News Brief: 10/4/06

325 Demonstrate for Fairness and Equality!
 

325 People came to St. Paul to push back against intolerance and stand up for all families.	Richfield United Methodist Church Reverend Elizabeth Macaulay spoke against the message of the religious right saying,"Jesus did not preach hate."

OutFront Minnesota Executive Director Ann DeGroot said, "we are all out here standing up for all of Minnesota’s families." Read Ann's speech
 

Electricity went through the air in downtown St. Paul October 3rd as more than 300 demonstrators showed up to protest the anti-GLBT rhetoric of James Dobson and his Focus on the Family Action rally held the same night. As important as pushing back against intolerance, the demonstrators – who included GLBT people and our allies - conveyed positive messages of acceptance and affirmation of who we are as GLBT people.

"Our voices must be heard and our families counted," was a rallying cry from a PFLAG mother from Chaska, who's also Catholic, who conveyed love and acceptance for her and her husband's daughter while speaking back to the message that only certain types of ideas can be considered Christian. She went on, "Can any family be excluded from the human family? We know in our heart of hearts this is inconceivable." The crowd cheered, chanted, and got plenty of supportive honks from rush hour drivers during the OutFront Minnesota-led demonstration. Hundreds of colorful meaningful signs pierced the air - "I stand for all families," "I love my transgender daughter," and "James Dobson does not speak for all Christians."

Read a portion of a letter we received.

OutFront Minnesota Executive Director Ann DeGroot said, "We don't have a message of hate. We have a message of acceptance, we have a message of tolerance, we have a message of understanding who all of the families of Minnesota are."

Laura Smidzik of Rainbow Families said, "When you come after families with same-sex parents, we will fight back!" Read Laura's entire speech. And Dan McGrath of TakeAction Minnesota whose mother is a lesbian, said "The reason my mother is my moral compass is because she came out as a lesbian to be who she is." Read Dan McGrath's entire speech. Jewish Community Action's David Snyder inspired the crowd speaking about Jews' experience with religious intolerance. Read David's speech.

Big Thanks to our Other Partners:

University of Minnesota GLBTA Programs Office

Richfield United Methodist Church

Jewish Community Action

PFLAG

Even the threat of rain did not stop fair-minded people from showing our collective strength. We've got a strong, vibrant GLBT and allied community to be proud of!

Signs were greeted by much supportive horn honking
by rush hour drivers.
 

A message of inclusion speaks back to the message of exclusion going on inside
the Focus on the Family Action event.