Arcadia Mayor Peter Amundson defends his speaker of choice at next month's Mayor's Community Breakfast. He has invited H. B. London, of Focus on the Family, a conservative Christian group that opposes same-sex marriage. Residents and activists upset about this choice are organizing two counterevents of their own. Activists are planning a "peaceful" demonstration March 4 outside Arcadia Community Center and a bar-b-que at Pasadena's Unitarian Church for all families. Focus on the Family was founded in Arcadia by Dr. James C. Dobson and believes marriage is meant to be between a man and a woman. Amundson said the event is not about sexuality but about the Arcadia family.
Arcadia Mayor Peter Amundson's selection of Reverend H. B. London, Jr. to speak at the community breakfast on March 4, is drawing criticism from some residents and gay-rights activists. London is a vice president of ministry outreach at Focus on the Family, a conservative Christian group that opposes gay marriage. Some residents are asking Mayor Amundson to reconsider and they feel Focus on the Family delivers hateful messages. The city estimates it will pay between $5000 and $5500 for its contribution to the event, which will include the speaker's plane fare.
Arcadia's Focus on the Family has a "handshake agreement" to move to Pomona. The 5th largest employer in Arcadia, with 400 workers, will move everything except a warehouse in Monrovia, to Pomona.
The City of Arcadia's contribution to the cost of the 2011 Mayor's Community Breakfast will total $4795. The event drew protestors upset about the mayor's choice of Reverend H. B. London, of conservative Christian group Focus on the Family, as keynote speaker. London received a standing ovation.
Focus on the Family, and Arcadia-based Christian organization dedicated to the preservation of the home, is about to move into new offices in Arcadia. The organization, which has grown rapidly over the past few years, currently has 310 employees and occupies offices in 7 separate buildings in Arcadia. The new building, located on Foothill Blvd., will be completed around the first of October.
Focus on the Family, Arcadia's 5th largest employer, has run out of room and may have to leave town. The mushrooming non-profit organization with a Christian radio, publishing, counseling, film and television ministry, could leave within 6 months to a year.
The founder of Focus on the Family, James Dobson, will resign as president and chief executive. Dobson formed the beginnings of Focus on the Family in 1977 in Arcadia and moved to Colorado Springs in 1991.
H. B. London, Jr., of Focus on the Family, a conservative Christian group that opposes gay marriage, spoke at the 2011 Mayor's Community Breakfast, about the importance of compassion and unconditional love in the family. Outside there were some 90 protestors that support the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.
James Dobson and Focus on the Family are discussed by former right-hand-man Gil Meogerle. Also see accompanying article about rise of Focus on the Family.