‘Love Trumps Hate’

As his video of a Lansing business owner screaming antigay invectives at his friends and him went viral, Isiah Tweedie knew he had to do more than raise awareness about the singular event. He said he needed to make sure people understood that the vile verbal assaults were not acceptable, or a community norm.

“I’ve always been a person who wants to turn a negative into a positive,” says Tweedie. “I wanted to give back to the community.”

And this, #LoveTrumpsHate fundraiser was born. The event will be held Sunday at Spiral Video and Dance Bar in Lansing. There will be two shows – one rated PG at 7 p.m. and a second more traditional drag show at 10 p.m. All money raised at the door will be donated to The Trevor Project. The cost to attend is a minimum $5 donation at the door.

The Trevor Project is a national nonprofit that works with LGBTQ youth, specifically to prevent suicide among this demographic.

The fundraiser was born of a hate-filled incident caught on video Aug. 3.

In the video, Victor Sadet can be seen calling three men “faggots” outside the Fire Mountain restaurant in Delta Township, and telling them they need to leave the state. Sadet, who owns Sadet´s Handyman and Maintanance, said he is a “good Christian” who does not hate gay people.

Sadet, who was also a customer, claimed the verbal tirade was the result of sexually explicit talk from Tweedie and his two friends, but witnesses say the incident was unprovoked. Tweedie videotaped the incident on his cell phone and posted it online. It quickly garnered thousands of views on the Internet and dozens of news stories.

The fundraiser has gained momentum beyond Tweedie’s dreams.

The corporate leadership at Fire Mountain wants to be involved, says Kim Miller, a spokeswoman for the company.

The company will provide a free catered buffet at the event and has provided Tweedie with 50 free passes to distribute during the fundraiser.

Miller says the company thoroughly reviewed the situation and determined that the manager involved had handled the situation per company policies. When he heard the antigay verbal assault, he ordered Sadet to leave the premises. When he did not do so, the manager called the police on Sadet. Miller did note that the manager was counseled because it was determined he could have provided his name to Tweedie and his friends earlier in the interaction.

Fire Mountain decided to get involved with Tweedie’s event because they felt it was important.

“We don’t tolerate that kind of behavior,” Miller says. “We embrace all of our guests.”

She continued, “This is about bullies. That’s just unacceptable. It’s bigger than race or sexual orientation. This is why we are involved. We wanted to send a clear signal that bullies are not welcome at Fire Mountain.”

Tweedie reports over a dozen businesses have stepped up with donations and other support for the event.

For their part, intended beneficiary, The Trevor Project, says the fundraiser is important.

"The ´Love Trumps Hate´ benefit is valuable in many ways, but mostly because we, as an LGBTQ community, are at our best when we respond to prejudice, fear, and hate with love, acceptance, and welcome,” says Steve Mendelsohn, deputy executive director of The Trevor Project. “No person should ever be mistreated simply because of who they are. That is a message we give to young people every day at The Trevor Project."

This story also appears in Between the Lines.