Six national LGBT organizations write joint letter to mayor of Clinton, Mississippi

In response to Thursday’s occurrences, when the Clinton, MS, police told Equality Riders to get out of their town, the leaders of six major, national LGBT advocacy organizations have written a joint letter to the mayor of the City of Clinton.

The letter is signed by: Kevin Cathcart (Executive Director, Lambda Legal), Matt Foreman (Executive Director, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force), Neil Giuliano (President, Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation), Kate Kendall (Executive Director, National Center for Lesbian Rights), Patrick Sammon (President, Log Cabin Republicans) and Joe Solmonese (President, Human Rights Campaign).

The letter reads:

March 23, 2007
Rosemary G. Aultman, Mayor
City of Clinton
300 Jefferson St
Clinton, MS 39056

Sent via Facsimile Transmission: 601.924.0113

Dear Mayor Aultman,

We are writing to strongly protest the recent actions of your police department toward Soulforce and insist that all intimidation and harassment against its members end immediately.

On March 20, Clinton police officials informed Soulforce that its members would be cited if they “attempt[ed] to gather or travel in a group of four or more” near the campus of Mississippi College. Lt. Thomas R. Ruffin acknowledged that the department’s actions “could be construed as conflicting with constitutional allowances,” but said that Soulforce’s presence in Clinton presented “valid public safety concerns.” This accusation is utterly without merit: Soulforce is enormously well respected across the country and is relentlessly nonviolent. Only after being contacted by the American Civil Liberties Union did the police lift the threat of citation.

Yesterday, as Soulforce members were getting ready to leave the city in their bus, they were persistently harassed by a police officer. The officer ordered the bus to leave town, saying, “Go on and get out of town.” After the bus driver explained that they were waiting on the remainder of the group, he was still forced to move on and threatened with arrest. This happened a total of
three times — even when the bus was moved to a space the city previously designated for it.

This behavior is not only intimidating and unlawful, it will cause long-lasting damage to Clinton’s reputation, derail your goal of becoming one of the nation’s premier cities, and is exactly the opposite of what you say on your own Web site — that Clinton is known for its hospitality.

To see the original letter, as faxed to the Mayor of Clinton, MS, today, click here.

Technorati Tags: Soulforce, Equality Ride, Clinton, Mississippi, Mississippi College, HRC, Human Rights Campaing, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Log Cabin Republicans, Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, GLAAD, National Center for Lesbian Rights, Lambda Legal

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