Subject: CA's Davis kills, QW demands NGLTF ends silence on death penalty
From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 10 Feb 1999 19:29:23 EST

PLEASE REPOST WIDELY!!  SHARE THIS WITH YOUR FRIENDS!!

Friends -

The clock is ticking and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force is still 
silent about the death penalty.  We sent this letter today to elicit a 
response - they have not responded to our January 21, 1999 letter.  NGLTF 
describes itself as a group that is "part of a broader social justice 
movement for freedom, justice and equality."  As their failure to oppose 
the death penalty continues, a man was executed yesterday in California. 
 NGLTF might have added its voice to the many that called for clemency.

We will update you soon about  Queer Watch's anti-capital punishment 
campaign.

Best,
Bill Dobbs
Michael Petrelis
---------------------------------------

Rachel Rosen and Jerry Clark,  Co-Chairs
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Board of Directors
2320 17th Street,  N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20009-2702

Dear Ms. Rosen and Mr. Clark:

We recently sent a letter to you as co-chairs of the NGLTF Board of 
Directors.  That January 21, 1999 letter constituted a formal request to 
the entire NGLTF Board of Directors for action:  that NGLTF immediately 
oppose capital punishment, and further that you make this opposition widely 
known inside and outside Wyoming.  That letter was sent on behalf of Queer
Watch, a grassroots group opposed to capital punishment that has called on
g/l/b/t organizations to join its campaign against the death penalty.

(Please note: We would be sending this letter to each of NGLTF's board 
members directly but we do not know how to contact all of them.  Please 
share this with everyone on the board.)

To date Queer Watch has not received a reply from the board. Given the 
delay that has already occurred - Kerry Lobel told us in November at 
Creating Change that the Task Force had a position against the death 
penalty, which is apparently not the case - Queer Watch is anxious to know 
current Task Force policy regarding capital punishment.  In order to avoid 
any misunderstandings, we would like a written response from you as to what 
action the board took on this matter.  In addition, we would appreciate an 
explanation as to the reasons supporting that action.

NGLTF describes itself, "As part of a broader social justice movement for 
freedom, justice and equality..."   As gay political influence grows, the 
failure to exercise it on important issues becomes more conspicuous. 

Jaturn Siripongs was executed yesterday in California.  NGLTF might have 
added its voice to the many that called for clemency.  Instead NGLTF 
continues to have no position on capital punishment and remains silent.

We know you are both probably very busy, but we would like a response by 
5:00 p.m. Friday February 12, 1999. You can either email Bill Dobbs at 
[email-masked], or send me a fax by calling in advance at (212) 
966-1091.  We will make sure to share your response with the other members 
of Queer Watch.  As many members of the Ad Hoc Committee to Open the 
Process have an interest in this issue, I will also pass along your 
response to them.

We look forward to hearing from you.  At the same time, we will have to 
assume that the NGLTF Board has failed to respond to this request if I have 
not heard from you by the end of the day on Friday.

Best Regards,

William K. Dobbs
New York, NY

Michael Petrelis
San Francisco, CA
Email: [email-masked]