LANSING — In response to the announcement the Southern Poverty Law Center recognized hate-group Young American’s for Freedom, Michigan State University will host a speech by Ryan Sorba, Michigan Equality has launched “A Penny A Word” fund drive.

The Lansing based LBGT organization is asking people to pledge one penny for every word Sorba says at a speech on September 25.

“Ryan Sorba and the YAF hitler-yugen are at it again.  Once again they are baiting the MSU campus and community at large for a hate showdown,” said Michigan Equality executive director Derek Smiertka. “Michigan Equality refuses to participate in such a negative monologue.  However in partnership with Soulfource we have organized a penny-a-word pledge to raise awareness and funds for a faithbased program called ‘for the bible tells me so.’”

Soulforce is an organization founded by the Rev. Mel White who used to act as a ghost writer for such televangelists as Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson. White left the organizations when he came out as a gay man.

Sorba, who is touted as the author of “the forthcoming book ‘The Born Gay Hoax,’” will present a speech titled “The Born Gay Hoax.” A search on Google turned up no such book.

Not presented in the Young Americans for Freedom Michgian State University press release is the fact Sorba is the Los Angeles field organizer for the Leadership Institute in Virginia. The Leadership Institute is actively involved in forming and funding conservative activist organizations at colleges all over the country. YAF MSU leader Kyle Bristow spent the summer at the Leadership Institute as an intern.

YAF MSU and its leader Bristow were listed in April as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center of Alabama. They were listed for having a published agenda against homosexuals, minorities, women and immigrants. The group has hosted controversial speakers including Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo and Chris Simcox, founder of the Minutemen Civilian Defense Corps.

For more information on this project, go to Michigan Equality.