Support these grassroot efforts!

Thank you to the Courage Campaign and Unite the Fight for making this possible.

Can you spare one hour for a man who risked his life for 18 months in Iraq, and for the thousands of others who have to choose between living a lie and living a dream of defending our country?

Today Rachel Maddow revealed that previous guest Army National Guardsman Lt. Dan Choi, who came out publicly on her show, is the latest victim of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, having received a letter from the Army informing him that he is being kicked out of the military. 

REGISTER NOW!!!!!  2 days away!

Saturday, May 9th, 2009 | 9:30AM to 5PM

We would like to invite you to attend the "Teach In for Equality – Our Shared History" in West Hollywood on May 9th.

One of the primary goals of the Teach In for Equality is to instill a sense that all of us are part of a shared history of struggle, anguish and triumph. The Teach In for Equality is sponsored by the Equality Network, a grassroots organization for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) equality and justice, which was established after the passage of Prop 8.

The conference will begin with coffee/tea and registration from 9:30 AM on Saturday, May 9th and end at 5 PM. All conference sessions will be held in Fiesta Hall and the adjacent Community Center in Plummer Park in West Hollywood. View Map. There is LIMITED seating, so please register as soon as possible to guarantee yourself a place at this amazing event.

There is limited seating, so if you are interested, please register for the Teach In at http://www.teachinforequality.net/. If you’d like to attend the event, and can donate $10, please use our Registration page to donate and get your ticket at the same time. If you’re an organization or business hoping to partner with us for the event, please see our Sponsorship page.

We look forward to your participation in this historic event.

Sincerely,
David Comfort
Co-Founder, Equality Network
…………..
The Equality Network is a nonprofit, grassroots advocacy organization that is committed to building a movement for non-violent action to achieve social and political justice and equality for gay, lesbian, transgendered, and bisexual people.

In a story largely ignored by the media, death squads are rounding up Iraqi gay men, sealing their anuses with powerful glue, then inducing diarrhea, which leads to a painful and agonizing death.
 
The annihilation of our people, ordered by religious decree in a nation where our troops have sacrificed their lives to restore religious freedom, is appalling.  In San Francisco , activists have protested.  In Los Angeles, efforts are being taken to not remain silent while this happens.

Next Wednesday, May 13, the Los Angeles City Council will consider a resolution, sponsored by, Councilman Bill Rosendahl, putting the City of Los Angeles on record condemning this atrocity.  A representative of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission will be on hand to testify.

The council meeting will be held at 10 a.m., May 13, in the John Ferraro Council Chambers, 3rd Floor, Los Angeles City Hall, 200 N. Spring Street, Los Angeles, 90012.
 
If you live in the LA area we urge you to attend and to speak out.  We need to draw attention to these crimes.  If you do not live in the area, I urge you to plan a local effort of solidarity, to send the message to your community that these acts of violents are being used against our LGBT family and we must speak out!

If you plan on attending, please RSVP to Anataly DeJesus at [email protected] or 213-473-7011.  Parking is going to try to be arranged.

Please help spread the word by forwarding this email.

For more information on what is happening in Iraq, please see the following links:
Gaycitynews.com
International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission
IGLHRC.org

A huge thanks is offered to Mike Bonin and Los Angeles Councilman Bill Rosendahl for bringing more light to this VERY IMPORTANT, let’s put it in to perspective, message.