RAINBOW FLAGS FOR MUMIA
39 West 14th Street, Room 206 NY, NY 10011 (212) 633-6646
Urgent Call to Lesbian, Gay, Bi and Trans People from Rainbow Flags for Mumia
/International Action CenterProtest Bush's Inauguration in Washington on January 20
11 Jan 2001-- Rainbow Flags for Mumia is a coalition of Lesbian, Gay, Bi and Trans people and organizations that came together in 1999 to demand a new trial for African American journalist and political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal, on death row in Pennsylvania. Rainbow Flags has continued to organize LGBT contingents at major anti-racist events to link the struggles against LGBT oppression and racist repression in the United States. And that is what we will do on January 20 in Washington when we protest at George W. Bush's inauguration. Once again, we are calling on the LGBT community to join our contingent and mobilize for this very significant event.
Bush has been selected president of the U.S and is building his cabinet. His appointments represent a cynical, calculated maneuver to put forward a few Black and Latino officials to serve as fronts for a reactionary administration whose entire program is utterly racist, sexist, anti-lesbian/gay/bi/trans and anti-poor. The purpose of these appointments is to pave the way for attacks.
As governor of Texas, Bush has sent more than 150 people to the death chamber. Bush and his racist, pro-death penalty cronies also send LGBT people to death row. In Texas, Calvin Burdine, a gay man, was sentenced to death after his lawyer slept through his trial and allowed anti-gay attacks to be made against Burdine in the courtroom. Most recently Gov. Frank Keating of Oklahoma-who Bush considered for U.S. attorney-denied a pardon to Wanda Jean Allen, an African American lesbian with brain damage who received a death sentence for killing her abusive partner. Allen is scheduled to be executed on Jan. 11.
Nothing can conceal Bush's hostile position on LGBT issues. In 1999, Bush opposed adding "sexual orientation" to Texas' hate crimes law. As governor, he blocked a non-discrimination policy inclusive of sexual orientation and supported the Texas sodomy law. He does not support the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.
He opposes same-sex marriage and LGBT adoptions. Bush is also vehemently against safe sex and HIV/AIDS education efforts. Further, he is opposed to lesbian and gay people serving in the military.
Despite Bush's record on LGBT issues, the Log Cabin Republicans still sought to endorse him for president. But the degree of Bush's homophobia was made clear when he refused for months to meet with the conservative gay group, illustrating that not even for votes would he recognize LGBT people. Finally, Bush agreed to a meeting where LCR put forth requests to change the anti-gay language in the Republican Party platform. Not a single concession was made; the anti-gay language remained the same.
And then there are his cabinet nominations. The bunch is comprised largely of anti-LGBT racists. Most are adamantly against lesbians and gay in the military. Some, like John Ashcroft, are rabid and vicious in their attack. Ashcroft ranks second in bigotry only to the notorious senator Jesse Helms. And Gale Norton's claim to fame was her virulent fight for Amendment 2 as Colorado's State Attorney. That amendment would have permanently prohibited the passage of any law or ordinance that would provide protection from discrimination and deny the right of lesbian, gay and bi people from ever appealing to the judicial system when discriminated against or bashed.
While Bill Clinton and Al Gore pledged support to the LGBT community in 1992-and again in 1996-what they delivered was "don't ask, don't tell," the Defense of Marriage Act and complacency with the anti-LGBT saboteurs of ENDA. If that is what "friends" of the community did for the cause of LGBT equality, imagine the possibilities under Bush.
On January 20 the Bush administration will open its attack on people of color, the LGBT community, women, workers and the poor. This is the time to bring our struggle back into the streets and demand equal rights for lesbian, gay, bi and trans people, and an end to the death penalty once and for all!
Join the Rainbow Flags for Mumia contingent in the January 20 protest at Bush's inauguration to let the new administration know that we will not go back into the closet, nor will we allow our sisters or brothers to be systematically bashed at the hands of bigots!
Call 212-633-6646 to endorse this call to action, or for more information.
International Action Center
39 West 14th Street, Room 206
New York, NY 10011
email: mailto:iacenter@action-mail.org
En Espanol: iac-cai@action-mail.org
Web: http://www.iacenter.org
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