From: Date: Mon, 7 Nov 1994 17:21:01 -0500 PRESS RELEASE: FOR IMMEDIATE USE CHURCH TRIES TO KILL VETERANS EVENT BUT GLB VETS PREVAIL New York, NY, November 7, 1994. German Lopez, President of Gay, Lesbian & Bisexual Veterans of Greater New York (GLB VETS), has declared a state of general emergency in response to a heavy-handed move by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York to force cancellation of a veterans awards ceremony. The state of emergency will be kicked off at a public rally on Wednesday evening, November 9, at the Gay & Lesbian Community Services Center in Greenwich Village at 7:00 p.m., with a march to St. Francis Xavier, to depart from the Center at 7:30 p.m. On September 28, 1994, St. Francis Xavier Church (16th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues) signed an agreement with GLB VETS to rent Larkin Hall, undercroft of the church. Larkin Hall is generally available to the public as a rental facility. The veterans group rented the hall for their 2nd Annual Rainbow Eagle Awards Banquet, the most significant g/l/b vets honors event in the United States. This year's honorees included New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, Judge Karen Burstein, Job Mashariki, Director of Black Veterans of Social Justice, and New York State Veterans Counselor Vincent Muscari, in addition to long-time activist and GLB VETS board member Fred Knoerzer. At 3 p.m. on Thursday, November 3, 48 hours before the dinner was to be held, the Archdiocese of New York ordered the pastor of St. Francis Xavier to unilaterally cancel the rental contract, which was signed and confirmed weeks before. The only pretext offered for the violation of the agreement was that GLB VETS, in the opinion of the Archdiocese, has "too high a profile" as a "gay group." GLB VETS, whose members advocate and volunteer on behalf of all veterans without distinction, has been recognized as a veterans service organization by federal, state and local governments, in addition to recognition from the U.S. Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs and plaudits from Vice President Al Gore. Officials with the vets group have confirmed that the church offered no other excuse. They have also received information from church and independent sources that this decision, including the last-minute timing of the cancellation, was on specific orders from the highest Archdiocesan authorities. Lopez noted with frustration, that "this couldn't be anything but a move to kill this specific event, and to destroy the credibility and financial stability of a successful community-based veterans organization because of prejudice. The Archbishop of New York, Cardinal O'Connor, has a long record of service caring for military and veteran people - he has responsibilities for our well- being. Our Rainbow Eagle Awards honor people who have served the entire vet community. If His Eminence has differences with that part of the veterans community our members represent, because of other issues, it is sad and shameful that he allowed his own prejudices to blind him to larger issues of service, inclusiveness and non- discrimination in the public venue. He chose to act in a spirit of meanness by this last-minute insult to our distinguished honorees and military veterans." The need to find another hall for the banquet on less than two days notice forced GLB VETS members to a full-scale mobilization to obtain space, move set-up plans and notify ticketholders. The event was finally held at Carmine Recreation Center in Greenwich Village. Shifting the event and changing plans resulted in the dinner running far over budget, but organizers say that the event was, according to Lopez, "a great success because of the support we received from so many people. Mayor Giuliani, Manhattan Borough President Ruth Messinger and the New York City Council issued proclamations honoring the event. The greatest municipality in North America chose to recognize the service our people and honorees have rendered to veterans. We cannot understand why the Archdiocese chose to disgrace itself by this public insult." GLB VETS is issuing this press release to draw attention to the need to resolve a critical issue of public access and fairness. The state of emergency will remain in effect, according to Lopez, "until all the reasons for this disgraceful act are removed, and amends are made." Contact GLB VETS at 212-349-3455 for details and further information.