Faith and Community Leaders Rally for Action Two Years After Pulse Tragedy to Remember Victims
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 13, 2018
MEDIA CONTACT
Michelle Nealy, mnealy@faithinpubliclife.org, (202)735-7123
Joey McKinnon, jmckinnon@faithinpubliclife.org, (843)364-4403
Faith and Community Leaders Rally for Action Two Years After Pulse Tragedy to Remember Victims
TALLAHASSEE, FL – On Tuesday, June 12, LGBTQ community members joined faith leaders, Equality Florida Trans-Action and other local groups to rally and honor the 49 victims of the Pulse massacre and this year’s shooting deaths of transgender women of color across the state. The rally called on lawmakers for action to end the epidemic of gun violence, pass nondiscrimination legislation like the Competitive Workforce Act for LGBTQ equality and address the forgotten needs of the community two years to the day after a horrific mass shooting at an LGBTQ+ nightclub on Latin Night in Orlando.
Six hundred and twelve days passed between Pulse and Parkland while Governor Rick Scott did nothing to reduce gun violence. His promise to take executive action to protect LGBTQ+ state workers from discrimination was broken and mental health funding for Central Florida was slashed.
To view the livestream video, click here. To view photos, click here.
Rev. Joe Parramore, New Journey Ministries:
“Two years ago tonight, 49 precious angels were lost in Orlando since that horrific act of hatred and violence at Pulse nightclub. The faith community here tonight is called to raise our moral voice against discrimination, hate and gun violence. We must not stop lifting our voices until we have common sense gun laws and fair treatment for all God’s children. The time of bowing down to the false idols of guns and discrimination has to stop. Until then, our broken hearts will continue to sing when we pause to remember the 49.”
Michelle Adams-Manning, Equality Florida:
“We are out here today to remember the 49 lives that were unnecessarily taken by an act of hate. Two years later our message is the same-we need to honor them with action. We need to make our voices heard until there is change. Since Pulse and other mass shootings we have learned we need to act. We are asking for common sense gun reform. We are asking politicians to stop taking money from the NRA and we are asking everyone to stand up, be loud and vote.”
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Faith in Public Life is a national network of nearly 50,000 clergy and faith leaders united in the prophetic pursuit of justice and the common good.