Subject: Jesse Jackson, Troy Perry Unveil National Hate Crimes Campaign
From: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 23 Oct 1998 15:02:24 EDT

N E W S   R E L E A S E
From The Universal Fellowship
of Metropolitan Community Churches

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - October 23, 1998

NOTE: Press photos of Jesse Jackson and Troy Perry available upon request.

Jesse Jackson, Troy Perry Hold LA Hate Crimes Rally
National Campaign for Passage of Federal Hate Crimes Laws Unveiled
"200,000 By 2000" Is Campaign Theme

LOS ANGELES -- When veteran human rights activists Jesse Jackson and Troy
Perry held a joint rally and press conference in Los Angeles, it turned into
more than a public statement against hate crimes.

It launched a national movement.

During Thursday's standing-room only rally in West Hollywood, the Rev. Troy
Perry, Founder and Moderator of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan
Community Churches, announced the formation of a national campaign, "200,000
by 2000."

"The shock and pain we have felt around Matthew Shepard's murder must be
translated beyond words into action," said Perry, a delegate to President
Clinton's White House Conference on Hate Crimes.  "The "200,000 by 2000
Campaign" is a positive step in this direction. The campaign is gathering
signatures and endorsements of 200,000 American religious leaders calling for
full enactment of federal hate crimes legislation by the Year 2000."

Perry, who attended funeral services for Matt Shepard and who led the
Community Memorial Service in Wyoming, knows something about hate crimes.
More than 20 congregations of the predominantly gay Metropolitan Community
Churches have been victimized by the hate crimes of arson and firebombing, and
numerous others have been targets of desecration and vandalism.

A broad coalition of religious leaders has endorsed the "200,000 by 2000
Campaign," including Bishop Melvin Talbert, Resident Bishop of San Francisco
for the United Methodist Church; Rabbi Brad Artson, Vice President of the
Board of Rabbis of Southern California; the Rev. Dr. Paul Sherry, President of
the United Church of Christ; Bishop Carl Bean, Presiding Bishop of Unity
Fellowship of Churches Movement; and the Rev. John Buehrens, President of the
Unitarian Universalists Association.

The Rev. Elder Nancy Wilson, Senior Pastor of MCC LA which hosted the rally,
commented, "Who would have dreamed that a predominantly gay organization would
be helping to set the pace for passage of hate crimes protections by religious
leaders from across a broad diversity of America's faith communities?"

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, President of Rainbow/PUSH Coalition and previous
candidate for President of the United States, echoed the call, noting, "We are
in a struggle between dreams and dream busters. Our challenge is to turn pain
into power."

During his Los Angeles appearance at the Metropolitan Community of Los
Angeles, Jackson expressed strong support for passage of the Federal Hate
Crimes Protection Act and his solidarity with the gay and lesbian community.

Other speakers at the rally includes Rabbi Steven Jacob, Rabbi of Kol Tikvah
of Woodland Hills and the Rev. Leonard Jackson, Associate Pastor of First AME
Church of Los Angeles and a Board Member of the Interfaith Alliance. The Rev.
Dawn Wilder, Director of UFMCC's youth ministry, shared her moving personal
experiences of providing spiritual support to high school and college students
in Wyoming this past week and of her visit to the fence where Matt Shepard
died.

The rally was unusual by the large amount of press coverage it received from
wire services, newspapers, television stations, TV news magazines and
documentary makers. "The media attention is another indication of how deeply
Matt Shepard's life and death have touched every segment of our society," said
Perry.

According to Perry, religious leaders will present the 200,000 signatures to
Congress on April 30, 2000 as part of the Millennium March on Washington for
Equality.

(END)

NOTE: Press photos of Jesse Jackson and Troy Perry available upon request. 
           Send requests for photos by e-mail to [email-masked].

For Additional Information, Contact:
James N. Birkitt
UFMCC Director of Communications
8704 Santa Monica Boulevard, 2nd Floor
West Hollywood, CA  90069

Tel. (310) 360-8640
Fax: (310) 360-8680

E-Mail:  [email-masked]

Website:  http://www.ufmcc.com