Tuesday, April 03, 2012

LGBT Groups Issue Joint Trayvon Martin Statement


Several national LGBT groups issued a joint statement on the Trayvon Martin case yesterday:

An Open Letter: Standing Alongside Trayvon Martin’s Family and Friends

The tragic killing of Trayvon Martin is a national call to action. Our hearts go out to Trayvon’s family and friends for the loss they have experienced. We stand in solidarity with them as they demand answers and justice. We represent organizations with diverse lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender constituencies.

Many in our community have been targets of bigotry and bias. We have a great deal of experience grappling with the role bias plays in violent crimes against our communities. We well know the stories of young people targeted for violence just because of who they are: Rashawn Brazell, Lawrence King, Ali Forney, Deoni Jones, Brandon White, Matthew Shepard, Angie Zapata, Sean Kennedy and countless others.

Trayvon’s killing is a wakeup call to the enduring cancer of racism and racial profiling. The pain his family continues to endure transcends communities and unites us all. Every person, regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity, must be able to walk the streets without fear for their safety.

Trayvon’s killing is tragic and the stark reality that racial bias played a role in his death has alarmed our nation. Questions must be asked. Answers must be sought. And justice must be served. We join our voices to the chorus of so many others to demand that local and federal authorities find those answers. We stand in solidarity with Trayvon’s family and friends as they seek justice for his killing. In the timeless words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

The letter was signed by
CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers  
Equality Federation 
Family Equality Council 
Freedom to Marry 
GLAAD 
Human Rights Campaign 
Immigration EqualityInternational Federation of Black Prides
Lambda Legal 
LGBT Progress at the Center for American Progress 
National Black Justice Coalition 
National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) 
National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) 
National Coalition for LGBT Health 
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
National Stonewall Democrats
Out & Equal Workplace Advocates
PFLAG National 
Pride at Work 
Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE)
Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN)
The Trevor Project 
UNID@S

Hat/tip to TowleRoad. It is good to see LGBT groups stepping up and responding to this tragic situation whihc has captured the nation's attention.

No comments:

LinkWithin

Blog Widget by LinkWithin