Last week, the Memphis Gay and Lesbian Community Center launched a billboard advertising campaign for National Coming Out Day in October. Last night, one of those billboards was torn down in an act of vandalism. This particular billboard portrayed a good friend who was discharged from the Marines under the military's Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy. In the ad, he was saluting in full uniform with the caption "I'm gay, and I defended your freedom."
This act of vandalism hurts in so many ways. This crime dishonors all soldiers who commit their lives to the safety and security of our nation. This crime is an affront to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender citizens of Memphis who merely wish to enjoy the same rights and responsibilities that others do. This crime seeks to silence free speech. This crime is a hate crime perpetrated on property due to bias against those who are gay or lesbian.
This crime will not send GLBT citizens and their straight allies in Memphis back into shadows of the closet. We are your family, your friends, your neighbors, and your coworkers. We are proud. We are unafraid. We stand with newly stiffened spines.
This act of vandalism hurts in so many ways. This crime dishonors all soldiers who commit their lives to the safety and security of our nation. This crime is an affront to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender citizens of Memphis who merely wish to enjoy the same rights and responsibilities that others do. This crime seeks to silence free speech. This crime is a hate crime perpetrated on property due to bias against those who are gay or lesbian.
This crime will not send GLBT citizens and their straight allies in Memphis back into shadows of the closet. We are your family, your friends, your neighbors, and your coworkers. We are proud. We are unafraid. We stand with newly stiffened spines.
8 comments:
Stay strong. That's horrible that this happened. I hope another billboard can be put back up. I moved here from Nashville about a year ago and I can tell there is definitely a more hostile and unwelcoming attitude here towards the GLBT.
Well you know...give gays & lesbians civil rights and pretty soon everyone will want them.
This is shameful.
Ridiculous. I can't imagine having that much hate in my heart or that much time to waste.
nothing changes hearts and minds like vandalism. What a bunch of assholes. Is there any insurance on something like this.
I can't believe someone did that (or maybe I can). That shows how much bull people are spewing when they say they have nothing personal against lgbt individuals; it's just that their religion teaches that the "behaviors" are wrong. You think that person's religion also teaches them to destroy things that don't belong to them? Ewww.
Look at the bright side: you opponents have proven themselves to be cowards who are forced to operate under the cover of darkness. They are the ones in the closet now.
Childish behaviour from, most likely, children. I wouldn't afford this type of vandalism the status of a political act. It's just petty criminality motivated by ignorance. Of course, isn't that what ultimately motivates most petty criminality?
Why did I not realize that the "B" who has been posting great comments for so long was none other than Brice. Awesome.
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