peaccenicked
9th June 2002, 08:49
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Undertakes Largest Ever National Effort to Defeat Local Anti-GLBT Ballot Initiative
Dedicates Staff, Volunteers, and Cash Resources to Defeating 'Anita Bryant II'
WASHINGTON - June 5 - Today the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force forcefully responded to efforts underway in Miami-Dade County, FL to pass a ballot initiative eliminating civil rights protections based upon sexual orientation, by announcing the largest effort ever by a national gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) organization to defeat a local ballot initiative.
"Twenty-five years ago in Miami, Anita Bryant and other extremist forces led an anti-gay campaign that had a devastating impact on people in South Florida and throughout the nation," Lorri L. Jean, NGLTF's Executive Director, said in making the announcement. "Their hateful victory deprived the gay and lesbian people of Miami-Dade of essential civil rights protections for more than two decades, and began an avalanche of similar efforts around the country that continue to this day. Now, 25 years later, the exact same discriminatory measure is back on the ballot. We will not let the fanatics prevail again. This will not be "Anita Bryant II."
The current ballot fight is identical in almost every respect to former beauty queen and Florida orange juice spokeswoman Anita Bryant's launch of her now infamous and brutal "Save Our Children" campaign 25 years ago. On June 7, 1977, Bryant's campaign resulted in Miami-Dade voters repealing the county's ordinance that prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation, by an overwhelming margin of 69% to 31%. "In victory, we shall not be vindictive," Bryant is quoted as saying in a June 8, 1977, Associated Press article. "We shall continue to seek help and change for homosexuals, whose sick and sad values belie the word 'gay' which they pathetically use to cover their unhappy lives." Buoyed by the repeal of the Miami-Dade ordinance, right-wing groups intensified efforts to pass anti-gay ballot measures in city after city around the country. Bryant's campaign is widely considered to have been a pivotal moment in the modern GLBT civil rights movement, and GLBT activists across the nation expect the current Miami-Dade ballot fight to be one of the most hotly contested and closely watched this season.
NGLTF's support will help SAVE Dade counter the attack of the anti-gay group Take Back Miami-Dade, which has joined forces with Pat Robertson's Christian Coalition to place an amendment on the ballot to once again remove sexual orientation from the county's current anti-discrimination ordinance, passed in 1998. The ordinance prohibits discrimination against gays and lesbians in employment, housing, credit and accommodations. The vote is scheduled for September 10, 2002. Echoing the bigotry and ignorance of 25 years ago, the current anti-gay forces have referred to gay people as "merchants of death" and adopted the battle cry, "no special rights for sodomites."
"This is clearly going to be an uphill battle for us," Jean continued. "The outcome of the Miami-Dade vote isn't simply a local issue. In many ways this vote is a referendum on the progress that the GLBT community has made in this country. NGLTF intends to put the full strength of its resources behind the effort to preserve Miami-Dade's protections for the gay community. If we don't, the consequences for our community nationally could be disastrous."
As part of its campaign, NGLTF will support the efforts of SAVE Dade, the local organization spearheading the effort to defeat the ballot initiative, with an unprecedented level of resources.
NGLTF will make a cash grant of $50,000 to Save Dade--making NGLTF by far the largest contributor to SAVE Dade's campaign, and to date the largest contribution ever made by a national GLBT organization to a local ballot campaign.
NGLTF has dedicated six full-time staff to work with SAVE Dade to organize at the local level to defeat the initiative.
In the weeks leading up to the election, NGLTF will recruit, train, and deploy 80 volunteers from around the country in Miami-Dade, to identify and mobilize more than 20,000 Miami-Dade voters who support retaining the current ordinance. In addition, NGLTF has mobilized the National Religious Leadership Roundtable (NRLR), an interfaith network of leaders from pro-GLBT faith, spiritual, and religious organizations, to organize more than 500 volunteers to identify and mobilize additional voters, and to support the efforts of Save Dade.
For information on how to volunteer to help defeat the Miami-Dade anti-gay ballot initiative, please contact Dan Hawes, NGLTF Senior Field Organizer, at 202-332-6483, ext. 3222 or by e-mail at [email protected] Media inquiries should be directed to Jubi Headley, Director of Communications, at 202-332-6483, ext. 3303 or by e-mail at [email protected]
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force has worked to eliminate prejudice, violence and injustice against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people at the local, state and national level since its inception in 1973. As part of a broader social justice movement for freedom, justice and equality, NGLTF is creating a world that respects and celebrates the diversity of human expression and identity where all people may fully participate in society.
Dedicates Staff, Volunteers, and Cash Resources to Defeating 'Anita Bryant II'
WASHINGTON - June 5 - Today the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force forcefully responded to efforts underway in Miami-Dade County, FL to pass a ballot initiative eliminating civil rights protections based upon sexual orientation, by announcing the largest effort ever by a national gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) organization to defeat a local ballot initiative.
"Twenty-five years ago in Miami, Anita Bryant and other extremist forces led an anti-gay campaign that had a devastating impact on people in South Florida and throughout the nation," Lorri L. Jean, NGLTF's Executive Director, said in making the announcement. "Their hateful victory deprived the gay and lesbian people of Miami-Dade of essential civil rights protections for more than two decades, and began an avalanche of similar efforts around the country that continue to this day. Now, 25 years later, the exact same discriminatory measure is back on the ballot. We will not let the fanatics prevail again. This will not be "Anita Bryant II."
The current ballot fight is identical in almost every respect to former beauty queen and Florida orange juice spokeswoman Anita Bryant's launch of her now infamous and brutal "Save Our Children" campaign 25 years ago. On June 7, 1977, Bryant's campaign resulted in Miami-Dade voters repealing the county's ordinance that prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation, by an overwhelming margin of 69% to 31%. "In victory, we shall not be vindictive," Bryant is quoted as saying in a June 8, 1977, Associated Press article. "We shall continue to seek help and change for homosexuals, whose sick and sad values belie the word 'gay' which they pathetically use to cover their unhappy lives." Buoyed by the repeal of the Miami-Dade ordinance, right-wing groups intensified efforts to pass anti-gay ballot measures in city after city around the country. Bryant's campaign is widely considered to have been a pivotal moment in the modern GLBT civil rights movement, and GLBT activists across the nation expect the current Miami-Dade ballot fight to be one of the most hotly contested and closely watched this season.
NGLTF's support will help SAVE Dade counter the attack of the anti-gay group Take Back Miami-Dade, which has joined forces with Pat Robertson's Christian Coalition to place an amendment on the ballot to once again remove sexual orientation from the county's current anti-discrimination ordinance, passed in 1998. The ordinance prohibits discrimination against gays and lesbians in employment, housing, credit and accommodations. The vote is scheduled for September 10, 2002. Echoing the bigotry and ignorance of 25 years ago, the current anti-gay forces have referred to gay people as "merchants of death" and adopted the battle cry, "no special rights for sodomites."
"This is clearly going to be an uphill battle for us," Jean continued. "The outcome of the Miami-Dade vote isn't simply a local issue. In many ways this vote is a referendum on the progress that the GLBT community has made in this country. NGLTF intends to put the full strength of its resources behind the effort to preserve Miami-Dade's protections for the gay community. If we don't, the consequences for our community nationally could be disastrous."
As part of its campaign, NGLTF will support the efforts of SAVE Dade, the local organization spearheading the effort to defeat the ballot initiative, with an unprecedented level of resources.
NGLTF will make a cash grant of $50,000 to Save Dade--making NGLTF by far the largest contributor to SAVE Dade's campaign, and to date the largest contribution ever made by a national GLBT organization to a local ballot campaign.
NGLTF has dedicated six full-time staff to work with SAVE Dade to organize at the local level to defeat the initiative.
In the weeks leading up to the election, NGLTF will recruit, train, and deploy 80 volunteers from around the country in Miami-Dade, to identify and mobilize more than 20,000 Miami-Dade voters who support retaining the current ordinance. In addition, NGLTF has mobilized the National Religious Leadership Roundtable (NRLR), an interfaith network of leaders from pro-GLBT faith, spiritual, and religious organizations, to organize more than 500 volunteers to identify and mobilize additional voters, and to support the efforts of Save Dade.
For information on how to volunteer to help defeat the Miami-Dade anti-gay ballot initiative, please contact Dan Hawes, NGLTF Senior Field Organizer, at 202-332-6483, ext. 3222 or by e-mail at [email protected] Media inquiries should be directed to Jubi Headley, Director of Communications, at 202-332-6483, ext. 3303 or by e-mail at [email protected]
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force has worked to eliminate prejudice, violence and injustice against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people at the local, state and national level since its inception in 1973. As part of a broader social justice movement for freedom, justice and equality, NGLTF is creating a world that respects and celebrates the diversity of human expression and identity where all people may fully participate in society.