Subject: An Update On The Millennium March on Washington (April 30, 2000)
From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 24 Mar 1999 14:29:29 EST

An Update On The
Millennium March On
Washington For Equality

A Statement From
The Rev. Troy D. Perry of
The Universal Fellowship of
Metropolitan Community Churches

Dear Friends:

As I write these words, we are in the midst of the historic Equality Begins at
Home state actions -- the first coordinated GLBT actions to take place in all
50 US states.

Thirty years of activism on behalf of the GLBT communities convince me that we
are now in the midst of a powerful three-pronged strategy to make our voices
heard and to assure full equality under the law for all gay, lesbian, bisexual
and transgendered persons.

This three-pronged strategy will take us to state capitals this month... to
our nation's capital in April of 2000... and to the ballot box in November of
2000.

Each step is needed.  Each step is important to protecting our future.

But I'm writing today for a very specific purpose.

You see, of the hundreds of letters that have crossed my desk in the last
couple of weeks, two have made a powerful and lasting impression upon me. Each
came from America's "heartland" and each carried the authentic grassroots
voice of the courageous women and men who are making a difference in local
communities across this country.

The first comes from the founder and director of Coastal Pride, a local Pride
organization serving the GLBT communities in Florida; the second from a couple
in rural Tennessee. The writers have given me permission to share their
letters and their names with you.

I encourage you to take a moment and be inspired by their stories. You may
even wish to reproduce and redistribute their stories; you are certainly
encouraged to do so.

Yours,
The Rev. Troy D. Perry,
Moderator of UFMCC

LETTER FROM BUTCH McKAY, DIRECTOR OF COASTAL PRIDE:
Just a note of endorsement for the Millennium March on Washington scheduled
for April 30, 2000.  

Growing up in conservative Alabama, I never felt that I had a right to be open
about my sexuality......I felt I was doing the responsible thing by leading a
double life. 

It was a lot of pressure and strain to try and please myself and society both,
but I managed to do so for many years. Being a gay man and losing hundreds of
friends to AIDS in the eighties and early nineties and witnessing the
discrimination against them, not only because of a virus but mostly because of
their sexual orientation, I finally had enough and went to Washington, DC for
the 93 March on Washington to show support for some of my HIV+ gay friends. 

That weekend changed my life forever. 

I had never had the courage to attend a rally in Alabama or in N. W. Florida
where I had relocated. That March gave me the courage and strength to say to
myself "I'm Gay and it is okay!" After I dealt with my own internal
homophobia, I learned to deal with homophobia in my conservative community. 

I returned home from that March to Panama City and agreed to be interviewed on
the front page of the local newspaper about my Washington, DC experience and
what it was like to be a gay male in the Bible Belt. That article was the last
hurdle to being total free and comfortable with myself.

I have gone on to become a gay activist and Director of an AIDS organization
and founder of a gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered organization called
Coastal Pride. Coastal Pride has signed on in support of the Millennium March
on Washington for Equality. 

My story is only man's opinion, but for me the 93 March on Washington saved my
life and set me free. If I had not gone, no telling where I would be in my
personal life today. 

I know that I share the experience of a lot of gay men and lesbians in small
southern towns who have had their lives changed for the betterment of
themselves and the gay community because of national events like the March on
Washington. I encourage everyone to support the Millennium March on Washington
for Equality in April of 2000. Please feel free to share my comments. 

PRIDE is not a birthright, it is a commitment!
Keep the Pride,
Butch McKay

LETTER FROM JEFF SIZEMORE AND TIME BATES (TENNESSEE):
I'm sure you've been overwhelmed with questions, comments, and requests for
information about the upcoming march, so I'll keep it short...

My partner and I live in rural East Tennessee, where the majority of the gay
"community" cannot afford, due to social/family/religious pressures, to live
their lives openly and honestly, with pride and dignity.  

Our city's first "gay pride" celebration took place in a private, controlled
area to keep media coverage, as well as potential social
confrontation/violence, at bay. Such is life in rural, homophobic America.
Granted, we're making progress.  But ever-so-slowly.

That's why we look with anticipation and hope to the upcoming Millennium March
on Washington for Equality in Washington, DC on April 30, 2000.  Events such
as this are not just important, they are VITAL to the visibility of GLBT
communities in our country.  They are a peaceful reminder that intolerance,
ignorance, and outright violence toward fellow human beings should never have
been accepted, and will no longer be tolerated.  

As members of this community, my partner and I seek no special rights...only
the human rights intrinsic to our status as companions in the human race. For
this reason, in the spring of next year, we will join millions of supporters
in our nation's capital in pursuit of freedom, justice, and recognition for
all.

Because we care about ourselves...because we care about others...because we're
not willing to mourn another senseless, tragic end like those faced by Matthew
Shepherd or Billy Jack Gaither...we will be there.  

Jeff Sizemore/Tim Bates	

We're marching to state capitals in March of 1999!
   We're marching to our nation's capital in April of 2000!
        We're marching to the ballot box in November of 2000!

RESPONSE FORM FOR MORE INFORMATION...

__ I want to keep informed about the Millennium March on Washington. Add me to
the UFMCC's Millennium March E-Mail News Service. 

My e-mail address is: ____________________________________

__ I'd like to volunteer to organize in my area. Please contact me with
volunteer information.

__ Please add me to UFMCC's Millennium March mailing list to receive
information by mail. My address is listed below.

__ I'd like to know more about "The Wedding," the largest-ever celebration of
GLBT relationships and demonstration for same-sex marriage to take place
during the March weekend. Please send me details.

__ I'd like information on UFMCC's African-American Conference to be held the
weekend of the Millennium March.

__ I'd like information on housing for the March.

__ Please send me an organizational endorsement form for the March.

____________________________________
Name
____________________________________
Mailing Address
____________________________________
City		State		Zip
____________________________________
E-Mail Address

RETURN TO:

UFMCC
8704 Santa Monica Boulevard, 2nd Floor
West Hollywood, CA 90069

Fax To: (310) 360-8680

E-Mail To: [email-masked]

(END)

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, CONTACT:
James N. Birkitt, Jr., UFMCC Communications Department
8704 Santa Monica Blvd.,  2nd Floor
West Hollywood, CA  90069

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

E-mail: [email-masked]

website: http://www.ufmcc.com