Subject: Why We're Going To The Millennium March on Washington 2000
From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 4 Feb 1999 13:23:38 EST

Why We're
Going To The
Millennium March On
Washington For Equality

A Statement From
The Universal Fellowship of
Metropolitan Community Churches

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!

On April 30, 2000, more than one million gays, lesbians, bisexuals and
transgendered persons will gather along with our friends and families on the
Mall in Washington, DC to call for equality under the law for all citizens.

This will be the fourth national March on Washington in the history of the
GLBT Movement – and follows in the tradition of earlier marches in 1979, 1987,
and 1993.

For some, the March has been controversial. For others, it has been embraced
as a powerful way to present our GLBT message to the nation.

Here's why the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches is
supporting and will be attending the Millennium March on Washington for
Equality:

The March advances the GLBT movement.
The Millennium March represents a key element of a three-pronged strategy for
advancing our movement. We must advance in three areas: the state governments,
our national government, and the ballot box. That's why we're supporting the
marches on state capitols through the Equality Begins At Home events and the
Millennium March. Each event will support and sustain the other. And that's
why UFMCC has embraced this powerful theme: "We're marching to our state
capitals in March of 1999. We're marching to our nation's capital in April of
2000. And in November of 2000, we're marching to the ballot box."

The March follows in the tradition of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Civil
Rights advances.
Dr. King knew the value of marching on the nation's capital, and galvanized
support for civil rights by an overwhelming presence in Washington, DC. We
believe in the value of demonstrating to our nation the strength of our
numbers and the passion of our commitment to justice.

The March will demonstrate the broad diversity of the GLBT communities.
This is a March for all of us. Every segment of the GLBT movement will be
represented. AIDS activists, civil rights workers, families, leather folk,
community organizers, children, military service members, transgendered
people, people of faith, same-sex marriage proponents, youth -- everyone is
invited! Together we'll demonstrate the diversity of our movement.

It's already been too long.  
Seven years will have passed since the last March on Washington. If we have
learned any lesson, it is how quickly and easily our elected officials forget.
It's time to remind our government and our nation that millions of her
citizens are still denied equality. 

The new millennium presents a strategic opportunity.
The dawn of a new millennium, by its very nature, heightens society's
sensitivity.  Commentators, the press and society at large will be looking for
messages and trends for the new millennium. We have an opportunity at this
strategic time to move our GLBT message to the forefront.

The year 2000 is a presidential election year.  
In our society, much of our progress is contingent upon getting the ear, and
then the support, of our elected officials. The presence of one million gay,
lesbian, bisexual and transgendered persons is designed to make our voice
heard -- by all of our national elected officials  In addition to the
Millennium March itself, one million gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered
Americans will have an opportunity to walk the halls of our national
government and make a compelling and personal case for equality for all
citizens.

The March will birth a new generation of activists.
Each of our previous national marches has served to birth new activists. In
fact, as with many GLBT organizations, there are many UFMCC members whose
first taste of activism came through the previous Marches on Washington.  With
have a strategic opportunity to become intentional about using this Millennium
March to inspire and birth new activists who will continue to work toward the
dream of equality for all our citizens.

The Millennium March will energize our movement.  
The Millennium March on Washington will energize the GLBT rights movement,
strengthen all of our organizations, and present untold opportunities for gay
human rights, justice and spiritual organizations to grow in terms of members,
influence, accomplishments and media access.

The Millennium March's theme is focused, simple and understandable.  
Our society still hasn't heard the message.  We need look no further than the
recent repeal of the equal rights law in Maine to know that the simple message
of equality has not yet been heard and embraced. The theme of this Millennium
March is simple — and designed to build allies. To accomplish the goal of
equal human and civil rights, it is imperative that we strategically build
allies and support throughout society. One million gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgendered persons have an opportunity to call upon our nation and its
citizens to live out our nation's creed of "liberty and justice for all."
Every element of this March will be focused on the call for equality, and
every sub-theme will directly relate to the march's purpose.  

__________________________________

These are some of the reasons the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan
Community Churches supports the Millennium March on Washington. We must use
every means at our disposal to get our message out. And we must not rest until
our nation's highest ideals have transcended promise and become reality for
all our citizens.

(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