adam Rippon isn’t happy with the choice of Mike Pence to lead U.S. delegation
Rippon rips pick of VP Mike Pence to lead U.S. Olympic delegation
Olympian Adam Rippon doesn't think Vice President Mike Pence is the right man for the job. Rippon, the 2016 U.S. figure skating champion and an openly gay member of the American team heading to South Korea for the Winter Games, is not a fan of the White House's pick to lead the official U.S. Olympic delegation next month. "You mean Mike Pence, the same Mike Pence that funded gay conversion therapy?" Rippon asked when interviewed by USA TODAY Sports' Christine Brennan. Rippon, who finished fourth at the recent U.S. national championships, wasn't shy about voicing his opinion. Katie Couric to co-host Winter Olympics opening ceremony for NBC "I don't think (Pence) has a real concept of reality," Rippon told USA TODAY Sports. "To stand by some of the things that Donald Trump has said and for Mike Pence to say he's a devout Christian man is completely contradictory. If he's okay with what's being said about people and Americans and foreigners and about different countries that are … [Read more...] about Rippon rips pick of VP Mike Pence to lead U.S. Olympic delegation
Gay Olympian Adam Rippon blasts selection of Mike Pence to lead U.S. delegation
Adam Rippon, the 2016 U.S. men’s figure skating champion who is believed to be the first openly gay U.S. Winter Olympian, criticized the White House’s selection of Vice President Mike Pence to lead the 2018 U.S. Olympic delegation to South Korea in a phone interview with USA TODAY Sports Tuesday night.“You mean Mike Pence, the same Mike Pence that funded gay conversion therapy?” Rippon said. “I’m not buying it.”Rippon, 28, who was selected to his first Olympic team earlier this month after finishing fourth at the U.S. national championships, said that he would prefer not to meet Pence during the traditional meet-and-greet between the official delegation and U.S. athletes in the hours leading to the opening ceremony. It’s possible Rippon would have to miss that event anyway to be part of the team figure skating competition. More: Coming out changes the game for Olympian Gus Kenworthy More: North and South Korea agree to … [Read more...] about Gay Olympian Adam Rippon blasts selection of Mike Pence to lead U.S. delegation
Varvel: How Mike Pence can help persecuted Christians
"Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Matthew 5:10-12Vice President Mike Pence's visit to Israel, Egypt and Jordan comes after recent reports on the fate of Christians worldwide.The situation is bad. Very bad. According to Open Doors USA, a Christian watchdog organization, about 215 million Christians face persecution because of their faith. Each month on average, 322 Christians are killed, 772 Christians suffer various forms of violence, and 214 churches and Christian properties are destroyed. Unfortunately, this travesty is going unnoticed here in the land of religious freedom. While we focus on fake missile warnings and unpresidential … [Read more...] about Varvel: How Mike Pence can help persecuted Christians