http://pageoneq.com/news/2006/eggroll_041506.html
White House changes Easter Egg Roll admit process; LGBT families
'moved from front of the line'
by Michael Rogers
After waiting outside overnight to be among the first to enter
this year's White House Easter Egg Roll, families in line were
surprised to learn that the White House had changed the ticketing
policy for the annual event, PageOneQ has learned.
The unannounced change means that the families who waited in line
the longest, in one case for twenty-four hours, will not be among
the visitors at the event's opening ceremonies. The first
families in line, who were not part of the LGBT family group,
received tickets with an 11:00am entrance time, two hours later
than the opening time listed in the White House press release.
Various media reports have publicized participation of lesbian
and gay families, including a piece in the New York Times, which
ran on April 10th, and media representatives were interviewing
families in the line about the small swirl of controversy created
by the decision of LGBT families to participate in the annual
event. This morning, cameras from approximately half a dozen
television stations, including CNN, were on the Ellipse,
interviewing families about the decision of LGBT parents to
participate.
In a telephone call and email exchange with PageOneQ earlier
today, Deputy White House Dana Perino, the Deputy White House
Press Secretary told PageOneQ that, "[T]he number of tickets are
the same as every year, and that the large group we invited this
year is youth volunteers ... and they are coming in the morning.
We invite a group like that every year, for instance one or two
years ago it was military families. In order to accomodate [sic]
all of the people who want to come to the easter egg roll, we
stagger the times to ensure maximum enjoyment for everyone."
One ticket recipient who was approximately fifty people behind
the Family Pride Coalition, told PageOneQ that he was "upset,
very upset, that they would change the policy to make those of us
who spent the night be the last ones to get into the event." When
asked his name, the man said that, "Because my brother works for
the State Department, I'd rather keep my name out of the
article."
The Family Pride group, which was located approximately 150
people from the start of the line, received tickets with entry
times of 11:30am and later.
Some waiting in line were not upset with the ticketing change.
"This means we get to sleep at the hotel later," one teenager was
heard saying. Other participants were not as happy. In addition
to the first group in line, others who were near the front of the
line expressed disappointment over their entry times. "We thought
we would wait in line so we could go to the ceremony," said one
parent.
When asked about the ticket time issue, Jennifer Chrisler, Family
Pride Coalition's Executive Director stayed out of the
controversy by telling PageOneQ that, "We're just so happy to be
participating in this national event, and we are thrilled to be a
part of this national tradition."
The egg roll takes place Monday morning on the White House
grounds.
--
Lipstick Lesbian
Same sex marriage shirts:
"I'm not her "partner", I'm her wife
http://www.cafepress.com/not_her_partner
"I'm not his "partner", I'm his husband
http://www.cafepress.com/not_his_partner
.
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