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The Deferios didn't quite know what they were getting into when they visited the SUNY Fredonia campus earlier this week.

Jim Deferio and his daughter, Michelle Deferio, 26, both of Syracuse, stood in the grass near the Reed Library steps, holding signs, beginning shortly before noon on Tuesday.

Jim wore aviator sunglasses and clutched a megaphone, which he used to address the rapidly expanding group, and held a large poster that read, "Warning: Do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners shall inherit the Kingdom of God. 1 Cor. 6:9-10."

SUNY Fredonia students - especially the Pride Alliance - wouldn't stand for this outcry against homosexuality. They staged an impromptu protest in response to the Deferios, which lasted until they left the campus at 5:30 p.m.

Many exchanges occurred between Jim, via megaphone, and the crowd throughout the afternoon. Jim would begin to shout, "There's no biological basis -" and the crowd would reply, "Shut up, Jim." As they packed up their signs, the group sang "All We Need Is Love" by The Beatles and even a familiar song from the children's television show, "Barney" - "I Love You, You Love Me."

Douglas Jordan, chief justice of the college's Student Association, said the campus knew they were going to be here. A campuswide e-mail was sent Monday night from the Office of Student Affairs, with "Speakers from Off Campus" in the subject line, which read, "Occasionally, campuses are visited by outside individuals who have a wish to communicate their message and distribute material to the campus community. While we may not agree with their message, as a Public Institution of Higher Education, we have an obligation to allow individuals to exercise their First Amendment rights."

It asked the students to be civil if met with such speakers - it did not elaborate who they might be and when they might come.

The Deferios set up at around 11:30 a.m. to express their message.

"At first there was around a dozen people, standing around, drinking coffee, listening to what (Jim) was saying," Jordan said. "I went to class at about 12:30, came back, and people were becoming more agitated by what he was saying. They brought out the white curtain to separate themselves from (Jim and Michelle) and from there it just exponentially grew. I'd say we've had between 1,500 to 2,000 people here throughout the course of the event.

"It was all spread by word of mouth. It's just mostly been an exchanging of words. To me, this is beautiful - if there was any question about gay support on SUNY Fredonia, this question has been answered, hands-down."

"It's awesome to see the community come together," agreed student Amanda Ward, part of the Pride Alliance. "You see people from outside campus coming into the campus, joining this cause - it's creating unity, and that's something that is much needed in this area."

Members of the crowd would periodically stand up to address the Deferios, as well as the students, faculty members and some town residents that had gathered. Many stood up to give short speeches, punctuated by applause and cheers. Several emphasized that they loved Jim but did not support hate. One student said, "No matter who you love... it doesn't matter." A faculty member announced that he had never been more proud to be a part of SUNY Fredonia and that a peace walk was being organized for 8 p.m. Student Kyle Blount read Bible verses, including the famous verse from 1 Corinthians, Chapter 13, Verse 4, "Love is patient, love is kind..." - an experience he described as "incredible."

SUNY Fredonia's reputation as a talented music college was upheld as students brought their instruments and performed - drowning out the Deferios, as many students danced. University Police stood nearby as the protest went on - but it never became violent.

"We're just preaching the gospel," Michelle Deferio said. "I guess we've gotten similar responses but ... not like this. We didn't know this was a music school."

Michelle asserted they were not affiliated with any specific group or church, and that she and her father were touring college campuses in New York and other states, including Pennsylvania.

However, a photo on the Repent America Web site displays a photo of Jim Deferio holding that same sign at California State University at Fullerton in an online album titled "California Campus Tour 2008 (May 4-11, 2008)." Several news articles about Deferio's demonstrations refer to Jim as a member of Repent America, which is described on their Web site (www.repentamerica.com) as "a evangelistic organization... that tries to spread the Bible's teachings." It further explains, "We must go out to where the sinners are. We must go to those who would never come into our churches - to the atheists, to the religious, to the self-righteous, to the God-hating and win their souls to Christ."

A schedule is listed that includes a Pennsylvania Campus Tour scheduled for Oct. 1 through 10.

Jim and Michelle Deferio were met with protest at a recent visit to Binghamton University, according to an article by student Ashley Tarr published online Oct. 3 in the campus's newspaper, Binghamton University Pipe Dream. More than 100 students gathered to chant, wave a rainbow flag, run circles around the Deferios, and the group applauded two male students as they kissed.

It was not Jim Deferio's first visit to Binghamton this year - he protested a march celebrating the prophet Muhammad's birthday this April in downtown Binghamton, organized by International Quranic Open University and Muslims of the Americas.

The father-daughter duo, along with eight others, protested Allentown, Pa.'s Pride in the Park Festival in August and was met with much anger and a counter-protest. Jim also protested the Gay Pride Festival in June, held in his hometown of Syracuse.