[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/montana-tea-party-president-ousted-over-anti-gay-remarks\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/montana-tea-party-president-ousted-over-anti-gay-remarks\/","headline":"Montana Tea Party President Ousted over Anti-Gay Remarks","name":"Montana Tea Party President Ousted over Anti-Gay Remarks","description":"By Katherine Dean The Big Sky Tea Party Association dismissed its president, Tim Ravndal, on Sunday after learning of a Facebook exchange in which Ravndal...","datePublished":"2010-09-09","dateModified":"2021-06-21","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/author\/admin\/#Person","name":"Equally Wed","url":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/author\/admin\/","identifier":787,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ca62cf123aaaf135c80b055249bacbda79de9226e11cdfcde6529bedf89683de?s=96&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ca62cf123aaaf135c80b055249bacbda79de9226e11cdfcde6529bedf89683de?s=96&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Equally Wed","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"http:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/equally-wed-lgbtq-weddings-logo.jpg","url":"http:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/equally-wed-lgbtq-weddings-logo.jpg","width":218,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"http:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/equally-wed-lgbtq-weddings-logo.jpg","url":"http:\/\/equallywed.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/equally-wed-lgbtq-weddings-logo.jpg","width":218,"height":60},"url":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/montana-tea-party-president-ousted-over-anti-gay-remarks\/","about":["Marriage Equality News"],"wordCount":280,"articleBody":" By Katherine Dean The Big Sky Tea Party Association dismissed its president, Tim Ravndal, on Sunday after learning of a Facebook exchange in which Ravndal condemned gay marriage and appeared to promote anti-gay violence.  The Facebook comments, which appeared on Ravndal\u2019s personal account on July 23, allude to the 1998 slaying of gay University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard, who was beaten to death because of his sexual orientation. The Great Falls Tribune reports that the posts originated with Ravndal, who wrote, \u201cMarriage is between a man and a woman period! By giving rights to those otherwise would be a violation of the Constitution and my own rights.\u201d Another Facebook user, Dennis Scranton, responded: \u201cI think fruits are decorative. Hang up where they can be seen and appreciated. Call Wyoming for display instructions.\u201d To which Ravndal responded: \u201cWhere can I get that Wyoming printed instruction manual?\u201d Ravndal claims he did not realize the dialogue referenced Shepard\u2019s murder and has apologized on his Facebook page, stating, \u201cI made a mistake and commented on a post that implied that I condone violence against another human being.\u201d Association Chairman Jim Walker, who has called Ravndal\u2019s comments \u201cunacceptable,\u201d released a statement confirming the group\u2019s decision, \u201cIf a person demonstrates bigotry relative to sex, ethnicity, etc., they are not welcome in our organization. The Tea Party movement is about standing up for individual freedom for everyone.\u201d On Wednesday, the AP reported that several Big Sky Tea Party Association members, including board member Tom Baird, have rallied around Ravndal. At a Tuesday evening meeting, Baird called Ravndal\u2019s dismissal a \u201cknee-jerk reaction,\u201d while some members called for the election of a new board. "},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Montana Tea Party President Ousted over Anti-Gay Remarks","item":"https:\/\/equallywed.com\/montana-tea-party-president-ousted-over-anti-gay-remarks\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]