Tampa Bay Coalition
Newsletter December 6,
2001
Hello My
Friends
I hope you all had a long
list of things to be thankful for on this past
Thanksgiving. Your willingness
to get actively involved and
your tireless efforts to make
our world a nicer place to
hang-out. Puts
you all high on my list for of
things I am thankful and most grateful for.
"Campaign of Kindness and
Compassion"
City of New York
Firefighters, the Forgotten Victims, Survivors and Hero's
TBC joins with other individuals and
organizations in a campaign, to express our appreciation
and gratitude to New York City
Firefighters. We ask that you read the following and hope you will
feel as
we. And, will join with us all in our "Campaign of Compassion" for these
Hero's who need
to know just how much their efforts
are appreciated. Please, share this message with others
and
together we
can lift their spirits
and show them how much we care. Link below will open
message
The Boycott Donations to the Salvation Army Kettles
Protest
The protest
of the Salvation Army relenting to the Religious Right will has gone National.
The decision
to
block efforts of the Western Territories from offering equal access to insurance
benefits to the Gay,
Lesbian and
Unmarried partners employees has turned out to be costly. They are receiving a
ton of
protest
notes/dollars in their kettles. The American Family Association, has come out
berating those
participating in the protest, they have said the protest money is
"currency of intolerance" and labeled
the
protest, "an untimely campaign of anti-Christian bigotry." The AFA is
buying the fake five with
real five
and have dubbed this campaign "Redemption for the Intolerant." But, the price of
redemption
is limited
to $ 1,000, which is better spent AFA money than they normally spend it
on. So, keep up the
good work.
Don't forget to check out TBC's Salvation Army Protest Page, there's a protest
note, links to
a variety
of protest money created by different organizations, protest banners and much
more. click link
Gay and Lesbians Who Lost Partners in 9-11 Terrorist
Attacks
The Justice
Department is to determine guidelines for the "September 11 Victim Compensation
Fund",
shortly.
They will decide whether Gay and Lesbian Families
will be compensated by the fund. You can
add your
voice in support of equality in compensation for all. Conservative
Christian groups have publicly stated gay and lesbians relationships should not
be counted as families. They are sending messages to
the Justice
Department in mass. We can't allow or well afford that their voices be the only
ones heard.
Your help
is desperately needed, there are many Gay and Lesbian Families who are dire
financial need.
Here
is contact information, please, send an e-mail, snail mail and or Fax
to:
Kenneth L. Zwick,
Director
Office of Management
Programs Civil Division
U.S. Department of
Justice
Main Building, Room
3140
950 Pennsylvania Avenue
NW
Washington, D.C.
20530
Fax to 301-519-5956
You can
also send the same to John Ashcroft, but, Kenneth Zwick is our priority
contact.
John
Ashcroft
U.S.Attorney
General
U.S. Department of
Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue,
NW
Washington, DC 20530-0001
Email Address:
Attorney General
Att. General Phone:
202-353-1555
Ready for Some Good News?
Red Cross Official Policy of Fairness to Gay and Lesbian Survivors
Issued
The Red
Cross has issued a official policy of fair treatment for gay and lesbian families who suffered
the loss of
a loved one on 9-11. They have appointed a liaison to
oversee the quality and consistency
of service
to the gay and lesbian community. We commend Red Cross for this recent
decision. With
the amount
of money donated to the Red Cross, this will be a Godsend to many Gays and
Lesbians.
Special Trust Fund Set Up for Gay and Lesbian
Families
The news
of Peggy Neff being declared ineligible for benefits by
Virginia's Victims of
Crime Act and
in danger
of losing the home she shared with her partner of 18 years Sheila Hein. Sheila was in the
airliner that crashed into the Pentagon. The Human
Rights Campaign has recently set up a Special
Trust Fund for donations that will go directly
to Gay and Lesbian Families. After TBC's Press Release
was sent
out and posted on Gaywire many requests for information for sending donations exclusively
for
Gay and Lesbian Families came in. I found few after much
searching, so, this fund can be welcome
financial
relief for many Gays and Lesbian Families living outside the New York area. for
those wishing
to make a
donation, they can be sent to:
Human Rights Campaign Relief Fund
919 18th St, 8th Floor,
NW
Washington, DC 20006
(202) 628-4160
I want to thank you all for all your tireless hard work and
for all you have accomplished this past year. You
should be so very proud of yourselves for you have achieved on behalf of GLBT's
and Our Community. I am certainly so proud and
grateful to each of you. You have responded over and over each time you help was
requested. Never has the saying "Together We Can Make Difference"
been more true. I only hope I haven't burnt you out for next years challenges.
LOL I am forever thankful and privileged to have the opportunity to work
with you.
My best wishes for the Holidays and for good health, much
happiness and love in the coming New Year.
Take Very Good Care My Dear Friends
Zeke
Should we remain silent and refuse to be actively
involved
Then, we lose all right to complain on how things are or should
be,
But, if we join our voices together with others and speak out
loudly,
And, if we get actively involved working in the pursuit of
change,
Only then, shall we all have much less to complain
about. Z.
R. Zeke Fread
Organizer - Coordinator
Tampa Bay
Coalition
info@tampabaycoalition
no2laura@tampabay.rr.com
TBC Main Entry & Index
http://tampabaycoalition.homestead.com/home.html
GLBT News Headlines Comprehensive & Updates
Daily
http://tampabaycoalition.homestead.com/news.html