End Bigotry in Venango County: It's Time: Demand Hate Crimes Legislation Now!

Monday, April 20, 2009

It's Time: Demand Hate Crimes Legislation Now!

What an incredible couple of weeks for all people who believe in equality! Iowa and Vermont have now joined Connecticut and Massachusetts in guaranteeing full marriage equality for same-sex couples, and the D.C. Council voted unanimously to recognize marriages of same-sex couples performed in other jurisdictions.

And, after months of anticipation, Rep. John Conyers has introduced comprehensive hate crimes legislation in the House. That's the good news — the bad news is that right-wing extremists are already flooding their representatives with letters and calls opposing hate crimes legislation.

We need your help to drown them out today.

Click here to contact your representative and ask him/her to support federal hate crimes legislation.

This is our chance to secure federal protections for the LGBT community from vicious attacks and hate. But we've got to flood our legislators' inboxes and phone lines to make sure they hear our message loud and clear.

Please take action now, then urge everyone you know to get in touch with their representatives.

Thanks for your activism today, and we'll keep you updated as this critical legislation moves through the House of Representatives.

Sincerely,

Rea Carey, Executive Director
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Action Fund

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Principles for Equality

FULL CIVIL RIGHTS GOALS

Being united by common principles and engaging in united action, we will strive to achieve the following goals:

1.DIGNITY AND EQUALITY. Every lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender person has inherent dignity and worth, and has the right to live free of discrimination and harassment.

2.FAMILY. Every LGBT person has the right to a family without legal barriers to immigration, civil marriage or raising children.

3.ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. Every LGBT person has the right to economic opportunity free from discrimination in employment, public housing, accommodation, public facilities, credit, and federally funded programs and activities.

4.EDUCATION. Every LGBT child and youth has the right to an education that is affirming, inclusive and free from bullying.

5.NATIONAL SECURITY. Every LGBT person should have the opportunity to serve our country openly and equally in our military and foreign service.

6.CRIME. Every LGBT person should enjoy life protected against bias crimes.

7.HEALTH CARE. Every person should have access to affordable, high quality, and culturally competent health care without discrimination.

The following eight guiding principles underlie our call to action. In order to achieve full civil rights now, we avow:

1.Full civil rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals must be enacted now. Delay and excuses are no longer acceptable.

2.We will not leave any part of our community behind.

3.Separate is never equal.

4.Religious beliefs are not a basis upon which to affirm or deny civil rights.

5.The establishment and guardianship of full civil rights is a non-partisan issue.

6.Individual involvement and grassroots action are paramount to success and must be encouraged.

7.Success is measured by the civil rights we all achieve, not by words, access or money raised.

8.Those who seek our support are expected to commit to these principles.

CALL TO ACTION

1.We demand that government officials act now to achieve full civil rights without delay.

2.Our organizations and individuals need to develop a collaborative and revolutionary new organizing model that mobilizes millions of supporters through emerging web and phone technologies.

3.All LGBT individuals must accept personal responsibility to do everything within their power for equality and should get involved in the movement by volunteering, giving and being out.

4.We will hold elected officials and our organizations accountable for being transparent and achieving full civil rights by active participation when possible and active opposition when necessary.

5.Our allies need to be proactive in public support for full civil rights.

6.Every government measure that quantifies the US citizenry must permit LGBT individuals to self-identify and be counted in every way citizens are counted.

7.We demand that the media present LGBT lives in fair, accurate and objective ways that neither include nor give credence to unsubstantiated, discriminatory claims and opinions.

To join the growing chorus of Americans speaking in unison that now is the time to provide full civil rights to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender citizens, CLICK HERE.

End Bigotry in Venango County

Monday, April 20, 2009

It's Time: Demand Hate Crimes Legislation Now!

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