>>THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA COLLEGE OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES, THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, THE OFFICE OF UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH.

BY KROLL: A DIVISION OF DUFF & PHELPS, AND BY SUSAN L. GALLAGHER.

A COMPLETE LIST OF FUNDERS IS AVAILABLE AT APTONLINE.ORG AND THECOMMITTEEDOCUMENTARY.ORG.

♪ MUSIC (CHUCK WOODS) THEY WERE CALLING IN STUDENTS AS WELL AS FACULTY AND STAFF, AND HARASSING THEM.

(REV.

JENSEN-FORBELL) THEY QUESTIONED ME FOR 15, 16, 17 HOURS.

I WAS THERE ALL NIGHT, TILL THE NEXT DAY.

(CHUCK WOODS) I WAS TERRIFIED WHEN THEY CALLED ME IN THERE, I JUST DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT.

I DENIED EVERYTHING, AND THAT, THAT WAS THE END OF IT.

(REV.

JENSEN-FORBELL) SO I WAS AFRAID OF EVERYTHING; WHO I TALKED TO, WHAT HAPPENED, SO I ENDED UP NOT GOING TO CLASSES.

I THOUGHT EVERYBODY WAS WATCHING ME.

[PRISON DOOR RATTLING] ♪ [LOW-KEY AMBIENT MUSIC] [AUDIENCE CHEERING] (SEN. MCCARTHY) ONE COMMUNIST ON THE FACULTY OF ONE UNIVERSITY IS ONE COMMUNIST TOO MANY!

[AUDIENCE CHEERING] (DR. FEJES) THIS SORT OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, BEGAN TO SORT OF, MERGE VERY WELL INTO THIS WHOLE NOTION IN ANOTHER POLITICAL DISCOURSE ABOUT COMMUNISM.

THE IDEAS THAT THERE WAS THIS HIDDEN COMMUNIST CONSPIRACY IN THE UNITED STATES.

AND SO IT WAS VERY EASY THEN TO SEE, UH, SORT OF EQUATE HOMOSEXUALITY WITH COMMUNISM, AND HOMOSEXUALS WITH COMMUNISTS.

THEY'RE BEING SORT OF SUBVERSIVE ELEMENTS HIDDEN IN AMERICAN SOCIETY.

(DR. GRAVES) THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE TO CONNECT HOMOSEXUALITY AND COMMUNISM, BUT IN THE COLD WAR CLIMATE, THAT IS WHAT PEOPLE DID, AND IT SOLD TO PEOPLE, AND IT WAS USED TO PUSH A CERTAIN KIND OF POLITICAL AGENDA.

♪ [LOW-KEY GUITAR MUSIC] AND THESE WERE NOT UNUSUAL IN THE COLD WAR.

THEY WERE NOT UNUSUAL AFTER THE BROWN DECISIONS.

A LOT OF STATES WERE FORMING THESE KINDS OF COMMITTEES.

(SEN. GRAHAM) CHARLEY JOHNS.

HE BECAME FOCUSED ON THE QUESTION WHETHER WITHIN THE STATE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM, THERE WERE COMMUNISTS AND HOMOSEXUALS.

HE WOULD CALL PEOPLE TO TESTIFY AND ASK VERY DIFFICULT, AND FREQUENTLY INAPPROPRIATE AND EMBARRASSING QUESTIONS.

(DR. GRAVES) THE JOHNS COMMITTEE WAS FORMED IN 1956; ITS FULL TITLE WAS THE FLORIDA LEGISLATIVE INVESTIGATION COMMITTEE, AND IT FORMED IN RESPONSE TO THE BROWN V. BOARD OF EDUCATION SUPREME COURT DECISIONS IN '54 AND '55.

AND THEIR INITIAL TARGET WAS THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS, THE NAACP, WHO WERE PUSHING FOR DESEGREGATION IN FLORIDA.

(DR. POUCHER) SO IN A PUBLIC HEARING, MEMBERS OF THE NAACP WERE ASKED IF THEY KNEW OF ANY COMMUNISTS, OR IF THERE WERE ANY COMMUNISTS IN THEIR ORGANIZATION, BECAUSE THE COMMITTEE WAS TRYING TO DISCREDIT THE NAACP BY MAKING THEM APPEAR COMMUNIST-INFLUENCED.

(SEN. JOHNS) TO MY UNDERSTANDING, AND THIS IS PURELY HEAR-SAY, THAT THIS ORGANIZATION IS ATTEMPTING TO ORGANIZE ON THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA CAMPUS, AND THE UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIES COMMITTEE HAS SAID THAT THERE'S A NUMBER OF KNOWN COMMUNISTS THAT BELONG TO THIS ORGANIZATION.

(DR. GRAVES) WELL, THE NAACP WAS VERY ORGANIZED.

THEY HAD A GREAT ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, AND THEY WERE ABLE TO MIRE THE COMMITTEE DOWN IN COURT CASES FROM '57 AND 1958.

(DR. POUCHER) SO THE COMMITTEE REALIZED THAT THEY WERE GONNA HAVE TO SHIFT THEIR FOCUS AND FIND EASIER TARGETS, OTHERWISE THEY WERE NOT GOING TO BE RENEWED OR REFUNDED BY THE LEGISLATURE.

GAYS AND LESBIANS OF COURSE WOULD NOT HAVE A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION BEHIND THEM LIKE THE NAACP.

(DR. GRAVES) THIS IS PARALLELING SOMETHING ELSE GOING ON IN THE NATIONAL CLIMATE.

THE 1950'S WERE PROBABLY THE MOST INTENSE TIME OF OPPRESSION FOR GAY AND LESBIAN PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES, AND A NUMBER OF LOCAL AREAS STARTED TO RUN RAIDS AND STING OPERATIONS AND SO FORTH TO ENTRAP CITIZENS.

(JOHN TILESTON) THERE WAS AH, CERTAIN RESTROOMS THAT WERE POPULAR IF YOU WILL, AND THEN YOU HAVE TO GO IN THERE AND CATCH THEM DOING THE ACT.

JUST IT WAS ALL VERY UNPLEASANT.

I INTERVIEWED A LOT OF PEOPLE.

"WHAT WERE YOU DOING IN THAT RESTROOM?"

"WHY WERE YOU IN THERE?"

"SO AND SO TOLD US THAT THEY HAD A HOMOSEXUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU, IS THAT TRUE?"

"YES, NO?"

THAT SORT OF THING.

(DR. GRAVES) WHEN THEY BEGAN TO ARREST PEOPLE THEY FOUND THAT THEY WERE ARRESTING TEACHERS AND THEY DISCOVERED THAT A NUMBER OF THE TEACHERS HAD GONE TO THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA.

(DR. POUCHER) R.J. STRICKLAND WAS THE CHIEF INVESTIGATOR FOR THE JOHNS COMMITTEE.

HE WAS IN THE TALLAHASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND HAD WORKED INVESTIGATING THE TALLAHASSEE BUS BOYCOTT.

(DR. GRAVES) ONE OF THE TACTICS THAT STRICKLAND PRETTY MUCH ALWAYS USED WAS TO START TRYING TO GET INFORMATION FROM PEOPLE, AND USUALLY THEY WOULD HESITATE IN VARIOUS KINDS OF WAYS.

(DR. POUCHER) HE COULD BE PRETTY RUTHLESS.

HE WOULD INTERROGATE PEOPLE LATE AT NIGHT, ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF.

HE WOULD LIE TO PEOPLE AND SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY HAD BEEN NAMED BY SOMEONE ELSE WHEN THEY ACTUALLY HADN'T.

THEY ALSO DIDN'T MIND INTERROGATING STUDENTS IN MOTEL ROOMS, AND PRESSURED THEM TO GIVE INFORMATION ABOUT OTHER STUDENTS THAT MIGHT BE GAY OR LESBIAN, OR ABOUT PROFESSORS WHO MIGHT BE GAY OR LESBIAN.

(JOHN HAYES) THE TALLAHASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS USING FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS AS INFORMERS AGAINST HOMOSEXUALS.

THE STUDENTS GET TEN DOLLARS A HEAD EVERY TIME ONE IS APPROACHED BY A SUSPECTED SEX OFFENDER.

POLICE CHIEF FRANK STOTOMAYOR FEELS IF THE STUDENTS WANT TO WORK AS INFORMERS, IT'S ALL RIGHT WITH HIM.

JOHN HAYES, CHANNEL 4 NEWS, TALLAHASSEE.

(CONGREGATION) [SINGING] ♪ NEVER KNOW HOW MUCH IT COST TO SEE ♪ ♪ MY SIN UPON THAT CROSS... ♪ (REV.

JENSEN-FORBELL) IT'S VERY INTERESTING WHEN YOU LOOK BACK.

EVERYONE TALKS ABOUT A COMING OUT STORY, AND I SAID I NEVER WAS IN, SO I COULDN'T COME OUT.

I HAD LITTLE GIRLFRIENDS FROM THE TIME I WAS AN ADOLESCENT, BUT YOU KINDA HAD TO PLAY THE GAME, AND EVEN IN HIGH SCHOOL YOU KNEW THAT, SO YOU HAD TO HAVE A BOYFRIEND.

♪ [LIVE DANCE MUSIC] (MR. WOODS) BEING GAY WAS NOT A DECISION; IT WAS JUST SOMETHING THAT I'VE NEVER FELT ANY OTHER WAY.

IT'S LIKE, TO ME IT'S COMPLETELY NATURAL.

I MEAN THE IDEA OF GAY RIGHTS WASN'T EVEN ON THE RADAR BACK THEN.

THEY WERE UNTHINKABLE BACK IN 1960.

EARLY ON I WAS JUST FOCUSED ON BEING A STUDENT AND TRYING TO GET THROUGH THE CHALLENGES OF BEING AT A LARGE UNIVERSITY BY MYSELF.

IT WAS A CHALLENGE JUST TO FOCUS ON MY STUDIES.

I WAS ON THE SWIMMING TEAM.

I SWAM FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA.

I WAS ALWAYS INTERESTED IN PHOTOGRAPHY, TOO.

(REV.

JENSEN-FORBELL) I WANTED TO BE A BAND DIRECTOR.

MY BAND DIRECTOR AND HIS WIFE SUGGESTED FSU.

♪ [RETRO 1950'S MUSIC] I LOVED FSU!

-UNTIL MY SOPHOMORE YEAR, WHEN ALL OF THE STUFF HAPPENED TO ME THEN.

I WAS BY THAT TIME OF COURSE IN MARCHING CHIEFS AND REALLY HAVING A GREAT TIME.

I WAS JUST BEING A STUDENT; ACTIVE IN MUSIC; PLAYED INTRAMURAL SPORTS.

I THINK THAT'S WHERE THEY FOUND ME, BECAUSE A LOT OF THE GIRLS THAT PLAYED INTRAMURALS WERE LESBIANS.

SO, I THINK THAT'S WHY I WAS TARGETED.

THEY TOOK ME INTO THE BASEMENT OF THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, INTO A ROOM, AND I WAS THERE FOR AT LEAST 15 HOURS.

I THINK IT WAS PROBABLY CLOSER TO 17 BECAUSE IT WAS THE NEXT DAY.

DURING THAT TIME I WAS NOT OFFERED THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO THE BATHROOM, TO HAVE ANYTHING TO EAT, OR TO HAVE ANYTHING TO DRINK.

ALL THEY WANTED TO KNOW WERE THE NAMES OF PEOPLE.

"DID YOU HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHER WOMEN ON THE CAMPUS?"

"WHAT ABOUT THESE PEOPLE?"

I SAID, "NO, NO, NO!"

" DID YOU SEE ANYBODY DOING THIS OR THAT?"

YOU KNOW, AND THEY WOULD BE PRETTY GRAPHIC IN WHAT THEY SAID.

IT WAS ALMOST LIKE THERE WAS A VERY DELIBERATE ATTEMPT TO KEEP ME LONGER, AND LONGER, AND LONGER, SO I'D BE MORE AND MORE TIRED, AND I JUST KEPT SAYING NO BECAUSE I HADN'T.

IF I HAD , IT WOULD'VE BEEN DIFFERENT.

I DON'T KNOW HOW I WOULD'VE REACTED BECAUSE THEN IT WOULD'VE BEEN A MATTER OF HONESTY.

(CHUCK WOODS) I WILL NEVER FORGET THAT DAY.

I WAS SITTING IN MY DORMITORY ROOM ON A TUESDAY AROUND TWO O'CLOCK IN THE AFTERNOON AND THERE WAS A KNOCK ON THE DOOR AND IT WAS JOHN TILESTON, HE WAS AN INVESTIGATOR FOR THE UNIVERSITY POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND HE KNOCKED ON MY DOOR AND SAID, "WOULD YOU COME WITH ME?

", OR NOT WOULD YOU , " COME WITH ME TO THE UNIVERSITY POLICE DEPARTMENT."

AND THAT WAS THE FIRST I KNEW ABOUT IT.

AND THEY BROUGHT ME INTO A ROOM, AND SAID, "WE HAVE INFORMATION THAT YOU ARE A HOMOSEXUAL," AND I SAID, "YOU DO?"

I SAID, "WHERE'D YOU GET THAT FROM?"

AND HE DECLINED TO TELL ME WHERE THAT INFORMATION CAME FROM.

I SAID THAT UH, YOU KNOW, "I DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU GOT THIS INFORMATION FROM, BUT IT'S NOT CORRECT."

THEY SHOWED ME A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT ASKING ME TO... THAT THEY CAN HELP ME WITH MY PROBLEMS, SO TO SPEAK, AND I WAS SHOCKED BY THAT AS WELL THAT THE UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT WOULD BE INVOLVED IN THIS WITCH HUNT AS WELL.

HAD I ADMITTED TO IT, I WOULD HAVE BEEN KICKED OUT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA.

(REV.

JENSEN-FORBELL) SO I WAS AFRAID OF EVERYTHING: WHO I TALKED TO, WHAT HAPPENED.

SO I ENDED UP NOT GOING TO CLASSES, TOOK INCOMPLETES, AND DIDN'T GO BACK.

AND SO I ENDED UP WITH AN ACADEMIC PROBATION.

I KNEW WHAT WAS ON THE RECORD.

THEY SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE A LESBIAN; YOU CAN'T BE A LESBIAN AND COME TO A STATE COLLEGE.

I CANNOT HELP BUT IMAGINE THAT MANY PEOPLE, INCLUDING, MAINLY THE PEOPLE WHO ALREADY HAD THEIR CAREERS, PROFESSORS AND STAFF PEOPLE AT THE UNIVERSITY, THEIR LIVES WERE RUINED.

(CHUCK WOODS) THE IRONY TODAY IS THAT THE STUDENT UNION IS NAMED AFTER J. WAYNE REITZ.

I WOULD SAY HE WAS PART AND PARCEL OF THAT JOHNS COMMITTEE.

THE IRONY IS THAT THE STUDENT UNION IS NAMED AFTER A HOMOPHOBE.

♪ [LOW KEY AMBIENT MUSIC] [BIRDS CHIRPING] (MR. TILESTON) MY NAME IS JOHN STANTON TILESTON, SR.

I STARTED WITH THE UNIVERSITY POLICE DEPARTMENT IN APRIL OF '56.

NONE OF US CARRIED GUNS IN THOSE DAYS AT UNIVERSITY POLICE DEPARTMENTS, WE WERE JUST FRIENDLY OFFICERS.

[SNAPS FINGERS] GIMME A KISS.

THE JOHNS COMMITTEE WANTED ME TO WORK WITH THEM ABOUT FINDING ALL THE QUEERS AND THE COMMUNISTS ON CAMPUS.

I GO, THAT'S KIND OF SILLY.

I'LL DO THAT THOUGH, THAT'S WHAT THEY WANT ME TO DO.

CRIMINALS, THAT DIDN'T BOTHER ME, BUT PEOPLE IN THIS SITUATION, IT, IT BOTHERED ME.

IT WAS POINTED OUT TO ME THAT IF YOU TOOK THEM OUT OF THEIR CLASSROOM, IT WAS THE BENEFIT OF THE SHOCK, YOU KNOW...

I FELT SORRY FOR THE PEOPLE THAT HAPPENED TO.

FOR THE MOST PART, THESE PEOPLE WERE RATHER YOUNG, VERY FRIGHTENED, THEY HAD BEEN GIVEN MISINFORMATION, ABOUT THAT THEY WERE GONNA BE KICKED OUT OF THE UNIVERSITY.

BEFORE I GOT TO THEM, THERE WERE SOME SCARE TACTICS INVOLVED.

IT BOTHERED ME A GREAT DEAL TO BE TALKING TO SOMEBODY THAT'S A PHD AND HERE WE ARE, WE'VE CAUGHT THIS PERSON IN A RESTROOM OR SOMEBODY HAS TOLD US THEY'RE GAY, AND YOU KNOW, A GUY ACROSS THE DESK FROM ME, GONNA WRECK THIS MAN'S FUTURE, OR THIS WOMAN'S FUTURE, OVER THIS?

NOT WORTH IT...

BUT, YOU DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO.

(GOV.

JOHNS) THIS IS SERIOUS.

YOU CAN IMAGINE WHAT IT WOULD MEAN TO YOUR MOTHER AND FATHER.

WE WOULD HAVE TO GO IN AS POLICE OFFICERS AND TELL THEM THAT YOUR SON OR YOUR DAUGHTER IS A HOMOSEXUAL.

(SEN. GRAHAM) I WAS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA FROM 1955 TO 1959.

THE STUDENTS FELT THAT IT WAS INAPPROPRIATE AND ABUSIVE BEHAVIOR AND IT WAS DEGRADING THE VALUE OF THEIR OWN DEGREES AND DIPLOMAS.

IT DEGRADED THE NATIONAL STANDING OF UNIVERSITIES IN FLORIDA, AND HAD A LINGERING EFFECT WHICH WAS FELT SEVERAL DECADES AFTER THE JOHNS COMMITTEE WENT OUT OF BUSINESS.

♪ [SOMBER PIANO MUSIC] (DR. GRAVES) WITH THE CASE OF USF, THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS, THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN, THE NATIONAL MEDIA GOT INVOLVED IN TELLING PEOPLE THIS IS WHAT'S GOING ON, AND THAT WAS A REAL TURNING POINT BECAUSE I THINK PEOPLE THEN WERE STARTING TO THINK, WELL THE JOHNS COMMITTEE OVERREACHED BY THAT POINT.

(DR. POUCHER) THE PURPLE PAMPHLET IS A REPORT BY THE JOHNS COMMITTEE.

ITS OFFICIAL NAME IS HOMOSEXUALITY AND CITIZENSHIP IN FLORIDA.

IT WAS AN EXPLANATION OF HOMOSEXUALITY AND WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DIRECTED TOWARDS PARENTS AND TEACHERS AND HOW WE HAVE TO FIGHT THIS HORRIBLE MENACE, AND YOU KNOW, THAT SORT OF THING.

THE THREAT OF HOMOSEXUALITY AND ALL THAT.

(DR. FEJES) WELL, WHEN IT CAME OUT OF COURSE, IT HAD THE OPPOSITE EFFECT.

PEOPLE SAW IT AS OBSCENE- AND THE FACT THAT IT WAS PAID FOR BY TAXPAYER'S MONEY, IT WAS CONSIDERED TO BE OUTRAGEOUS.

IN FACT, IN DADE COUNTY, THE STATE'S ATTORNEY DECLARED IT AN OBSCENE PIECE OF MATERIAL, AND IT COULDN'T BE SHOWN IN PUBLIC OR CIRCULATED.

(DR. POUCHER) THAT OF COURSE WAS A VERY BIG MISTAKE THEY MADE AS WELL.

IT WAS PUBLISHED ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF BEFORE THEY WERE DISBANDED, WHICH IS LIKE EARLY 1964.

JOHNS HIMSELF RESIGNED FROM THE COMMITTEE.

[CHUCKLING] ♪ [LOW-KEY AMBIENT MUSIC] (CHUCK WOODS) I REMEMBER ANITA BRYANT.

SHE WAS THE ANTI-GAY CAMPAIGN IN DADE COUNTY, AND SHE WAS THE SPOKESPERSON AT THE TIME FOR THE FLORIDA CITRUS COMMISSION.

(ANITA BRYANT) [SINGING] ♪ ORANGE JUICE WITH NATURAL VITAMIN C FROM ♪ ♪ THE FLORIDA SUNSHINE TREE ♪ (DR. FEJES) BUT SHE WAS CONCERNED THAT CHILDREN, YOU KNOW, WOULD SEE AS ROLE MODELS, GAY MALES- AND SHE FELT THAT THAT WAS A VERY THREATENING KIND OF SITUATION.

THE GAY ORGANIZATIONS, GAY NEWSPAPERS, GAY MEDIA ACROSS THE COUNTRY BASICALLY BEGAN TO FOCUS ON HER AS SORT OF THE EMBODIMENT OF ALL THE HATEFUL HOMOPHOBIA THAT THEY SAW IN AMERICAN SOCIETY.

(CHUCK WOODS) AND I REMEMBER I WAS SO UPSET ABOUT THAT, I CALLED THE FLORIDA CITRUS COMMISSION AND SPOKE TO ART DARLING, HIS NAME WAS.

HE WAS THE PR GUY AT THE FLORIDA CITRUS COMMISSION, AND I TOLD HIM, I SAID, YOU KNOW, ART, REGARDLESS OF WHAT YOUR VIEWS ARE ON GAY RIGHTS, THE FACT THAT ANITA BRYANT IS NOW SO CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ANTI-GAY MOVEMENT, DIMINISHES HER EFFECTIVENESS AS A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE FLORIDA CITRUS COMMISSION, AND THEREFORE, SHE SHOULD BE FIRED FROM THAT POSITION.

♪ [EERIE AMBIENT MUSIC] (REV.

JENSEN-FURBELL) THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE CARDS AND THE GIFTS, SURPRISING ME WITH PASTOR APPRECIATION.

IT FEELS GOOD TO BE APPRECIATED, SO I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

[CONGREGATION APPLAUDING] [CONGREGATION] [SINGING] ♪ I'M SO GLAD YOU CAME TO SAVE US... ♪♪ (MRS. JENSEN-FORBELL) RUTH WAS IN THE CHOIR AND I JUST KNEW OF HER.

WE'VE KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR YEARS BEFORE WE GOT TOGETHER.

FUNNY THING IS SHE ASKED ME OUT SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE I SAID YES.

(REV.

JENSEN-FURBELL) WHEN CANADA APPROVED GAY MARRIAGE, WE HAPPENED TO BE SCHEDULED TO GO TO A CONFERENCE.

SO WE WERE MARRIED IN BRITISH COLUMBIA, LEGALLY.

SO WE HAVE A VERY LEGAL MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE FROM CANADA, WHICH IS NOT RECOGNIZED HERE- (MRS. JENSEN-FORBELL) -LEGAL UP TO A POINT.

KNOWING RUTH NOW, I JUST CAN'T IMAGINE SOMEONE BULLYING HER LIKE THAT.

OF COURSE I DIDN'T KNOW HER WHEN SHE WAS 19 YEARS OLD AND I CAN IMAGINE, I GUESS, WHEN I WAS 19 I DIDN'T KNOW MY RIGHTS SO WELL EITHER, BUT, NO CHILD SHOULD BE BULLIED, WHETHER ITS BY ANOTHER CHILD, OR BY THE TEACHERS OR THE ADMINISTRATION, AND I STILL BLAME FSU FOR IT, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THEY KNEW IT WAS HAPPENING.

WE SEE DISCRIMINATION ALL THE TIME AND WITCH HUNTS ALL THE TIME FOR DIFFERENT REASONS, AND THE MORE WE LET IT HAPPEN THE MORE IT'S GONNA CONTINUE TO HAPPEN FOR ONE REASON OR THE OTHER.

(REV.

JENSEN-FURBELL) I STILL LOVE FSU.

I DON'T BLAME THE SCHOOL; I BLAME THE STATE OF FLORIDA THAT THAT HAPPENED.

I KNOW THEY KNEW WHAT THEY WERE DOING, AND THEY NEED TO APOLOGIZE TO US.

TO PAY US ALL BACK, HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED TO DO.

YOU NEED TO PASS GAY MARRIAGE IN FLORIDA.

THAT WOULD BE IT.

WE WOULD BE DONE.

I BELIEVE GOD HAS A PLAN AND YOU GET THROUGH IT NO MATTER WHAT, SO THE FACT THAT I DIDN'T GET TO BE A BAND DIRECTOR AND DO THAT PATH, FOR ME, I ULTIMATELY ENDED UP IN THE EXACT CAREER THAT I SHOULD HAVE HAD, WHICH I WOULD NOT HAVE DONE, QUITE HONESTLY, AT LEAST FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME, HAD I BEEN ABLE TO GO THROUGH SCHOOL AND GET MY DEGREE.

(SEN. GRAHAM) THE TREND LINE OF AMERICA IS TOWARDS INCLUSION, NOT EXCLUSION.

THE TALENTS OF ALL OF OUR PEOPLE, WHATEVER THEIR BACKGROUNDS, THEIR HISTORY, THEIR ORIENTATION MIGHT BE, ARE IMPORTANT ASSETS FOR THE NATION TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE.

(ACTIVISTS) HEY, HEY, HO, HO!

HOMOPHOBIA'S GOT TO GO!

HEY, HEY, HO, HO!

HOMOPHOBIA'S GOT TO GO!

(DR. POUCHER) IF YOU KNOW YOUR HISTORY, THEN YOU'RE NOT ALONE.

YOU'RE PART OF SOMETHING BIGGER.

YOU REALLY AREN'T ALONE, AND YOU WILL ALSO FIND OUT THAT PEOPLE HAVE GONE THROUGH THIS BEFORE, AND THEY'VE GONE THROUGH MUCH WORSE, AND THEY'VE SURVIVED.

YOU NEED TO FIND OUT ABOUT YOUR PEOPLE AND YOUR HISTORY.

BECAUSE IT'LL MAKE YOU FEEL A LOT BETTER ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOU HAVE NO REASON TO NOT FEEL PROUD.

♪ [LOW-KEY AMBIENT MUSIC] (CHUCK WOODS) HOW ARE YOU?

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

IT'S REALLY...

I ALMOST DIDN'T FIND THE ADDRESS BUT SAW YOU OUT HERE, SO NO PROBLEM.

HERE WE ARE 50 YEARS LATER, AND YOU LOOK BACK ON ALL THE CHANGES THAT HAVE OCCURRED, AND IT'S ALMOST...

IT'S REALLY STUNNING TO THINK HOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED IN THE COUNTRY, AND IN FLORIDA!

(JOHN TILESTON) IN RETROSPECT, THINKING BACK, DID YOU EVER THINK THAT THIS DAY WOULD COME LIKE THIS?

(CHUCK WOODS) NO.

IT WAS SCARY, AND THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WERE FACULTY MEMBERS AND STUDENTS, AND STAFF AT THAT TIME IT WAS A HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE TIME IN THE HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA- AND WE'RE STILL TRYING TO LIVE IT DOWN I GUESS, IN SOME WAYS.

(JOHN TILESTON) WELL, YEAH, IT'S SHAMEFUL, IF YOU WILL...UH...

[SIGHS] BUT A LOT OF PROGRESS HAS MADE OUT OF IT.

(CHUCK WOODS) YUP!

I SURVIVED; NOT ONLY I GOT CALLED IN BY THE JOHNS COMMITTEE, BUT ENDED UP BEING A FACULTY MEMBER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA FOR 42 YEARS- (JOHN TILESTON) -IN SPITE OF IT.

(CHUCK WOODS) -IN SPITE OF IT ALL!

(JOHN TILESTON) EAT YOUR HEART OUT, CHARLEY!

[BOTH LAUGHING] ♪ [UP-TEMPO GUITAR MUSIC] (REV.

JENSEN-FURBELL) I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR TRAVELING FROM FAR AND WIDE TO BE PRESENT AT THIS MAGICAL PLACE TO AFFIRM AND CELEBRATE THIS BONDING OF LOVE BETWEEN CHRIS AND DAVID.

MARRIAGE IS A COMMITMENT TO LIFE.

TO THE BEST THAT TWO PEOPLE CAN FIND AND BRING OUT IN EACH OTHER.

IT OFFERS OPPORTUNITIES FOR SHARING AND GROWTH THAT NO OTHER RELATIONSHIP CAN EQUAL.

AND NOW, FOR AS MUCH AS DAVID AND CHRIS HAVE DECLARED THEIR SOLEMN INTENTION BEFORE THESE WITNESSES HAVE EXCHANGED RINGS, AS YOUR MUTUAL PLEDGE TO ONE ANOTHER, BY THE AUTHORITY VESTED IN ME BY THE UNIVERSAL FELLOWSHIP OF METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY CHURCHES AND THE STATE OF FLORIDA, I AM PLEASED TO PRONOUNCE YOU MARRIED.

YOU MAY KISS AGAIN.

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE] YAY!

WHOO-HOO!

(WEDDING GUEST) I LOVE YOU GUYS!

SUNSHINE STATE!

(REV.

JENSEN-FURBELL) YOU ARE OFFICIAL!

(GROOM) THANK YOU.

(REV.

JENSEN-FURBELL) YOU'RE WELCOME.

(GROOM) GREAT JOB, RUTH.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

(REV.

JENSEN-FURBELL) IT'S SUCH AN HONOR TO DO THIS.

>>THE PRECEDING PROGRAM WAS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA COLLEGE OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES, THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, THE OFFICE OF UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH.

BY KROLL: A DIVISION OF DUFF & PHELPS, AND BY SUSAN L. GALLAGHER.

CLOSED CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY THE UCF DEPARTMENT OF ACCESS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT A COMPLETE LIST OF FUNDERS IS AVAILABLE AT APTONLINE.ORG AND THECOMMITTEEDOCUMENTARY.ORG.

YOU CAN FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS TOPIC BY VISITING OUR WEBSITE AT THECOMMITTEEDOCUMENTARY.ORG.