Tampa Bay Coalition
Newsletter September 2002
Hello My Friends
 
A Special Note of Thanks and Appreciation:
Once again you responded to the Alert and Call to Action I issued regarding the webmasters deceptive and despicable use of the good names of Matthew and Judy Shepard. Although, not surprised by your willingness to help, I was overwhelmed with the number of email messages I received from you within hours of sending out the alert. Each expressed your eagerness to act in putting a stop to this most terrible deception. I would like to extend a special thank you to Geoff and Joey, for their assistance in obtaining the contact information for the host server and webmaster. They enabled me to immediately supply you with this information. Because of their and your great efforts, we managed to get the host server to discontinue the use of the www.matthewshepard.info domain from the webmaster and have the website taken offline. This was accomplished within just days from issuing the first alert. And again, your dedication and tireless efforts have resulted in yet another great achievement and one you should be very proud of. I am certainly so very grateful, proud and blessed to have the support of such a wonderful group of people. Never has the saying, "Together We Can Make a Difference" ever been more true. You continue to do just that, time after time.  Zeke   [See TBC News Coverage] 
 
Remember: National Coming Out Day is Friday, October 11, 2002.
 
Posted on TBC's Cyber Activist Action Center Message Board: [Action Center]
*Call to Action~Contact Your Member of Congress~Urge them to support Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich), discharge petition to schedule a vote on the bill adding sexual orientation to hate crimes laws. Before the end of the current session of Congress.
[A discharge petition forces congressional leaders to schedule a vote on the bill.]  
 
*HRC Action Alert~Urge Your Senator to Oppose Publicly-Funded Discrimination.
 
Please, take a moment to check most recent Alerts & Calls to Action posted on:
 
Eye on GLBT News in the Headlines:
*Last Ditch Effort To Pass Hate Crimes Law.
*Providence May Elect Gay Mayor.
*Voters Keep Miami-Dade's Gay Rights Law.
*Fears Confirmed in Study of Second-Strain HIV 'Reinfection'.  
*Wyoming Christians Protest Hate Monger Phelps' Plan to Demonstrate.
*GLBT Domestic Violence Reports Increase in 2001.
 
 ~A Voice Heard is A Voice Counted ~ A Voice that Remains Silent ~
~ Allows the Voices of Others to Decide Their Future Destiny ~
TBC Eye on GLBT News & Headlines [ http://www.tampabaycoalition.com/News.html ]
 
Last Ditch Effort To Pass Hate Crimes Law
As the clock ticks away the hours before the end of the current session of Congress supporters of a bill adding sexual orientation to hate crimes laws are attempting a hail Mary pass. The leadership in the Republican controlled House refusing to bring the bill to the floor for a vote,  Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich) has filed a discharge petition.
 
Providence May Elect Gay Mayor
Mayoral candidate David Cicilline is a one-man political rainbow: Italian, Jewish, liberal, wealthy and gay. He is setting the stage to become the largest U.S. city to elect an openly gay mayor.
 
Voters Keep Miami-Dade's Gay Rights Law
Miami-Dade County's gay rights ordinance withstood a challenge from Christian conservatives, as voters rejected a proposal to repeal the law. With 727 of  754 precincts, or 96 percent, reporting in Tuesday's primary, 150,316 votes, or 53 percent, were against repealing the law, while 133,299 votes, or 47 percent, were in favor.
 
Fears Confirmed in Study of Second-Strain HIV 'Reinfection'
A recent study and an accompanying editorial published Sept. 5 in the New England Journal of Medicine cast doubt on the widely held assumption among HIV-positive persons that they can't be re-infected with the AIDS virus.
 
Wyoming Christians Protest Hate Monger Phelps' Plan to Demonstrate
Christian leaders has asked anti-gay pastor and his congregation to stay away from Wyoming as the fourth anniversary of the death of Matthew Shepard approaches. Phelps' son, Fred Phelps Jr., dismissed the group's objections as "irrelevant" and said they would have no effect on Westboro's plans for a series of pickets next month.
 
GLBT Domestic Violence Reports Increase in 2001
National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs report on GLBT domestic violence, 5,046 cases of domestic violence were documented in 2001, which represented a 25% increase from 4,048 cases recorded in 2000. 
 
R. Zeke Fread ~ Tampa Bay Coalition ~ Organizer & Coordinator
Know of News Event or Issue of Importance to GLBT Community or Wish to Share your Opinion?  
Contact TBC Eye on GLBT News @  news@tampabaycoalition.com
 
Contact TBC with your inquiries or wish to be removed from TBC mailing list, send email to info@tampabaycoalition.com