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Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act Signed Into Law Today 10-28-2009
Hate Crimes vs Civil Rights
FBI Reports 7,600 hate crimes in this country recently, but those are only ones that have been reported.
President Obama
"You know, as a nation we've come far on the journey towards a more perfect union. And today, we've taken another step forward. This afternoon, I signed into law the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act".
He continued, "This is the culmination of a struggle that has lasted more than a decade. Time and again, we faced opposition. Time and again, the measure was defeated or delayed. Time and again we've been reminded of the difficulty of building a nation in which we're all free to live and love as we see fit. But the cause endured and the struggle continued, waged by the family of Matthew Shepard, by the family of James Byrd, by folks who held vigils and led marches, by those who rallied and organized and refused to give up, by the late Senator Ted Kennedy who fought so hard for this legislatio , and all who toiled for years to reach this day".
The public understood that we must stand against crimes that are meant not only to break bones, but to break spirits -- not only to inflict harm, but to instill fear. You understand that the rights afforded every citizen under our Constitution mean nothing if we do not protect those rights -- both from unjust laws and violent acts. And you understand how necessary this law continues to be.
In the most recent year for which we have data, the FBI reported roughly 7,600 hate crimes in this country. Over the past 10 years, there were more than 12,000 reported hate crimes based on sexual orientation alone. And we will never know how many incidents were never reported at all.I April of 1968, just one week after the assassination of Martin Luther King, as our nation mourned in grief and shuddered in anger, President Lyndon Johnson signed landmark civil rights legislation. This was the first time we enshrined into law federal protections against crimes motivated by religious or racial hatred -- the law on which we build today.
President Johnson said that through this law "the bells of freedom ring out a little louder." That is the promise of America. Over the sounds of hatred and chaos, over the din of grief and anger, we can still hear those ideals -- even when they are faint, even when some would try to drown them out.
Human Rights Campaign's 13th Annual National Dinner
"this fight continues now"
President Barack Obama said "This story, this fight continues now, and I'm here with a simple message," Obama said. "I'm here with you in that fight.", during his keynote speech at the Human Rights Campaign's 13th annual national dinner.
When your mother taught you to treat people nicely and not to call your friends nasty names she really meant it. That is exactly why the National Equality March in Washington, D. C. was such a great event today. GLBT people and their famiies celebrated,prayed,ate,and they played together in Washington this weekend. President Barack Obama said "This story, this fight continues now, and I'm here with a simple message," Obama said. "I'm here with you in that fight.", during his keynote speech at the Human Rights Campaign's 13th annual national dinner.
Thousands of people marched side by side, sang and cheered each other on in a heartfilled day of support from families,friends and co-workers in Washington D.C.. The hate crimes bill is almost finished and the House will vote on it soon as will the Senate. President Obama has said he will sign it when it crosses his desk.
US Department of State New Travel Passport Information 1-4-2009
The Department of State recommends that travelers apply now for travel documents that will be required at all land or sea border entry points as of June 1, 2009. On that date, under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) U.S. citizens will be required to present a government-approved document that denotes both citizenship and identity when entering the United States.
The U.S. Passport Book and the U.S. Passport Card are the premiere documents that denote both citizenship and identity. A list of other government-approved documents is available at http://www.getyouhome.gov/.
The U.S. Passport Card is a wallet-sized document designed specifically for new systems being installed at land border crossings to facilitate inspections. A Passport Card costs $45 for an adult and $35 for a child under age 16. When applied for in conjunction with a passport book or by a previous passport holder who is eligible for renewal, the Passport Card costs $20.
The Passport Card is valid only for entry to the United States at land border crossings and sea ports of entry when traveling from Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean region, and Bermuda. It is not valid for international air travel. The U.S. Passport Card is designed for the specific needs of the northern and southern border resident communities. It is not a globally interoperable travel document like the traditional U.S. Passport book.
The Passport Card incorporates vicinity-read radio frequency identification (RFID) technology. With this technology, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers are able to access photographs and other biographical information stored in secure government databases. For privacy protection, no personal information is stored on the electronic chip itself. The Department of State uses laser engraving and state-of-the-art security features to prevent counterfeiting and forgery. Additionally, the passport card is issued with a protective sleeve that prevents it from being read when not in use, reducing the possibility of its being tracked.
The Passport Card has been in production since July 2008. As of November 2008, more than 650,000 have been issued. Processing times for passport books and passport cards are approximately three weeks. First-time applicants or those under the age of 16 can apply at any of the more than 9,400 passport application acceptance facilities throughout the United States. Current passport holders, who are eligible to renew, can apply for a passport card by mail.
Information on how and where to apply for a U.S. Passport Card is available at travel.state.gov.
Dunwoody makes
her-story
FORT BELVIOR, Va.
-- In this world it is hard enough to make history once, but
Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody has done it twice in one day.
At 10 a.m., Nov. 14,
Dunwoody became the first woman promoted to the rank of four-star
general in U.S. Armed Forces history during a ceremony conducted
at the Pentagon. At 2 p.m. Dunwoody officially became the 17th
commander, and first female leader, of the U.S. Army Materiel
Command during a change of command ceremony at Fort Belvoir,
Va., the location of AMC headquarters.
The change of command was presided over by Army Chief of Staff
Gen. George W. Casey, Jr. and included remarks by Gen. Benjamin
S. Griffin, the outgoing commander of AMC, Casey, Dunwoody;
music by the AMC Band; a ceremonial color guard; and a 17-gun
salute by the Salute Battery from the 3rd United States Infantry
Regiment (The Old Guard) from Fort Myer, Va.
Casey lauded the tremendous
accomplishments of Griffin and then welcomed Dunwoody to AMC,
“Ann is no stranger to the war on terror, having done a
yeoman’s work in the Army’s G-4 in charge of logistics
-- our logistics -- for three years before coming to AMC…
You have big shoes to fill, but I am confident you will fill
them with the same professionalism, pride and expertise with
which you have done everything else for the past 33-plus years.”
Casey also complimented the work of AMC’s Soldiers, civilians
and ontractors, “Seldom in our history have our Soldiers
faced greater challenges. We’ve served at a time when the
stakes for our nation are high and for our way of life are high,
and the demand on our force is significant. Your mission at
AMC is a matter of profound consequence and you continue to
reflect the very best of our nation, even after seven years
of war.”
Dunwoody is now the
Army's lead logistician, in charge of supplying everything Soldiers
need to fight and win our nation’s wars, from food and
water to bullets and bombs to clothing, vehicles and every type
of military equipment.
She will oversee more than 60,000 military and civilian employees
-- many with specialties in weapons development, manufacturing
and logistics -- who are located at 149 locations worldwide,
including more than 40 states and 50 countries.
“I’m absolutely
thrilled and honored to have been selected to lead AMC. I know
that the team at AMC shares your [Casey’s] and the Secretary’s
[of the Army Pete Geren] vision and your passion for this great
Army. When Soldiers see the AMC patch, they know they will get
help, they know they will get what they need. When they see
our symbol they know AMC will respond with great urgency,”
said Dunwoody.
Dunwoody is now one of only 11 four-star generals in the U.S.
Army. With 33 years of service, Dunwoody has accomplished several
other historical firsts -- including being the first female
assigned as deputy commanding general of AMC, the deputy chief
of staff of Army logistics, and commander of the U.S. Army Combined
Arms Support Command.
She was also the commander
of the 407th Supply and Transportation Battalion of the 82nd
Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, N.C.; the 10th Mountain Division
Support Command, Fort Drum, N.Y.; and the 1st Corps Support
Command at Fort Bragg. She also deployed during Operation Desert
Shield and Desert Storm with the 82nd as the division parachute
officer.
She received a direct
commission as a second lieutenant after graduating from the
State University of New York at Cortland in 1975. She has graduate
degrees in national resource strategy and logistics management.
Dunwoody credits her family for her successes. During her promotion
ceremony at the Pentagon she said, “I now know this Army
profession I’m so proud to be a part of is a reflection
of the very values I grew up with in the Dunwoody family.”
At the Pentagon ceremony
she also emphasized, “If anyone is worried about the next
generation of warriors, fear not. The bench is filled with talented
Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines, and while I may be the
first woman to receive this honor, I know with certainty I won’t
be the last.”
Same Sex Marriage
Thumbs Up and Down
WASHINGTON – The state of Connecticut will begin granting
marriage licenses to same-sex couples today, following last
month’s state Supreme Court decision that found barring
gays and lesbians from marrying unconstitutional. Only Connecticut
and Massachusetts recognize marriage equality for same-sex couples
“It’s a
joyous day in Connecticut as hundreds of loving, committed couples
prepare to receive the ultimate recognition of their relationships
by receiving civil marriage licenses. And it’s a historic
day for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people all over
the nation, who may have suffered a setback last Tuesday, but
know that our fight for equality goes on,” said Human Rights
Campaign President Joe Solmonese. “Today’s actions
in Connecticut signal a new and hopeful day.”
The Human Rights Campaign is the nation's largest lesbian, gay,
bisexual and transgender civil rights group.
Western Union asks
Facebook members to vote for favorite non-profit
Wednesday, October 29, 2008 — The American Red Cross is
one of eight non-profit organizations participating in the Western
Union Company's Our World Gives, which invites the 18 million
members of the Facebook social networking site to vote for one
of the designated non-profit organizations.
The organization with the most votes at the end of six weeks
will receive a $50,000 donation from The Western Union Foundation.
Our World Gives seeks to increase awareness of critical social
issues and charitable community spirit.
So why vote for Red Cross? Red Cross is there when disaster
strikes, when someone needs blood, or when a member of the military
or their family needs to send emergency communications. Our
preparedness and health and safety training teach people how
to swim or be a lifeguard, teach first aid and CPR training,
and how to prepare your family and keep them safe during emergencies.
Our World Gives is part of Western Union's Our World, Our Family
program - a five-year, $50 million commitment to facilitate
global economic opportunity and help migrants and their families
stay connected, overcome barriers and realize their dreams.
Our World, Our Family is designed to reach people on every rung
of the economic ladder.
Other participating non-profit organizations include: Accion
USA, CARE, Mercy Corps, Room to Read, US Fund for UNICEF, Opportunity
International and World Vision. For more information, please
visit westernunion.com/foundation.
Connecticut Passes Same Sex Marraige
Approval 10-2008
Democratic Leaders SupportEquality
and Pride 6-2-2008
Democratic National
Committee Chairman Howard Dean today joined Massachusetts Democratic
Representative Barney Frank and Wisconsin Democratic Representative
Tammy Baldwin in issuing the following Proclamation marking
PRIDE Month:
"Today, on behalf
of Democrats across America, we join together in celebrating
the contributions that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender
Americans and their families make to our society and reaffirm
our Party's commitment to promoting full equality under the
law for every American.
"As leaders of
the Democratic Party, we stand proudly with the LGBT community
and commit ourselves to working together to build an America
that is truly inclusive. Every American has the right to live
in dignity, with equal rights, responsibilities and protections
under the law. These are our country's and our Party's core
values. Across the country, at every level of government, Democrats
have championed sweeping protections in the areas of employment,
housing, domestic partnerships and civil unions, adoption, gender
identity or expression, and hate crimes.
"Despite all
we have accomplished, our work is not done. We need to fight
efforts to write discrimination into our laws and constitutions.
We need to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, pass
the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act, and repeal 'Don't Ask,
Don't Tell.' We need a comprehensive, science-based strategy
for combating HIV/AIDS. We must address the socioeconomic problems,
including poverty and limited access to health care, that increase
vulnerability to this disease.
"To do all of
these things we need to put a Democrat in the White House, expand
our majorities in Congress, and elect more Democrats at the
local and state level across the country. To do that, we need
you. Get active, get involved, and join us so we can take our
country back."
MCC Church Bus is Rocked in
Moldava 5-16-2008
Report Issued from Moldava:It
was a week of ups and downs -- with hopes raised and hopes dashed
-- as the LGBT community and their supporters attempted to
hold the first-ever Pride March in the Eastern European country
of Moldova.
In the week leading
up to the Pride March (Sunday, May 11, 2008) the government repeatedly
said it would refuse to provide police protection for the marchers.
Then, less than one hour before the march, the police sent
word that they would provide crowd control and protection for
the marchers.
Fifty Pride marchers filled a local bus, along with
their signs, banners and balloons, and begin to make their way
toward the march site.
MCC's Rev. Elder Diane
Fisher, who was present on the Pride bus along with Florin
Buhuceanu , sent an e-mail that read, "We are 45 minutes
from the march and the police just arrived and have said they
will offer protection because of all the international pressure...now
we see what that means."
But over the next 35 minutes, the tone went from hopeful
to ominous. Diane's next e-mail read, "Protestors have surrounded
the bus and have opened the engine cover to disable the engine.
We are stuck inside with hundreds and hundreds of protestors around
us."
Then two minutes later,
this e-mail: "Police have not shown up and we are stuck in
the bus. We are not sure what we can do. The driver of the bus
cannot return to the bus and the police are refusing to answer
the phone. We don't know what we can do."
The Pride group placed nine phone calls to the local police
precinct -- not one of which was answered.
The situation quickly escalated. Some in the crowd tried to force
the doors of the bus open; others violently pounded on the bus'
windows.
Another two minutes
passed, and this e-mail arrived from Rev. Fisher: "Nerve-wracking.
Very unsafe. We are sitting ducks. No police."
Trapped on the bus,
surrounded by 400 anti-gay protestors, and without any police
protection, the LGBT group heard people in the mob yelling, "Get
them out," and "Let's beat them up," and "Don't
let them escape," and "Beat them to death." The
attackers who were closest to the bus were young -- members
of neo-fascist, New Right, skinhead and extremist religious groups.
Behind them, an older group cheered them on.
MCC staff was in communication
with Diane throughout the ordeal. As the threats continued to
rise, the staff e-mailed Diane, "Is there anything we can
do for you?" From half a world away -- but only 60 seconds
by e-mail -- came Diane's one word answer: "Pray!"
Moldova's laws promise freedom
of peaceful assembly to all persons and obligates the police to
protect the freedom and safety of people who assemble in public.
Those on the Pride bus could see six police cars within sight
-- yet no police responded to the mob attack. Leaders of GenderDoc-M
, Moldova 's LGBT rights group, noted of the police, "Their
passivity encouraged the escalation of violence and the build-up
of the hostile atmosphere."
The mob scene continued
for over 45 minutes -- at one point the mob began rocking the
bus, as though to overturn it.
Finally the crowd demanded that the Pride marchers turn over all
of their banners, flags, signs and balloons as a condition for allowing
the the bus to leave. This was agreed upon and
the materials given to the crowd. (See Photo 3)
The bus began to leave and the LGBT group felt a sense of relief
that they were leaving the scene and that no one had been physically
harmed. But that was quickly tempered by the realization that
the mob was attempting to follow the bus.
The bus driver returned the group to the offices of GenderDoc-M,
refusing to take them any further. MCC's Rev. Diane Fisher and
Florin Buhuceanu huddled with members of GenderDoc-M, Human Rights
Watch, and ILGA-Europe. They were now in the location most
identified with the LGBT community -- they decided as a safety
precaution to leave the GenderDoc-M building. Within two minutes
of their leaving, another mob of several hundred people arrived
and surrounded the offices, blocking all entrances and exits.
Again, two police cars
were parked in sight of the offices, yet the police never intervened.
The mob kept the offices blocked for several hours.For the rest
of the day, the police followed Rev. Fisher. At one point
they took her to the local police precinct to question her about
a traffic matter. They provided no translator, required
her to sign documents in a language she could not read, and
confiscated her legal documents before releasing her. The same
day, police approached Diane's landlady and intimidated her about
Diane's presence in her building.
Despite all the events
of the day, Diane and Florin held their scheduled Bible study
for Chisinau's LGBT community on Sunday evening. On Monday of
this week, they safely crossed the border and returned to Romania
.
Metropolitan Community Churches salutes the lesbian, gay, bisexual
and transgender communities of Moldova as they continue to seek
justice and equality in the face of threats, harassment and
persecution.
Metropolitan Community Churches calls upon Moldovan authorities
to guarantee freedom of assembly and expression to all its
citizens, as promised in its laws.
And Metropolitan Community
Churches echoes the call of GenderDoc-M for the European
Union, the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and
Co-operation in Europe, and human rights NGOs everywhere
to raise these human rights violations with Moldovan authorities,
calling upon the Moldovan government to implement its
own laws without discrimination and to honor the human rights
commitments it has made to the international community.
MCC'S FOUNDER WINS
CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT MARRIAGE CASE!
READ REV. TROY PERRY'S REMARKS BELOW May 15, 2008
Dear MCC Friends:
MCC Founder Rev. Troy Perry has spent a lifetime changing
history and making history -- and today, he did it again.
This morning, the Supreme Court of California ruled in favor of
the marriage lawsuit jointly brought by Troy and his spouse, Phillip
Ray De Blieck, along with MCC friend and LGBT activist Robin
Tyler, and her partner, Diane Olson.
I am thrilled to share Troy and Phillip's heartfelt statement
below.
Equality for all people, including marriage equality, has been
an integral part of Troy's passion and ministry for almost 40
years. It's worth remembering that in 1969, as the Stonewall Rebellion took
place in New York City, Troy was already organizing the LGBT community
in Southern California, had already established Metropolitan Community
Churches -- and had performed what Time Magazine has credited
as the first public same-sex wedding in the United States. All
before Stonewall -- amazing!
And in January of 1970, Troy made history again when he filed
the first-ever lawsuit in the United States seeking legal recognition
of same-gender marriages. The court dismissed the case before
it ever came to trial, but it accomplished something profound:
It birthed the marriage equality movement, and with it, four
decades of debate, activism, struggle, prayer and persistence.
May a new generation of activists rise up and continue Troy's
example of changing our world and working for an end
to discrimination and injustice -- until our brothers and sisters
in Jamaica no longer are attacked and killed solely for their
sexual orientation and gender variance, until LGBT people in Pakistan
no longer face the threat of death if found to be lesbian
or gay, until LGBT people in Moldova can freely march in the streets
without being targets of mob violence, until LGBT people no
longer are smeared and ridiculed by the tabloid press in
Nigeria, until our brothers and sisters no longer experience rejection
from churches and communities of faith, until teens and young
adults no longer take their own lives because they believe God
hates them.
Until that day, ours is an unfinished world.
And it's a reminder that for Metropolitan Community Churches,
ours is an unfinished calling.
Grace and peace,
+ Nancy Rev. Nancy L.
Wilson
MCC Moderator
Stockholm To Host
Literary Human Rights Congress 4-2-2008
In June 2008, the Swedish
Writers' Union will launch WALTIC - the Value of Words, a world
congress for writers, translators, scholars and
activists to gather in one common manifestation of the value of
words and in support of human rights.
From 29 June to 2 July
in Stockholm, Sweden, WALTIC will focus on three global issues:
literacy, intercultural dialogue and digitalisation. The programme
offers a number of seminars, lectures and best practices around
freedom of expression, including censorship and freedom of speech
on the Internet, how to use words to mobilise the marginalised
and fight
oppression, and the right to freely express yourself in your mother
tongue, whomever or wherever you are.
Contemporary Egyptian
novelist, sociologist and medical doctor Nawal E Saadawi and one
of Africa's most prominent writers, Mia Couto are the keynote
speakers. For info, contact:
info(@)waltic(.)com or see: http://www.waltic.com
Baltimore
City, College Park, Kensington and Takoma Park cities Support
Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act 3-18-2008
Baltimore
“ With less than a month before the General Assembly adjourns,
the Baltimore City Council became the fourth Maryland jurisdiction
to pass a resolution supporting The Religious Freedom and Civil
Marriage Protection Act. Baltimore joins College Park, Kensington
and Takoma Park in formally supporting the expansion of civil
marriage to include same-sex couples. The Council passed the resolution
by a 9-3-3 vote at its Monday meeting.
Recently elected
Council Member Bill Henry introduced and shepherded this resolution
through the Council. After the vote he observed, "Expanding
civil marriage to include same-sex couples is the fair thing to
do. I am proud of my colleagues who stood up for all of our families
in Baltimore. I hope this resolution will nudge those state legislators
from Baltimore who are not yet enthusiastically supporting this
historic legislation to rethink their position."
One of the
other 8 Council members supporting this resolution was Council
President Stephanie Rawlings-Blake. The Council President is a
strong ally for the freedom of same-sex couples to marry and recently
submitted testimony in support of House Bill 351. In it she urged
the House Judiciary Committee to pass this legislation. She said,
"Marriage is a unique institution on many levels: religious,
spiritual, and social. Marriage is also a civil institution that
affords many economic and contractual benefits that are not afforded
to people as individuals. I do not believe that people should
be denied any of these rights just because they do not fall under
the legal definition of marriage."
Voting for the resolution were Council President Stephanie Rawlings-Blake
and Council Members Mary Pat Clarke, William Cole, IV, Belinda
Conaway, Robert Curran, Nicolas D'Adamo, Jr., Bill Henry, Sharon
Green Middleton and Ed Reisinger.
Voting against
the resolution were Warren Branch, Rikki Spector and Bernard "Jack"
Young.
Not voting for the resolution were Helen Holton (absent), Jim
Kraft (absent) and Agnes Welch (abstained).
"As a Baltimorean it makes me very proud to have my City
Council recognize the dignity of LGBT families. The arc continues
in its bend toward fairness as elected officials across the state
continue to find the personal and political courage to stand up
for what they believe is right," commented Equality Maryland's
Policy Director Carrie Evans.
Last week the resolution passed the City Council's Judiciary and
Legislative Investigations Committee by a 3-0 vote. Chairman Jim
Kraft made an impassioned speech before casting his decisive vote
stating that sometimes a local body must act before the state
on vital issues.
Of the 24
state legislators from Baltimore City, at least 11 have committed
to voting for The Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection
Act. They include Senators Lisa Gladden, Catherine Pugh and Nathaniel
McFadden and Delegates Curt Anderson, Jill Carter, Hattie Harrison,
Keith Haynes, Ruth Kirk, Maggie McIntosh, Sandy Rosenberg and
Melvin Stukes.
Life is Precious,
Yours, Mine and our Polar Bears 2-15-2008
America’s polar
bears will likely be extinct in fewer than 50 years, according
to U.S. Geological Survey scientists. Yet federal officials have
once again delayed action to protect these struggling animals
as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act.
Instead, officials auctioned
off millions of acres of vital habitat in Alaska’s Chukchi
Sea to Shell and other Big Oil companies earlier this month --
and yet again, President Bush has included dangerous drilling
in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in his budget.
America’s polar
bears will likely be extinct in fewer than 50 years, according
to U.S. Geological Survey scientists. Yet federal officials have
once again delayed action to protect these struggling animals
as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act.
Instead, officials auctioned off millions of acres of vital habitat
in Alaska’s Chukchi Sea to Shell and other Big Oil companies
earlier this month -- and yet again, President Bush has included
dangerous drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in his
budge
Increased drilling in these critical habitats could devastate
America’s polar bears. But ExxonMobil, Shell and other Big
Oil companies continue to use their billions in profits to press
for harmful drilling in the places polar bears need to survive
-- and continue our dependence on the fuels that spur rising temperatures
that are causing the bears’ demise.
Defenders of Wildlife
Action Fund is doing all we can to protect our polar bears --
right now, we're...
• ...working to prevent Arctic Refuge drilling language
from entering the federal budget.
• ...working to pass the Udall-Eisenhower Arctic Wilderness
Act, a bill to permanently protect the Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge and continuing to battle efforts to open this special place
to Big Oil’s dirty rigs.
• ...working to pass the Global Warming Wildlife Survival
Act -- already passed by the House of Representatives, this legislation
is a vital first step to ensure that polar bears and other wildlife
can cope with a changing climate.
• ...working to pass the Polar Bear Protection Act, legislation
to stop wealthy U.S. trophy hunters from killing polar bears in
Canada and returning with their quarry.
• ...working with Congressional staff to find sensible energy
solutions to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, help combat
global warming and protect our wildlife.
• ...holding our elected officials accountable for their
actions on global warming and other wildlife-related issues.
Even in their final months in office, officials in the Bush/Cheney
Administration have made their intentions crystal clear: they’ll
fight for Big Oil’s profit -- and leave our polar bears out
in the cold.
A Call To Action
Metropolitan Community Churches
Public Statement by The Rev. Nancy Wilson
Office of the Moderator
An earlier version of
MCC's "Call to Action" on behalf of LGBT Jamaicans contained
an e-mail address that no longer reaches the Deputy
Prime Minister of Jamaica. Below is an updated version of this
announcement containing the current working e-mail address
(which is hmfaftja@cwjamaica.com). For the sake of our brothers
and sisters in Jamaica, we ask that you take three steps:
First, if you have an earlier version dated February 5, 2008,
delete it to avoid further confusion. All versions dated
February 6 are correct. Second, if you have already written to
the Deputy Prime Minister of Jamaica, please re-send your message
to the new e-mail address -- hmfaftja@cwjamaica.com. This extra
step will help bring an end to the long wave of violence
and murder against LGBT Jamaicans. Finally, if you have not
yet written to the Deputy Prime Minister, please read on to learn
the vital importance of this action.
MCC Moderator Calls
for Immediate Actions In Response to Jamaican Anti-Gay Mob Violence
MCC's "CALL FOR LOVE CAMPAIGN" To Mark Valentine's Day
With International Embassy Actions; E-Mail Appeals, Prayer Vigils
Dear MCC Supporters:
I feel an unusual sense of urgency about the message of this e-mail.
Even though the time frame is short, I am writing to encourage
you and your congregation to join me in celebrating love in a
powerful and meaningful way on Valentine's Day, February 14, 2008,
by helping end the unremitting hatred and violence directed against
our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender brothers and sisters
in Jamaica.
For many years, LGBT
people in Jamaica have faced a horrific campaign of harassment,
intimidation, violence, ostracism, hate crimes and even death.
Time Magazine described Jamaica as "the most homophobic country
in the Western Hemisphere.:
Now the situation has
taken yet another deadly turn -- and we must band together and
bring international pressure to stop the violence.
On Tuesday night, January 29, 2008, an anti-gay mob invaded a
private home in Greenvale, Manchester (Jamaica). The mob attacked
three gay men inside, beating them and hacking them with machetes. Two
of the men have been hospitalized with serious injuries; one had
his ear cut off. One man remains unaccounted for and is feared
dead.
This is only the latest
in a long series of hate-filled crimes against LGBT Jamaicans:
-- During Easter of 2007, another mob surrounded a church in Mandeville
during the funeral of a gay man. They trapped the mourners inside,
chanting, "We want no battyman {sic} funeral here. Leave
or else we are going to kill you."
-- Before that incident, three gay men at Montego Bay's Carnivale
were viciously attacked with knives and beaten with a manhole
cover.
-- On Valentine's Day of 2007, a mob trapped four gay men
inside a pharmacy. They narrowly escaped with their lives, but
not before being pelted by the crowd. Even the local police
hurled insults at the very men they were charged with protecting.
I am inviting you
to use this Valentine's Day, February 14, a day devoted to love,
to help end the hatred against LGBT people in Jamaica.
THE VIOLENCE MUST END AND IT MUST END NOW!
I am calling on political and religious leaders, as well as people
of goodwill around the globe, to unite to end the violence
against LGBT people in Jamaica. Now is the time for clergy to
rise up in their pulpits and put an end to the condemnation
of gay people that so often gives rise to and "justifies"
these violent and unprovoked outbursts. We are often polite
and diplomatic in our calls for study groups to search the Scriptures
and explore our traditions. The time for polite exploration is
over. LGBT people in Jamaica are in fear for their lives
because people of faith are using the Bible to justify violence.
ANTI-GAY BASHING IN THE NAME OF
RELIGION MUST STOP AND IT MUST STOP NOW!
If you are a political leader or member of the police force, I
am uniting my voice with the voices of the membership of J-FLAG
(Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-Sexuals and Gays) in demanding
that you take seriously your constitutionally-mandated and sworn
duty to protect all Jamaican citizens equally. Gender identity
and sexual orientation are not reasons to suffer the perpetuation
of unprovoked violence and vigilante-like raids.
THE SILENCE OF INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL LEADERSHIP MUST END!
WE MUST ALL SPEAK UP NOW FOR THE UNIVERSAL RIGHT THAT
GUARANTEES THE SAFETY OF ALL CITIZENS IN EVERY LAND!
Love, mercy, compassion, mutual respect, generosity and kindness
must become for all of us more than the subjects of Sunday sermons
or Bible Study classes -- they must become the mandates of our
daily lives; the principles by which we live together.
"One Love, One Heart
Let's get together and feel all right..."
Jamaican songster Bob Marley wrote those lyrics because he wanted
the violence and hatred between peoples to end.
I want that, too, with all my heart. And I believe the
day can come when we can live together as one human family. It
is because I believe that so strongly and because of the urgency
of this moment in history, that I am asking MCC leaders and churches
to join hands with people of goodwill globally and take three
steps to end anti-gay violence in Jamaica:
ACTION STEP ONE:
+ Mark the upcoming 40 days of Lent as a time of focused and intentional
prayer for the LGBT community in Jamaica. Pray for an end
to violence and hatred, and that those in political and religious
leadership will have the courage needed to speak and act
for equality and justice and peace among the people of Jamaica.
Commit to daily prayers in your personal life and to public prayers
during worship services throughout Lent.
ACTION STEP TWO:
+ Send an e-mail to The Honorable Dr. Kenneth O. Baugh, Deputy
Prime Minister of Jamaica, at mfatjam@cwjamaica.com. Tell
him that you, like he is, are a person of faith. Call him
to accountability for the well-being of all Jamaican citizens,
both as an elected leader and a person of faith. Let
him know the eyes of the world are watching what is happening.
Demand an investigation at the highest levels of the
Jamaican government into this latest round of violence against
gay people, including the delay in police arrival and the failure
to yet again hold anyone in the mob accountable.
ACTION STEP THREE:
* Join MCC's international "Call For Love Campaign"
on Valentines Day, February 14. For many years, MCCers have observed
Valentine's Day with protests, demonstrations and press conferences
calling attention to the inequality of marriage laws for LGBT
people in countries around the globe.
This year we are dedicating Valentine's Day, February 14 -- a
day devoted to love -- to taking a stand against hatred. On Valentine's
Day, people of goodwill will demonstrate, protest and hold press
conferences at local Jamaican embassies, consulates and high commissions.
Events are already scheduled for Toronto, New York City, and Miami
-- with still more cities to be announced momentarily.
On February 14, we'll call for love to prevail and an end to the
violence and hatred against our bothers and sisters in Jamaica,
especially.
Here's how you can participate:
1. If you are close to one of the Jamaican embassies, high
commissions, or consulates listed below, organize a CALL FOR LOVE
rally at one of the sites. Make signs. Call on the government
of Jamaica to investigate the hate crimes and to protect the rights
of LGBT Jamaicans. Offer prayers. Hold a moment of silence to
remember LGBT people killed and harmed by hatred. If you are not
in range of an embassy, use a central location that will enable
many from your area to participate. Write to GlobalJustice@MCCchurch.net
and we'll send you "10 Action Steps For Organizing A CALL
TO LOVE Public Event."
2. Invite other
churches, synagogues, mosques and temples to join in this CALL
FOR LOVE, along with community organizations, LGBT rights groups,
and human rights groups.
3. Invite the
media and press to your public action. Give voice and visibility
to the plight of LGBT Jamaicans.
"As it was in the beginning (One Love)
So shall it be in the end (One Heart)"
-- Bob Marley
May our actions and our prayers on February 14th make it so.
+Nancy
Rev. Nancy L. Wilson
Moderator
Metropolitan Community Churches
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