Stranger things have happened!

Who knew that the area where I grew up would be the center of a gay resort controversy? Actually, I probably did the whole time I grew up there living life in the closet.

Gary Foster was set to open a big gay camp ground outside Harriman, Tennessee until pressures from neighbors have caused him to consider closeting his idea.

Foster planned to open the Rosebud Lodge, an LGBT camp ground and resort for adults only. His original website featured gay couples holding hands and frolicking in the great outdoors. That evidently outraged the religious community and ruffled the feathers of the conservative local newspaper.

He now says posting all of the photos of same-sex couples on the site could have been a mistake, especially since the camp ground won't only for gays and lesbians. Foster says this was his way of letting the LGBT community that they would be welcomed at the Rosebud Lodge.

The closed minded rednecks in Roane County don't see it the same way.

"They've got a right to live just like we have, but this is a Bible Belt area," Roane County Commissioner Fred Tedder says. "People are gonna be upset about same sex marriages of men and women."

After repeated negative publicity, Foster released a statement on his website that he also mailed to the Roane County News accusing them of squashing his dream.

"Believe it or not, the GBLT Community is your neighbor. As for me, all of this has been a blessing, and I thank you all for the free advertisement. It has helped me to realize how needed and well attended such a resort would be in this area of the country," Foster writes.

"I have been camping everywhere over these many years, and have enjoyed talking with campers from all over the country, and in all walks of life. Many of whom have kids, or have had kids that are now grown, and this includes members of the GBLT community, who can be found in any Family Type Campground across this great country of ours.

In talking with these other campers, the one thing that seemed to come up most often was the lack of campgrounds that only adults could go to, and be by themselves. Thus, the idea for Rosebud Lodge was born. It would be a respectable and law abiding resort, which would cater to adult men and women only. And, a resort where any open minded, mature adult or couple would be welcomed; including the GLBT community, who are the most enjoyable and fun loving people that I have ever been around and had the pleasure to meet."

The local newspaper also evidently painted the resort as a nudist camp simply because it was targeted toward gays and lesbians. Foster says "this is far from the truth."

"No one will be allowed to run around all over the resort nude," he writes in his letter to the local media.

Ironically, that area in East Tennessee already has a nudist camp for "straight" people, but I guess that's okay- right? At least they're straight...

The Roane County commission can stop the resort, however. A rezoning hearing will take place on May 21st.

"People have a right to say whether they're for or against something like this, however we're not going to discriminate and we're going to follow what the law says," said Commissioner Chris Johnson. So, I guess everyone in Roane County isn't closed-minded and totally redneck.

Will Gary Fosters' dreams become a reality in Roane County? He addresses that on his website too.

"The good people of that county are trying to stop the Resort from going in. If they do, I will move the location of the Resort to another piece of property, which looks to be better than this one. It is much bigger and has a fishing lake, streams, caves, and waterfalls. I will keep you informed on this site."

We'll keep you posted too.

If you would like to write a letter to the editor of the Roane County News, you can contact Editor Terri Likens at tlikens@roanecounty.com. If you chose to write a letter, please be civil and articulate. We wouldn't want these haters to see their stereotypes come to reality, would we?