The head of a conservative group known for their lobbying influence and opposition to issues like transgender treatment for minors in Ohio was met with protests at The City Club of Cleveland forum Friday.
The Center for Christian Virtue is a group from Columbus that has lobbied for controversial legislation in Ohio, such as bans on transgender girls participating in school sports.
City Club President Dan Moulthrop moderated the one-on-one discussion with CCV President Aaron Baer for about 30 minutes before an audience Q&A in the second half.
“We see Jesus is his last words in his great commission telling us to go into all of the world," Baer said to the sold-out forum. "He didn’t say 'go into all of the world, except for that dirty world of politics.'”
Leading up to the event, advocacy organizations like the LGBT Center of Greater Cleveland, requested the City Club not provide Baer a platform. Some also suggested the City Club change the format to bring advocates on stage as panelists.
“The free speech argument doesn’t hold water for me,” said Phyllis Harris, executive director of the LGBT Center of Greater Cleveland. “This is an organization that has demonstrated that they are OK with doing harm to folks.”
Still, Harris said it was important they show up.
“It is challenging our folks who we believe are allies about what allyship is and demonstrating to them that this wasn’t it,” Harris said.
The Southern Poverty Law Center designated CCV as a hate group.
CCV also advocated for cell phone bans in school, bans on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and expansion of Ohio’s private school voucher program.
Moulthrop said the City Club wanted this forum to focus on one organization, CCV, that has influence on "a range of issues."
“We have an endless programming calendar that scrolls out into the future, so I’m sure that we will hear from the LGBT Center again, as we did in October,” Moulthrop said.
Baer said he appreciated the disagreement in the room.
“The only way we’re going to get to some level of agreement is if we can speak in an environment like this,” Baer said.
He also said he didn’t mind the dozens of LGBTQ+ advocates protesting outside of the City Club.
“Let’s keep talking and let’s keep organizing and make your voice is heard and if folks agree with us on things like no boys in girls' sports, don’t do trans procedures on kids, then we’ll pass those laws, and if not, we won’t,” Baer said.
Protesters showed up with rainbow umbrellas and protest signs. A small handful threw red paint at the City Club windows. One person was arrested.
“Instead of focusing on a rich building having paint splattered on it, I think we need to talk about the real criminals and the real human rights violators, which is the Center for Christian Values and the hate that they spew,” said protester Sarah Kolick.
Before the forum began, Moulthrop asked for civility and warned that too much commotion could be grounds for removal. Occasional groans from the crowd was the height of the disruption.
“Coming together to listen across huge amounts of difference — that's what we're built to do," Moulthrop said. "That’s what we’re trying to do and we can’t ignore challenging conversations.”
Other protests in recent months at the City Club were for forums featuring Ohio Republican U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno in a politically charged discussion, and Ideastream Public Media CEO Kevin Martin, regarding the format change of WCSB, formerly Cleveland State's student station, to JazzNEO, operated by Ideastream. The City Club announced less tolerance for interruptions of their forums after the Moreno visit.
