Mississippi Dignity Caravan

“Homophobia is like racism and anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry in that it seeks to dehumanize a large group of people, to deny their humanity, their dignity and personhood.” ~Coretta Scott King

• Saturday, May 22, 2010 9AM: Rally at Mississippi’s Capitol recognizing Harvey Milk Day  w/guest speakers. Topics will cover discrimination towards the LGBT community in schools, the workplace, military, and legislation.
• 10AM: Caravan to Fulton leaves Capitol
• 3-4PM: Rally in Fulton on Main Street in front of Itawamba Community College

Spread the word.

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered (LGBT) organizations, in conjunction with numerous churches and organizations of faith, will meet on the Capitol steps this Saturday, May 22, 2010 at 9AM to respond to the discrimination and inequities facing the LGBT community in Mississippi and the United States. The groups will then caravan to Fulton, MS to join in a peaceful counter-protest of members of Fred Phelps’ Westboro Baptist Church on Saturday from 3-4 PM.

The rally on the Capitol will feature speakers covering topics including spirituality; discrimination in schools, workplaces, and the military; and discriminatory legislation. The caravan will then head north to counter-protest Phelps – most widely known for his widespread vicious messages including “God Hates Fags,” “God Hates Jews,” and “God Hates the USA” as well as his disgusting picketing of military funerals – who has recently announced his church’s intention to picket the city of Fulton. The people and organizations involved in the rally and caravan are determined that the hateful messages of Phelps and Westboro Baptist Church will be met with peaceful but clear opposition.

“The international headlines involving the deplorable treatment of several young people in Mississippi should be a wake-up call not just for the LGBT community, but for everyone in our state,” said Knol Aust, Chair of Unity Mississippi. “We can no longer remain silent. All people in Mississippi deserve to be treated with dignity, respect, equality, and fairness. The rally and caravan offer an opportunity for the caring, fair-minded, rational people of Mississippi to take a stand against hatred and discrimination.”

The organizations endorsing these peaceful efforts include Unity Mississippi, GetEQUAL, Parents Friends/Family of Lesbians And Gays (PFLAG) Jackson, PFLAG Laurel, PFLAG Tupelo, the University of Southern Mississippi Gay Straight Alliance, Northwest Community College Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA), MS Rainbow Alliance, the Libertarian Party of Mississippi, A Brave New Day, Safe Harbor Family Church, Standing on the Side of Love, and First Christian Church of Jackson. These groups endorse the rallies as the most effective way to promote a message of tolerance and inclusion in Mississippi.

The caravan and rallies are being promoted and information will also be updated on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=100377460007104) and on this website.