Equal Partners in Faith applauds action
of Coretta Scott King in support of Miami-Dade County LGBT Civil Rights
Ordinance
[press release 8-21-02, posted here 9-3-02]
"Equal Partners in Faith applauds the action
taken by Coretta Scott King, wife of slain civil rights leader Martin
Luther King, Jr., to correct the gross misuse of her husband's
name," said EPF Director Sylvia Rhue.
King and U.S. Rep. Carrie Meek issued statements in
response to information recently distributed by the anti-gay group, Take
Back Miami-Dade. The group produced a flyer contending that Martin
Luther King, Jr., would be opposed to an ordinance extending civil
rights to lesbians and gays.
"If the basic rights of one group can be denied,
all groups become vulnerable," said Mrs. King. Rep. Meek added,
"I know first-hand how discrimination robs individuals of their
human dignity ... We must not allow discrimination to gain a toehold in
our community."
The flyer supporting Miami-Dade County's human rights
ordinance protecting lesbians and gays from discrimination was produced
by the ACLU of Florida, a campaign ally of "No to
Discrimination/SAVE Dade." Miami-Dade County's LGBT community has
struggled to maintain basic civil rights since orange juice spokesperson
Anita Bryant launched her attack in 1977. Bryant's "Save our
Children" campaign successfully repealed Dade's equal rights
ordinance.
In 2000, "Take Back Miami-Dade" launched its
efforts to repeal the current equal rights ordinance. The Christian
Coalition teamed up with Tampa's Florida Family Association to form the
"Take Back Miami-Dade Political Committee."
"Take Back Dade's action demonstrates just how
low homophobic individuals will stoop to impose their bigotry on a
community," said Rhue.
EQUAL PARTNERS in FAITH is a multi-racial national
network of religious leaders and people of faith committed to equality
and diversity. Our diverse faith traditions and shared religious
values lead us to affirm and defend the equality of all people,
regardless of religion, race, ability, gender, sexual orientation or
gender identity. As people of faith, we actively oppose the
manipulation of religion to promote inequality and exclusion.
Equal Partners in Faith
5 Thomas Circle
Washington DC 20005
1-877-501-4194
1-202-797-0111 (fax)
website: http://www.us.net/epf/index2.html
email: epfinfo@aol.com
