12,000 Member Convention Cancels APHA CANCELS HUGE CONVENTION TO PROTEST AMENDMENT 2 Largest Convention $$ Loss in Amendment 2 Boycott History 21 July 93 For Immediate Release (Denver) - At a meeting in April, the Executive Board of the American Public Health Association voted to cancel it's 1999 meeting, scheduled for Denver, to protest Amendment 2. This announcement was made to the Denver Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau, who DID NOT release this news to the public, possibly in an attempt to squelch the effects of the national boycott of Colorado's Amendment 2. This convention would have brought approximately 12,000 delegates to Denver, and would have reserved 20,000 "room-nights". Estimated dollar loss is approximately $11 million. According to Boycott Colorado's director, Terry Schleder, "This is the largest convention to protest Amendment 2 yet. The APHA's decision demonstrates Amendment 2 is a public health issue, as well." Amendment 2, never having taken effect yet, has caused a dramatic rise in violence against gays and lesbians, and suicides. According to Schleder, "Amendment 2 will continue to cost the state millions until it is repealed. The Denver Convention Bureau, by sitting on this news, is only helping to keep Colorado in denial about how expensive and dangerous the religious-right and Amendment 2 really are." ###