|
|
 NGLTF Targets 'Anita Bryant II' Dedicates Staff, Volunteers, and Cash to Defeat Local Initiative Miami-Dade's Right-Wing Zealots Aim to Kill Bias Protections |
|
Compiled by GayToday NGLTF
The anti-gay, quasi-Christian right-wing group, Take Back Miami-Dade, with links to Pat Robertson's Christian Coalition, wants an amendment placed on the county's ballot in order to re-instate its persistant bias, once again eliminating sexual orientation on its anti-discrimination ordinance, a category added as recently as 1998. "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," said Lorri L. Jean, NGLTF's Executive Director. "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." Miami-Dade overcame Anita Bryant's divisive influence in 1998 by passing an anti-bias ordinance. But, as NGLTF's Ms. Jean says: "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 resurrecting many vicious themes as were circulated by Florida orange juice spokeswoman Anita Bryant's campaign 25 years ago with the launching of her now infamous "Save Our Children" campaign. 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 Take Back Miami-Dade, which has joined forces with Pat Robertson's Christian Coalition 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."
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. Volunteer to Help Defeat the Miami-Dade anti-gay ballot initiative: Contact: Dan Hawes, NGLTF Senior Field Organizer Telephone: 202-332-6483, ext. 3222 E-mail: dhawes@ngltf.org. |
